It’s NEARLY Rudolph Day!

Hi there!

It’s Rudolph Day tomorrow . . . but as I often post on a Wednesday, my penguin ATC is a day early! 

Instead, I’m entering this ATC into one of my favourite challenges - TAG ALONG & ATCs - where they want to see you ADD SOME TEXT to your tag, ATC or bookmark. 

My ATC has text stamped faintly in the background and the word “penguin” in the orange/green bit of the image.

ATC

Details:

• Snippets of white and SU Island Indigo to create the ATC base 
• MFT Stitched Snowflakes for the two smaller flakes; unknown make for the largest snowflake.
• Script stamp (stamped in SU Pool Party ink) is from the Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous set THMM123.
• Penguin is by AALL & Create - Set #604

You're invited to Allsorts' 17th Birthday Party

I am thrilled to be one of the Guest Designers at ALLSORTS Challenge 850 while they celebrate their 17th birthday.  Go check out the Design Team’s lovely makes. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALLSORTS - congrats to Brenda and her team on your longevity.

The challenge theme is ANYTHING GOES - so a nice easy one.

There are lots of lovely prizes on offer (details HERE) and you can enter up to 5 times, so why not come and join in with the Allsorts Birthday Party and you might go home with a little goody bag!n On top of all that there is a code for 15% off of Aall & Create products which is AllsortsBD17.

I got out the wonderful Studio Light triptych dies to make this shaped card, along with some vintage style stamps by Tim Holtz. I stamped the butterfly twice so I could decoupage it. If you fold one panel back on itself, this card fits inside a 6" x 6" envelope.

Materials:

• Studio Light triptych die
• Botanic Collage Stamps CMS447 by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous
• White panels matted onto SU Tip Top Taupe card
• SU Birthday stamp from a long retired set, stamped with Tip Top Taupe ink
• Lavinia Elements Mulberry ink used for the main panels

Sunday Snippets - A Butterfly Card

Hi Playmates!

There's a new challenge to play along with over at the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND hosted by Miss Di for the next fortnight.

Here's my homework:

A6 sized card

I've only used ONE snippet on this card (the butterfly), but I hope you'll agree it has IMPACT!

Details:

• Concord & 9th Butterfly (snippet from an art journal page I discarded)
• Funky Fossil - Geometric Flowers stencil (green ink)
• Tim Holtz THMM123 grungy letters stamp (grey ink)
• SU Gorgeous Grunge splatter stamp (purple ink)

Sunday Snippets - Going Green!

Hi Playmates!

There's a new challenge to play along with over at the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND hosted by Miss Di for the next fortnight.

For my homework this week, I used up part of a green gelli print that had been hanging around for a while, along with some white snippets.

 4" x 5" Custom made base card to fit snippet.

Remaining snippets left from making the above card.

Why not use up some of YOUR snippets then come to play in the Snippets Playground. There's usually someone around to chat to in the Treehouse, or you can join the unruly mob behind the bike sheds. Alternatively, you can play on the swings; the roundabout or the slide (and the paddling pool in the height of summer!)

Details:

• Green gel print snippet that I wanted to use up.
• White die cuts: bird branch from a retired set by The Works; sentiment Happy Birthday Poe Script by Poppy Stamps.
• Tim Holtz distressing tool used to rough-up the edges.

Sunday Snippets - A Biker's Birthday

Hi there Playmates!

Wishing you all a very Happy Easter - I hope you enjoy your Bank Holiday weekend. There are plenty of chocolate eggs to be found in the Playground Easter Egg Hunt. 

Di has published RESULTS from the previous challenge, so please hop over to the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND to admire her top picks and discover which lucky playmate won the prize. There's still nearly a week left to play in the current challenge if you haven't already done so.

My homework used up some patterned paper snippets and along with some cream paper. All stamping was done with VFC Pinecone ink. I stamped the Tim Holtz clock on the patterned paper using first and second generation stamping. The bike was stamped onto a cream snippet, then cut out with scissors. 

Materials:

• Visible Image 'Ride The Wind' stamp set (for the bike and sentiment).
• Clock stamp from Stampers Anonymous Visual Artistry range, 'Life's Possibilities' (CSS 25870)
• Snippets of brown patterned paper and cream card.
• VFC Pinecone ink.

Edited to add that Faith invited me to enter this card into THE MALE ROOM CHALLENGE where there is a TRANSPORT theme . . . so I'm heading over there with this card too!

Blue Bird Birthday!

Hi there - thanks for dropping by!

I made this card using the ink smooshing ink technique, along with a few snippets. 

I would like to enter this card into the current ALLSORTS CHALLENGE #842 where they want to see you CREATE YOUR OWN BACKGROUND (or you can enter under the ANYTHING GOES option).

5" square card size

Details: 

• Unbranded bird die from Temu.
• Foliage die by Sizzix (Hidden Leaves, code 664581)
• Sentiment by Uniko (Simply Said Blocks)
• Smooshed background made using spritzed SU Misty Moonlight ink and a small piece of acetate to pick it up and smoosh on card front. 

Doodling with torn paper snippets . . .

Hi there!

Something VERY quirky from me today!

I saw something on Pinterest which showed tiny bits of brown paper with doodling around their shape. This piqued my interest, so - I thought I’d have a go myself! I would link to the Pinterest post, but I can’t find it anywhere now, despite searching!

Here’s the final results, made into cards:

The process I used was to find a few brown paper snippets (never a problem, I have loads of brown paper snippets). Then I tore them into small pieces and stamped them randomly with the Funky Fossil “Shoot for the stars” text stamp. Once they were glued to a piece of A4 printer paper, I simply doodled around them and cut them out ready to add to cards.

Bits of stamped brown paper ready to doodle! I glued paper onto two A4 sheets,
but I’m sure you get the idea from this one.

These were the doodles that made the Final Cut - but then, I
didn’t like what I made with the “mouse” or the “toucan”, so they
got binned!

4.5" x 4.5” sized card with a stamped & stencilled background,
plus a clock that I cut out and stuck behind the doodle.

"Small Triangles” stencil by Rubber Dance; sentiment from 
Grunge Collection SL GR STAMP43 by StudioLight.
Grounding stamp by IndigoBlu. 
Custom card size 4 1/8th x 5"

PaperArtsy “mini” stamp in orange; grounding stamp
by IndigoBlu. Sentiment from the “So Weird” set by Whimsy Stamps.
Custom card size: 5” x 5.5"

It was a bit of fun, and I got a few cards out of the exercise, so I was happy!

Textured ATCs

Hi there!

Today I have a couple of textured ATCs to share - but be warned - this post is a bit photo heavy! Both ATCs were originally playing cards, which I trimmed to 2.25" x 3.25" and rounded the corners so that I could mount them onto a 2.5" x 3.5" base.

Here's the first:

ATC

Attempting to show you the embossed texture
of the base and the flower.

ATC MATERIALS:

• Focal flower: Flower head from a retired Stampin' Up! set, coloured with yellow & orange Distress Inks then heat embossed with clear EP. The stem and leaves are from Tim Holtz Flower Garden CMS125, stamped in black VFC ink, then heat embossed with clear EP.
• Background: Stamps from Studio Light Grunge set SL GR STAMP229 and Creative Expressions Arty Background stamp set CEC-784. Base was created by painting and smearing the playing card with a mixture of black, white and turquoise gesso. (Yes! You read that right . . . TURQUOISE gesso - by Jane Davenport!)
• Texture: created with different layers of gesso; heating embossing and the flower head was stuck to the card with a foam pad.

I couldn't believe how glossy the flower turned out. I had simply stamped it onto some plain old copy paper and coloured it with a yellow and orange Distress Inks. I liked it like that - but, as I had the heat gun and embossing stuff out on my desk, I wondered what would happen if I dabbed a VersaMark ink pad onto it and covered it with clear embossing powder! This was the delightful result:

Sooooo glossy! Happy days!

I would like to enter the flower ATC into the TAG ALONG & ATCs CHALLENGE where the theme is to ADD TEXTURE.

Delighted to be picked.

This is how the playing cards looked at first:

I covered the playing cards with
gesso and acrylic paints.

Here's the other textured ATC I made from the above:

The photo below shows how it looked after the gesso & acrylic paint, with the added stamping, stencilling  and heat embossing, but minus the chicken and flower "sun" and the sentiment which I cut out from a magazine and inked.

If you managed to get to the end of this longer blog post . . . congrats and THANK YOU!

Sunday Snippets - 5th October

Hi Playmates!

I have published RESULTS from the previous challenge, so please hop over to the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND to admire the top picks and discover which lucky playmate won the prize. There's still nearly a week left to play in the current challenge if you haven't already done so.

For my homework I've created a floral card using lots of snippets. In fact, EVERYTHING stuck to the card front is a snippet! It's been a wild and woolly week of weather here in the UK, but remember the sun always shines in the Snippets Playground, so come on over to play!

Card measures 5" square

The snippets after die cutting!

Details:

• "Modern Floristry" die set designed by Tim Holtz for Sizzix - cut from various gelli prints to make up the flower, stamen and leaves.
• Flower & leaves glued to snippet of patterned paper, and mounted onto a gelli print snippet before being added to the card front.
• Sentiment by Stampin' Up! inked with Marina Mist.

Snippets Playground - Challenge 507

Hi Playmates!

I'm hosting a new challenge over at the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND for the next fortnight. This is your opportunity to use up some snippets (scraps/leftovers), then come over and join us for a 'show and tell' via Mr Linky.

Plenty of coffee, tea and hot chocolate available during Sunday Morning Breakfast Club. Up in the Treehouse, Di and I are putting the microwave to good use heating up croissants and pain au chocolates for you. (Psst - you know where to find me if you want something stronger later in the day!!!!)

My homework this week:

A6 sized card

Details:

• A6 card blank, with snippets of black and green card.
• Stamped using one of the stamps on the Paper Artsy Hot pick 1005 set HERE
• Tim Holtz tool used to distress the edges of the green card. 

Happy crafting everyone.  

Snippets Playground - Anyone fancy a coffee?

Hi Playmates!

It's been such lovely weather this week, that we've had tonnes of fun running around playing 'Tag, You're It". All that running around has fair worn me out - so it's up to the Treehouse for some refreshments!

In the Sunday Morning Breakfast Club we'll be enjoying croissants & hot cross buns, heated up in the microwave, plus as much tea or coffee as you can manage. Here's hoping you remembered to put your clocks forward if you're in the UK! 

I'm hosting a new challenge over at the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND for the next fortnight. This is your opportunity to use up snippets (scraps/leftovers) in your creative projects, then skip over to the Playground for a 'show and tell' via Mr Linky.

For my homework this week I made a gatefold card with a coffee theme and a vintage vibe!

The card measures 5.5" square

Details: 

• 11" x 5.5" piece of white card scored at 2.75" each side to create the gatefold shape.
• Patterned paper snippets: two panels, each measuring 2.25" x 5"; a square measuring 2.25" x 2.25". A further piece to stamp the mug on and fussy cut (optional).
• 2 x square snippets of white card: one measuring 2.75" x 2.75", the other 2" x 2".
• Coffee mug from the Tim Holtz "Fresh Brewed" (THMB025) stamp set by Stampers Anonymous. The mug was stamped onto the smallest white square, then again onto a snippet of the patterned paper, fussy cut and glued over the stamped image. This was layered up and mounted as shown in the photo, ensuring only the left hand side of the central panel was glued on to the left hand panel of the main card.
• Coffee bean stamps from an Aall & Create set were added at opposing corners. 

EDITED TO SAY:

At Carrie's invitation, I am also linking the above card up to the Creative Creases Challenge 101 where I've snuck in at the last minute!

While I was making one coffee-themed gatefold card . . . I decided to make another - see below:

Same measurements as the first card for the gatefold. I altered the dimensions of the middle piece to suit the size of the coffee cup and sentiment. The card front was double stencilled - first with Aall & Create Cloister Grille in a light brown, then with Funky Fossil's retired Caffeine Buzz stencil in a darker brown ink. The coffee cup is by Uniko, stamped in brown ink and the flower coloured in with 2 shades of orange Tombow pens. The central panel (made entirely from snippets) was stuck to the left hand gate!

ATC Around the World Challenge

The theme of the current ATC Around the World Challenge is COFFEE or TEA, so off I dashed to make an ATC with my coffee stamps.

Details:

• Latte coffee cup image from the Tim Holtz "Fresh Brewed" (THMB025) stamp set by Stampers Anonymous. I used a water brush to paint the image using the same brown dye ink it was stamped in. Also used Distress Ink in Kitsch Flamingo for the centre logo.
• Coffee border stamp is so old I don't know who made it, but it was probably retired long ago.
• All white and brown card used for this ATC is from my snippets pile!

Anyone fancy a cuppa up in the treehouse?

Hi Playmates

My homework is a card for all you coffee lovers out there. It came about because I wanted to play with some pre-loved stamps I bought at a local destash event. 

Card measures 4.75" square

Details:

• All the brown layers in the centre of the card are snippets. 
• Funky Fossil "Caffeine Buzz" stencil used for the background.
• Coffee mug from the Tim Holtz "Fresh Brewed" (THMB025) stamp set by Stampers Anonymous. The mug was stamped onto the medium brown panel, then stamped again onto a lighter brown snippet which was cut out and attached with foam pads.

Playground Round-up:

I'm afraid all the croissants have been scoffed, but there's still plenty of treats being brought up to the treehouse in my satchel. Apparently an air fryer might be in the offing . . . but that will be Miss Di's territory. Too steep a learning curve for my little brain! 

Di has published RESULTS from the previous challenge, so please hop over to the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND to admire her top picks and discover who won the prize. There's still nearly a week left to play in the current challenge if you haven't already done so.

Remember that Challenge #500 starts next Sunday at midnight with a mandatory "Celebration" theme to comply with. There WILL be cocktails!

Love

Hello Crafty Friends!

I made this card for the current ALLSORTS CHALLENGE (#816) which has a theme of ROMANCE and/or MUSIC (or there's the anything goes option). There are some wonderful AALL & Create stamps and stencils to be won . . . what more incentive do you need to join in?

Card measures 4.75" x 4.75"

Details:

• Tim Holtz Mixed Media die used to cut the holes in the card front.
• A piece of brown packing paper was adhered to the inside of the card front.
• LOVE sentiment die (from The Works, I think) stacked 3 times using snippets of white card and patterned paper, then glued to the card front. The patterned paper is actually dark purple, but doesn't really come out well in the photo.

Sunday Snippets - more collage!

Hi Playmates!

Last Sunday, I mentioned you would be seeing more collage cards . . . and true to my word . . . here's another!

I put the collage together using snippets from my Junk Journal shoe box of odds and ends (as before) - choosing complementary tones. 

5" x 7" card

The starting point was the snippet of silhouette flowers stamped onto white card and inked around the edges, followed by grouping some torn snippets around it. I added the Tim Holtz Small Talk stickers to finish it off, then glued it to the card front.

Di has published RESULTS from the previous challenge, so please hop over to the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND to admire her top picks and discover who won the prize. There's still another week left to play in the current challenge if you haven't already done so. The conker contest is in full swing! 

Another Modern Floristry Card

Hi Playmates!

Here's another card made with the Sizzix Modern Floristry set of dies. I used white snippets for the main panel as well as all the die cutting. The flowers were coloured by using brushes with various Distress Inks (with the die cut put back into the hole left from cutting it to hold it in place). The main panel was then mounted onto a piece of SU Lucky Limeade card and adhered to the card front.

I was inspired to make this card having watched this Pete Hughes You Tube video.

There's a new challenge to play along with over at the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND hosted by Miss Di for the next fortnight.

HAPPY CRAFTING!

Sympathy Card

Hi there! Thanks for dropping by my blog today.

I have a sympathy card to share with you. The focal panel was created entirely from snippets.

C6 sized card opening on right hand side.

Die cut foliage snippets - stacked & glued together.

MATERIALS:

• C6 card blank in landscape orientation, opening on the right hand side.
• Heffy Doodle Skinny Metric Rectangle Frame dies used to cut a white snippet to surround the patterned paper. (Heffy Doodle are no longer in business.)
• Purple patterned paper die cut with same Heffy Doodle die for perfect match.
• Sizzix "Hidden Leaves" dies used to cut foliage from white snippets (see photo). The leaves were glued together in a stack to create a sturdy topper for dimension.
• Sympathy sentiment was stamped with SU Rich Razzleberry dye ink and is part of a Clearly Besotted "Small Sentiments" stamp set. 

I'm entering this card into the current ALLSORTS CHALLENGE #799 where the theme is Get Well or With Sympathy (or you can use the anything goes option).

At the time of posting this, there is still a week left to play in the current SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND CHALLENGE. So if you use some snippets on your card, please feel free to come and play on the swings with us.

Sunday Snippets - Pretty in Pink!

Hi Playmates!

I'm hosting a new challenge over at the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND for the next fortnight. So take a look at your pile of snippets (I KNOW you have some), make something with them, then come and play!

In my satchel this week, I have cake, chocolate and bubbly to celebrate someone special's birthday. You'll find me, Di and Dudley, plus the usual suspects, getting up to mischief in the treehouse  - come and join in the fun!

Here's my homework: I had lots of fun creating this floral card from my pile of white snippets.

Materials:

• Everything apart from the card base was originally a white snippet.
• Distress Oxide Inks in Walnut Stain and Kitsch Flamingo were used to colour all the white die cut snippets as well as the panels they are attached to.
• Sizzix Modern Floristry die set by Tim Holtz used for all the flowers and foliage.
• Simply Said sentiment stamp by Uniko, cut out with scissors and stuck on either with foam pads or tiny snippets glued to it to build it up (I can't remember which!).
• Script background stamp (possibly by IndigoBlu) - stamped to the right of the panel after it was lightly brushed with Walnut Stain DOX ink.

Enjoy the week ahead. Wishing you plenty of time to craft.

What's in Sarn's Satchel this week?

Hi Playmates!

After all the cake and bubbly over the last fortnight, I've put the big skipping rope into my satchel, so we can all get together and have fun taking turns to turn the rope and jump in and out of it while singing rhymes to work off some of those calories!

For my homework I have created a leafy thank you card, using up some snippets that were originally white, but were subsequently inked up, with a little stamping added here and there, plus some splattering with Winsor & Newton gold drawing ink.

4.75" square card

Attempting to show you the gold splatters!

My die cut leaves for a number of cards
(originally white snippets of card).

And while I was at it - I made another leafy card with a couple more of the snippety leaves.

Washi tape at the side; leafy snippets and words from a PaperArtsy set.

There's a new challenge to play along with over at the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND hosted by Miss Di for the next fortnight. If you find yourself at a loose end, why not make something with your snippets then come over to play? There will be the usual shenanigans going on in the treehouse and behind the bike shed, plus . . . there's the aforementioned skipping to be done! 

Sarn's Sunday Snippets!

Hi Playmates

Wow it's been a hot one in the UK this week! Not much crafting has been done at my place I can tell you!

However, I still have something to share with you, and this time it's a masculine birthday card for a friend of mine . . . made with my favourite leafy dies. 

There's a stash of blueberry muffins under a glass domed cake stand up in the treehouse for elevenses - feel free to help yourself. I bagsy the comfy seat nearest the fan - and because I'm Prefect, I'm gonna pull rank! I'm thinking about asking Miss Di if there's enough money left over from raffle ticket sales to install air con in the treehouse!

Card base: 4.75" square

Leafy snippet

DETAILS:

• White snippet of card inked by tapping various Distress Inks onto a non-stick craft sheet, spritzing the ink with water and dabbing the white snippet through the result. Added a bit of grungy stamping on top once the ink was dry, using an old Kaisercraft stamp, plus a few splatters.
• Tim Holtz "Leaf Fragments" dies used to cut leaves from the inky snippet.
• AALL & Create Washi tape #13 added along the bottom of the card because it matched the leaf colours so well!
• The sentiment is from a JOFY PaperArtsy stamp set.
• I stamped the tip of an AALL & Create grunge stamp at the very top of the card to join up the leaves and painted on a few dots for faux splatters.

There's a new challenge to play along with over at the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND hosted by Miss Di for the next fortnight.

Thanks for looking at my blog today, and for any comment you may choose to leaf(!). 

HAPPY CRAFTING.