The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge - December

Surely we can't be at the end of 2015 already! With the end of the year brings the last calendar challenge but before I get on to my December tag I would like to take the opportunity to thank the Craft Barn for this hosting this challenge and also the weekly challenges. I have thoroughly enjoyed taking part and a special thanks to Jane for the work she puts into keeping the blog running and the ideas to challenge us. Thank you also to everyone one who has visited my blog during the year and to those who have left comments - it is very much appreciated. Finally, I wish you all a very happy 2016.

Ok, back to business. The colour silver and a Christmas tree (or more) are to be used somewhere on this month's project. December is always a frantic month - well it is in my disorganised world so I've kept my tag calm and simple. I had some brayered background  left over from my Christmas card making so I stencilled on some snowflakes and then stamped stars in between - they are there but hardly showing even in real life! Then  I stamped the images and embossed in silver before adding some seam binding coloured with Distress Ink.

Tag Recipe
Card
White card
Inks/Paints
PaperArtsy Fresco paints - Ice Blue, Mermaid, Snowflake
Broken China Distress Ink
Versamark
Silver detail embossing powder
Stamps
Crafty Individuals CI-326 & CI-257
Other
Snowflake stencil - Dutch Doobadoo Ice Star
Seam binding coloured with Broken China Distress Ink

And the end of the line - twelve months of tags.

The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - Tree(s)

Here we are at the last Craft Barn Weekly Challenge of 2015. Amazingly I have only missed one week during the year.

For this last week our project should include at least one tree. I started by making a sheet of background paper applying PaperArtsy Fresco paints with a brayer before stencilling on some snowflakes. I stamped the Crafty Individuals image on to the background and coloured the trees and letters with some shimmer coloured pencils that have been in my stash for years and never used. I then added a bit of sparkle to the stars with a Sakura glitter pen. The image was again stamped onto a piece of white card.  The jolly robin was painted with Distress Inks and his hat with Twinkling H2Os before cutting him out and sticking him to the card with his top half lifted from the card with silicone glue for a 3d effect. The base card was stamped around the edge with  JOFY's Snowflakes image and again coloured with the coloured pencils.
Sorry it's not a very good photo but the light has been so poor recently.

 Whatever way you celebrate the festive season I hope you  "Have a Very Jolly Time".

Card Recipe
Card
Base card – Craftwork Cards
White card
Silver Card
Anna Marie Designs Super Smooth Printer Card 250gsm
Inks/Paints
PaperArtsy Fresco paints - Ice Blue, Mermaid, Snowflake
Distress Inks – Frayed Burlap, Ground Espresso, Dried Marigold, Festive Berries, Mermaid Lagoon
Ranger Archival Jet Black
Memento Tuxedo Black
H2Os - Solar Gold
Sakura Gellyroll glitter pen
Crayola Shimmers  metallic coloured pencils
Stamps
Jolly Robin - Crafty Individuals CI-375
Snowflakes - PaperArtsy JOFY JM07
Other
Snowflake stencil – Dutch Doobadoo Ice Star

The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - Christmas Presents

The given subject for the Craft Barn Weekly Challenge is Christmas presents and to include the colour red on a project.

My Christmas card making having started well, is now going very slowly so my make this week just had to be another card and a quick one! This is the first outing for this stamp which I had completely forgotten I had bought just after last Christmas and the only stamp I have with parcels on it. I coloured the image with alcohol ink pens. Then I dusted Distress Ink around the edges before mounting it on silver card and then on an embossed base card. I glittered the snowflake die-cuts ...........  and my craft room ...........and down the landing........and the stairs.............Just amazing where that stuff turns up!

Card Recipe
Card 
Anna Marie Designs Super Smooth Printer Card 250gsm
Silver card
Inks 
Memento - Tuxedo Black
Ranger Archival - Watering Can
Distress Ink - Festive Berry
Copic markers
Promarkers
Stamps 
Girl - maker unknown
Sentiment - Stamp Addicts SA-7105
Die/Embossing Folder
Snowflakes - Joy  Crafts 6003/0051
Cuttlebug Holly embossing folder

The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - Folding

As luck would have it this week's Craft Barn challenge is folding and I had just made a paper folded angel when it was announced. She will adorn, along with some other makes, the tree I will be decorating for the Christmas tree festival at our parish church. Local organisations are invited to join in and I'm dressing it on behalf of the Pre-school Learning Alliance supplies shop I run. I'm making various decorations using materials that we sell to give parents ideas on simple things that their children can make. I will also hang paint brushes, glue sticks, pens, tubes of glitter etc on the tree. It's all good community fun (and free publicity).

I stencilled snowflakes with white paint onto two pieces of sugar paper (about A5 and A6 size) and then folded them concertina fashion (I cheated and used my Houghie board). I die-cut a white circle of card and and drew on the face before free cutting some hair to stick on the face. I finished off by bending a gold pipe cleaner into the shape of a halo.

The Craft Barn Challenge - Snowflakes

Winter arrived in Bedfordshire last weekend making this week's subject for the Craft Barn Challenge calling for snowflakes very apt.

I've made a Christmas card to add to my pile of ........two! I brayered a background PaperArtsy style and added some stencilled snowflakes. To make the branch, I die cut a swirl and chopped off some of the swirls and flower blossom. I covered where the flowers had been with die cut snowflakes. The owl was a left over from my November Craft Barn Calendar Challenge tag and I stamped, coloured and glittered a hat to keep him warm (well an ear, at least). I finished off by adding some glitter to the branch and bling on the snowflakes.

Card recipe
Card
Base card - Craftworks Card
Anna Marie Designs Super Smooth Printer Card 200gsm
Wood effect card
Silver card
Inks/Paints
PaperArtsy Fresco paints - Ice Blue, Mermaid, Snowflake
Distress Inks - Mermaid Lagoon, Cracked Pistachio, Abandoned Coral, Broken China
Copic marker
Stamps
Owl - Craft Stamper freebie
Hat - Hero Arts B2588 Santa's Hat 
Dies
Swirl for branch - Sizzix Bigz Die Corner, Flourish 655962
Snowflakes - Joy vintage Flourishes 6003/0051
Other
Rhinestones
Stampendous multi crystal glitter

The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - World Records

I found this week's Craft Barn Challenge just that - a challenge. The subject matter is world records or something that could be one. Heck! where to start! I decided the best place was my stamp collection and then a record that would tie in with my choice. With the help of Google I found a perfect record but where next? My scrap box had the answer. I found a postcard that I had started last year for the Craft Barn Lyrics and Quote Challenge but had been cast aside. It wasn't really bright enough as I had put a coat of gesso over the inks before I had given up on it so I brushed on a some Crushed Olive Distress Ink before stamping some rulers over it and framing it with leaves. The rabbits were stamped onto another piece of card from my scraps and the words were computed generated.

79cms are very long ears - I wonder if Nipper's Geronimo had to tie them on top of his head so he didn't trip over them!

Postcard Recipe
Card
White card
Inks/Paints
Gesso
Distress Inks - Rusty Hinge, Crushed Olive, Walnut Stain, Vintage Photo, Black Soot
Ranger Archival - Coffee
Stamps/Stencils
The Crafter's Workshop "Mini Vine" stencil TCW351s
Rulers - Kanban STAMP8003
Rabbits - Crafty Individuals CI-372
Leaves - Crafty Individuals CI-234
Other
Computer generated words

The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge - November

I don't know what's come over me but my November tag for the Craft Barn Calendar Challenge is finished and we still have 12 days to go before the end of the month! Owls and the colour grey have to make an appearance on this month's project.

I started by stamping the moon with Ranger Archival Watering Can, then masked the centre before brushing on Hickory Smoke Distress Ink. The flying birds and grass were then stamped, again with the same ink as the moon. I didn't have a suitable stamp so I cut a branch from a piece of ready embossed (wood effect) card and lightly sponged on Walnut Stain Distress Ink. The cute owl stamp was a recent Craft Stamper giveaway. As the background was rather sombre, I stamped him onto a piece of card that had been brushed with bright Distress Inks before cutting out and placing him at a rather precarious angle on the branch - I hope he doesn't doze off and slip off the end! I completed the tag with a piece of seam binding coloured with Distress Ink.

Tag Recipe

Card

Anna Marie Designs Smooth Stamping card 300gsm

Anna Marie Designs Super Smooth Printer card 200gsm

Wood effect embossed card

Inks

Distress Inks – Hickory Smoke, Mermaid Lagoon, Cracked Pistachio, Abandoned Coral, Walnut Stain

Ranger Archival Watering Can

Memento Tuxedo Black

Stamps

Moon – Stampscapes

Flying birds – Stampscape 302A
Grass - Lavinia Stamps

Owl – Craft Stamper freebie

Other

Seam binding coloured with Hickory Smoke Distress Ink

The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - Fireworks (loosely)

This week's Craft Barn challenge subject is Fireworks. However Jane has allowed us some slack to take the subject wider, so our project can be something to do with fire, dark sky, moon, stars etc.

I took the moon as my starting point to make a birthday card. I stamped the fairy before placing a moon mask partially over her and then dusted Distress Inks around the mask using darker shades of blues as I moved out to the card edges. Then the stamped  leaves and plants were added to frame the figure and moon. Every fairy has to have some glitter in their life so I finished off by adding some to her wings.

Card Recipe
Card
Card blank - Craftwork Cards
Anna Marie Super Smooth Printer Card 250gsm
Black card
Inks
Distress Inks - Tumbled Glass, Broken China, Faded Jeans, Stormy Sky
Versafine Onyx Black
Stamps
Fairy - Personal Impressions Fairy Silhouette PICS056
Flower heads - Personal Impressions Flower Silhouette PIC057
Leaves - Crafty Individuals CI-234
Sentiment - Crafty Individuals CI-410
Other
Stickles Star Dust

The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge - October

Another month, another tag completed for the Craft Barn Calendar Challenge. For the month of October  the colour orange and pumpkins or fruit have to be used.

The leaves here started turning the most glorious colours weeks ago but they have only really started to fall from the trees in earnest in the past few days of wet and windy weather. It does seem to have been a protracted autumn but I'm not complaining! I have therefore taken autumn again as my starting point for my this month's tag.

I started by stamping the image of the pear (I don't have any pumpkin stamps) and then masking it before brushing over the tag with Distress Inks. The script background was stamped with Dried Marigold Distress Ink but the stamp wasn't quite big enough and I finished up with a gap, so infilled it with the little arrows stamp (very useful!). The pear was coloured with Spectrum Noir pencils and the tag completed with computer generated words and seam binding coloured with Distress Ink.

    
Tag Recipe
Card
Anna Marie Designs Smooth Stamping 300gsm
Anna Marie Designs Super Smooth Printer Card 200gsm
Inks 
Memento Tuxedo Black
Distress Inks - Dried Marigold, Spiced Marmalade, Vintage Photo
Spectrum Noir Pencils
Stamps
Pear - maker unknown
Script - PaperArtsy Backgrounds 6 BG6
Arrows - Kaisercraft Edges CS155
Other
Words - computer generated "Aria  Script SSi"
Seam binding coloured with Distress Inks

The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - Good Luck

The Craft Barn closed their brick and mortar shop last weekend and to tie in with this the Craft Barn weekly challenge theme is "Good Luck" to Sandy and Ian as they expand their online site.

Attending the Craft Barn Extravaganza weekends I was able to meet up with members from the Cardmaking Paradise forum. Members come from around the world including Australia, New Zealand and Germany. It was great fun and so many lasting friendships forged for which I thank Sandy and Ian. I wish you both well on the next stage of the Craft Barn's journey.

I've used a Cardmaking Paradise template to make my card. I started by dusting Distress Ink over the front of the card and then stamped flourishes and added the sentiment.

Card Recipe
Card 
Anna Marie Designs Smooth Stamping Card 300gsm
Anna Marie Designs Super Smooth Printer Card 200gsm
Inks
Distress Inks - Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge
Ranger Archival - Coffee
Stamps
Flourish - Inkadinkado Sketchy Flourishes 97632
Sentiment- PaperArtsy Hot Picks HPXT03
Template
Good Luck Clover - Cardmaking Paradise

The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - Light

This week's subject for the Craft Barn weekly challenge is light.

My entry is another Christmas card. I need to lie down - two cards made now and it's only the middle of October! That's never happened before.

I stamped second impressions of a snowflake for the background using Brilliance Pearlescent Sky Blue. The strings of lights were stamped with Archival Watering Can, coloured with Copic markers and then I drew the wire with a fine liner pen. The sentiment was stamped with Brilliance Pearlescent Poppy. Die-cut snowflakes were brushed with Distress Ink to match the mat behind the panel and the card was completed with a little sparkle of Stickles to each light.

I'm finding it difficult to take a decent photo -  the pearlescent card is not helping and it is a rather gloomy day which is rather ironic considering this week's challenge subject!

Card Recipe
Card
White Centura card
Anna Marie Designs Super Smooth Printer Card
Inks
Brilliance Pearlescent -  Sky Blue, Poppy
Ranger Archival Watering Can
Distress Ink Broken China
Stamps
Snowflake - Craft Stamper freebie
Lights - PaperArtsy Urban Snapshots Yuletide 2 - USYT2
Sentiment - Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous
Other
Snowflake die - Joy Crafts 6003/0051
Flat back rhinestones

The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - People

Life took over last week and I failed for the first time this year to take part in the Craft Barn weekly challenge but I'm back this week with a couple of cards that fit into the current challenge which is "people".

I had made some panels to go on a project only to find they were too big and there was no way I could cut them down to fit.  Not wanting my hard work to go to waste I used them on these of cards.

Card Recipe

Card

Card Blank - Craftwork Cards

Xerox Colortech+

Tim Holtz Vintage Shabby

Inks

Distress inks – Peacock Feathers, Squeezed Lemonade, Seedless Preserves

Memento Tuxedo Black

Ranger Archival - Coffee

Copic Markers

Stamps

Figure – Crafty Individuals – CI-322

Style is Eternal - Hero Arts C2533

Chicken Wire – Creative Expressions

Diamonds Kaisercraft CS152

Crackle – Kaisercraft

Flutter – Kaisercraft CS853

Other

Flat back pearls

The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge - September

We've reached the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness and the trees are dressing in their beautiful technicolour coats. I've tried to reflect this colour palette on September's tag for the Craft Barn Calendar Challenge where leaves/trees and the colour brown have to be used somewhere on the month's project.

I used autumnal colour Distress Inks sponged on the background and stamped over it, firstly with a Hero Arts stamp that looks like rose hips and then added the toadstool border stamp. The leaves and sentiment were stamped onto card which had been coloured with the same colours as the base of the tag, then cut out and attached. The tag was finished off with seam binding that had been coloured with Distress Inks.

Tag Recipe
Card
Anna Marie Designs Smooth Stamping Card 300gsm
Anna Marie Designs Smooth Printer Card 200gsm
Inks
Distress Ink - Spiced Marmalade, Rusty Hinge, Fired Brick, Mustard Seed, Peeled Paint,
Ranger Archival Coffee
Versafine Vintage Sepia
Stamps
Background - Hero Arts Pod Branch E3651
Toadstools - maker unknown
Leaf - Inkadinkado
Sentiment - Hobby Arts CS034D Scene-it sentiments
Gold Sakura  Pen-touch Calligrapher pen
Other
Seam binding coloured with Distress Inks

The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - Snow/Snowflakes

We've had beautiful late summer weather over the past few days in my neck of the woods so incorporating snow and snowflakes into a project for this week's Craft Barn Challenge has indeed been a challenge! I'm certainly not one of those people who has their Christmas cards all done and dusted before there has been even the slightest hint of winter.

I stamped the image onto a square of white card before colouring it with Distress Inks and pencils and placing it on a frame which had been coloured with Distress Ink. The background was embossed and the sentiment stamped below before attaching it to a mat that had been dusted with Distress Ink. The die-cut snowflake was coloured on the embossed detail and then Stickles glitter applied over the top.

That's one Christmas card completed way, way ahead of my usual schedule but will I be able to find it when the time comes to post it?

Card recipe
Card
Base card  and background - Craftworks Card
Anna Marie Designs Smooth Stamping Card 300gsm
Anna Marie Designs Super Smooth Printer Card 200gsm
Inks
Versafine Onyx Black
Ranger Archival Jet Black
Distress Ink - Festive Berries, Rusty Hinge, Tumbled Glass,
Watercolour pencils
Spectrum Noir pencils
Stamps
Main image - Crafty Individuals CI - 240
Sentiment - Stamp Addicts
Die-cuts/Embossing
Snowflake - Spellbinders
Frame - Nellie Snellen multi- frames - square MFD006
Snowflake embossing folder - Cuttlebug
Other
Stickles - Star Dust

The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - Stencils/Masks

It's our Grandson's thirteenth birthday tomorrow and ideas for a card were a bit thin on the ground. I've made computer and fishing related cards in the past for him so I decided on something that fits this week's Craft Barn challenge which is to use stencils on a project.

I sprayed some watercolour paper with Dylusions and water and then sprinkled rock salt over the top. The salt didn't leave really leave much of an imprint of their presence, so a bit of practice is needed with that technique. I then stencilled the arrows and dots with Fresco paint. The star was stamped and embossed with gold powder and fixed to the card with foam pads.

I needed something to enclose some money as a present, so with the remaining background paper I made a little "note" book. I've put a pocket on the inside cover to tuck in some money.

 

Card Recipe
Card/paper
Card blank - Craftworks Cards
Watercolour paper
Black card
White Card
Inks/Paints
Dylusion Inks - Fresh Lime, Lemon Zest, Squeezed Orange
PaperArtsy Fresco Paint - Snowflake 
Versamark ink
Distress Ink - Spiced Marmalade
Gold detail embossing powder
Stamp/Stencils
Star -The Artistic Stamper
Arrows stencil - Tim Holtz THS025
Dots stencil - Paper Artsy Lin Brown design PS001
Other
No. 13 - computer generated Typewriter font

Notebook Recipe 
Card/Paper 
Grey board
Watercolour paper
Black card
Inks/Paints
Dylusion Inks - Fresh Lime, Lemon Zest, Squeezed Orange
PaperArtsy Fresco Paint Snowflake, Guacamole, Tangerine Twist
Stencils
Arrows stencil - Tim Holtz THS025
Dots stencil - Paper Artsy Lin Brown design PS001
Other
Words computer generated - Typewriter font
Eyelets
Bind-it-All wire




 



 

The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - Stamping

This week's Craft Barn challenge is to use stamping on a project.

Some years ago when looking at rubber stamps on that well known auction site I saw the sentiment I have used on my project this week. I had intended using it on a plaque to hang in the staff area of the pre-school I worked at but it never happened. However a friend retired from a  pre-school recently after 35 years and the sentiment's time had come at last.

I painted a chipboard frame with Fresco "Caribbean Sea"  paint and then stencilled over it with Fresco "Snowflake". I stamp the toddler image (I love this stamp and it has been very well used) on card, coloured it with Copic markers and cut it out. The sentiment was printed onto a piece of background paper. I finished the hanging with a die cut flower using an inked piece from my scrap box, some leaves and a ribbon hanger. I then made the presentation box shown in the third picture.

    

Card

Chipboard frame

Craftwork Cards Digital Ultra Smooth Premium Cardstock

Anna Marie Designs Super Smooth 200gsm

Background paper download printed on 90gsm copier paper

Inks/Paints

PaperArtsy Fresco paints – Caribbean Sea, Snowflake

Picked Raspberry Distress Ink

Memento Tuxedo Black

Copic Ciao markers

Stamp/stencil 

Toddler - Crafty Individuals CI-277

Tim Holtz Burlap stencil

Dies 

Tim Holtz Alterations - Tattered Flower Garland 657824, Spring Greenery 659573

Other

Sentiment computer generated – Kidprint font

White ribbon

Brad

 

The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - Animals

I've made a very quick clean and simple card for my entry to the Craft Barn weekly challenge. This week's subject is animals.

I started by stamping the sentiment and then stencilled the bricks with Distress Inks. Finished by stamping the cat. Job done!

Card Recipe
Card
Anna Marie Designs Smooth Stamping Card 300gsm
Inks
Ranger Archival - Watering Can and Jet Black
Distress Inks - Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge.
Stamps
Sentiment - PaperArtsy Hot Picks HPXT03
Cat - Katzelkraft Mini 02

The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge - August

Pink and butterflies have to be included in August's Craft Barn Calendar Challenge.

My August tag is a simple affair. I brushed Broken China over the tag, making it more intense on the left hand side. I then embossed the leaves and brushed over them with Squeezed Lemonade Distress Ink to create green. The butterflies were stamped on a piece of previously coloured card that I found in my scrap box.

Tag Recipe
Card
Anna Marie Designs Smooth Stamping Card 300gsm
Inks
Distress Inks - Broken China, Squeezed Lemonade, Mermaid Lagoon, Picked Raspberry
Ranger Archival - Jet Black, Watering Can
Stamps  
Large butterfly - Darkroom Door Wildflower collection DDRS005
Small butterfly - Crafty Individuals
Other
Seam binding coloured with Picked Raspberry Distress Ink
 

The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - Spray

The challenge set this week on the Craft Barn blog is "spray". 

I don't know about you but I've found it a challenge to find a spray bottle, be it one you fill yourself or one that holds ready-prepared mister/ink that spritzers with a fine spray all the time rather than one minute spraying a beautiful fine mist and the next great splatters over your project. Hence I don't use sprays very often.

I've had a little canvas (10cms x 70cms) in my stash for years and felt it was time to let it free! It was a bit of a test piece as although I've decorated a couple of canvases at workshops I've never stamped on canvas before. I certainly have some learning to do before moving onto anything bigger! Stamping around the edge of the canvas was fine but anything on the centre part didn't stamp well as the canvas flexed and I couldn't get an even pressure. I had to re-stamp the words onto card and stick them over the blur that was there before.  After die cutting the flowers and rolling them up I spayed them with Dylusions Ink and then sprayed them and the die-cut leaves with Cosmic Shimmer.  

 

Canvas Recipe
Canvas/Card
10cms x 7cms canvas
White card
Tim Holtz Vintage Shabby Paper
Green Bazzill card
Inks/Paints
PaperArtsy Fresco paints - Mermaid, Nougat
Distress Ink - Mermaid Lagoon
Dylusions Ink spray - London Blue
Cosmic Shimmer Mist - Golden Fish 
Stamps/Stencil
Flower centre - PaperArtsy ELB22
Script - PaperArtsy MN75
Diamonds - Kaisercraft CS152
Sentiment - PaperArtsy ELB05
Stencil - Dot Fade Tim Holtz THS006
Die-cuts 
Tim Holtz  Thinlets Tiny Tattered Florals 660227
Tim Holtz Spring Greenery 659573

The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - Sweet and Sugary

I've gone all cutesy for this week's Craft Barn Weekly Challenge theme - Sweet and Sugary. I only possess one stamp and one die that fits the brief so I plumped for stamping. Although having started to fussy-cut the image it did pass through my mind it would have been a lot easier to have used my cupcake die!

Card Recipe
Card/Paper
Card blank - Craftwork Cards
Mauve card - Core'dinations Core Color - Vavavoom GX-LL020-12
Striped paper - Helidot STPLI-Fairy
White card
Inks/Pencils
Memento Tuxedo Black
Copic markers & Promarkers
Spectrum Noir pencils
Stamps
Polka Doodles set - free with a craft magazine
Other
Martha Stewart edge punch
Spellbinders tag die
Sentiment computer generated - Courier font
Baker's twine





 

The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - Colouring

It's time to relax with some colouring for this week's Craft Barn Weekly Challenge.

I have coloured the flowers on my card with Spectrum Noir pencils and then stencilled some dots with Distress Ink before adding the sentiment.

 

Card Recipe

Card

Card blank – Craft Creations Hemp Embossed White Card

Craftworks Cards Digital Ultra Smooth Premium Cardstock

Bazzill Bling

Inks

Memento Tuxedo Black

Distress Ink -Victorian Velvet

Spectrum Noir Pencils

Stamps/Stencils

Flowers - PaperArtsy JOFY 32

Sentiment - Woodware JWS03

Stencil – PaperArtsy Lin Brown PS001

The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - Diamonds

This week's Craft Barn challenge is to incorporate diamonds into a project. The details are here.

For some time I have been going to make a folder to keep stamps in. No, not rubber stamps, I would need an awful lot of 5" x 5" folders to house those! This is for our postage stamps.

I thought I would try my hand at the faux leather technique.  I made a few errors along the way but the end result is acceptable even if not perfect. Well, my year's resolution is to learn embrace imperfection. Firstly, I think my card should have been worked more and secondly, the embossing folder I chose was too detailed and so I lost the creases.

Having created my pieces of faux leather (n.b there are diamonds at the bottom of the dry embossing) I glued them onto black card. To make the paper on the inside of the covers I brayered Fresco paints onto a sheet of A4 white card,  stencilled on some diamonds and finished by stamping postal related images. To complete my folder I attached some eyelets to thread the ribbon through and then went over the embossed surface with Treasure Gold (although it is a little shy in my photo!).

Stamp Folder Recipe
Faux leather
Kraft card - Anna Marie Designs
Glycerin
Water
PVC
Card 
Kraft card - Anna Marie Designs
Black card
White card
Inks/Paints
PaperArtsy Fresco paints - Orchid, Very Berry, Nougat
Distress Ink - Walnut Stain, Vintage Photo, Spiced Marmalade, Seedless Preserves
Versafine Vintage Sepia
Treasure Gold - White Fire
Stamps/Stencil
Stamps - Crafty Individuals
Stencil -The Crafter's Workshop - TCW202s Mini Harlequin
Other
Ribbon

The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - Clean and Simple

Clean and simple is this week's Craft Barn challenge.

Some time ago I saw a tutorial for "Magical Masking Tape" and this challenge seemed the ideal opportunity to try it out. I didn't use glossy card as it stated in the tutorial but a piece from a Craftworks Card blank that I had spoilt at some time and it worked perfectly well. Nor did I put the masking tape directly on the inkpad as I was worried I would finish up with residual glue on the pad. Instead I stamped the inkpad several times onto my craft mat and laid the masking tape on top of the ink. After stamping the flowers I coloured them in with Copics.

Card Recipe
Card
Card blank/white card  - Craftwork Cards
Light brown card
Inks
Festive Berries Distress Ink
Memento Tuxedo Black
Copic markers
Stamps
Hero Arts Fanciful Posies L923
Sentiment - PaperArtsy HPXT03

The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge - July

The month thief has been at it again and stolen July! I'm just in time with my July entry to the Craft Barn Calendar Challenge. This month we have to use turquoise and beach huts on our project.  Details can be found here.

For this month's tag I started by spritzing a piece of  watercolour card with water, sprinkled on a little turquoise Brusho, spritzed again and then spread the colour over the card with a brush. The sun was stamped onto a piece of tissue paper and painted with PaperArtsy Fresco on both the front and back (the colour wasn't intense enough by just painting on the back). After stamping the beach huts onto card they were coloured with Distress Inks. Then I finished by stamping the seagulls and words directly onto the tag and adding a piece of seam binding coloured with Distress Ink.

 

Tag Recipe
Card/Paper
Watercolour card
PaperArtsy Crackly Tissue Paper
Anna Marie Designs Super Smooth Printer Card 200gsm
Inks/Paints
Brusho - Turquoise
PaperArtsy Fresco Paint - Banana
Ranger Archival Jet Black
Memento Tuxedo Black
Distress Inks - Cracked Pistachio, Scattered Straw, Barn Door, Squeezed Lemonade, Frayed Burlap, Salty Ocean
Stamps
Crafty Individuals CI-278
Sun - freebie with Craft Stamper magazine
Other
Seam binding coloured with Salty Ocean Distress Ink
 

The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - Circle and Flowers

The Craft Barn brief this week is to make something to include a circle and a flower(s).

I have made a card and used the spotlight stamping technique for the first time. The spotlight could have done with a coloured halo around it but my next circle die up from the original circle was far too large. Another set of circle dies is now on my wish list!

I coloured the image with a combination of Spectrum Noir pencils and Promarkers. The polka dots on the background were stencilled with Distress ink.

Card Recipe
Card 
Card Blank - Craftwork Cards
Anna Marie Designs Super Smooth Super White Printer Card 300gsm
Purple Bazzill Bling
Inks 
Versafine - Onyx Black
Distress Ink - Dusty Concord
Promarkers
Stamp 
Crafty Individuals - Summer Garden CI-385
Other
Stencil - That Special Touch - Large Polka
Ribbon


 

The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - Background Words

This week's Craft Barn challenge is to use words in the background of a project.

I started by making a background with Distress Inks using the wrinkle free technique. I stamped the words from Tim Holtz Papillion set with Versamark and then clear embossed them. I applied some more Distress Ink before putting the background between two sheets of copy paper and ironing it to melt and remove the embossing powder. It left me with bluey purple words - not the result I was expecting! I think it's because my Versamark ink pad is rather grubby. The butterflies were stamped, cut out  and glittered and then attached to the background with silicone glue to give a three dimensional effect before adding  pearls and die cut corners.

Card Recipe
Card
Card blank - Anna Marie Designs Fine Linen Embossed Card 290gsm
Anna Marie Designs Super Smooth Super White Printer Card 300gsm
Light and dark brown card
Inks
Ranger Archival Jet Black
Distress Ink - Peacock Feathers, Cracked Pistachio, Mermaid Lagoon
Stamps
Words - Tim Holtz  Papillion CMS 106
Butterflies - Crafty Individuals CI-437
Other
Treasure Gold - White Fire
Stickles - Stardust
Flat back pearls

The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - Pack of Cards Connection

I've left it late again to join in the Craft Barn weekly challenge - blame it on the tennis! This week's challenge is to use playing cards or hearts, spades, diamonds or clubs.

I have made two cards using the same stamp and diamond stencil but varying the colour, embellishments and placement of the sentiment.

Card Recipes 

Both cards

Ink

Ranger Archival Watering Can 

Stamps   

Flower Head – Judikins 2779H 

Happy Birthday – Woodware JWS03

Stencil  

The Crafter’s Workshop Mini HarlequinTCW202

 First  Card
Card 
Card blank - Anna Marie Designs High White Card 300gsm 
Craftwork Cards Digital Ultra Smooth Premium Cardstock 250gsm 
Black card  

Ink 

Distress Ink – Broken China 

Other  

Flat back pearls

 

Second Card

Card

Card blank - Anna Marie Designs Super Smooth, Super White, Printer Card 300gsm

Card mat (edged with Distress Ink) - Anna Marie Designs Super Smooth Printer Card 200gsm

Ink

Distress Ink – Spiced Marmalade

Other

Flat back rhinestones

 

 

The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - Stars or Stripes

This week I have made an atc for the Craft Barn challenge which is to use stars or stripes (not both!) on a project.

The background was painted with Tangerine Fresco paint and then with white paint on my finger and made some streaks down the atc before over painting with the Tangerine. I stencilled through star sequin waste and stamped some stars using Snowflake Fresco. The large star was stamped onto the background and then onto a piece of white card before cutting out and gluing over the star on the atc. Finally, the string was hand drawn and the sentiment added.

ATC Recipe
Card
Anna Maria Designs Super Smooth Super White Printer Card 300gsm
Anna Maria Designs Super Smooth Printer Card 250gsm
Ink/Paints
PaperArtsy Fresco Paint - Tangerine Twist, Snowflake
Ranger Archival Jet Black Ink
Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink
Staedtler black fineliner pen
Stamps
Stars - The Artistic Stamper
Star - freebie with Craft Stamper magazine
Sentiment - freebie with Simply Cards & Papercraft
Other
Star sequin waste

The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge - June

June's Craft Barn Calendar Challenge has to include dragonflies and the colour lavender.

I brushed Shaded Lilac over my tag. Using the same ink I stamped the Crafty Individuals dragonflies background and then the words and flowers were stamped with Seedless Preserves Distress Ink. The dragonfly was stamped onto a piece of card with Brilliance Pearlescent Lavender ink and cut out.  I then stamped the image again onto acetate and just cut out just the wings which I attached to the card body with a blob of glue in the centre. The seam binding was coloured with Shaded Lilac Distress Ink. 

Card Recipe  
Card
Anna Maria Designs Super Smooth Super White Printer Card 300gsm 
Inks
Distress Inks - Shaded Lilac, Seedless Preserves
Brilliance Pearlescent Lavender 
Stamps
Background stamp - Crafty Individuals - Dreaming of Dragonflies CI-409
Dragonfly & sentiment - Crafty Individuals - Butterfly Mornings & Wildflower Afternoons CI-410
Flowers - Crafty Individuals - Summer Garden CI-385  
Other
Seam binding

The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - Bows

This week's Craft Barn challenge prompt is "Bows". The details can be found here.

My challenge entry is a fun card I made for my eldest granddaughter. I used a couple of Cardmaking Paradise templates. The present template originally had a cow popping up but I changed that to the little dog from another of Sara's templates.