I Want To Be

Hello.  Welcome.  Just a quick little ATC to share.  Working still with a limited stash.  Kind of frustrating and liberating at the same time.  

 

This is a piece of card I embossed using Sizzix Carnival embossing.  I wasn't sure that the embossing dance had been successful but after going over with charcoal and using a tissue to blend it's pretty good.  I cut to ATC size and then added some black ink around the edge.  The tree is stamped from PaperArtsy SIEN10F set.  The letters are silver and came from a sheet I got at the pound shop with some added rhinestones.  

Joining the fun at
Wicked Wednesday ATC Challenge - Anything Goes
Country View Challenges Challenge 9 - Letters 
The Artistic Stamper Creative Team November Challenge - Christmas 

Thanks for dropping by.  Back soon with more exciting art..........

Where You Bean

Hello.  Welcome.  A while since my last post.  I'm on holiday.  Yeah.  Forgot to put my desert island essentials in the travel bag.  Luckily I'm not actually on a desert island.  ROFL.  I had done a little retail web therapy so there were a couple of little parcels waiting at mummy's.    Ooh, look, did I order that? and that?? and really???  Ooh some goodies, some lovelies and some little gems.  Not many basics though.  A little trip to the Range and the pound shop and we are operational...... in a limited sort of way.........  gosh, I miss my stash.  

Darcy has set her one stamp six ways challenge again this week.  Such fun.  I haven't been so inventive with my stamp but am pretty pleased with my backgrounds.  I used a Docrafts stamp called Gold Star and Docraft pigment ink pads in black, white and chocolate.   Warning - long post, many pictures, occasional after midnight madness.   

Tag 1 - Teddy CAS

Darcy said keep it simple so here's my CAS version.  Teddy stamped in chocolate, distressed edge with added chocolate and a simple string tie.  

CAS Teddy tag joining the fun at
Stampotique Designers Challenge 125 - One Layer



Tag 2 - Cirque Teddy

One of my packages awaiting me was a selection of sizzix dies and embossing folders.  I am without my bigshot so have improvised with a couple of hardcover books.  I find that sandwiching the embossing folder and card between the books and doing the magical and fun embossing dance on top gives good to fair results, depending on the design and the quality of the dancing.  This is sizzix cirque which I applied chocolate ink to before embossing.  Was hoping for more solid colour blocks but pleased with just highlights.  

I stamped teddy in chocolate on a piece of card and fussy cut him.  Then stuck him over a stamped image and made good use of the fur on the first image as per Joanne's tutorial over at the PaperArtsy blog this week.  Two pieces of pink organza for a tie and another tag ready to go....

Cirque Teddy Tag joining the fun at
PaperArtsy

Tag 3 - Tick Tick Teddy

This is a triboss folder from Docrafts, Clocks.  A lot of detail to this one and the embossing dance wasn't so successful here.  Just main details which I have highlighted using a make-up sponge and some chocolate ink.  Then I stamp teddy in black.  Oops, missing a foot but that's OK cos I'm using Joanne's technique again.... 

Stamped teddy in black on a piece of card and fussy cut him.  Then stuck him over the bad stamped image but made good use of the fur on the first image.  Perfect.  Another chocolate distressed edge and a bit of black and white gingham ribbon.  

This tag joining the fun at
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Got Ink 

Tag 4 - Holo Teddy

I bought some scratch art kits for my nephew Jack, he's 4.  He loved them and my mum asked if you could just buy the sheets.  If you don't know what they are basically it's a sheet of card covered in colour with a black wax layer over the top.  Then you scratch a pattern and expose the colours.  Anyway, I've been keeping my eyes open and found some sheets and decided to make a tag and use white ink.  I think this one is wow.....

Turns out the under colour was holographic.  Might have to stock up on these!!  Stamped teddy in white then scratched the bottom of the tag using a distressing tool.  I haven't had much luck distressing things with it but it worked beautifully on the scratch art paper.  I also removed the black inside the star.  The sentiment is a silver sticker.  No hole punch at this location so no hole punched. 

Blue is the color of my true love's hair and blogger just ate all my photo's......

Tag 5 - Think Pink

This one is painted with PaperArtsy fresco finish Rose and then I mixed rose and butternut and applied it thickly through a TCW mini numerals mask.  

It's that chocolate ted again!  I've cut his star from patterned paper and folded it to give some extra dimension.  The tie and bell are from a chocolate box.  My sister has been very helpful in finding out small treasures to help the crafting crazies craft on.......

Tag 6 - Teddy Blues

I applied a strip of drywall tape and then got busy with the fresco finish Peacoat. Then I peeled off the tape.  This wasn't exactly what I was expecting but it's pretty cool so we will go with it.  Great texture.

I've added a teddy, some letters from a sheet I found in the pound shop and a ribbon tie.  Oh, that's Happy Christmas in Norwegian.  

Teddy Blues joining the fun at
Hjerteboden Utfordring 11 - Jul
Country View Challenges Challenge 9 - Letters
Kort o Mania - Jul Prosjekt 

Group hug

Here's the whole gang.  Cute or what.  

Got to love holo teddy.  Glad I caught that sparkle.  

These tags joining the fun at
Art and Sole - Gift Tag Challenge
The Artistic Stamper Creative Team November Challenge - Christmas 
Stamping Sensations - Christmas


Thanks for dropping by.  Leave a little love if you have the time and the inclination.  Wishing you crafty days.....

Legs Fell Off, Brain Exploded, Gorilla Ate the Bananas

Hello.  Welcome.  A special hi to Yvonne.  So glad you joined our merry little band.  I have been working on a mega-project.  It's all Darcy's fault!!  Hi Darcy :-)  Over at Art and Soul Darcy has used one stamp to make 6 different Christmas cards and challenged us to do the same.  Now sometimes an idea just grabs you and won't let go.  This is one of those ideas.  Not the best time for me.  I am supposed to be getting myself organised for my trip to the old country in a few days but needs must when the craft mojo rides......  Warning this is going to be a looooong post. 

I decided to use Ding Dong bird from PaperArtsy SIDD5 set.  Not a Christmas stamp but what's a challenge if you don't make it a bit challenging......
 
I started with some backgrounds.....

Hero Arts Stunning Snowflakes stamp embossed in white on blue card and blue on white card.

I used this metal art flower as a mask and used the technique shown by Alison over at PaperArtsy.

I used PaperArtsy fresco finish Pansy paint over the mask then flipped it over to get the positive print.

Then I added distress inks Dusty Concord, Mowed Lawn, Tattered Shutters and Pine Needles.

Card 1- Snowflake Ding Dong

I've added Distress Ink Salty Ocean to a pale blue base card and to the white embossed snowflake background.  I wiped excess ink off the embossed areas.   I stamped Ding Dong bird using blue ink on white card, fussy cut and stuck him on.  He's obviously impressed by those snowflakes.

This card joining the fun at
Hjerteboden - Jul
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

Card 2 - Twinchie Ding Dong

Hurrah, my first go at twinchies.  I stamped Ding Dong bird using DI Salty Ocean, Barn Door and Dusty Concord onto three twinchies.  Then I masked and sponged on DI Tattered Shutters, Mowed Lawn and Pine Needles.  Mounted the three on a white base card and stamped a tiny happy under each one.  Happy Happy Happy Christmas

This card joining the fun at
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - CAS


Card 3 - Inspired by Alison

This background was so gorgeous I really didn't want to hide it too much.  I was going to try some holly leaves and berries but in the end decided green and purple was Christmas enough.  The frame has been sponged with fresco finish Pansy.  This Ding Dong bird was actually the mask for the twinchies card.  I just added some more ink to his body and tail.  I was going to cut his tail but decided I liked the way his tail is down under and his beak is up and over.  Not sure the Merry Christmas is totally right, made by Gail, but I wanted something bold.  These colours are fantastic.  You need to try this technique.

This card is joining the fun at
PaperArtsy 
Craft-room Challenge - Stencils and Masks
The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Challenge - Christmas
Stamping Sensations - Christmas

Card 4 - House of Ding Dong

I've used red corrugated card as the base for my house.  I stamped Ding Dong four times onto white card and cut out the window apertures, frames and birds using Provo Craft mini frames dies.   The roof was cut from wallpaper using a spellbinders mini border die.  I added a handwritten sentiment and some snowflake confetti.

House of Ding Dong is joining the fun at
Joan's Garden -  red, white and a hint of green, negative die cut, snowflakes
That Craft Place - Sentiment
Kort o Manis Utfordring 96 - Alt Gar Sa Lenge Det er Jul

The whole gang.

Joining this set over at
Art and Sole Christmas Card Challenge
Me and Mine BtCR total 37

Was hoping to do more but run out of time.  Got to catch a plane in a few hours and so many things I still haven't done.  Story of my life.  Thanks for dropping by.  Have a great Sunday.  Still haven't heard from two of my candy winners.  Is it you????

Many Shades of Gold

Hello.  Welcome.  Chilly here tonight.  My man drove to town today and said it was white going over the top.  Good job we changed the tyres yesterday.  They have a very sensible habit in Northern Europe of having a set of summer and a set of winter tyres.  In the UK a splash of snow on the ground and everything grinds to a halt.  Norwegians just don't understand that.  There's got to be power outages and so much snow you can't find the house before things stop here.  Then we just stay in, drink hot chocolate, eat waffles and wait for the snow plough.  Or the farmer.  You can always rely on the farmers to be driving around with a plough because they have to keep working.  Animals and all that jazz.  

I think I have previously done a post about the shades of white.  Since I was doing another white and gold extravagance I have been struck by the variations in gold as well.  My gold mirror card that I love and have been using for many years is coming to an end and the chances of sourcing the same type are thin.  It's a lovely yellow gold with a shine almost good enough to see yourself in, but it does scratch very easily. 

I used my gold mirror card and Poppystamps Diamond Background die.  Isn't it gorgeous.  This arrived today.  I was very lucky and won this in their recent release celebration and had been waiting patiently, OK, a bit impatiently LOL, for it to arrive.  I was taking out all the negative cuts when I paused to admire it and thought it looked quite interesting with some of the cut outs still in.   Incidentally the negative cuts are a very interesting shape and may make a reappearance in another project.  I've used Memorybox's Frosted Christmas Tree cut and embossed from gold metal.  Against my mirror card it looks almost like copper but it is gold, brown side of gold.  I highlighted the embossed areas with WOW White Puff embossing powder.  Great raised texture.  The tree stand is a metal embellishment from Korthobby.  The star is a brad and I've used a pre-printed sentiment.  I added some tiny white pearls at each of the branches.  

My tree is joining the fun at
WOW! - Christmas or Winter
Korthobby - Jul
Hjerteboden Utfordring 11 - Jul
Kort o Mania Utfordring 96 - Alt Gar Sa Lenge Det er Jul
ALBC - Sparkle and Shine
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge 149 - Bling it Up
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra For November
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

Thanks for dropping by.  Back soon with a very interesting challenge project, I hope.......

Bling Bling

Hello.  Welcome.  You know the gold mirror card and the gold metal look great with the white but aren't they just a challenge when it comes to the photo!  Here's my best effort.....

This is very pretty IRL.  I started with a white card, added a gold mirror mat, a white mat, a gold mirror mat, a white layer with an aperture.  I've backed the aperture with gold metal sheet embossed using Sizzix Damask folder.  I took a piece of wired ribbon, removed the wire and frayed both sides before adding it top and bottom of the aperture.  The tree is Memory Box Frosted Christmas Tree cut from white card and I've added irridescent glitter glue to the embossed areas.  The star was cut from white card and folded to give some dimension, but I didn't like it white so I coloured it with Pilot Gold Marker.  I added a small piece of the embossed metal sheet as a trunk for the tree.  The birds are cut from gold mirror card using Crafty Individuals Victoria and Albert Swirl die.  The pearls were taken off some silk flowers I had.  I've based my design on Papertake Weekly Sketch # 54 and this weeks recipe from Joan's Garden.

I might make a personal record here with linked challenges cos it seems everyone is into Christmas this week!!

My card is joining the fun at
Joan's Garden - white/gold, embossing folder, pearls
Papertake Weekly - Freebie Sketch I used # 54
Hjerteboden Utfordring 11 - Jul
Me and Mine - Beat the Christmas Rush Total 33
Kort o Mania Utfordring 96 - Alt Gar Sa Lenge Det er Jul
ALBC - Sparkle and Shine
Die Cut Divas- Lets Celebrate
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge 149 - Bling it Up
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra For November
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Anything Goes 

Thanks for dropping by.  Be safe, be crafty. 

Inspired by the Inspired

Hello.  Welcome.  A wet, windy autumn day.  A great day to craft.  Must also take some time to tidy.  So many things out of place.  I realise I am wasting precious time looking for things that I just didn't put away last time I used them.  Today seems a good day to invest some time to save some time.  

I have been inspired by Jo Myhill, over at the PaperArtsy blog.  I am not the only one and looking at the projects that are coming out this week I became inspired by the inspired.  

Jo's third project was inspired by wallpaper.  I must admit I loved the flowers on this one but didn't really take in the background.  After looking at what others have done this week I realised I had missed something somewhere so I went back and checked it out again.  Oh, OK, pretty cool.  So this is my version of wallpaper.  I have used VersaMagic inks and the flower stem is from PA ELB04.  

I really liked Emma's card where she made a tiled background so I painted a card with watered down Inky Pool and then cut up my wallpaper.  Now, a couple of challenges for me.  I like this as it is, but it does need something.  My card size is wrong for those lovely flowers Jo made.  Will have to come back to those another day.  I'm working almost DL size here so I think it needs something longer.  The flower I used on the background didn't work.  Tried that.  I am maybe looking at taking out the Bloom stamps!!  I don't understand what anyone has against these.  I think they are cute and so varied.  Running out of time.  Maybe I'll post this as it is and if I do anything else with it it will come on as an update.  

Well, it's not really me to post something unfinished but the more I look at it the more it grows on me as it is.  Maybe I'll put it to one side and see if someone turns up that it suits as is, or maybe with a little tweak.  

My card is joining the fun at
PaperArtsy
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Anything Goes 
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes 

Thanks for dropping by.  Have you checked out my winners post?  Maybe it was you.  Can't send the candy if I don't have your address.  Have a great Sunday, whatever you may be doing

Pumpkins and Winners

Hello.  Welcome.  So glad you could join me.  A little project first and then some winners.  Are you feeling lucky?  Over at PaperArtsy Jo Myhill has been sharing some fantastic projects and I really liked the frame she made using crunchy wax paper.  I didn't have a deep frame so thought I'd consult my dies and see if I could make my own.  I decided to use my Sizzix pumpkin framelit dies.  I cut 7 layers of thick card, used a smaller die for the aperture and stuck them together.  

I painted with orange acrylic and then sponged with Fresco Finish Butternut.  I filled the centre with creased crunchy wax paper.  I cut a pumpkin the same size as the aperture from shrink plastic, stamped with the lady from Winter Wonderland Plate 6, painted with Butternut, then shrank. 

It needs something......

I embossed a piece of orange card with Sizzix retro folder and then highlighted with black ink.  I cut it with the pumpkin dies and stuck it to my frame.  I stamped using ELB04 some leaves with Limelight onto black card and cut them out.  Better I think.  

My pumpkin is joining the fun at
PaperArtsy
Artful Times Challenge 41 - Spooktacular
That Craft Place - Halloween
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Thanks for dropping by.  Have a great weekend.  

What, forgotten something?   Oh no, surely not.....  Just kidding.  I want to thank everyone who has played along with me last month and helped me celebrate my blogaversary.  I tallied all the comments for each week then consulted Mr Random.  So here are the lucky four

The Girls Stamp Sheet goes to  Eret
The Men Stamp Sheet goes to   Sue OConnell
The Boys Stamp Sheet goes to  Kay Wallace
The Rascals Stamp Sheet goes to  Sylv

Congrats ladies.  If you would please email me you snail mail addresses to craftynomad at gmail dot com and I will get these in the post.  Please email by 8th November so I can get them posted out before I go on holiday.  I will also be sending out ATC's to my fellow swapees.    Thanks to everyone who has visited and commented this last month, this last year.  Thank you for your support and your inspiration.  Here's to another year of happy blogging.........