Marking The Cards

Hello.  Welcome.  A special big hug and hello to Darnell who has joined my fantastic following.  You gals are so great.  Thanks you for your support and the love you leave.  Big hugz all round.

I'm actually a little exhausted this evening after undertaking some unexpected sporting activities.  Anyone who knows me knows I am more slow and steady than sporty, but one thing led to another and I ended up spending a rather frustrating time this evening chasing a sheep!!  Oh yeah, it was a male sheep!!  He's a new arrival and he decided to batter down the door and then run all over the place.  With many humans in pursuit, just to keep it fun.  Then more humans joined the game and in the end his downfall came due to an half grown orphan lamb who was in the right place at the right time.  I'm going to give that lamb a treat tomorrow.  Won't tell you what I think should happen to the ram, but it involves mint sauce!!!   LOL.

As a consequence I am a little behind and really too tired to catch up tonight.  But I thought I would share the start.  Claudine is running an altered playing card challenge.  This afternoon I did manage to sit out in the sunshine and do the week 1 challenge which was to prep our playing cards with gesso

 

Here are my cards, scattered semi-artistically amid the Gentians.  Gotta love that blue and these are hardy here in Norway.  So pretty at this time of year.  Oh, I was talking about the flowers not the cards.  The cards are giant size.  9 x 14cm.  In real money that's about 3.5" x 5.5".  I think I bought them as a joke for the card sharps in the family, but they have just been left on the shelf, so I thought I would wheel them out for this challenge. 

Most of the cards have ended up with simple brush strokes, some with better coverage than others

I tried some using the brush with a circular motion

I dabbed these with bubble wrap.  I didn't do many of these because it didn't seem to make a good pattern but looking at them dry you can see the circle marks.  Well I can LOL.  It's quite difficult to photo just gesso, especially under artifical light.

I did quite a few by stippling heavily with the brush.  There's good texture on these

 

These are selection of my favourites.  I drew lines in the gesso using a spatula.  Ziggy zaggy ziggy zaggy.  OK, obviously the little grey cell is past it's bedtime.....

I'm joining these little beauties over at Claudine's Art Corner.   Only one week behind now.  Well, until tomorrow when I think Claudine will be posting week 3!!  Ah well, I'm sure I'll be all caught up soon.  

Thanks for your visit.  Hugz

 

Reindeer Dancing

Hello.  Welcome.  This morning the sun is shining and I felt all jingle bells.  I remembered that over at Wnter Wonderland the challenge is Scandanavian Christmas and since I am in Norway I decided I must join in.   Also Craftyhazelnut's theme is Do you hear what I hear? which I think is very cute.  So I had to find a little bell for my reindeer.  It's real.  It rings.  Not sure what the postman will make of that......

I used STAMPlorations sketch for my design.  I wanted some red and white patterned paper so after a search found this one from Dovecraft Eastern Promise collection.  I thought it looked a bit like clouds and would suit my flying reindeer.  It needed a bit of bling so I added glitter glue.  I edged my white base card and the paper panels with DI Barn Door.  The reindeer is Sizzix Reindeer #2.  It comes with a matching embossing folder and I highlighted the embossed areas with Barn Door.  I added a piece of red ribbon and the tiny bell.  I die cut a reindeer from white foam as well to give more dimension.  The sentiment is an Anita's stamp embossed with red embossing powder.  

Joining the fun at
Winter Wonderland - Scandinavian Style 
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge 193 - Do You Hear What I Hear 
STAMPlorations Sketch Challenge 19 
DREAM It UP - Christmas and Holidays Challenge 

Thanks for your visit.  Have a great day.  Hugz

Little China Doll

Hello.  Welcome.  I am trying to remind myself that my new years resolution was to be more organised.  I think I need to make myself a big sign.  Or maybe I should just spend the time putting a few things away LOL.   As usual, tidying up uncovers a wealth of unfinished projects and the little grey cell is so easily distracted........

I've used the sketch from Unity Stamps challenge and DCWV Far East stack.  I cut the DCWV paper into 4 strips and stuck them to my black base card.  The doll is from Unity Stamp Co. You're My Bestie set and the sentiment from Unity Stamp Co. Big Time Special set.  I coloured the doll with Promarkers and added Wink of Stella clear to the dark green bits and also to the sentiment.   The glitter doesn't show well in the photo but if you click on it, it gets bigger, and you may see the sparkle. 

Joining the fun at
The Unity Stamp Co. Challenge 19 - Sketch/Colours
Speedy Fox and Friends Challenge 228 - Glittery Friendship Card
STAMPlorations September Challenge - Stamps and Markers
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Stamp It
The Unity Stamp Co. Friday Friends With Flair

Thanks for your visit.  I appreciate the time you take to read my waffle and comment ;-)  Big hugz

Do You Ever Get That Feeling

Hello.  Welcome.  There's lots of autumn challenges appearing around blogland and our weather was full on autumn today.  Cold and damp and drizzle.  I prefer those cold crisp autumn days when the sky is blue, your breathe is a cloud and you can go through the piles of leaves with the noise of a strong wind or maybe a steam train.  I would also be very glad to see summer again.  They did say it was coming back this week but obviously it got a little sidetracked.  A bit like me.........

Anyway, Stampotique want us to Refresh it.  Revisit an old favourite stamp and give it a new lease of life.  So I decided to use Rabbit, who hasn't been out in the woods for a while and add Wicked Wednesdays ATC challenge of Fall Fun

I started by stamping Stampotique's Rabbit and masking him.  Can you see him?  I used DI Mustard Seed, Dried Marigold and Scattered Straw for the background base.  Then I stamped Judi Kins Leaves in DI Dried Marigold, Worn Lipstick, Festive Berries and Walnut Stain.  Maybe I should leave Rabbit hidden in the woods?

 

But no, out he pops, all dressed in his best.  Light and Dark Green Wink of Stella.  I added some Walnut Stain to give him somewhere safe to stand.   I had decided this was going to be a single layer ATC but I always think Rabbit is nervously looking over his shoulder for something lurking just out of sight.  So, one layer be gone!!

 

BOO!  I cut a hole in my ATC and folded back the edges.  Then I backed it with black card, which also made the backside nice after the earlier inky extravaganza!  I added a pair of wobbly eyes.  I was going to add more, but it didn't look right, so Rabbit will just have to be discontent with one pair peering out at him.  I was hoping it was a scary monster from the 5th dimension but looking at it now it looks more like a sunflower that has had too much sun!!  LOL 

Joining the fun at
Stampotique Designers Challenge 163 - Refresh It
Wicked Wednesday ATC Challenge 122 - Fall Fun
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Stamp It 
Penny Black and More September Challenge - Autumn Colours
Stampinback Challenge - Not CAS 
Papertake Weekly - Repeat Repeat  leaves, leaves, leaves 

Thanks for your visit.  Sending you good wishes, positive thoughts and hugz. 

Western Autumn

Hello.  Welcome.  A big hi and hello to Bibiana and Elin who have recently joined my following.  Welcome. 

I wanted to make an autumn card using copper foil.  I decided to use STAMPlorations current sketch and make a card with Prima Doll Becky front and center

I took a kraft card that had a slight leafy pattern as my base.  I cut two copper foil panels and embossed with Cheery Lynn Diamond and Starburst embossing plate.  It looked a bit bare so I cut two pieces of barbed wire from black card using Cheery Lynn Barbed Wire Dies.  Becky has been paper pieced using Prima Lyric, Forever Young and Craftsman collection papers.  I used Prima Fairy Belle flowers and some copper leaf brads along the bottom of the card. 

Joining the fun at
STAMPlorations Sketch Challenge 19
Cheery Lynn Designs Challenge 149 - All About Texture
Loves Rubberstamps Challenge 119 - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Stamp It
Dazzling Diva Challenge 41
7 Kids Challenge 107 - Anything Goes 

Thanks for your visit.  Hugz.

Extreme CAS

Hello.  Welcome.  Extra big hi and hello to Angie who has joined my happy little following.  That's me happy to have such a lovely group of followers.  Thank you one and all for your support.  

Yesterday I was visiting Trisha Too and was intrigued by a challenge she has set.  An extreme CAS challenge.

ONE stamp,
stamped ONE time.
ONE color ink.
White paper

Uhhh, wow, that is extreme.   Now I like CAS and often describe my style as simple, but rarely clean *messy crafter at work*  So this extreme CAS idea has been dinging around my head all day and since it's Friends With Flair today I dug out my Unity Stamps and my Docrafts Chocolate pigment ink pad and went extreme......   

Unity Stamp First Love  Card size 15 x 10cm

I made a CAS card with this stamp and one other last week.  I think it works well here

Unity Stamp Big Time Special  Card size 19 x 11cm

This is a lovely big stamp.  The challenge with this technique is deciding where to place your single stamp image.  Once you've chosen your stamp that is.......

Unity Stamp Wondrous  Card size 19 x 11cm

I like this.  I wondered what it would look like on a smaller card with her hair falling off the bottom...

Unity Stamp Wondrous  Card size 9.5 x 11cm

It looks like this.  And I had the other half card so......

Unity Stamp Tinsel in a Tangle  Card size 9.5 x 11cm

He's so cute.  He comes with a sentiment but in the spirit of extreme CAS that must remain unused.  

You know, once I got started I could have gone on and on.  What fun.  Do check out Trisha Too's blog for this challenge and also ATC's around the world.  She is trying to send an ATC to every country in the world.  See if you can help her out with an address.  I've got mine!!!   

Joining the fun at
The Unity Stamp Co. Friends with Flair
Trisha Too - Extreme CAS
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Stamp it
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Boldly Go Into STAMPtember 

Thanks for your visit.  Hope you are having a fun Friday.  Hugs

Goody Hoo

Hello.  Welcome.  I saw a lovely project made by Deepti so here's my take

I stamped my ATC with Penny Black  Amaryllis stamp, blacked in the leaves with a pen and tinted the edges with black archival.  Then I stamped the flower head on orange card and fussy cut. 

Joining the fun at
Wicked Wednesday ATC Challenge 121 - Beautiful Blooms 
Penny Black and More August Challenge - Anything Goes
Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Floral Fantasy
Stampotique Designers Challenge 161 - Flowers
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Boldly Go Into STAMPtember 
Stamping Sensations August Challenge - Anything Goes 

Thanks for your visit.  Hugs