2018 in Review

Welcome

For the third year, I am highlighting a project from each month, with a link to the original post if you wish to pursue the details, (simply click on the card title to go there), so this post will be heavy on photos and short on words.

January

Tool Board Birthday

February

Bottom Dwelling Exotic Fish

March

Turtle-y Awesome

April

Little Birdie Birthday

May

Top Hat Balloon

June

Black White and a Sparkly Pink Doily

July

Dragonflies and a Double Pleat

August

Mono-printing and Chicory

September

Annalise's Shawl

October

Mixed Media ATC coin

November

Mercy and Butterflies

December

Meowy Christmas x3

Some months the choice was easy - other months I had a hard time choosing just one.

I am linking this to

Ellieblles 2018 Year in Review linky party

May you know God's richest blessings in the 2019

The 2018 Christmas Card

Welcome

Firstly may I wish all my followers and visitors a Blessed and Peaceful Christmas

This is just a quick post to share the Christmas card design I mass produced this year. 

I am sharing it now as I think most of my overseas recipients have now received their copy.

My starting point was this wonderful die cut - I was sent it as a RAK from Kary over at 

Papercrafting and Travels.  The die is from Penny Black

After cutting out the image, I painted the star and rays with Inka Gold gold , which gives a wonderful gleam IRL

I then embossed this sweet nativity in silver below the adhered die cut.

I used an embossing folder to add a simple frame to the feature panel, which was mounted over a white base

 

I am linking this to:

Hiding In My Craft Room challenge #384 - Any Holiday

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - December - Anything Goes (opt Christmas or winter)

Crafty Calendar Challenge December, #12 - It's Christmas time

Crafter's Castle December Challenge #12 - Anything Goes (opt Christmas Ornament)

The Corrosive Challenge December #12 - Anything Goes

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge #96 - Anything Goes

A Gem of a Challenge #234 - Anything Goes

Jo's Stamp Shack Funday Friday Challenge #265 - Anything Goes

Polka Doodles Challenge Week #51 - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday Challenge Weeks #366-367 - Anything goes

Meowy Christmas x3

Welcome

Earlier in the month I won a set of stamps and dies from Your Next Stamp called Meowy Christmas, and I used the stamps to make some cards for my Grandchildren

The boys have cards identical in layout but in different colour-ways

To add interest I used corrugated card between the image panels and the card base

and layered the sentiments and images over heavy card for some dimension.

Both cards had a layer of sparkle card to give them a bit of Christmas shine!

I am linking these to:

Creative Knockouts Challenge #277 - 'Tis the season

As You Like It Challenge - Anything Goes

C.R.A.F.T Challenge #295 - Anything Goes

2 Crafty Crritter Crazies Challenge #21 - Anything Goes with a Creature

Word rt Wednesday Challnege Weeks #366 367 - Anything Goes

My oldest grand daughter is not a frills and fuss girl, so I compromised with an embossed layer, using a Petal Lace  EF by Brutus Monroe

I die cut the cat image with an oval die, and edged it with black, before mounting it on the diamond glitter card which was backed with black card.

All the sentiment panels were edged in black and mounted offset over another black panel. I added dimension by mounting them over a layer of think card.  

The card base for this card is a deep lavender card purchased from a local printer.

The cats were coloured according to the cats in the boys homes, and my grand daughters is coloured to look like my boy. 

I am linking this to

Southern Girls Challenge - Glitter

Little Miss Muffet Challenge #204 - Anything Goes

Cute Card Thursday Challenge #561 - Anything Goes

2 Crafty Critter Crazies Challenge #21 - Anything Goes with a Creature

Word Art Wednesday Challenge Weeks #366 367 - Anything Goes

Lavender, Mini-roses, and Rhinestones

Welcome

I love this time of year when my lavender is flowering, so much so I used it as a prop for my photo.  For me, the lavender flowering means it is close to Christmas.

This card is for the new Word Art Wednesday Challenge (weeks #366-367), and the beautifully crafted scripture is available as a free download there.

I started with a card base that I had made for a bridge card some months ago, but never finished.  I discovered that I had printed the scripture out at the perfect size for the centre panel, so die cut it using a Memory Box Stitched rectangle die, and sponged it with some ink before removing the die.

I also put a dot of gold ink in the centre of both stars.

To decorate I used strips of clear rhinestones and some mini roses I had on hand

Quite a simple card but I love it.

I am linking this to:

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge #96 - Anything Goes

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #83 - Anything Goes

(Pin)spirational Challenge # 231 - Anything Goes

Through The Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Crafting From the Heart Challenge #233 - Anything Goes

Cutie Pie Challenge #130 - Add some sparkle

The Paper Nest Dolls December Challenge - Anything Goes

Digi Chooseday Challenge Week #51 - Anything Goes

Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenge #1850 - Anything Goes

Love To Craft Challenge #29  Anything Goes

Peek a Boo Lighthouse

Welcome

Here is another (masculine) card featuring the MFT Peek a Boo window die.

The lighthouse image was stamped using Memento Graphite Black ink, coloured with Prismacolor pencils, and then the lighthouse itself was coated with glossy accents

 The sentiment is a S/B die cut , cut into the linen look cream base, and four layers added back in, from black up to the mid-blue of the card base

The inside was kept simple with just a small strip of Washi tape.

I am linking this to:

Happy Little Stampers December Anything Goes With Dies Challenge

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge #58 - Anything Goes

A Bit More Time To Craft Challenge #82 - Anything Goes

A Gem of a Challenge #233 - Anything Goes

The Corrosive Challenge # 12 - Anything Goes

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge #96 - Anything Goes

Dragonfly Dreams December Challenge - Anything Goes

Crafty Catz Challenge #442 - Anything Goes + option doing what you like most

(CAS is the option taken)

Jo's Stamp Shack Funday Friday Challenge #264 - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday Challenge Weeks #364-365 - Anything Goes

Model T Dreams

Welcome

This was a commissioned card for a young man who loves machinery, vehicles in particular.

The stamp is of a Model T delivery van, and I embossed it in silver on a navy background, before showcasing it through a peek a boo die cut window

The sentiment is from STAMPlorations 

And this inside stamp from a magazine freebie set. 

Very CAS but I was very happy with it.

I am linking this to:

Aud sentiments Challenge #218 - Anything Goes + a sentiment

Cute Card Thursday Challenge #560 - Embossing

4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #433 - Masculine Greetings

The Male Room Challenge #100 - Celebrate

Polka Doodles Challenge Week 50 - Anything Goes

Little Miss Muffet Challenge #204 - Anything Goes

Tuesday Throwdown Challenge #421 - Anything Goes

Crafty Creations Challenge #380 - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday Challenge Weeks #364-365 - Anything Goes

STAMPlorations Never Ending Challenge - Anything Goes

Mills and Boon Birthday

Welcome

This was a card I taught at a recent class - we revisited inking scrunched up printed paper (this time from and old Mills and Boon type booklet) to make a background, and making a rolled flower. 

The paper was crumpled, inked, and then re-crumpled and re-inked - I used Memento Rhubarb Stalk dye ink and Worn Lipstick DI. 

The crumpled and inked paper was trimmed to size, and cut on an angle.  After adhering it, I inked a narrow strip of paper to give a clearly defined edge, using Rhubarb stalk ink, then stamped the greeting (a magazine freebie), starting in the centre then moving out towards the edges.

The flourishes were cut with a Spellbinders die in light green card, and inked through the die.  I trimmed one to fit on the card better, then added the rolled flower (also cut from a Spellbinders die) 

The finishing details were some flatback pearls on the flourish and the bottom right corner, and a generous coat of Wink of Stella. 

I am linking this to:

Through The Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #82 - Anything Goes

Not Just Cards December Challenge - Anything Goes

Digi Chooseday Challenge Week 50 - Anything Goes

Pink Gem Challenge #233 - Anything Goes

Jo's Stamp Shack Funday Friday Challenge #263 - Anything Goes

Polka Doodles Challenge Week 49 - Anything Goes

Creative Fingers Challenge #155 - Anything Goes

Crafty Catz Challenge #441 - Anything Goes with option of sparkle and shine

Word Art Wednesday Challenge Weeks #364 - 365 - Anything Goes

Stitched Tree

Welcome

I made this card a while ago, and where I usually make just one design for Christmas, this was an exception... 

I had seen a few stitched tree cards around, so I lightly pencilled a tree shape onto the card base, pricked holes down either side with a paper piercer, and stitched... and only when I reached the end did I realise that I hadn't counted the holes, but thankfully it all worked out!

I added red (with gold) french knots to the purple tree shape, and did some needle weaving to form the 'tub' for the tree to sit in

The tree was topped with a stitched star, I added a thread of gold to that too, along with the pearle, for some more sparkle. 

The sentiment (a magazine freebie)  was stamped and embossed in in deep green, and the panel was mounted over a green base.

I am linking this to:

Aud sentiments Challenge #218 - Anything Goes + A sentiment

Cards 4 Galz Challenge #86 - Non -traditional Christmas Colours

Crafting With An Attitude Challenge #46 - Anything Goes

Little Miss Muffet Challenge #203 - Anything Goes

Moving Along With The Times - Anything Christmas

ABC Christmas Challenge - Y or Z (Zero Embellishments)

Addicted To Stamps and More Challenge #321 - Anything Goes

Christmas Sweet Stampin' Challenge- Anything Christmas

That's Crafty Challenge - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday Challenge Weeks #364-365 - Anything Goes