Journaling...

I had this in mind when we were participating in the

 Edgar Allan Poe Appreciation Day Blog Hop some time ago...

But somehow I haven't touched my journal for ages...

Anyway I opened to a new spread and started applying pieces

 torn from an old yellowing book.

I then used Paper Artsy chalk acrylics 'bora bora' and 'mushroom'

 through a couple of stencils.

I then added distress inks around the edge - wild honey and black soot.

 This photo gives you an idea of the result:

I then overstamped with black Stazon some old Smeared Ink stamps and then added some diecuts - in particular 'drip drop' (the fabulous Seth Apter die) cut out twice from some Tim Holtz Designer Paper.

 (How I managed to get SALT so prominent I do not know!!)

and the others from black card.

The cat is a Dragons Lair digi printed on orange card and cut out.

I will link this to Dream in Darkness February Challenge...
it seems I have some similar ideas to Kim!!

I am now working on page 2...

Happy Crafting!

A Year of ATCs? - Day 59

This is my 59th make for A year of ATCs?

I should have made an ATC to celebrate Pancake Day - however I made a pocket letter instead! A collection of 9 ATCs - in this case all variations on a theme...

The theme is geometrics. I started with an islamic patter printed in greens - I then highlighted a star on each rectangle by sewing across and around it with red cotton.

Each red base had different patterns of washi taped across each side.

I then added wooden stars and square mosaics.

Each ATC is slightly different

This was my favourite one...

I then put them in a pocket sleeve.

Happy Crafting!

A Year of ATCs? - Day 58

This is my 58th make for A year of ATCs?

A scrap of DP on dark red - then the image  Big Girl Bloomers from Bloobel.
I just couldn't resist this image!! I used Promarkers to add colour.
The final touch was a little hairdryer charm added with a little ribbon.

Then I had to add some googly eyes...

Happy Crafting!

A year of ATCs? - Day 57

This is my 57th make for A year of ATCs?

Today I have another image from Vera Lane - Corbett
I added colour with Zig real brush pens and then cut it out.
I then placed it on a black rectangle matted with birds on a wire paper - a freebie fromfrom Decosse's Dynamite Doodles.

Finally I added google eyes.

Happy Crafting!

Spotlighting Technique again

I have been using the Spotlighting Technique on various cards just recently.
This is when colour is added to just one part of the image.

I was looking through my stamps
 and turned up this beautiful collage stamp from Dark Room Door
and thought I would like to use it for this technique.

I started with a white card base matted with slate blue card.
I printed the image twice with black Versafine on white card, and cut one out with a nesting die, layering this onto the card.
I used a butterfly die to cut a section from the second image and hand cut a butterfly shaped piece of the blue card. 
I coloured the small section of the image with Zig real brush pens and then added a layer of glossy accents. I used a clear Wink of Stella pen for the feeler.
I then added these parts to the card.

I will link this to the Butterfly Challenge #73 Butterflies plus G for Glossy Accents and/or the colour Slate Blue.

Happy Crafting!

I {heart} Sketches with a tWist #163

I have just put together a card based on this sketch:

I have used some of the colour palette and the Child's Play aspect is the Snowman.

I started with a green card base matted with white. I added 4 banners cut from a scrap of DP in my stash and tied a snippet of ribbon  around them.

The image is from Flurry coloured with a Promarker and a clear Wink of Stella.
I cut this and the sentiment out with rectangular stitched dies.
The sentiment is a rubber stamp bought in Australia at the Melbourne Museum.

I will link this to

I {heart} Sketches with a tWist #163

and also 

the February Rudoph Days Challenge
 - always pleased to add another Christmas card to my stock!!

and

Pixie's Snippets Playground 269 and 270

Happy Crafting!!

A Year of ATCs? Day 56

This is my 56th make for A year of ATCs?

Today I have used images from Vera Lane - from
Whimsical Girl with florals 
put together on a DP from  Imagine That Digistamp
I added colour with Zig real brush pens and then
trimmed it and then added it to a scrap of dark red card.

Finally I added some heart shaped gems.

I will link this to Wicked Wednesday #244 Hearts

Happy Crafting!

A Year of ATCs? Day 55

This is my 55th make for A year of ATCs?

First gold card on dark red - then the image  Bake Me a Cake from Bloobel, coloured with Promarkers and Zig pens.

I then added hearts and the banner - and the 'cake' - pumpkins and a spider.

This is my make for the Bloobel February Progressive Challenge

Happy Crafting!

Fabrika Fantasy

I was delighted to recently win a little competition in the

Fabrika Fantasy Facebook Group

My prize was the image Hibiscus Elf

The current challenge in the facebook group is to make a kid's card - so I used this image to make one...

I used the precoloured image and printed it with a background of a 'water colour' DP from Dragons Lair

I used a couple of floral dies to cut shapes from the image and then layered them on gold card.

The white square card base was also matted with gold card.

Finally I added the sparkly stickers to add sentiments.

Happy Crafting!

Floral Frames Collection has been released at Craftstash - Video 2

The Floral Frames Collection has now been released at Craftstash

 I have used

Rose Dove Floral Wrap Die
and

Rose Dove Die Set

I have made two videos using this collection - this is the second one:

 I demonstrate the technique of removing intricate diecuts from their dies using tumbler dryer paper and items like these:

This is my 54th make in my 'Year of ATCs?'

Find details of the first video here
Hope you will take a look!!

Happy Crafting!

A Year of ATCs? - Day 53

This is my 53rd make for A year of ATCs?

I started with two scraps of card and added the image cut out with stitched dies.

The image is from

From The Heart - I coloured the piggy with pencils!

and from the progressive From the Heart February Image Challenge

(I also added googly eyes!) 

I then added diecut hearts and the stickers - letters and tulips.

Happy Crafting!

Ike's World Challenges #82

Today I would like to show you my make for Ike's World Challenges!

The current Challenge (#82) Anything Goes with a Twist - Nature...
and this is my midway post...

If you pop over to Ike's World Challenges you will find there is a super freebie to pick up:

You could use this for the Challenge - but your image is free choice...

I have used the Spotlighting Technique to make a card and an ATC:

I used a white card blank for the card and a rectangle of black card for the base of the ATC.
I then used red card for the various mats.
I added colour using Zig real brush pens and a silver Wink of Stella.

This ATC is my make for my Year of ATCs? - Day 52

Look forward to seeing your creations in Challenge #82...

Happy Crafting!