the Squirrel and the Fox Challenge #72 - Christmas in July

The Squirrel and the Fox Challenge blog has a new challenge started 

Number #72 - Christmas in July 

The sponsor for this is:

Prize - 3 Free Digi's from their store

I was able to use one of their images, called Winter Friends

I dragged out the box of Christmas Stash, and the first thing I found on top was a piece of recycled card from a card we had received. I immediately matched everything else to it, as it provided me with the sentiment as well!

I printed off the image onto Whispser White, and coloured it with my Prisma pencils, adding some Kiddy Glitz for snow and sparkle on various things...I went for a softer look with the pencils

I decided to mount the backing papers on SU Pacific Blue - love that colour and it is gone, gone, gone.....

Had to add some bling too!

I diecut a frame around my snowman, and edged it with a Copic pen instead of mounting it, as I just wanted a thin line to demarcate the edge

Not too bad for using up scraps! One more card to add to the Christmas stash for 2014!

I will enter this in the following challenges:

Completely Christmas: Anything Goes - closes 5th July

Di's Digi Designs: Lots of Layers - 5th July

My Time to Craft!: Christmas in June - closes 11th July

Crafting with Dragonflies Challenge#29 : Artist Trading Cards - Set of 3

When Hilde from Crafting with Dragonflies sets a challenge, 

it is a CHALLENGE

ATC  or Artist Trading Cards - Set of 3

I used an image from one of the Sponsors - QKR - provided called

Wish in a Bottle... 

reminds me of the song by STING.....

Message in a Bottle

Just a castaway

An island lost at sea

Another lonely day

With no one here but me

More loneliness

Than any man could bear

Rescue me before I fall into despair

I'll send an SOS to the world

I'll send an SOS to the world

I hope that someone gets my

Message in a bottle [x2]

There are two Sponsors for this Challenge

 Pickled Potpourri 

and 

QKR

What the.....is an Artists Trading Card, I hear you ask.........(well might you, I did too!)

Well, an artist trading card (or ATC for short) is a tiny, original piece of art created with the intention of swapping or trading it with another artist, not selling it. The one rule an artist trading card must adhere to is the size. An ATC must be 2.5x3.5 inches or 64x89 mm. 

Click here which will take you to a blog post about how to get started on a basic ATC...

This is what I did........

I did  a bit of sponging using my TH Distress inks directly onto a sheet of SU Whisper White, which had been ruled up for the correct size of three ACT's prior to cutting -does that make sense?

Before I did this, I had taken the image and changed it re size and orientation using SU My Digital Studio - I am very pleased with myself 'cause I have not used this before so it was trial and error! I also wrote across it MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE in light grey. I printed it off onto the WW card and then added the inks. I then cut the shapes and inked again around the edges.

I took to the bottles with my Prisma pencils to add a bit of colour to them and the message inside, and the water around them. I had a set of freebie stamps from Creative Stamping, and I used these to stamp the wheel in Versamark and emboss with a black sparkly (Ebony) EP. I used Momento Tuxedo Black ink to stamp the bird, and TH Distress Scattered  Twigs to do the rope.

I hand wrote "Message in a Bottle" across the three ACT's.

I had purchased (twice, because I liked it obviously but my silly memory didn't tell me I had already ordered it so I got it twice!) Graphic 45's paper pad "By the Sea" and used a page of this and some stickers to cut out several items  - shells, a compass and a fish and some words - and glued them to the ACT's. That's were the US postage stamps came from as well. 

So, three ACT's - my very first ACT's in fact!

Probably won't be the last - I turned them into a card, but I didn't take a photo, so cannot show it. 

So, why not have a go yourself - if I can do it, you can!!

I will enter this in the following challenge:

Everybody-Art-Challenge: Postage Stamps - ends 31st June

Just Inspirational Challenges: Anything Goes - ends 31st June

Through the Craft Room Door: Anything Goes

2 Cute Ink Digital: At the Beach - ends 7th July

Unstampabelles Challenge #36 Mixed Media Final Week

Hi, just popping in with a bit more inspiration for anyone who needs it for our current challenge over at Unstampabelles - Mixed Media; with a TWIST to alter something!

I altered another photo frame that I got from the Tip Shop. It was lilac. A very insipid colour  - lilac.  So, I painted it with white Gesso

Forgot to photograph it beforehand but you might see the colour here, on the back, that it was before I painted it! It is about  approx 6 x3 inches or 15 x 7.5 cm and has a pane of glass with it inside the frame.

I painted it with Th Distress paint -it looks green here but I assure you it was Salty Ocean blue! I painted it with Distress Crackle - Antique Linen (that's why it looks green) and then when dry rubbed it all over with Blue Denim Distress ink to show the crackle. It worked very well! I dried it with the heat gun and this made it happen quickly but bubbled the crackle paint a little in places. I was too impatient to wait!

I added some rub-ons (Kaiser) to a piece of SU Cream card for inside the first window for a bit of interest; and a vellum saying for the second, also attached to cream card; and the third window has a small image from Megs Garden of one of her ladies. 

On the outside, I added a few flowers and a string of  dark green pearls, and a saying in a metal frame I have had in the stash for quite a while now. For a long time I wouldn't use it because I liked it too much but I have got over that now!

It can be a bit of decor or you could add a photo of your own in the 3rd window as a special momento of someone special to you.  

So, what are you going to alter with some mixed media for this challenge?  Remember, NO STAMPS are to be used for this challenge, so it will need you to search your stash for rub-ons, or vellum sayings, or create your own from the computer - no digi's though........

100 Blog follower through Blogger

A quick post to announce

My 100th follower 

through Blogger is

 Aussie aNNie 

Annie, can you please contact me via email (click here for address) for your prize.

Midway for Challenge #36 Mixed Media at Unstampabelles

I went to the tip shop and 'found' several wooden frames which I preceded to repurpose to meet the TWIST for the challenge going on at Unstampabelles at the moment - MIXED MEDIA!

As usual, I will tell the story of my journey in photo's - so a cuppa or similar might be a good idea here! I forgot to start taking photo's early and had painted the frame with Gesso before I realised that fact - so this is the back of the frame so you can see the wood.  I wasn't too fussy with the white painting.

I added blue Tim Holtz distress paint over the white with a dauber, and then when it was dry I painted it with TH Distress Rock Candy crackle. And waited..........

Taken inside and colours strange under the lamp

Afterit had dried and crackled, I rubbed in some TH Distress ink over the whole - my ink was darker than the paint. I then got my texture paste and a stencil and make some white circles or similar over the frame with the paste. 

I think it was looking quite good by then......

I added some velvet ribbon and flowers from the stash......

.....and a jewelled dragonfly sticker.........

.....and three pearls......

Once it was complete to my satisfaction and after cleaning the glass,  I positioned a vellum quote inside the frame.  You could add your own photo instead. So, while it is still a photo frame, I remade it to be a vintage frame  - you could leave it as an inspirational piece of decor or use it for your favourite person.

So, a mixed media piece without using any stamps - it can be done! I was reading a craft magazine recently and saw they had redone a frame in that and it gave me the idea for this - hence the visit to the tip shop! You thought I had forgotten I had mentioned that didn't you! Our local tip has a shop attached, and if you take stuff there first from your house where it is not obvious rubbish and still has a life in it, they will accept it as a donation. One it is sorted and priced, one can visit and see what is there - it changes daily I assure you - from fine bone china, kitchen paraphernalia and similar, books and music, toys and furniture. Some computer stuff is allowed also. If you were setting up a flat for instance, you could get some excellent stuff there to help you begin, such as wine glasses, or mugs or pie dishes for very little money. A lot of the stuff comes from homes where the person has died or has moved to a home, so it is all good stuff - I saw a pretty piece of Royal Dalton there last time. The money raised pays for unemployed people to work there, thus giving someone a start in employment and teaching them about work skills. It is well worth supporting.

Anyhooo.........mixed media challenge with a TWIST to alter something! There is a great prize and some more inspiration over at Unstampabelles

This June we are being 

Sponsored by 

Bizzy Bec

The PRIZE:

This  Marianne  Butterfly Die 

What are you waiting for - go there now!

I will enter this in the following challenge:

Challenge#71 - Use something Metal for The squirrel and the Fox

My card made for the Squirrel and the Fox's current challenge - to Use Metal in the making of your project - includes metal in the little charm; in the shimmer that you cannot see on the bird and butterflies; and in the background 'paper' which has been embossed - and which is really a sheet of thin coloured metal. This has been in the stash for a while now so I am pleased to see it being used. In addition, this is only the second time I have used that embossing folder that I can remember, so I am pleased that it has had a run as well!

Our sponsor at the Squirrel and the Fox 

for this challenge

 is Delicious Doodles 

who are offering a prize of 4 digi stamps to the winner  

I started by printing this image from the sponsor off (twice) onto XPress Blending card, because I thought I would be colouring it with my Copics, but I changed my mind and used my BRAND NEW Gelato Crayons to paint the image! Probably wouldn't use this card with them again as it rejected the water a bit. I sort of squished the crayons onto a silicon sheet and then picked up the crayon with the water brush and painted in the colours - some of the Gelato's have lots of shimmer and some don't have as much.

The embossed metal pattern

My kingfisher is an bit of an amalgam of birds - I used the bird book but he looked a bit dull in just blue and gold so I added some red as well and he began to look more like a bejewelled kingfisher! The butterflies are just made-up as far as colours go, so they are not necessarily straight from nature! So - fantasy creatures!

The dragonflies also are fantasy creatures - they have Wink of Stella pen in their wings for shimmer. 

I painted one image completely and then repainted the two butterflies from the second image and fussy cut them to layer over the others. I also fussy cut the oval the image was sitting on to rebed it on the metal background. 

The body of the butterfly is gold

I mounted them on SU - Crushed Curry and a card bank from Regal Craft.  

The charm is attached with a black brad and the sentiment stickers are Tim Holtz words. 

Why not go over to  the Squirrel and the Fox and see what the rest of the DT have come up with - you will be delighted! I love all the different ways they have created with the images from the sponsor and fitting into the theme. Then put on your thinking cap and create your own masterpiece and have a go at the challenge - see you there!

I will enter this in the following challenges:

Crafting at the Weekend: anything goes - ends July 10th

Openminded Crafting: something with wings - ends 27th June

The Outlawz: use metal - ends end of June

 for this card - Yipeeee! AND made TOP THREE for a la Mode Challenge and DT favourite at Open minded crafting

Crafting with Dragonflies Challenge#28: Zentangle - Black and White

Well, as  member of the DT at Crafting with Dragonflies, my creativity gets tested regularly by Hilde's wonderful challenges. With the current one, she has required us to 

Zentangle - Black and White

What is Zentangling you ask?  Well, you can go HERE for a video and HERE for a definition and some examples but basically it is a form of art where you 'doodle' or free-draw patterns into black spaces, using predominately fine black pens. Hence the black and white theme - although I have seen some beautifully coloured tangles too. I have been playing around with Zentangling myself, trying to teach myself from the internet - it is very therapeutic and calming and I enjoy it greatly. I had to laugh - this has been on our list at CWD for all the year, and then just when we are about to go live with it, Splitcoaststampers has a tutorial on it HERE! There is a warning here - it can become highly additive!

The Sponsors for this challenge are:

.

I used an image from Bugaboo that they supplied to me - a butterfly - and printed it off five times in varying sizes. I then 'tangled' in each one with a fine black pen.

A middle size

the smallest

the biggest

a middle-sized one!

I added some black gems and a bit of Wink of Stella pen for shimmer on the wings of some - hard to see in daylight.

I used an 8 x 8 pad of black and white from Kaiser - that's where the sudoko background DP came from -  and a black card from SU and a commercial card blank from Regal Craft. The ribbon is a shoulder strap from a piece of clothing and the three lace flowers are from Tara. The sentiment is a Kaiser rub-on - I should have dropped it down further on the page.........

I will enter this in the following challenges:

Through the Craftroom Door: Anything Goes - closes 24th June

Aurora Wings Challenge: butterflies - closes 13th June - my hand colouring here is the tangle pattern in black ink!

Crafting from the Heart: Anything goes - closes 16th June

The Paper Girls: use a rub-on - ends June 13th: the word is a rub-on from Kaiser

So, I went to the SU Convention in Melbourne and.......

.....bought home some freebies/presents/paid for in our convention fees/.....whatever.....

One was a lovely new stamp called Blended Bloom.  Obviously intended for the blenders......as we also got a pack of three Blendabilities in the Calypso Coral shades - light/medium/dark.  Now I am a Copic girl - I have some Promarkers somewhere too, and a couple of TH Distress markers, as well as a whole big tray of SU Markers, and my new Gelato's and the Prisma's and some Inktense Watercolour pencils........I guess I like to colour in!

There has been a lot of chatter - I have been part of it - about the new alcohol markers SU are putting out called Blendabilities. I tried them in Melbourne and the stamped image we had to use was little; I got a bit frustrated because we had only the one red shade and one green shade and there was not enough contrast for me.

Today I did an experiment.  I used the stamp and Momento black ink and stamped it four times on SU Whisper White. I chose three colours close to the Calypso Coral range I had in the Blendabilities in Copic; in SU Markers; and in my Gelato's.

Here is what happened - photo's taken inside under a lamp:

Using the Blendabilities - nice nib, goes on well, has to be worked a bit but paper didn't pill; didn't do centre stamens, they are  still uncoloured on all four

My Copic version - richer colours but because I was restricted to colours close together, not a lot of variety; again, worked a lot and no pilling.  You can see saturation is greater.

Took to the second one again and added two colours for contrast - it looks better in real life I may add.  I used the mauve for shadow emphasis

This one is very shimmery and as it is water on Whisper White it did take a while to dry off.  Using Gelato's and water brush. Again, I worked it a bit for contrast. 

The SU markers and a blender pen. Card did pill quite a bit with the blender, but without it the ink just won't move and lays in lines against each shade. It has more of a two dimensional look - should have used the water pen and picked up ink to see if that improved it but ran out of steam. 

All four together. 

This may be helpful for those who are looking for some way of distinguishing between the systems.

Oh,and they did give us lots of other things too - great demo's and modelled how to run sessions, etc. I am going to play with the digital studio one day when I have some extra time on my hands, but it looks fun. There is some lovely stuff in the new catty and my wish list is enormous! I have to save some more money first - car insurance came in today - OMG!!!