Tutti-Fruitti Squares

 

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I have to confess to being much prouder of this one, using the same Lotza Squares stencil #113 from AALL & Create. In fact, I love it!

It took a while, but I sponged various colours of Distress Oxide inks through the stencil, stamped numbers from Tracy Evans 'Splattered Numbers' #350, and added some random numbers from AALL & Create dies that I'd saved from previous projects. The flower is from Tracy's 'Eclectic Stems' stamp set, stamped twice, fussy-cut, shaped and layered, with a red sequin in the centre. The sentiment is also from that set, and is perfect to go with the numbers! 

Finished off with some sequins, tiny gold hexagons, a silver bow and a Tim Holtz clip. I wish all my cards came out so well! :-D 

Christmas Squares

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After Abs (Autour de Mwa), joint founder of AALL & Create, released his complete collection of Dotz stencils and stamp, I asked him if he would consider producing some squares, along the same lines. (I doubt I was the only one!) That was a year or so ago, and now he has! I am thrilled! I love them! 

For these cards, I used the 6"x6" stencil, 'Lotza Squares' #113.

The first one has Tumbled Glass Distress Oxide ink blended in the background, and I used That's Crafty Light Texture Paste through the stencil. The Holly Sprig die is from Sentimentally Yours, cut in silver mirror card. The snowflakes are from a large die-cut that I bought from eBay that has multiple-sized snowflakes in it. The sentiment is computer-generated in Cezanne font.

This was made by sponging Candied Apple Distress Oxide ink through the stencil, adding a touch of DecoArt Glamour Dust on top, before the ink was dry, then trimming to a square size and layering onto white mats. The final panel was raised slightly on recycled cardboard. 

I added some holly leaves cut from the Sentimentally Yours Holly Sprig die, cut from gold mirror card, added some pearl beads in the centre, and a computer-generated sentiment.

I'm far from happy with the last one. Again I sponged through the stencil with Candied Apple Distress Oxide, and then doodled (very roughly) around a lot of the squares with a fine black pen. I decorated it with the same Holly Sprig die, in gold mirror card, and again, I used a computer-generated sentiment. 

Could have done better! But I do like the one at the top, with the blue and silver.

 

Christmas Trees Triptych

 

This is a follow on from yesterday's Seaside Feathers, inspired by the same Crafty Individuals FB Live from 16th July, the Feathers Demo. I have promised myself that for every non-Crimbo card I make, I will also make a festive version, as Christmas is just coming into view over the horizon.

• I started with brayering a base of three colours, as per the demo. I used Distress Oxide Mowed Lawn and Candied Apple, and a panel of Encore gold metallic. 
• Next, I stamped the snowflake from CI-138 'Let It Snow' (now retired) in the top right corner of each panel, and embossed with a clear sparkly powder from Wow! 
• Then I splattered with diluted white acrylic paint.
• The trees are from CI-502, 'Noel Border', stamped in Olive Green Stazon and fussy-cut, then edged in black pen on the outside, glittered on the snowy branches with Deco Art Glamour Dust, and silver Stickles on the stars. Raised on recycled cardboard for dimension.
• I used gold cord in the background, holly leaves cut using Sentimentally Yours 'Holly Sprigs' dies from Sizzix gold Texture Roll and a red sequin. The 'Noel' word is also from the 'Noel Border' stamp, also mounted on the Sizzix stuff.
• The background mat is Kanban 'Maple Leaf' embossed gold card, cut with deckle-edged fancy scissors.
• Added three gold sequins for a finishing touch.

Seaside Feathers

 

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This one is the latest in my personal challenge series, inspired by Jean Hardy's Facebook Live demos, and this one is the 'Feathers Demo' from 16th July (Link HERE.) 

If you compare them, you'll see that mine is similar, but not a total replica. I've used different colours (Distress Oxides and Brilliance Moonlight White for some text), some slightly different stamps, too. 

The feathers, the background text (the wonderful poem by John Masefield, 'I Must Go Down To The Sea Again'), the 286 number (the kind you'll often see on sails, and other parts of boats and seaside sheds), and the text clipped onto the top are all from CI-397 'Call of the Sea'.  

The 'By the sea' stamp is from another seaside-themed set, CI-454 'By the Sea' (funnily enough!)  

For texture, I used dabs of background stamps by Flo Langley, CI-542 'Mismesh', in different colours for contrast. 

I found some cheap mini bulldog clips on eBay, in different colours, and used one of the rose gold ones here. They're a bit bigger than the Tim Holtz ones, so not very practical for posting, but would work in a box-framed piece.

A few sequins to finish, and we're done! 

Seaside Happiness

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I've been a tad dormant, crafting-wise, for the past few weeks (and everything else-wise, if truth be known!), so I'm slipping even further behind with my project to make a version of each of Jean's FB Live demos. This one is from 10 weeks ago! (insert eye-rolling icon here) 1st July. 

Here's the link --->> Jean's FB Live (Seaside Demo) from 1st July.

I used slightly different images to those Jean used, but they're all Crafty Individuals, including an mage of the deckchairs from their 'By The Sea' sheet of glossy images, the waves and 'Seaside' word are from a stamp set (CI-454), the waves embossed in silver, and doodled with white Sakura pen. The kite is also from that set, and the 'clouds' are from 'Abstraction' - one of Flo Langley's lovely background stamps. The seagulls are cut out from a piece of CI's 'Photo Pack' square photographic papers. The background words are from another stamp set (CI-459), and the flourish is from a Tando stencil (purchased from the CI website). The bathing beauty is from another CI stamp set (CI-278), and the word 'Happiness' is from a CI words stamp (CI-258). 

Embellished with a grungy streak of blue foil and a scattering of sequins. 

 

Seahorse

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For the August challenge on the Crafty Individuals Facebook Group, I used Ellie Mulligan's seahorse stamp CI-548 'Under The Sea' from the recent release, and a piece of one of Malc's papers from the 'Wonderfully Weathered' pack. Glamour Dust, Glossy Accents and various gems, pearls and glass cabochon 'bubbles' from stash.

I have a box of pretty, small white cockle shells somewhere that I wanted to use a couple of, but can I find them?! I had a go at disguising a couple of the glass cabochons to look like shells, but it didn't really work. (See below.) Also added the word 'Sea' (using an old Quickutz alphabet), and I'm not convinced by that either! Ah, well.. You have to try these things!

Autumn

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How do you feel about autumn? I LOVE it, and the excitement is rising! 🍁
So here's an autumnal take on Jean's FB Live demo of 24th June, to add to the Cornflower Thistle offering (previous post).

P.S. With thanks to Janet Pring for the idea of outlining the stencil! I need practice, though!

P.P.S. 'Autumn' word made with Sizzix Tim Holtz Tiny Alphanumeric letter dies.

P.P.P.S. Black cotton thread and brass paperclip ideas inspired by Tracy Evans.

Cornflower Thistle

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Inspired by Jean's FB Live demo of 24th June: 'Cornflower Card'. Except that I don't have the Cornflower stamps, so I used one of the pair of thistles instead (CI-204, 'Two Scottish Thistles'), which are in a similar box format. I am also without a doily die, so I used scalloped circles instead. Also, the faux bleaching Jean used didn't work very well for me, so I sponged white pigment ink through the AALL & Create 'Rota Vitae' stencil instead. (I did have the stencil!)
I used Crafty Individuals' 'Uplifting Words' text stamp, CI-258 in the background, some scrunched up black cotton thread, some glass cabochons and silver sequins from stash.

China Cupboard

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Next in the series following Jean Hardy's FB Live demos. This one's from 17th June, showcasing another of Sharron Bates' stamp designs for Crafty Individuals.. CI-547, 'Time for Tea'.

Jean made her version using like a mini printers tray-type thing, that used to hold some pretty wooden folk-heart style embellishments, which she used on her make. I don't have any like that, so I used a resin frame instead, which I'd just received in a lovely variety RAK pack from crafty buddy, Rachel Harries. Bless her. :-)

I didn't have a printer's tray-type thing, either, so I made a raised card 'replica', to give the effect, glued to a thick-ish card base, which I cut to resemble the backing Jean made out of greyboard. I used the largest out of a nesting set of label dies as a template for most of it, to get as neat a shape as I could. The background paper is from a Crafty Individuals paper pad, and I used images from the 'A Nice Cup of Tea' glossy image sheet inside the squares, also from CI.

 The 'lace' is a broderie anglaise border die from Card Making Magic, and the silver teapot charms are from eBay. Flowers, sequin, ribbon for hanging and cord bow to match all from stash.

Summer of Love

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This is the next in my personal challenge series, to make my take on Jean Hardy's FB Live demos. The one I'm following here is her demo on 27th May. (You can find all of them under 'Videos' on the Crafty Individuals FB page.) 

In this particular demo, Jean used Sharron Bates' designs for CI, in particular the 'Three Birds' stamp. I don't have that stamp, but I do have Sharron's VW 'Camper van COOL 1' design (CI-546), which always evokes the sixties, for me... hence the flower power theme. The background paper is by Flo Langley, also for Crafty Individuals. Words are Sizzix dies by Tim Holtz. Embellishments from stash.

Passionflower Thanks

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Using Tracy Evans' Passion Flower stamp #278 and Bipasha BK's Bold Alphas Mini stamp #349 from AALL & Create. (The word is made from Making Memories 'Heidi' rub-on letters from an old pack that must be at least 15 years old! The 'Thank You' is an old cheapie random foam-backed stamp, also from more than a decade ago.)

To say 'thank you' to my sister for these stamps which I chose with the Stamper's Grove gift voucher she sent me for my birthday.

QAS Butterfly

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This one is a (temporary) departure from my focus on Crafty Individuals. It's one of a batch of five cards I made to go with a small giveaway to some members of Tracy Evans' Facebook group. I bought some large paper clips for use as embellishments on cards, but could only find a lot of 50.. more than I could use, so offered to share some of them with other members. First come, first served. I also 'vintaged them up' with some Sepia alcohol ink.

I'm regretting not putting something in the top right corner. Looks a bit bare. Anyway, I brayered the green background on A6 cards, using 'Twisted Citron' Distress Oxide. Then I used Versafine 'Stone Grey' for the background stamp, and Versafine 'Onyx Black' for the butterfly, stamped on the card and again separately, cut out and stuck on top. The sentiment is from a different stamp set, in white embossing on black card. All stamps by Tracy Evans for AALL & Create. Some light green sequins finish the job.

QAS = Quick And Simple. (Could also be CAS = Clean And Simple.)

Rejoice

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My first Christmas card for this year! It's the latest in my takes on Jean Hardy's Facebook Live demos for Crafty Individuals. This one is my version of the demo on 20th May (click HERE). It looks nothing like Jean's version, as I had to adapt to stamps I had in my stash. 

The stamps I used are all Crafty Individuals: CI-446 'Festively Curly Words', CI-420 'Christmas Postage Stamps', CI-479 'Seeing Stars Background' and CI-363 'Christmas Tree Star'. (I drew the holly leaves myself.)

Finishing touches: Silver Stickles glitter glue smooshed onto the holly leaves, some silver thread and some silver sequins.

Blue Tit

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My last of three cards with the backgrounds I made (see photo below) using the clingfilm technique Jean Hardy of Crafty Individuals showed us in her FB Live demo on 13th May. (Click HERE for demo.) 

The lovely Blue Tit stamp is from Crafty Individuals, CI-505 'Bluebird and Branch with Berries' (forgive my dreadful colouring), and the 'moments' word is a Sizzix Tim Holtz die-cut.

The gold mat is cut with deckle-edged scissors, and I've used gold cord for the messy thread layer. 

Honey Beez

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Another card using shapes cut from the backgrounds I made (see next photo) using the clingfilm technique Jean Hardy of Crafty Individuals showed us in her FB Live demo on 13th May. (Click HERE for the demo.)

The background is made using a honeycomb stencil by That's Crafty and Versacraft ink in Grey. The next layer is the messy black cotton technique I learned from Tracy Evans.. and the splats, of course!

I forget where the honeycomb die came from; it has long since parted from its packaging! The hexagons are a Sizzix die,  as are the 'Honey' letters. The bees are stamps from IndigoBlu, and sequins from stash.

One more to come using the clingfilm technique. (Not bees.)

Birthday Bees

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I was really stuck with this one, for a few weeks I had been following Jean Hardy's FB Live demos on the Crafty Individuals' FB page, and this was from 13th May, using her clingfilm technique. I knew about it, but hadn't tried it before. Using the Koh-i-Noor Anilinky paints, I made some backgrounds (see photo) and then my mojo took leave of me, UNTIL I saw Lee Mckenzie's gorgeous card inspired by Tracy Evans, which got me unstuck. (Thanks, Lee!) x

The circle is cut from one of the backgrounds I made. I had been thinking of using it with bees, but hadn't previously got any further than that.

I used Crafty Individuals stamps for the background (on top of a brayered base with Tumbled Glass Distress Oxide ink), IndigoBlu bee stamps with glittered wings, some die-cut cogs, the honeycomb and numbuzz (see what I did there?) 😁, a couple of Tim Holtz Idea-ology metal index clips and computer-generated greeting.

Lion King

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This multi-layered marvel is inspired by Jean Hardy's Facebook Live demo from 6th May, still available on the Crafty Individuals FB page, HERE. (NB: Jean's design was also inspired by her DT member, Isa (Isabelle, from Pencil Artventure.) 

I have used different colours and a different focal image, the Crafty Individuals 'Lion King' stamp, CI-524, designed by Ellie Mulligan. For the background, I used various contemporary stamps by Flo Langley, available HERE, and a stencil ('Rota Vitae', #49) by AALL & Create.

Colour-wise, I used Distress Oxides in the background.. 'Salty Ocean' and 'Spiced Marmalade'. Unfortunately, I messed up on the stencilled area. I was aiming for a two-tone effect between the blue and the orange, but forgot to dry one before applying the other, so I got green sludge instead! I could have started again, but I'm too lazy!

I didn't have the lovely blue glitter embossing powder for the coffee rings, so I improvised, using Salty Ocean ink and 'Clear Silver Highlight' embossing powder by WOW on top, which gave a very similar glittery effect. Beautiful.

I don't have any masking products large enough to cover the lion, so I stamped his image first on the card, for positioning, then again separately in a combo of Versafine Vintage Sepia and (stamped off) Onyx Black, coloured with the Koh-i-Noor 'Anilinky' watercolours. I fussy-cut him out and glued him down in the middle, so his mane can blow free!

Apart from the green sludge fiasco, I love how this has turned out. Thanks for the inspiration, Jean and Isa!

Grungy Stag

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This is loosely based on another of Jean Hardy's Facebook Live demos on the Crafty Individuals FB page, on 29th April, with a Black & White theme. (Click HERE to watch.) 

I went for a grungy background by brayering on some Black Soot Distress Oxide ink and adding some splatters with watered down black gesso and white acrylic paint, adding some white circles using Crafty Individuals 'Fried Eggs' background stamp, CI-541, designed by Flo Langley, and using white embossing powder.

The stag image is one of my favourites, 'Highland Stag' from Ellie Mulligan's gorgeous range of designs for Crafty Individuals, CI-526. I left it in black, just inked with Versafine 'Black Onyx', raised on recycled cardboard pads and stuck down with some tangled black cotton behind.

I used some off-cuts from the 'Code' die by AALL & Create, and some Tim Holtz Idealogy clips, and to finish off, I used some Tim Holtz alphabet die-cut letters for the 'Clan Fraser' legend.

Hummingbirds

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These were inspired by Jean Hardy's Facebook Live demo on the Crafty Individuals FB page on 22nd April. (Click HERE if you'd like to watch it.) Jean was in turn inspired by her DT member, Helen Chilton, so you could say mine are third generation!

The backgrounds are made using Brushos.. a new experience for me. I have had them in my stash for well over a year, but this is their first outing. I'm quietly pleased with the results.

The beautiful stamp is  Crafty Individuals 'Hummingbirds amongst Blossoms', CI-509, which I coloured to go with the backgrounds using Giotto Pens (watered down on my glass mat, and applied with a paintbrush).

I didn't have any tropical palm leaf dies, so I improvised using a feather die from Sizzix by trimming off the ends of the feather 'fronds' and painting them. They make great palm leaves!   

Butterfly Ribbon

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This one was inspired by Jean's Facebook Live demo on 15th April: 'Gelli & Stamping Fun'. (You can find it under 'Videos' on the Crafty Individuals Facebook page.)

First, I used one of Flo Langley's lovely background stamps.. the one she calls 'Fried Eggs'! You'll find it on the Crafty Individuals website under ref. CI-541. I also used Flo's 'washing-up sponge' technique for applying the paint to the stamp, and it worked really well on the gelli plate. I'll be using that again! Then applied more block colour on top, and a stencil over that to lift some of the paint  Then white acryclic over the top once the colour layer had dried. (The colour paint is Artist's Acrylic Paint by IndigoBlu.)

I really like the print it gave me. I don't have the 'bell' stencil that Jean used, so I used the 'Bouquet' stencil #73 by Fiona Paltridge at AALL & Create. The 'Fried Eggs' are showing (a bit.. enough) and the lovely roses from the stencil are good, too. 

I don't have any of beautiful Crafty Individuals butterfly stamps that Jean used, but I do have this gorgeous one from IndigoBlu, 'Flutterby', Code FD. I stamped it in Versafine 'Onyx Black', then clear embossed it and fussy-cut it out. (I always run an ink pen [usually black] around the edge of a cut image, to get rid of the harsh white edges.)

The name of the fine gauze ribbon escapes me (words I have always known often do, these days), but it is wired, frays nicely at the ends and works well, I think. I stapled it to the card front before gluing the layers together, and covered the staple with the butterfly. The Tim Holtz 'beautiful' die-cut word helps to secure the tail of the ribbon down by gluing both ends.