Rule Britannia

This was for a DT call, some years ago, but I don't remember which! The brief was to make something to fit a sketch. I altered a CD to make some wall art... Rule Britannia because of the armoured lady sat on her chariot on the old pre-decimalisation penny, and the tallship on the ha'penny. Even after all these years, I find myself screwing up my face when I look at it... the plaque, not the coins. I think it's a love/hate relationship.

Basic Grey ATC

This ATC was made for the second Basic Grey challenge (now defunct, very sadly).

What is an ATC?

ATC stands for Artist's Trading Card. Originally, these were used by fine artists to produce miniature versions of their paintings to promote their work. This still happens, but their use has been expanded to cardcraft. Cardmakers use them as another avenue for their creativity, and ~ rather than selling them ~ the idea is to swap them with other enthusiasts to build a library of ATCs displaying different techniques.

Most people who produced (still produce?) ATCs swapped them through clubs, at craft events and internet forums. Personally, I found it hard to part with them. My focus has always been on card-making, but I did enjoy the few ATCs I made. They all ended up as card toppers or fridge magnets, though!

The size of an ATC is 2½ x 3½ ins (or a standard playing card size). You can purchase blanks, or make your own. (Make up a template, and use it as the ‘master’ to save you measuring out every time.)

On the back, put your name, address and/or email address, and the title of your miniature piece of art, or a reference code. If you are going to use your ATCs for swapping, it might be helpful to keep notes on how you made each one, so that if anyone contacts you for details, you will have them handy.

Any kind of artwork goes.. have fun and be expressive!

Here is my ATC for that challenge...

I used beautiful blue paper from the Basic Grey Cupcake 6"x6" pad. The main image is a cropped section of a stamped image I received in a swap. To echo the butterfly in the image, I stamped another one separately, and mounted it on the ATC, wings akimbo. The button is also BG. from the Archaic range. The 'Hope' sentiment is actually a metal embellishment for extra dimension, although that's not clear in the photo. The scroll stamp used in the corner is by Rhonna Farrer from her 'Elegant Flourishes' set in the Autumn Leaves collection.

Dragonfly Woman

This is an old one, out for another airing. As I don't have the stamps to hand, I can't tell you what they are.. Sorry! But I think the component parts are fairly self-explanatory, and could probably be fairly easily replicated. If I was making it again now, I would lose the flower! Pity she looks so mournful, too. Ah, well... Maybe happier times are ahead for her.

To make the wings, just make two bows the same size. Pinch each of them in the middle, and secure them with glue in the centre.

P.S. If you click on the picture, you'll get a bigger image which will show the detail better.

Birthday Stripes..

A new one!! Woohoo! Well, OK, the tags and the centre circle are recycled, but - hey - that's not bad, considering how obsessed I have become with reviving old cards that were destined for the local recycling plant.

The swirl die-cut in the middle is a border die.. Sizzix, I think.. and have used SU punches. I think the DP is Basic Grey.. not sure. It has become detached from its pad.

Bloomin' marvellous!

A colleague of mine is leaving us. Her husband has taken a job on the other side of the country, so they are upping sticks and moving to Bristol, and she is going to start her own business.

I love the expression 'Bloom where you are planted', and having recently purchased the SU set, 'Beauty in Bloom' which includes this lovely 'bloom' wordstamp, it just seemed perfect for the purpose, as I know she is a little nervous about what lies ahead.

Just treated myself to the Nestabilities Labels #8 set, and embossing mats which make such a difference to the finished effect, so used one of those here on 3D pads, along with the SU 'bloom' stamp and my own writing. The flourish stamp has become separated from its original packaging, so don't recall the name of it.. sorry.. and to finish, some black ribbon, bit o' twine behind an old silver button, some Martha Stewart punched butterflies with gems, a blossom and roses.

I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date!

Well.. a fairly important date, anyway! It's for a sketch that's past its sell by date, though, unfortunately, so I've missed my chance at the prize, but the sketch called to me, so I had to do it! It's for Carol's Sketch Fun #11 (HERE)...>>>

I upended the oval, but apart from that, it's true to the sketch...

Not sure where the DP is from.. I think it may be from a HOTP wedding book, but the sheet had become detached. Pretty blue roses, though, eh?

Liberal use of Cuttlebug embossing folders on the white CS (Divine Swirls and Swiss Dots), a long Sizzix border swirl, cut from dark blue Bazzill, with Martha Stewart punched butterflies, waxed cotton cord, dew drops and pretty rosebuds for a touch of contrast colour.

The ovals were cut by hand.

Brenda, are you watching?

You wanted to see what I would do with the images you sent me! lol.. Well, here's one.. an ATC, using the lovely 'alternative' Rubber Stampede image you generously included in the package..

Does anyone recognise this stamp?

Hi, all.. This gorgeous image was one that I had received in an image swap, ages ago, and I don't recall who it came from. It was cropped for use on this ATC, but I have decided that I NEEEEEED it and would love to track it down.

If you recognise it and you know what it's called or who it's by, please would leave me a comment? I'll send the first person who replies with enough info for me to find it some stamped images from it. (Or if you have it already, I'll send some of my other stamp images.)

Thank you! :o)

UPDATE

Thank you, Brenda, for the info. I have spent hours this afternoon trawling through websites where I thought she might be found... Stamp Francisco, Stampland Chicago, Lost Coast, Third Coast, coast to coast, Split Coast and all points in between, lol!! And then Brenda's message arrived, and with the maker and serial number, I was able to find the name of the stamp through Google... but nowhere that has it available. In desperation, I tried Addicted to Rubber Stamps, and sure enough.. there she was.... discontinued!!! Waaaaahhhhh!! :o(

My last resort is to post a 'Want It Now' post on Ebay, offering cash for the stamp or, failing that, some stamped images.

Fingers crossed.

Prue's Card

Card for my non-blogging friend, Prue (I know.. she spells it with an 'E' on the end)... Birthday tomorrow. Hope it arrives in time!

Some of it is a bit dejà vu from the previous card, but you will probably get fed up with that look before I do! lol ;o) I luuuurrrvvvveee it!

You wouldn't recognise it under the flourish stamping and Craft Planet glitter glue coating, but the letters are made with K & Co paper, printed using Wordart in MS Word and enlarged. Inked around the edges with dark brown Chalkeyes, then mounted on green Bazzill cs.. also with inky edges. The flourish stamp makes another appearance (or two) on the background.

The sentiment is a Lisa Bearnson font from a CD-Rom that came with a book purchased through QVC some time ago. It looks just like a Dymo label, but I'm not sure you'd get one in that colour!

The butterfly is a Cuttlebugged embossing die that I have chalked, inked and cut out. It looks flat in the photo, but it is shaped and raised off the card.

Thanks to everyone who has visited my blog and left a message. It's lovely to get your feedback. :o) You're a lovely bunch, and it's been wonderful coming over to visit you all as well!

Now don't fall over with shock, but....

.. Yes! I made a card!! Woohoo!! This is for my sister-in-law, Sonya, who lives with my bro in Dublin while she completes her PhD at Dublin Uni. It's her birthday today! :o)

But I then didn't have chance to go to the Post Office to send it!! So I emailed a picture of it to her today! How bad am I? Not only a bad blogger, but a sorry excuse for a sister-in-law as well. (sigh)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KATH!

Well, our Kath, the biggest and bestest blogger in craftland, is celebrating a special birthday today, and I would like to send her my very best wishes for a lovely day.

This is my card for her, which should have arrived yesterday... along with the handful of cards I received from other bloggers to pass on to her.

And I'm afraid I have a confession.. I said I would put names in a hat for those who sent me a card for Kath, and send a small prize to someone, but guess what? I've been so busy this week, I completely forgot about that, and didn't keep a record of who sent in a card! There were at least two, though, that were anonymous, so... my apologies. If you were one of them, please let me know by Sunday, and I'll fulfil my promise to do a draw. (Now, I do have some idea who sent cards, so no cheating now! lol ;o)

Basic Grey Challenge #6 ~ Colour Combo

Not my proudest moment, this one, I'm afraid. Tried to emulate a style I had seen in Simply Cards & Papercraft #44 by Hebe Ambler in her patterned paper masterclass, and made the alphabet out of Basic Grey Ambrosia papers. OK so far, but then I decided there was too much white space at the top, so added the Rhonna Farrer flourish as an afterthought. Not entirely sure it works, but I like the DP letters.

This week's Basic Grey Challenge is all about colour combinations...

• Green & Red/Moroon
• Brown & Cream
• Blue & Gold/Yellow/Orange

Why don't you pop over and take a look at the DT cards and have a go yourself? Would be great to see your creations! :o)

Salt & Pepper #1

Exciting news!! Anice at Funky Hand has released another download on her web-site, HERE. It's called Salt and Pepper, and features black & white papers. Love 'em! My first DT card is here, and will post the next in a minute or two.

This one is a lovely black dots on white background. Very much on trend.

'Favourite Things' Challenge by Sassy Crafts

A belated entry to Emma's intriguing challenge on the Sassy Crafts blog to produce a card using favourite things from current stash. Ooohh!! Luvly!!

So... the story behind this one is that I love lots of white space on a card, I adore black & white (although there is a subtle shade of colour on the stamped image for the eyes and lips), I love flourishes, bling, flowers, ribbons and butterflies (although my ribbon insect is kind of a butter-dragon-fly!! lol), and I love this stamp, too. The image has been cropped for this design.

I have other favourite things, too, like Funky Hand papers, Basic Grey 'stuff', brads, for instance, and snowflakes, but - well - you can't put everything on one card, can you? ;o)

To make the wings, just make two bows the same size. Pinch each of them in the middle, and secure them with glue in the centre.

Basic Grey Challenge #3 ~ Distressing

This is my DT card for the Basic Grey Challenge blog, Challenge No. 3: Distressing. It was great to see your ATCs last week, and very gratifying that it was the first time some of you had made an ATC, so that was cool!

We would like to see you using distressing techniques on your creations this week! :o)

Both the background and foreground papers in this design are from Basic Grey's 'Infuse' collection.

Distressing techniques used:

• Tearing
• Distressing the edges by dragging them through the blades of my scissors
• Inking the edges
• Embossed the background paper with the distressed Harlequin-style folder from Cuttlebug (can't remember what they call it.. diamonds, I think)
• Sanding
• Stamped a rough shadow panel on the patterned paper with dark brown Chalk Eyes ink
• Used 'Field of Sky' stamp to apply some aging 'dots' around the edge of the DP panel
• I used Timber Brown StazOn ink to 'age' the metal embellishments
• Instead of brads, I used old office paper fasteners, which I salvaged from my dad's office when he passed away.

New card!

Well, all the blog candy prizes have been sent out now, and the UK ladies will be receiving theirs today, I hope. I know Suzanne received the main prize yesterday. I made ten cards to go with the little prizes, but sadly didn't get chance to take pics. This is similar to the designs I made, though, to give you an idea. Very simple.

DCM ~ Shabby Saturday Sketch

This card uses the sketch from this week's Daring Card Makers' challenge on their blog HERE. The prize is being sponsored by one of my DT bosses, Anice from Funky Hand. It is a free dowload of the wonderful 'Shabby Saturday' papers, which I've used here. (The numbers, the brackets and the green flowers are all from the Shabby Saturday download, as well. The 'Happy Birthday' sentiment is from the 'Now That's Funky' CD-Rom, also from Funky Hand. If you'd like to browse the range of CDs and downloads available from Funky Hand, go to Anice's web-site, HERE. Highly recommended, but then I would say that, wouldn't I? lol ;o) I do admit I am biased, but I love the papers!!)

If you would like to see Anice herself, and you're not doing anything at 9.00am this Thursday 11th September, she will be appearing on Create & Craft offering some inspiration on how to use some of the papers from her CDs.


Other items used: Piece of leftover Basic Grey paper, Rhonna Farrer flourish stamp, a stitches stamp, Making Memories 'Heidi' rub-on letters, some Craft Planet irridescent glitter glue, some brads and twine, and some doodling on the brackets.