Allsorts Challenge #688/9 - ATG opt. Create Your Own Background

 Hi Crafters,

Saturdays certainly come around quickly! It's time for me to share my Design Team creation for the new challenge at Allsorts where it is an easy Anything Goes theme but as an option I have asked you to CREATE YOUR OWN BACKGROUND.

We are spread over two weeks this time so there's plenty of opportunity to join in.

I love to create ATC's and so I have made these...

For my background I 'Smooshed' - technical word :o) - some different shades of green Distress Oxides on to my non-stick mat and dabbed my card on to it, when this was dry I stamped the script randomly. Then I added the texture paste using a stencil. I die cut the flowers, hessian and file tab from other 'smooshed' backgrounds that I had made and added them using staples - this is the first time I've attached elements using a staple and I quite like how it looks. Lastly I doodled a black border and added the pearls to the flower centres.

Challenges I'd like to enter:

Creative Artiste Challenge - #85 ATG Mixed Media

If you'd like to join in with us this week there is a fab prize of a £15 store Voucher for WOWVOW for the lucky winner.

Thank you for visiting today, the Design Team have been busy creating a lovely selection to inspire you - you can see them HERE.

Lorraine

xXx

Allsorts Challenge #644 - I Love.....

 Hi Crafters,

The weekend has arrived and I'm so glad, it's been a full week and I'm ready for a slower pace.

It's also time to share my DT card for the new challenge at Allsorts.

Lynn has chosen the theme of

I LOVE.....

'I love'.....making ART so I'm sharing a set of ATC's that I created recently for a swap. The image and sentiment were stamped using a Woodware stamp set called 'Follow Your Art', coloured with Distress Inks and details added with Polychromos. The background was created by applying Distress Oxide Inks in patches on the ATC and then inking over the areas with the same colour ink through a stencil which gives a watermark effect. I then used some texture paste through a grid stencil that I've had for ages.

A bit of doodling around the edges and we're done. 

Challenges I'd like to enter:

Crafting happiness - #115 ATG

Our prizes this week are a £15 voucher from Helping Hands Craft

and a Tim Holtz On The Edge Pennants Die

Please take a look at the creativeness of the design team for lots of inspiration for your own makes HERE. I'm looking forward to visiting your blogs and seeing what you love....

Lorraine

xXx

ATC - Family

 Hi Crafters,

I'm popping in today to post last month's ATC swaps before it's time to share this month's!  I just don't know where my time disappears to. You would think with all activities cancelled and lockdown restrictions I would have oodles of spare time right now but it just isn't the case. Perhaps I have gotten used to the slower pace of life this weird episode in our lives has produced....I'm actually quite enjoying it. I think that looking to the future I will try to cut back on the things I once did and got involved in.

Anyway...here's my set of Family themed ATC's for the monthly swap at Charmed Cards & Crafts Facebook Group.

Three are for swaps and one to keep.

The background was created using acrylic paints and a brayer, when this was dry I randomly dabbed white paint using a natural sponge. I used texture paste and a stencil for some dimension and then added some stamping. The heart was cut using a Marianne Designs Die and then cut again using an Xcut Jigsaw Die. I inked and heat embossed it to give a glossy look. While piecing the jigsaw parts together I lifted two up on foam pads and stuck the other two flat to add even more interest and dimension to my ATC. Finally the word 'family' was added across the heart, this was a set of metal brads that I have had in my stash for about 10 years - who ever said being a hoarder didn't come in useful? lol.

Challenges I'd like to enter:

Creative Craft Cottage - #137 Happy Valentines / Love

Moving Along with the Times - #127 Valentines / Love

More Mixed Media - Feb ATG with Optional them - Red

Crafty Galz Corner - #216 Add a Heart

Double D Challenges - Anything with a Heart

Thanks for joining me here today.

It's beautifully sunny here today, the washing is blowing on the line... small things make me happy :)

I hope you're enjoying your day too.

Lorraine

xXx

ATC Swap - Circus

Hi Crafters,

Today I'm sharing my ATC's that I created for the swap at Charmed Cards & Craft.

Our theme for the month of July was...

CIRCUS

Here are the four that I made.

...and a close up of one.

Hope you have a great day!

Lorraine

xXx

Spring Time ATC's

Hi Crafters,

It's safe to share these ATC's now that my swap partners have received theirs.

As you can guess our theme was Spring.

I used an Indigo Blu Bee stamp for my focal point.

 ...and a close up

The body and wings has Wink of Stella added but of course it doesn't show here :(

Challenges I'd like to enter:

Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge - #469 ATG

Love To Craft - #45 ATG

More Mixed Media - ATG / Yellow

Thanks for visiting today and I'll see you again tomorrow with my card for our latest challenge at Passion For Promarkers.

Lorraine

xXx

Christmas ATC fun!

Hi Crafters,

As some of my followers will know I join in with a fun ATC swap once a month and this time the theme was...

CHRISTMAS

These are the four swaps that I created inspired by a fabulous shaker card I saw on Kath Stewarts blog HERE back in 2017.

 Recipe

Word Stamp - Elzybells Art Stamp 03.318.G

Watercoloured Background and Snowman

Snowman Stamp - Magazine Freebie

Joy Crafts Fir Tree Die

Shabby White Frantage Embossing Enamel

Cottage Cutz Stitched Rectangle Dies to create the frame

Sentiment Stamp - Lili of the Valley Stamps 'Christmas Wishes Set 75'

Twine and Mini Bells from my stash

Gesso

Challenges I'd Like to Enter:

Cardz 4 Galz - #111 Cute Christmas

Cute Card Thursday - #612 ATG

Aud Sentiments - #242 Christmas/Winter + A Sentiment

More Mixed Media Challenge - ATG / Optional White

Addicted To Stamps - #180 Cold & Frosty

Brown Sugar - #296 ATG

Winter Wonderland - ATG Christmas

Crafty Gals Corner - #202 'Tis the Season

Sweet Stampers - #39 ATG

Ally's Angels - #29 ATG

Allsorts Challenge - #549 Snowmen/Snowflakes

I hope you are all getting in to the festive mood?

My decorations/tree have been up a few days now, my cards and presents are done (that's a first) and I'm feeling quite relaxed this year.

It will be a quiet Christmas Day for us, just hubby, my dear mum and myself, my two daughters are at their in-laws for Christmas this year.

I hope you have a good day and thank you for visiting here.

Lorraine

xXx

October ATC Swap

Hi Crafters,

The theme for our swap this month was 'Weather' or ' Something beginning with O'

Can you guess which one I chose? :)

I created a 'smooshed' background using Distress Inks and stenciled the sun ray pattern using texture paste. When it was dry I dabbed Distress Ink Stain in Vintage Photo over the sun ray portion to define the pattern. The edges have been heat embossed with WOW Gold embossing powder. I had some Crafters Companion stamped and die cut leaves from a previous project so I thought I'd use them up here and added the acorn  and oak leaf  element which was a new purchase from my visit to the NEC earlier this month - it's from Carnation Crafts. The October die cut is from a Tonic set and I used Distress Glitter on it. Some white paint splatters to finish.

Challenges I'd like to enter:

Crafty Creations - #402 ATG

Frilly and Funky - Fabulous Fall

Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge - #456 ATG

Love To Craft - #40 ATG

That's all from me today, hope you have a great weekend.

Lorraine

xXx

Halloween Potions

Hi Crafters,

I had forgotten to share this month's set of ATC's that I created for the swap at Charmed Cards And Crafts, so here they are...

Recipe

Background was created using bright coloured Brushos then embossed using a 'Bark' embossing folder and finally a light inking of Black Soot Distress Ink to highlight the embossed texture and tone down the metallic shine. I then cut out all the elements from the Sizzix Laboratory & Cobweb die sets, inked them and added to the shelf die cut. The Halloween word comes from a Chocolate Baroque Stamp Set and the frothy spillage coming from some of the bottles was created using Andy Skinners Lava Paste.

Challenges I'd like to enter:

Crafty Cardmakers - #244 Halloween

Crafty Gals Corner - #200 Halloween Colours

Thanks for popping in today,

Lorraine

xXx

In My Garden ATC's

Hi Crafters,

I have been joining in with an ATC swap at Charmed Cards and Crafts and their latest theme was 'In My Garden'.

This gave me the opportunity to use a set of dies I've been itching to find a project for - Sizzix Funky Foilage.

The deadline has passed for sending them in so I'm safe to share these now.

A close-up of one ATC

I used Distress Oxide inks for the background using the 'smooshing' (technical term, lol)

technique and added crackle paste through a TH flourish stencil. The bee stamp is the smallest one in the new IndigoBlu stamp set that I used the other day on my shaker card. I die cut all the elements of the toadstools and inked them using Distress Inks, then layers them up and arranged them on my moss which comes from Anna Marie Designs. The sentiment stamp is from an Inkylicious set - Dancing in the Rain - which I stamped onto the edge of some card and punched it out using a circle punch. 

I can't wait to receive my swaps for this month.

Challenges I'd like to enter:

Unicorn Challenge - #47 Autumn

More Mixed Media - ATG  opt. Brown

Lorraine

xXx

ATC Swap

Hi Crafters,

These are the atc's that I created for the July Swap at Charmed Cards and Crafts. 

A close-up to show the texture and details.

We had a mood board to take inspiration from which was created using the new Cosmos collection papers from Stamperia.

Moodboard

I used a Sheena Douglas Distressed Grid stencil, texture paste, crackle paste, various paints and Andy Skinner embossing powders to create the texture for my background. My reindeer was cut using an Impression Obsession die and dry brushed with white paint before adding a little sparkle using Nuvo Glacier paste - which doesn't show up in my photo's <groan>

The label was printed on the computer and clear embossed for durability. A few white splatters and presto!

Challenges I'd like to enter:

Love To Craft - #37 ATG

Country View Challenges - Texture

Creative Moments - #174 ATG

A Perfect Time To Craft - #8 ATG

More Mixed Media Challenge - ATG opt. Bright

Thank you for all the lovely comments here recently, I really do appreciate your support and encouragement.

Lorraine

xXx

ATC's ~ Grungy Summer

Hi Crafters,

It's sooo hot here, I'm melting!

I hope you're keeping cool.

For our ATC challenge this month at Charmed Cards and Crafts we were given the theme of...

GRUNGY SUMMER 

or

the letter 'J'

I went with both :o)

I started off by making an inky background with Distress Inks / Oxides on my craft mat and water splattering. When this was dry I embossed one half of the ATC with a Crafters Companion Ivy Leaf embossing folder and inked over the raised parts with more Distress Ink. Now for the fun bit... I had treated myself to some Andy Skinner Mixed Media embossing powders and these are what I used on the leaves and flowers. The word Die is from Tonic and this too was heat embossed using the Andy Skinner Satin Sunset embossing powder. Finally I finished with a bit of stamping...using the Enigma Stamp from Creative Expressions.

Challenges I'd like to enter:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Not A Card
Try It On Tuesday - Splatters and Splodges
Crafty Creations - #395 ATG
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Make Your Own Background
Country View Challenge - Blues and Greens

I'm off now to sit in front of the fan...

Lorraine

xXx

'From The Body' ATC's

Hi Crafters,

'From The Body'

that was the theme of this months ATC swap at Charmed Cards & Crafts and here are the set of ATC's that I created.

I started by stamping and heat embossing the Woodware Vintage Hand stamp and cutting them out. I used distress inks to colour them. I then concentrated on the background and built up the layers using corrugated cardboard, texture paste, gauze, wooden heart-lock & key elements. I sprayed the backgrounds when they had dried with Cosmic Shimmer Mists and left to dry. I then added some gilding wax to highlight parts of the design and texture. My sentiment is a Lindsay Mason Stamp set which I have stamped, embossed and cut apart, inking the edges to define it against the background. Finally, after gluing the sequins I splattered the whole thing with thin white paint using an old tooth brush.

I thoroughly enjoyed making these ATC's and I'm looking forward to getting 'messy' again for next months swap.

Thanks for popping by today, hope to see you here again soon,

Lorraine

xXx

ATC Challenge

Hi Crafters,

I enjoy a bit of mixed media in between my regular card making but rarely get the chance to have a good play on anything too big so ATC's are perfect for me.

When I have the time I've been joining in with a monthly ATC challenge but realised that I haven't shared any photo's of them here so these are my 3 little pieces of art for the theme of 

TIME

The tag stamp is from a Viva Decor set called 'Tags Time'

I have water-coloured the tags with Distress Inks and glazed over them with TH Crackle Glaze, then added a metal eyelet to the top.

The sentiment stamp comes from a Sheena Douglas stamp set called 'Time Travelers' and I have stamped and cut it to fit around the larger word to complete the sentence. 

My background paper is from a Kanban 'Industriana' Paper Pad which I have edged with black ink and then clear embossing powder to define it against the black backing card.

I've tucked a couple of small cogs and watch parts under the tag too.

I love how the crackle glaze has made the clock face look really old and I've really enjoyed my little dabble in to mixed media this week.

Look forward to seeing you here again soon,

Lorraine

xXx

Fairy ATC's

Hi Crafters,

I'm popping in this evening to share my atc's that I made for our little swap group. The theme for September was 'fairies'.

Firstly I stamped and heat embossed the fairy image and sentiment, then inked the background with distress inks - Tumbled Glass, Scattered Straw and Peeled Paint, followed by Black Soot for the edges. The leafy stamp was inked with the Peeled Paint too. I then applied Versamark clear ink around the edges and glitter embossing powder.

I'm waiting for my swaps to arrive in the post and then I will be creating this months..   ...the theme is 'Halloween' so if you would like to join us then pop over...

Jo's Blog

Challenges I'd like to enter:

Papertake Weekly - Take Your Pick (Distress Ink & Embossing)

Crafty Catz - #295 Fantasy / Fairy

Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge - #100 ATG + Embossing Wet or Dry

I'll be back tomorrow with my Passion for Promarkers DT card, see you then,

Lorraine