Monday 25 May 2020

* Vera Lane Studio: Fragile


Hello!

Today at Vera Lane Studio we have a new digi set release.  It is a charming set called Fragile.


I teamed Fragile with the dog from February. I coloured the images with Copic markers and added some white highlights. The background was heat embossed with an AALL & Create background stamp and white powder, then Distress Inks in Twisted Citron, Broken China and Chipped Sapphire were swiped directly over the card.  I spritzed the background with water to bleach out some of the colour and added some white circle stamping and some Broken China stamped script.  The edges of the background were inked with Chipped Sapphire.
I dyed a lolly stick with Chipped Sapphire ink and added some white heat embossing - this acts as grounding for the images. The images are popped on foam tape for dimension.  The sentiment was cut into strips, inked around the edges and glued directly onto the background.


Fragile                      February
  

I hope you'll come along and play on Vera Lane.
It's such a friendly, fun place to be!

  

Thanks for stopping by today.

xoxo

I'd like to play along in these challenges:

Crafty Catz #507 AG 28/06
Crafting Happiness #50 AG 30/05
Crafters Castle May AG 01/06
A Gem of a Challenge #11 AG 02/06
Polkadoodle #21 AG 072//2/06
Corrosive Challenges #5 AG 03/06
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #132 AG 06/06
Creative Cafters  #28 AG 08/06


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Friday 22 May 2020

* Hoot Hoot!


Hello!

Today I'm sharing an inky card using the Owl stamp set called Hoot Hoot designed by Tracy Evans for AALL & Create.



I stamped the owl onto card which had been coloured with Distress Oxides applied to acetate, spritzed with water and patted onto card. I added some shading to his body using Copic markers and stamped another set of eyes, which I  also coloured with Copics, to adhere on top. I added some white Posca paint pen highlights and fussy cut him, omitting his legs.
The background uses a Tracy technique: strips of white card are glued to the 4.5 x 6.5 inch card. Distress Oxides in Antique Linen and Vintage Photo are swiped directly onto the card from top to bottom. This gives a beautiful textural look almost like wood. I added some stamping with a stencil and inked around the background edges with black ink.  White paint splatters were applied over the background. The larger leaf stamp from the set was used to stamp in diagonally opposite corners. The leaves are coloured with pencils. The owl was stamped onto the background - this wasn't perfect because of the raised paper strips, but I only needed the legs and the dots above his head. I stamped a sentiment onto a lollipop stick using the Background Mashup stamp and coloured the stick with a little brown and green ink. It was glued down to act as grounding for the owl.
The cut out owl was shaped and popped on foam with some natural fibres behind him.  Florist's moss was glued to the top of the stick and some raffia trim with dried flowers and a twine bow were placed below. The sentiment was inked and popped on foam tape.



That's all for now.

If, like me, you are missing workshops and craft shows, or just want to have a crafty few hours with like-minded people and have some fun, as well as learning new techniques, then come and join Tracy's Facebook group.
Hope to see you there. 

Thanks for stopping by!
xoxo

                                                                                                                                            
I'd like to play along in these challenges:

Dream Valley #225 Favourite Colours 23/05 TOP 3

A Perfect Time to Craft May AG 27/05
Classic Design Challenge May AG 27/05
Craft Stamper, Take it, Make it AG 28/05 TOP 3

Ceative Fingers #186 AG 29/05
A Place to Start Custom Background (8/8) 30/05
613 Avenue Create  #233 AG 30/05 TOP ROCKER

Mod Squad Challenge Nature 02/06
Not Just Cards May AG 11/06
Sparkles Challenges #128 Real Stamp 14/06

I'd really love some feedback :)      
I read and appreciate all your comments. 

xoxo

Wednesday 20 May 2020

* Gecko Galz: Vintage Garden


Hello!

I hope that you are all safe and well. 

The May customer challenge at the Gecko Galz blog is Vintage Botanicals and you still have a few days until it closes on the 29th May. We would love for you to join the challenge using one or more products from Gecko Galz.

For my DT post today, I have made an altered wooden money box:


I used the beautiful Dreams of Spring paper on each side of the box and edged it with Vintage Photo ink. I fussy cut images from the Spring Charms collage set and glued each to the background papers. Along the top edge of the box I added a strip of decorative pearl trim and some lovely ivory lace. I added a Tim Holtz Small Talk sticker to each side.






Spring Charms                               Dreams of Spring
 

Next I made a faux set of tickets from kraft card:


I watched a You Tube video which inspired me to try this. The card was cut to size, scored and folded and the corners taken away using a hole punch. The edges and folds were aged with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. Where the tickets join one another I stitched on my sewing machine without thread to give the perforation lines. I added papers and manuscript along with tint pieces of cheesecloth. Next I adhered some pretty florals from the Flower Garden Jewel set and Wonderful Wildflower and butterflies from the Butterfly Kisses collage set.  The numbers were cut from a bingo card from the Alter It Collage sheet. Torn washi tape and Tim Holtz Chit Chat stickers were added along with white paint splashes.

Flower Garden     Wonderful Wildflower     Butterfly Kisses


My final projects were made for the Customer Challenge Inspiration post on the 1st May:



If you are interested you can find the details of what I used here.


I hope you'll join our Vintage Botanicals Challenge where the Winner will get a 
$25 shopping spree 
at the Gecko Galz shop.

 

The only rule is that you must use at least one Gecko Galz product 
(this can be one of the freebies or, of course, you can buy at the Etsy store!) 
Also if you sign up for the Gecko Galz newsletter, you'll be able to claim a free collage sheet each month and get first claim on the monthly $1 deals!

Please pop over to the Gecko Galz blog to see the fabulous designs by the very talented DT.

We also have a friendly Facebook Group where there are 4 monthly challenges, each with a collage sheet prize
Do come and join us!



I'll be back on the 1st June with more Gecko Galz projects.

Here's all the info you need:
***
Thanks for stopping by today.
xoxo


I'd like to play along in the following challenges:

Decorated Box:
TIOT Challenge Lovely Ladies 26/05
MAWTT #118 Flowers 30/05 TOP 3

Dragonfly Dreams May Ribbons & Lace/ Pearls 31/05
Through the Purple Haze #167 AG 31/05 TOP 3
Crafters Castle May AG 31/05
Arty Divas Challenge #22 AG 02/06
Corrosive Challenges #5 AG 03/06
Creative Cafters  #28 AG 08/06

I'd really love some feedback :)      
I read and appreciate all your comments. 

Monday 18 May 2020

* Path of Positivity: Purrfect Day

Hello!

Happy Monday!
I hope you are staying safe and well.

Today is the midway point in this month's  Path of Positivity challenge.

This month the theme is Anything Goes with the optional twist of Furry or Feathered Friends.

**Animals can be such a comfort in our lives - especially at this time when we are isolated from our extended family and friends.** 
This month create a project that honours the furry or feathered friends that surround you.

Prizes this month include:
  • $10 gift certificate from Oddball Art our guest sponsor for this month, for a person chosen in a random draw based on all qualifying entrants. 
  • ONE image (value of $5 or less) from Scribbles Designs, for the post or project that the team deems most inspiring of the bunch based on all qualifying entrants.
  • One digital image from Creative Bug Digital SnapShots for each person chosen as a DT Delight.

Please remember in order to be eligible for the prizes your project must be positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some way. 

Our guest sponsor this month is Oddball Art and I am using the lovely Scrooge's Kitty Img. 491.
I am a big fan of cats and have had at least one cat companion at my side throughout my life. I love their independent spirits and how they make you feel so special when they decide to cuddle up on your lap or rest next to you, with their deep rumbling purrs. 
Casey, my current cat was a stray. He wandered into our garden about eleven years ago and sneaked through the door to steal cat food put down for our house cat, Indie.  He appeared to be living outside, his fur was very rough and matted and he had a poorly eye. A few days later he was still coming for food and, as it was winter, we called Cat's Protection who checked him to see if he was microchipped. He wasn't chipped, and they asked if we would adopt him. He has been with us ever since and is the most gentle, loving cat we've had. He's definitely my fur baby!

Here is the card I made:



I coloured the cat with Copic markers, attempting to make him into a tabby cat.
The background is printed with a stencil by applying Distress Oxide in Candied Apple, spritzing with water and printing. While the stencil was still in place, I added some Peeled Paint Distress Oxide to the stencil and wiped it into the stencil holes using a baby wipe - this coloured in the pattern centres and blends with the red. I didn't want too much vibrant colour, so left some parts white. I added some mesh stamping around the background edges and inked the edge in red, green and black. Torn washi grounds my grumpy looking cat.
I added some scratchy lines with black paint using a store card edge. The sentiment is from our ongoing sponsor Scribble's Designs and is called Purrfect Day. I inked the edges in black and adhered it to the background and called my card done!



Many thanks to Oddball Art, this month's guest sponsor,



and to Scribbles Designs as the ongoing sponsor of the challenge


We would love to see your creations! 
Just make sure that your entry is positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some way!
The link up is here: Challenge #80 Path of Positivity.


 

That's all for today! 

I'll be back with a new Path of Positivity project in two weeks time.

Thanks for stopping by today!
xoxo

                                                                                                                                            
I'd like to play along in these challenges:

PIP Challenges#2020 AG 24/05
Aud Sentiments #251 AG 25/05
2 Crafty Critter Crazies #38 AG with Critter 26/05
Angies Digital Stamps #42 AG 30/05
613 Avenue Create  #233 AG 30/05 TOP ROCKER
A Place to Start Custom Background (8/8) 30/05
SUYP  #54 AG Furry 01/06 WINNER

I'd really love some feedback :)      
I read and appreciate all your comments. 

xoxo

* Vera Lane Studio: Little Mermaids


Hello!

I am delighted to announce that today at Vera Lane Studio we have TWO new set releases, and they are both Mermaids!

Mini Mermaid Set 1 has fishes and Mini Mermaid Set 2 has sea shells.

I decided to create two mixed media pieces, one for each set. I used 5 x 7 inch canvas board and mounted the canvases in deep frames without the glass, so that the dimensional elements would not be flattened.

The first one used the Mini Mermaids Set 1 with fishes; notice that one of the mermaids has a fishy bikini top:



The images are coloured with Copic markers and have white Posca pen highlights, They are fussy cut ready to be attached to the canvas.
The backgrounds were made with Distress Oxides in Evergreen Bough, Stormy Sky, Broken China and Faded Jeans applied directly to the canvas then spritzed with water. Whilst still wet, a sprinkling of Emerald Isle Infusions was added. A light spritz of Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist adds a bit of iridescent shimmer.
Once dry, crackle texture paste was added through a stencil along with white and black paint splatters. Seaweed was die cut from card which was coloured with Infusions through a stencil and arranged along the base of the canvas. Sea shells from set 2 were shaped and added on foam. The mermaids were glued directly onto the canvas and the fishes were shaped and added on foam. Golden Prills and art stones were glued at the base to represent sand.

Here are close ups of the two mermaids:





Mini Mermaids Set 2 have the seashells and one of the mermaids has a seashell bikini top:



This canvas was made in the same way as the first one. The close ups are below:





Mini Mermaids Set 1                 Mini Mermaids Set 2

    
I hope you'll come along and play on Vera Lane.
It's such a friendly, fun place to be!

  

Thanks for stopping by today.

xoxo

I'd like to play along in these challenges:

A Gem of a Challenge #10 AG 19/05
Allsorts Challenge #571/2 AG 22/05
We Love 2 Create #5 AG MM 25/05
A Perfect Time to Craft May AG 27/05
Classic Design Challenge May AG 27/05 DT Favourite
A Place to Start Custom Background (7/8) 30/05
613 Avenue Create  #233 AG 30/05 TOP ROCKER
Incy Wincy AG 30/05
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #132 AG 06/06


***