Monday 31 August 2020

* Vera Lane Studio: Rainbow Bridge


Hello!

Today at Vera Lane Studio there is a new digi set release called The Rainbow Bridge.  

I think I must be a little superstitious as I've been dreading the release day, thinking that something might happen to my elderly cat. Thankfully, he's still with us and is doing fine, despite being on daily medication. I hope he stays this way for a long time to come.

Here is my project with The Rainbow Bridge:



I coloured the images with Copics and fussy cut them, leaving a thin white border. The background is stamped with one of Janet's stencils, #97 Starry Night, using Distress Oxides in Antique Linen and Pumice Stone. Grunge Paste was then applied through the stencil for some texture and white paint splatters were added. I finished the background by stamping text from #338 Background Noise in Hickory Smoke and inking around the edges.




Janet Klein's quirky characters are now available in stamps from AALL & Create. She also has a range of stencils and background stamps.

Starry Night                              Background Noise
     

That's all for now.
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:

Crafting Happiness #64 AG 06/09
Always Fun #178 Cute Critters 06/09
A Gem of a Challenge #18 AG 08/09
Cardz TV #122 AG 10/09
INTAS #91 Include an Animal 12/09
Crafty Cardmakers #262 Things with Wings 13/09


***

Sunday 30 August 2020

* AALL & Create: Little Birdie Tiny Book


Hello!

This week for my guest spot at AALL & Create I have made a mini book. I used the Tiny Book die by Eileen Hull and die cut the cover from mount board.

Here  is the front cover:




Little birds sing the sweetest songs:



Spring chickens:



A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush:



I call this last page The Hen Party!


I love to add dangles with beads to my projects. These wooden beads were gifted to me by my lovely friend, Monika:



Step by Step
1. Heat emboss in white with stamp #210 Background Mash Up.
2 & 3. Apply Distress inks for colour (Twisted Citron, Broken China and Salty Ocean). I used cut n dry foam for the cover and used acetate and water for the pages.
**I wasn't thinking straight and made an accordion for the inside pages. This little book really needs folded pages.**

4. Glue the two strips of card together. 
5. Hold in place with a bull dog clip until glue is dry.
6. Add background stamping in Broken China using stamp set #336 Bold Alphas.

7. Add more background stamping, this time in black around the edges with set #338 Background Noise.
8. Stamp #346 For The Birds several times.
9. Stamp the foliage from sets #305 Hoot Hoot and  #306 Owl.

10. Colour the birdies with Copic markers. Add white Posca pen highlights and finish off with pencils.
11. Fussy cut the coloured birds and the foliage (which I decided to leave in black and white).
12. Put the elements together on the pages, adding some Tim Holtz Sticker Number Tape as embellishment.

I needed to add an extra card to the end of the accordion, as a face page and also a piece of card to cover the front inside cover of the book, as only when I was finished making the accordion, did I realise I should have made pages for this tiny book.
I used a small die cut from # 14 Cells on the front cover to ground the bird. I also added some twine and coloured wooden beads (thank you, Monika) to the centre spine. For the closure I went with a Tim Holtz mini clip and added a touch of turquoise and white Fresco paint so that it matched the book cover.

Stamps Used:
#210 Background Mash Up
#295 Adventurer
#296 All Good Things
#305 Hoot Hoot
#306 Owl
#336 Bold Alphas
#338 Background Noise
#346 For The Birds
Die
#14 Cells

To see the stamps, stencils and dies used, please visit 
AALL & Create Boutique.

You'll find lots of inspiration on the 
AALL & Create Facebook Page  and on Instagram

That's all for now.
Thanks for stopping by today.

xoxo

I'd like to play along in these challenges:

613. Avenue Create  Aug AG 05/09 TOP ROCKER

Crafting Happiness #64 AG 06/09
Always Fun #178 Cute Critters 06/09
A Gem of a Challenge #18 AG 08/09
Cardz TV #122 AG 10/09
INTAS #91 Include an Animal 12/09
Crafty Cardmakers #262 Things with Wings 13/09



***


Monday 24 August 2020

* Vera Lane Studio: Life is A Daring Adventure


Hello!

I have an ATC to share today for my Vera Lane Studio post.

Over the weekend I attended a superb, interactive ATC workshop run by the fabulous Gwen Lafleur. She made some amazing examples and I can't wait to have a go. It gave me the idea of creating this simple, 'peek-a-boo' ATC which could, of course, be made larger into a card or a journal page.


I used the 'Wild One' digi set for this along with the grasses from Snail's Pace.  
The background is Distress Oxides in several shades of green and blue swiped onto the card and spritzed with water. When dry I used the Background Noise stamps, designed by Janet Klein and supplied by  by AALL & Create, to add interest and detail to the background. The images were coloured with Copics and pencils, fussy cut and adhered directly onto the background.

The front of the ATC swings open to reveal a surprise...


... the crocodile and tortoise.  And on the back cover is ...


... the rest of the crocodile.

I had great fun making this ATC.  Here is a little video: 


Wild One                        Snail's Pace
  

That's all for now.
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:

Classic Design Challenge AUG AG 28/08
Allsorts Challenge #5856 Summer Fun 28/08
Crafting Happiness #63 AG 30/08 TOP PICK

PIP #2034 AG 31/08


***

Thursday 20 August 2020

* AALL & Create: Hare


Hello!

This week for my AALL & Create guest spot post I have made an A5 card featuring some of the latest stamps from Tracy Evans and Autour de Mwa.



Step by Step


1. I created the background using #39 Lotza Dotz stencil and Emerald Isle Infusions spritzed with water.
2.  I stamped the Hare from set #369, then filled the gaps with the script stamp from #332 Birthday Blooms using Versafine Claire in Shady Lane.
3. Along the bottom of the card I stamped the largest carrot tops from stamp #368 Seeds of Hope. White paint splatters were added.


4.  I stamped tiny triangles from  #376 Reverse Triangals in Carved Pumpkin.
5.  The smaller script and number stamp from #369 was stamped in the top right corner. I stamped the leaves from #368 several times, fussy cut them and glued to the top of the card.
6. I added shading around the leaves and hare with an Inktense pencil and water brush.


7. Leaves were coloured with pencils and glued in the centre to leave some dimension.
8. The hare was stamped a second time onto card, fussy cut, coloured and popped on foam pads.
9. The sentiment from #370 Seeds of Hope was heat embossed in white on to black card and trimmed. It was added to the card on foam tape.



Some Tim Holtz black alpha sticker tape was added as embellishment.



Stamps
#332 Birthday Blooms
#368 Seeds of Hope
#369 Hare
#370 The Great Outdoors
#376 Reverse Triangles
Stencil
#39 Lotza Dotz

To see the stamps, stencils and dies used, please visit 

You'll find lots of inspiration on the 

That's all for now.
Thanks for stopping by today.

xoxo

I'd like to play along in these challenges:

Classic Design Challenge AUG AG 28/08
613 Avenue Create Aug AG 05/09 TOP ROCKER

Not Just Cards Aug AG 14/09



***

* Gecko Galz: Mermaid Notebook and Pencil Tin


Hello!

I hope that you are keeping safe and well. 

 The customer challenge theme for August is Summer Love. You can check out the awesome creations made by the DT on the Gecko Galz blogWe would love for you to join the challenge using one or more products from the Gecko Galz Etsy shop.

Here is what I made:



I altered the cover of a notebook and made a pencil tin from a recycled can.

I really love mermaid images and Gecko Galz has the best selection of mermaid images imaginable. I use the Mermaids Bay Kit for the images and the Island Girl Paper Pack.



The notebook cover is made from Kraft card. I adhered a piece of Island Girl paper over the front cover and popped the mermaid image on top. The edges of the paper and the image are inked in black. I added some natural looking circle trim along the left edge close to the spine, securing some hessian twine beneath it to wrap around and act as a closure for the notebook. I have had these alpha stickers in my stash for a while and I love their vintage appearance - I used them to spell out the word 'notes'. To finish, I chose some wooden beads in complementary colours to thread onto the tie and also added a silver sea horse charm. I am really pleased with how this turned out.



The pencil tin was easy to make. I cleaned a tin can and used red tape to adhere the strip of background paper - I used the same Island Girl paper as the notebook. The mermaid images were cut, inked and adhered - I used two different images and repeated them, so four images in all. I added some gold trim to the top of the can and some gold rich ran to the bottom edge. Die cut seaweed (all from Island Girl papers) was adhered in-between the images, leaving a few fronds loss. Sea green sequins were added to the images and the pencil tin is complete.

For the customer challenge inspiration, I made a gap fold card



and a set of four note cards:



If you wish to know more about these, please head to here.


Mermaids Bay Kit               Island Girl         Summer Romance
  


That's all for now!
I hope you'll join our Summer Love 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 September 1st 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:



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

Monday 17 August 2020

* Path of Positivity: Teddy Ballerina

Hello!

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

Today is the midway point of the August Path of Positivity challenge.

This month the theme is Anything Goes with the optional twist of Exploring the Fantastical.

Prizes this month include:
  • $10 AU gift certificate from Beccy's Place 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. 

So, this month we want you to reach deep into your unrestrained imagination. 
Create a project that touches on the world of fantasy, wonder, magic or whimsy.
I used a free image called Ballerina Bear from our lovely sponsor, Beccy's Place. Here is the card I made:



Isn't she the cutest bear! I love her ballerina dress, her ballet shoes and her head dress! My fascination with dressed animals has once more lead me to chose this fantasy image! Beccy very generously has a whole range of free images on her website  - you should head over there to check them out. She also has a list of special card fold tutorials which she shares for free!
I coloured Ballerina Bear with my Copic markers and popped her on foam tape onto a brayered paint background. I added some Picked Raspberry background stamping and a border stamp from Inkylicious. Some torn washi tape grounds my bear. The lovely sentiment was stamped too.



Many thanks to Beccy's Place, 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 #82 Path of Positivity.


 

That's all for today! 

I'll be back with a another Path of Positivity project in September.

Thanks for stopping by today!
xoxo

                                                                                                                                            
I'd like to play along in these challenges:

Crafting Happiness #62 AG 23/08
Crafty Sentiments #18 AG 24/08
Digi Choosday #33 AG 27/08
Double Trouble #64 Friendship/Kindness 27/08
Dragonfly Dreams Aug AG 30/08
Beccy's Challenges Aug 31/08
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #14 AG (1/3) 06/09

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

xoxo