Allsorts Challenge # 821

 It was my turn to suggest a theme for the current Allsorts Challenge and I would like to see what you can make using stencils and/or masks in your designs and of course there is the usual Anything Goes option. Prizes this time are from Lisa Horton Crafts more details if you follow the link to Allsorts.

For my card I started by stencilling a partial background onto a square of white card to fit my card blank and I also used the same stencil on a spare piece of card and set it aside.  My next move was to die cut the two circles (one green and one white), using some hill masks to brush colour over the white circle to represent the sky and ground.  The fairy house was stamped onto a scrap of white card, coloured and cut out with scissors and once I'd decided on the position of the house I stamped the footpath using black ink, and then various first and second impressions stampings of foliage and grasses in green.  I then went back to the trees stencilled onto the scrap piece of card and carefully cut out three trees, again using scissors.  Final move was to arrange them and the cottage and stick them in place.  No sentiment has been added at present, that can be decided later.

Tree stencil - Lavinia Stamps
All Stamps - Lavinia Stamps
Mini Hill Masks - also Lavinia
Colouring done using Polychromos pencils

Daffodils

 I have another Spring flower card to share today which was made using printed elements from an ancient CD which I recently pulled out of retirement 😊.  It was quite simple to make once I'd printed off the background paper and a page of images.  The sentiment was stamped and cut out with a punch which I've also had for a while.  Much as I love having new crafty items to work with there is a certain satisfaction in using items which have lain neglected, sometimes for many years.

Background and Images - from Joanna Sheen Floral Fantasy CD  dated 2008
Punch - a long retired one from Stampin' Up

Snippets Challenge #503

 My entry for the Snippets Playground Challenge this time is entirely made from Snippets - in fact everything came from the pot on my desk which contains heaps of miscellaneous bits and bobs which are too good to throw out and which deserve to be used rather than just piling up.  I had cut the two circles from some inked and stamped snippets of card some time ago with the intention of making some Artist Trading Coins but somehow these two were left behind.  I had a further rummage and pulled out the birds on a gingko branch and also the white rabbit along with some flowers and leaves.  So two more ATCs were the result and a few more Snippets used up.  Sorry no photo this time of my left over scraps as all of these bits and bobs were produced some time ago.

For anyone who may not know, an Artist Trading Coin is circular and 2 1/2 inches across - a great way of using smaller pieces of card aka Snippets 😊

Don't forget the new Tag and ATC Challenge starting 1st of May because making tags and ATCs are both excellent ways of using up your Snippets.  I don't know if AT Coins will also be included in the brief for this challenge, but I guess it's a possibility.

Fairy in a Bottle

 I had a bit of fun recently trying to decide which of my many stamps would fit and look good inside a bottle and this is the result.  I cut a piece of white card to fit onto a  card blank and then used one of the fairly new Lavinia stencils to apply some ink for the bottle, adding a stamped cork.  I have to admit I felt a bit bad about actually enclosing her in this way but then thought that as she is magical, no doubt she'd be able to escape if she so desired 😊😊.  Mad I know but that's how my brain works.  Some foliage and a  'shroom complete the scene and a sentiment was composed using Word.  There was some second generation stamping of text to give a little interest to the background.

 

Sticker Stencil and Stamps - all from Lavinia

There's news today of a brand new monthly challenge and you can read all about it HERE - officially starting on 1 May so plenty of time to get your brains thinking along Tag and/or ATC lines

Allsorts Challenge #820

 The theme for the next fortnight at Allsorts has been chosen by Ellie, who would like to see some **Spring Flowers** or there is the usual *Anything Goes* option.  Prizes  are from Aall & Create. 

For my DT card I've chosen to feature snowdrops which I think are one of the earliest signs of Spring.  I started by cutting a panel of white card and a slightly larger one of light green.  A polyplate was used to stamp a 'streak' of green as a background, adding a few stamped grasses.  The snowdrops were stamped in grey onto a scrap of white card, coloured and die cut before adding to the card using thin foam pads.  The sentiment was prepared on the computer and die cut with a small stitched rectangle.  The snowdrop stamp and die set has been in my stash for many years and the other elements are more recently acquired.

Edit - it would appear I might have been misinformed about Clearly Besotted as it does appear that they are still trading - SORRY🙄

Snowdrop - magazine freebie from Clearly Besotted 2019 (sadly no longer trading)
Green Background - Polyplate from Crafty Roo 2025 (again sadly no longer trading after 1 April))
Sentiment - prepared using Microsoft Word
Stitched Rectangle - die from retired Stampin' Up stitched rectangle set

Rudolph Days

 Happy Rudolph Days for the month of March which is nearly at an end.  If you don't know how this works you can read all about it by following the link.  I've been busy in the garden whilst the weather has been nice rather than in the craft room so I had a little rummage in my pot of  'useful bits and bobs' and pulled out a couple of snowmen, some trees and a scattering of stars.  These were all a bit small to make much of a card so decided to put together an ATC using a snippet of gelli print and a torn scrap of white paper for the snowy ground.  It never ceases to surprise me just what you can actually fit onto a card which is only 3 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches 😃 and they are great fun to make.

  

Snowmen - stamps and dies, possibly a magazine freebie (I've forgotten, sorry)
Trees - from a long retired Stampin' Up Christmas set
Stars - possibly from a Tim Holtz seasonal die set

Spring has Sprung!

 There seem to be so many Spring-themed challenges going the rounds at the moment and for once the weather this year seems to have also realised that Spring has indeed sprung.  This card isn't for any of the challenges but whilst mulling over ideas I realised that I have quite a lot of craft CDs which have been very neglected, so I had a look at the images on a couple of them and printed some floral pages.  They do  look somewhat dated - to my eye anyway but here's a card I decided to make using some primroses which came with matching background paper.  The background was trimmed to fit the base card and was backed with a slightly larger piece of toning dark green card, which was also used to back the floral panel.  A simple stamped greeting was cut using a punch and there it is - a simple to make card.  I feel that card making these days seems to be far more creative with the wide choice of stamps, dies and so much else at our disposal - what do you think?

Primroses - from Floral Fantasy CD by Joanna Sheen (from 2008 would you believe)
Punch - from Stampin' Up (long retired)