Snippets Challenge #512

 Quite a lot of different snippets used on this card, albeit mostly quite small and I did remember to save most of them for a picture so I'm popping over to the Playground to see what's still available in the breakfast club and to show my card.

I started by cutting the candles in white card and it's handy that there is one plain one which can be used to back the more detailed ones.  I decided to colour the flames all in yellow and each patterned candle in a different colour using alcohol pens.  I then rummaged amongst my coloured snippets to find pieces to use for cutting more plain ones so that each candle could be layered up with a toning backing.  I couldn't really face popping all the tiny coloured 'waste' back into the spaces although I did rescue the very tiny snippets which I coloured orange and popped into the flames 😉.  I then found slightly larger snippets of white and purple on which to mount the candles, adding a birthday sentiment which was also cut from snippets.  I made my own card blank which left me with a strip of white card to add to my snippet mountain.  I have to say I'm slightly puzzled by what appears to be a puff of smoke or something similar with this die set - no idea really what that would be used for here.

These are some of my snippets, enough probably for another set of candles ☺️so they won't be thrown out.

Candle Dies - from Amazon unbranded
Rectangle - dies from a set by John Next Door which I've had for some time
Sentiment - dies from Crafters Companion

Travel

I'm back again, this time with a tag for the current Tag-Along (and ATCs) Challenge.  I've been a bit stuck with the theme which is *Travel* so I've been casting my mind back over stamps which I've had for many years to see if there was anything which would be suitable.  One or two possibilities turned out to be far too large to fit nicely onto a tag and in fact the one I've used here is a bit on the large side so I've ended up cutting the tag 'by hand' using a guillotine and punching out a hole for the ribbon.  I started by smooshing some ink onto the blank tag, then stamping and masking the hot air balloon before doing some random stamping as a background.  Once this was done I carefully removed the masking fluid and coloured the image using pencils.  This fun set of stamps includes several steampunk style images and a selection of suitable 'travel' words, some of which I stamped and cut out with scissors to adhere to the tag..  I know I've had these stamps for a long time, there is no date on the packaging but I've worked out that I think they probably date back some twelve years or so.

It may be that you have stamps or dies which suit the theme (or there is the anything goes option) so why not have a go at either a tag or an ATC (or both) - the challenge lasts until the end of the month. 

Balloon - from Steampunkery stamp set designed by Glenda Waterworth, Chocolate Baroque
Background Stamps - various magazine freebie stamp sets
Colouring - Derwent Inktense pencils and water brush

Allsorts Challenge #829

The theme for Allsorts Challenge #829 has been chosen by Helen who would like to see something featuring **Animals** or as usual there is the *Anything Goes* option.  There will be two prizes of Lavinia stamps, full details on the Allsorts blog. 

For my card this time I've chosen to use Lavinia stamps, a mix of old and new to build up this scene. I started by stamping the fairy pathway and the teapot which I then masked before sponging some inks for background colour..  At this point I stamped the hare, birds and the foliage, followed by more ink sponging to ground the scene and frame the whole design.  Finally the masking was carefully removed from the teapot which was coloured using pencils.

Stamping - all by Lavinia
Colouring - Inktense pencils and water brush
Inks - Versafine Clair, Elements and Distress

Tag-along (and ATCs)

 The theme for the month of August on the Tag-along (and ATCs) blog is **Travel** and no doubt many people are doing just that.  However it was a wonderful excuse for me to bring out a die which I just couldn't resist at the time but hasn't actually been used for quite a long time.  The two happy bunnies are certainly on their travels and I stamped a little scene on this ATC using a long-retired set of stamps (well a couple of them).  I also added some flying birds and a couple perched in the tree.  Final addition was a 'sticker' which I produced on the computer to suit the image.  Making my own so called 'stickers' means that I can choose whatever word or words which I feel are appropriate

Bunnies - unbranded die from a few years ago
Roadway and Tree - from Stampin' Up Sheltering Tree stamp set (long retired)
Birds - stamps from Card-I-o
'Sticker' - produced using MS Word

Chess

 I needed a card for my brother's birthday recently and came up with this design because the dies reminded me of an occasion many, many years ago when we were both still living at home.  He had decided to take up chess but absolutely refused to teach me how to play because with my quirky sense of humour I called the pawns 'prawns' which I'm afraid annoyed rather than amused him .  Funny how odd incidents from so long ago sometimes pop into my head - anyway he did like the card even though he didn't really stick with the chess.  In case you can't read it, the quote says 'when you see a good move, look for a better one'  and this was printed directly onto a piece of card using the computer.

 Chequerboard die - unbranded from Amazon
Chess pieces - also from Amazon
Quote - printed using MS Word, as was the birthday greeting

Eau de Parfum

A little while back I was lucky enough to win some great stamps and a stencil  from The Snippets Playground challenge and I made this card although at the moment it is awaiting a sentiment.  I started by stamping the clock stamp onto a square of white card using a light coloured ink and I also added some stencilling down the left hand side and in the bottom right corner; finally popping the two little hares into the left corner.  The perfume bottle and flowers were stamped onto a smaller piece of card and coloured using Inktense pencils.  Both of the pieces were then mounted onto some  grey card to tone with the stamping and stencilling. A shine was added to the bottle using Glossy Accents..  I will probably add a sentiment when I know who is to receive this card.  I can see lots of possibilities for these stamps, particularly the clock set so a happy dance here for my lucky win.

Stamps all from Aall & Create 
Stencil - also A & C

Rudolph Days Already??

Can it really be time for the Rudolph Days challenge and I guess the answer is yes so here is my card which was inspired by seeing one fairly recently from the lovely Di of Snippets Playground fame who does a great job of enabling other crafters to acquire new stash 🤣.  This little deer was so cute I just couldn't resist.  I also had inspiration here from Susan Hardy for  a way of using the circle die for a quick card.  I die cut the circle into a piece of white card and then used a smaller plain circle to cut out the aperture which I backed with a snippet of printed paper from my Christmas collection.  I then die cut the deer and a couple of tiny Christmas trees.  The nose on the deer was brushed with Wink of Stella for a bit of shine and a simple sentiment was added to what was a quick and easy card for the Rudolph challenge this time.  Happy Rudolph Days everyone ☺️

Circle die - Craft Addiction UK
Deer - die from Amazon
Trees - from a long retired Stampin' Up Christmas set
Snippet of Paper - printed from Craftylicious Season's Greetings CD from many years ago