Salt: mercy

Today on our Salt challenge blog it's Esther's turn to choose the topic, which is 'mercy' - you can read what she has to say here.

Our God is very merciful, but scripture encourages us to be merciful too, which, of course, includes forgiveness. I am greatly challenged by the parable of the unmerciful servant that is recorded in Matthew 18 - you can read it here, which is why in my LO I have incorporated the two elements of God's mercy to us, but also our merciful attitude to others.

I chose the monochrome look for my LO, using simple card, printing from the computer. 'Soften my heart' is a worship song written by Graham Kendrick.

The words on the LO can clearly be read if you click on the picture.

Rainbow Lady 43: fashion

A card for challenge 43 on Rainbow lady: fashion, using some of the concept card kit I bought a while back - quick and easy:

Lili of the valley 14 + Caardvarks: seeing spots

This is the sketch for challenge 14 on Lili of the Valley:
I'm also linking this for the current challenge on Caardvarks: 'seeing spots'. I've used the flowers I made for last week's Rosiedee challenge (see the post below this one) and incorporated some more offcuts of the same papers. The spotty ribbon is Maya Road (acquired a few of these recently).

This is also for the current Rosiedee challenge, where Dee asks us to use something old and something new - I think this qualifies, because the papers used are offcuts of some that have been in my box for a long time (not new sheets that were cut into - that's what I like about the cricut for the flowers - you can use quite small pieces and adjust the paper size when asking it to cut). The new item, of course, is the ribbon, very recently acquired.

Rosie Dee's challenge 17: make a flower

I'm a week behind with the Rosiedee challenges, so this is for week 17, Rosie's challenge to make a flower.

I used some plain pink paper alternate with some patterned Pamela Woods paper, using my cricut to cut various sizes of two different flowers on the 'walk in my garden' cartridge. I curved the petals to give some dimension to the flowers.

The gems in the middle are the sort that look different colours in different light, so they both reflect the pinky colour, even though the right hand one here looks green.

I hope I'll be back later with these flowers incorporated into another challenge.

Tanda ATC January swap: Number 9

The ATC swap for January on Tanda is to include the number 9. This nearly had me stumped and then suddenly I though of 'cloud 9', hence the use of the lovely little Hero Arts fancy bird stamp that I got for Christmas - the background of the ATCs is cloud paper. These are very simple, but it's all I could think of!

Wednesday Stamper: openings

This card is for Wednesday stamper, the theme being 'openings'

I used a window card that I've had in stock for quite a while. It was originally a 3-fold card, but I chopped off the third fold so that the card could be used so that you could see into the inside of the card.

The stamping is done with a DB swirl stamp with Brilliance pearlescent purple. The paper inside the card is an unknown piece that was in my offcuts.

Pocket card

When I started this card I had in mind Sue's new challenge on JB: January 5: 'bright and cheerful', using the word 'happy' somewhere, and I used Louise's tutorial for a pocket card for this week's Dottie's World challenge, which was to make something using one of the tutorials. I have to confess that I waivered a bit from the tutorial, but the general idea is still there.

Then I realised that this fitted a few other challenges so well, I thought I would link to them also.

I've used one of my favourite cuttlebug embossing folders, divine swirls, so this fits the challenge this week on the Cuttlebug blog to use a favourite embossing folder for challenge 14: be inspired.

This week's ABC challenge is W for wallet card, so, obviously, this card is ideal for that.

Having made the card using bright and cheerful colours, it meets the requirements of this week's Mixed Media Monday to use primary and secondary colours.

And, lastly, Stamp Something this week asked for 'birthday somethings'.

I used K & Co Brenda Walton BW Mira Speciality card and the background and tag are made from some card I got at Poundland ages ago. I made an extra ATC when I did my swaps for BF (post below), so I incorporated one on the tag for this card.

Apologies for the reflection of the flash - daylight had faded by the time I'd finished.

I'm also going to show this as another card on CBC for CBCC080 pocketful of posies.

BF: Bubbles ATCs

This is the first time I've joined in the ATC swap on BF. The subject this month is 'bubbles'. I must say that I had a few thoughts going through my head, but wasn't sure what I was going to do for these and wondered whether I'd done the right thing joining in.

And then some inspiration struck. I'm a fan of Dottie and have a few of the download packs, including 'Dottie at home' which has this image of Dottie in the bath. If you haven't already, why not go over and have a look on Dottie's World blog - be careful though, because you'll be tempted to buy downloads! (I asked Louise, the creator or Dottie, if it was OK to use the image for an ATC swap and she kindly said it was fine.)

So I used Dottie in the bath and then masked the image and stamped two different lots of bubbles stamps that I bought from Dewdrop Crafts (one of the sponsors on CBC).

I then used stickles crystal to highlight parts of the bubbles (this is still wet atm, but I wanted to get a photo before the light fades) - they actually look better irl and, I hope, will be even better when they are dry.

The text was printed on my dymo letratag.

CBC ATCs women

These are my two ATCs for this month's swap on CBC, on the subject of 'women'.

The first one has been covered with various blended distress inks and then cuttlebug embossed, sanded and inked. The lady is a See D from the vintage range, with the addition of primas (I seem to have gone back to using these quite a bit) and gems.


For the second one I used a stamped image I got in a CBC swap - coloured with brushing distress inks with a hint of copics. The linen card has been lightly colour washed with distress ink and primas and gems added.

Encouraged award

GezzyB received another award and has kindly passed it on to others, including me - thank you, Gez.



These are the conditions:

In order to get this award you need to:1). Post a link of the person who gave you this award.2). Nominate 5 other people and give a link to their sites3). Let your nominators know that they got an award from you.4). Put a logo of the award on the blog.

It is always so hard to choose just 5 people - and I hope that the many that I don't choose will receive this award from someone else.

So, here goes - I'll pass it on to just 5 of my blogging friends, but would like to say that I am so encouraged by all those who take time to come and visit here and to leave comments - always much appreciated.

Karen
Joanne
Jackie
Kim
Ellen

If you've never visited these blogs before, please do so - you'll be in for a delectable crafting treat!

Thanks, once again, Gez, for thinking of me.

Blue inchies

The other evening I prepared some pieces of card to make inchies - I used some Craft Creations blue card that had a slightly mottled look to it and sprayed lightly with Adirondack color wash stream. Having cut the inchies, they then got left ready for me to have inspiration to finish them off.

I spent this afternoon stamping, embossing etc. They are only little (well, let's face it, they're very little!), but they take so much time (well, they take me so much time anyway - I think I could have made two or three cards in the time I took with these inchies).

As you can see, I used a variety of little stamps (some of which I acquired yesterday when I happened to stray into the craft shop when I went to the post office - which was closed anyway). I stamped with versamark and embossed with Moon Glow hydrangea blue/mauve powder. I printed the words, ran through my little xyron and then cut and stuck, which was fiddly, but less fiddly than having to apply glue individually. I then added a few bits of ribbons, brads etc.

I'm quite pleased with the results. As usual, the photo doesn't show the sheen on the embossing too well. You can get a better look if you click on the picture.

So, why did I do these inchies? For a swap being held on BF and also for the 'blue color' challenge on the Small World of Inchies blog.

Saturday's Workout 37: soot stamping

The Saturday workout challenge this week was to use the 'soot technique' which is explained on Splitcoasters.

I decided I'd try anything once, so had a go at this. I used glossy pink card and managed to 'soot' it without burning through - I found that it was useful to crouch down to see what's happening with the sooting (it's a different story getting up again!).

I stamped into the sooting with a DB flower stamp and added 'best wishes' and 'Happy Birthday' - I'm sorry that you can't read these because they are sparkly black with silver writing and just wouldn't scan properly.

It's not brilliant, but it's the first time I've done this and I think I'll try it again some time.

If you haven't had a go at this, I reommend that it's good fun!

Lots to do 2: in the news

Challenge 2 on Lots to do is: 'in the news'. Hilda said: 'I would like you to produce a piece of artwork that includes Newspaper somewhere on your work.'

I've used cloud background and part of the weather forecast for today. The quote was printed on my dymo letratag.

Sketch Saturday 33 + One Stop Craft 11: take a punch

This card is for the challenge on Sketch Saturday 33:


and also for One Stop Craft challenge 11: take a punch - I don't have many punches, so I've used a flower corner punch on the main image and a corner rounder on the sentiment:

Various papers (need to use up some offcuts); the image is one of my QVC foam stamps (again!).

Another CJ

This time it's my DLO in Nick's (purplepenguin's) CJ on CBC, the subject: 'my favourite colours'.

I seem to be going through a purple patch atm! This time papers are mainly DCWV pocketful of posies.

Colours are actually more vibrant irl.

Once again, wording can be seen better if you click on the pictures.

BF Circle Journal

This afternoon I've done my DLO in Karen's fab CJ within the BF group. The CJ is entitled 'When we were six'. The year when I was six was quite an eventful one nationally, so here's my take on it:

Papers are all K & Co red hat, plus a variety of sticky ribbons, flowers made from DCWV Pocketful of posies papers, and Poundland bling.

You can read the text if you click on the pictures.

DCM: 'Tis the season to recycle!

This is a very quick card using a sample of wallpaper - ages ago, when I first started cardmaking I used to occasionally get wallpaper samples and use on cards - I haven't done this for ages and ages, but still have a few bits and pieces in my stash.

This has quite a sheen to it, but is lost in the scan.

And for the second time this week I'm showing a card with a peel off sentiment - is this becoming a trend, I ask myself?! lol!!

This card, of course, is for the DCM dare this week to use recycled matter, although mine hasn't used anything rescued from Christmas.

If I have time I'll dig out the Christmas bits and make something.

However, I have a list of crafty things that need to be done, so I shouldn't be side-tracked into making other things.


And now I must get ready - we're going to John's bowls club's annual lunch.

Arty Girlz 68: button it + CBCC080 Pocketful of posies

I needed to make a card from mum for my brother's birthday - if by any chance, David, your eyes stray to my blog, please look away now!

I've used a section of PSX paper Baseball Jersey, made a pocket and put the Happy Birthday card in it. There were buttons printed on the left side, which I've covered with real buttons and one to match on the pocket. This is one of those occasions when peel offs have been added for the Dear Son.

As the card has a pocket, it qualifies for the CBCC080 challenge to 'include a pocket' and also the current challenge on Arty Girlz 68: button it! - to use a button on a project.

A lovely surprise

Yesterday our postie brought me a lovely surprise - a package from the US - and this is what it contained:

Beautiful 6 x 6 double sided papers, vellum quote, lovely stamps and a gorgeous card. Thanks to a very precious fellow Saltine (if you haven't heard of Salt yet, please pop over and have a look).

Wednesday Stamper: gesso + ABC V is for violet

When I looked at Wednesday Stamper this week I thought I'd have a go. This is what it said: ' This week its all about GESSO. This is such awesome stuff, not only to prime things, but you can stamp with it, transfer with and even use it as a modelling paste. Show us your creations using gesso, but don’t forget to use at least one stamp.'

Well, I was going to go out today and buy some gesso, but my back has been very painful and I just didn't feel like it. I read somewhere that you could substitute gesso with white acrylic paint. So I took a piece of canvas (bought it a while ago in a pack - quite thin sheets of it) and spread it with white acrylic and while it was still wet I stamped into it with this Dawn Bibby design stamp (didn't use any ink, just the stamp). When it was dry, I chalked over the design and then used it to cover a piece of chipboard which has then been matted on to the card.


As this is a violet colour, I'm linking this as a second card for the ABC challenge V is for violet.

Friday Sketchers 34 + ABC V is for violet

For this card I used the current sketch on Friday Sketchers (No. 34):

And I made the card to a violet theme for the ABC challenge V is for violet.

The papers are from offcuts in my box (think they might have been HOTP); the image has been printed on to linen card, which gives a bit of a watercolour look to it. Underneath the fibre there are purple eyelets (although my big crop-a-dile doesn't set these as well as the smaller one used to - I suppose it must be operator error!).