TTCRD Design Team - 19 November

 Hi Lovelies!

Today is challenge day for Design Team B for the Through The Craft Room Door Challenge.   

This is a WEEKLY "anything goes" (any type of project and any theme) challenge with 2 design teams who alternate weeks to make projects showcasing the sponsor who often offers PRIZES!

This week's sponsor is KLM Digital Designs (Katy's Card Emporium)
Prize: $10 Gift Certificate

About KLM:
"I started stamping in 2005 thanks to the help of my mother who at the time was a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator. Over the years my mother and I have designed and manufactured our own line of digital stamps, I have also been published in stamping magazines and have been a team member for many design teams.
I am a full time police officer as well as a single parent. I love crafts and use it as an escape from every day life. My kids love crafting as well and probably have accumulated just as much supplies as I have! (Lol)"

How many of you have seen or read the classic book about gnomes by Wil Huygen?  This edition is the one I'm familiar with and I just can't imagine gnomes being coloured any other way.  Besides the colour of his boots and trousers reversed, he looks much the same as the sample image by the artist!

He was coloured with Copics and I would have preferred his beard and boots to be a lighter grey but these things happen!  I used a white gel pen to add more streaks to his beard. 

At this point I realised I had no choice, but to fussy cut him and get into the small closed in crevices with ye olde craft knife.  This was due to the Copics bleeding a touch outside the lines and where my hand-eye-coordination was a bit of a fail!  Some areas could be improved a bit with the "Colourless Blender" but not all.  Fortunately I don't mind fussy cutting!

I had a floral paper I thought about using as a background, but the apples and oak leaf on his cap clearly make him Autumnal, so this paper from Shimelle's Go Now Go collection in the 6x6 size is perfect for a card being scaled down from the full size and uses most of the colours I did

I knew an abundance of gnome puns exist so the sentiment naturally required one with messy stamping using an alphabet stamp and some glittery Thickers.

I used "fun foam" to make the gnome stand out.  It's typically adhesive on one side so I stuck this bit against the back of the image and when I was finished cutting it to size to fill most of the areas needing support, I used the Permanent Glue Dots all over the back before adding him to the card.  It's easier this way when there are lots of small pieces of foam.  The backing gets removed as you go then you just add the adhesive at the end!

There's Gnome One Else Like You Card

Love and roll with your gnomies!

Arty Divas Design Team 19 November

Hi Lovelies!

Today is Challenge 9 at Arty Divas.  This is a FORTNIGHTLY "anything goes" (any type of project and any theme) challenge with a design team who makes projects showcasing the sponsor who often offers PRIZES!

Sponsor: Hetty Clare Art
Hetty's Etsy Store:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/HettyClare
Prize:

We got a very pretty, but rather tricky (for me anyway) image to work with for this challenge!  It definitely needed some thought.  The predominating one was "Goodness, this reminds me of Princess Buttercup"!  So that's the direction I took. 

Castle or wall print paper seemed an equally natural choice.  The only thing I had remotely similar was from Shimelle's "Head in the Clouds" collection.  While I did have a few 12x12 sheets with the castle print, I thought I'd have a look at the 6x8 journaling pad and indeed there was a sheet!

The purple wouldn't have been my first thought, but the more I looked at those thistles, the more perfect it became.  So much so that my initial resolve to leave the image uncoloured, vanished and I compromised by colouring said thistles with Copics to make the connection.

I trimmed the castle paper back, so the finished card would be 6x8 or so and wanted to layer up some coordinating patterns behind the image to reduce the amount of empty space and add some other colours found in the background paper.  I wanted to slot the block with the image under the banner, so I cut around it with a craft knife, but heat embossed the only possible sentiment (By Ink Road Stamps) for the card first.

I did want to add a BIT more gold, but the sequins turned out to be a bit of an unhappy accident since one of my Copics leaked and required damage control.  Removing both caps and letting the air pressure equalize helps with this, but too late in this case!

As You Wish Card

Love, and My Name Is Inigo Montoya...

Coffee Lovers Hop WINNERS!

I promise I couldn't see any any names in the jar - I was watching though the phone screen (which is pretty smashed up) and I wasn't wearing my glasses either!  This is why I prefer having TCD do it then all I have to do is film it!

Edited with Bonus winner!  Scroll down to find out more!

Aaaaaanyway...here is the video if you want to watch the draw and if not, scroll right down for a spoiler!

🍵
🍵
🍵
🍵
🍵
🍵
🍵
🍵
🍵
🍵
🍵
🍵
🍵
🍵
🍵
🍵
🍵
🍵
🍵
🍵
🍵

1. Verna Angerhofer
2. Arianna Barbara
3. Denise Bryant

If you lovely ladies could drop me an email at alex@pinkcraftymama.com with the prizes in order of preference and a postal address!

To recap they are: pair of embossing folders, Sizzix cup and die set and the Dino stamp set by Gerda Steiner. 

BONUS PRIZE WINNER is...

This adorable card by Beverly of Bev's Creative Path. 

It's not on her blog, but her insta.  Regardless, check out both and give this super talented lady some love!

Max said: "I chose this card because I really liked the bright colours and the very realistic snow scene.  I love animals and they look really cute and funny in their jumpers.  The use of symmetry with four animals alone the bottom and the bow and owl balancing each other at the top adds to the aesthetic appeal". 

Oh if only he paid such attention to his English essays!  In the Cat Lovers Hop one of his favourites also involved a cat wearing a hat so I sense a pattern there! Bev, please inbox me with your snail addy and I'll get your prize out to you!

Love and congrats winners!

Thank You!

Thank you all for taking part in my Coffee Lovers Hop Giveaway!  Just a little update...

I'm putting the names in the jar as we speak (or type as the case may be).  I'll do my best to film the draw today and add TallCraftyDude's winner today, but tomorrow morning morning (my time) at the latest.  This changeable Spring weather is wreaking havoc and sending Arthur* a bit mad! 😠

The prizes arrived yesterday and all is well with them.  If you have any questions, just let me know!

⇚⇚⇚ Acronyms and odd words in sidebar!
 

Love and lots of (strong!) coffee!

Project 3 for Fall/Winter Coffee Lovers Hop

Hello Lovelies!

I'm pretty sure this is going to be my last project for the hop.  I know I said I'd try to keep going past the official linky closure, but I'm behind in all-the-things! 😫

I have partial projects from years past that I hoped to finish, but let's review at the next one?

This one is for the tea drinkers out there.  I used the teapot stamp and die from Stampin Up and a cup and saucer stamp and die from Altenew.  I heat embossed in black on the vellum with the intention of using rub-ons inspired by Sara Scraps in this YouTube video.  

I cut each shape in white cardstock and vellum (although the vellum cutting turned out a bit hit-and-miss).  I'm wondering whether the magnets in my magnetic platform are a bit dodgy now?  I know you have to be careful where you place the dies, but they seemed better when in was new. 🤷

I used Glue Dots to adhere the vellum in strategic places (my Kokuyo dot roller goes on as tiny pink hearts which will show for sure!!) then I layered up some standard card bases (one tent fold and one landscape) with 6x6 paper (and a doily) and stamp sentiments from the Vintage Teacup set by Altenew.  

I wanted to keep these fairly simple.  I prefer the red and pink one better.  Maybe it's the placement of the sentiment of the other one I'm not a fan of?  Can you see the Wink of Stella on the flowers printed on the paper?  A subtle detail, but I liked it a bit better after that.  Maybe I just need to keep adding MOAR?!

OK now to the giveaway part:

 

Giveaway CLOSED

📌 I have three items (and a bonus fourth prize) to give away (pictured below) and I'll pull three names for the first three prizes.
📌For the  fourth "bonus" prize: it will go to someone who has entered the main blog hop (please let me know your project numbers if you would like to be considered.  You can wait til the blog hop is over to do this since they change sometimes.)
📌 The first name drawn gets first choice, second name gets second choice and so on.  Bonus prize will be TallCraftyDude's favourite project!
📌 This Giveaway is NOT SPONSORED.  I purchased the prizes especially for this giveaway.  This year I picked stuff other than just stamp sets to mix it up a bit!  In the even the items I purchased are on back order, I'll purchase something similar in their place and update the list below. Thanks for understanding!

The prizes you get to pick from are:

This pair of embossing folders - "On the Go" by Tim Holtz and "Coffee Stains" by Creative Expressions

 

 

 

 

 

Framelits Die & Stamp Set By Crafty Chica for Sizzix called "Mi Cafecito Mi Amor"

 

Coffeesaurus Stamp Set By Gerda Steiner

Lastly, the bonus prize will be a pack containing a 6x6 "Coffee" paper pad by Echo Park and some coffee themed embellishments.  This prize will be awarded to TallCraftyDude's favourite project so PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT NUMBERS IN THE MAIN HOP YOUR PROJECTS ARE IF YOU WISH TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS PRIZE!  THANK YOU SO MUCH!

You will receive an entry (or entries) for each of the following.  You absolutely don't have to do everything - just how ever many you like.

If you have previously followed my socials then these are already counted for you!  (unfollowers will not be counted)
📌 The giveaway will remain open until 11:59PM AEDT on Sunday 10 November.  Please visit THIS SITE to calculate in your own timezone
📌 The winners will be drawn randomly on Tues 12 Nov so PLEASE CHECK BACK HERE
❗If the winner and I can't make contact by Tues 19 Nov, I will have to draw a new winner since I need to get these prizes out all together.
❗Please try to email me at alex@pinkcraftymama.com This really is the easiest way for me to get in touch with you since not all blogger profiles have an email attached and if you JUST leave comments, I have no other place to search for you.

So...what do you have to do to get entries?
🍵Subscribe to my YouTube channel - 3 entries
https://www.youtube.com/user/PinkCraftyMamaAlex
🍵 Follow this blog - 3 entries (in the left sidebar)
🍵 Follow me on Facebook - 2 entries
🍵 Follow me on Instagram - 1 entry
🍵 Comment (once per day per person) on a post between now and the close of the giveaway - 1 entry per post

I don't yet know how many makes I'll have done between now and then, but it will be at least three.  The more love from you guys the better the chances of me getting crafty which gives you more chances to enter.  I may continue with extra "unofficial" projects after the Hop actually ends, so be sure to keep checking back here since you get an entry for commenting!

Click here for Project 1

So today...if you want to leave a comment, tell me if you're a tea drinker, do you like flavourned  blends or just "plain" tea? (or anything else if this doesn't grab you) and please don't hesitate to email me with any questions at alex@pinkcraftymama.com


* ⬅⬅⬅ Acronyms and strange terms in left sidebar! 

Love and copious cups of coffee!

Quilter's Vibe October: " When Papa Says..."

Hello Lovelies!


October proved to be challenging for all of us!  At best we're a little late with our QV videos and at worst sitting out this round or somewhere in between.  My firm belief is that crafting should never become a chore, so it is what it is and all scenarios are OK!


I believe this month's inspo is Daisie's choice (links to all the channels at the end of the post) and I thought it was really cute!  i may just have to make an actual quilt like this sometime! 😉


Since last month was a fairly literal interpretation of the quilt block, I didn't want to replicate the whole quilt.  My layout came about from the monsters reminding me of the Sassafras line "Monstrosity" and I spend the first few minutes of the video talking about that.

Here's the link to the video:

One thing I did do this month as well as last month was machine stitching through the grey and black squares.  I love the texture machine stitching provides, but it does mean regular adhesive may not be enough.  Glue Dots are my weapon of choice for this as well as using them to adhere those pesky chipboard Thickers and the odd embellishment.  I will only resort to liquid glue if my life depends on it (and even then it's pretty iffy! 🤣🤷🙈)

 

As I mentioned in the video, the journalling is below and other hard-to-read bits like the title

 When Papa Says

Thanks so much for having a look and hope you visit the channels of the other girls below whether or not they have a QV this month.  There's plenty of great inspiration regardless!

Sara Scraps
Christy's Beautiful Life
Daisie's Scraps

Love and quilty vibes,

TTCRD DT 5 Nov and Coffee Lovers Hop Project 2

Hi Lovelies!


Today is challenge day for Design Team B for the Through The Craft Room Door Challenge.  This is a WEEKLY "anything goes" (any type of project and any theme) challenge with 2 design teams who alternate weeks to make projects showcasing the sponsor who often offers PRIZES!

This week we have a free choice of image, so I continued with my Distress Ink and Ink Road stamps.  Unlike the previous project when I used the "packaging technique" I used a brush and was much happier.

The ink looks neon in the pictures, but it really isn't!

In addition to "Mug Life", I also used two other Ink Road stamp sets - "Boymom" and "The Struggle is Real" for the sentiments.  In both cases each sentiment was a single stamp, but using a craft knife I cut each one so I could use part of the sentiment above the image and part below.  If I were to see myself only doing this occasionally, I'd just mask it, but I thought the stamps would be more versatile cut since I could mix them up with other stamps.

I didn't use any ink splatter on these - just clear sequins and adhered the watercoloured panels onto the card bases with plenty of foam tape to keep it from puling away and smooth out any warping.

These cards will also make up Project 2 for the Fall/Winter Coffee Lovers Blog Hop

I Run on Coffee and Chaos

I Can't Emphasize this enough: COFFEE!!!

OK now to the giveaway part:

 

Giveaway CLOSED
📌 I have three items (and a bonus fourth prize) to give away (pictured below) and I'll pull three names for the first three prizes.

📌For the  fourth "bonus" prize: it will go to someone who has entered the main blog hop (please let me know your project numbers if you would like to be considered.  You can wait til the blog hop is over to do this since they change sometimes.)
📌 The first name drawn gets first choice, second name gets second choice and so on.  Bonus prize will be TallCraftyDude's favourite project!
📌 This Giveaway is NOT SPONSORED.  I purchased the prizes especially for this giveaway.  This year I picked stuff other than just stamp sets to mix it up a bit!  In the even the items I purchased are on back order, I'll purchase something similar in their place and update the list below. Thanks for understanding!

The prizes you get to pick from are:

This pair of embossing folders - "On the Go" by Tim Holtz and "Coffee Stains" by Creative Expressions

 

 

 

 

 

Framelits Die & Stamp Set By Crafty Chica for Sizzix called "Mi Cafecito Mi Amor"

 

Coffeesaurus Stamp Set By Gerda Steiner

Lastly, the bonus prize will be a pack containing a 6x6 "Coffee" paper pad by Echo Park and some coffee themed embellishments.  This prize will be awarded to TallCraftyDude's favourite project so PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT NUMBERS IN THE MAIN HOP YOUR PROJECTS ARE IF YOU WISH TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS PRIZE!  THANK YOU SO MUCH!

You will receive an entry (or entries) for each of the following.  You absolutely don't have to do everything - just how ever many you like.

If you have previously followed my socials then these are already counted for you!  (unfollowers will not be counted)
📌 The giveaway will remain open until 11:59PM AEDT on Sunday 10 November.  Please visit THIS SITE to calculate in your own timezone
📌 The winners will be drawn randomly on Tues 12 Nov so PLEASE CHECK BACK HERE
❗If the winner and I can't make contact by Tues 19 Nov, I will have to draw a new winner since I need to get these prizes out all together.
❗Please try to email me at alex@pinkcraftymama.com This really is the easiest way for me to get in touch with you since not all blogger profiles have an email attached and if you JUST leave comments, I have no other place to search for you.

So...what do you have to do to get entries?
🍵Subscribe to my YouTube channel - 3 entries
https://www.youtube.com/user/PinkCraftyMamaAlex
🍵 Follow this blog - 3 entries (in the left sidebar)
🍵 Follow me on Facebook - 2 entries
🍵 Follow me on Instagram - 1 entry
🍵 Comment (once per day per person) on a post between now and the close of the giveaway - 1 entry per post

I don't yet know how many makes I'll have done between now and then, but it will be at least three.  The more love from you guys the better the chances of me getting crafty which gives you more chances to enter.  I may continue with extra "unofficial" projects after the Hop actually ends, so be sure to keep checking back here since you get an entry for commenting!

Click here for Project 1

So today...if you want to leave a comment, tell me whether drink any other caffeinated drinks besides tea or coffee?  (or anything else if this doesn't grab you) and please don't hesitate to  email me with any questions at alex@pinkcraftymama.com


* ⬅⬅⬅ Acronyms and strange terms in left sidebar! 

Love and copious cups of coffee!

Arty Divas DT 5 November Project

Hi Lovelies!

Today is Challenge 8 at Arty Divas.  This is a FORTNIGHTLY "anything goes" (any type of project and any theme) challenge with a design team who makes projects showcasing the sponsor who often offers PRIZES!

This week's sponsor is SheepSki Designs
SheepSki's Etsy Store
Prize:

With everything going on, I had to take my digis which I had previously printed on watercolour paper to hospital with me so I could colour the flowers during my infusion.  It's not as easy as it looks!  Some of the pre-meds I get give me shaky hands which doesn't help matters.

I decided to use Inktense since I can take pre-filled water brush pens and it's much less mess or hassle than other watercolour when you're in this kind of predicament.  I also knew the set of Inktense had a good range of blues and purples which is ideal since the image is of cornflowers. 

I did a google image search and was really fascinated how in some types of cornflower, the bud and the centres of the flowers appear more purple and the more mature petals seem more blue.  I tried to reflect this is my colouring.

At once point I was banished back to my recliner from a table and proper chair, since the battery warning on my IV pump started screaming.  There are side tables but it makes anything requiring a desk or table a challenge.

Once I got home I decided to add a yellow background to attempt to hide some of the places my shaky hands missed the flowers and went outside the lines!

I opted not to used a sentiment on this once since I wasn't sure who would receive it,  It would work equally well as a "get well", "thinking of you", "sympathy" or "thank you".

I liked the idea of a kraft card base.  It seemed kind of rustic, but a black mat was definitely needed for contrast.  I used the Permanent Glue Dots to adhere the card front to the mat since the heavily watercoloured card front was warped and would continue pulling in whatever direction ir wants.  Then I used foam tape ti attach that to the card base and finally finishing with some sequins and which as always use Mini or Micro Glue Dots.

 

That's all for now!  Thanks for stopping by!

Love and  wonderful watercolours!

Coffee Lovers Blog Hop Project 1

I can't believe it's hopping time again!  If I wasn't prepared for the Cat Lovers Hop, I'm really REALLY unprepared for this one!  And yes I'm doing another giveaway.  I'm trying to grow my YouTube channel and forgot to include it to get entries in the last hop so I have this time.  If you enjoy watching crafty videos, please subscribe to my channel!

Aaaaanyway...I felt I needed to start simple.  I had one of my regular infusions yesterday (and not the caffeinated kind) so I wanted to get something done before (and complete my DT assignments).  This didn't leave an awful lot of time.  

I pulled out my Distress Inks and used the "packaging technique" with the intention of stamping over the hop.  I was inspired by this set of cards by Kimberly from Freshwater Studio.  I wondered what this would look like in rainbow colours.   I'm seriously unconvinced.  I definitely think Kimberly did a much better job using the browns.

I do have the same Altenew stamps, but I was in a snarky mood, so Mug Life by Ink Road Stamps was a better choice.  Despite using a MISTI, I managed to get some smudgy stamping.  😖😖😖

I put some October Afternoon stickers in a lighter cream (to blend in with the watercolour paper) over the top and restamped.  Not ideal, but not totally awful. 

This one is roughly 4.5 inches and I definitely went too far with the rainbow.  It's pretty though.  

If you are familiar with Ink Road stamps you may notice the text has been surgically excised from the frappe cup.  I don't use profanity, so it had to go.  I borrowed the stars from another IR set since the space felt too empty and lastly some gold splatter and black sequins secured by Mini Glue Dots.

I thought I'd try some splatter with shimmery red and pink mist.  Big mistake!  Combined with the sentiment it looked way too Dexter-esque! 🤣🤣🤣 I liberally added plain gold and covered the worst of it with pink iridescent sequins.  I was slightly amused though. 🤷

The next two are quite a bit smaller at around 3 inches so I decided to keep them simpler.  I didn't add sequins to either - just the splatter and I'm happier with the background too.

This last background might have been my favourite in how the colours mixed.  I'm not sure.  There will be another post in about 12 hours time using the same stamps except I watercoloured the background with a brush instead.  I like those much better, so be sure to check back and get another entry! 

OK now to the giveaway part:

 

Giveaway NOW CLOSED

📌 I have three items (and a bonus fourth prize) to give away (pictured below) and I'll pull three names for the first three prizes.
📌For the  fourth "bonus" prize: it will go to someone who has entered the main blog hop (please let me know your project numbers if you would like to be considered.  You can wait til the blog hop is over to do this since they change sometimes.)
📌 The first name drawn gets first choice, second name gets second choice and so on.  Bonus prize will be TallCraftyDude's favourite project!
📌 This Giveaway is NOT SPONSORED.  I purchased the prizes especially for this giveaway.  This year I picked stuff other than just stamp sets to mix it up a bit!  In the even the items I purchased are on back order, I'll purchase something similar in their place and update the list below. Thanks for understanding!

The prizes you get to pick from are:

This pair of embossing folders - "On the Go" by Tim Holtz and "Coffee Stains" by Creative Expressions

 Framelits Die & Stamp Set By Crafty Chica for Sizzix called "Mi Cafecito Mi Amor"

 

Coffeesaurus Stamp Set By Gerda Steiner

Lastly, the bonus prize will be a pack containing a 6x6 "Coffee" paper pad by Echo Park and some coffee themed embellishments.  This prize will be awarded to TallCraftyDude's favourite project so PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT NUMBERS IN THE MAIN HOP YOUR PROJECTS ARE IF YOU WISH TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS PRIZE!  THANK YOU SO MUCH!

You will receive an entry (or entries) for each of the following.  You absolutely don't have to do everything - just how ever many you like.

If you have previously followed my socials then these are already counted for you!  (unfollowers will not be counted)
📌 The giveaway will remain open until 11:59PM AEDT on Sunday 10 November.  Please visit THIS SITE to calculate in your own timezone
📌 The winners will be drawn randomly on Tues 12 Nov so PLEASE CHECK BACK HERE
❗If the winner and I can't make contact by Tues 19 Nov, I will have to draw a new winner since I need to get these prizes out all together.
❗Please try to email me at alex@pinkcraftymama.com This really is the easiest way for me to get in touch with you since not all blogger profiles have an email attached and if you JUST leave comments, I have no other place to search for you.

So...what do you have to do to get entries?
🍵Subscribe to my YouTube channel - 3 entries
https://www.youtube.com/user/PinkCraftyMamaAlex
🍵 Follow this blog - 3 entries (in the left sidebar)
🍵 Follow me on Facebook - 2 entries
🍵 Follow me on Instagram - 1 entry
🍵 Comment (once per day per person) on a post between now and the close of the giveaway - 1 entry per post

I don't yet know how many makes I'll have done between now and then, but it will be at least three.  The more love from you guys the better the chances of me getting crafty which gives you more chances to enter.  I may continue with extra "unofficial" projects after the Hop actually ends, so be sure to keep checking back here since you get an entry for commenting!

Click here for Project 2

So today...if you want to leave a comment, tell me whether you still drink hot coffee/tea in  Summer since that's where we are heading here in Australia (or anything else if this doesn't grab you) and please don't hesitate to  email me with any questions at alex@pinkcraftymama.com


* ⬅⬅⬅ Acronyms and strange terms in left sidebar! 

Love and copious cups of coffee!