2021 Cat Hop Day 6

 

GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED!  THANKS FOR ENTERING!

Hello Lovelies!

Today is another make for Janis using a digital image by Ike's Art who has been sponsoring the Cat Hop for all 7 years!  Thank You Ike!

This year Janis will feature one of six images each day and today it's this adorable little guy peeking over a table or something.

I am much happier with my colouring on this card!  I wasn't putting myself down with the previous one.  It's just that part of my usual process is to conduct what I call a "post mortem" afterwards and assess what I liked and what I might do differently.  

I keep it real and find it helpful when so much online is sanitized.  

Working on shading and a realistic light source is something I'm really trying to improve on.  I can easily tell when it isn't "right", but not quite so easy to tell how to get it right!

This little ginger cutie isn't totally perfect in that regard either, but at least the colour blends I was pleased with.  I have ALWAYS wanted a ginger cat!

I pulled out a cat themed 6x6 pad I got last year and used some papers to make an easel fold card.  The notebook punched border was an afterthought and has more contrast IRL.

I performed some stamp surgery to remove the word "favorite" from the phrase since I prefer to avoid American spelling if possible (MFT Cat-Astrophe) and that was basically it!

Rather simple for me actually!

Please don't forget to register with Janis and all the info and links you need can be found on Janis's MAIN HOP PAGE

Giveaway Info

Giveaway Rules

📌I Have TWO electronic gift cards to the crafty store of your choice (Value $20USD or approx equivalent in your currency)

 📌One prize will be a random draw and the second prize 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 (but before the close of the giveaway) to do this since the order changes sometimes.)

The second prize is traditionally TallCraftyDude's favourite project!

📌 This Giveaway is NOT SPONSORED, but costs lovingly covered by yours truly as a way to support the hard work Janis puts in every.single.year!

What Do You Have to Do?

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 7 November.   Please visit THIS SITE to calculate in your own timezone
📌 The winner will be drawn on Wednesday 10 November so PLEASE CHECK BACK HERE
❗If the winner and I can't make contact by Wednesday 17 November, 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?

🐈 Follow this blog - 2 entries (in the left sidebar)

🐈 Subscribe to my YouTube Channel - 3 entries

🐈 Follow me on Facebook - 2 entries

🐈 Follow me on Instagram - 1 entry

🐈 Comment (once per day per person) on a project post between now and the close of the giveaway - 1 entry per post. 

Day 1 Post

Day 2 Post

Day 3 Post

Day 5 Post

Day 6 Post  

Day 4 RW Post

Bonus Project 1 

 

Please don't hesitate to  email me with any questions at alex@pinkcraftymama.com

If you're entering the giveaway, comment below and tell me...is there a PART of a cat you love most?  For me it's that little snout which might be why I was so drawn to the image!

 

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

 

Love and stay safe,

2021 Cat Hop Day 5

GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED!  THANKS FOR ENTERING!

Hi Lovelies

I honestly meant to do a Day 4 post.  It's a long story which I will explain soon.  Which brings me to my next point - you may have noticed my giveaway is open a full week after the hop ends.  I do try to keep adding extra posts and projects during this time so to give yourself the most chances to enter please keep checking back here.

I also put a list of links to any of my blog posts at the bottom (just scroll down all the way) which give you entries so you can check you've seen them all.

Today is another make for Janis again using a digital image by Ike's Art who has been sponsoring the Cat Hop for all 7 years!  Thank You Ike!

This year Janis will feature one of six images each day and today it's this sleepy looking kitty on his comfy cushion.

Ike had put some shading onto the cat and a bit on the cushion, so I didn't have to think too hard about where to put shadows.  I just rolled with it!  I went with grey since it would lend itself to such shading and of course my Fitzy is (mostly) grey!

My friend Sara Scraps has a Facebook group called Rediscover Your Stash.  Each month there is a product focus and for October is washi tape.  I knew I was going to use washi on this card.  And what better time to use all my cat washi!

The day I finished this I couldn't seem to find a decent spot for photography - too dark or too light, but you get the idea!

 Please don't forget to register with Janis and all the info and links you need can be found on Janis's MAIN HOP PAGE

Giveaway Info

Giveaway Rules

📌I Have TWO electronic gift cards to the crafty store of your choice (Value $20USD or approx equivalent in your currency)

 📌One prize will be a random draw and the second prize 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 (but before the close of the giveaway) to do this since the order changes sometimes.)

The second prize is traditionally TallCraftyDude's favourite project!

📌 This Giveaway is NOT SPONSORED, but costs lovingly covered by yours truly as a way to support the hard work Janis puts in every.single.year!

What Do You Have to Do?

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 7 November.   Please visit THIS SITE to calculate in your own timezone
📌 The winner will be drawn on Wednesday 10 November so PLEASE CHECK BACK HERE
❗If the winner and I can't make contact by Wednesday 17 November, 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?

🐈 Follow this blog - 2 entries (in the left sidebar)

🐈 Subscribe to my YouTube Channel - 3 entries

🐈 Follow me on Facebook - 2 entries

🐈 Follow me on Instagram - 1 entry

🐈 Comment (once per day per person) on a project post between now and the close of the giveaway - 1 entry per post. 

Day 1 Post

Day 2 Post

Day 3 Post

Day 5 Post

Day 6 Post  

Day 4 RW Post

Bonus Project 1 

 

If you're entering the giveaway, comment below and tell me...What's the most unusual cat's name you've come across?

Please don't hesitate to  email me with any questions at alex@pinkcraftymama.com

 

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

 

Love and stay safe,

2021 Cat Hop Day 3

GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED!  THANKS FOR ENTERING!

Hi Lovelies

So it's probably time I shared a project with you created specifically for the hop, right? 

This one uses a digital image by Ike's Art who has been sponsoring the Cat Hop for all 7 years!  Thank You Ike!

This year Janis will feature one of six images each day and today it's the Cheshire Cat.  I LOVE Alice in Wonderland so I was excited to work with it, although having not picked up a marker in probably a year I was very much out of practice.

I felt I couldn't get the colour blends I really wanted and that does come down to having more colours in my collection, but what really bothered me was my light source an shading.  Colouring stripes and getting that right is way harder than it looks!  In hindsight I would have used a greylead pencil and shaded an image as a guide as to where I wanted the shadows and highlights.

I pulled out what little I could find of the two Alice themed collections by Echo Park and did the best I could.  Of course I found the rest later after I was done. 🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️

Please don't forget to register with Janis and all the info and links you need can be found on Janis's MAIN HOP PAGE

Giveaway Info

Giveaway Rules

📌I Have TWO electronic gift cards to the crafty store of your choice (Value $20USD or approx equivalent in your currency)

 📌One prize will be a random draw and the second prize 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 (but before the close of the giveaway) to do this since the order changes sometimes.)

The second prize is traditionally TallCraftyDude's favourite project!

📌 This Giveaway is NOT SPONSORED, but costs lovingly covered by yours truly as a way to support the hard work Janis puts in every.single.year!

What Do You Have to Do?

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 7 November.   Please visit THIS SITE to calculate in your own timezone
📌 The winner will be drawn on Wednesday 10 November so PLEASE CHECK BACK HERE
❗If the winner and I can't make contact by Wednesday 17 November, 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?

🐈 Follow this blog - 2 entries (in the left sidebar)

🐈 Subscribe to my YouTube Channel - 3 entries

🐈 Follow me on Facebook - 2 entries

🐈 Follow me on Instagram - 1 entry

🐈 Comment (once per day per person) on a project post between now and the close of the giveaway - 1 entry per post. 

Day 1 Post

Day 2 Post

Day 3 Post

Day 5 Post

Day 6 Post  

Day 4 RW Post

Bonus Project 1 

Please don't hesitate to  email me with any questions at alex@pinkcraftymama.com

If you're entering the giveaway, comment below and tell me...Have you ever had a black cat?  What's the best thing about black cats?

 

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

 

Love and stay safe,

Crazy Circles Gnome Card

Hi Lovelies!

This challenge is doing double duty for The Paper Girls Challenge 

and 

Arty Divas challenge.

The theme for TPG is circles and the image from sponsor Laurie Furnell was a cute gnome digi.

All I knew was that I wanted to stretch my Copic colouriing muscles again since I was feeling rusty and I felt the vibrancy would be perfect for a child.  Im not sure I like how pale the blue is on the gnome.  It bothers me a bit.  🤷 And let's not even discuss the beard! 🤦

What to do for the background, though?  If I used this project for TPG circles challenge I could pull out THIS bag of cats circles.  Recognize it?

It's from last year's Wonder Woman layout!  This one:

Since I printed the image out bigger than I expected, I went with a 5x7 card base.  The front ended up being 4.5 x 6.5 to allow for a contrasting mat.

I layered up some of the smaller circles and ran them through the sewing machine.  Using Permanent Glue Dots I adhered the back with all the thread to the stripey mat and I love using the same dots when using "fun foam".  I stick the adhesive side to the piece i'm popping up then it's easier to run Glue Dots all over the plain foam side.  They're far more reliable on foam than my dot roller I've discovered.

Lastly I die cut a fairly general sentiment which can be used for several occasions.

And I barely even made a dent in the baggie of circles!  I'm going to be reaching for them a lot, I think!

Hooray

Lastly I do encourage you to enter a paper project at one or both Arty Divas and The Paper Girls!

Love and crazy circles!

Arty Divas Challenge 23 DT Project

Hi Lovelies!

Today is Challenge 23 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 Lee Holland Art
Online Shop -  https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/leehollandart
Prize:

 

The image we were given to work with was a pre-coloured one, and usually these are not the easiest thing for me to work with, but the minute I saw that cute little dragon I knew I wanted a soft ethereal cloud background.  I used some cloud dies by Lawn Fawn which I cut using scrap cardstock so I could do a blended cloud background with Distress Oxide Ink

 

I used a different cloud die to cut three from vellum which I machine stitched down.  This meant relying on my trusty Glue Dots to make sure the card front stuck securely to the card base.  

I fussy cut the little dragon and the printed sentiment.  The dragon was mounted on foam for some dimension and some clear shiny sequins (stuck with Mini and Micro Glue Dots of course) finished it off.

 

This will make a great card for a little girl I think!

 

Dragon Wishes

 

That's all from me today!  It was nice to make one that was quick to put together for a change!

Love and quick cardmaking!

 

Arty Divas Design Team Project 25 February

Hi Lovelies!

Today is Challenge 16 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 LeAnn's World
Online Shop - https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/LeAnnsWorld101
Prize:



This challenge requited us to use pre-coloured images which is not something which comes easily to me.

I opted to use the baby in the critter onesie and my slightly snarky mood led me to make a baby card with a difference,  It's not for everyone, but most of my friends would get a giggle from it.

Just to make life interesting, my printer ran out of toner, so NotPinkCraftyHubster came to my rescue and printed at work for me.

The bear suit gave me the idea of a jungle print background, so when I went through my papers, I used the background from Shimelle's Field Trip collection and fussy cut the toucans and flowers from her Box of Crayons collection.

If you know me, you know hoe challenging it is to use birds on anything!  

 
I had the perfect sentiment from Hero Arts and then I sprinkled gokd mist, added my images on pop dots then Micro Glue Dots were perfect to add tiny black sequins (which like they might be navy.) to the flower centres.  

Welcome To The Jungle Baby Card

Another simple one for me. but I'm not unhappy with it!

Love and creative cardmaking

Arty Divas DT Project 11 Feb

Hi Lovelies!

Today is Challenge 15 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 The Project Bin
Online Shop - https://www.theprojectbin.com/
Prize:

Much mirth and hilarity ensured when the stamp set from the sponsor arrived.  My instant favourite was the combination I used in my project today.  The first thing that came to mind was this meme which strikes a chord with me.

I remembered I had a (now discontinued) die set from Taylored Expressions which features this retro phone and I could picture it cute black to reflect the style of the phone (a Bakelite phone! 😍)

So the only proper choice for paper was something like October Afternoon or Cosmo Cricket which has that 1940s-50s vibe.  The floral doilies from the 8x8 Thrift Shop paper pad was the winning pattern! 

The great thing about polymer stamps is that longer sentiments or images can be bent slightly onto your block to give a curve where there isn't one like I did for the "one phone call" part of the sentiment and the "you are my" nestled in beautifully between the ascenders!

When it comes to putting together a pieced die cut image, Glue Dots save a whole lot of time and mess.   I put all the sizes to work holding the bits of phone together and the Micro Dots to attach the red sequins.

You Are My One Phone Call Card

Uncharacteristically simple for me, wouldn't you say? 😂

Lastly, I had the TallCraftyDude stamp some of the more wacky combinations!  And no we DO NOT celebrate birthdays, but it just made for funny phrases, especially using the dog as the butt of all the jokes.  Being a cat fam, it's always so! 🤷

The beast has been unleashed! 🙈

Love, and sassy stamping!

Arty Divas DT - 14 January

Hi Lovelies!

Today is Challenge 13 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 TandiArt
TandiArt's Etsy Shop - https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/TandiArt
Prize:

Each of the Design Team members received a different printable element.  This is something I'm not really used to working with.  The first thing I thought of was to place the fairy riding her unicorn and the small kaleidoscope of butterflies would be perfect for some little girl friendly cards with general sentiments.  My sister always needs these on hand having 2 little girls of her own so this one (along with a few others will go to her.  I only managed to finish one for this assignment).

When images have pre-printed textural elements such a mixed media or stitches or staples, they always look more at home by adding more (or if you're of the LOL cat and/or Shimelle persuasion, that would be MOAR!)

Now MOAR I can do, although for me, these were not as MOAR as usual.

I was keen to road test some new hot pressed watercolour paper (and I love it!!) and started by adding an iridescent paste by Vicki Boutin through a star stencil.  After that was dry, I dribbled some Shimmerz paint because I didn't want it too opaque and I wanted more sparkle and shimmer!!

Once that was dry, I splattered gold mist then stamped my sentiment with Archival ink THEN added my cut out elements adhered with foam to pop them up.

Even though this heavy duty watercolour paper didn't warp a lot, I still used Permanent Glue Dots to adhere the card front to the base.

Just a few sparkly gems to finish and it has everything I could have wanted when I was 6!

Hooray 

 Be sure to see what the other girls have made and enter the challenge!

Love, and shimmery kisses!

Arty Divas DT Project - 17 Dec

Hi Lovelies!

Today is Challenge 11 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 KLM Digital Designs (Katy's Card Emporium)
Prize:

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)"

For this challenge I had an idea for a card as soon as I saw the image of the turtle stuck on his back.  With a custom sentiment (once again thanks to my pink vintage Olivetti typewriter) it makes a rather cheerful get well card!

Mr Turtle was coloured with Copics.  My laser printer and I are having a bit of a stand off when it comes to printing on correct paper for pencils 😡

After fussy cutting and mounting him on equally adorable swan paper (by Pebbles from their "Tealightful" collection circa 2016) since I was determined to place him in his natural habitat,  Even if his swan friends are wearing crowns rather like the AD logo 😉

I pulled the words for the sentiment off and on several times which has given them a bit of dimension.  I just love the perfectly imperfect quirks of an old typewriter!  Just be sure to use the correct version of You're/You.  (yes. this Pink Mama is also a grammarphile!)

To finish I pulled some sequins from the "Motley" mix by Spiegelmom Scraps and adhered with my trusty Micro Glue Dots.  I thought they looked somewhat like bubbles, but the sheen made them so much more whimsical!

Hope You're on Your Feet Again Soon

Love and whimsy,

Arty Divas DT - 3 December

Hello, Lovelies!

Today is Challenge 10 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:

The image the Design Team worked with was absolutely adorable!  That is until I started to meddle with them!! 🙈🙈🙈

See, the thing is that I decided to try using coloured pencils.  Most of the image I'm not entirely unhappy with (for a first attempt anyway), but I really don't like the "sky". 

Fortunately I can probably still work on it a little more especially if I try to blend it out a bit with Gamsol or odourless spirits.

Placing the sentiment formed a slight issue.  In the end I had to cover part of the image I really didn't mind too much!  I went with vellum to keep it light and so some still shows though.  I adhered with just a few stitched and stamped an older stamp set from Simon Says Stamp (in Kristina Werner's lovely whimsical script!)

I decided to use Glue Dots to adhere the coloured panel since the type of paper and use of a blending pen made me think it might start to pull away from the card base.

Well here's the finished card!

Thank You For Your Kindness Card

Love and practise those pencils!

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!