Faux Aperture, Bird on Branch, Female

Happy New Year!

I've made a quick 'no ink' card today that I'm planing to use as a 'notelet' or 'thank you' card later on in the year.  

Why?

Because I've learnt from experience that these are the cards I like AND need to have to hand...  

For those of you who may not have seen my last 'no ink' creation, my trick with 'no ink' cards is to add texture...  but as it's a quick make, texture paste is out of the question!

Instead, I focus on embossing folders and pair them with textured card stock (normally Hammer card).  Clever use of layers and adding sequins, gems or Dew Drops to my die cuts is normally all I then need to do.

Yes, I know a lot of you will gasp at the very thought of a 'no ink' card, but it looks ok to me.  

Am I wrong???

Dies used:

Memory Box/Open Studio 'Finnegan Fronds'

Memory Box 'Grove Branch'

Spellbinders 'Nesting Squares/Small'

Spellbinders 'Nesting Circles/Small'

Embossing Folder:

Tim Holtz/Alterations 'Birch Trees'

Other:

Black Gem

Flower Sequins

Foam Pads

Collall 3D Glue Gel

Perhaps it's because I'm still quite new to card making, but I like to 'know' that I have some cards/techniques/layouts that 'work' for me.  

Then I can recreate them in a fraction of the time that it took me to come up with the original idea.

Of course, this does mean that I end up keeping some of my cards simply to remind me 'how to'.

Does anyone else do that?

Challenges I'm entering...

Pixie's Crafty Snippets Challenge

That's Crafty

(Anything Goes)

Cute Card Thursday
(Challenge #406 'Anything Goes')

 4 Crafty Chicks

(Crazy egg/Anything Goes #279)

Creative Card Crew

(Challenge #103 'Anything Goes')

Wishing you all the very best for 2016...

Donna. x

Christmas Crackers, Bird on Branch, Female

I don't know about you, but sometimes I know exactly what it is I want to make.  

Other times, it's a design or a picture/colour palette that inspires me...  

...  and then there are those times when it's the blog challenge itself that 'sparks' my creativity.

  This was one of those times.  

You'll notice that I've made two of these.  

Both exactly the same, except that...

 ...  the acetate one is purely decorative.

 (A Christmas decoration or cutlery/napkin holder to 'dress' the table on Christmas day)...

...  whereas the silver one could actually be used as a fully functioning Christmas cracker or as packaging for a small Christmas gift. 

Dies used:

Tonic Studios 'Christmas Cracker and Sentiment' 

Memory Box 'Twigs and Berries'

Memory Box 'Holly Vine'

Memory Box 'Woodland Branch'

Memory Box/Open Studio 'Finnegan Fronds'

Other:

Sheena Douglas/Festive 'Snowfall'

Gesso (White)

Black Jewel Embellishments

These Christmas crackers were specifically made to join in with the latest Memory Box challenge...

Other challenges I'm entering...

Pixies Crafty Snippets Challenge

(Both crackers are made entirely from my snippets stash)

Simon Says/Wednesday Challenge

That's Crafty Challenge Blog

As You Like It

(Favourite Traditional Christmas Colours and Why)

I adore the harmony of putting red, green, white and dark brown together.

Bunny Zoe's Crafts

(Sparkle)

Sparkles Christmas Challenges

(Challenge #59 'Die Cuts for Christmas')

Many thanks to those of you who have been kind enough to 'follow' me or who regularly stop by to read my blog and leave a comment.  It's been lovely getting to know you all over this past 10 months or so.

I apologise for not being quite so active lately.  

I've been recently diagnosed with something called Histamine Intolerance and it's been making me miserable.  I spend most of my time feeling 'rough' with the various side effects of trying new foods only to realise my body simply can't tolerate them and I lost quite a lot of weight in the 'clean' diet phase...  but hopefully things will improve.

Happy Christmas. 

Donna... 

Large Christmas Tag, Pine Branch, Male/Female

I hope you've had a chance to play along with Tracey's 25 Days of Christmas Tags event...  but if you haven't as yet the good news is there is still time to join in.  If you want to, of course :)

My entry for today ties in with a tag that featured on Day 5 of the event.  I took one look at that tag and I knew exactly what I wanted to do...  I just didn't know how huge it would end up being!!!

Here's my tag...

It didn't have the bird on it initially...  or the paint splatters.  They were the parts of the design that I had to think on once my initial idea was mapped out.

Oh yes...  and one quick note to my readers.  This is NOT a green Robin!!!

My husband had mean things to say about this bird that I shall not repeat.  All I will say is that there are plenty of other birds who struggle through Winter...    not just pretty Robins.  Enough said!!!

This tag (below) is the one that inspired me to play along...

Other than the pine cones hanging off the branch (I echoed the dimension using Collall 3D Glue Gel), the only other details I've mirrored are the splatter background and the three Christmas embellishments in place of the three jewel embellishments.

(PS...  I purposefully invested in the Tim Holtz 'Splatter Brush' for the splatter effect and was not disappointed). 

Dies used:

Memory Box/Open Studio 'Finnegan Fronds'

Memory Box 'Distressed Tag'

Papertrey Ink 'Library Card Tag'

Stamp:

Penny Black 'Nature's Gift'

Other:

Tim Holtz Distress Ink 'Walnut Stain'

Tim Hoktz Distress Ink 'Peeled Paint'

Tim Holtz Distress Paint 'Picket Fence'

Metal Embellishments and Elasticated Cord from stash

Black Jewel embellishment

I don't know if you can tell from the photo, but I've also used a sheet of Tim Holtz 'Kraft Core' from his 'Shattered' collection for my largest tag die cut.  It just adds a little 'extra' something visually that doesn't involve any work on my part.

Ssshhh....  Don't tell!!!

Other challenges I'm entering...

Loll's 12 Tags of Christmas 

Happy Little Stampers

Happy Little Stampers

Pixies Crafty Snippets Challenge

(Bird and White Tag cut from snippets)

That's Crafty Challenge Blog

As You Like It

(Favourite Hobby and Why)...

Mine's making tags, or cards...  or gift bags or boxes.

Why?

It keeps my mind occupied and is helping me to 'mend'.  

Long story, but if you want to know more read my 'About Me' tab section on my blog.  

Cute Card Thursday

(Challenge #388 'Birds/Animals'

Allsorts Challenge

Week #337 'Anything But A Card'

The Friday Mashup

(FM 234 'Baby It's Cold Outside'/Winter Theme)

Penny Black And More Challenge

(November Challenge 'Anything Christmas'

Stamping Sensations

CAS-ual Chic

(CCC 05 'Precious Metals')

Craft Rocket Challenges

(Anything Goes)

I hope you have a good week...

AND

Thanks for stopping by...  I really do appreciate it.

Donna...

Flowers on Tag Card, Glitter Butterflies, Female

I saw a challenge just the other evening that only had three and a half days to go...  Not a lot of time for me but I couldn't resist with the colour scheme involved :)

So here's a quick, 'no ink' card that fits the bill for a few other challenges, too.  I LOVE it when that happens...  especially as I'm still quite new to 'blogland'  and I'm eager to 'meet' new people, see their blogs/craft style...  and hopefully learn from them along the way :)

When I choose to go for a 'no ink' design, I always try to make up for it with added dimension.  I've seen people's swirly, circle 'nests' on their designs before now and contemplated that idea before deciding to settle on threading the raffia through the tag.  If I'm honest, I wasn't quite sure how that would work out...  much better than I'd envisioned, so 'yay' :)

...oh, and just a quick note...  all three butterflies were punched from this pretty glitter paper.  (That was definitely one of my better finds on eBay)...  I only mention it as I'm not sure this photo shows the glitter on all three :)

Dies used...

Hero Arts/Frame Cuts 'Large Tag'

Open Studio/Memory Box 'Distressed Windham Collage'

Punches...

Stampin' Up 'Five Petal Flower'

Sizzix/Tim Holtz 'Large Butterfly Punch'

Embossing Folder...

Cuttlebug 'Leafy Branch'

I'm entering this card into the following challenges...

Cupcake Inspirations

(Challenge #328)

Crafty Cardmakers and More

(Make it Sparkle/Challenge #148)

Allsorts Challenge

(Sparkle/Week #329)

Make My Monday

(Nature) 

Pixie's Crafty Snippets Challenge

(Anything Goes/Week #195) 

Whole card make from 'Snippets'...

Cute Card Thursday

(Things with Wings/Challenge #392)

Butterfly Challenge

(Butterfly + 'K' for Knot/#39)

4 Crafty Chicks

(Sparkle and Shine/Challenge #265)

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge

(Use Patterned Paper/September Challenge)

It's nearly the weekend...

Back tomorrow with a Tag You're It post.

Donna...

Tiny Tattered Floral Tag, 3D, Bee

Here's a quick post before the weekend...

I did say that I would be playing with my (Sizzix/Holtz) Tiny Tattered Florals set soon, didn't I?

Well...  Today's the day.  Yay!!!

I know that I'm biased, but I think this is the cutest thing I've made in a long time.

It's just so simple and girly :)

Anyhow...

Tag You're It are doing a challenge at the moment that almost has my absolute favourite colour combination ever.  If I just swap out the black for a dark brown...

But I digress...  How did I make my 'itsy bitsy' tag?

Well, the base tags are from the small set of 'Deckled Rectangles' (Spellbinders).  I've cut four, glued them back to back and hole punched at the top.

Next, I've used one of the larger flowers from the Sizzix/Holtz 'Tiny Tattered Florals' set, paired it with the largest leaf and added a stamped tag cut from my Sizzix/Thinlits 'Sweet Strawberry' set.

I just adore the embossed 'flight path' pattern that this die from the Open Studio/Memory Box 'Busy as a Bee' set makes.  I've paired this with the smaller of the Memory Box 'Jolly Bumble Bees', added a little brown ribbon and a natural, wooden peg at the top and tied a piece of white string ready to attach to a gift...   or a gift bag.

I'm so looking forward to playing with my birthday treat in August.  I bought myself the We R Memory Keepers 'Gift Bag Punch Board' some months ago ready for my husband to give to me)!!!  

Not long to go now.  Yay :)

Have a good weekend...  and thank you for taking the time to stop by...

Donna