Flower pounding

 Let's be clear on one thing . . . . this is not my first attempt!!

I tried several variations . . .  various flowers, various hammers, various card . . . 

This is my most successful and the ATCs I sent for the swap.

This particular day I picked some yellow Nasturtiums and leaves, some Continus leaves, some dark pink Dianthus flowers. 

I laid them out on my paper, which had been taped off according to Felix the Crafty Cat - thank you - and sorted my mallet.

I placed a piece of kitchen roll over them and proceeded to pound and hit and bang for a couple of minutes.  I lifted the kitchen roll to check I was pounding them real good and if not, pounded some more.

Here is the Final Pounded flowers.  I have removed all the debris and wiped them over with a tissue.

I gathered together a selection of embellishments, the toffifee cards are to be the bases.

I added some Promarker distinguishing marks and then added the embellisments.  I used some coloured fancy papers, defo 2000ish, and some ribbons.  I coloured the white lace with a Promarker to match the purple shading - Pink Dianthus!

The finished cards were posted off and I await my returns to see  other artists creations.  

I enjoyed this technique and used up some stash so this was a winner all round.  

I think I will buy a couple of hammers and let the small boys go to town  . . . . . 

Tiny Ink Pads

 In another time zone I purchased a selection of small Distress Ink pads.  Used much since . . .  not really.

Then I saw a lady on that channel using one to edge the card she had made . . .  I've always used my Sharpies, present from SILR, and was quite happy.

Today I have remade a swap, reveal comes later, use paper/card cut into strips and attach to form an abstract pattern.  

The adhesive had not quite dried so in order to cut up the ATCs from the rather large master board, I covered the design with the paper I stamped off those primitive hearts.

As I edged the ATCs, I noticed that there were dashes etc. from the paint on the heart sheets attached to the design . . . . .  rather effective me thinks.

So experiment time . . . . .

Paper without ink pad marks

Paper with ink pad marks . . . . just using the edge of the pad . . . .

Little birds or just triangles . . .

river waves or just lines . . . 

a fan or spiral . . .

I am going to have a great experimental time . . . .

I guess you knew all this about inkpads but it's new to me . . . . 

Lino cutting

 The sun is shining and it is -3C out there . . .  I shall have to stay indoors, tempting as it looks to go outside . . . . I will just have to stay in and craft!!

I have signed up to a new swap with ATCs For All Group . . . try something new.

I have a lino cutting kit I bought for myself many moons ago . . .  too many to count!  I signed up as I now have a legitimate excuse to use this kit and actually try it out . .  today's the day . . . . BTW  this will be a long post as I am sure you want to know the ins and outs of how it went . . . . get yourself a nice drink (maybe a biscuit) and settle down . . .

The kit comprises of many parts, including an instruction sheet which I have taken out and read many times over the years. . . . then put it all away again.

So there it is . .  printing tray, lino of varying sizes and types, tube of ink, cutting machine (it all fits together to make the cutting pen, very clever) and a roller.

I used the piece of lino to the left and after several sketches on the flat side of the lino, decided to go with a primitive heart.  It was quite difficult at first, helps if you hold the cutting pen the right way up, but it did get easier.   I think that with more practice I could attempt the image in my head . . . . one day!

Printing was easier, on home ground as it were, first with Distress inks, then a pigment ink and then some acrylic paint.  I also used the printing ink but it didn't improve much.

Now I had tried out the 'stamp', I moved on and sorted out my packaging to make the ATCs . .

Oops! not that one . . 

This one!  The variety of packaging used is not indicative of any particular choices, more just for the background.  So I printed . . .

Hmmm!  they are ok but need to be more organised, I think, so try again . . .

Next packaging . . .  don't tell Phil . . .  I love his magazines and products but don't like too much waste so  . . .

From one box front I can get nine ATC bases . . . well done Phil for super packaging!

This time I tried to organise the stamping a bit better, having the finished ATC in mind.  Neglected to take a photo here but I did feel happier with the layout and colours.

Moving on . . . 

Once I had cut out the ATCs, I was quite happy with them, they are more or less how I imagined them.  

The disinfectant box . . . 

Phil's packaging . . .

Yes!  A very good morning's work.

I shall finish them off with a sentiment on the first ones and maybe an image and sentiment on the second set. . . . . sometimes ATCs have their own ideas  . . . 

Pink Houses and Junk Mail ATCs

 My Pink Houses are all finished.

A bit of Corrugated cardboard, shades of pink naturally and a few Vera Lane Images.  I decreased the size of the image to fit and then coloured in with watercolour pencils . . . . .all packaged ready to go . . .  in a pink envelope of course!!

This morning Costco sent me their latest offers and then, after having a good read through the magazine, I realised I could make some more ATCs!

Junk mail and used postage stamps . . .  perfect.

So here we are sailing, with food, animals and relaxing . . .  and another piece of junk mail in the bin!

Stamps are never a problem in this house, if I don't use them for my collection . . . they go to Charity.  Had a good mooch through the tin and found just the ones needed to finish off the cards.

Another one ready to post . . . . .

Pink Houses folk

 Spent the day colouring in the folk for the houses.  I only have to send four ATCs but I like to choose from a selection, who knows how many will lose their feet, hair, hands . . .  need I say more?!!

It's been a mean day today, massive blasts of wind and heavy rain showers.  Not the weather for going out at all.

I have also sorted out my challenges for the month of January . . . . . whew!!  Need a few more bad weather days!

The Monochrome Series

I have loved joining in this swap.  It sounds very easy, choose a colour and create . . . . takes a bit of thought in relation to the upcoming swaps.  This swap has taken nigh on a year cos covid19 stepped in. . . . . 

01 White

      

02 Green
             

03 Blue

04 Yellow

                                     

05 Red

06 Orange

      

07 Purple

        

08 Magenta/Pink

                                

09 Black/Grey

                               

 10 Teal

     Thoroughly enoyed these swaps.  There are more colours but I have missed them all . . . . . .life intervenes.   

Postage Stamps - Places/Scenery

Please include a background for your stamp(s) - it can be an extension of the stamp design or abstract, or something in between. Plain white backgrounds will not be accepted.

I really enjoy the challenge of using Postage Stamps.  Donnacr has quite a list of subjects for the year and beyond.  I must admit that I try to join as many as I can.

Beach scene = Distress Oxides and lots of sentiments, Moon landing stamp = Long way from Hot Air Balloons

Grass & Flowers = Map of Bois de Boulogne which are fantastic gardens as well (in Paris.... so's my heart!!)
Guernsey Stamps = was French, occupied by the Germans in the war, freed and claimed by UK

My returns always display a superb use of the stamps. . .

Beautiful material samples, thank you Haagmm, and there is an extended view on two of these ATCs, love 'em. 

    Thank you jo.on.the.go for your Pennsylvania river scene.          Thank you to Turquoisepineapple for your bright and flashy scenery.                                           Love the gold and silver touches.         

Through a Window

Windows do not have to be windows from houses, or shops, or barns. They can be an aeroplane window, a bird’s eye view from a birdhouse window, or a scene inside a window viewed from outside – all are fine. Let your Muse run free.
*****Just make sure there is some kind of window in your card design, with a view of a scene on the other side of the window.

This was an interesting swap.  It took some thought but in the end I decided on an aeroplane window . . . . . I thought acetate, fields, birds, ?fairies? . . . .

Surfing I found some stylised aeroplane windows and decided to use those, if you drew them then thank you and let me know in the comments so I can appreciate your artwork.

I altered the windows to suit an ATC, cutting out the aperture.  I slipped some small sketched images on the card, followed by acetate pieces and then placed the window on the top.

I received these fine specimens by return.

Looking outside at the Greenery.  Thank you Miss Rich.

Binge watching the Disney Channel.  lol  Thank you Allegrae.

Looking forward to the Holidays.  Acetate on show!  Thank you Chimerix.

Bother Blogger!!!  I have just found out that to get a new post to show, the red button in the lower right corner has to be clicked!!!

House Shaped ATCs

Something a little different ......
I have entered one of these swaps before and I loved the challenge so here I go again......
I wanted my houses to have a window to look through but couldn't find any thin vellum so had to make do.  I'm quite pleased with how they turned out............

I decorated the houses with paints, stamps and stencils and then drew out my shapes on some printed paper ...... recycle, recycle!!..... cut them out and adhered them to the vellum.  I cut out these shapes and left a longer piece at the left side so that I could attach this 'window' to the base card.  I then found some views of house rooms, after cutting them to size I added them centrally to the house.  The windows were then added along the side of the card.  I would have liked to added some fastenings but, by now, I was running very close to the postal date.

My returns were a delight to receive:


Thank you nanvan

Thank you allegrae

..... and this one!!!  Clever!

Thank you BlueSkyHare

Thanks go to our hostess who I cannot name at the moment.