June Swap - Red, White and Blue

Every time I hear those colours said in that order it reminds me of ....

Red, White and Blue
The dirty Kangaroo
Hid behind a dustbin
and did a number2!

More of a chant than a song and we sang it a lot as children .... I suppose we were sick of seeing the flags flying everywhere .... Queen's Coronation and all that!!!
So a kangaroo it has to be!!
I used the kangaroo from Band Camp along with a few musical notes.  I wanted to stamp onto paper and managed to find some perfect paper (another freebie) as the backgrounds.  I stamped and embossed all the elements then pc printed out the sentiment.
I matted this to a background paper mounted onto fancy cut matts.  I am very happy with the result although PJ says he hasn't heard of the song ..... several others also say this so it must have been a local 'thing'. 

I have received the following cards:


Beautiful resist embossed flowers
Thank you Crane Colk.

Superb stamping and a lovely design.

Thank you Jorde Wright.

More beautiful resist embossing.

Thank you Marion Rutherford.

Thank you Sid for organising another smashing swap.

June Coins

Another swap for Coins on an ATC etc Group!

This time the theme is anything goes and I am pleased about this.  Coins are so new to the Artworld that we all need to practice with these new shapes and sizes so a swap like this is, in my opinion, good for a few more themed ones!!!



I sent out three from my original painted backgrounds and stamped silhouettes.








My partner sent these Kokeshi dolls by return.  
I love these so much that I have bought some from the Vera Lane Studio.


Thank you so much Cheryl for sending such great coins and introducing me to VeraLane.

May Swap - Ribbons & Bows

How to stamp this theme?  Thinking........

I will stamp a background with bows and then add some ribbons .....

...... add stamped and embossed black silhouette ......



I sorted some bow stamps from various sets, not being able to find the particular one I wanted!  I stamped them with Versafine Sepia ink and then used my Inktense pencils to colour.

Paper ribbons, from The Works, would help match up the colours.  I added a strip down one side of each card.

A few weeks ago PJ gave me some coffee filter papers, he thought I might be able to recycle them ......

I decided to stamp the vintage images from a Creative Expressions set onto these papers and then fussy cut them out.

I was pleased I had my TH Stamping platform as these images needed to be stamped several times before being 'solid' enough on the filter papers.
I fussy cut the images and attached them to the backgrounds.  

My first thought when creating these cards was to add a black ribbon to each card but after attaching a piece to this card, I decided it was boring so used this to attach the male image of the set ....... maybe he would have looked better being 'anchored' under the ribbon!!!

I edged each card with a Promarker pen using the dominant colour.


My swap cards arrived at the end of the month:


Beautifully stamped and collaged.
Thank you Julie Waters.

Very pretty, love the way the ribbon matches the stamping colour.

Thank you Pat Crossland.

This superb card came in its own envelope.  So pleased I received this one as I really wanted one of this set.

Thank you Sandie Wright.

Thank you Sid for hosting another super swap.  I received a great selection by return.

April Swap

This month's Theme - Numbers

I knew which stamps I was using for this swap ..... the Freebies that came with my Creative Stamping Magazine (Issue 44) some time ago..... large numbers.
I cut some watercolour paper to ATC size and then sorted out my Distress Oxide re-inkers.  
I dripped a drop onto a large acrylic block and then swooshed the card through the colour so that all the colour was collected.
I sprayed a small amount of clear water on two and left them to dry. 
I sprayed a larger amount of clear water on the other two, dabbed them with a bit of kitchen roll and then left them to dry. 


I stamped all Number stamps onto the cards using Versafine Vintage Sepia ink. 
I have an acrylic block with the size of an ATC taped off so that I can place stamps on it, line them up using the edges and then stamp.
I feel more confident when I stamp ATCs this way.
I then added a few cogs and gears in the same ink.
I used one of the Quotes from the same freebies, it's by Bette Midler..... so true....
A final spray of silver glitter 'hair' spray - yep, hair spray gives an amazing finish to a card!


My returns are these super cards:

DO background and embossed image
Thank you Annette.

Love the thinking on this one.  Great Collage

Thank you Becky.

Love everything about this card.

Thank you Val. 

March Swap

The Theme is Spring Flowers

I knew that I would use the free stamps given away with Making Cards - no longer being published I understand.
I stamped all the pots three times and then fussy cut two images.  
I stamped the pots on each card, masking on the third card.  This is one of the rare times I have tried this and I am not quite sure whether I have succeeded.  Maybe I should have painted stronger colours for the background so that the middle pot was a bit more grounded ... dunno.
I then masked off the pots and stamped the flowers.
I used my paints to watercolour the images and the background, sort of suggesting they are sitting outside on the potting table!!

I know that the cards look a little curly but I took the photos before the backing details had been added.  I am getting even more forgetful than usual, opening the envelopes just to take photos is very annoying!!  lol

I received the following:


Embossed sentiment, silver splatters....has to be InkyFingeredCat.
Thank you CatherineJ.

Embossing again plus Brushos

Thank you Elaine K.

Much more rosy coloured IRL with a soft sheen.
Thank you Gill Sansom.

January Swap

Theme for this first swap of 2018 is .... Elements.
Sid has asked us to think outside the box ..... this calls for my Stamp File I think!

I drew up a list of the Elements and then looked through my pages to find stamps that inspired me ......
.... quite a list and then I went through it again, narrowing down the list of stamps.




I decided on a Crafter's Companion stamp to depict the Element Air.  I cheerfully stamped him out and then found he was too big for my ATC!
I could've cried but then the old grey matter kicked into action ....
.... I photocopied the stamped image on my printer!! 

yeah!  

now it fits!

I spent a lovely day painting all these images .....


Once attached to the base card they look like this ....

Air

I painted the background with blue watercolour and mica paints and put to dry after adding mica powder to the yellow paint to add sparkle to his brace and goggles.  Once fussy cut and attached to the card, it only needed a touch of clear acrylic paint on his eyes and goggles.  

Earth

Another TH sentiment added to finish.

I used a SU stamp to imply the Element Earth.  This could be anywhere but it makes me think of Italy.  I have walked many a street like this whilst travelling with PJ, we are very blessed.  

Water

I am using this Sheena Douglass Peaceful Lakeside stamp to convey the Element Water.
I just coloured this au naturel as it were.

Fire

This stamp image I found in my stash, I thought that as I had used red ink it could be good to symbolise the Element Fire.  

I added a green and brown background to suggest the speed of this engine.  I washed over the engine itself with red wash adding a bit of black at the front.

A few swirls of light grey to indicate steam coming from that mighty fire that roars deep within ........

The cards I received back:

Air

Fire

Super blue Butterfly on a darling shaped card!
Thank you Jennie D.

Logs glistening in the flames ....

Thank you Michelle M.

I love the way Tim's stamps has been used here......

Thank you Teresa M.

Water

Thank you Sid for hosting and sorting and swapping and posting another great swap.

October Swaps

Here is the second of my Joker cards, the Vintage one.

I printed out two 'vintage' images, one to use as the background and a small one to use as the main image.    I loved the sentiment but felt that it would be spoilt if I retyped and printed it out on my PC.  I left it as is and then cut it into an oblong and rounded the corners before placing it on the lower corner, using 3D foam.

I used one of my beautiful Lady stamps for my second card.  I used some floral paper as background, stamping the image into the clear space as much as I could.  I bordered the edges of the card using a blue gel pen and then added a cut up Tim Holtz sentiment.

I have made this card several times, using a Craftwork Cards topper.  I inked round the edges of the card, added a flourish in the same colour and the attached the topper flat to the card.  I added a PC printed sentiment diagonally across the lower edge.






I have received the following cards by return:


What a great selection of cards! 

 
Collage, sketching and wooden owl.

Love them all.

Thank you GwynethRose.

December Swap

The theme is Red and Green

This must be the first time I have used free stamps from a magazine on the day I received them!  I thought this sentiment was perfect for the swap.

I had decided to use my Neocolours to colour the backgrounds on these cards.  I cut the paper to size and then coloured it with random strokes.  I sprayed some water and then put the cards to one side to dry.  I stamped the bows on a separate piece of paper, coloured them in with the red crayon and then fussy cut them.  I stamped the sentiment onto the dried cards and then added the bows.

Once the whole card had dried, I edged the card with a scarlet sharpie pen to finish.

I have received these cards, the last of all the December 2017 swaps. 
  

Tiny gold flecks add the the beauty.
Thank you Helen P.

Love the 3D effect.

Thank you Jill B.

My sort of ATC!  This one will be added to my decor.

Thank you Sheila C (also thanks for the pretty envelope).

Sad to see another year finished with but looking forward to 2018 colours, themes, and all the creations.