June Swap

I used some of my jigsaw ATCs for the swap.
I cut some background papers in three colours to match the outside of the cards.
The Pink one had to be girly........



Flowery dress on the inside with perfume bottle and mirror on the outside.  
Really shiny peeloffs!





The Green one was also girly but with gold peeloffs.





A smooth gold dress with a couple of handbags for the inside and golden words for the outside.





The Blue one was serious girly.



The peeloffs I used this time were very decorated .... shiny!  


Dress and shoes inside this time and the handbag outside on the flaps.





I received the following cards:





This delicate coloured card was a Folded ATC, embellished on the outside with an embossed insert.







A beautiful vintage image in the same colours as before, with pearls and flowers.

Another vintage image with lace and ribbons.

Thank you Kate for some real treasures.

Matchbox for Summer

How I love these Matchbox swaps!!! 
So much so that I have bought two packets (10 in each packet) from The Works.
Looking through the previous posts I notice I haven't posted my Spring Matchbox, will rectify this asap.

I covered the matchbox with some pastel printed paper and added some paper lace to the edges.  In the bottom of the tray I attached a quote - a favourite of mine, Chocolate doesn't ask silly questions, chocolate understands. A small flower brad at the end of the drawer became a fastener.
I sorted out my pictures, managed a small Iris Folded dragonfly, lots of small embellishments etc.
Once the cards are finished, I tied them all together with a small ribbon.
I painted a small wood chip rose and attached it to a black card, adding some peel off squiggles.  A tiny Pyramaged image of a poppy field view.  A gingham tablecloth, on the grass, with a teapot for the picnic.  I cut a shell and a quote from another backing paper.  Some felt flowers complete another two cards.  I cut some Seed Packets and added a 'bunch' of them to a piece of small flowered paper (upside down in my photo!).  A bit of stamping and a bird on the plant pots complete the set.  I backed each card with a piece of the paper used for the cover and edged each finished card with matching ink.
Now that the matchbox was closed, I added some embells - a butterfly, ladybird and Cake, who doesn't love cake!!!

I received the following Matchbox the same day as I posted mine.

Kate had enclosed a mini postcard with her Matchbox.  The label was attached to the top with a pretty flower bead.  When I opened the box, I was greeted by this quote - let this day be full of joy and celebration.


All the cards were beautifully finished with some details on the backs as well.  The tag had crystal lacquer over the blue rose.  Two small charms, a trowel and a bee were also included inside, didn't find them until after all the cards were removed.  Lovely surprise!!

Also included were the two tiny books (next to the matchbox in the photo). 
Inside the pink book were two pockets, and one pocket inside the rose book.

Another rose and a quote were in the two pocket book and a gorgeous butterfly in the once pocket book.

Even the back of the rose book had been decorated.  


This lady thinks of everything!


Thank you so much Kate for your beautiful Summer Matchbox.

Left Overs Again?

Love the idea of this swap.
Theme
Have extra cards you’ve created for a swap? Want to clear out your gallery? Let’s do some spring cleaning and share your lovable leftovers with other artists. Note: These must be cards you’ve created (not pass-along cards from other artists).

I sorted six of my cards - if you remember them from a previous posting then please forgive me for showing them again.

This first card is made up from some Welsh Castles leaflets with added diecut flowers & leaves and sentiment.

I fussy cut the crockery and tray ;pictures from a magazine and was lucky enough to find the sentiment within the pages!

These two cards were made from foreign text pages.  I used some illustrated pages for the background and then added the other pages over the top, opening them out to show the picture beneath.  I stamped the sentiment in sepia.



This is one of my first sets called Eclectic Me!
Lots of stars, fibres, butterflies and most importantly my Lord Jesus.


A vintage photo overlaid with text pages, then gold leaf added in places.  A handwritten sentiment, torn and wiped with a teabag - used of course!


The last card was made for Summer of Colour 2015 - the last one :-(

After the gesso on the background had dried, I spread a little bit of colour ink.  I used paper from a French magazine for the whole series, cutting flower petals from the appropriate coloured pages.  I tore the paper sentiment and then made the petals into flower shapes.

I received the following cards:

What a fantastic stamped crab!
Thank you Allegrae.

This is a cutie stamp!

Thank you cindylou.

This is a silver card, overlaid with printed heavy vellum.  An added triangle of lace is attached with a brad.
Thank you camprose.

So many interesting embellishments, painted and glittered.

Thank you catb.

This is a CUP design resized - clever.

Thank you donnacr.

Painted and embossed, this is beautiful.

Thank you DmyTLadybug.

Thank you Allegrae for a super swap.

May Theme Swap

It is said .... Time flies when one is having fun....and I certainly did while making these cards.


I used a piece of clock background, added a PC printed time and a couple of brads to make this card.

I added a plain clock face to the background in the lower right of the card and another in centre top.  In my opinion, the backing paper, being black and white, really sets off the brown clock face.  The small sentiment is PC printed and coloured.

I used a dark brown paper for my background on the third card and then rounded the corners.  I cut out the sentiment and round the corners on this as well.  I added a tiny clock face embellishment to the lower right.

I received the following cards:



Love the wooden embels on this card. Thank you Beth.

I think this one has a really Art Deco feel.

Thank you Kathleen.

Love this one soo much I have put it up on my desk.

Thank you PatC.

May Colour Swap

This colour certainly made me think ...... peach, not pink, not coral, not orange .....

I mixed up some watercolour to peach and washed the cards, adding a copper spray to the second card and varying the strength of the colour on the third.  After printing out the image onto a text background, I gave that a colourwash and fussycut the image.  Once she had been attached I edged the image with some fancy ribbon.  A ticket added as a sentiment completed the first card.

I cut out the sentiment for the second card as a straight oblong and attached it to one corner so that I could add the fussy cut the peaches on a plate to the lower left.  I added some acrylic lacquer to the peaches.

After the spray had dried on the third background, I wrapped the ribbon round the right side of the card and added two fancy bows on the right side.



I received this lovely selection of cards:



Lovely printed and fussy cut images.
Thank you JanS.

There is a beautiful sheen to this paper fan which the photo does not show.

Thank you SueF.

This card is so adorable, the image set on a darling backing paper.

Thank you Beth.

Dandelion Wishes

I love dandelion clocks!  
When this Swap came up on ATCs For All forum then I knew exactly what I wanted to create.


I sorted out all my dandelion stamps - I think I have three!

I painted out my masterboard with some blues and greens and left to dry.  

Once the paints were dry, I cut the master boards into ATC sizes and I started my stamping.  

I thought each design out and then stamped away..... not once, maybe twice, three times on one of them ..... once completed I realised .... they needed a sentiment.  

I stamped the sentiment onto the first card but it didn't look right.

I stamped some more sentiments on the leftovers from the masterboards and attached three of them to the rest of the cards.

This is not right, the stamping is still all wrong!  :-( 

I used some of the Versafine ink as a paint and 'cleaned' up the stamping a bit, but could not alter the smudged areas.

I really didn't know what to do so I posted them on the Forum and asked for help .......

...... Barkesm came back at me with suggestions - love that lady! - followed by VickiZ - love her too!

Back into the craft room I went ....

I took one of my acrylic blocks and, using washi tape, covered the sides so that an ATC size was left.  This meant that I could now arrange my stamps on the block before stamping.   Why didn't I think of this before?!?!

I repainted the masterboard, this time using watercolour paper, and cut to ATC size.

I added my stamps to the block, following suggestions from Barkesm and VickZ and voila! 

I am really happy with these cards.  Yes! I know the background is brighter but it is the quality of the stamping that is better, one happy bunny round here!

UPDATE: 24.09.32016

I have received the following cards.....

 Beautifully drawn and stamped.
Thank you Dnewton972.

Superb watercolour background.

Thank you RaeK75.

Gorgeous sunset colours.

Thank you missxkay.

May Swap

I thought I would use some of my ready made ATCs this month.
I made these with a copper theme in mind. 

I collected some copper coloured papers together, copper embellishments and ribbons.
I added the paper to the background card, wrapped a ribbon round on one side.  
After adding the embellishments and looking at the finished cards I was surprised at the variety, made on the same theme, but each one different.

I received the following cards from Roseann.

This card is so bright and shiny.

This card is beautifully matted.

A really cute image on a corrugated background.

Thank you so much for this great selection of cards.