A New Month...

And a new challenge over at CRAFT QUEEN's blog...

And these are my samples, 3 very different ATCs (Artist Trading Cards).      I wanted to use the great Crafter's Workshop 6" templates, to show a couple of looks that can be achieved with them.

For this ATC, I started by carefully laying THIS template over some white card, and dabbing some alcohol ink (I used StaZon teal ink) over the pattern.    I then stamped the mesh image from THIS set of stamps using the same ink.      The sentiment from THIS WORD BLOCK was stamped with black ink and stuck using foam squares.       I raided my scraps box and found some corrugated cs, which I dry-brushed with some bronze metallic paint,  and layered that over a piece of punched and watercoloured paper.    I added a yellow button (from a past kit), and a little red wire : )

 For this next one, I started with a white ATC blank, and laying THIS template, I carefully added some texture paste over the top (just like icing a cake) and removed the stencil, cleaning it up (the stencil) straight away.    I allowed the texture paste to dry overnight, and then I painted over the ATC with some blue and some bronze acrylic paints.    I then added the image of the ballerina (stamped onto tissue paper and stuck on with Modge-podge) from THIS set of stamps
The sentiment is from an old Teresa Collins stamp.      You can find the beautiful shell heart HERE, and the leaf HERE.

For the next ATC, I started out with some white cs, and THIS template,  onto which I sprayed a couple of coats of blue Glimmer Mist, allowing it to sit and puddle around the stencil, once dry, I stamped one of the tree images from THIS set of stamps, and trimmed it down to fit inside my beige ATC blank.

I stamped the sentiment (also from the same set of stamps) onto a scrap of vellum paper, adding a little orange coloured TINY TWINE, a square SHELL BUTTON, some butterflies made with THIS punch, and a tiny bit of a sripe ribbon

If you've never made artist trading cards before, they are a great size for using up bits and pieces, plus, you can try out new techniques in a small scale.

And just in case you didn't pick up on it, this month's challenge involves using the word "love", some twine, and a button.        For all the details, and to see the rest of the DT projects, have a look HERE, and don't forget, your entry can be anything crafty, a card, layout, ATC, OTP project, or a sewing project, as long as it incorporates the required criteria.

Thanks for visiting me, I hope I have inspired you to play : )

Just the Three of Us

That's the title/theme I went with for this month's entry into the INKURABLE STAMPERS challenge blog.   You can find all the details HERE       The colours I chose to play with were turquoise, brown and white.
I started by cutting a piece of turquoise coloured card 6" x 4" and I decided to use a couple of Crafter's Workshop 6 x 6 templates/stencils (Mini Harlequin and Mini Numbers Collage) I bought at last weeks Craft and Quilt show and some white acrylic paint to create my background.     I then sponged some Vintage Photo DI around the edges, and added some crackle medium to the top edges, letting it drip randomly.    When this was all dry I added the three Stampotique images which I had stamped with the same ink and mounted with foam tape.    The letter stickers are Carolee's in Chocolate brown, and the number 3 is a Collections cb piece painted with brown acrylic paint and covered with crackle medium.    I also used a bit of THIS brown ribbon.    

I hope you're having a nice Easter break, and if you get a chance there's still time to play along with this fun challenge, and a chance to win some Fabulous Prizes.