FDC4 wk 3 & 4

Bit late posting these so am doing a two for. Up first is week 3 - postage stamp, clock and ticket. I love how this turned out, such a cool and calm looking make. It wasn't what I envisaged before I started, but when I started rummaging around my stash, it sort of all fell together. 

Week 4 -  person, texture

I had watched a video about how to make a little book holder for the playing cards and she had done a plain cover. 

This was the result when I was trying to shut my brain up at 11pm the next night, I thought that one of the altered playing cards would be nice as a cover with a title and Live long and Craft popped into my head - so I had my person prompt. Up I got and I sat and did the background, finally shutting my brain up! Finished it off the next day. 

Full Deck Challenge

Over Christmas I was thinking about what I wanted to change in the New Year, one thing was to craft more, now this has been a recurring theme for the last year or two, with me going great guns at something and then falling by the wayside as it stressed me out so much I didn't get anything done SO I wanted to start something small, and random with not much pressure or full on commitment needed by me because, boy,  can I pile the pressure on myself! (with no help from anyone.)

Flicking round You Tube, I came across a video from shanouki art launching her Full Deck Challenge over on Facebook - this felt like a sign, I knew I had to join in, I've already got a (nearly) full deck of cards lurking in my stash. 52 weeks of prompts/themes to pick from, use 1 or them all, no set design - back to basic crafting with what I've got -  exactly what I needed!

I'm literally taking it one card at a time, not trying to do too much or too complicated. One  card is done and I'm happy at how it turned out and how I feel.

Prompts used: squares, hot pink, numbers and butterflies.

Thanks for reading

AMANDA xx

D is for....

Over at Butterfly Spot challenge Blog, the newest challenge is 'D is for Decoupage' which I haven't done in a very long time so I was keen to do decoupaged daffodils - one of my favourite flowers, but not being able to find my sheets I had to rethink what I was going to do so I have went with option 1) 3 of the chosen colours - Daffodil, Dusky Pink and Dairy Cream along with Die cut and Butterflies.

Tomorrow I am off to a 'Slow Stitch' 2 hour class so I am looking forward to that - I started a new project of embroidering a stamped butterfly on hessian which I want to turn into a mixed media piece.

 Amanda xx

B is for

Over at the Butterfly Challenge blog, the letter is B and a shaped card. 

I choose - buff green, baby pink and Bluebell, with a Birthday greeting and of course, the most important thing - butterflies!!

The paper stock was from a Card Making Magic Kit, The Secret Garden by Christina Griffiths, which was free with a magazine. I think the butterflies came from a previous prize by Mrs A. over at the Butterfly Blog and finally the White Pearls by Phil Martin.

Amanda xx

Once Upon a Springtime

A new month means a new Customer Challenge at the Gecko Galz and the theme for the month of March is 'Once Upon a Springtime'.
So why not play along - join the challenge with the chance to win $25 at the Gecko Galz shop!

It really is spring - well, the flowers certainly seem to think so even if the weather is still wintery and blustery! My snowdrops are creating a good spread in the garden, I forgot that I'd had some from Uncle Johns garden before it was cleared. And as I type I have one daffodil which has opened - mine normally open way after everyone's has flowered and died off.

 Feeling unusually crafty, I made three samples for this challenge one 6x6 and two 5x7 -

6x6 

 image from Victorian Spring Digital Craft Kit and a backing paper.

Tonic Nuvo Vintage Drops ~ Dusty Rose

sentiment from Tim Holtz

gold frame Craft Box

pale yellow promarker

backing paper from Dreams of Spring Mini Paper Pack (printed as a full sheet and chopped in half)

Tattered Lace mini dies - 3 butterflies

sentiment ripped from a tag Craft Box

smudged ink

piece of orange tissue paper

I hope you'll join in 'Once Upon a Springtime' Challenge, where the Winner gets a $25 shopping spree to spend at the Gecko Galz shop. (The only rule is that you must use at least one Gecko Galz product... this can be one of the freebies, or, of course, you can buy at the Etsy shop).

If you sign up for the Gecko Galz monthly newsletter, you'll be kept up to date with new releases, Super Sunday weekly deals and be able to claim a free digital collage sheet.

If you pop over to the Gecko Galz blog, you will see all the fabulous designs by the Design Team - and maybe grab a freebie or two.

If you haven't a blog/and or/ on Facebook, head over to the Gecko Galz Papercrafting Group where there are more monthly challenges, with the chance to win a digital collage sheet.

Amanda xx 

Using a card blank I had already papered for something else, which I ended up not using, I chose a gorgeous butterfly image from Butterfly Kisses, this is why I love Gecko Galz so much, every image could be used with no embellishments or anything and still make a lovely project.

I resized the image to fit the 6x6 card, used vintage blue Nuvo drops on the centre of the flowers, a gold swirl to look like its part of the flower stem and pale gold gems. To finish, I decided to highlight the butterfly by drawing round it with a gold pen.

entering in: Gecko Galz Papercrafting Challenge Group = Text challenge

Amanda xx

M @ Butterfly Challenge

Been a busy bee today, 2 cards and a matching set of three framed atcs done, more on these on later posts.

Today's card is for Mrs A's Butterfly Challenge, and its the letter M for Magic Window, didn't enter a card for L has I have had the dreaded lurgy (not sure if it was L for Lurgy) for the last three weeks, cannot believe how ill this cold has made me! A few other people in the store where I work have had it and they've been exactly the same, so I know its not me being mardy!

Anyway, M for Magic Window, I found this template a challenge, at one point I nearly threw it in the bin but I persevered and did manage to finish it, all be it a bit wonky and creased. Hopefully I've hidden those bits.

Template + Butterfly

backing paper from a Greeting Card Backing PApers book

pale peach paper

coppery orange paper

thank you stamp

black stazon ink

black card

plain circle die

heart circle die

large butterfly embellishment

entering in: Butterfly blog = M is for Magic Window

 Amanda xx

K @ Butterfly Challenge

Today's card is for Mrs A's Butterfly Challenge, and its the letter K for Kinetic, I'm really enjoying learning how to do these card shapes. Full details are on the butterfly blog.

So again, I chose to do the card shape plus butterflies, I was going to do this black & white but then decided to do it red & white, although the ink looks more burgundy to me, so I stuck to that shade.

Swirls & card verse Honeypot Crafts

Main topper from magazine freebie

Stazon Blazing Red ink

Tattered Lace mini dies

Pink & White pearls

entering in: Butterfly Blog = K is for Kinetic

Amanda xx

Steampunk Autumn

A new month means a new Customer Challenge at the Gecko Galz and the theme for the month of September is 'Steampunk Autumn'.
So why not play along - join the challenge with the chance to win $25 at the Gecko Galz shop!

Admittedly I did struggle with this theme, I researched everything to do with steampunk, apart from losing an hour or two, I came across some gorgeous makes and photos, and also this blog with so many talented crafty people! The makes are pure eye candy!

I decided I was going to do a card with a butterfly on, with a orange/deep brown colour scheme. And this is what I came up with -

Gecko Galz - background Sentimental Celluloids ATC paper pack

Gecko Galz - steam punk butterfly Tic Toc and Cameos 

Gecko Galz sentiment - Garden Sentiments (re-interpreted by me)

Craft Box - pendant/keys/corners

gems

Crafty Individuals cog stamps

Do Craft ruler stamps

black & bronze inks

ModPodge

Lamp Black & Metallic Bronze acrylic paint

As you can see, its definitely not a card! I choose the backing paper for the card and as I was resizing it, somewhat randomly remembered I'd still got an old canvas lurking around, went to find it and turned it over, saw the hanging hook and staples and thought perfect! (and yes, there is a craft desk under there somewhere!)

So resized the backing paper, fiddled with the colour a bit, got the butterfly, came up with a quote.... and printed everything off.
Once I cut out all my bits, I placed everything down to see how best to arrange them, then stamped where the empty space would be using the ruler stamp and cogs. I stuck the butterfly down, then inked the sides of the word tabs with black ink and stuck them down. I wanted to have something shiny on the butterfly just to bling it up a bit.... this is where I lost another an hour looking through all my bits and bobs, and where I decided to use the keys and corners and the pendant with the clear stone - never thinking that you would be able to see the glue, but then decided I liked the look of it as it dried. Phew.

I put everything back into the frame and decided that the wood was to bright, so out came the acrylic paints, then once that had dried I decided that the metal embellishments need painting also, before sticking down on the frame.

Once I was finally happy (!?!)  I reassembled everything and the finishing touch was the little gold gems in the middle of the cogs.

Then I washed my hands, face and anything else I had managed to get paint on!

Its now sat pride of place on my mantelpiece, and I'm wondering how on earth I came to make something that awesome. (As you can tell I am really, really pleased with it!)

I hope you'll join in 'Autumn Steampunk' Challenge, where the winner gets a $25 shopping spree to spend at the Gecko Galz shop. (The only rule is that you must use at least one Gecko Galz product... this can be one of the freebies, or, of course, you can buy at the Etsy shop).
If you sign up for the Gecko Galz monthly newsletter, you'll be kept up to date with new releases, Super Sunday weekly deals and be able to claim a free digital collage sheet.
If you pop over to the Gecko Galz blog, you will see all the fabulous designs by the Design Team - and maybe grab a freebie or two.
If you haven't a blog/and or/ on Facebook, head over to the Gecko Galz Papercrafting Group where there are more monthly challenges, with the chance to win a digital collage sheet.

Thanks for stopping by and letting me ramble on about how much I love this frame!

Amanda xx 

J @ Butterfly Challenge

A new challenge over at the Butterfly Challenge Blog this week, this time the letter J.
I chose to do the card shape again along with butterflies. From the photos the card looks blue and pink but its actually a lilac and pink card, such pretty papers.

with the band on

papers & stamp from Christina Griffiths

 Card Making Magic All in One Collection 

issue 2

Tattered Lace mini butterflies dies

oblong with a pretty border die

entering in: Butterfly Challenge - J for Joy fold

                              

I @ Butterfly Challenge & July @ Love to Craft

Having played with 'H' (no, not the chap from Steps) over at Mrs A's Butterfly Challenge last week, I've continued playing with the new challenge (fortnightly) this Wednesday which is  'I'.

There are various ways to take part in the challenges, all is explained on the blog. This week I went with the specified card shape + butterfly.

I for Impossible Card (the flap stands up by magic itself) - full instructions on how to make each card shape are given, despite this looking complicated it was quite easy to do.

Its a bit awkward to photo so excuse the mantlepiece.

White A4 card

Grey card

Gecko Galz Papillion Paper Pack (try saying that after a few glasses)

iridescent flowers

white pearls

Sparkly Mod Podge

I used white card stock as my base, then sized the backing paper to the card shape, cut out and matted onto grey card - to give it a bit more stability. I re-printed the topper and fussy cute the butterflies out, decoupaged them on with little foam pads then painted over with Sparkly Mod Podge. Couldn't decide what to embellish with, but came across the little plastic iridescent flowers in my stash, then stuck a pearl on each centre.

entering in: Butterfly Challenge Letter I
                   Love to Craft July

Amanda xx

H @ Butterfly Challenge

Recently bought Christina Griffiths gift issue No 2 , which has some lovely papers and butterfly die in it, having a play and did a card to fit with Mrs A's Butterfly challenge   Haven't played for quite a few months, so it was nice to finally do a challenge.

I picked the option 'One colour and butterfly' so I chose Hunters Green and  Hot Pink, both fit the theme and look lovely together.

Amanda xx

Quick & Easy @ Gecko Galz on FaceBook

One of the challenges for July is a 'Make a quick & easy project, that last minute go - to technique'

So I picked my butterfly dies as these are my favourites. I had the Papillion Paper Pack sheet already printed off, so I die cut the middle out and used the remaining outer edge to glue onto the card, the middle bit I used to make the butterflies, waste not want not!
I used two pieces of a kind of washi tape on the vertical (actually it was because one of the sides stuck down a tad crumpled, so I had to find a way to cover it!), and then embellished with 4 large blue gems.

Amanda xx

Moonlight and Magic

A new month means a new Customer Challenge at the Gecko Galz and the theme for the month of February  is 'Moonlight and Magic'. So why not play along - join the challenge with the chance to win $25 at the Gecko Galz shop!
Sadly a death in the family has taken up my time this month so my sample is a digital project, I tried paper crafting and got absolutely nowhere, how hard is it using card, paper and pretty images? Very hard and frustrating if the muse is stubbornly refusing to cooperate!
Having said that - the digital 6x6 took me all afternoon as the programme was playing silly moo's.
For me Moonlight and Magic conjures up mysteries, romance and music BUT where does it take you?

 image from  Moonlight Magic

butterflies from various Gecko Galz design sheets

background layer -  storm clouds image from Pixabay darkened to match the same dark colour on the main image.
middle layer - image altered using Transparency tool Ellipse, which means you can play around with which bit of the image you want to fade = not to be used when you've had a glass of wine juice or two as you can get a bit giddy!
top layer - I used 6 butterflies digitally cut from various Gecko Galz design sheets to over stamp the butterflies on the main image, some I changed colour but all I used with Decoupage tool to give them added depth.

I hope you'll join in with our 'Moonlight and Magic' Challenge, where the Winner gets a $25 shopping spree to spend at the Gecko Galz shop. (The only rule is that you must use at least one Gecko Galz product... this can be one of the freebies, or, of course, you can buy at the Etsy shop).

If you sign up for the Gecko Galz monthly newsletter, you'll be kept up to date with new releases, $1 Super Sunday deals and be able to claim a free digital collage sheet.
 If you pop over to the Gecko Galz blog, you will see all the fabulous designs by the Design Team - and maybe grab a freebie or two.
If you haven't a blog/and or/ on Facebook, head over to the Gecko Galz Papercrafting Group where there are more monthly challenges, with the chance to win a digital collage sheet.

Amanda xx 

butterfly birthday card

A lady at work was celebrating her 60th, so I wanted to make a special card - unfortunately the printer would not work, so I couldn't do a 60 sentiment and had to make do with a plain old 'happy birthday' card.

Used a 6x6 card blank, die cut a circle out of it using a die from The Range, the three smaller butterflies are from Mini Dies from Tattered Lace and the largest was a freebie on a magazine, cut the out on black card and matching Spellbinders Die Lite sentiment. Used white pearls has accents and round the circle.

The Butterfly Wheel - Letter H

Over on Mrs A's blog , she reached the grand age of 100 challenges! I wish I could say I've entered them all but I can't. Mrs A is a lovely lady and along with her regulars makes the challenges friendly and fun.

Gushing over, I got a little carried away on this one and forgot the instructions, so one card fits and the other sort of does but doesn't *lol*

The second card I made fits the challenge of BUTTERFLY + THEME (heat embossing) + COLOUR (hot pink) also happened to be one of those messy accidents which by nature turn into a happy accident.

The 'Agapanthus Cluster' stamp is from Stampendous and was gifted to me by a friend whose sister had passed away and had loads of stuff, some of which I kept, some I gave to charity.
 I decided to go with black and hot pink - remember I'd already done the other card by this time - so I merrily continued using my stamp, this time with a clear embossing pigment ink and stamped the image on to the topper. Ooops, I forgot to wash the stamp as I'd used it with black pigment ink..... so thats where the smudged bits come from behind the flower. Quite liked the effect, so poured the black embossing powder on and then used my heat tool to emboss it. Added 3 tiny butterfly dies (Tattered Lace) in hot pink, layered the topper onto black card and the put on a 5 X 7card blank, remembered I'd got some pink peel off borders somewhere and added those.

So onto the first card I made, which I got carried away with and then realised that it didn't quite fit the challenge....  I picked Hunters Green and Harvest Gold as my colours to use.

I stamped the image using black pigment ink, so it was kind of faded and then coloured over the image with my promarkers, using the nearest shades I had to match with the List of Colours which Mrs A uses. And played till I got the right shade. Backed the image onto green card, added green pearls and used a piece of ribbon. I was so pleased how the colouring had gone...... then I realised I'd picked 2 colours and not 1 + a theme!

Duh!!!!!

Then once I'd started on the other card I realised I should have WASHED the stamp first!! But I was pleased with the results of both cards, so now I have an extra card in my stash. Hurrah!

entering in: butterfly challenge = Letter H

Amanda xx 

The Butterfly Wheel is C

Over at Butterfly Blog, a new format for the fortnightly challenge has begun with three colours & three themes, its upto the player to choose!

this weeks letter is C and I picked Butterfly with Cornflower Blue and Corners - with a bit of crimson  and cream thrown in! The backing paper which was a magazine freebie has cornflower blue and cream flowers on it. I used a piece of co-ordinating cream paper cut to fit the corner to contrast the card. Then die cut two butterflies, one to match cornflower blue and the other to match the darker blue ink. Lastly added a few red gems to highlight the crimson in the backing paper.

entering in: The Butterfly Challenge - #94 C

Post me a card

Not been in my Debbi Moore stash drawer for ages, so I thought I'd make a quick card using some bits n bobs from one of the magazines. There was a butterfly already on the post card but I used a matching but bigger embellishment to cover it. Also not used a doily for a while, so just had to add one. Last of my flowered ric rac as well, just have to remember where I got it from!

Flutter-by Butterfly

An A5 card today, done for a partner swap over at CardExchange UK. We now have a Facebook page for our group and are finding it much easier to keep in touch than Yahoo, which is having its own issues. Anyone intersted in joining, let me know - you have to live in the UK for postage reasons and we swap a card with an allocated partner each month, we also do atc swaps and twice yearly we do a gift giving swap.

designer paper from a Tattered Lace paper pack, 

sentiment stamp a freebie from a magazine.

Joy Crafts Mirri card

And here's another card using the same design but in a different way - an A6 card

                                 

Looks like Blogger doesn't want to play, so the paragraphs are staying wonky!

H is for handwritten and/or lemon

Fluttering in to show you a 30th birthday card done for a friend at work, who is the most awkward lady in the whole world to make a card & buy a present for!! I decided to make something which fitted the challenge over on  Butterfly Challenge blog, which I haven't entered for weeks and weeks due to overtime at work, less days off and the dreaded flu, and sadly the loss of three pets....

                 

White doily

Craft Box flowers x3

Tattered Lace mini dies

pearls

Went with just the colour this time - Lemon - as my hand writing is awful and I didn't want to spoil the card. The 30th is small as the lady in question isn't really...... feeling the birthday vibe, shall we say. 

entering in: H is for handwritten and/or lemon