Crafts Galore Encore January 2022

Well, that's Christmas done and dusted for another year and it was everything we could have hoped for under the current circumstances. Santa did a very good job with the presents, there was love and laughter via video calls and plenty of delicious food and drink was consumed.

So,  now it's time to wish a very

Happy New Year everyone!

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that 2022 will see a return to a more normal life with less restrictions for us all.

To kick start the new year ....

.... there is a new challenge at the

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge Blog. 

Thank you to everyone who joined in with last month's challenge. The winners have been announced on the challenge blog. This is a month long challenge and you can enter up to three times. There is a full list of rules on the challenge blog.

Our theme every month is the popular

"Anything Goes"

and our sponsor this month is:

Digi Doodles

who are offering 3 digis from their store to our lucky winner.

I have made a New Year card. It measures 6"x 6" (15 x 15cm). 

I layered a red stripey paper from Papermania onto blue card and wrapped a dotty red ribbon from Fantastic Ribbons around it before fixing it to the card blank.

I used the adorable Antoni Coffee Gnomie image and coloured him with Copics. I changed his coffee to a mug of hot chocolate with marshmallows as that's the favourite warm-up drink in our house.

He was layered onto blue card and fixed at a jaunty angle.

I printed the sentiment on the computer and matted it with the blue card.

I finished the card with X-cut die-cut hearts and some gems.

Now please visit the  Crafts Galore Encore challenge blog where you can see the wonderful projects and cards created by our talented team using Digi Doodles images.

Grab some inspiration while you're there and enter your "Anything Goes" creations in this month's challenge.

Keep staying safe!

I have entered this card in the following challenges:

Crafts Galore Encore December 2021

The countdown to Christmas has begun in earnest now. A letter to Santa has been posted and the tree is up and decorated. Just presents to wrap, cards to deliver, food prep to be done etc. But, before I can sort all that ....

.... there is a new challenge starting at

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge Blog. 

Thank you to everyone who joined in with last month's challenge. The winners have been announced on the challenge blog. This is a month long challenge and you can enter up to three times. There is a full list of rules on the challenge blog.

Our theme every month is the popular

"Anything Goes"

and our sponsor this month is:

Gecko Galz

who are offering a $25 voucher for their Etsy shop to the lucky winner.

I have made a set of four gift tags for my grandchildren's Christmas presents.

The tags are Tando Creative Mixed Media Boards and all measure 5.5" x 3" (14 x 7.5cm) I punched holes in the tops of the tags for the ribbons.

I started by covering the tags with a couple of coats of white gesso. Once dry I added two of the papers from the Merry and Bright ATC collection.

I used the Santa Claus Lane collage set. There are two pages in the collection that are packed with fabulous vintage Santas. I cut out four Santa images and mounted them on white card which I distressed with Antique Linen Distress Ink. 

I printed colour coordinated sentiments and fixed them to the tags along with little strips of lace. I also added ribbons from Fantastic Ribbons to the tags.

I finished the tags with some wooden decorations which I painted and some coloured gems.

Now please visit the  Crafts Galore Encore challenge blog where you can see the wonderful projects and cards created by our talented team using Gecko Galz images.

Grab some inspiration while you're there and enter your "Anything Goes" creations in this month's challenge.

You will also find the details of the DT Call for Crafts Galore Encore. So, if you want to join our team, please apply.

Lastly, 

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

and keep staying safe!

I have entered these cards in the following challenges:

Crafts Galore Encore December 2020

December already! Although this global nightmare is no where near being over at least we can begin to put this awful year behind us and welcome a more hopeful new year soon. Our little princess is lightening our mood and looking forward to decorating the tree, writing cards, wrapping presents and a visit from Santa.

But before that ....

.... There is a new challenge at

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge Blog. 

Thank you to everyone who joined in with November's challenge. The winners have been announced on the challenge blog. This is a month long challenge and you can enter up to three times. There is a full list of rules on the challenge blog.

Our theme every month is the popular

"Anything Goes"

and our sponsor this month is:

Jan's Digi Stamps

who are offering a $10 gift certificate for the lucky winner.

I have made a couple of Christmas cards to show you.

Both cards are made from 8"x 8" card blanks and use two of the gorgeous trees from Jan's Tree Scene digi set. All the metal snowflake embellishments and the little tree charms were a gift from a friend - Thank you Pam!

I used papers from an old Lily of the Valley paper pad - the cover is long gone so I don't know which one - sorry. I matted and layered the papers with silver mirri card. The bow is made with polka dot ribbon from Fantastic Ribbons.

I used a computer program to merge four trees into one image and coloured them with various green Copics. I added Glamour Dust to the snow on the branches.

I die cut the sentiment, layered it onto silver mirri card and mounted it with foam pads onto the card.

This second card was created by scoring a vertical fold down the centre of the front to make a sideways easel card fold. The papers are also from an old LOTV paper pad - Classic Christmas - and were layered with gold mirri card.

I printed two of the trees, coloured them with Copics and cut them out to leave a white border. I used Glamour Dust on the snowy branches and fixed the trees to the card front with foam pads.

This time I just die cut the sentiment, attached a gold charm tree and fixed it to the card with foam pads to act as a stopper for the front fold.

Now please visit the  Crafts Galore Encore challenge blog where you can see the wonderful projects and cards created by our talented design team using Jan's Digi Stamps images.

Grab some inspiration while you're there and enter your "Anything Goes" creations in the December challenge.

Stay safe everyone!

I have entered these cards in the following challenges:

https://craftyhazelnutspatternedpaper.blogspot.com/2020/12/craftyhazelnuts-patterned-paper.html

Creative Artiste #66 November 2020

It's all change here in Britain again. As Wales comes out of it's firebreak lockdown England goes into one. New rules for everyone means our family still can not get together as we are not allowed to travel from one country to the other. I just hope that everyone follows the rules, stays safe and the virus rates come down so we can start to plan Christmas....

Meanwhile ....

.... there's a new challenge at

Creative Artiste

Creative Artiste is a challenge blog for everyone who likes to mix their media. So, as long as you like to use various mediums on your creations, we'd love to see you enter the challenge.

A big Thank You to everyone who entered the challenge in October. Your projects were all wonderful and our winners have been announced on the blog.

Our theme is always
"Anything Mixed Media Goes"
and we have opportunities to be a Guest Designer for our winners.

I have made an 8"x 8" (20 x 20 cm) shadow box frame.

I made the box frame from stiff white card and covered it with tissue paper to strengthen it and give some light texture.

I used DecoArt acrylic paint in Raw Umber over the frame. Once dry I then used Tim Holtz mini stencil from set 10 with Archival black ink to give the wood effect. Lastly, I touched up the edges with Pebeo Gold Gilding wax.

I took a piece of watercolour card and coloured it using Lindy's Flat Magicals Caribbean Blue and Ocean Breeze Blue.  I cut a piece to fit inside the box frame and used the remainder to stamp the hot air balloon from IndigoBlu Mixed Media box set 2.

For the floral arrangement I coloured another large piece of card with Distress Oxides Broken China and Chipped Sapphire. Once dry I splashed it with a gold Posca pen. I then die cut and assembled some flowers. I also used some flowers from my stash. The tickets were stamped onto card coloured with Antique Linen and Broken China DOX using another stamp from the IndigoBlu set. 

The little balls were painted with gold acrylic and gold centres were added to the flowers. I touched up the edges of the flowers with Pebeo gold gilding wax. The bow was created with seam binding from Fantastic Ribbons that I dyed with Chipped Sapphire DOX. 

I finished the insert panel with words stamped from the same previous IndigoBlu set. Once the insert was fitted into the frame I built up the floral arrangement with Prima's Soft Matt Gel.

Now it's your turn to have fun and create your mixed media projects. You can enter our challenge up to three times. A full list of the rules is on the challenge blog. For more inspiration please visit the Creative Artiste Challenge Blog to see the fabulous mixed media projects created by our multi talented team.
Remember to have fun crafting and enter your "Anything Mixed Media Goes" creations in our November challenge. 

I have entered this project in the following challenges:

http://countryviewchallenges.blogspot.com/2020/11/november-2020-anything-but-card.html

https://morgansartworld.blogspot.com/2020/11/morgans-artworld-challenge-11.html x

https://classicdesignchallenge.blogspot.com/2020/11/classic-design-challenge-november-11.html x

Crafts Galore Encore November 2020

It's been a half term school break here for the past two weeks and Wales has been placed in another lockdown. Not that we could go anywhere anyway as the weather has been awful with strong winds and heavy rain. Thank goodness it's back to school tomorrow as we're running out of things to do indoors. At least I've made a start on Christmas cards and ....

.... There is a new challenge at

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge Blog. 

Thank you to everyone who joined in with October's challenge. The winners have been announced on the challenge blog. This is a month long challenge and you can enter up to three times. There is a full list of rules on the challenge blog.

Our theme every month is the popular

"Anything Goes"

and our sponsor this month is:

Gecko Galz

who have a $25 voucher to their online store for our lucky winner.

I have made a selection of 6"x 6" (15 x 15 cm) Christmas cards.

These adorable little gnomes are from the Gnome for the Holidays digital collage set. The set has 17  delightful gnome images over two pages.

I paired the images with the papers from the Merry and Bright ATC Collection.

I used coloured card, mirror card, doileys and die cut snowflakes from my stash. The lovely ribbons are all from Fantastic Ribbons.

Here are a couple of Z-fold cards, one with a band. The great advantage to having Gecko Galz digital sets means you can print the images you want to use and the papers to match for each card. There are lots of fabulous collage and paper sets to choose from, so, grab a coffee and have a browse.

Now please visit the  Crafts Galore Encore challenge blog where you can see the wonderful projects and cards created by our talented design team using Gecko Galz images.

Grab some inspiration while you're there and enter your "Anything Goes" creations in the November challenge.

Stay safe everyone!

I have entered these cards in the following challenges:

http://geckogalzscrapbooking.blogspot.com/2020/11/white-christmas-challenge.html x