Jan 6, 2021

Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday - January Challenge, and How to Make Your Own Shiplap Paper with 2 Easy Steps

Hello and welcome to the January Crafty Wednesday challenge right here on my blog! I'm so glad you decided to check it out and hope you'll join in too! Be sure to scroll down to see if you were one of my top picks! 


For the month of January the theme I have chosen is..............


Something Old and/or Something New

(or anything goes).


I can't wait to see what you'll share this month!


My January Sample


For my card I decided to try a new to me technique: DIY Shiplap Paper and I used some older  supplies to create my card. 


This post does include some affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links. As always, this is at no cost to you. Thank you so much for your support!



The puppy is part of an older stamp set by Penny Black - Critter Party - stamped with Memento Tuxedo ink and colored with Copic markers. I fussy cut the image to use on my card.
The cute circle hearts die cut frame is by Avery Elle. I used yellow card stock from Stampin Up for this.


Related Products:



Sentiment is from Penny Black's set So Very Much, also stamped with Memento Tuxedo ink and layered onto a strip of the same yellow card stock. 


I embellished with a yellow button (options) and some May Arts jute twine, adhered to some gray patterned paper (it's hard to tell but the paper has a cross hatch pattern) and then to a white 110lb card base. I'm currently using Michaels' Heavyweight Recollections brand for my card bases.






How to make your own shiplap paper:

  • Score a piece of white card stock 3/4 inches apart using a scoring tool. You need to have good impressions so be sure to use some pressure when scoring. 
  • Next I used Pumice Stone Distress Oxide ink and swiped (wiped?) over the raised area. You will also transfer some ink next to the scoring lines but that's ok and this will just add to the look of shiplap paper (faux wood).




I'm linking up here:
Anything Goes:

Themes:
Crafting Happiness Challenges - Animals // Path of Positivity - Something Positive // Crafty Calendar - Cute // Penny Black Saturday Challenge - AG or Something New (New to me technique) // Sweet Stampin - Something New (new to me technique) // 2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Critters // Crafty Animals - Animals // Simon Says Stamp - Something New (New to me Technique)

Last month Top Picks


Thank you all so much for joining in and sharing your wonderful creations! It's always so hard to select favorites but it's something that needs to be done and here they are in order of entry. 


No. 18 Debbie M.
No. 31 Carole J.
No. 53 Maxine D. 




As always, in order to be in compliance with GDPR I am not able to post links, but I recently decided to create a Pinterest Board where my Top Picks of the month will be pinned with links back to each Top Pick's blogs. 



Congratulations! Your Top Pick logo is below, feel free to post it to your own blogs!




To play along this month simply use the linky tool below.

A few things to remember:

  • You may follow the theme or anything crafty goes.
  • Backlinking is allowed.
  • You may combine with any other challenges.
  • You may use any brand of stamps/digis/products (no company restriction).
  • No more than 3 entries per person please - no worries if you end up with more.
  • Please do include a link back here to my blog in your blog post.


You Might Also Like These Posts:




Jan 4, 2021

New Hero Arts My Monthly Hero Kit Releasing Today!

Happy Monday! 

Today the new My Monthly Hero kit from Hero Arts is releasing and thought I'd write a quick note about it here on my blog in case you are interested in it as well. It's a gorgeous kit from what I have seen in the previews and it's on my wishlist :-) I just LOVE anything bee related and this kit includes some gorgeous flowers too! There are some beautiful add-ons released as well! 


Here is what the kit looks like: 


Kit contents:

6" x 8" Clear Stamp Set
Coordinating Frame Cuts
Honeycomb Window Die
Honey Lacquer Pen
6 5.5" x 8.5" Sheets of Paper (2 each in Pale Yellow Glitter, Black Glitter and Gold Brillanca)

You can see all new January release products / Add-On's here:





PS: Hero Arts does offer Kit subscriptions where you will automatically receive the kit each month. You can read about the subscription options HERE.



Thanks so much for visiting! I'll be back on Wednesday with my monthly Crafty Wednesday challenge!




PS: The links here are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase through the links, but as always there is no extra cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting my blog!





Jan 2, 2021

A Masculine Birthday Card with Penny Black Critters

Hello and welcome! Today is the start of a new theme at Allsorts challenge, we're starting the year off with an open theme, so Anything Goes and I am this week's host. I'd love for you all to join in and share your new crafty creations with us for a chance to win a gorgeous stamp!


This post includes some affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links. As always, this is at no cost to you. Thank you so much for your support!


I had a somewhat inky background lying around on my desk and thought it was perfect for a masculine birthday card using some cute critters by Penny Black stamped directly onto the background. 


The animals (from the Penny Black set Happy Critters) were stamped using Versafine Onyx ink and colored with my Faber Castell Polychromos pencils. The wall textures were done with a Brick Wall stamp and if you look closely you might notice a bit of a clock on the top left side. This was done with a TCW Clock Stencil.

The "Happy Birthday" sentiment came from the same set. I think this simple font is perfect for masculine cards. The small sentiment "time to celebrate" is part of an old Stampin Up stamp set.

Related Products:  


Before adhering to patterned paper, I inked the edges using  Blueprint Sketch ink. The patterned paper has been in my stash for a while like most of my patterned papers and I don't know who the maker is. I added a couple of staples to the larger sentiment before adhering to the card base. 



Stamps:Penny Black Happy Critters // Penny Black Brick Wall // Stampin Up Retired (small sentiment)
Tools: TCW Clock Stencil // Faber Castell Polychromos // Stapler // Blending Tool 
Papers: Bristol Vellum // Patterned Paper from Stash // 110 lb Cardstock for Base



I'm linking up here:
Anything Goes:
Themes:
2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Critters //  Crafting Happiness Challenges - Celebration // Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Celebrate // Crafty Calendar - Make it Cute // Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Use Penny Black Stamps or Something New


Dec 30, 2020

Year in Review 2020 - My Favorite Handmade Cards

At the end of each year I like to take a look back at all the cards I made during the year and pick my favorites to share in my "year in review" post. I usually choose a favorite of the month to make it easier. I did have a tie in February but that's the only month where I couldn't decide.

I've linked to the original post above each creation, if you'd like to find out more about each card, simply click that link. This year I also noted why I picked each particular card 😀


January

Click here or original post.


I love the earthy tones of this card and the way the background turned out.


February


Can't help but smile when I see this image and I love the red and black color combo and the way the papers compliment each other.

and

Using PSX Stamp K2883

I love the vintage feel of this card and think the lace is the perfect embellishment here.  

March

Using Lavinia Stamps

I love how these colors compliment each other and the random way the ink turned out on the background.

April


I remember struggling with this card and love how it turned out with the stenciled background and strip of patterned paper at the bottom.

May

Using Lavinia Stamps

I often struggle creating pretty backgrounds and scenes for my Lavinia fairies (or I don't know where to begin) which is why I don't reach for them more, but absolutely love how this one turned out.

June


I love the way the harlequin patterned paper compliments the collage style image and ink splatters.



July


This card just makes me smile! Loved mixing "cute" and "brushstroke" on this card. And I think the yellow is so fun and cheerful!

August

Using Penny Black  Painter's Vase and Blooming Sentiments

Love the inky background on this and the color blue is one of my favorites.

September


I love how this cute garden scene turned out mixing up "cute" and "floral" stamps. 

October


Snowy seems to make my "favorite" list often. I just love how the paper piecing coordinates with the border. And it's a favorite stamp because my husband picked him out for me many years ago :-)

November



I love how the dotted paper frames the watercolor style image panel.

December



Once again I love the way I used a brushstroke stamp with a cute stamp to create the card. And of course this cutie and sentiment combo just makes me smile.




As you can see I still love my "cute" stamps but have been enjoying playing with inks just the same and I am sure that will continue in the new year. In last years year in review post I mentioned that I didn't do so well with my New Years Resolution of using up more of my patterned papers. I had the same resolution for 2020 and I did a little bit better, since I've cut most of my papers down to 6x6 and now keep them within reach next to my desk. 

For 2021 I'm setting a few crafty resolutions:
  • Try some new (to me) techniques or re-discover old ones
  • Organize a box of bare rubber stamps so I can actually see what they are
  • Continue incorporating patterned papers
  • Add some missing Distress Inks to my collection
If you have done a year in review post on your blog, please do let me know in the comments so I can come take a look at what you've been up to in 2020. 

Thanks so much for visiting!!

This post includes some affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links. As always, this is at no cost to you. Thank you so much for your support!
 


I'm linking up here:

Sunday Showcase with Ada and Mirelle // Inspire Me Monday // Hello Monday // Random-osity Good, Random, Fun // You're The Star Blog Hop Link Party @Stonecottage Adventures // Anything Goes with Your Hosts @ My Random Musings // Little Cottage Linkup // Love your Creativity Link Party // Hearth and Soul (starts Monday night) // Shelbee On the Edge Spread the Kindness // Jenerally Informed Happy Now Blog Link // Tuesday with a Twist @Stonecottage Adventures // Tuesday Turn About // Effortlessly Sophisticated // Wonderful Wednesday // Classy Flamingos // Welcome Wednesdays // What's Up Wednesday? // Little Things Thursday // Thursday Favorite Things // Traffic Jam Weekend //@Being a Wordsmith Slices of Life (Encouraging Hearts and Home) // A Morning Cup of Joe // Fridays at the Fire Station // Shelbee on the Edge // A Little Bit of Everything // Dare to Share /



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