Sunday, August 21, 2016

Steampunk Sea - Pilin' On the Die Cuts

The theme this fortnight at Pile It On is Die Cut Embellishments. We're sponsored by Dr. Digi's House of Stamps. I was inspired by this Graphic 45 paper to make this funky steampunk card.




Inspiration/Challenges:
The Crafty Addicts: Anything Goes/Use Die-cuts
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper: Anything Goes with Patterned Paper
Mod Squad Challenge: The Die's The Thing
SanDee & Amelie's Steampunk Challenges: Anything Goes Steampunk/Industrial
Pile It On: Die Cut Embellishments


Thank you for visiting & inspiring my crafting! Hope you'll join us at Pile It On,



Friday, August 19, 2016

Under the Sea -- More than One Fold at Crafting with Dragonflies

Our theme this fortnight at Crafting with Dragonflies is More than One Fold.

Mom found this circle-fold card tutorial in Papercraft Essentials issue #128, and I was inspired to try my own.  I used the pocket to add a tag.


The starfish/sand dollar border & the crab on the pail are from a Tiddly Inks clear stamp set.



Inspiration/Challenges:
Crafting with Dragonflies: More than One Fold
The Crazy Challenge: Birthday Card
Deep Ocean Challenge: Seaside/Beach
Fantasy Stampers Challenge Blog: At The Beach
More than One Score at Scor-Pal: Birthday + more than one score
Paper Shelter Challenge: Birthday Wishes
Tiddly Inks: Under The Sea + Tiddly Inks clear stamps


Thank you for visiting, 

Sunday, August 14, 2016

Scenic Cicadas - Anything but a Card + Tutorial with the UnstampaBelles

The UnstampaBelles August challenge is Anything but a Card with the twist of including a tutorial for your project in your post. You can make whatever you like without using any stamps.

I decided to make a little scene with some "dog day" cicada shells that I collected from our backyard this summer, as a fun gift for my husband. I was partly inspired by clay Castillo-style Day of the Dead scenes. We saw many lovely ones on our recent trip to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. The tiny cups & doughnut were purchased there at the cute little store, Artlalli, and the dish is from the local craft market. We always have such a lovely time there, together.

Here's a cicada emerging from its shell right on our back deck a few days ago.

Here they are enjoying the summer sun, fearlessly, next to cicada hawk holes.

This was such a fun project to make, and I urge you to try something similar. You certainly don't have to use cicada shells! This would be so cute with tiny teddy bears or, of course, skeletons. At least try out the homemade clay!

Whenever I craft with natural items (feathers, wood, seeds), I put them in the freezer first for at least a day. This serves to kill any residents. I usually put them in a plastic bag; this photo is just for show...although my husband has returned home to similar scenes!

The chairs are made from small wooden spoons, which I kept from a fabulous taste-testing of unusual ice cream flavors on the street in Dolores Hidalgo. I used my paper cutter to make a small slice in each spoon, and carefully cracked them into a right angel. I colored/edged them with a black Copic marker, and traced the shapes onto this tile-inspired paper from Love nicole/AC Moore. I used Glossy accents to adhere the paper & coat the chairs.

I made the chair legs from a 1.5-inch square of black paper.

The tabletop was made with the DP & black cardstock, and coated & secured with Glossy Accents. I used my Crop-O-Dile to add an eyelet in the center of the table. The table leg is made from a black straw/stir stick. The umbrella was made with a Tim Holtz rosette die & a daisy-printed, glittered vellum that I have leftover from our wedding album. Which I completed 12 years ago...!  I covered the gluey top with a metal embellishment.

The base is made from homemade clay; just cornstarch & glue. I colored the clay with Chamois & Barley Beige Copic marker ink refills. I pressed a MFT brick-patterned stencil onto it, and rubbed the surface with Peanut Butter Memento ink. I had to secure the table with a mound of clay, but the chairs are just pressed into it.

Although I prefer to use a better spray coating, my trusty hairspray works to give the shells some protection. I used Glossy Accents to add the tiny cups in their tiny claws, and to get them to sit so nicely. I heat-embossed the "Joy" metal embellishment with a silver powder, in reference to the lovely plata of Mexico.

Hope you enjoyed my tutorial, and hope you'll join us this month at UnstampaBelles.

May your summer be filled with sweet moments!


Thank you for visiting,


Monday, August 8, 2016

A distinguished lady of a certain age - Humor at Crafting with Dragonflies

I was my turn to choose this fortnight's theme for Crafting with Dragonflies, and I chose Humor. Let's share some smiles!


I've had this sentiment stamp from Viva Las VegaStamps for a few years, and I'm so happy to have found the perfect project for it! The distinguished lady of a certain age is one of my favorite rubber stamps from Art Impressions Stamps. I colored the image with Copics; the clothes of paper-pieced with patterned tissue papers. Her hair is covered with Flowersoft that I died gray with Copic ink. Following my mustache theme (the sentiment border is made from Recollections mustache stamps), I added a touch of white flocking on her upper lip and a touch on her chin!

The background is a DP from Love nicole that I got at AC Moore just today! I altered it with glitter sprays, an embossing folder, a SU! roller stamp, ink smooshing, and holographic glitter embossing powder.

http://vivalas.blogspot.com.au/2016/08/august-challenge.html
Inspiration/Challenges:
Art Impressions Stamp Challenge: #190 Glitter & Shimmer
Crafting with Dragonflies: #64 Something Humorous
Ike's World: #69 Pun Intended
Mod Squad Challenge: Bordered Sentiment + No Flowers
Sisterhood of the Snarky Stampers : I is for Inappropriate
Viva Las VegaStamps August Challenge: Inspiration Board (Humor between women, Pride of age & appearance, Colors, Artsy coloring) + VLVS stamp (sentiment)



Thank you for visiting, and hope you'll join us at Crafting with Dragonflies,

Sunday, August 7, 2016

Pilin' On Handmade Backgrounds

The theme this fortnight at Pile It On is Make your own background. We're sponsored by Paper Sweeties.


Inspiration/Challenges:
Craft-Dee BowZ: Anything Goes with a Handmade Bow
The Crafty Addicts: Anything Goes/Emboss It
Morgan's Art World: Add 3 of Something (3 sequins)
Paper Sweeties August Challenge: Color Inspiration
Pile It On: Make your own Background


Thank you for visiting & inspiring my crafting! Hope you'll join us at Pile It On,



Friday, August 5, 2016

Surprises with Stamplorations

My Nuts & Bolts card was a Top Pick for Stamplorations' June Sketch Challenge! They invited me to join their fun August Sketch/Theme challenge.

I actually made this while on vacation in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. In the background you can see a bit of the gorgeous grounds of my aunt's fabulous B&B (http://www.bedandbreakfastinmexico.com/).





Inspiration/Challenges:
Stamplorations August Sketch/Theme Challenge: Sketch
Crafty Ribbons: #163 Anything Goes With Ribbons
Get Creative Challenges: Lots of Blue

Thank you for visiting & hope you'll join the fun at Stamplorations!