52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2025 - Week 26

The Crafting Niche 52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge 2025:

This is a weekly challenge. I provide you with a prompt/theme each Sunday morning through out the year.  The challenge is very relaxed.  You can do as much or as little as you like.  You can create cards, tags, Artist Trading Cards (ATC's) or index cards, the choice is yours. You just go with what ever is in your head at the time.  You can stamp, get inky, use patterned papers, texture, embellish it is all down to you.

There is a dedicated private Facebook Group, with a lovely bunch of people who are already sharing their makes from previous challenges.  You can find the group by clicking this link.  I'd love you to join in.

The prompt for Week 26 is "America - red, white and blue"

Here we are on Week 26 of the challenge - the half way point.  How quickly is the year passing!

Here's a photo of my first 26 tags of 2025.

For my week 26, "America - Red white & blue" tag, I started with a white tag.  I thought I had red ink in my caravan stash - turned out I didn't, so I had to improvise by using a red and a blue coloured pencil through a Woodware stencil called "Pampa" to get the pale coloured background pattern.

I then tore sections of a couple of Dina Wakley collage papers (the face and the alphabet) and glued into position over the top of the stencilled pattern. I used Versafine Clair "Nocturne" black ink to stamp the months and the dates, which are part of the Tim Holtz / Stampers Anonymous "Tidbits - CMS488" stamp set.  I also used a striped stencil with "Watering Can" 
Ranger Archival Ink for an extra layer.

Next, I painted the eyes a light blue colour.  I used a yellow Posca Pen roung the edges of "July" and the number "4".  I splattered redm white and blue Posca Pen paint across the surface of the tag.  Then used water colour paint in blue and red round the edges of the tag.

Finally I added a word sticker saying "Let's Celebrate" which is part of the Funky Fossil Designs "Sentimental Sticker Stack".

52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2025 - Week 25

The Crafting Niche 52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge 2025:

This is a weekly challenge. I provide you with a prompt/theme each Sunday morning through out the year.  The challenge is very relaxed.  You can do as much or as little as you like.  You can create cards, tags, Artist Trading Cards (ATC's) or index cards, the choice is yours. You just go with what ever is in your head at the time.  You can stamp, get inky, use patterned papers, texture, embellish it is all down to you.

There is a dedicated private Facebook Group, with a lovely bunch of people who are already sharing their makes from previous challenges.  You can find the group by clicking this link.  I'd love you to join in.

The prompt for Week 25 is "Flowers"

I sat down at my desk to make this tag with a full vision of what I would be making.  I had even written down notes for myself, but my hands had other ideas and I ended up with this vibrant tag instead.  I can save that idea for another time.

For this tag I used Jane Davenport/Creative Expressions Dreamer Washi Tape, along with some narrow tape I picked up at Hobbycraft and some strips of black card to make the background.  I splattered white Posca Pen over the surface too.

I rummaged through my stash and found some poppies (no idea of the brand), that I had stamped for a previous project and not used, so decided to make the most of them and fussy cut them using a Pritt glue stick to glue them to the surface of the tag.

I used a Creative Expression word sticker for the "Flower Power" sentiment and added some dots of "White Opal" Liquid Pearls to the surface.

52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2025 - Week 24

The Crafting Niche 52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge 2025:

This is a weekly challenge. I provide you with a prompt/theme each Sunday morning through out the year.  The challenge is very relaxed.  You can do as much or as little as you like.  You can create cards, tags, Artist Trading Cards (ATC's) or index cards, the choice is yours. You just go with what ever is in your head at the time.  You can stamp, get inky, use patterned papers, texture, embellish it is all down to you.

There is a dedicated private Facebook Group, with a lovely bunch of people who are already sharing their makes from previous challenges.  You can find the group by clicking this link.  I'd love you to join in.

The prompt for Week 24 is "Celebrate Dad"

In the UK it is Father's Day today.  Sadly my Dad is no longer with us, but I miss him every day.  This is the tag that I have made for the "Celebrate Dad" prompt.

I used some patterned paper, which came part of the "Crafter's Inspiration Series 8" pack, cut to size and stuck on to a tag. Using Versafine Clair "Nocturne" black ink, I stamped the "Always in our thoughts" stamp from the same magazine set. Then inked the edges of the tag.

I used "Green Parrot" Element Ink through the Sweet Poppy "Dots Backplate Sencil" in various areas.

I used a white pastel pencil, a black fine liner, a white gel pen and Posca Pens for added detail, finishing with dots of "Prickly Pear" Liquid Pearls and a "I Miss You" word sticker.

52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2025 - Week 23

The Crafting Niche 52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge 2025:

This is a weekly challenge. I provide you with a prompt/theme each Sunday morning through out the year.  The challenge is very relaxed.  You can do as much or as little as you like.  You can create cards, tags, Artist Trading Cards (ATC's) or index cards, the choice is yours. You just go with what ever is in your head at the time.  You can stamp, get inky, use patterned papers, texture, embellish it is all down to you.

There is a dedicated private Facebook Group, with a lovely bunch of people who are already sharing their makes from previous challenges.  You can find the group by clicking this link.  I'd love you to join in.

The prompt for Week 23 is "Earth Tones"

For the base of this tag, I used a piece of patterned paper in a fawn colour with print on it.

Using Versafine Clair Ink "Nocturne" black ink, I stamped the Sweet Poppy Stencil "Toadstool Large" stamp.  Next I used the Sweet Poppy "Dots Backplate Stencil" with "Watering Can" Ranger Archival Ink.

Next I used "Thistle" Ranger Archival Ink trhough the Cretive Expressions "Calm Mini Stencil".  I also inked the edges of the tag using the same ink. I added some green to the background to grunge it up a little, using "Pixie Green" Elements Ink with a blending brush.

I then moved on to colouring the stamped image, using some kids paints, colouring pencils and  Posca and gel pens

52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2025 - Week 22

The Crafting Niche 52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge 2025:

This is a weekly challenge. I provide you with a prompt/theme each Sunday morning through out the year.  The challenge is very relaxed.  You can do as much or as little as you like.  You can create cards, tags, Artist Trading Cards (ATC's) or index cards, the choice is yours. You just go with what ever is in your head at the time.  You can stamp, get inky, use patterned papers, texture, embellish it is all down to you.

There is a dedicated private Facebook Group, with a lovely bunch of people who are already sharing their makes from previous challenges.  You can find the group by clicking this link.  I'd love you to join in.

The prompt for Week 22 is "Dots and dashes"

For my Week 22 "Dots and dashes" tag, I started by sticking a sheet of patterned paper on to a plain tag,  I then added sections of Washi Tape and thin lines of plain white card strips.

I used a black Posca Pen to outline the white strips of card and to add small dots on the blue patterned paper. I then added bright pink dashes using a pink Posca Pen.

In my box of bits, I found three flowers I had stamped on to white card for a previous project but not used, so I fussy cut those and stuck into position.

Finally, I added a word sticker that says "Live, create, tell the story", adding a dot of green liquid pearls to the middle of each of the stamped flower.

52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2025 - Week 21

The Crafting Niche 52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge 2025:

This is a weekly challenge. I provide you with a prompt/theme each Sunday morning through out the year.  The challenge is very relaxed.  You can do as much or as little as you like.  You can create cards, tags, Artist Trading Cards (ATC's) or index cards, the choice is yours. You just go with what ever is in your head at the time.  You can stamp, get inky, use patterned papers, texture, embellish it is all down to you.

There is a dedicated private Facebook Group, with a lovely bunch of people who are already sharing their makes from previous challenges.  You can find the group by clicking this link.  I'd love you to join in.

The prompt for Week 21 is "Anniversaries"

Today, 25th May 2025, my Hubby and I celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary.  This of course had to be the prompt for the week.

For my tag, I have used some patterned paper for the base using a page from the Funky Fossil Designs "Vintage Patchwork" patterned paper pack.  I then used an additional page and fussy cut the flowers so they overlapped.

I used a black pen to outline the flowers to give the impression of depth and then drew vertical and horizontal lines to create a rough grid in the background.

Finally, I added the words "The best thing that happened to me is you" which is part of a Creative Expressions sentiment sheet.  Then added some dots of "White Opal" Liquid Pearls.

52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2025 - Week 20

The Crafting Niche 52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge 2025:

This is a weekly challenge. I provide you with a prompt/theme each Sunday morning through out the year.  The challenge is very relaxed.  You can do as much or as little as you like.  You can create cards, tags, Artist Trading Cards (ATC's) or index cards, the choice is yours. You just go with what ever is in your head at the time.  You can stamp, get inky, use patterned papers, texture, embellish it is all down to you.

There is a dedicated private Facebook Group, with a lovely bunch of people who are already sharing their makes from previous challenges.  You can find the group by clicking this link.  I'd love you to join in.

The prompt for Week 20 is "The Great Outdoors"

For this tag, I used Stampscape polymer stamps from Sweet Poppy stencils for the stamping, using the Birch Tree Large and Medium and the Deer Silhouette stamped in Versafine Clair second generation stamping.  This gave me a very light stamped image that I was able to use water colour paints to colour, adding shading using a black fine liner and a white gel pen,  I added touches of Posca Pen to the reeds to give the impression of flowers.