Week 5 - 52 Week Art Card/Tag Challenge

The prompt for Week 5 is "Precious".

There are all sorts of things that we consider "Precious".  For me my Grandson Jacob is precious. Jacob will be one years old this week and he is a Down Syndrome baby.

This first year has not been an easy one for Jacob, his parents, sister and extended family.  For the first five months of his life he was mainly in hospital, eventually having a major heart operation.  For this reason and a million others, Jacob is my "Precious".

The tag I have made for Week 5 consists of two layers of a die cut flower (using a Tim Holtz, Alterations Sizzix die).  On each petal I have written words relating to Jacob.

Don't forget, I would love to know if you are following this challenge and any of your creations.

Published Card - Simply Cards & Papercraft Magazine (issue 159)

I had a pleasant surprise this afternoon.  While flicking through "Simply Cards & Papercrafts" magazine (issue 159), I spotted a card I had submitted to them back in the summer.  Later this afternoon, Postie delivered a free gift in relation to the published card, three packs of decoupage papers.

You're In My Thoughts Card

For this card I used a Stampin' Up "Floral Boutique" patterned paper and Spellbinder die from the "Renaissance Jubilee" set.  The sentiment is from a Papertrey Ink stamp set called "Fillable Frames Sentiments".

Week 4 - 52 Week Art Card/Tag Challenge 2017

The prompt for Week 4 is "My Bed".

I started by embossing an off-cut of patterned paper.  I used a Stampin' Up, "Boho Chic" embossing folder.  I then stuck the paper onto some card and cut it into a tag shape.  I inked the edges which highlighted the embossed pattern.

I then drew cloud outlines on card and cut them out, inking the edges.  I wrote on the clouds and stuck them to the tag.  I die cut a butterfly and added an arch of "z's" above the word snore.

Spellbinder White On White Card

I seem to be in Spellbinder mode at the moment.  This card is made with layers of Spellbinder die cuts.  Some are elevated with foam pads, others are flat for definition.  

Spellbinder 60th Birthday Card

I found out that my neighbour will be celebrating her 60th birthday tomorrow so made this card for her using some Spellbinder & Sizzix dies.

Week 3 - 52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge 2017

Week 3 Prompt is "Winter".

Little did I know when I set the prompts that this week would be so apt with recent weather conditions, however, I am feeling a little cheated as we have not had snow here in Anglesey!

My thoughts on Winter are "Cold, Clear, Starry Nights = Frozen Puddles" in the morning.  Which I attempted to interpret with this tag.

This was actually my third attempt at a tag for this prompt.  Who would have thought it could be so difficult!  I was originally aiming for the the feathered frozen windscreen effect you get when you need to de-ice the car, but it just wasn't working for me, so I moved on to "Plan B". My crafting attempts don't always work the first time!  Here are the tags I ditched.

Wishing You A Beautiful Day

Last night I played with dies and flowers to create this card, which I think has turned out rather well.

Two Spellbinder Cards

My word it has been chilly here today but fortunately no snow - yet!  So because of the weather, I didn't venture out, other than walking Polly the dog.

I dug out my Spellbinder dies and made these two cards, they both have Stampin' Up sentiments on. (The butterfly is a Memorybox die).

60th Male Birthday Card

I had half an hour to play with some paper and came up with this 60th Birthday card for a male.

The patterned cardstock is actually a purchase from Lidl some time ago, which has been sat waiting for an appropriate occassion.  I used a Sizzix die to cut the 60 and die cut the stitched squares.

Week 2 - 52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge 2017

So here we are on the second week of the challenge.  Week 1 has really flown past.  The prompt for Week 2 is "Reuse/Recycle".

For my tag, I  started by tearing a section off a cardboard box, stripping the paper layer on one side to expose the ridged middele layer.  I then used some white emulsion paint to coat the piece of card.  While that was drying, I rescued other bits and pieces from the recycle box.

The next was the waxed paper from a sleeve of breakfast cereal (Weetabix).  I scrunched the paper then lightly smoothed it.  I then inked the paper using a grey colour, which hit only the high spots on the paper, creating a mottled/marbled/textured effect.  Other items I rescued were clothes tags, black and white bar codes from products and a section of an entrance ticket.

I also used some sections of die cuts from my scrap paper box and a stamped image.  Adding a stray button and some tags too.

A New Baby Congratulations Card

I have a bit of a thing for Penny Black stamps, so I obviously had to use one of their stamps for this new baby card.  It's called "Baby Hammock - 2073J", a 2001 stamp from their Margaret Sherry Collection.

I coloured the stamped image using my water colour pencils & then die cut the image into a circle.  I mounted the circle on two further die cuts.  The congratulations sentiment is from a Stampin' Up set called "Floral Phrases".

A New Grandparents Card

I made a quick New Grandparents card for a relative this morning.  I used a die cut stamped sentiment (the stamp was from Inkwell Stamps).  Mounted on Stampin' Up "Floral Boutique" patterned paper.

Dude You Rock Card

Making cards for boys can be difficult at the best of times.  This one is for a ten year old going on 16!

I used a Cuttlebug embossing folder for the texture background.  I die cut the stars and the oval shapes and then stamped a sentiment from thePapertrey Ink stamp set called "Signature Greetings".

A Spaniel Card

Last night I made a little card for our three year old Granddaughter Willow.  On Monday she will start doing full days at school, which is quite a big thing for her as she will be wearing her uniform too.

We have a black and white spaniel called Polly, so I thought she would like this card.  I have used a Penny Black stamp called "Butterfly Surprise - 1698D".

Back to Card Making after the festive break

It feels like I have not made a card for ages.  I have lots of cards to make for occassions in January and early February.  However, this card doesn't fit the brief for any of them, so it will go in the "just in case I've forgotten someone box".

This card uses a Stampin' Up embossing folder called "Petal Burst" for the background.  I have then used Creative Expression flower and leaf dies from their "Stitched Doodle Flower" set.  The sentiment is a Papertrey Ink stamp from their "Stylish Sentiment" set.  I added a little bling.

Week 1 - 52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge

So it is the first Monday of January and here is the prompt for Week 1 of the 52 Week Mini Art Card Challenge.  The prompt is "Reflecting".

Remember, anything goes.  This is a way to get you crafting and a good way to test new techniques.   I'd love it if you share your creations with me. Here's my tag:

52 Week Mini Art Card Challenge - 2017

Back in 2008, I took part in a mini art challenge called "52 Q Challenge".  I really enjoyed it so thought I would replicate it by providing a "prompt" on this blog each Monday morning of 2017. Starting on Monday 2nd January 2017.

The idea is that the prompt/word will be provided and then you can create a tag/ATC (artist trading card) or use a page in a book to interpret the prompt in any way you please.  It could be through the medium of collage, inking, journalling your thoughts or anything you fancy.  It is up to you.  If you do join in with the challenge, I would love to see what you create.

I've attached some photos of some of the ATC cards I created for the 2008 challenge (at the end of the year, I stuck each card into a book to keep them all together).