January ATC Swap

The end of the month has arrived and so it's time for swapping the ATCs at ATC Swappers. This was the first of the monthly swaps and the theme was 'Favourites'.

I used my favourite Pink Petticoat image - the groovy looking lion. He was coloured with Promarkers and was given a Stickled mane. He was then matted and layered on yellow and red cardstock which was inked with black chalk (another favourite techique of mine). The yellow layer is attached with foam squares to add dimension.

Check out the rest of the great ATCs at http://atcswappers.blogspot.com/. The February theme is Countryside - check it out and hopefully join in.

Taxi Milk Carton

Here's another of the Milk Carton boxes I made. I used the Dads Taxi Pink Petticoat set again - I think I may end up boring you with this set soon!!!

Elzybells Challenge 12

I couldn't believe the new challenge over on the Elzybells Blog- to create a valentines treat or gift. Only last night I was busy making a card for the comp that's running and got carried away and made some gift ideas too! Must be turning into a mind reader!!!

So here goes with a 'Valentine Milk Carton' and a 'Pop-out Photo Album'.

Here's the album beginning to open up. It opens once more but thought this pic shows the front and back cover well.

NEW BLOG!!!!!

As the ATC Swap I've been organising has taken off, I thought it would be easier to set up a seperate blog to showcase the swaps and to update the info about them. So here we go, presenting the new ATC Swapping Blog:

http://atcswappers.blogspot.com/

Hop on over for a looksie and hopefully join in with it - there's still plenty of time. Obviously there is't much to see there yet but once he end of January arrives, it'll soon look better.

Any comment or suggestions about the swap or the blog would be great too.

Thanks a lot to all who have supported this venture - lets hope it goes from strength to strength.

Dad's Taxi

Here we go with some more from this Pink Petticoat set. Lots of nice bold colours to brighten up this dreary day (although the sun has actually come out right now and it looks glorious outside).

Images coloured in with Promarkers and made into toppers with nestabilities. Matted and layered on Cuttlebugged cardstock.

I really like the fact that I already had Promarkers which matched the cardstock colours. A fluke if I say so as I hadn't gone out to intentionally buy them. So expect to see more of these colours used!!!

Pink Petticoat Competition

Here's my entry for the Pink Petticoat Competition which is to use 'a paper design you have personalised yourself in some way'. I made the backing paper using the Washed Out set in Envy Green and then printed out the Big Spots set on top again using the Envy Green.

To highlight the spots I've coloured each one using my Sakura Clear Glaze pen - it hasn't shown up in the pic though :(

Finished it off with some ribbon and inking using brown chalk and some glittery brown ink. The topper again is using a Pink Petticoat set, Dad's Taxi, which I've coloured in with Promarkers and then used Nestabilities. I used the same coloured chalks to tie it in with the rest.

Hope you like it.

Some Minimalist Pink Petticoats

Just a quick update for you today. It was a lovely suprise thisevening when I came home and found THREE more envelopes with ATCs inside for the swap so thanks JOANNE, CAROL and Julie. The swaps are so diverse - we have Magnolia images, Forever Friends, Pink Petticoat, Amazing Techniques and oodles of glitter so far. Please, please feel free to join in if you haven't yet, there's still plenty of time. (Also, my delivery of New Elzybells stamps arrived today but I'm waiting for my Memento Ink to arrive first so that I'm able to use my Promarkers without smudges and leakages!)

And here are some cards I've been working on. I need a set of thank you cards and was inspired by Elaine and her Elzy card from a few Sunday Showcases ago and have kept them minimal. I've simply printed out the image on A5 linen card, folded in half and coloured in with Promarkers - easy peasy. Sorry about the darkness of the pics -it must be the winter sky!!!

But I got carried away and had a go at some of the other images too.

Elzybells Challenge 11 - Colour Challenge

This fortnight's challenge over on the Elzybells Blog is a colour one - Pink, Blue and Green. I haven't made a card but a box:

I'm not 100% happy with it. I originally had another plan for the flowers which would have taken a long time but ended up colouring them in with Promarkers - the pink ones were coloured with a darker shade of pink and the same with the blue. If I'd known I was going to do this, I would have stamped more of them on the sides. Maybe I should have stamped them on the lid too.

I know there isn't much green on it but I have slipped some in on the bags.

Sneak Peek at our 'favourites'

I thought I'd show a 'Sneak Peek' at some of the ATCs that have arrived for our January swap so far (I know there's still a while before the end of the month but thought it would inspire people). So here goes:

Dawne's favourite technique:


Hazel's favourite Forever Friends

And one of my favourite images

Remember, this swap is open to anyone to join in, there are no restrictions on images / techniques used. So if you are interested, just drop me an e-mail at atcswappers@hotmail.co.uk and I'll send you all the info (plus there's more info in the posts below).

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Week 31

On the PBSC blog, the challenge this week is a colour scheme -PINK & BROWN. Here's my effort:

This is my first PB card in ages and the first time I've ued my Promarkers on one of the Hedgies. I think I still need to play about with the colours a bit to get them looking better.

And if any of you are new to my blog and are looking at this post via the PBSC Blog then have a think about joining in with the ATC swap I am trying to start (details above) as it would be great to have some of you join in and have some PB images floating about in the swap.

ATC Swaps

I've been thinking lately about how I miss making and swapping ATCs. I used to really enjoy making them but a lot of the swaps I used to join in with suddenly stopped. Without the inspiration and the 'want' to swap to get some back, I found I haven't made any. So why am I babbling on, well, I thought it would be nice to get a small group of people together and create our own little swap group. It wouldn't be anything major!

What I was thinking was that each month we'd have a theme, then create 4 ATCs (all identical or individual) and then post them to me by the end of the month and I'll swap them and send you 4 back. I'll create a list for the 12 months and e-mail them to you so that you know what's coming up well in advance.

Obviously for this to work, I'd need at least 4 others to show an interest before we can begin. I've created a Hotmail Account so that I can keep track of things in case it does take off, (EDIT - It has taken off and is in full swing) so if you are interested, leave a comment here and drop me a line at:

atcswappers@hotmail.co.uk

There'd be no stringent rules about style or what to use - any images, any techniques, any methods will be fine (as long as you remember they need to be able to go through the post).

Please spread the word around your crafty friends. Hopefully there'll be enough interest and we can start our first swap in January! (EDIT - There has ben enough interest and our first theme is FAVOURITES, see below for more info) I know there are lot of Challenges and such around these days but I always enjoyed recieving ATCs in the post and seeing how others interpreted the theme and hope others feel that this is something they'd like to participate in.

I've edited this post so that it remains on the top - please see below for newer posts and sneak peeks at the ATCs that have already been sent in.

From small beginnings...

When I got home from work today I was so excited to find the first set of ATCs for the new swap waiting and what amazing ones they are - thanks Dawne, they ae superb and whoever gets them will be so glad of them. Anyone who wants to join in with us then check out the posts below - the more the merrier.

I thought I'd also update you on what I've been up to since the New Year. As part of my Outdoor Education Course, I spent a cuple of days living in a wooden hut (with walls missing!) in the middle of a forest in -9 degrees!!! Despite this, I was nice and warm and very cosy in my sleeping bag and managed to have a good 11 hours kip - the most I've had in ages!

And seeing as I haven't posted a card in a while, I thought I'd show you one I made for Christmas (a bit late I know). I wanted to make a 'big' card and so used an A3 piece of card stock. I've taken a pic next to my uual C6 card to show the magnitude of the other one.

Decoupaged it up to add dimension.

A bit of an update...

Can I just thank those who have shown an interest in swapping some ATCs. I have sent a reply to those who have e-mailed me with all the details. Our first theme is going to be 'favourites' (be it your favourite technique, your favourite colour, favourite image/stamp or favourite hobby outside of crafting). If you would like to join in, then simply drop me line on this e-mail addy and I will send you the info you need:

atcswappers@hotmail.co.uk

and send in 4 ATCs (either all the same or 4 different, it's up to you).

So, another update, here's an engagement card I made using an image I was sent by a friend - thank you for it, it helped me a lot as my mojo had deserted me at the time.