P for a Pile of Presents

The last letter for The Craft Barn's Alpha Dictionary Challenge is P so I've chosen to do PRESENTS as it's Christmas ......so a pile of pretty presents plus purple parcels!!

I've used the Christmas Parcel stamp set from Oak House Studio, embossed in silver and coloured with various markers.  As it's Christmas I did include the holly but I have to say the set is suitable for any event really.   I've stamped the holly on the purple card as a border, piled the presents on and added the P Thicker letter and the torn dictionary definitions. 

I'm really pleased I've managed to keep up with this Challenge and here is a photo of all my 26 postcards together....I just need to find the time to make a book for them.  Many thanks for visiting me all year and for all your wonderful comments - they make it all worthwhile.  Also thanks to The Craft Barn for a great challenge - I'm looking forward to seeing what next year's challenge is!!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, got plenty of craft goodies and Best Wishes for 2017!

Elaine xx

M for Moon

I should be writing Christmas cards but thought I'd get my postcard done for the Craft Barn's Alpha Dictionary Challenge - the penultimate letter is M.   I'm a bit short of bold blue postcards in my set so that decided the colour scheme .....and what goes better with blue than MOON.

Please feel free to sing along whilst reading this!!  

The background is a mix of Distress Inks with a masked moon and I've created the rays by lifting the colour off with some water.   I'm afraid my moon isn't exactly round but  just see it as a hazy corona!!  I've added some Musical Score stamping to keep you singing along plus the dictionary definition and M Thicker letter.

Quick and easy this time and only P to go - might have to make a head start on that as the next letter is due Christmas Day. Thanks for visiting and for all your lovely comments!

Elaine x

Y for YEAR

Here's my next postcard for The Craft Barn's Alpha Dictionary Challenge where the letter is Y.   Really struggled with this one as there are few words to choose from.... in the end I've done YEAR.

I couldn't find any suitable stamps so I decided to cut up my 2016 Calendar - it's an RSPB one and as with all calendars it has small photos on the back to show the different months.  I've chosen the birds I liked the best and 3 of them have yellow on them!!   I've just hand-drawn a frame, added the Y Thicker and the dictionary definition.

Not very inspiring this time I'm afraid but I guess I am the same as everyone else - short of time and ideas!!   Thanks for visiting and for your comments.

Elaine xx

I is for Illuminate

Here with my postcard for The Craft Barn's Alpha Dictionary Challenge where the letter is I.   There are quite a lot of I words but few that I had a stamp or idea for.  So I've chosen ILLUMINATE so think lights and illuminated letters.

The background is a mix of Colour Chemistry Spray Inks - Citrus Yellow, Pumpkin Pie, Jubilee Red and a bit of Precious Purple (indigo) to create an intense colour scheme as my H and J pages are paler ones.   The stamps are Punky Flowers from Chocolate Baroque and Mini Calligraphy Set from The Artistic Stamper - I've embossed both in gold to represent illuminated manuscripts of old.  I've just used various markers to add more depth of colour, the letter I Thicker  and the torn dictionary definition.

I've lost track of how many we have left - 2 or 3 - but I'm so looking forward to seeing everyone's end of year photos.   Thanks for visiting and for commenting!!

Elaine xx

PS. I'm also linking to the Craft Stamper Challenge this month where Anything Goes as long as there is some stamping !!

U for Umbrella

Back with my next postcard for The Craft Barn's Alpha Dictionary Challenge where the letter this time is U.  Having had a read of my dictionary I see there are lots of Un... words but nothing inspiring so I'm going to have to stick with my first thought and use Umbrella Man!

The background is a mix of  Waterfall Pure Colour Chemistry Ink blended over with Blueprint Sketch and Wilted Violet distress inks ....so think ultramarine and ultraviolet. I've flicked water over it to create the rainy look.  I've used Tim Holtz's Umbrella Man - he could be an undercover agent, or an underworld figure and he's definitely underwater hence the need for an umbrella.   Is that enough U words yet?  Anyway it's just finished with the U Thicker and dictionary definition.

I know the Craft Barn will be doing some sort of challenge next year but does anyone have suggestions of other ones I could do that would keep me motivated.  I seem to have lost the plot a bit!!

Thank you all for visiting and I hope you like my postcard.

Elaine  xx

V for Valentine

For various reasons I'm not getting much crafting done but thought I'd have a play this afternoon and make my postcard for The Craft Barn's Alpha Dictionary Challenge.  The letter this time is V - I've chosen Valentine but if you visit regularly you will know I've tried to use as many v words as possible!!

So the background is a variegated vibrant mix of yellows through to reds and I've stamped the Pansy Pot down the side with Vermillion Archival.  I've also gold embossed the Pansy stamp and coloured it a purple-blue.....think Violas!!   The main element is the Walesby Heart gold embossed and again coloured in purple-blue.  It's just finished with the V Thicker and the dictionary definition.

Well I've filed that as no. 21 so we can only have 5 more to go = 10 weeks to Christmas.  How did that happen???   Anyway thanks for popping by and for all the comments you keep leaving.

Elaine x


 

E for Engineer

There's a new letter over on The Craft Barn's Alpha Dictionary Challenge - this time it's E so I've gone for Engineer as I had some suitable stamps.

I've done the background green...think Emerald...but it's actually Mowed Lawn Distress Stain as it fits nicely between the dark & pink letter D and the lilac letter F.   The diagram stamps are from Tim Holtz Steampunk set,  the Checkerplate is from Kaisercraft and the Dapper Men are from Paperartsy.  Whilst my other half is an engineer, you can't really depict them without their Victorian top hats can you?   As always it's just finished with the dictionary definition and my E Thicker from the Platforms set.

Can't believe it's Monday and I've got my postcard done already.  I'm guessing there will be loads of interesting words chosen this time...off to have a look.   Thanks for visiting.

Elaine x

X for Xmas

Today is the first day of Autumn and yet I'm doing Christmas!!  The letter for the next Craft Barn Alpha Dictionary Challenge is X.  There are few words to choose - Xenon is a colourless gas and I don't have a Xylophone stamp so I went with XMAS and added the Christmas definition too!

It's really too early for real Christmassy stuff so I decided to use this musical stamp from Crafty Individuals - I saw Three Ships..........please feel free to sing along!!   It's just stamped on some inky blue card and mounted on a holly background.  As always it's finished with the X Thicker letter and the dictionary definitions.

Thanks for coming over to visit.... I'm off to see what everyone else has been making!

Elaine x

O for Oak

Back with my next postcard for The Craft Barn's Alpha Dictionary Challenge where the letter this time is O.   The word I've chosen to do is OAK as in trees, leaves etc.

So I've used an oblong piece of card.  stamped the Oak Leaves with the Triple Meadow Green ink pad leaving an oval plain.   I've stamped the small Oak Tree in the middle and then used edges of the big Oak Tree to stamp round the edges to give that overgrown feel.  I've drawn an oval round the tree and painted a sunsetty scene (I seriously don't like this but have no time to do again).  It's just finished with the letter Thicker and the dictionary definition.

Sorry I didn't get chance to visit you all last time - we were on holiday in Wales with little 4G and we had to sit in a car park to upload my post.  Back home now so I hope to visit you all this time. 

Many thanks for visiting me!

Elaine  xx

Z for Zebra Crossing

Here's my next postcard for The Craft Barn's Alpha Dictionary Challenge where the letter is Z and we have to add a pearl.   There are not many Z words but surprisingly I did have a choice.... I've gone with Zebra (Crossing).

The background is a Zingy Zesty mix of Citrus Orange and Citrus Yellow Pure Colour Inks overstamped with the Chevron stamp from Kaisercraft.....think zigzag!!  The Zebra stripes are from the Animal Skins set from Inkadinkadoo and I couldn't resist adding this across my postcard so its a Zebra Crossing!!    I've added 3 black pearls, the dictionary definition and the Z Thicker to finish.

Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment - they are much appreciated!

Elaine xx

C for Caravan

Hello there!  I'm here with my next postcard for The Craft Barn's Alpha Dictionary Challenge where the letter is C.  I toyed with the idea of doing cartography with a compass etc but in the end went with CARAVAN.

As I did a country scene for B I decided to do a Caravan in a showroom with a Checkerboard floor (both Oak House Studio stamps).  For the back wall I've used various red inks as there are so many reds beginning with C - carmine, crimson, cerise, cherry etc and I've added a bit of interest with some Conifers (Tim Holtz stamp).    It's just finished as always with the torn dictionary definition and C Thicker.

As we are over half way through I thought I'd take a photo of all 15 together - so you can see them but it also helps me see what designs and colours I've done to avoid too much repetition. 

Thanks for visiting and leaving comments - they are much appreciated!

Elaine x

N for Needlework

It's only Tuesday and I've made my postcard for The Craft Barn's Alpha Dictionary Challenge where this time the letter is N.  Mind I did struggle...I read through my dictionary three times before an idea popped into my head.

I've chosen to do NEEDLEWORK and yes I could have added real stitches but decided to stamp an old-style Sampler.  The background is stamped with a Hessian stamp (Kaisercraft) and the Sampler itself uses Stitch in Time stamps (Oak House Studio) and my initials and date are done with the Good Alphabet  (Hero Arts).  I've used the triple ink pads from Oak House Studio too and tried to make it look a bit faded. Having said that I dated it 2016 - I really need to think things through!!  As usual it's finished with the dictionary definition and the N Thicker.

As I said I struggled to find a word this time so it will be interesting to see what others do.  Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment!

Elaine x

White Window in a Wall

Here's my next postcard for The Craft Barn's Alpha Dictionary Challenge where the letter this time is W.  I've chosen to do WINDOW - a white wooden window in a wall facing west!

The window is the Block Frame stamp from Oak House Studio, silver embossed and with the middles cut out.  The wall is London Fog Ink blended through a stencil - I know I did a smaller brick wall last time but that was for the letter K so they will be well separated in the end of year album!  The sunset (in the west) is a mix of Pure Colour Chemistry Inks - Peters Pear, Bottled Sunshine, Paris Pink, Waterfall and Tempting Teal.   It's finished with the W letter and dictionary definition.

I've decided this is a window in a very old stone cottage...as in my rush to make this I forgot that you would be inside looking out...doh!!  Anyway hope you like and thanks for visiting!

Elaine x

Secret Garden

Seriously struggling for time at the moment.  I invigilate in exams at my local school so for the last 5 weeks I've been watching students writing, yawning, sleeping etc etc....only 15 more to go then done for the summer.  This morning I managed to finish my postcard for The Craft Barn's Alpha Dictionary Challenge where the letter is K.

There are not many K words and I could have done kite, key or keyhole but in the end I've chosen to do KEYSTONE as I knew I had this stone gateway stamp from Paperartsy.  I've gone for a secret walled garden blending sepia ink through a brick stencil and adding some greenery with Crafty Individuals stamps.  The 'ironwork gate' is a Memory Box die. 

Hope you like and thanks for popping by.   Any comments you leave are gratefully appreciated.

Elaine x

Tree Triptych

Well it's wet and miserable out there so I'm staying in....... here's my next postcard for The Craft Barn's Alpha Dictionary Challenge where the letter is T.    I've probably been very boring this time and gone for TREE but Three in a Triptych with some added Text.

I've stamped and clear embossed the Beech and Oak Trees with Versafine Onyx Black (to show off all the detail) on 3 pieces of card and using a torn piece of paper as a mask added the Winter Words Text stamp up the hill !  All stamps are from Oak House Studio.   With the mask still in place I've blended on green at the bottom, then blue for the sky and finished with the torn dictionary definition and letter T Thicker.

I tried not to do a scene as my S is a seaside scene but my brain was stuck on trees on a hill.  Thanks for visiting and leaving comments, they are much appreciated!!

Elaine  x  

A for Algebra

At last I've had chance to create my next postcard for The Craft Barn's Alpha Dictionary Challenge where the letter this time is A.....and no other twists thank goodness!   I had a read of my dictionary and decided to go for ALGEBRA but including Arithmetic and Algorithms as well as Amethyst.

The amethyst background is sprayed with Waterfall and Precious Purple Pure Colour Inks and stamped with Purple and Orchid Pigment inks - the numbers from Tim Holtz and Log Tables from Oak House Studio.  The Algebra (a maths joke I saw on Facebook) is written on some black chalk card with a white marker and I've finished with the dictionary definition and A Thicker as usual.

Hope you like and thanks for visiting.  Any comments you leave are very much appreciated.

Elaine xx 

Jewelled Dragonfly

Here is my next postcard for the Craft Barn's Alpha Dictionary Challenge where the letter is J and we have to use a Dragonfly.  Not an easy combination but having read all the Js I've chosen to do JIGSAW.

For the background I've sponged some Opalite Cypress Frost through a Leaf Swirl stencil and then cut out with a Sizzix Jigsaw Die.  For the Dragonfly I've used Tim  Holtz's Die and Embossing Folder.  The black layer I've painted Opalite Glacier Blue to add to the sheen and the wings I've cut and embossed from acetate and coloured with alcohol inks.  To add to the bling I've added some gems or Jewels!!   As usual it's just finished with the J Thicker and the torn dictionary definition.

Hope you like my dragonfly!  Thanks for visiting and leaving comments.  I'm off to see what others have come up with ......

Elaine x

S is for Scallops

My time flies doesn't it!  Here is my next postcard for The Craft Barn's Alpha Dictionary Challenge where the letter is S and we have to use SHELLS.    My immediate thought was to do a beach scene but the shell definition in my dictionary concentrated on egg shells or shells for ammunition......so I've chosen SCALLOP.

So my postcard includes Sun, Sky, Seagulls, Salty Sea, Sand, Shells making a Seaside Scene - is that enough S's??    I've used acrylic paint for the sea and a mix of Sand Texture Paste + Sahara Terra Paste for the beach.   The stamps are Sun Rays (Tim Holtz)  Shells (Oak House Studio) and Gulls (Crafty Individuals).

It makes me want to get in the car and trundle off to the seaside.....if only the weather was a little warmer!!   Thanks for visiting and leaving comments - they're much appreciated.

Elaine x

D for Daisy

Another fortnight and another letter for The Craft Barn's Alpha Dictionary Challenge - this time it's D and we must use Pink.    There are loads of D words but I decided to do  DAISY with a bit of Damson and Damask!

I decided to go for a damask background as I thought I had some black and white damask scrapbook paper.....couldn't find it so sprayed a good amount of Delicious Damson Pure Colour Ink over the aqua blue and beige sheet I did have.  For the main focal I stamped the big Outline Daisy (from the Double Daisy set) in Deep Purple Archival ink on some card already sprayed with Paris Pink Pure Colour Ink.  I've added some hand cut leaves, the torn Dictionary definition and the letter D Thicker.

I quite like the subtle damask background although it is a bit dark - hope you can see it in the photo.  Thanks for visiting and all your comments - they are very much appreciated!

Elaine x

G for GALAXY

Another fortnight and another postcard for The Craft Barn's Alpha Dictionary Challenge where the letter is G.   Nothing much stood out when I read my dictionary so I decided to go for GALAXY.

The background is a swooshy mix of Vintage Blue and Waterfall Pure Colours (from Oak House Studio).  I used a mini Star stencil for the 'milky way' with some white acrylic paint and then added Silver Stickles ......for some Glitter!!  I've edged it with some Silver Treasure Gold for a bit more Glimmer and finished with the G  Thicker and dictionary definition.

It's not very exciting this week I'm afraid but hope you like and thanks for visiting.  Thanks also for your lovely comments - it's makes it all worthwhile.

Elaine