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