Happy New Year 2025

Well it is that time of the year when we reflect on what has passed and look forward with hope for the coming year.

For me the year of 2024 has been a mixed bag, with some sad and good news.  Also, making the decision to sell our house after living in it for twenty-seven years.

Sadly the house we were purchasing has fallen through, so we find ourselves living in our touring caravan with all our worldly goods packed up in boxes in containers till we find another home to buy - I really hope something will become available soon!

Talking of moving home, I must apologise for the lack of crafting content in recent weeks.  I have made my challenge tags up to the end of March, so there will be a few weeks with new items.  After that, the blog may be a bit sparce.  As soon as my craft stash is unpacked I will be creating again - I have missed my crafting awfully.

Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you for stopping by my little blog of makes and to wish you and your family a very happy and healthy 2025.  Sam x

52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2024 - Week 52

The Crafting Niche 52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge 2024:

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 52 is "Christmas"

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For my Week 52 "Christmas" tag, I covered a plain tag with off cuts of some Christmas paper with lines on it from the Funky Fossil Designs 6x6" paper pad called "Snow Merry". Positioning the top paper vertically and the lower stripes horizontally.

I lay the Funky Fossil "Snow Storm" stencil over the top and applied some white texture paste by Daler-Rowney through the stencil and set to one side to dry.

I used an off cut of white card and cut a wavy line across the middle of it, sticking the card to the lower area of the tag to create a snow scape.

I used Versafine Clair "Medieval Blue" to stamp the snowman figure on to the tag, the snowman is part of the Funky Fossil Designs stamp set called "Snow Folk".  I then stamped the same shape on to a piece of white card, fussy cut the main areas and stuck it over the top of the already stamped image on the tag, using foam pads to elevate the figure, whcih provides a 3D look.

I used "Spun Sugar" Distress Oxide Ink to add a rosy glow to the cheeks of the snowman.  I then used "Tumbled Glass" Distress Oxide Ink to colour the hat and scarf of the snowman, adding some colour to the snow area too for shadowing. I added a touch of orange felt pen for the flower on the hat and the carrot nose.

Using Versafine Clair "Medieval Blue" ink again, I stamped the sentiment, which is part of the Funky Fossil Designs "Timeless Tidings" stamp set.

Finally, I added some icy sparkle to the snowflakes by using "Crystal" Stickles.

52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2024 - Week 51

The Crafting Niche 52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge 2024:

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 51 is "Monochrome"

For my Week 51 "Monochrome" tag, I started with a plain white tag as the base, using "Sky Blue" Ranger Archival Ink to lightly cover the surface using a blending brush.

I then lay the Tim Holtz / Stampers Anonymous "Bubbles Layering Stencil - THS138" over the top of the tag and applied the same ink through the stencil.

Next I used a branch from a Papertrey Ink stamp set called "Out on a limb" which I multi stamped over the surface using Versafine Clair "Bali Blue" ink.  I used a small leaf from the same stamp set adding the odd leaf to the branches.

For the sentiment, I used a stamp from another Papertrey Ink stamp set called "Birthday Stylish Sentiments Vol.7 No.11", stamped in Versafine Clair "Paradise" blue ink.

I used the same ink to stamp the bird, which is part of a Hero Arts stamp set, which I think was called "Happiness". I then stamped it on a piece of white card and fussy cut the body and head, sticking it to the tag using foam pads.  I inked the edges of the tag using "Paradise" again and then mounted it on to a piece of blue card.

52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2024 - Week 50

The Crafting Niche 52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge 2024:

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 50 is "Use packaging"

For my Week 50 "Packaging" tag. I glued a piece of cardboard on to a tag.  I then peeled off some of the paper covering to reveal some of the corrugated core of the cardboard.  I then mounted the tag on to a piece of black card.

In my bits and bobs box of goodies that I have saved over years, I pulled out a netting from onions, garlic and lemons.  I attached the netting to the tag using staples.

I used That's Crafty "Black Texture Paste" through the Tim Holtz THMM104 stencil for the harlequin design on the top left hand corner. I then used white and pink Posca Pens to splatter paint over the surface.

Using foam pads, I stuck on a Tim Holtz "Paper Doll" and then added a Tim Holtz Ideaology word sticker, saying "Creativity takes courage".

52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2024 - Week 49

The Crafting Niche 52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge 2024:

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 49 is "Birds"

For my Week 49 "Bird" tag I started with a cream coloured tag, laying the "Black Orchid Stencil" by Sweet Poppy Stencils over the top and applying "Leaf Green" Ranger Archival Ink with a blending brush through the stencil.

I then used a Derwent Inktense Pencil, in a shade called "Flaked Earth" to draw the lines around the edge of the tag.

Next, I used "Peat Moss" Ranger Archival Ink through the Sweet Poppy Stencil called "Duo Birds".

I returned to the "Flaked Earth" Derwent Inktense Pencil and added little dots in the empty spaces.  Finally adding a Tim Holtz Ideaology word sticker to the bottom left, saying "Favourite Tales".

52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2024 - Week 48

The Crafting Niche 52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge 2024:

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 48 is "Music"

For my Week 48 tag, I used a plain cream coloured tag and cut music elements from the Funky Fossil Designs "Turn it up" patterned paper and stuck them into position.  

I used a stamp from the Funky Fossil Designs "Press Play" stamp set, stamped in Versafine Clair "Shady Lane" green ink for the central sentiment.  Using Versafine Clair "Nocturne" black ink I stmaped the Lavinia Stamps "Music Notes" stamps.

Finally, I added dots and splattered of Posca Pen using turquoise, pink, red and grey inks.

52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2024 - Week 47

The Crafting Niche 52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge 2024:

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 47 is "Swirls & Flourishes"

For my Week 47 "Swirls & Flourishes" tag, I started with a cream coloured tag for the base.

I inked up a Tim Holtz / Stampers Anonymous "THS032 Flourish Layering Stencil" using three shades of Distress Oxide Ink.  I then spritzed the inky surface and lay the cream tag over the top.  Sadly it moved a little so the pattern can not really be seen.

Using a red rubber decorative crow stamp I have had in my stash for years (sorry no idea who made it), I stamped the bird on to the now dry surface of the tag using Versafine Clair 'Nocturne" black ink.  I then stamped it again on a piece of white card and fussy cut the bird for later use.

I used Versafine Clair "Twilight" dark blue ink to stamp the flourishes.  These are from a polymer stamp set I have had for many years which I think may have been made by 7gypsies?

I then used wet glue to adhere the bird on the white card into position.  I used a black fine liner pen to accentuate the outline of the bird. I used a Derwent Inktense pencil to draw a branch for the bird to stand on.

I added dots using a gold gel pen and also platinum coloured Liquid Pearls.  Finally, adding the "on my adventure" sentiment from the Lavinia Stamps "Sentiment Stickers 6" set.