52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2025 - Week 36

The Crafting Niche 52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge 2025:

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 36 "Book Print"

I have about five old books that I often tear pages out of to use in my crafting.  One is just normal text, two are hymn books with words and the music notes, one an old dictionary and the other is an accountancy book (lots of text and balance sheets).  These provide me with a good choice.

I used Lavinia "Elements Inks" to colour my book page.  The colours I used are: Lemon Drop, Russet Orange, Green Parrot, Blue Atoll and Pine inks.  I then stuck the page on to a plain tag, trimming to size. 

Once the ink was dry, I added some splatters of white Posca Pen across the surface of the tag.

On a white piece of card, using Versafine Clair "Nocturne" black ink, I stamped the two heads, which are part of a Visible Image stamp set called "Love is Love".  I then fussy cut the heads and stuck on to the tag, again trimming to size.

After mounting the tag on to a piece of black card, I added a word sticker from my stash that says ""listen to your heart, it will show you the way".

Marianne Designs Christmas Wreath Card

 

I recently bought some Christmas Marianne Design stamps, so decided to try them out.

I started by using "Shadow Grey" Ranger Archival Ink througha Dina Wakley "Coasters 3 - MDS82118 stencil" for the background design.

I had brought five Christmas Marianne Designs "Silhoutte Art" stamps, so decided to use all of them. Stamped in Versafine Clair inks, three greens, a brown and a grey. I coloured the stamped images with Derwent Inktense pencils, Posca Pen and a white gel pen. For the candles, I used "Antique Linen" Distress Oxide Ink, applied with a paint brush.

Karen Telfer's "12 Days of Christmas Tags 2024" - book ring covers

As I finished my Day 12 tag yesterday, today I felt I needed to make a cover for the book ring of Karen Telfer's "12 Days of Christmas Tags 2024".

I covered a plain tag in "Wild Honey" Distress Oxide Ink. I then lay the Tim Holtz / Stampers Anonymous "Gingham Layering Stencil - THS134" over the top and applied "Brushed Corduroy" Distress Oxide Ink through the stencil.

I then moved the stencil, (I realised after, I should really have flipped it so the lines went in a different direction, but it is what it is) applying "Lumberjack Plaid" Distress Oxide Ink through the stencil.

I used a metallic gold coloured paint splattered across the surface using a fan brush and set aside to dry.  This is when I die cut the 2024 numbers in a dark red coloured card.  I also typed and printed "Karen Telfer's 12 Days of Tags" giving it a coat of "Wild Honey" Distress Oxide ink to dull it down.

I then stuck the numbers and the typed title to the tag. Finally, I used a gold coloured gel pen to add polka dots to the numbers and to edge them too.

I've taken part in Karen's tag challenge for five years.  These are all the covers, all quite different!

The tag books are all packed away in a box ready to be joined by the 2025 tags later in the year.

Lavinia Stamps Winter Forest Snow Storm Tag

I had a play with my Lavinia Stamps this evening making this forest snow scene tag, it makes me feel cold just looking at it!

I've used various shades of Versafine Clair inks:  Arctic, Bali Blue, Twilight, Morning Mist and Nocturne shades of ink. to stamp the following Lavinia Stamps:  Christmas Tree Group, Small Pine Trees, the large and small Red Pines and the Snowfall Verse.

I've used Dr PH Martin bleed proof white paint for the splatters to replicate the snow storm

Tracy Evans Boutique Designs "Tweet" Card

I've had a quick play this afternoon, making this rather busy looking piece using Tracy Evans Boutique Designs stamps and stencils.

I found a gel plate background in my stash, in coral coloured tones. I used the Tracy Evans SS! - Snippet Stencil "Tweet" with a layer of "Wild Honey" Distress Oxide Ink, which I decided didn't really show, so then added some "Festive Berries" Distress Oxide Ink over the top, to make the bird more visible on the background.

I used Versafine Clair "Nocturne" black ink to stamp the Tracy Evans "Shadowed Elements - TE12" stamp.  I also used the same ink to stamp the bird from the Tracy Evans "New Beginnings - TE4" stamp set.

Round the edge of the tag, I used Versafine Clair "Morning Mist" grey ink to stamp the branches, which are part of the Tracy Evans "Silhouette - TE38" stamp set.

Finally, I added red berries to the branches and to three of the hearts using a Posca Pen.  I then used a gold gel pen to add polka dots to the stencilled bird in the background.

Karen Telfer's "12 Days of Christmas Tags 2024" - Day 12

On the run up to each Christmas, I usually take part in Karen Telfer's Christmas Tag challenge.  Because we were living in the caravan and I didn't have my craft supplies, I wasn't able to take part in 2024.  Now my craft room is set up, I thought I had better get cracking on the tags.  For 2024, Karen was doing 12 tags rather than 24 as she had a busy work schedule.

This is the last tag of the 2024 challenge.  I'm feeling bereft already, but Karen has assured me there will be another set of Christmas tags for 2025.  So not too long to wait.  This is my Day 12 tag (you can view Karen's tutorial here).  Today the tag is all about "favourites".

For my tag, as stencil play is one of my favourite techniques, I used greens and yellow Distress Oxide Inks, spritzed with water, lay a stencil on to the ink then put the wet inky side of the stencil down on to a blank tag, which achieved the light coloured background pattern.

I used Versafine Clair "Rain Forest" dark green ink to stamp the wreath and sentiment, which are both part of the Papertrey Ink stamp set called "Wreath For All Season".  I have had this stamp set for many years and it is definitely one of my favourites.  I used Versafine Clair "Strawberry" red ink to stamp the berries.

I used a metallic gold gel pen to add dots across the surface of the tag and to draw lines on the edge of the tag too.

Here's a photo of all 12 tags I've made from this series.

Tracy Evans Boutique Designs "Quirky Birds" Card

I received a small order from Tracy Evans Boutique Designs today,  The orders are always dispatched so fast and are beautifully packaged.  Anyway, I wasted no time in having a play.

I used a piece of Papermill Direct 300gsm Super smooth white card for the base, covering the card with "Tumbled Glass" Distress Oxide ink bordered in "Mermaid Lagoon" Distress Oxide Ink. I then used the "Mermaid Lagoon" ink through the Tracy Evans "Snippet Stencil Fronds - SS5".

I then used Versafine Clair "Blue Belle" ink to stamp the Tracy Evans "Take Flight - TE9" stamp. I made pink and white splatters across the surface using Posca Pens.

On a white piece of card, I stamped the Tracy Evans "Quirky Birds - TE10" bird uisng Versafine Clair "Charming Pink" ink. I fussy cut the bird and stuck it on to the card

Karen Telfer's "12 Days of Christmas Tags 2024" - Day 11

On the run up to each Christmas, I usually take part in Karen Telfer's Christmas Tag challenge.  Because we were living in the caravan and I didn't have my craft supplies, I wasn't able to take part in 2024.  Now my craft room is set up, I thought I had better get cracking on the tags.  For 2024, Karen was doing 12 tags rather than 24 as she had a busy work schedule.

This is the penultimate tag of the 2024 challenge.  I'm feeling bereft already, but Karen has assured me there will be another set of Christmas tags for 2025.  So not too long to wait.  This is my Day 11 tag (you can view Karen's tutorial here).

I've used a selection of Distress Oxide Inks for the scored background, stamping the Sweet Poppy Stencils "Small Fir Tree" in Versafine Clair "Spruce" adding glittered baubles to the tree using gel pens.

I used a section of the Marianne Design Creatables, ref LR0737 for the die cut window frame, prefering to leave it white rather than colouring it.  I splattered white Posca Pen on to a piece of plain vellum and backed the window frame with it, then stuck the frame to the tag over the Christmas tree.

I have a tin of assorted foliage die cuts, left over from previous projects, so I had a rummage through that and found some suitable pieces, topping it with a Stampin' up die cut in bright red.

Lavinia Stamps Willow Card

 

I used a cream coloured card for the base of this card, stamping the Lavinia Stamps "Willow" stamp in two shades of green Versafine Clair inks.  I used "Avocado" and "Shady Lane" in first and second generation stamping.

I then used the Lavinia Stamps "Leaf Creeper" stamp with Versafine Clair "Lilac Bloom" ink.

I went around the edge of the card using "Bundled Sage" Distress Oxide Ink and then stamped the sentiment, which is part of the Lavinia "Heartfelt Verse" stamp set in Versafine Clair "Avocado" green ink.