52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2025 - Week 50

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 50 is "Stencil Play"

I used a cream coloured tag for the base of this tag. I then used "Soft Cygnet" Element Ink through the Dina Wakley "Coasters 4 - MDS82135", positioning off the edge of the tag, so that only part of the circle stencil is seen.

I then used "Pixie Green" Element Inks through the lower dotty section of the Tim Holtz / Stampers Anonymous "Christmas Stamp and stencil set - THM178", just around the edge of the decorative stencilled area.

Using "Pixie Green" Element Ink I stamped then holly, which is part of "The Holly & the Ivy - CS137D" stamp set by Hobby Art Stamps.  I coloured the holly using a paint brush to apply "Rustic Wilderness" Distress Oxide Ink.  I used a red Posca Pen for the berries coating them in Ranger Glossy Accents, to achieve a more 3D look to the tag.  Finally, I added touches of gold to the holly using a gold gel pen.

Creative Expressions / Andy Skinner "Let Your Dreams Take Flight"

I recently saw Andy Skinner (Cosmic Shimmer) demo a technique with paint running from a stamped image, so thought I would try it out myself.

I found an off cut of white card, a bit grubby in places and also had a little area lifting on the surface, but for my experiment, I decided it would be fine.

Using my Misti stamping platform, I stamped the Andy Skinner stamp called "Let your dreams take flight", using "Della Blue" Elements Inks.  I then spritzed the surface of the card and the ink ran.

I used my heat gun to dry the surface of the stamp and then inked up the stamp using Versafine Clair "Twilight" dark blue ink.  This then highlights the details on the stamped image but leaving the lovely shadow of the running paint.

I liked it so much I decided to mount it on a piece of darker card, regardless of the grubby areas on the edges of the card. I'd definitely try this technique again.

Lavinia Stamps "Hummingbird" and "Shadow Blooms" tag

 

More Lavinia Stamps play, making this tag, featuring one of the new "Hummingbird" stamps.

I used a cream coloured tag as the base. Stamping the new "Small Hummingbird" stamp in Versafine Clair "Blue Belle" ink.  I then stamped it again on a post-it note and fussy cut the shape, so that I could use it as a mask later.

I stamped the new "Shadow Bloom" floral stamp in Versafine Clair "Very Peri" ink.

Using A Lavinia Stamps 'Moon Mask" I created the spot light circle behind the hummingbird using "Violet Chalk" Element inks. With the Hummingbird mask in position, I used the same ink to colour the edges of the tag, with the colour getting lighter in the middle. I then lay the Lavinia Stamps "Elegance" stencil over the tag and added colour to the central area, using "Confetti" pink Elements ink and for the outer area added some "Violet Chalk" Element ink.

Next, using Versafine Clair "Very Peri" ink I multi stamped the Lavinia "Forbidden Secrets" verse down the left hand side of the tag.  I then inked the edges of the tag using Versafine clair "Blue Belle" ink.

I mounted the tag on to dark blue card and then coloured the flowers and bird using blue and green shades of Derwent Inktense pencils, applied with a paint brush. I used a yellow Posca Pen for the centres of the flowers.

I used a white gel pen for highlights and a white Posca Pen for little dots around the bird.

Floral Card

Continuing my stash busting efforts, I found a small off cut of a gel plate background in my box of "ditch or do" goodies.  It only measured 11 x 7 cm, but I had fortunately had the foresight to jot down on the back what I had used to create the background.  I'd used "Mulberry" Element Ink, brayered on then splattered with white, lemon and purple Brusho paints.

I decided to break up the colour a little more by adding splatters of purple, black, lemon and white Posca Pens.

Using a wet glue, I added some white die cuts which I had never got round to colouring, if I remember correctly they're from a Sizzix/Tim Holtz thinlits die set called "Wildflowers" or something similar. Finally, I added a few dots of white Ranger "Enamael Accents".

Lavinia Stamps "Honeysuckle Cottage" Tag

 

Today, I've played with my Lavinia Stamps to create this tag.

I started by using "Sundance" and "Lime Punch" Elements inks randomly across the tag, I then used the same coloured inks through the Lavinia "Berry" Stencil to create the patterned background.

Next, I stamped the Lavinia "Vine Branch" as a tree using Versafine Clair "Portobello" ink for the trunk and "Verdant" and "Grass Green" for the leaves.

I then used Versafine Clair "Pinecone" dark brown ink to stamp the Lavinia "Moss Cap Cluster" stamp and the "Honeysuckle Cottage" stamp.

I moved on to colouring the image using Derwent Inktense pencils, a 2B pencil, a black fine liner pen and white and a gold Signo Uniball gel pens.

Lavinia Stamps "Forest Leaf" in Autumn Card

For this card, I used three shades of Elements Inks on a piece of white card for the background colour, using Sundance, Russet Orange and Paprika shades of ink.

I then used the "Russet Orange" again through the Lavinia "Floral Stencil" giving a very subtle pattern in the background.

Next, using Versafine Clair "Pinecone" dark brown ink, I stamped the Lavinia Stamps "Forest Leaf" stamp.  Around the edge of the stamped image, I used Versafine Clair "Portobello" a mid brown coloured ink to stamp the Lavinia "Mystic Swirl.  I then used Versafine Clair "Strawberry" red ink to multi stamp the Lavinia "Winter Spice" verse.  

I inked the edges of the card using Versafine Clair "Acorn" and "Pinecone".  Using the "Pinecone" ink again to stamp the Lavinia sentiment, which is part of the "Words from the heart" stamp set.

I added some white paint splatters to the surface and then added extra colour to the leaves of the "Floral Leaf" stamped image using Derwent Inktense pencils.  Finally, I used a 2B pencil to add some depth to the underside of the leaves and added some touches of gold gel pen to the background and the leaves.

Tiffany Johnson Creative #100daysartplay challenge - Day 100

Today, is Day 100 of the Tiffany Johnson Creative #100daysartplay challenge - the final day!  I have to say, there have been times when I thought I might walk away from this challenge, but I'm glad I have completed it now.  This last day, there is no prompt, just "anything goes", so this is my final challenge make.

Starting with a white piece of card, I gave it a water colour wash using three shades of Elements Inks, using Della Blue, Dark Denim and Midnight Blue colours, using a heat gun to dry the surface.

I then stamped the Creative Expressions "The Places You Go" stamp designed by Andy Skinner, stamped in Versafine Clair "Twilght" dark blue ink.

I created the hills using more "Della Blue" Element Inks and Versafine Clair "Twilight" inks.  I then added colour to the stamped image using Derwent Inktense pencils and a white gel pen for highlights.

Tiffany Johnson Creative #100daysartplay Challenge - Day 90

Today is Day 90 of the Tiffany Johnson Creative #100daysartplay challenge.  This week I am working with inks.

On this tag, I have stamped using a stencil.  I used the Tim Holtz / Stampers Anonymous "Bouquet Layering Stencil THS143", dabbing four colours of Elements Inks direct on to the stencil.  The colours I used are:  Russet Orange, Lime Punch, Confetti and Violet Chalk.  I spritzed the inked stencil with water, then turned it on top of a cream coloured tag, smoothing the surface to ensure a reasonable coverage of ink.  

My stencil print actually turned out a bit patchy, so to fill the gaps, I used the same colours of inks with the Tim Holtz / Stampers Anonymous "String Layering Stencil THS103".  This added an extra layer of colour.

I used a sentiment from the Tim Holtz / Stampers Anonymous "Phrases 2" red rubber cling stamp set, stamping in Versafine Clair "Monarch" purple ink.  I used the same ink to edge the tag too.

Finally, after mounting the tag on to a piece of card, I added a trail of white Range Enamel Accent dots across the surface of the tag.

Tiffany Johnson Creative #100daysartplay Challenge - Day 79

Today is Day 79 of the Tiffany Johnson Creative #100daysartplay Challenge.  This week is all about inks.

To create the background of this piece, I swiped the white card through four shades of Elements Inks, using Sundance, Greensleeves, Pine and Blue Atoll till the white card was fully covered.

Once dry, I stamped Clarity Stamp images using the Leafy Swirl Stamp set with Versafine Clair "Twilight" ink.

I then used the Clarity Stamps "Swallow Journalling" stamp set with Versafine Clair "Morning Mist" grey ink for the harlequin design in the background.

For the sentiment, I used the Clarity Stamp set called "Quote Set", stamped in Versafine Clair "Twilight" dark blue ink.

To finish the piece I used white gel pens and Posca Pens, with black and white Ranger Enamel Accents too.

Tiffany Johnson Creative #100daysartplay Challenge - Day 56

Today is Day 56 of the Tiffany Johnson Creative #100daysartplay Challenge.  It is the last day of using the gel plate prompt.

For my background, I used "Graphite" Elements ink brayered on to the gel plate.  I then splattered three colours of Brusho paint, using White, Lemon and Purple, to achieve the speckled background.  I apologise, I got stuck in to stamping and forgot to take a photo of the background.

For the stamping, I used Versafine Clair "Spruce" greeen ink to stamp the Penny Black "Breezt - 40-111" slapstick/cling stamp.  I added extra detail with a white gel pen, finally adding some dots of white Ranger "Enamel Accents" to break up the background colour.

Tiffany Johnson Creative #100daysartplay Challenge - Day 54

Today is Day 54 of the Tiffany Johnson Creative #100daysartplay Challenge, this week is all about using the gel plate.

For the background pattern, I have used "Della Blue" Elements ink on the gel plate with the Lavinia Stamps "Ambiance" stencil to achieve the pattern.

I then used a Creative Stamps "Floral Sketch STON0112" background stamp with Versafine Clair "Medieval Blue" ink to stamp the delicate pattern.  I coloured areas with a felt pen, then mounted the card on to a piece of co-ordinating card.

Tiffany Johnson Creative #100daysartplay Challenge - Day 40

Today is Day 40 of the Tiffany Johnson Creative #100daysartplay Challenge.  This week is all about using charcoal and pastels.

I had an off cut of white card measuring 95mm square, so decided to use that as the base. I coloured it using Van Goch Pastel Pencils, blending the colours together, by rubbing my finger tip across the surface.  The colours I used were Blue, Mauve, Pink and Green.  

I then used "Della Blue" Elements Ink through the Funky Fossil Designs "Shoal of fish stencil".  While the ink was out, I inked the edges of the card using a finger dabber.

I mounted the card on to a piece of dark blue paper and then on to a card blank.

On an off cut of white card, using "Della Blue "Elements Ink again, I stamped the "Swim your own way" sentiment, which is part of a stamp set called "Wierd Fish" by Funky Fossil Designs. I cut the sentiment up into words and glued them in to position using wet glue. 

Finally, using a silver glitter and a white gel pen, I added extra dots around the shoal of fish.

52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2024 - Week 12

The challenge for 2024 is weekly.  I will 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 Crafting Niche 52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge 2024:

The prompt for Week 12 is "Ireland

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This is the tag that I have made for the Week 12.

I've opted to used the Irish flag for the background colours.  I masked off the central section, using low tack tape and then used Versafine Clair "Green Oasis" on the left hand side and "Russet Orange" Elements ink on the right hand side.

I used the lips/kiss from the Visible Image stamp set called "Dare to be different", stamped in Versafine Clair "Nocturne" black ink.

Finally, using a Dymo tape printer, I printed the words "The Blarney Stone" deliberately placing the words "Blarney Stone" words upside down.

Tiffany Johnson Creative #100daysartplay Challenge - Day 28

It's Day 28 of the Tiffany Johnson Creative #100daysartplay challenge.  It's the last day of using household items.  I've used a jiffy bag, cardboard and a page from an old book for my household items.

For my tag, I have used the paper side of a jiffy bag.  I scrunched up the paper and then smoothed it a little and inked the surface so that the crease lines were inked up, using "Paprika: Elements Inks.  I then glued the paper on to a tag and trimmed the excess off.  I then inked the edge of the tag with the same ink and then with Versafine Clair "Nocturne" black ink.

I then used some sheets from an old hymn book, using both the music notes and the text.  Tearing into smaller piees, then adding a bit of colour using various inks.  I then glued the paper fragments into position.

I used the "Paprika" Elements Inks again, this time through the dotty end of the Tim Holtz / Stampers Anonymous stencil with a reference of THMM101.

I splattered black and white paint over the surface of the tag using Posca Pens. I then mounted the tag on to red card.

I rummaged through my stash of pre cut die cuts and found a couple of hearts.  I stuck the large heart in the middle of the heart.  I had a small off cut of cardboard with the corrugation exposed so I gave it a coat of Gesso, when dry, I then rubbed some "Paprika" Elements Inks over the raised edges, then stuck it horizontally in the middle of the tag.

Finally, over the top of the cardboard, I added another die cut heart from my stash and added a small button in the middle and then added some dots of Ranger black Enamel Accents across the surface of the tag.

52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2024 - Week 6

The challenge for 2024 is weekly.  I will 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 Crafting Niche 52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge 2024:

The prompt for Week 6 is "Skeleteon Trees or Leaves"

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This is my Week 6 tag, working to the prompt of "Skeleton Trees or Leaves".

For the base, I used a white tag.  I coloured the whol tag with "Sundance" Elements inks.  I then positioned a moon mask where I wanted the moon to be, as I knew I would forget it when I got to the darker colours.

Next, I used "Russet Orange" Elements Inks, leaving a section of yellow but covering the rest with the orange.

I moved on to "Emporer Red" Elements Inks, again leaving some of the yellow and orange before covering the rest of the tag.

Finally, I used the "Merlot" Elements inks, for the dark sky around and above the moon area.  I gave the tag a blast with my heat gun before creating a white halo around the moon using a white Pan Pastel.  I added some mottled areas to the moon itself, by using a finger dabber with "Versafine Clair "Morning Mist" grey ink.

I then moved on to the stamping.  I used the Visible Image "Into the woods" stamp set with two shades of Versafine Clair Inks:  Nocturne and Morning Mist.

Finally, I mounted the tag on to black card and added a few stars in the sky, using a white gel pen.

Lavinia Stamps "Wild Pine" Forest Scene Card

I'm back to playing with my Lavinia Stamps, mixing a couple of the new with several of the existing stamp collection.

I started with a 7x7 card and used a selection of Element Inks to create the background.  By the time I was happy with the inked background, I decided it was too large for what I wanted, so cut it down to  five and a half inch square.

I started by multi stamping the trees on the left hand side of the card, using the "Tree Den" and the "Tree Stem" with Versafine Clair "Pine Cone" dark brown ink.

I then stamped the "Wild Pine" tree in Versafine Clair "Nocturne" black ink.

Using Versafine Clair "Shady Lane" green ink, I stamped the new "Leaf Bouquet" on the bottom right hand side of the card.

Next I stamped the Lavinia "Wild Hares" in Versafine Clair "Nocturne" black ink.

I used the Lavinia "Hill Mask" with Versafine Clair "Shady Lane" green ink to create the landscape.

Next, I stamped the "Small Pixie Houses" using Versafine Clair "Morning MIst" grey ink.

I stamped the Lavinia "Small Branch" in Versafine Clair "Pine Cone" to replicate branches from the tree trunks.

Next I stamped the Lavinia "Vine" in Versafine Clair "Nocturne" black ink using first and second generation stamping.

Finally, I coloured in areas using Derwent Inktense pencils, gel pens and Posca pens.

Lavinia Stamps "Winter Whispers" "Starr and the Wild Pine Card

I'm still playing with my new Lavinia Stamps, this time I used three of the stamps I've not already used.

Starting with a background from my stash, I had fortunately written down on the back of it what I had used.  In this case, it was a selection of Elements Inks on a gel plate.  These are the colours I used:  Confetti, Violet Chalk, Bermuda, Della Blue and Blue Lagoon.

I started the by stamping "Starr" and the "Wild Pine" in Versafine Clair "Medieval Blue" ink.

Next, I used a Lavinia "Moon Mask" and edged it with Versafine Clair "Monarch" purple ink.

I used "Monarch" again with a Lavinia "Hill Mask" to create the landscape.

Next, I positioned the new Lavinia Stamp called 'Leaf Bouquet" horizontally and stamped it along the left hand bottom of the card using Versafine Clair "Monarch" ink.  I repeated the process on the right hand side, but this time with the stamp in a vertical position.

I inked the edges of the card using Versafine Clair "Twilight" dark blue ink, then mounted the card on to a dark blue mount.

I then started to add the finishing touches.  I used an assortment of gel pens, Posca Pens and Pastel Pencils to add colour to the scene.  Then mounted the card on to a white card blank.

Visible Image "Follow Your Heart" Card

 

Another card I've made today, this time using Visible Image products.

In the background I've used a selection of "Elements Inks" swooshing the card through the colours till it was covered.  These are the shades of ink I used:

• Confetti
• Violet Chalk
• Bermuda
• Della Blue
• Blue Lagoon 
• Dark Denim

I then stamped the Visible Image "Follow Your Hear" stamp in Versafine Clair "Twilight" dark blue ink in the middle of the square card.

Next, I used the Visible Image "Supanova Stencil" with "Majestic Violet" Ranger Archival Ink, uisng the same ink to darken the corners.  

I then inked the edges of the card with Versafine Clair "Twilight" ink and mounted it on to dark blue card and then on to the card blank.

Finally, I embellished the stamped image by using a white and pink Posca Pen and also added some white dots of Ranger "Enamel Accents".

Tim Holtz / Stampers Anonymous "Urban Tapestry CMS061" Anniversary Card

Continuing my play with Tim Holtz / Stampers Anonymous stamps and stencils, I made this anniversary card.

I started with a piece of white card measuring four and a half inches square.  Over the bottom right hand area, blending up towards the top left I used "Sundance" Element Ink.  

I then lay the Tim Holtz / Stampers Anonymous "Bouquet Layering Stencil THS143" over the top and applied "Russet Orange" Element ink through the stencil with a blending brush.

I used "Pine Cone" Versafine Clair ink to stamp the undergrowth area in the bottom right hand corner.  The stamp is part of one of my oldest Stampers Anonymous stamp sets, it's called "Urban Tapestry CMS061".

Once I was certain that the ink was dry, I used the Tim Holtz / Stampers Anonymous "String Layering Stencil THS004" with "Red Geranium" Versafine Clair ink.

I inked the edges of the card using Versafine Clair "Acorn brown ink and then added some red dots around the stamped area using a Posca Pen.

Finally, I stamped the "Happy Anniversary" sentiment which is part of a Hobby Arts stamp set called "General Greetings CS016D" stamped in Versafine Clair "Pinecone" Dark Brown Ink.

Country View Crafts "October - Autumn Magic" challenge entry card

Country View Crafts are now holding their challenges on a dedicated Facebook group rather than their blog.  October is the first challenge on the group and has a theme of "Autumn Magic".  This is my challenge entry.

I started by using a gel plate background. using a 4" round gel plate with Lavinia "Sundance" and "Olive" Element inks. I splattered water droplets across the surface of the gel print which bleached the area where the droplets were and dabbed dry with a piece of kitchen roll and then used my heat gun to completely dry the surface.

I ran an anti-static bag over the surface of the card before stamping the leaf over the gel print.  The leaf is part of a Tim Holtz / Stampers Anonymous cling stamp set called "Pressed Foliage - CMS376".  I stamped in Versafine Clair "Acorn" brown ink, then coated the stamping with Wow! Embossing "Metallic Rich Gold" embossing powder and heat set with the heat gun.

I used assorted gel pens and two Derwent Inktense pencils to add colour to the leaf area.  I also added gold dots to the gel plate area too.

In the background, I used two Tim Holtz/ Stampers Anonymous stencils.  I used Versafine Clair "Shady Lane" green ink through the "Stripes Layering Stencil - THS004" and "Rusty Hinge" Distress Ink through the "Dot Layering stencil - THS006".

I inked the edge of the card using Versafine Clair "Shady Lane" green ink and then added some gold gel pen too.

I mounted the card on to a piece of brown card, then on to a white card blank.  Finally, I added a Tim Holtz Idea-ology "Small Talk" sentiment sticker.