Week 3 - 52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2018

The prompt for Week 3 is "Pond Life".

Just a reminder, that anybody can take part in this challenge.  There is an active Facebook group where you can upload your tag/card and talk to other members who are taking part.  There is no pressure.  You do what you can, when you can.  I usually post the new prompts on a Sunday or Monday, depending on what I'm up to. The previous prompts can be found by clicking on the tab next to the "Home" button, just below the title.  

For my tag, I attempted to replicate the sparkly-ness of a pond when the light catches the water.  I started by using Distress Oxide inks to create the background of the tag.

I use a Memorybox die called "Honeycomb Background" to cut the black cardstock.  I decided I would leave some of the shapes in and remove others and stuck it over the coloured background.  Using a Stampin' Up stamp from the "By The Tide" set, I added a couple of areas of stamping text.

I then moved on to die stamp and die cut the dragonfly, using the Stampin' Up set called "Dragonfly Dreams" and "Detailed Dragonfly Thinlits".  I finally added some pretty shimmery sequins to add to the water look.

Week 46 - 52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2017

The prompt for Week 46 is "Dance".

In previous years, I have never really been into "Strictly Come Dancing", but this year I have become almost addicted!  So it seems only right that this should be the theme of the tag for this week.

My tag started out with a Tim Holtz Distress Ink background of shades of oranges and yellows with a touch of raspberry flecking across the surface.  I had purchased a little set of stamps from ebay, which I believe may be a replica of a Stampin' Up set.  However, these are quite small and ideal for decorating a tag. I used these for the dance figure and the sentiment. Colouring in the hat and dress using a red Promarker pen.

Using a Memorybox die "Honeycomb Background", I cut a section of yellow card and then cut it into sections, sticking it to areas of the tag.  I then inked the edges in different shades and mounted the tag onto black card to make the colours pop more.  Finally, I added random dots across the surface of the tag and some self adhesive gem stones.

Thanks for taking the time to look at my blog.  Have a great week.  Sam x

P.S.  I forgot to mention that as always, the up to date list of prompts are available at the top of the page, next to the home button.

High Tide Tag

I was up early today and had the urge to play with ink and paper. 

I started with a background of distress inks.  I then added the sentiment (Stampin' Up "High Tide" stamp set). Using a Tim Holtz, Stampers Anonymous set I added the black dotty section to the top right of the tag.Next I rescued a section of a Memorybox honeycombe die cut from my off-cuts box, positioning to the top left and bottom right.

Using the Tim Holtz, Stampers Anonymous, "Mini Bouquet - CMS269", I stamped the flower heads onto white cardstock.  Using Promarkers in six different shades, I coloured the flowers in (Pear Green, Buttercup, Gold, Dusky Pink, Cinnamon, Cocoa). I then hand cut round the flower and adhered them onto the tag.  Some flat others elevated with foam pads.

Finally to lift some of the solid areas of the distressed background I used a Signo white pen to add dots to replicate a splatter effect.

Distressed Jigsaw Tag

Recently I've been experimenting with various Tim Holtz Distress Ink techniques on tags.  I have used one of these as the background for this tag.

I then used a white honeycomb overlay (using the Memorybox Honeycomb Background die 99434).  I cut the honeycomb up so I had a more random look and replaced some of the hexagons with the die cut centre that would normally be binned.

On a piece of card, I stamped the large and small jigsaw pieces using a StazOn ink.  The stamps that I used were part of the Paperartsy "At Home - Plate 5" set.  I then cut the images out.  I used foam pads to elevate the large jigsaw piece and coloured some of the areas red using a Promarker.  I then stamped some random small jigsaw pieces onto the tag.  Finally, I used a small punch to cut some red hearts.

Week 16 - 52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge 2017

It's Easter Monday and time for the Week 16 prompt which is "Black & White / Monochrome".

I started off with a black background then added a die cut overlay in a honeycomb design (Memorybox Honeycomb Background Style No,99434).  I punched some stars in white card and die cut foliage in two shades of grey using Creative Expression dies.

I played with the position of the components then glued them down, adding sticky backed pearls and ribbon.

Week 11 - 52 Week Art Card/Tag Challenge 2017

The prompt for Week 11 is "Laugh/Laughter".

For my tag I took inspiration from a reputed quote by Audrey Hepburn where she said: 
"I love people who make me laugh.  I honestly think it's the thing I love mose to laugh.  It cures a multitude of ills.  It's probably the most important thing in a person". 

So using a spin on this, I have gone for "Laughter is the best medicine".

For the tag I started off with a piece of yellow cardstock cut into a tag shape.  I then inked the edges using a shade of green.

Using a Memorybox Honeycomb die, I cut and adhered the lace to the yellow tag. I then cut the other shapes using Spellbinder dies layering and raising using foam pads to add dimension.

The two green ferns are die cuts from a Stampin' Up set "Botanical Builder Framelits".  Finally, I printed the sentiment and die cut it into a circle.

If you are following and participating in this challenge I would love to see your creations.  You can also find the blog on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ACraftingNiche/

One Wild Ride Card

It's often difficult to find a male card, but this one has worked well.

The hexagon background is a Memorybox "Honeycomb Background" die. I'm not sure who made the car stamp, but it could be by Anita's.  The sentiment is from a Stampin' Up Set called "One Wild Ride"