CAS One Layer Card Challenge

Well, yikes.  CAS I can do, but one layer also?  That's tricky.  C'est la vie...here's my attempt at a very CAS one layer card with a Christmas Flora theme...

The lighting doesn't show it well, but there is a dry embossed line on all sides.  I can't say that this is my fave card, but that's what challenges are all about - trying new things.

This is for the Less Is More #407 challenge.

Cheers!

Creepy Bunny ATC

It's been a long time since I've tackled some ATCs.  I joined a swap over on SwapBot with a "Creepy Doll" theme.  This bunny from Stampotique came to mind right away.  😀

I used alcohol markers, dye ink and Distress ink to make this little dude came to (after) life.  I'm adding it to Stampotique's "Black, White & one other color" Challenge, too.

Happy Halloween!

Party Animal Birthday Card

My sister's birthday is coming up and I think she'll get a chuckle out of this.  That is...if she isn't annoyed that I'm reminding her that she's another year older. 😁

I'm entering this in the Less Is More #406 and the MFT Birthday sentiment challenges.

Cheers!

Elves In The Attic

I initially started this blog as a way to share the creations I make for my Etsy shop.  It went a little sideways soon after that as I got wrapped up in creating for creating's sake and dove into artist trading cards (so cool...traded with people all over the world), mixed media, participating in crafty challenges and became a member of a stamping company design team.  Since it's been a while, I thought that I'd share some of the goodies I've added to my Etsy shop, ElvesInTheAttic.

This is a fall-inspired card that can be used in so many ways...Happy Thanksgiving, just because, thank you, miss you, thinking of you...

Click HERE to see more

I LOVE interactive cards.  What a fun way to send a greeting!  Here is a Birthday card perfect for somebody with a winter birthday or who likes to hit the slopes.

You can find this one HERE

And then this one just makes me laugh.  You have a friend that this is perfect for, right?

Click HERE to see more pics

Now, don't cringe.  I know Halloween isn't even here yet, but there are some Christmas and Hanukkah items in the shop.  Find them (and lots more!) in the Autumn/Winter Holidays section.  Shop early and avoid the rush!  😁

Thanks for stopping by.  Did you get all the way to the end?  I'm impressed!  As a Thank You from the elves and I use code IheartEITA to get 10% off your total purchase.  (Offer valid 10/13/19-11/15/19 - because my sister's birthday is on the 15th.  😉)

MFT Color Challenge 127

Holy moly...it's been 3 months since my last post!!  Yikes.  I've been home form work with The Crud for a few days giving me some time to sit in the studio and get busy.  I decided to get The Muse in gear by making a card for the latest MFT Color Challenge.

I liked the challenge of using orange on a holiday card (and that sentiment set was dying to be cracked open).

Hopefully you'll be seeing more posts from me.  It's time to start creating!  Thanks for stopping by.

ICAD 2019: Week 5

Wow, I'm actually doing this.  I've made it to Week 5 of ICAD 2019.  Sweet!  Here we go with the latest index card offerings...

Day 29: off-prompt: I was perusing YouTube looking for ideas for using the Kwik Stix I've had in my stash. I discovered an elementary school teacher who used them with her class to create art inspired by Reggie Laurent.  I'd never heard of him but was inspired to do the same. I love his use of bright colors and mix of organic and geometric shapes against a black background.  Media: acrylic paint

Day 30: Lemon/Lemonade:  What?  I did it!  Inspired by today's prompt, I drew these bad boys with lead pencil and colored them in using watercolor pencils.  The pre-gelli printed background was the inspiration for this.

Day 31: off prompt:  Wrapping up Pride Week I decided to finally pull out the Kwik Stix.  I love how creamy they are which made them great for blending colors.

Day 32: off prompt: I was watching some YouTube videos and found one where the artist made a really busy background and then covered most of it with paint.  Inspired by that I made this.  Media: acrylic paint, archival ink

Day 33: off prompt.  I started out by painting with pale yellow and grey acrylics, followed by stamping and then applied gel medium through a stencil.  I was at a loss after that because the vision I had wasn't panning out.  I ended up covering the whole thing with gesso, inking around edges with archival inks and slapping on some torn strips of paper.  Haven't decided yet if I like it or not.

Day 34: off prompt:  I watched a video of Dee Dee Catron creating a tag and totally ripped off her idea for today's card.  I layered index cards and painted them with acrylic ink and watercolors.  The cheesecloth was colored with Distress stains and the colorful circle in the middle is mop-up paper towel that's been floating around my desk for a while.

Day 35: Pine.  Hmmm...another one that just makes me scratch my head and wonder what happened (and that's okay).  Rubbed acrylics on the card with my fingers and then scratched into the paint with the pointy end of a wood skewer.  Things went really awry in the top right corner so I covered it up.  Ha ha!

I've got quite the stack of cards accumulating.  I like leafing back through them.  The last (and first) time I completed the annual ICAD challenge was 2016 and I love going back and looking through them as well.  Here's this year's stack so far...

Woot woot!

ICAD 2019: Week 4

Uh-oh...the ICAD grind is catching up to me.  My husband had knee surgery and that threw off my creative time.  I had to play catch-up for a few days, but I'm still hanging in there!  Here's what happened on Week 4...

Day 22: off-prompt.  Saw a mop-up paper sitting on my desk.  Cut it into strips and glued them on.  

Day 23: off-prompt. I was inspired by some of the collages I've seen in the FB ICAD group.  Rifled through my scrap box to find these bits.

Day 24: Off-prompt.  Realized just before bed that I hadn't arted.  Took out a ruler and Pitt pen and drew 4 straight lines from each side of the card.  Colored them in a few days later with watercolor pencils.  Went over a few colors with wet paintbrush.

Day 25: off-prompt.  I've been trying to grab supplies that I don't reach for often.  Today was another "oh, damn.  I haven't ICAD'ed yet!".  I randomly drew wiggly bits on the card with a Pitt pen before hitting the hay.  Came back a couple of days later and, inspired by a color combo chart I spied on Pinterest, pulled out my Neocolor IIs and got busy.

Day 26: off-prompt.  Somebody did this in an art journal using their whole hand.  I'll have to have another go at this some time.

Day 27: off-prompt.  I have lots of cards in my stash that have been gelli printed.  I ripped that blue scrap from another card and stuck it on and a beachy scene appeared to me.  Holding onto the very end of the pen I loosely drew the shapes (sad little dolphin - haha!) and then colored the in with Copics.

Day 28: off-prompt.  This gelli printed base has been in my stash for a couple of years.  I've never been able to bring myself to use it because I loved it.  I combined stamps from two of my fave  stamp companies - Stampotique and VLVS - to create this card (which makes me chuckle).

And it's a wrap for this week, folks!