Vintage Easel Card - Creative Cardmarking

Hi everyone, Nikki here to share an idea for this months Creative Cardmaking post. I am not normally one for fancy card folds but I recently saw a version of this card and thought it would make a great 'special' Christmas card.

The card is based on a square - so any size could be used. I used a 6 inch square card. I added an extra fold at 1 1/2 inches. All I then needed to do was remove the corners. I marked in pencil at 3 inches along the short edge and cut to the additional fold. I could then mirror this at the other end easily.

 You can see in my picture above some extra bits of card. There are 2 squares to fit the base and the easel part of the card, and an extra piece for the inside, although I used cream card in the end as you can see below.

I covered my 2 squares with some Christmas themed paper - I added a little ink to the edges. I didn't have quite enough and wanted an extra bit for my greeting on the base so I cut a square out of the top piece and replaced with the cream square stamped with some Christmas words.

The focal point on the card is the Poinsettia - I die cut several layers from Tim Holtz Tattered Poinsettia die and used Festive Berries and Aged Mahogany Distress inks to colour.

Tim's Holiday Greens dies were used to add some Holly and greenery behind the Poinsettia - again I used Distress Inks (Pine Needles and Mowed Lawn) to get some colour variation.

I chose one of the greetings from Tim Holtz stamp set Festive Overlays - stamped on card and then layered before using foam pads to raise this - so the easel stands up!

And it also folds flat - well it would if the flower wasn't a little dimensional - but I found it would still - just - go in the envelope which came with the card - but I won't be putting it in the post!

Now to decide who to give it to!
Thanks for stopping by today. Our latest challenge - Window on Your World - still has 2 weeks to run as there are 5 Fridays this month. That also means we will be back next week with Tag Friday.

In the meantime - have a great weekend.
Nikki
xxx

Pinworthies - Neutral Challenge

Hi everyone and welcome to our Pinworthy post where we announce the Creative Guide favourites from our last challenge. The challenge was 'Neutral Zone' where we asked you to create with no colour and use a neutral palette.

We probably say this every time but selecting three is very difficult! I asked all the Creative Guides to select their favourites and over half of the entries received at least one vote!

Here are the three that I have selected from the most popular choices of the Creative Guides - in no particular order.

No 10 - Macarena

No 18 - Angela

No 33 - Irina

Congratulations ladies - I will be emailing your pinworthy badges shortly.

Our current challenge invites you to 'Book It' - did you see the inspirational designs from some of the Creative Guides - I missed this one but loved what everyone created! If you missed them do pay a visit and we would love to see your entries in the challenge.

Happy Crafting

Nikki

xxx

Neutrals Project Tutorial - Crackled Pebbles and Mottled Faceted Heart

Hi everyone, Nikki here with this month's project tutorial.  I thought I would share how I created my project for our current Neutrals challenge but also re-created it in different colours too! 

Here is the original:

The base of these projects is an 8inch square piece of MDF - on top of which I have added 4 coaster size altered pieces of greyboard (each 4 inches square).

Although it may not be obvious the coasters were done in pairs, with slight differences between them.

Apologies - I realise the text on the above image is not clear! My first step was to paint the surfaces - 2 in black and 2 in an off white colour. Onto these I then added crackle paste through my selected stencil. I went for a pebble effect but anything should work. Once dry I added Deco Art Antiquing Cream - I added white on the black coasters and black on the paler ones. I wiped away until I was happy and left to dry.

I sealed each surface with matt medium so I could add more paint without the antiquing cream moving, and added watery washes of  black and metallic paint to add tonal differences.

The blue version was an identical process just using varying tones of blues.

The hearts were die cut from heavyweight card stock and the creases burnished to make this easier later. 

I painted the surface with Silver paint and once dry created a resist using hair wax - adding in patches so as not to cover the entire surface. I then added black paint over the surface and allowed to dry naturally, so as not to melt the wax, before wiping away the black paint.

Next I created a watery wash of black paint and covered the surface before sprinkling salt over the surface. Leave to dry and then rub off excess salt.

I didnt add the salt on the blue version but sanded the edges carefully and emphasised with more silver paint.

For both I layered the heart on some altered circles / cogs and added flowers and a word chip.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Don't forget our Neutrals Challenge runs until 2nd May and we would love to see your designs. Sandy is here next week with our monthly card making tutorial.

See you soon!

Nikki

Addicted to Art

Neutral Zone - April Challenge

Challenge and Creative Guide Call

Hi everyone, Nikki here from Addicted to Art to host our latest challenge - Neutral Zone. But before I introduce this month's theme we are excited to be holding a Creative Guide Call!

Creative Guide Call....

Are you interested in joining our popular challenge blog as a new Creative Guide? We are looking for one or two new people to join the team, to create projects in one of our favourite styles and to share in the hosting of challenges and commenting on entries. We are an extremely friendly group, helpful, supportive and positive in all ways. We have a flexible schedule for completing a minimum requirement of projects and you can choose which months suit you best, you are not expected to join in every one. If you would like to find out more about what you would need to do as a Creative Guide then email Brenda at brenda_brown25@hotmail.com and she will send you more information for you to see whether the commitment is right for you. We're looking forward to expanding the team a little more so as to provide even more flexibility for our wonderfully talented members. 

Challenge time......

Back to our April challenge and it is time to banish colour! We are creating in the Neutral Zone. You can create with blacks, whites, greys, beiges, creams and browns but whatever you make, and whatever style, it needs to stay in the neutral zone. And remember to create in one of our preferred styles of vintage, shabby, mixed media, art journaling, industrial, timeworn or steampunk.

Here are our designs which we hope provide a little inspiration to get you started.

Nikki

My 8x8 inch panel is full of varying textures but only black, grey, silver and white. For some close ups and a sneak peak of a second version I made, do head over to my blog. I will be back here in 2 weeks with our project tutorial (April 19th) - with all the details of how I made this.

Brenda