Craft Roulette #92 Card

Hello crafty friends,

Here's my submission to Craft Roulette Challenge, Episode #92:

Wow... I can't believe this is my 30th consecutive submission!  I've been card making for years, so I would call myself an advance card maker in the skill department.  But playing along with Craft Roulette challenges has 1) reinforced my love of card making. 2) given me a whole lot of confidence in my creativity and abilities and 3) taught me some new things. 

For my card this week I started by using the parameters selected blue, green and my plus one (red) to create a Christmas tree gatefold opens to reveal my interpretation of a close up of a Christmas tree section with a hanging ornament and branches with Christmas light bulbs.

Thanks for stopping bye.  Until next time, take care.

TOB - Dec Mid Month Challenge Reminder

Hello crafty friends,

Welcome to this month's challenge reminder post.  Have you started working on a card?  If yes, GREAT!  If no, WHAT are you waiting for?  We want to see your Halloween creations.   Remember  the Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge, runs from the 2nd to the 28th of the month and the theme is always Halloween... ANYTHING related to Halloween!

I went with a square 5x5 card using a wood mounted stamp I got on ebay by Outlines Rubber Stamps K703.  I feel in love with the stamp and couldn't wait to color it up once it arrived.  The stamped image can stand on its own, but I added a large, but thin Trick or Treat die cut by Pretty Pink Posh on top for an extra something.   

Challenge ends on the 28th, winner will be announced on the 1st on the month before the start on the new challenge.  For a full list of all the rules please visit Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge home page.  unit next time... take care.

Craft Roulette #91 Card & Video

Hello crafty friends,

Here's my submission to Craft Roulette Challenge, Episode #91 (29th consecutive):

I went with a one layer card this week.  I bought back Retiform, by sectioning off  the top card panel and stamping different parts of my scene within them... before I knew this was Retiform, I thought of it as comic strip design.  

I used bright and cheery Christmas colors (red and green) and of course purple also made its' Holiday appearance.  I used a large post-it note to create a draft/template for the top panel, where I tested stamping each of the image to get a feel for placement and how to sectioned off the panel.   

When creating a scene like this, I like to have at least one section have images that get cut off.  In this case, the fireplace and the stuff on top of the mantle are cut off and I think it adds to the overall design of the scene.    

Here's a link to the process video for this card.  

Thanks for stopping bye.  Until next time, take care.

Craft Roulette #90 Card & Video

Hello crafty friends,

Here's my submission to Craft Roulette Challenge, Episode #90 (28th in a row):

I actually found a FUNN fold I like... this is my first bridge card and I will definitely be making more of these babies. They are easy, quick and FUNN to make.

Since I don't have a lot of color ink pads other than my Distress Oxides and not even all of them, I used a shade of blue and green to create some mint color trees, which to me look more teal, but it is what it is. Pink, brown and black were my other main colors. I used two stencils on the background and a large die cut word to meet all the crafty wheel's parameters.

I started by cutting and scoring my card stock. I waited to fold the scores until I was done with the stenciling. The first stencil layer was the Wonky Merry Christmas Text 6x6 by Paper Rose inked in Picked Raspberry. The second stencil layer were the trees using the Evergreens 6x6 Stencil by The Crafters Workshop. Sorry, I couldn't find a link to this stencil for you, but Newton's Nook has something similar. I layered the tree stencil over the text stencil. The two stencils didn't clash, because I inked the text stencil very lightly and it faded nicely into the far background, but still added a nice extra bit of interest.

Once my background was done, I colored my reindeer by Dare 2b Artzy, which I had in my bin from last year's Christmas card leftovers. I adhered him to the center section background on foam tape for dimension. The MFT Stacked Merry die die cuts with the letters connected, but I cut some of the letters apart in order to fit them on my two outer panels. I die cut the the Pretty Picket Fence by Penny Black from black card stock and it was a prefect fit at 5.5" wide. The die cut Christmas box word came from the Christmas Stitched Words set by IO I used my Picked Raspberry distress ink pad to color the card stock before die cutting the word and adhering it to the fence. Added stickles to the reindeer's hat top as a finishing touch.

Here's a link to the process video for this card.  

Thanks for stopping bye.  Until next time, take care.

TOB - December Challenge

Happy HOLIDAYS crafty friends,

Welcome to a new month at the Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge, which runs from the 2nd to the 28th of the month and the theme is always Halloween... ANYTHING related to Halloween!

You may not be thinking Halloween during December, but part of me still is.  My card this below is a simple shaker card one using a big bold sentiment stamp.  

If you are asking yourself, how can a shaker card be simple, well, these flat shaker cards that have been trending are super easy and fast to make.  

Find some plastic.  I used one of my stamp storage pockets for the first card, but in the video I used a zip bag.  Trim the plastic to 1/2" bigger than the size of the element you want to stick inside your shaker element.  My stamped cardstock was 5" square.  Add double sided adhesive to the back of your shaker element along the edges.  Adhere the sides and the bottom of the shaker pocket.  Add the shaker bits and close the top opening. Add more adhesive (I used double sided tape again) and adhere to card base.  

Challenge ends on the 28th, winner will be announced on the 1st on the month before the start on the new challenge.  For a full list of all the rules please visit Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge home page.  unit next time... take care.

Craft Roulette #89 Card & Process Video

Hello crafty friends,

Here's my submission to Craft Roulette Challenge, Episode #89 (27th consecutive):

I'm not a big fan of FUNN fold cards, so for this challenge I went with the one I find the least offensive... LOL  I created a easel card with a flat shaker element.  

I started with a previously stenciled A2 panel that I made weeks ago with the Rose Blossoms layering stencil by The Ton to create my flat shaker element.  I wrap plastic from a storage pocket around the front of the stenciled panel, added sequin and secured it in back with double sided tape.  Once the sequin where locked in the flat clear pocket, I adhered it to the bottom section of the easel card.  but first I covered the back of the shaker panel to hide the adhesive and plastic seams. 

The card base front was stenciled with Heffy Doddle Lots of Happy stencil and on the inside three of the MFT's Happy Birthday Script die where stacked to create a stopper for the front of easel card. A little ink was added to make the die cut pop up from the white background.

Here's a link to the process video I created for this card.  

Thanks for stopping bye.  Until next time, take care.

Craft Roulette #88 Card & Process Video

Hello crafty friends,

Here's my submission to Craft Roulette Challenge, Episode #88 (27th in a row):

As you can see, this week's crafty wheel parameters netted me four (fourth not shown in above photo) Christmas card, which is so very cool. I'm in LOVE with this Retiform style/technique/whatever it's called and will definitely be using it again.

Since I used three patterned papers on my card backgrounds, I ended up with the above three cards. The fourth card that's not shown, was created w/random strips of patterned paper from three different patterns, but I didn't cut them at the same time, so I didn't get the same three for one affect. I show this on the video (link below).

I'm a messy cutter, so adding the strips of green glitter paper was both a design thing and a cosmetic thing, because it cover the gaps/seams between my pattern papers. The strips also helps pull a certain color from the pattern paper up, in the case of the shown three cards, green.

The die I used on all the cards is the Hang Your Stocking die by Catherine Pooler, It's a nice size die for an A2 size card. I used the die in several ways on my cards.

Card 1... I covered two die cut card stock stockings with pattern paper and adhered them on foam tape to the retiform card base. I used leftover strips of the same patterned paper as the background for the top stocking, so you could say that stocking is retiform also.

Card 2... I stamped a die cut card stock stocking with a few of the cute Christmas cats Peace, Love & Paws stamp set by MFT. Colored them with alcohol markers, and adheres it on foam tape to the retiform card base. This one is my favorite, but only because it has cats on it.

Card 3... I die cut the stocking from a piece of card stock and created a shaker from the negative. I started with a almost A2 size piece of card stock and trimmed it after I die cut the stocking. I thought about trimming around the stocking w/a border just big enough to hold the form tape instead of leaving it as a rectangle, but didn't think I could get a clean enough manual cut. But I have any idea I want to try out and if it works out I'll let you know :) Adheres it directly to the retiform card base.

Card 4... Card created on video. I die cut the stocking into the card front, after creating the retiform background. Stamped the inside of the card, so that the stamped image was visible though the die cut opening and colored the image with alcohol markers.

Here's a link to the process video I created for this card.

  

After 20+ weeks of playing Craft Roulette, I've come to realize that it doesn't really matter what the crafty wheel lands on.  Yes, it can and has created some weird combinations, but it has been FUNN, exciting and yes, even a little frustrating at times to come up with a ideas, but totally do'able!   So, if you're reading this and sitting on the crafty fence, jump off and join in the FUNN.   

  

Thanks for stopping bye.  Until next time, take care.

Craft Roulette #87 Card & Process Video

Hello crafty friends,

Here's my submission to Craft Roulette Challenge, Episode #87 (26th in a row):

I used yellows and blue on my background for the feel of a warm sunny day.  The background clouds were created using an MFT cloud stencil.  My stamped flyer (the Nutty Squirrel from Aall & Create) is flying bye waving hi with a sign that reads "I'm nuts about you".  I used crumpled computer paper to die cut my clouds (MFT Stitched Clouds)... later added Stickles for more sparkle.   The finish card measures 4"x8", a little wider than my die cute front panel, but I didn't worry about it and just inked the extra with the darker yellow and extended the one cloud further down.  

Here's a link to the process video I created for this card.  

Thanks for stopping bye.  Until next time, take care.

TOB - Nov Mid Month Challenge Reminder

Hello crafty friends,

Welcome to this month's challenge reminder post.  Have you started working on a card?  If yes, GREAT!  If no, WHAT are you waiting for?  We want to see your Halloween creations.   Remember  the Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge, runs from the 2nd to the 28th of the month and the theme is always Halloween... ANYTHING related to Halloween!

I used the broom motif from the mood board for my mid month card.  Placing my fussy cut brooms into a die cut cauldron by IO.  I think the word art is an old cling stamp by Purple Onion Designs.           

Here's this month's mood board for additional inspiration... Hope to see your card soon. 

Challenge ends on the 28th, winner will be announced on the 1st on the month before the start on the new challenge.  For a full list of all the rules please visit Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge home page.  unit next time... take care.

Craft Roulette #86 Card

Hello crafty friends,

Here's my submission to Craft Roulette Challenge, Episode #86 (25th in a row):

I packed up our Halloween decorations this morning, but I couldn't stop myself from reaching for this stamp set by Simon Hurley when I sat down to create my card for this challenge. The Element of "Kid(s)" just screamed Halloween to me.  As a FUNN extra, the boy is dressed as a ROBOT!   My folded corner doubles up as a diagonal element and well as the pattern paper hillside, which is on a diagonal slope.  The colors (green, purple and black) were taken from the pattern paper.  The finished card is a slimline card measuring 3.5"x7.5".

The card was an easy one... I used a pattern paper with a house on a hill, and kids trick or treating to create a scene card.  The kids, kitty and sentiment were stamped, colored and fussy cut.  The two kids and sentiment are adhere directly to the card front, the kitty is popped up with form tape.   The folded corner is curled in with a little tape to keep it's shape.  I stamped a bat above the folded corner. 

Thanks for stopping bye.  Until next time, take care.

TOB - November Challenge

Hello crafty friends,

Welcome to a new month at the Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge, which runs from the 2nd to the 28th of the month and the theme is always Halloween... ANYTHING related to Halloween!

October and Halloween is past, but Halloween is still strong in my mind and heart. I shot this picture while my Halloween decorations where up.  I used the witches holding hands in front of a stack of pumpkins from the mood board as my inspiration for my card, but instead of holding hands my creepy witches are holding pumpkins.  

My witch is the #6269 Waving Witch from Stampotique Originals.  She's the perfect size for an A2 card at 2x4 inches.  If you want a smaller set of witches I would recommend the #6288 Witchie Cube, which doesn't come in a cube if you get the cling option which I did.   This set of witches are 2x2 inches. 

This card was super fast and easy to create. I stamped the witches, colored them with a medium gray marker and a fresh tone marker.  Found a small pumpkin stamp, stamped, colored and fuzzy cut and glued it onto the witches hands.  Using black distressed ink, I inked all around the card and them splatter ink onto the card.  

Note... I used a stamp positional when stamping the witches, because 1.  I need a new black ink pad.  2. I wanted a bold black image since I knew I would be coloring the witched in grey.  I stamped each of them three times.

Here's this month's mood board for additional inspiration... Hope to see your card soon. 

Challenge ends on the 28th, winner will be announced on the 1st on the month before the start on the new challenge.  For a full list of all the rules please visit Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge home page.  unit next time... take care.

Craft Roulette #85 Card

Hello crafty friends,

Here's my submission to Craft Roulette Challenge, Episode #85 (24th in a row):

When the wheel landed on the shopping parameter I knew I wanted to use one of the store stamps by Stacey Yacula.  The Book Store was at the top of the list, because of my love for books and reading, even though these days I'm 99.9% audiobooks, because they put less stain on my eyes.  

I stamped and colored my image, using my allotted three colors (green, gold yellow, red).  I used lite grey on the glass windows.  Fussy cut the image and added double side foam tape.  Next I google and found a free line drawing book background, which I printed and cut to 6.50"x4.50".  I used a black marker on the edge of this panel, so that it would stand out against the white card front.  Forget to mention, that I also added a small text box to the book background in Elements to read as a "shopping list" and I reduced the opacity of both the background and the text to 80%, so that the black outlines of the image would be subtle.   The "paper strips" parameter are represented by the little flags or "bookmarks" I inserted into the printed background before adhering it to the card front.  

Thanks for stopping bye.  Until next time, take care.

Craft Roulette #84 Card

Hello crafty friends,

Here's my submission to Craft Roulette Challenge, Episode #84 (23rd in a row):

The crafty wheel was kind this week.  I love true (4x8.5) slimline cards, have been making them long before they were trendy.  I had tons of ideas going though my mind, but finally settled on using "glass" cloche dies from Papertrey Ink.  

I die cut the base from white card stock and the "glass" tops from vellum, which I first covered with double sided score tape.  I looked though my stash of colored Halloween images and found a few to placed "under" my cloches.  My orange background layer is a pattern paper from colorbok.   

Here's a link to the process video I created for this card.  

Thanks for stopping bye.  Until next time, take care.

AAA Card Challenge #201 - BOO!

Hello crafty friends,

Back outside my comfort zone with another clean and simple (with LOTS of white space) card for the current AAA Card Challenge.   The current challenge calls for a corner element design with an optional twist BOO!, so jumped at the change to create a clean and simple Halloween card.

I used this Halloween Bats digital stamp by StarJamLines on Esty.  I sized the digital image in Elements and printed it twice, once on my card front card stock and once on regular computer paper.  I fussy cut the image that was printed on the computer paper and applied a little prepositional glue.  I placed the fussy cut image over the printed image on the card front one and inked the corner dark blue.  I splatter some pearl spray.  I removed the fussy cut "mask" and colored the printed image.  Once colored, I went over the printed image lines with a black pen to make the "stamped" image a bolder outline look.  As a finishing touch I added some white gel dots and black stars.   

Thanks for stopping bye.  Until next time, take care.

Craft Roulette #83 Card

Hello crafty friends,

Here's my submission to Craft Roulette Challenge, Episode #83 (22nd in a row):

This card is going out to my Bother-in-law, Sister-in-law and family who lost their dog Jagger last week. No one likes making or sending sympathy cards, but sadly they are a part of life. 

 
I used a rainbow die to create the arches which I position so they would show on two panels. The sky was created with a MFT cloud stencil and light blue ink. My colors were yellow, green, blue and purple. the rainbow also has a touch of orange and red, but I'm not claiming them as selected colors.

Thanks for stopping bye.  Until next time, take care.

TOB - Oct Mid Month Challenge Reminder

 Hello crafty friends,

Welcome to this month's challenge reminder post.  Have you started working on a card?  If yes, GREAT!  If no, WHAT are you waiting for?  We want to see your Halloween creations.   Remember  the Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge, runs from the 2nd to the 28th of the month and the theme is always Halloween... ANYTHING related to Halloween!

I used the lower right hand photo on this month's mood board as inspiration for my card.   

I started by stamping the tree and making a vase for it by using a small vase stencil by Altenew (Mod Vases).  Next I drew the wood tray and colored it with alcohol markers.  I used the small pumpkin from Newton's Perfect Pumpkin to make my three pumpkins and the small bat to stamp bats on all the branches.  I also stamped the spiderweb, because one of the branches was the perfect shape for it.   I kept the rest of the background clean. 

Challenge ends on the 28th, winner(s) will be announced on the 1st on the month before the start on the new challenge.  For a full list of all the rules please visit Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge home page.  unit next time... take care.

Craft Roulette #82 Card

Hello crafty friends,

Here's my card submission to Craft Roulette Challenge, Episode #82 (21st in a row):

I was really struggling to come up with an interesting card design using this episode's parameters... I was actually working on a card I wasn't totally into, when a "Pocketful of Sunshine" by Natasha Bedingfield started playing and I ended up scrapping what I was working on and coming up with this design.    

I searched google for a simple pocket template, downloaded, sized (about 2" at it's widest point) it in Elements and printed several onto my teal card stock. Then I used a black pen and added "stitching" lines around each pocket. I added double sided foam to each pocket and adhered them to my card.

The card is an A2 size card, on it's side. From left to right, it's scored at 2.75" and 5.5". I used blue and teal polka dots pattern paper as the background. The "sunshine" or "rays" were die cut from the Ink to Paper die (on the border sunburst). The die actually cuts half a circle worth of rays, so I had to trim some of it off to fit my pockets. I used wood elements on the outside of the pockets and a typed sentiment to complete my card.

Thanks for stopping bye.  Until next time, take care.

AAA Card Challenge #200 - Celebrate

Hello crafty friends,

I stepped outside my comfort zone and created this card for the 200th AAA Card Challenge.  

I love how the card turned out, but all that white space is just makes me crazy, LOL.   

Here's how I made the card...  I masked off a 1.5" section across the width of my card front and using the Heffy Doodle "Lots of Happy" stencil and Distress Oxide, I inked "happy" onto the section with Twisted Citron.  Next I stamped and colored my IO "Party Popper Horn" using alcohol markers.  I fuzzy cut the horn and placed it over the stencil section on double sided tape for a little dimension. 

I love how beautifully the happy stencil and the horn paired up.  Happy Birthday to all October babies!

 

Thanks for stopping by, until next time, take care.

Craft Roulette #81 Card

Hello crafty friends,

Here are the parameters for Craft Roulette, Episode #81, which aired live on Friday 10/1/2021 at 6:30pm CST.

Here's the 5x7 card I created and submitted... my 20th consecutive submission (yay!). 

My cut out element were the orange stars (SSS Stacked Stars die).  I die cute two of them and placed them over a die cut line green rectangle piece of pattern paper (Tim Holtz Sizzix Stacked Decked Thinlets) .  Line green was one of my + 2 colors, the other was blue.  The main orange color was used in the die cut stars and in the copper embossing paste stars on the pumpkin.  The pumpkin was stamped by inking the whole the Avery Elle Boo to You pumpkin, but first cleaning off the inner ring before stamping the image down.  I used a medium gray maker to define the pumpkin's sections and create shadows. Finally, I inked the pumpkin with two shades of blue Distress inks and embossed the stars with copper embossing paste using a stencil (SSS Falling Stars).  Opps, forgot to mention that I did rub Distress Micro Graze on the inked pumpkin before adding the embossing paste to seal the ink.  

I love the look of this pumpkin that I made a few more in other colors.  Stay tune to see what I'll do with them.

In the meantime, here's a link to the process video I created for this card showing how I created this card. 

Thanks for stopping bye.  Until next time, take care.

TOB - October Challenge

Hello crafty friends,

Welcome to a new month at the Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge, which runs from the 2nd to the 28th of the month and the theme is always Halloween... ANYTHING related to Halloween!

Using the mood board's checked table clothed and pumpkins on candle holders, I created this table scene that shows three decorated pumpkins.  

I created my pumpkins first.  I started with the bigger tall one, which I base colored orange and them stenciled a spider web onto it using black Distress Oxide ink using a Tim Holtz stencil (not shown in picture).  The witch pumpkin was next.  I colored it with two green alcohol markers and stenciled the bats and the witch.  The final pumpkin I base colored gray and freehanded black stripes with alcohol markers. 

For the card's background I fist masked off the area that would become my table and using the Harlequin stencil I inked the rest of the card front with a yellow/green.  I made the tablecloth with a thin stipe stencil (not shown in picture). I positioned the stencil and inked with black, moved the stencil perpendicular to the first set of inked lines and inked again to create the checked pattern.  I finished the card by giving some of the pumpkins foam for dimension before placing them on the card front.

Here's this month's mood board for additional inspiration... Hope to see your card soon. 

Challenge ends on the 28th, winner will be announced on the 1st on the month before the start on the new challenge.  For a full list of all the rules please visit Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge home page.  unit next time... take care.

Craft Roulette #80 Card

Hello crafty friends,

Here's my submission to Craft Roulette Challenge, Episode #80 (19th in a row):

I didn't let my dislike of yellow stop me for creating a super FUNN card for this week's challenge.  Since one of the parameters called for postage stamp and my favorite snail mail stamps are these Star Trek ones and they were sitting on my desk while watching the show, it just made sense to create a card inspired by one of them... the yellow background one, of course.

I started by masking off an 1/8" all around my card, so that I would have a white border.  Next I fussy cut a Starfleet logo onto a large post-it note to use as a mask in the center of my card.  I also die cut the text at the bottom of the card using an old Die-Versions font die called "A Hint of Lime" (sorry, I checked and couldn't find it available anywhere). 

Once everything was masked I used Mustard Seed Distressed Oxide ink for my yellow background. And later a little brown to mimic the real postage stamp.  I inked the Starfleet logo with black soot Distressed Oxide and using a white gel pen made dashes to mimic "warp drive" like in the real postage stamp. Lastly, I placed the spaceship onto the card.   The spaceship is from the Kindred Stamp Space Explorers stamps set. 

Here's a link to the process video I created for this card. 

Thanks for stopping bye.  Until next time, take care.

Craft Roulette #79 Card

Hello crafty friends,

Here's my submission to Craft Roulette Challenge, Episode #79 (18th in a row):

I created a tropical interpretation of "what's under the tree", which was one of the parameters the crafty wheel picked and because I was craving sand and beach, I put aside my beloved purple, red and black colors for tropical blues, pink and green. The FUNN flap is the sand, which opens from right to left to reveal a penguin on a raft with his/her cocktail relaxing. Note: the stamp has the penguin on a flap surface (towel, blanket), so I drew extra dimension on the surface to create a floatie/raft. The sand and ocean both got the crinkle Inkle affect.

The process video (link below) will show that this card took some "tweaking". I basically took it apart and redesigned how it opened, because it just was working for me.

Here's a link to the process video I created for this card. 

Thanks for stopping bye.  Until next time, take care.

TOB - Sept Mid Month Challenge Reminder

Hello crafty friends,

Welcome to this month's challenge reminder post.  Have you started working on a card?  If yes, GREAT!  If no, WHAT are you waiting for?  We want to see your Halloween creations.   Remember  the Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge, runs from the 2nd to the 28th of the month and the theme is always Halloween... ANYTHING related to Halloween!

I'm all about skeletons this month, so when I found this cute clip art I knew it would make a super fun card.  I printed the skeleton to be 6.5"x3.5", so that it would fit onto a slim 8"x4" card.  I pop it up foam adhesive and added white gel pen movement lines at the head and hip area.   Added a sentiment and called the card done.  I can't help but smile when I look at this goofy skeleton.

Here's this month's mood board for additional inspiration... Hope to see your card soon. 

Challenge ends on the 28th, winner will be announced on the 1st on the month before the start on the new challenge.  For a full list of all the rules please visit Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge home page.  unit next time... take care.

Craft Roulette #78 Card

Hi crafty friends,

Here's my submission to Craft Roulette Challenge, Episode #78 (17th consecutive):

Getting the card base ready... I started by cutting an 8.5x11" sheet of 110 black card stock at 5", so I had a 5x8.5" piece.  Next I scored it in half to make a top fold 5x4.25" (A2) card base.  I scored the front panel at 2.25"... the bottom part of this fold would be where I attach my easel back section to.  

Creating the easel section... I started by die cutting a black panel of the Aspen & Pine Forest by IO and adhering it to another black solid piece of card stock that I inked with forest moss distress oxide ink.  I wanted to maintained a black tone-on-tone look, but add a little more visual color depth between the two layers, which were separated by black double sided adhesive foam.   The tree background is really nice, but it took forever and the die is frustrating to work with.  I've used this die on both my Big Shot and my Gemni Jr and the middle section always gives me problems.  

Once the background was done, the rest of the card came together fast.  I had most of the colored elements (Stawberry Jude Bear & Bunny) done and waiting in the stamp's storage pocket from a previous coloring session (LOVE when that happens).  All I had to do was tweaked them a little and added attach the ones I wanted on the card.  In the end, I only had to stamp and color the guy with the lantern.   My finishing touch was to add premade black enamel dots to the background to act as stars and add another tone-on-tone element.

Here's a link to the process video I created for this card. 

Thanks for stopping bye.  Until next time, take care.

Craft Roulette #77 Card

Hello crafty friends,

Here's my submission to Craft Roulette Challenge, Episode #77 ( 16th in a row):

Kelly (our guest crafter) wasn't feeling these colors, but I didn't mind them and was actually looking forward to using them.  I wanted to used flowers, so I could refer the "starts with B" parameter element as Birthday Blossoms.  Since I had all the new goodies I purchased at the Expo two weeks prior in a bin on my desk.  I selected the Rose Blossoms Layering Stencil by The Ton, because I knew it would be super easy to color the two main flowers with inks. 

I used two shades of Red (Candied Apple and Barn Door) for my first stencil flower.  For the second flower I used Mustard Seed (Yellow) and Candied Apple.  Once stenciled, I fussy cut the flowers and set them aside when I inked blended my card front.   The random parameter called for an Ombre inking technique, but my attempted at it is very heavy handed and therefore somewhat subtle.  It is definitely, more visible in person.   The tag and "bday" I used were die cut using a retired die set from My Creative Time.  The "happy" die is from a longer die sentiment by Lawn Fawn.

Here's a link to the process video I created for this card. 

Bonus card... I create a second card just for FUNN using the same parameters and a beautiful stamp set by The Ton called Holiday Trio.  This time I used yellow for my background ombre.  I colored my gift boxes with my Tri-blend makers, but paper pieced the ribbons and bows with pattern papers.  

Thanks for stopping bye.  Until next time, take care.

TOB - September Challenge

Hello crafty friends,

Welcome to a new month at the Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge, which runs from the 2nd to the 28th of the month and the theme is always Halloween... ANYTHING related to Halloween!

For my card this month I was inspired by the skull candle sticks on the mood board below.  I used the skull and rose stamps from the Stampendous Sugar Skull (CLD03) set and the base from a free line drawing candle stick to create  my three skull candles in varying heights.  The green spiderweb background is a sheet of washi tape paper from the DCSV Halloween Washi Tape 6x6 pad.

Here's this month's mood board for additional inspiration... Hope to see your card soon. 

Challenge ends on the 28th, winner will be announced on the 1st on the month before the start on the new challenge.  For a full list of all the rules please visit Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge home page.  unit next time... take care.