Wednesday, December 14, 2022

TOB - Dec Mid Month Challenge Reminder

 

Happy Holidays crafty friends,
Welcome to this month's challenge reminder post.  Have you started working on a card/project?  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 can't believe 2022 is coming to an end, WOW!  



Taking inspiration from the mood board, I created a ghostly banner.  This time instead of telling you how I made the card, I'm going to tell you how I would remake it, because I like the design, just not the execution.

I wouldn't have used dimensional adhesive foam on the purple frame (the banner die cut). If you want dimension (for a shaker card, etc.) die cut several extra banners to back the purple one (the top layer).  This will provided more support to the whole banner and look much better.  The outside frame on this die is just too thin and even the thin adhesive foam I used was not thin enough and ended up looking terrible.  I tried to hide it by coloring it black with a marker and made more of a mess.      

Add double side adhesive to the vellum paper before die cutting the ghosts, so that the adhesive won't show.  If your banner was dimensional, all you would need to do was not attach the banner to the card front prior to adding your ghosts on it, so that you could coat the sticky backs of some of the ghost with powder to remove unwanted stickiness.  If you're using acetate, then the ghost would just stick to the acetate.  The vellum adhesive I used was very visible. 

   Sometimes looking at a card I made (but I'm not happy with) with a critical eye helps me make better cards.  Not all cards are stars, but every card I make can teach me something.  I hope this helps.  

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

Sunday, December 4, 2022

Craft Roulette #141 Card

 

Hello crafty friends, 
     here's my 66th submission to Craft Roulette, Episode #141:



Once you have the parameters, how do you decide what products to use?  Do you have an inventory of your stamps and die?  I have some stuff in AirTable, but it's not up-to-date, so I'll usually search the "inventory" directory I created and keep updated on my computer.

  This time, I started by searching for "tree" and one of the first items displayed was the Tree Ring Embossing Folder by TH. I didn't even bother looking at anything else the search found, because I was locked on the embossing folder. And It was in the "new stuff" bin that sits on my desk next to the "seasonal" bin. 

So now I had a background for my "A2" "from a tree" card. Next I set to work on some "in the corner" elements. I grab the Foliage 2 by Paper Smooches set and die cut some pine leaves from variated green pattern paper.  I also die cut the Birch Tree Circle from IO from beige card stock.  The red (my plus 1 color) ticket is from Unity's Ticket to Christmas set.  At this point, I though I was set and arranged all my corner elements.  I took my photos, selected the best photo, added the CR logo and my watermark in PhotoShopElements and saved my file.  It was only when I upload the photo here that I realized I didn't have any blue in my card.  WAIT, no need to panic, digital stamps to the recue!  I reopened my card in PSE and added three blue snowflakes, varying their sizes for interest.


Thanks for stopping bye.  Until next time, take 

Friday, December 2, 2022

TOB - Dec 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!  


When I saw the Halloween decorated cake on the mood board I knew I had the perfect stamp for a card.  This stamp by IO is a favorite (as most IO in my collection are).  I love that it's not an overly creepy design and can be used on Halloween as well as Falls cards.  I paired it with a frame and a sentiment stamp by Penny Black and used a fun pattern paper to make the stamped image pop. 

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.