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.

 

TOB - May 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!

I took my inspiration from the gold spider webs on the white background in the bottom right photo the for mode board.  I used an A2 size border backgound stamp by Unity and gold embossed two panels.  One I die with a double stitched wacky A2 rectangle die and the other with a piecing rectangle die that's about 1/8 of an inch smaller than an A2 size, this one I backed with black card stock and added to top folding card stock.  The word dies "happy Halloween" is part of a 3 die set from Papertrey Ink and I die cut from black glitter paper.  The A2 die but panel got a die cut purple glitter bat from IO and another of the Papertrey Ink word dies. 

Here's a video for these cards.

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 #93 Card & Video

Hello crafty friends,

Here's my submission to Craft Roulette Challenge, Episode #93 (31st consecutive):

When the crafty wheel landed on rodents I cringed, because I automatically thought of mice and rats and knew I didn't have any in my stash.  Don't like them (or bugs), so I don't buy them.  But as the suggestions of different rodents started scrolling by the chat screen, I remember I had this cute guinea pig from IO in my stash and I got the idea to make the vertical line random parameter her cage door.  

Cutting out the bars the most time consuming part of the card.  I used scoreboard and T ruler to keep my lines straight and even.  Jan, has a cute pink bow, heart shape donut pillow and purple bed.  She's a Happy little thing.  

I had company (Storm) on my craft desk during the making of this card.  He's not a lap cat, but usually close to me in some way. 

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

Thanks for stopping bye.  Until 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 #75 Card

Hello crafty friends,

Here's my submission to Craft Roulette Challenge, Episode #75 (14th in a row):

Unlike this week's special guest  Jess McAfee, I love red, so I was excited to work with it.  Fruit and In the corner were my head scratchers this time, so I gave myself a little time to think about my card.  I finally took direction from the Refreshing Cooler F20319 stamp by IO that was sitting on my desk.  

I used Technique Tuesday Luscious Grapes a base for my window opening that shows my red wine cooler.  I'm not sure what brand the die I used to die cut my window was.  I keep it along with my most used foundation dies in a clear drawer without it's packaging and over the years I have forgot who makes what.  But I looked up similar dies and found two options:  FS Semi Circle Element and SS Semi Circle Frames. I used the Small Brick Wall Stencil by MFT for my background along with Candied Apple Distress Oxide ink.  

I started by stamping, coloring and fussing cutting my two images.  Next,  I die cut my window. You can do this before or after stenciling the background, it ended up not really mattering.  I didn't want the brick background going the whole width of the card, so I position my stencil accordingly and masked the area I didn't want ink on.  I adhered  the grape cluster around the bottom window opening using double sided tape. I used faint pencil marks to get the placement for my wine cooler on the card's inside.  I stamped the grapes with gray ink right over the pencil marks for a subtle look and placed my wine cooler over it (the pencil marks were almost not visible).   

Looking at the card as I type this up, the only thing I would change is to tone down all the white by adding some aging around the edges... maybe Distress inking with old paper.  

The video below shows how I assembled this card: 

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

TOB - August 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 using the Halloween cupcake photo as my inspiration for this month's reminder post project.  I created two cards using the same products.  The Baker's Dozen stamp and die set from Papertrey Ink and the Halloween Web die from IO. 

On card one above, I used the larger of my MFT Wonky Stitched Frames to die cut a window into my mini card, which is basically a slim card panel folded in half (4"x8").  I inked the card front and the middle of the inside. Spayed it with Pearl Glimmer Mist by Tattered Angels and glued the black die cut web over the window opening.   I added the little cupcake on foam square and added a few black die cut bats.  

On card two above, I used the web to create my window, but in order to keep the web in place, I backed the front panel with acetate, so that I could glue the web onto something.  I was going for a Halloween mandala look and feel with the web as the center element and the cupcakes and bats as the outer elements with this card, but being an A2 size card I didn't have the right dimensions... should have gone w/a square base.     

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.

TOB - August 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!

I must have been craving sweets when working on this month's cards, because I went crazy looking for cupcakes in my stash.  I was stocked to find I only have one set of small cupcake stamps and coordinating dies.  The Baker's Dozen set from Papertrey Ink, which I didn't use on this card, but you'll see it on my mid-month cards.   Since I didn't have a large physical cupcake to work with and I had my mind set on it, I look on Esty for a digital one and I found at great one for only 58 cents here.  

Making the card was super simple, I coved my card front with pattern paper, inked the edges with black ink.  I cut the tip of the "icing" off the cupcake and glued the Halloween Web from IO over it and onto the card.  Note... before die cutting the Halloween Web, I backed the black card stock with double sided tape to make gluing it down easier.  Once the tip of the "icing" and the Halloween Web were positioned on the card, I positioned the rest of the cupcake arranging it so that Halloween Web looked like it was "inserted" into the "icing".  I added Nuvo drops to finish the card.

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 #70 Card

Hello craft friends,

Here's my submission to Craft Roulette Challenge, Episode #70 (my 8th in a row):

As you can tell I went with T for Toad (doesn't he just make you smile... he's just such a happy guy), He's a die by IO called Frog DIE788-V. The tall grass is also an IO die called Grass DIE038-J. The sentiment is CTMH's Punny Pals Operation Smile D1751, I think this stamp set is retire, because I couldn't find it on the CTMH site.

I used Distress inks in shades of greens and tans, plus a coating of Wink of Stella for shimmer. The lily pad I hand drew, fussy cut & painted with green glitter ink by Bree Reese.

The lily pad and the pattern paper under it is the "stopper" for the easel. Under that section of pattern paper there's a layer of foam tape.

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

Craft Roulette Episode #65 Card #3

Hello craft friends,

Here's my 3rd submission to Craft Roulette , episode #65:

The wheel gave us the following parameters:  

Project = Pattern Paper

Color = 4 colors

Element = Smile

Random = Tone on Tone

This card came together really fast.  After all, it only consists of pattern paper and one stamped image.  The pattern paper I used was a fun sheet of girls dancing.  And how can you not look at that paper and not smile.  I knew I wanted to use the "you make me smile" Impression Obsession stamp.  I used a double stitched frame to die cut the stamp out and added it to the card front on foam.     I think I've met all the requirements except the last one.  Not sure if I could have incorporated tone one tone on this card.

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

TOB - June 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!

This month's mood board (see below) is all about the moon and spooky trees, so I created a mini card using the square tree window die from Impression Obsession and add a cute (not scary) Halloween bear from the Waffle Flower on the inside of my card.   Note... I had to trim off a couple of the tree limbs so the bear's face could be seem.  A couple of the ghosts finished the mini card.   

Not sure what I'll add inside the Purple card yet... thinking bats.

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.

DRU - More HAPPY New Year Cards

 Hello crafty friends,

Since we're still in January and I feel it's totally exactable to wish people "HAPPY NEW YEAR" throughout the month of January, I'm back with two more "HAPPY NEW YEAR" cards today. 

For the above card I used Grand Hour Glass die by Poppystamps and the Roman Clock by Frantic Stamper.  The Roman Clock is not currently available, but the IO Clock Face die is.  

I started by die cutting the clock and using it as a stencil over my card front.  Next, I die cut the body of the hour glass to create my shaker window.  I backed the window with acetate and added tiny gun metal and black star sequins.  I also added a hand written "HAPPY NEW YEAR" message inside the hour glass shaker.  Once my shaker card front was attached to my card, I glue sections of the inked clock to the card, overlapping the hour glass in some places.

I stayed with hour glass theme, this time using the Small Hour Glass by Poppystamps and the Happy Happy Happy by Frantic Stamper. 

I created five small hour glass shakers and top the card with the Happy Happy Happy sentiment.  

On the inside of both cards I used the Happy New Year die from Merry Christmas set by Impression Obsession.  I also created a stencil from the Grand Hour Glass to ink both cards.

Here's a side by side of the Grand Hour Glass and the Small Hour Glass dies.
 

Thanks for stopping by.  If you like to visit my personal blog just clink on my name Mary Moisan. Until next time... Take care. 

Don't forget to come join in the fun at the Dies R Us Challenge Blog.  There's a new challenge theme offered on the 1st and 15th of each month and one lucky randomly drawn winner will receive a gift voucher prize to the Dies R Us Store.  For your convenience, all the important Dies R Us links are provided below.

click below for:

STORE 
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Thanks for stopping by!

DRU - Happy 2021

 Hello crafty friends,

I hope everyone had a nice end to 2020.  

For my first Design Team card for 2021 I wanted to make a Happy New Year card, but my go to Happy New Year die by Impression Obsession wasn't going to give my the look I wanted, which was a block style stand alone "happy" that I could cover the front of the card with.  

I ended up using the "happy" from the Happy Mother's Day die by Impression Obsession, it wasn't exactly want I wanted, but close enough.  I colored several pieces of scrap mixed media paper and die cut it my happies. I die cut a circle opening to show my stamped inside card image (Newton Celebrates)  

Until next time... Take care. 

Don't forget to come join in the fun at the Dies R Us Challenge Blog.  There's a new challenge theme offered on the 1st and 15th of each month and one lucky randomly drawn winner will receive a gift voucher prize to the Dies R Us Store.  For your convenience, all the important Dies R Us links are provided below.

click below for:

STORE 
 CHALLENGE BLOG
  FACEBOOK
  INSPIRATION BLOG

FRIENDS OF DIES R US PINTEREST PAGE

Thanks for stopping by!

DRU - Christmas Sweater

 Hello crafty friends,

I've been on a hunt for Christmas sweaters/sweatshirts for the family the last few days, so I decide to make a card with a few paper sweaters.  Thinking these would make really cute package tags also.

I used this fun die set from Elizabeth Craft Designs called Winter Sweater and some small print pattern paper to die cut three sweaters for my slim card.  I die cut the hanger, sweater trims and reindeer all from white card stock and colored them with Distress ink.  I also inked the card background with Distress ink and spayed it with glimmer mist.

Update:  The Winter Sweater by ECD is not currently available, but Frantic Stamper has this Cozy Sweater and they have another die set with Sweater Icons.

On the inside of the card, I used "Season's Greetings" word dies from the Christmas Stitched Words by Impression Obsession.     

Thanks for stopping by.  If you like to visit my personal blog just clink on my name Mary Moisan.  Happy Holidays crafty friends!

Don't forget to come join in the fun at the Dies R Us Challenge Blog.  There's a new challenge theme offered on the 1st and 15th of each month and one lucky randomly drawn winner will receive a gift voucher prize to the Dies R Us Store.  For your convenience, all the important Dies R Us links are provided below.

click below for:

STORE 
 CHALLENGE BLOG
  FACEBOOK
  INSPIRATION BLOG

FRIENDS OF DIES R US PINTEREST PAGE

DRU - Crystal Fir

 Hello crafty friends,

Mary back with this fast and fun card...

The Ice Crystal Fir tree by Tutti Designs is delicate, but is substantial enough to be the focal point on a standard A2 card.   On my card, I die cut it from white card stock and glued it over green plaid pattern paper.  I placed the tree to the right, so that I could fit the MERRY word die from the Christmas Stitched Words by Impression Obsession.   

Don't forget to come join in the fun at the Dies R Us Challenge Blog.  There's a new challenge theme offered on the 1st and 15th of each month and one lucky randomly drawn winner will receive a gift voucher prize to the Dies R Us Store.  For your convenience, all the important Dies R Us links are provided below.

click below for:

STORE 
 CHALLENGE BLOG
  FACEBOOK
  INSPIRATION BLOG

FRIENDS OF DIES R US PINTEREST PAGE

DRU - Spooky Banner

 Hello crafty friends,

Mary back today with my last Halloween card of the season for this blog.

I started my card by die cutting a square window in the middle, so that the inside stamped pattern (IO Cover-a-Card Gradation CC015) could be seen.  I used the Die-Versions Stitched Squares, but would have preferred to used the Lawn Fawn Outside In Stitched Squares, because the stitched lines are left on both the negative and positive pieces.  

Next I inked the around the sides of my card front with distress ink. While the ink dried, I die cut the Spooky Banner die by Tutti Designs from black glitter cardstock and glue it to the card.  A sentiment from the Tiny Halloween stamp set by Lawn Fawn and some sequin finished the card.

Hope you enjoy the last few days of the Fall/Halloween season... Until next time... Take care. 

Don't forget to come join in the fun at the Dies R Us Challenge Blog.  There's a new challenge theme offered on the 1st and 15th of each month and one lucky randomly drawn winner will receive a gift voucher prize to the Dies R Us Store.  For your convenience, all the important Dies R Us links are provided below.

click below for:

STORE 
 CHALLENGE BLOG
  FACEBOOK
  INSPIRATION BLOG

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Thanks for stopping by!

DRU - Rainbow Bats and More

 Hi, Mary here... 

My desk is full of Halloween crafty goodies, so I'm back on the blog today with two more Halloween cards.  I used this cute bat die from Impression Obsession on both of the cards I'm showings today.  

I started my first card by die cutting several bats from white mixed media 184lb (400 series) cardstock. Please note this die includes tiny dies for the inner ears, nose and belly, which I didn't use on my card. 

Initially, I inked the bats solid with their Distress Oxide colors, but ended up adding black at the bottoms of all the bats for added interest.  

When I placed the bats on my card background I felt the bats didn't pop enough, so I went back and die cut more of them, so that each inked bat had a white shadowed bat underneath.  I glue the inked and shadowed bat so just a little bit of the white showed. 

 

Here's a picture of all the bats with their white shadows.

 I love how the finished card turned out.  The black card base, I splashed with white ink.

For the inside, I die cute the bat from foam to create a stamp... notice, that it doesn't matter what color foam you have.  

On my second card, I started by die cutting a Double Stitched Oval from my card front.  

I glued the die cut and inked bat on the front over the oval opening and backed it with another die cut bat on the back side.  On the card's inside, I glued the die cut cat.  

I used Cheery Lynn Designs' Whimsical Halloween Cat die set, which is currently not available in the store, but the Large Mod Cat, the Creepy Cat are good alternatives die set if you want to create a similar card.   

Don't forget to come join in the fun at the Dies R Us Challenge Blog.  There's a new challenge theme offered on the 1st and 15th of each month and one lucky randomly drawn winner will receive a gift voucher prize to the Dies R Us Store.  For your convenience, all the important Dies R Us links are provided below.

click below for:

STORE 
 CHALLENGE BLOG
  FACEBOOK
  INSPIRATION BLOG

FRIENDS OF DIES R US PINTEREST PAGE

Thanks for stopping by!