The Paper Funday Gifted Gnome

 

     A new month means a new challenge at The Paper Funday. An Anything Goes papercraft challenge with an optional twist, which this month is No Patterned Paper......which I sort of forgot, oops, although strictly speaking it's coloured paper, not patterned.

     He's been printed onto white card and also onto the coloured paper. Using alcohol markers I coloured his hands and nose, then using a glitter Gel pen coloured the gift with silver.

     After cutting out all of the clothing and colouring the shaded areas I began to stick them onto the white card using a good strong PVA glue. Once all the glue was dry I ran a clean, dry brayer over the image to make sure it was all nice and flat.

     Using another piece of the coloured paper I cut a mat layer and mounted the image panel onto it, then onto a white card blank. The centre of the flower has some orange flock added to give it a little pop of bright colour. I found a greeting disc in my stash but it needed a little something, so I die cut a disc from the coloured paper and mounted it on foam pads. 

     If you haven't already seen the team inspiration on The Paper Funday then please pop over and have a look at all the great ideas, once you've made your project come and join us.

I would like to enter this project in the following challenges:

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - #223 Anything Goes

Inkspirational - #308 Paper Piecing

Gem of a Challenge - Wk3 Anything Goes

Art Deco Chinese

     This is made with a die from the second release of Art Deco dies by John Next Door, Kahn. These dies have a very oriental look to them so that's the way I decided to go with this card.

     I cut the die in satin gold card and kept the pieces that popped out. Then I cut it again in gold mirri card but left a wider border around the outside, again I kept the pieces that popped out but used the framework as a mat layer on this card.

     I used a piece of oriental patterned paper to back the satin grid, mounted this on the mirri grid, then paper pieced some of the popped out bits into the gaps. The small red and black centre piece was cut and added on top to give a splash of colour.

     Another piece of the same backing paper was added to a dark red card, then the grid layer was mounted on foam to finish off.

     A simple but effective card suitable for either man or woman, a greeting could be added at a later date when required.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Lemon Shortbread - #161 Anything Goes

International Art & Soul - #123 Dies or Punches

Happy Little Stampers - Anything Goes With Dies

Gnometastic Happy Birthday

 

     The new challenge at The Paper Funday is open, this month our optional theme is Cute Critters. This happy little chap may not be a critter but he is cute, he's Gnometastic Happy Birthday from Polkadoodles.

     

     My colouring skills are not that great so I chose to paper piece this little fellow. That meant printing him out on thin white card and on some 8x8 thick paper I had in my stash, this was all done at the same time so I wouldn't forget the size I used for the first one.

     The printed paper was double sided, spotty on one side and a plain distressed look on the other. When cutting out the pieces I made sure I cut to leave the black line showing on each piece that I wanted to keep.

     

     Some of the image had to be coloured so I used some alcohol markers for this.

     I'm not sure why but I took his hands to be gloved, so I cut the lighter paper for those so his hands matched his hat.

     The spots could be seen through the pen so I had to cut off his boots and colour them on the white card.

     All the colouring was done before I added the paper pieces, then using tweezers and a fine tip glue bottle I added the glue to the paper and placed it over the corresponding white area.

     I was very lucky with the candle flame, there was a pinky spot just at the base of the flame so once coloured yellow the flame looks darker at the bottom.

     To mat the gnome I used the plain back of the ds paper, I didn't have enough to use just one so I stuck the two pieces together, then cut the mat at an angle across the join. Using the same paper meant the colour tones would all match. The finished panel was mounted on foam pads, then on to a gold card blank.

     For the greeting I stamped on white with green ink and die cut it, then using some Distress Ink I coloured around the very edge for definition. The circle was then mounted on foam pads in the corner of the card.

     The Paper Funday is an anything goes challenge but we would love it if you used the twist, so come and share all your 'cute critter' projects with us for a chance to a prize.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends - #163 Anything Goes

Inkspirational - #244 Spots/Dots

  Gem Of A Challenge - #16 Anything Goes  

CraftyHazelnut's Patterned Papers - Anything Goes With Patterned Papers

Patchwork Circles

      Nesting dies aren't just for matting and layering, this is made using one circle die from the new John Next Door nesting die set, plain circles. There is a stitch dot nesting set too, plus several other shapes.

       There are fifteen circles cut from four different double sided patterned papers, all the same size. To get the sides folded up evenly I used a square die sat over the circle to guide me, I did not put the square through the machine to crease them incase it went wrong, I did it by hand.
       Using a square of matching paper for the base layer I marked the centre with a faint pencil line, this gave me the place to stick the first circle. Before sticking the circles down I did a mock up to see what looked best, I also took a photo of this mock up so when I started to glue them down I would still get them just where I wanted them.

      There are two open areas within the pattern where there is no circle stuck on, this gives two little feature points. For those features I chose to use the Starflower die, cutting from some of the same paper set I made several flowers and also cut a couple of leaf shapes, which were coloured with a touch of green ink.
      With a flower spray in the bottom corner I balanced it out with a tiny butterfly in the opposite corner. Each little flower has a tiny pearl in the centre. matted onto a narrow layer of satin silver paper gives a subtle shine before going on a white card blank.
      The little circles are a good way of using up scraps, as long as you have enough that will tone together and the beauty of using double sided is the little flaps are colourful too.


Materials List    Available from your local craft shop
PCD206 - Plain Circle nesting die set
JNDAD001 - Starflower die set
JNDAD002 - Starflower Leaves die set
JNDAD008 - Small Butterfly die set
Strong PVA Glue

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes/optional geometric papers  - Top Rocker

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes

CraftyHazelnut's Patterned Paper - Anything using patterned papers

Happy Little Stampers - Anything Goes With Dies

Computer Reboot

     Making masculine cards can be a challenge but this stamp has it covered, it's not a new stamp but it's one I keep coming back to, when teamed with paper piecing it can be tailored for almost any theme.

      These two cards were made for a couple of young men celebrating their birthdays on the 29th of February. They are both keen gamers so I printed off some suitable papers containing computer code and circuit boards.
      For each card one set of boots was stamped and embossed on the patterned paper and another set on white card. I cut out the white card boots and then cut out selected parts of the patterned boots. To get the darker areas on the boots I used a grey alcohol marker but for the laces I used a white Sharpie pen.
      The word 'Urban' comes from another old Woodware set, stamped, embossed and coloured with alcohol markers. Then the backing paper was matted on to black card, before going on to a Kraft card blank.

      To tailor each card to the young man receiving it I stamped the little heal guard detail differently, one has ties to Canada so I used the tiny Woodware leaf that comes with the boots for his card and the star for the other.
      Inside the kraft card is a die cut shape to match the heal guad detail with Happy Birthday stamped on it. They may be very similar but they are certainly not the same.
      If you're looking for more ideas then please pop over to Not Just Cards where you'll find lots more inspiration.

I would like to enter these cards in the following challenges:

     Di's Digi Designs - Show Some Green

Send a Smile For Kids - Cards 4 Boys    Top 3

Double D - It's All About The Green

The Male Room - Team Colours

Do-Al (l) Creative - Male Birthday

Patterned Paper In The House Of Cards

   The new challenge at the House Of Cards is to use patterned paper and/or the colours on the swatch. I found this paper in my stash and thought it would ft the bill nicely.

     I die cut some flowers from the double sided patterned paper, oddly thinking they would only cut the folded petals and not the complete flower....wrong, definitely having a silly moment with that one.
     This actually turned out to be a good thing, it meant I could colour the outer petals before returning them to the paper, that way they would stand out a little.
     The patterned paper layer was stuck over a blue mount layer after I cut out the flowers, then each coloured flower was stuck back in its place but only around the edges, the inner petals were all curled upward.

     Once dry each flower had a nobly gem stuck in the middle to add texture and interest. This paper panel was then stuck on to a white card blank.
     The sentiment was stamped on white card and die cut, then coloured cream to match the background on the paper whilst still in the die, this gives a little white border. A scalloped oval in the same blue card was what was needed to go under this sentiment, it's stuck flush to the card so it could be posted if necessary but may be better hand delivered.
     The House Of Cards challenge runs all month so pop over and join us with your cards, we'd love to see them.

Use patterned paper and/or the colours

The Male Room Toddlers

     This fortnight at The Male Room we would like to see projects for little boys, it doesn't have to be a card, it could be a gift box or maybe a scrapbook layout.
     I chose to keep my card quite simple, with a stamped design. The balloons were stamped twice so I could cut out the two closest ones and mount them on foam pads. The parcel is paper pieced, with the side coloured grey to make t darker.
    The tag is stamped and die cut with a mini tag die I got in a free magazine gift set, coloured with a little Distress Ink before being taken out of the die, this is also mounted on foam pads.
     The card isn't completely flat but it's still thin enough to qualify as standard post. The marker pens came through on the inside so I have added an insert to mask this.
     Please come and join us at The Male Room with your 'little boy' projects, we also have a design team call running so if you would like to join our team just put DT after your name when you link up.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Crafty Cardmakers - For A Man or Boy   (F)
Dream Valley - For A Man or Boy   (F)
Stamps and Fun - Balloons   (F)
Papercraft Challenges - Children   (F)

The Male Room Symmetrical Challenge

    This fortnights challenge at The Male Room is all about symmetry, there are some great examples over on the blog from our DT.

      I started with a white tag which I coloured with red Distress Ink, making the edges much darker than the middle, this was dried off with heat. The next step was to add some pattern to the background, using a stencil and Distress Oxide Hickory Smoke I worked the pattern on to the tag, this was also dried off with a gentle heat. The next layer was to go over the whole tag with the same grey Oxide ink to dull it all down a little, to finish the tag was spritzed and flicked with water.

      Using a Sizzix die I cut the Dapper gentleman in black card and then the bow tie and hat band in dark red. The black card was taped to the tag to use as a guide because I wanted to use the cut out parts, this helped me place the die cuts in exactly the right place to build the picture.
     Once removed the black card can be used to make another project, it could be a card to match the tag for a birthday.
     I have kept the ribbon simple by staining some cotton ribbon with the same Distress Inks used on the tag.
     Please come and join us at The Male Room with your masculine symmetrical projects, we would love to see what you make.

I would like to enter this tag in the following challenges:

The Paper Girls - Masculine Birthday   (F)

ARTastic - Black, White and one other   (M)

Sneaky Paper Piecing

     The new challenge at The Male Room this time is Paper Piecing, the DT have come up with several different ways to interpret this giving you plenty of scope for your project, just remember it has to be masculine.

     My trusty Woodware Sneaker stamp was used again, I have had this for a couple of years and it still proves to be very popular with the teenage boys around here.
     The image has been stamped on to patterned paper and on to white card, both images are embossed in black. I cut the uppers from the patterned paper and stuck them over the white image, leaving the soles and lace bow uncovered.
     Using a marker I coloured the toes and the insides of the sneakers along with the lace eyelets too. The bottom part of the sole is also coloured with a pen to make it a tiny bit darker.
     The laces on the patterned paper are coloured with a white Sharpie, one coat was enough.
     The white image has been cut out and is then mounted on to a pale patterned paper. The word is also a Woodware stamp, embossed in black and coloured in with a maroon marker pen. The mat layer is coloured with the same pen on white card so it would match the word.   
     The little heel guard has a small maple leaf stamped and embossed in maroon to match the word colour, then the whole paper panel is stuck to a Kraft card blank.
     Please pop over and take at look at the DT inspiration at The Male Room, our new teamies have come up with some great designs for you.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes   (F)

Retro Rubber - Fall/Autumn Colours   (F)

Glitter 'N' Sparkle - Fall/Autumn Colours   (W)

Seeing Stars in The Male Room

     A new challenge at The Male Room has us seeing Stars, you can make any project you like as long as it's masculine and fits our theme - Stars.

     This card started with the waistcoat being stamped and embossed on patterned paper, then it was cut out and the buttons covered with gold relief paste.
     The background needed more stars so I die cut the sentiment panel in a blue card layer, then cut the same shape in white card and stuck that flush in the hole, making sure to push out all the little stars around the edge. I then die cut a few random stars in the blue layer before matting it over gold paper.
     The sentiment is stamped in blue ink and clear embossed. The background layers were stuck to a white card blank and then the waistcoat was stuck on using foam pads. There is only one raised layer to the card so it's alright for UK postage as an ordinary letter.
     Our challenge runs for the next two weeks so please come and join us with your Star creations, there's lots of inspiration on The Male Room blog to help get you started.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Crafting From The Heart - Anything Goes   (W)

Crafty Cardmakers - Add A Sentiment   (F)

Come and Get It - Birthday Wishes   (W) 

Scrappy Birds

     Do you have lots of small patterned paper scraps stashed away just in case?  These tags were made for CraftyHazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge using some of my 'big enough to be useful' stash.

     Using my Birdy Tower Woodware stamp I used black Versafine to stamp out all the birdy pieces.  You can either stamp on the tag to get the legs or draw them in afterwards like I did.
     Each tag has a Distress Ink coloured edge to tone it in with the birds to be stuck on them. These birds are great Robins at Christmas but make fun images for use all year round, not quite crazy birds but still cute.  
     I cut around each piece carefully and then stuck them on the card with PVA glue once the Distress was dry.

     The legs are drawn in with a black micron pen and any little gaps in the black outlines touched up.
     The beaks have gold foil added by using the Stix2 two way glue pen. When blue it sticks paper together permanently, but when allowed to go clear it becomes a tacky repositionable glue which takes foil perfectly, it's acid free too.
     With the addition of woggle eyes and a stamped greeting, which comes with the birdy tower, the tags are almost complete. It just remains for ribbon to be added, this is white organza coloured with an alcohol marker.

     Please come over and join us at CraftyHazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge with your creations, it's always anything goes as long as you use patterned paper.

I would like to enter these tags in the following challenges:

The Paper Girls - Patterned Paper
Send A Smile 4 Kids - Anything Goes

Foiled Again

     We'll all need a few thank you cards and tags after Christmas so here's a way to use up some of those patterned paper scraps you have hanging around, you know the ones, too small for a major project but too big to throw out.
     The tag is stamped with a script stamp Old Letter in purple, the smudges are part of the stamp...honest!  The word thanks is from the Butterflies set, this has four beautiful butterflies, all different, stamped in black.

       Using one of the butterflies stamp the tag and a scrap of patterned paper in black ink. The butterfly on the tag is not coloured in but the butterfly on the paper will be, using the Stix2 glue pen and foils.
    This glue pen is a permanent adhesive when used  while it's blue but when it is allowed to turn clear it is a repositionable glue. It is best to work one foil colour at a time, draw the glue on and leave to go clear, lay the foil over the glue with the pretty side up and press gently, remove the foil sheet and repeat as required. You only need to accent the markings with foil as its already patterned.
     Cut out the paper butterfly, you won't need to cut round the antenna as the butterfly on the tag will provide those. Using the glue pen stick just the body of the paper butterfly over the blank one. Put a foam pad under each wing, close to the body, this will make the wings stand up slightly.
     All that remains is to add ribbon, this ribbon was white before it was coloured with an alcohol pen to match the foils.


Materials list - available from your  local craft shop
Woodware Craft Collection - FRS614 Old Letter
                                          JGS483 Butterflies
                                          Versafine Ink Imperial Purple / Onyx Black 

Stix2 Anything - S57361 Glue Pen
                        S57324 Large Tag White
                        S57050 Foam Pads 2mm
                        Transfer Foils
                        Organza Ribbon 15mm

Autumn Reynard

     Where did the Summer go? It's Autumn already?  At The Male Room we would like to see a masculine project featuring leaves and/or trees as they are about to turn to a glorious array of reds, golds and browns.
     This card started with a background inked in Distress Inks through a gorgeous leaf stencil on cream card. Then the search was on for an image to put on it, a tree?, some more leaves?...how about a fox?
     This lovely little fox is a stamp from Woodware. To give it an even more masculine look I have stamped and paper pieced using a backing paper with moustaches all over it, I managed to get moustache eye brows too. For the darker areas I have used a paper with flowers and leaves all over it.
     The fox is mounted on foam pads over the stencilled background, the greeting is a small peel off on a die cut leaf also mounted on foam pads.
     To finish off it's all mounted on a mid green card that matches up with Peeled Paint Distress Ink.
     You have two weeks to make a masculine project matching our theme, we would love to see what you make, so come and join us at The Male Room where you will find lots more inspiration.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Cardz 4 Guyz - Autumn Colours

Cards In Envy - Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall

Crafty Cardmakers - Autumn

Scrapbook Stamp Society - Anything Goes/Optional Animal

House Of Cards Summer Blog Hop

     Welcome to my contribution for the House Of Cards summer blog hop, full hop details can be found further down this post as well as who to visit next.    

      My main image is from A Day For Daisies called Green Lady. I love the simple elegance of this image, she's beautiful. I have printed her out on white card suitable for alcohol markers and again on two different papers from MHK Designs Damsel In Distress paper set.

     After working out which colour would go where I cut the designer papers, then added a little shading using the markers.

    The image was coloured before adding the papers using Graph-It markers, the paper pieces were then stuck in place.      

     The image panel was trimmed and mounted on a lime green pearl card that has the corners punched. After playing around with several colours I settled on mounting this on a cerise pink pearl card that complimented the pale pink on my lady.

      There is a stamped, gold embossed oriental word in the top left corner to balance the greeting in the opposite corner. The greeting is a stamp from Reverse Confetti set My World, this sentiment seemed to go perfectly with the lady's thoughtful pose.

     I coloured the card the sentiment is on with Distress Ink and mounted it on some more green pearl card, then mounted it on thin foam pads. It should all go through as standard post as it's 5x7 and thin, I don't know how postal services work in other countries but here in the UK we have to stick to certain dimensions to keep postal costs low.

     Below you will find full details on how to join in with our hop and what you could win just by playing along, so thank you for popping in and good luck.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Alphabet Challenge - G is for Girlie

Crafting From The Heart - Anything Goes

Our Crafty Corner - Anything Goes

Hi everyone!  Can you believe we've are at the end of our fifth term here at House of Cards?!  Unfortunately we are saying a fond farewell to some of our DT members and fortunately we are so happy to those staying on.  To say goodbye and thank you, we're celebrating with a blog hop! 

This hop will run FROM June 1ST AT 6:00 AM CST THROUGH June 15TH AT NOON CST,  ANY CARD STYLE is welcome and we've got a gorgeous photo inspiration for your crafting enjoyment!

***PRIZE WINNERS FROM THE BLOG HOP WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON THE 20TH OF JUNE.***

***CARD WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED NEXT MONTH ON THE 15TH, AS PER THE USUAL HERE AT HOC.  THANK YOU!***

Please email Mynn at onastampageATgmailDOTcom if you have any other questions!  And now...

Here is the photo inspiration~

So, are you ready to get hopping?!  Yep, it's time, but first we've got some fabulous sponsors to share with you!  Make sure you leave a comment at each person's blog along the way because the prizes are hidden and we'll be doing random drawings from the blogs where they are hiding! :)  After you're done, make a creation to share with us here, too, for another chance to win!

Here are all of our fabulous sponsors.

Our team will be using a variety of products

from these amazing companies!

A Day For Daisies

Prize: 3 Digital Images

A Day For Daisies provides themed categories of over 1000 digital illustrations, including fairy tales and magical mermaids, cutie kids, vintage illustrations, sentiments and lovely designs for all occasions!

Reverse Confetti

Prize: $25 Gift Certificate
REVERSE CONFETTI offers on trend, high quality photopolymer stamps, high quality CONFETTI CUTS steel dies and exclusive paper products to coordinate with our releases…all made in the USA.

Great Impressions

Prize: Prize Package

Great Impressions was founded in 1984 by Ken and Deone Mackenzie.  With a love for stamping, the company grew.  The result is a quality rubber stamp in either wood mount or stickable mount backing for all your stamping needs.  Great Impressions' goal is to provide the highest quality stamps and to inspire creativity!

MHKDesigns

Prize: Any three products of your choice!

MHKDesigns is a vintage digital stamp Etsy shop owned and operated by Mynn Kitchen from On A Stampage.  She creates vintage stamp sets and digital paper packs for all your crafting needs.  Contact her with any requests you have at mhkdesigns.etsy@gmail.com!

And now, here's your hop order~

HOC Blog | Mynn | Sue T. | Cohenna | Donna | Dotty Jo | Em | Emily 

Heather | Jane | Judy | Karen | Katarzyna Ewa  | Katy | Leslie | Linda

Merethe | Merlina | Michele | Paula | Rocky | Rosi | Ruza

Shawna | Shirley | Steph | Sue N. | Susan | Tina | Toni

Now get to hoppin'!  Your next stop is Rosi  Don't forget to link up a project with us after completing the hop for an extra chance to win a mystery prize from one of our fabulous sponsors, too!  

CASE-ing Christmas Finale

     Sadly this is the last card for CASE-ing Christmas, the blog is closing due to the owners other commitments, we all wish her well and thank all of you for joining us each month.
     This card is made with a clear stamp from Woodware called Patch Robin Square. It is stamped in Versafine Black on to white card, then Zentangled, and yes I did cheat and use a ruler for some of it!

     I chose to paper piece the holly and the robin's wing and red breast, this was done using some lovely papers from a polka dot 6x6 set. The paper pieces are stamped and embossed, unlike the main image, so they stand out a little more.
     The berries are silver holographic dot peel offs coloured red, the border around the picture has been coloured with an alcohol marker in a pale green. After colouring I used a Layer Perfect, which is an 'L' shaped metal edge ruler with graduated markings and holes, to prick out the holes. This tool is good for piercing and great for matting and layering.
     The image layer is mounted on foam pads over a red on green backing before going on a white card blank. In the corners of the green layer there are square clear foam pads covered with Transfer Foil to look like brads.
          Come and join us one last time at CASE-ing Christmas, this month it's just a Winter Holiday card for our challenge, we have three prizes to be won too.

Materials list - available from your  local craft shop

Woodware Craft Collection - Stamp - FRS164 Patch Robin Square

                                          Versafine Ink Black

                                          Stampendous Embossing Powder - Midnight Black

                                          MSP228V Perfect Prints Dark Dots 6x6 paper pad

                                          98091H  Holographic Dots Silver

                                         

Stix2 Anything -  Clear Foam Pads Square

                         Foam Pads

                         Transfer Foil

                         Layer Perfect Tool

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Merry Monday Christmas - Birds

Cute Card Thursday - Festive Colours

Jingle Belles - Anything Goes

12 Months Of Christmas - Anything Goes / optional Santa

A Snowfalkes Promise - Anything Goes