Black and White ATCs and a card made for swap

 Welcome to Becca's Heart for Creativity blog! Back 2 months ago in February I was invited to join a small card crafting club in Facebook that makes either greeting cards or ATCs. Each month the administrator/moderators create 10 events and to stay active in the group you must participate in at least 1 event each month. I signed up for just 1 event in February then 2 events in March, and now 3 events in April!!!! The same admin prepare the swap partners' list for each event. Group ownership took a change and then a name change occurred for this private group (was Card Crafting Club and now is For the Love of Cards). 

This posting is to share the Black and White event. I first decided to tackle making an ATC and then decided because they're little that I might as well make 4. However I'm only showing 3. 1 was personalized so I'm not showing. 

The 2 with the color puffy alphas are not going to my swap partner. Haven't decided who these will be sent to, so it's nice to have something extra made and ready to mail. With the event being black and white ONLY, the ATC with black 'hi' alphas is the one being mailed to my assigned club member. 

ATCs in black and white=

Some design and vendor notes: 

a. ATC size is the 2.5" x 3.5" dimensions

b. black and white buffalo check/plaid paper is from The Paper Studio/Hobby Lobby

c. the 2 paper washi tapes are Pen + Gear

d. cording and alphas are stash items; and also the cardstocks

 and then since I like to do more, I made a black and white greeting card to also send to my assigned swap receiver --

confession: I was a bit stumped for awhile! I didn't want to use the same things used on the ATC yet I was doing some hard thinking about what do I have that can be used...

Design notes: Hot Off the Press gingham paper--it is black--really-- on the left; an adult coloring book piece is shown on the right with some areas filled in with black marker (excited about finding this in one of my paper boxes!!!); 1/4 of a doily tucked under the Heidi Swapp tag; I outlined the 'say what' that was on the tag then stamped the "Thank you". I also added a clear gem, a label sticker wrapped over the top, and a jumbo white paperclip with a sheer ribbon that started as white but I streaked black marker on to get the faded black look! So after all items came together, I'm actually pleased with the results with this large flat card. I think the black base is 5"x 7".

Hopefully my For the Love of Cards group swapee likes these. Now I have to get busy and make something with circles on it and then I get to do one with finger painting! Messy playtime! 

This swap event of black and white was a good mental challenge for me. I was having some brain scrambling trying to figure out how to have texture, layers, varying scale in the patterns, and enough visual contrast of black and white. 

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challenge blogs and other Facebook groups where I'll share the card or the ATC:

a. Make My Monday challenge blog; Use Washi Tape theme requirement; [my ATC has 2 different tapes used on an angle; NEW follower

link= http://mmmchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2022/04/172-use-washi-tape.html

b. Crafty Calendar Challenge; April 2022; Anything But Square; [rectangle= for both; will focus on ATC]; NEW follower

link= http://craftycalendarchallenge.blogspot.com/2022/04/april-challenge-anything-but-square.html

c. Lil Patch of Crafty Friends challenge blog; April 17th; anything goes

link= http://lilpatchofcraftyfriends.blogspot.com/2022/04/180-all-dressed-up.html

d. Paper, Paper, Paper & DT Calls group in FB; sharing site for crafters, DT members, challenge blog owners....

e. For the Love of Cards group in FB; this black and white ATC and greeting card for one of 10 events for April 2022; I've signed up for 3 of the 10....

f. Mixed Media Creativity group in FB; ink outlining around the open alphas on the tag, ink stamping, ink/marker to add black to the white ribbon, use of paperclip; on the ATC= use of cording, washi tapes, vinyl alphas

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Crafting in the USA heartland,

Becca S

these are not for a DT commitment or for either one of my own new challenge blogs

Owner:

personal crafting blog= Becca's Heart for Creativity

challenge blogs= FarmQuest Challenge Blog and Heart's Quest Challenge Blog

The Great Stash Bash April 2022 Kit Challenge has been kitted

 Welcome to Becca's Heart for Creativity blog!!! Oh, it's been so long since I put a kit together but I thought the initial time pulling stuff from different boxes should ultimately save me a few minutes each time I'm putting together a project in the next couple of weeks. I've been doing mostly cardmaking lately so even though most crafters think of kits for scrapbooking, I'm going to use this large kit to get some cards, ATCs, and maybe a TN spread completed. 

Lisa and Lori started this concept of TGSB over a year ago (or maybe it's been 2 years) and I've participated 2 previous times. Here's their April 2022 recipe:

I've pulled 9 patterned papers/cardstocks with 7 of those being scraps/cut/smaller than their originals and 5 solid colors with those being scrap/cut pieces, too. 

Embellishments weren't counted but I've got some a few card kit die-cuts or ephemera, some metal ribbon cuts, some twine, some ribbons, stamps, alpha stickers, etc. 

The stash bin item of flowers is shown in a stencil, a floral heart clear stamp, a set of flower clear stamps, and some of the ephemera. 

2 cards have already been made since I pulled all this stash to bash about 2-3 hours ago!!!! Those are both for May 2022 DT commitments for FarmQuest Challenge Blog that I own. 

Here are my kit photos: 

Webster Pages' journaling cards (3) are seen toward the middle right of the above photo. Some alphas, leafy metal ribbon cut pieces, some hearts, stamper will be used on upcoming paper-crafted creations.

My sister's family gifted me the Bo Bunny flower stamp set a year or so ago and I haven't used it yet. Some die-cuts that are there on some bright blue with white dots lettering and under are pieces from Simple Stories Simple Card Kit "Love Grows Here".

The pink gingham and blue gingham are the only 2 whole patterned papers that I pulled. They're from Hot Off The Press/Paper Wishes website. Two sets of Freckled Fawn alphas are in the foreground of the above photo, too.

The rooster and coral floral die-cut ephemera are from Simple Stories "Love Grows Here" kit and in the middle of the above photo those pieces are from Simple Stories "Happy Greetings" kit. Same kit pieces are on the 3 white base cards pulled from the kits and are from "Happy Greetings". 

TGSB can be found at Lisa's blog

https://createdbylisa.blogspot.com/2022/04/happy-april-i-have-been-missing-in.html

and Lori's blog

https://loriannie670.blogspot.com/2022/04/lisa-loris-great-stash-bash-april-kit.html

And in case you're curious about FarmQuest Challenge Blog this is its link=

https://farmquestchallenge.blogspot.com

The 2 cards made this late afternoon will be used May 14th and 28th for FQCB. Then at least 2 more are planned to be made for HQCB (Heart's Quest Challenge Blog) that I also own sometime in the next 4-6 weeks, too. 

https://heartsquestchallenge.blogspot.com

There you have it!!! I'll be referring to this posting during the next 6 weeks probably!!! Lots of potential for sure with this.

<3  *  <3  *  <3  *  <3

Crafting in the USA heartland,

Becca S

 

15 April 2022 MTTCC #32 Bells Theme for Christmas Cards

 Welcome to Becca's Heart for Creativity blog! My heart gets excited to make Christmas cards, however I have to confess that I didn't send enough out this year. A few long-distance friends got our 25th anniversary photo collage card instead of a hand-made Christmas one. So I need to carve out some time periodically to start addressing envelopes and have an official tracking list for 8 months from now. This post shows an overlarge creation. I haven't framed it yet...maybe...not sure. But due to its size, I will hand-deliver it whether framed or not. 

This oversized bells theme is for My Time To Craft Christmas challenge blog #32. The challenge competition runs from April 15-28, 2022. For bells, it can be sleigh bells, jingle bells, handbell/choir, etc. 

Can you see the gold spangles tulle? Isn't that an elegant touch?!!! 

1. The base is the black cardstock with dimensions of 8" wide x 10.25" high. 

2. The large image is a free coloring printable from Super Coloring website. It was color-filled with colored pencils. The interior of the bells have a layer of grey mist as the base with yellow as the topper. The interior of the ribbon shown in the bow has a layer of emerald green with Mediterranean teal as the topper. The holly leaves have the veins outlined in cappuccino with a base of olive green and a topper of deep teal. Red and Wildfire were combined for the holly berries. The outer ribbon/bow is emerald green and the bells are yellow. 

3. The sentiment is a dark pine green metallic foil dazzle of "Merry Christmas" (from Paper Wishes website/company). 

4. Three yellow/amber crystal gems are scattered around to add more of the bell and tulle gold hues.   

MTTCC's #32 posting link= 

https://mytimetocraftchristmas.blogspot.com/2022/04/mttcc-32-theme-is-bells.html

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other challenge blogs and Facebook groups where this will be shared/linked=

A. Shopping Our Stash challenge blog; sketch challenge; [CARD #3's layout applies; ovals instead of circles in the center and horizontal strip is under the largest oval instead of on top it.]

link= https://shoppingourstash.blogspot.com/2022/04/sos468-sketch.html 

sketch= 

B. The Holly and Ivy Christmas challenge blog; started April 1st and has about 2 days left for linking; Anything Christmas Goes [card #2 will be linked]

link= http://thehollyandivychristmaschallenge.blogspot.com/2022/04/challenge-113-anything-christmas-goes.html

C. The 12 Months of Christmas Linkup challenge blog; April 2022; Anything Christmas Goes; the option is gift box; the stocking in Card #2 does have gifts spilling out of the top of the stocking but aren't in boxes so I'll just have this as ACG...

link= http://12monthsofchristmaslinkup.blogspot.com/2022/04/ch-87-anything-goes-christmas-with.html

D. Mixed Media Creativity group on FB; 

E. Paper, Paper, Paper & DT Calls group on FB; 

F. The Seasonal Cardmaker group in FB; probably just show the 2 small cards; 

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Card #2 Love and Joy Come To You =

a few design notes:

1. white scalloped flat base card with envelope are from set from The Paper Studio (part of a Christmas gift 2020 from my sister's family)

2. berry print cardstock and berry branch die-cut = Pink Paislee's Together for Christmas collection

3. the red with white dots print cardstock = The Paper Studio's Mint Berry paper pad 2016

4. sticker, gems, red ink stamp pad and washi tape = stash

Card #3 'Tis the Season To Be Jolly=

the closeup distorts the sticker image but helps show Santa's hand is holding a gold bell=

Note: same supplies used as card #2 with the addition of twine for the bow

Didn't cards #2 & #3 turn out really well?!?!! A bit of elegance and rustic mixed. Traditional colors. Gold in the decorative tape along with the scalloped base to me are the elegant touches. I'm just thrilled how well these came together.

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Crafting in the USA heartland,

Becca S

Design team member of :

1. My Time To Craft Christmas challenge blog

2. My Time To Craft challenge blog

--and--

owner of:

1. Becca's Heart of Creativity blog

2. Heart's Quest Challenge Blog (started February 28, 2022)

3. FarmQuest Challenge Blog (started March 28, 2022)