MHK Designs - Tick Tock

     This is the last of our new releases this month at MHK Designs, Tick Tock. The countdown to Christmas has begun in a couple of houses I know, and that's just the adults, so this card will be winging its way very soon.

     On this sentiment I have changed the 'o' for a clockface, then changed the colour to white before adding it over a paper from Christmas Past.
     A little white gel pen added to the trees to imply snowfall and a little dab of silver sparkle on the snowflakes adds interest without increasing the depth, making it completely flat for standard postage.
     The image panel is matted on silver mirri and then on to a white card blank that has the edges coloured blue.
     Inside there is a die cut tree shape with another sentiment from this set, the green was added before the die was removed so it has a small white border.

Tick Tock

Christmas Past

         








     
      You still have the chance to win this or all of the new releases from MHK Designs, just pop over to the MHK Designs blog to find out how. While you're there why not join our challenge, you DO NOT have to use an MHK Designs image to join us.

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

A Snowflakes Promise - Anything Goes   (M)
Digi Choosday - Anything Goes   (W)

Dark figures in The Male Room

   We have a new challenge at The Male Room and four new DT members to bring you even more inspiration. My card has a Halloween style but as us Brits don't really celebrate this festival I've tweaked it slightly.

   
     Recently I attended a workshop using the mini mixed media plates by John Nextdoor, Margaret showed us some basic techniques and lots of great effects. I came away full of inspiration and covered in ink!
     This circle is the result of building up layers of colour with a gorgeous effect made using bubble wrap. As it's all done on a stamp press it was easy to keep over stamping the same area, safe in the knowledge it would always be in the same place.

     The cat and mouse are Lavinia stamps, stamped twice in Versafine Black. Being able to stamp the cat twice meant I got a great coverage over the coloured circle, it's barely visible through him.
     Not having much use for a pure Halloween card I chose to stamp it with a Happy Birthday greeting by Woodware. This month there are several family birthdays so this is already on it's way.
     Please pop over and see the inspiration we have for you at The Male Room, including our four new team members.

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

Deep Ocean - Halloween   (F)
Show Us Your Pussies-Cats Only - Meow-loween   (M)
Try It On Tuesday - Circles   (F)

MHK Designs - Heaven Heals

     This is the fourth new release set from MHK Designs to be issued this month, Heaven Heals. There is so much in this set, three beautiful frames that can be used on their own, or with the wonderfully gentle sentiments and a gorgeous angel.
     For this card I chose to use one of the frames to surround a colour changed sentiment, the frame is unchanged. The image is printed over a layer of paper from Country Farm changed to match the sentiment. After printing I have coloured the foliage in the frame and added tiny gems to the flowers to add a little sparkle.
     These images can be printed in a range of colours by using your photo package to alter them. There is a fab video by Mynn of MHK Designs here which will run you through the process, so if you (like I did) think that it's just click, print and colour in please watch Mynn's video's, digi's are SO much more useful than that.

Heaven Heals

Country Farm

     There is an opportunity for you to win this or maybe the whole release, details are over on the MHK Designs blog.  You can join in with our challenges too, you DO NOT need to use an MHK Designs image to play along.

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

Digi Choosday - Anything Goes   (W)
Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes   (W)

ModSquad - Sympathy/Thinking Of You   (W)

MHK Designs - Growing Goodness

     This is from the third new release set by MHK Designs, Growing Goodness.  I chose to make a bookmark with one of the great sentiments in this set.
     Some of the words have had a colour change to make them a little different before beng put over a marbled paper from Country Farm. The sentiment strip is matted on to a dark blue die cut bookmark, with a small hole already cut at the end all I had to do was find a tassel  to loop through, slip it in to its plastic cover and a small gift was ready. I have taken the photo before putting it in the plastic sleeve so there's no reflection.

Growing Goodness

Country Farm

     

     You could win this or maybe even all of the new sets by joining us at MHK Designs blog and following the simple instructions.

Metallic Male Room

     The new challenge at The Male Room is to use metal on your masculine project. Time for me to break out my Walnut Hollow metal embossing kit.

      Some of the metal sheets from WH are coloured, this is a thin paint like layer over the metal which can be rubbed off to create various effects.
      My black base layer of metal was embossed with cherries, then I rubbed away the top layer to reveal black fruit in a rustic type background.
     The word panel and the cherries are embossed in red metal sheet, rubbed back and then coloured with alcohol inks. The cherries have some light weight filler behind them so they won't squash flat.
     The metal panel is matted on a red mirri layer before going on to green on a cream card blank. Maybe not one for the postal system, although the metal is very lightweight it could be damaged spoiling the effect.
     Please pop over to The Male Room to see all DT inspiration on offer.

MHK Designs - Funky Fall Foliage

     Welcome to release number two for October at MHK Designs. This set is a good all rounder, having beautiful images and a selection of sentiments.

     The image is unchanged but the I have altered the colour of my sentiment in my photo package. If you would like to know how to do this then please watch Mynn's video where she will show you how.
     I coloured my image with pencils and then edged the panel with ink to pick out the pink. It is stuck flat on to a white blank making it very easy to post at standard rate. The only raised area is a tiny nail art butterfly stuck on to give a little more interest.
     Please pop over to the MHK Designs blog to find out how you could win this, or maybe all of the new releases.

Funky Fall Foliage

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

Pammie's Inky Pinkies - Anything Goes   (W)

Crafting With Friends - Anything Goes   (F)

Jamming With MHK Designs

      Digi stamps don't have to be just for making cards, having made a batch of quince jelly this week I needed to label it. What could be better than home grown fruit made into home cooked jelly, in recycled jars with a hand crafted label.

      I used a frame from Easter Blessings and turned it green, then I typed my own description in green and printed it out on 120gsm paper. Then I put double sided sticky sheet on the back and die cut them.
      Before removing the die I used some pale green ink to colour the paper, once the die is removed you have a lovely white border.
     All that remains now is to find where I've put the pretty holly fabric I bought a few months ago and I can put a nice cover on them before Christmas.
     If you would like to know how to change the colour of a digi image then pop over to You Tube and watch our very own Mynn of MHK Designs show you how in this video.

Easter Blessings

                         

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

Crafting From The Heart - Anything Goes   (W)

Inspiration Destination - Anything Goes   (F)

Crafting With Friends - Anything Goes   (F)

MHK Designs - Celestial Elements

     Welcome to the first new release for October from MHK Designs, Celestial Elements. This set is great for making uplifting cards to send to friends and family.

     For this card I started with a background paper from Christmas Past because I wanted stars. I changed it to a dark blue so the white moon would stand out.
     The moon and sentiments were changed to white and layered over the stars, then printed.
     Before mounting on a silver layer I die cut a small star from the background so it would sine through.
     All that remained after that was to mount it on a white card blank. A nice flat, simple message of encouragement ready to send out.
     There will be four more new releases through this month and you have the opportunity to win these sets so please pop over to MHK Designs blog to find out how.

Celestial Elements

Christmas Past

                     

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

Digi Choosday - Anything Goes   (W)

Wonderful Wednesdays - Anything Goes   (W)

Things That Go Bump In The House Of Cards

     The new challenge at the House Of Cards is inspired by Halloween, subject or colours, it's up to you. Here in the UK we don't celebrate Halloween as much as our friends in the US so the option to use the colours allows us to make something more Autumnal.

     Having said that I did choose to make a Halloween card. I have a die that cuts the pumpkin face and had seen a CAS card made using it so I thought I'd try it myself.
     The face is cut into the front of a square black card, then an orange glitter card pumpkin was die cut and stuck to the inside of the card.

     I tried the pumpkin attached to the back of the cut out face but it didn't look as good as having the face as a window to the pumpkin.
     The only other thing to add was a 'Boo' on the outside. The letters are die cut from glow-in-the-dark safety tape, so when the lights go out that's all you see, it was very difficult to photograph so please excuse the poor quality.
   
To join us at House Of Cards it doesn't have to be Halloween, just use the colours shown in the prompt, we'd love to see your projects.

House Of Cards - October

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

DL Art, Thankful Thursday - Halloween   (W)

CAS on Friday - Dies   (F)

MHK Designs - October Challenge

        As soon as I saw the photo prompt for this months challenge at MHK Designs I thought of Alice In Wonderland and the mad hatters tea party. I also wanted to make something other than a card so I opted for a tag, this could be mounted on a card at a later date if required.

Sit A Bit

Tick Tock

   








   
      I started with a rabbit covered background from Egg-cellent Easter, over this background I placed a chair from Sit A Bit and some words from Tick Tock (this is a tiny sneak preview of a great set released later this month).
     The rabbit is from Bunny Love, printed on white card, coloured and fussy cut. Before mounting the bunny on foam pads I coloured the edges of the tag and used a stencil to add flowers to the top.

Bunny Love

Egg-cellent Easter

           








   
     To finish off I used the same Distress colours to stain some cotton ribbon and spritzed it with some pearl mica water.
     Our challenge runs all month and you do NOT have to use an MHK Designs image to enter, so please come and join us, who knows you might just end up winning some MHK Designs digis too.     

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

Digi Choosday - Anything Goes   (F)

Recycled Flower Power

     Altered Eclectics is all about recycling, altering and mixed media, so when I saw this great box I knew what I wanted to do with it.

     I was invited to a Tropic Skincare party, the products are really good, completely cruelty free and vegan with gorgeous packaging. What more could you want.
     The box has a magnetic fastening hidden in the flap and the only writing is 'Tropic' on the outside and three great words inside, 'pure.honest.effective'. I chose not to cover any of these words but you could easily do so if you wanted to.
     The packaging is minimal but very pretty with lots of colourful leaves and a beautiful shade of turquoise, even the bag is pretty.

   
     The roses are made using Sizzix Tattered Florals, one cut from the bag and one cut from the wrap over packing in the box. The bag flowers have a Distress ink edge to bring them into the turquoise colour scheme and to tie the whole arrangement together.
     With a couple of leaf die cuts cut from a piece of turquoise card tucked under the roses the top was complete.

     Around the box is a stiff card band which I used to die cut a shaped banner to go on the front of the box. I also cut a turquoise panel to go in the centre of this banner which would make a good place for a name or greeting.
     The only parts of the packaging I haven't found a use for yet are the shaped plastic part that held the items and the strong paper sting handles from the bag. The string handles would make great antennae on a butterfly so maybe I need another box!
     Altered Eclectics challenge runs all month so please pop over and join in with your projects, just remember no cards or ATC's.

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

Hiding In My Craftroom - Freestyle   (W)

Simply Papercraft - Anything Goes   (M)