Fabscraps ATC Blog Hop

No blog hop is complete without a prize! There is one FABulous FabScraps gift up for grabs.

To join this GIVEAWAY you must leave a comment on each blog post to have a chance at getting your hands on the prize.

The Winner will be chosen at random on the 28th of September 2018 from the comments left on ALL THE POSTS. Our crowned crafty will be announced on the FabScraps blog for all to see.

As you may recall we have done our fair share of paper challenges over the years. We've done inchies, twinchies, moos and artist trading cards among others. Each one was a new opportunity to stretch our creativity in new ways. The ATC (artist trading coin) is the newest format to challenge our use of space and materials.

WARNING THIS BLOG POST CONTAINS CRAFTING THAT MAY BE ADDICTIVE TO SOME PEOPLE

Once you start making these highly addictive mini masterpieces you will find yourself looking at all your supplies and wondering "would this fit on an ATC". You will be suprised how much you can put on these 2.5 inch wonders.

Enjoy the amazing talents of the Fabscraps design team as we each try our hand at creating beautiful artist trading coins.

In making the coins I opted for a coverweight cardstock for my base. I cut out enough circles to use the entire sheet. You can use a 2.5 inch hole punch or a die (like I did).

I used the distress oxides to colour the bases and then stamped random flowers in archival black ink.

Using my Fabscraps design paper I chose my favourite images to cut out using my two inch circle die.

Using walnut distress stain I made the outside of each circle a bit more vintage looking. Once the edges were inked I adhered them together. I offset the smaller circle in different places on each coin.

Using a brown fine tip marker I created faux stitching around the edge of the design paper.

I had some left over adhesive gem circles left over from another project so I used them to highlight my favourite part of each image.

I dug deep in my bead stash to find a variety of pretty colours to showcase the colours in the paper.

As a final touch I added a small angel charm to each coin.

I love how the coins turned out and I am so excited to see what all my other team mates created. I hope you loved the coins and follow me along the blog hop to all the other designers' blogs.

FabScraps the lovely Cailtin Fowle

Denise van Deventer

Gerry van der Velden

Candy Rosenberg 

Carole Wright 

You Are Here 💖💖Tracy Sagriff 💖💖

Your Next Stop 💖💖Moira Giloway💖💖

Lyne Blodgett

Lisa Marie Watling

Denise van Deventer

Gecko Galz Art Journal...the video....

Sometimes I wonder if my pictures are able to get the fine details of a project across. I decided to do a quick video to showcase the Gecko Galz Art Journal that I posted last week. If you missed the post be sure to go back and check it out. There is a free stamp on that post courtesy of Gecko Galz.

Gecko Galz Art Journal: Go get the free stamp here!!!


Watch the video here.

Canvas Corp Creative Team Supply Haul

Oooohhhh I am super excited to share with you the box of goodies that I received as part of the 2016 Canvas Corp Creative Crew. If you fall in love with this stuff, wait until you see the beautiful designs they launched this week at the Craft and Hobby Association Mega Show in Anaheim. There are so many new items coming my brain is filled with ideas.

This is my video of the unboxing. If you have not used Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists go out and get a few next time you are shopping. I suggest buying them at least in twos but preferably threes so that you can create shading effects. Much like our alcohol marker tutorials. you want a light, medium and dark shade. If your budget is a bit stretched after the holidays, I suggest getting a neutral colour like dazzling diamonds that will just provide a fine glimmer effect to your project.

DIY Planner Dividers Using Gecko Gals Ephemera

Are you a planner addict? I used to be. When I worked in an office and had meetings to attend and important tasks to complete. After I began working from home I fell away from using a planner and graduated to the big calendar on the fridge and post it notes on my computer. Very professional.

The truth is I missed having my planner. I still have countless meetings and tasks that in hindsight are far more important than the ones I was responsible for in my twenties.

Last year I printed many of the lovely printables I found on pinterest. I found that it was costing me as much in ink as it would to just break down and buy a planner.

This year I decided to go with the "Color Crush" planner from Webster Pages. It is beautiful. I love the monthly and weekly calendars, there is plenty of space to write in. The downfall, I wish there were more pages for capturing ideas. So it looks like I will need to go back to Pinterest to find a few more add ons.

The one thing that I did love about my printed planner from last year was the dividers that I had made. Having my favourite images right in my planner is very inspiring to me.

Last year I used my Cricut Explore to cut out the pages and then just adhered to images I liked. This year I decided to get a bit more savvy and I uploaded the beautiful images from Gecko Gals directly into the Cricut Design space and used the print then cut and slice features to create beautiful layered dividers.

This week I will begin a mini series to walk you through uploading digital images to Cricut Design Space, Using the Slice feature and Print then Cut to create these beautiful planner inserts. Tell all your friends that got a Cricut Explore for Christmas to join us as I show you how to used each of these really fun features.

Be sure to sign up for my newsletter as I will be sending out freebies this year and you wont want to miss out.

Happy New Year!

Gecko Galz Seasons Greeting Challenge

Aren't the challenges on Gecko Galz so much fun. I wish that I had known about them sooner as I am having a blast creating all these new styles. 

This challenge was of course a Christmas Challenge. I really like the way it turned out. I find challenges that don't limit colour choice are much easier for me.

Material Used:

• Gecko Galz Oh Christmas Saying OCS09
• Do Crafts Denim Lace
• American Crafts Cardstock
• Close To my Heart Colonial White Card Base
• Close To My Heart Artiste Cricut Cartridge Rolled Rose
• Ebay Leave
• Old Paper Distress Ink
• Crayola Pencil Crayons 
• Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers
• Stickles
• Flat Back Pearls

1. I always start by colouring my focal image. It sets the tone for the whole card. Depending on the colours that come out of it determines what supplies I will use on the card. 
2. Double mount the focal image on dark and then lighter blue cardstock creating a 31/2x31/2 square.
3. Cut a piece of cream cardstock 4 1/2 x 3 3/4 (I ran mine through my cuttlebug to add some dimension). Ink the edges with Old Paper Distress ink and attach it to a piece of dark blue cardstock.
4. Attach the blue lace to the blue and cream layer, securing the lace on the back with a piece of tape. Attach the layer to  the card base.
5. Using Foam squares attach the focal image to the card base. Be sure to add a bit of extra pressure where the foam squares attach to the lace. 
6. Arrange your leaves and rolled flower to the bottom left corner. Add three half back pearls to the bottom right of the focal image.

Ta-Da....you are so creative!

Gecko Galz Gold and Cream Colour Challenge

Admittedly I rarely work in gold. Its just so flashy and I tend to lean...bend...hang right over on the muted vintage coloured side of things. It is always fun though to pick up a challenge and run with it. You would have laughed if you had seen my husband's face when he came home from work and saw the gold foil card on my bench. I think he wondered if I was having a midlife crisis. Truly, that's how predictable my colour palette is.

Materials:

• The card is 5x7 and I used a card base from core'dinations.
• Colonial White Cardstock from Close To My Heart
• Gold glitter mac tack from the dollar store
• Berry Sprig from the dollar store
• Cream Coloured Lace from Do Crafts Madame Payrauds collection
• Focal Image Gecko Galz Angelica Stamp A06
• Green leaves from ebay

1. First I coloured the image using a combination of coloured pencils and spectrum noir markers. I like the contrast that you can create with the shiny gold pencil crayon and the deep blue inks. 
2. Once the image was coloured I set it aside for a moment and took the gold foil and attached it to a 51/4x 31/4 piece of cardstock. Trim the focal image to 5x3 and adhere it to the foiled cardstock.
3. Next I cut a 5x7 piece of cardstock and covered it with foil. You could put it directly on the card base if you are brave. I am not, so I used the extra cardstock.  Cut another 6x4 piece of cardstock and and mount it to the gold foiled piece. Attach these to your card base.
4. Cut a 5 inch piece of lace and layer it on the left hand side of the card.
5. Using foam squares attach the mounted focal image to the card base.
6. Arrange your berries and leaves in the bottom left corner and you are done. 

See how crafty you are.