Winter sparkle inspiration for Visible Image

 Hi everyone, and welcome to my latest design team make for Visible Image. The theme for our makes this week is "winter sparkle" and my brief was to make something "non card". As I organise the monthly artist trading card (ATC) swap over in the VI Facebook group I thought this might be a good opportunity both to share how I make my ATCs but also to promote our fun ATC swap group. 

So I made these 3 Winter sparkle ATCs

 Our swap has been running for over 3 years this is currently our 45th swap. Everyone is warmly welcomed whether or not you have ever made an ATC before. You only need to make a single ATC although I make 3 as I keep one and swap one with another friend. Also a lot of people make a card to send with their swap but this is not a requirement. The full rules are over in the group which you will find here .

 For those of you who are unfamiliar with ATCs Artist they were designed to be fun and swappable. They are tiny unique works of art to be traded never sold.  They measure 3.5 by 2.5 inches. This is the “standard" for them. Many people like to write the information about the swap, products used etc on the back and Visible Image sell a fab stamp set called Love of ATCs which is perfect to use for this. There are also some fun small stamps that can be used as envelope art.

I used it with the Night owl set

and stars and sentiment from Shining star

This is how I made my winter sparkle ATCs;

I used an A5 size sheet of black card. I pressed some saltwater taffy and lost shadow distress OXIDES (inks won't show as they are translucent) onto my kraft sheet with a spritz of water and dipped my card in, drying with a heat tool between layers. This gave me a nice wintery feeling background. 

From the inked card I cut 3 ATCs each measuring 3 1/2" by 2 1/2". I stamped 2 Night owls onto white card using Versafine Clair Nocturne ink and clear embossed them. 

1 of the owls I cut into 2 as shown below.

I cut the owls out and added a little colour using distress pencils. 

I stamped the sentiments (just for the position) 2 in landscape orientation and 1 in portrait onto the ATCs 

I randomly repeat stamped the small stars on all 3 ATCs using Versamark and then heat embossed with gold glitter embossing powder. 

I added the "whole" owl to the portrait ATC and cut off the excess wings level with the edges.

The "halves" were adhered to the 2 landscape ATCs. 

I also gold heat embossed the edges of the ATCS for extra sparkle.

I then stamped the sentiments onto white card and cut them out. 

I stuck them over the blue ones I had used for placement and added sequins for a finishing glittery touch.  

I also rounded the corners of the ATCs using my punch.

Here they are finished

and as a group.

And this is the back of each. I just stamp the info plate from the Love of ATCs set onto card from the back of cereal packaging and stick in place. This gives each ATC a good "thickness"

As I have already mentioned I organize the monthly artist trading card swap in the group. It is open to everyone worldwide. Over 150 members, worldwide, have taken part since it started over 3 years ago. It's been such fun and it's so lovely to receive a unique piece of art from your partner in the post. The details and sign up for each swap are posted in the group on the 23rd of the month. So the next swap sign up will open on 23rd December.  There is no "monthly" commitment, just join in when you have the time and if you live in the UK can you choose to post to the UK only if that suits you best. Do come over and join us, you will be most warmly welcomed. 

All the Visible Image links are listed below;

 Our kind, friendly and supportive customer Facebook Group is here ...it would be lovely to see you join us.  You will be warmly welcomed and see lots of inspiration from the DT and customers to inspire your own creativity. 

The main Visible Image Facebook business page is here

Their website is here

Visible Image also has its own You Tube channel here where you can see videos and Lives to give you lots of inspiration and ideas. 

Their Instagram page can be found here 

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x

Christmas with Country View challenges

Hi everyone I can't believe we have reached the final challenge of 2024 over in our Country View Crafts challenges Facebook group.  The theme is of course "Christmas" and we can't wait to see all you festive entries. You don't need a blog or an Instagram account, just head over to the group and join in with the fun! The link is Here and if you are not already a member just request to join and we will warmly welcome you. It is also be a place you can be the first to hear about workshops, the latest releases etc etc. We have a happy membership of over 350 crafters and we are growing every day. You can enter the challenges up to 5 times as you like as long as you use products or brands which are stocked on the Country View Website.

This is the first of my 2 DT Christmas makes. I made it using all Tim Holtz products

and this is how I made it.

I used the awesome Mr Frostie stamp set.

I stamped him and fussy cut him out. I also stamped the scarf onto a piece of Tim's patterned paper and cut that out too.

I added the scarf and coloured him with distress pencils. 

For the background I used an ancient Tim embossing folder on white card. I coloured it with distress inks

I then added some distress spritz for a little festive sparkle

To put the card together I matted the background onto red card with some die cut snowflakes and starts. The sentiment was stamped onto white card and distressed around the edges.

Remember you can find me most days over on Instagram Here @jane.tyrrell where I share many, many more makes then I have the time to blog.

I hope I might have inspired you to give our "Christmas" challenge a go. There is a fab prize up for grabs too for one randomly selected and you can enter up to 5 times!

This is the prize, none less that  a free space to attend Zoe Hillman's creative workshop at CVC HQ next year.

I will be back with my 2nd festive DT make on 22nd. I hope you are enjoying the run up to the big day? 

Bye for now,

Jane x

Winter wedding inspiration for Visible Image

Hi everyone, and welcome to my latest design team make for Visible Image. The theme for our makes this week is "winter weddings". I always think that the idea of having a winter wedding is very special. My immediate thoughts for a colour scheme were Kraft with white, gold and a pop of red. This is colour scheme I love to use for Christmas cards too. 

There is a gorgeous wedding verse set by VI and I knew this would be perfect to use as the focal of my card. There are 2 stamps in this set and you could just put "on your wedding day" on the front of the card and put the verse inside.

 This is my winter wedding card.

The the verse set I used was 

Wedding day

I also used the Grunge flourish  stamp

and Lilies with love stamps 

with their coordinating  dies.

Here is my step by step tutorial. 

First I stamped wedding sentiment and verse onto kraft card using Versafine Morning mist ink. 

Next I stamped the lilies with love image a couple of times onto smooth white card using embossing ink and gold heat embossed them. I cut them out using their co ordinating dies and also cut out by hand a few pieces of the leaves left behind. Don't worry that they have some parts cut away. They can be tucked away underneath the flowers. 

I cut out the verse using a rectangular stitched edge die from my stash  (but of course you can just cut this out by hand). 

I also ran some white ink around the edges of the plaque. 

Using embossing ink and white embossing powder I repeat stamped the Grunge flourish around the edges of a piece of  5 1/2" square Kraft  card. 

I then added the focal plaque to the centre, raising it up a little with foam 3D pads. 

I arranged the die cut lilies and leaves around the edges. I stuck them in place using a mix of glue and foam pads to give them some dimension. 

I added some finishing touches of my trademark sequins and 3 red gem hearts for a pop of winter colour. I then adhered it to a 5 3/4" white square card blank. 

Here's a close up

and 1 final shot.

Of course this design doesn't have to be just for a winter wedding card.  If you put a different sentiment or verse on the focal plaque it would also work for a winter birthday, or even a Christmas card.

 All the Visible Image links are listed below;

 Our kind, friendly and supportive customer Facebook Group is here ...it would be lovely to see you join us.  You will be warmly welcomed and see lots of inspiration from the DT and customers to inspire your own creativity. 

 I also organize a monthly artist trading card swap in the group. Whether you are a new stamper or a seasoned one you are most welcome to join us. Over 150 members, worldwide, have taken part since it started over 3 years ago. It's been such fun and it's so lovely to receive a unique piece of art from your partner in the post. The details and sign up for each swap are posted in the group on the 23rd of the month. There is no "monthly" commitment, just join in when you have the time and if you live in the UK can you choose to post to the UK only if that suits you best.

The main Visible Image Facebook business page is here

Their website is here

Visible Image also has its own You Tube channel here where you can see videos and Lives to give you lots of inspiration and ideas. 

Their Instagram page can be found here 

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x

More Christmas wings for our November Country View Crafts challenge

 Hi everyone I am back with my 2nd design team make for our "winging it" November challenge over in the Country View Crafts Facebook challenge group.   Think angels, fairies, birds etc etc.  You don't need a blog or an Instagram account, just head over to the group and join in with the fun! The link is Here and if you are not already a member just request to join and we will warmly welcome you. It is also be a place you can be the first to hear about workshops, the latest releases etc etc. We have a happy membership of over 350 crafters and we are growing every day. You can enter the challenges up to 5 times as you like as long as you use products or brands which are stocked on the Country View Website.

 This is the card I made

and this is how I made it;

I used a piece of inky card from my stash made using Kitch flamingo, mermaid lagoon and salvaged patina distress inks. This is the link to the distress inks on the website.  I cut it to size.

I first stamped the fairy and the merry Christmas sentiment  from The Christmas greetings set in black Versafine and then added the trees, pine branches and stars using pink and purple Versa inks. This is the link to all the Versafine Clairs on the website and to the Lavinia stamps in stock. 

I then added some glitter pens accents and a few shadows and highlights as finishing touches.

Here is my finished card again

with a close up

and 1 final shot.

Remember you can find me most days over on Instagram Here @jane.tyrrell where I share many, many more makes then I have the time to blog.

I would also like to give you reminder that the first of my 2024 Inky cardmaking Christmas workshop at Dotty's Teahouse in Carshalton, Surrey, SM5 3AE is THIS Thursday 21st and repeated on 28th November, 7.30-10pm. Places are still available if you would like to come. The cost is £30 which includes my tuition, workshop notes, all materials, a take home bag and a hot drink and festive bake. Bookings are open NOW and place are limited.  

Just telephone 020 3754 4613 to book.  

Carshalton Railway station is a 5 minute walk away and buses stop outside the Tearoom. Ample parking is available in the surrounding road or nearby car parks. 

This is the link to Dotty's website. This is the 3rd year I have hosted  these workshops, they are such festive fun! Please also feel free to contact me via Instagram messenger. 

I hope I may have inspired you to join our challenge....you still have plenty of time to enter. This is the fab prize..a set of the new All and Create tapes.

Bye for now,

Jane x