We are Neet and Wendy and we would like to welcome you to our fortnightly challenge, ‘Artful Times’, where we are offering a variety of challenges to inspire you to create in whichever style or medium of crafting you enjoy. You never know, we might even inspire you to create something out of your comfort zone and try out something new.

Yes like all challenge sites we have rules and guidelines. We hope you will read and follow them, we have Oyster Stamps as our sponsor, and of course, a winner and runner up will be chosen each month. We may also have the occasional guest designer.



Friday 22 November 2013

Lilac & Silver - with a Wintry Stamp

Oh dear, the Alcohol Ink Challenge did not attract many entries although the people who did enter posted some rather superb pieces with AI's - and I am afraid this one may have the same effect as it does require one to do some stamping rather than using a digital image or something similar.

This challenge is to use the colours - lilac and silver and use a wintry stamp.  By wintry I mean Christmas also, it does not have to be a scene - rather something to do with the season.  Is it cold where you are?  We are certainly experiencing wintry weather now with snow on high ground and those chilly winds that make staying indoors all the more inviting.

Afraid I only have one card to show you for inspiration and here it is (sorry it is looking wonky, it doesn't look so in real life - must be the scan):


I stamped the image (Impression Obsession) in black on a piece of card coloured with Distress Inks (Seedless Preserves) and then went over areas with Liquid Applique and a tiny touch of glitter.  The poinsettias (Spellbinders) and the Holly (Cheery Lynn) were then cut out in silver mirri card and glitter added to the centre of the flowers.  All of these are available from Oyster Stamps.

Well everyone, here's hoping you are having a lovely time, keeping nice and warm and getting ready for the busy period ahead of us.  Only 33 days to go .....


Friday 15 November 2013

Winner

I am sorry I am so very very late with a Winner for the last couple of challenges but here we are - very big Congratulations to:

Alison for her trio of tags:


We are so glad you took supplies away with you Alison - some beautiful work here to tempt us all to buy those images.

And Janny for her card using those beautiful autumnal colours:


so reminscant of the leaves that fell in my garden in true colours - and so tastefully produced.

So ladies, I need your email addresses to send you your blinkies for display on your blogs so please get in touch with me.

Friday 8 November 2013

A Bit of Alcohol for Christmas

First of all big thanks to those of you who entered our last challenge.  Some lovely entries as usual.  Were you scared by some of the pictures?  Now for this bi-weekly challenge:

Now don't get yourselves in a tizzy and certainly don't be reaching for the Christmas Brandy - I mean Alcohol Inks not alcohol to drink.

For this challenge I would love you to use your Alcohol Inks to make something - be it a card, an atc, a tag or whatever - just show us what you can do with your AI's.

Here's what I turned out this week


a triptych card


A bookmark (one that has a hinge so it folds over the page)


 A cuckoo clock diecut

and an atc


Now these were done differently, in a way.  The triptych and the bookmark were simply made by pouncing on a sheet of GLOSSY card and stamping with Stazon Black Ink.

The Cuckoo clock is a die-cut which was cut from GOLD MIRRI CARD and then gone over with alcohol inks in the same way as above.  It gives the same effect as using Alcohol Inks on actual metal.  (Sorry that last card is wonky, I assure you it is not, but because the dial of the clock is on a rather thick piece of foam to make it stand out the card, it would not remain perfectly aligned on the scanner bed.  Drove me up the wall trying to do it, this is the best I got).

The atc was just a "wipe up" on my craft mat with some of the Blending Fluid.

Alcohol Inks are so versatile, you can use them on so many different surfaces, glass, metal, plastic etc.  Pop along to my blog here and see some of the things I have done in the past with my Alcohol Inks - jewellery, ornaments, storage etc.  WARNING:  It is a long post, lots more samples.

Now what are you going to do?  Remember the RULES for the challenge they are at the top of the page under Rules and Guidelines. Please adhere to them, makes my life so much easier.

Hugs, and happy days full of alcohol (LOL).

Neet xx