This month’s theme for the last art journal session of the year is ‘Christmas NBU’. A long while ago, I suggested the tag #nbu for ‘never been used’. I’m not sure it caught on… So this wintery layout uses items that have not been used yet alongside other bits and bobs that came to hand:
It seems (on a quick search through my posts and pics) that I have been remiss and have failed to share a project I designed, completed and taught last year. I’ve created another version this month – hence this post. May I introduce my Christmas and Easter pebble painting…
Scrolling through my photos on my phone, I came across some I’d taken of the cards I made for Christmas (now last year). As they’ve all been sent, received and recycled, I can share them here. Featuring a ‘stained glass’ design, the tag is removable and designed to be kept and used year-to-year. Making notes follow…
The last theme of the year has been set out over at AAA Cards’ clean and simple card challenge blog. It has a wintery feel with ‘sketch and cold’ being the design features to include. If you need a reminder, the sketch is there as inspiration and doesn’t need to be literally followed (though a couple of the DT cards have done so). The colour palette does need to be from the cold side though.
Sadly, this card will also be my last design team card for AAA Cards. I’ve made a card every fortnight for them over the last two years and it’s time to move on to do something new/different. There are plans to take the challenges into next year, so do keep joining in the fun 🙂
Here’s my take on the challenge:
A different colour scheme this week at AAA Cards challenge blog. We’ve gone for the fairly classic black, white and gold. The prompt guide photo has baubles, and I have also gone with a Christmas theme, but any subject matter is allowed as long as the colours are stuck to it and it is a clean and simple design. Here’s my design team card:
The last challenge for the year is up over at Less is More. We’re onto ‘D’ in our alphabet themes and we’re looking for cards on the theme of ‘Deck the Halls’. I guess we’re going to see plenty of Christmas-themed cards – after all, it is that time of the year… My design team card continues the carol lyrics and features holly and berries:
In the penultimate challenge of the year, we’re looking for your clean and simple cards over at Less is More. Anything goes this week as long as you keep it CAS. Don’t forget to look at our definitions for more guidance on what this entails. I searched through my stash and looked for a rubber stamp that had never been used and found this one featuring a poinsettia. I chopped a strip from it to keep it CAS rather than use the full image. Here’s the card I made for the design team inspiration gallery:
I’m occasionally accused of being monotone and predictable in the choice of colours I wear, typically blues and greys. The colour challenge at AAA Cards this week features tones of purples and blues, so I feel quite at home. I’ll also be picking the entries that we will be showcasing, so I look forward to seeing your makes based on the photo prompt below. Here’s my take on the clean and simple card challenge…
I think I started making stuff for my annual craft fair appearances pretty much straight after I had packed away from the last one I did in December 2022. My laser cutter is well past its sell-by date so I use it as much as possible before it fails (which can be abruptly and permanently). I’ve spent the last few days prepping the stall, checking, barcoding and pricing stock, working out how to use a new card reader and app and making last-minute extras.
I thought I would share some of the behind-the-scenes things that are going on at The Studio. I’ve been working on other projects (mainly in the garden) for the last few weeks which is why there have only really been the clean and simple cards published. By sharing this, you’ll also understand some of the processes that lead to a finished handcrafted product and why I should charge more…
This is the latest project I have been working on, ready for Christmas shows at the end of October and early December. Keep on reading for my observations, prototyping and a few more pics of the finished item.