This Spells Trouble

You may recall the succubi we vanquished last fall, and how difficult that battle was. I foolishly thought we had seen the end of these terrible creatures, but I was gravely mistaken. The Lady Commander of Copics and I were cleaning out some of the old rooms in the catacombs, when I came across one that was filled with ancients texts. As I am invariably drawn to books, I soon found myself sitting on the cold stone floor of the room, open texts strewn about. When the Lady Commander came to see if I was done with that room, I was in the same position, more books piled around me. “Have you been sitting there, reading this whole time?” she asked, incredulously. I looked up at her, guilt written all over my now dusty face. “And I suppose there’s nothing from this room that you’re willing to part with?” she asked, picking up a nearby wordsmith tome. “Look at this junk,” she said, idly flipping pages. Suddenly, a succubi burst forth from the pages, shrieking and advancing towards us with outstretched claws.

I started this card by making the background. I spritzed some blue and red Dylusions spray ink on a piece of paper, making a right mess of my desk. After that was dry I used the Dylusions “Letter Jumble” stencil and sprayed it with some black Dylusions spray ink, staining my hands black. I tore a page from an oooooooold dictionary (like I had this dictionary when I was in elementary school) and stamped the Stampotique image onto it. I really like that stamp, but it is probably my least used out of my Stampotique lot. I specifically chose the dictionary page that had words like “grumpy, gruff, grumble, growl”, because I thought it went well with the sentiment. That was stamped using my shiny new stamp set - Dylusions “Say It How It Is”. Distressed the heck out of everything, added a couple brads and some cordy string and called it done.

On the inside I stamped the sentiment using one of my Stampotique stamps. The coffee cup I stamped on some leftover paper from that dictionary page using the Crafty Secrets “Coffee and Tea” set. I added a little border using the Dylusions “Further Around the Edge” set. I’m not sure exactly what I will use this card for, or who the recipient will be, but it makes me laugh.

On the envelope I stamped some more of that border to make the envelope all matchy match.

This card will shamble into the following challenges:
Stampotique Designer’s Challenge #88: Use Text
Paper Playtime Challenge #4: Sentiment Stamps
Love to Create Challenge #54: Wrap It Up
Simon Says Stamp and Show: The Stamp You Love (but don’t use)
Spark Your Creativity Now! Challenge #6: Anything Goes
Divas By Design: Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp: Anything Goes
Cute Card Thursday Challenge #258: Something Old (that dictionary page is from my old elementary school dictionary - at least 22 years old!)
MFP SpeedyTV Simple Salutations Challenge #34: Anything Goes

As the succubi stumbled closer, I reached for the dirk I was wearing on my hip. Angela stood gaping at the demon, the wordsmith tome from whence the creature had emerged, still clutched in her hand. As soon as the creature was within striking distance I drove my dirk through its gnarled neck, black liquid gushing over my hands. As the demon crumpled to the floor my sister and I looked at each other and at the same time declared, “Dibs out on cleaning that up!”

~ Guild Master Crystal ~

Stitching Spells Together

continued from Attack of the Queen...

We had recently come across a new legendary item and in the face of danger, it seemed an appropriate time to use it. With an army of animated playing cards, brandishing spears and torches on our doorstep, threatening to burn down the Guild Hall, it was time to take drastic measures. I carefully brought out the magical sewing kit and set to work. With this I could create one mommet, cast a simple binding spell on it, and it would affect the entire army outside. The Lady Commander of Copics fetched the spell book we would need as I continued sewing the enchanted thread through the fabric, the mommet slowly taking shape. 

To make this card, I used the “Sewing Jar” digi freebie from Birdie Brown. I printed it out and coloured it up using Prismacolors, using my favourite colour combo - pink and teal. I then added Glossy Accents to the heart buttons and the heads of the pins to create texture and add some shine. 

 Setting that aside to dry, I used the Art Philosophy cartridge to create the card base and brown and pink flower shapes. I embossed the pink piece using my Cuttlebug and a border folder that looks like stitching to create some texture. The sentiment, which came from the Kraftin’ Kimmie “In Stitches” set, was stamped onto the banner from the Lawn Fawn “Bannerific” set. I adhered the jar and the banner using pop dots for some dimension. A few buttons and waffley red ribbon finished off the card front. I managed to earn +294 stitching exp points with this card which brings me very close to leveling up that skill!

On the inside I stamped the sentiment using the Lawn Fawn “Sophie’s Sentiments” set. I then added the pin cushion and thumb tacks from the Kraftin’ Kimmie “Lavender the Quilter” set.

I used those same two stamps on the envelope and added some buttons in between them.

I would sew like to stitch this card into the following challenges:
Birdie Brown February Freebie Challenge
Chocolate Coffee & Cards Challenge #33: Buttons & Bows
Penny’s Paper-Crafty Challenge #116: Use your favourite colour (pink and teal)
Simon Says Stamp: Anything Goes
MFP SpeedyTV Simple Salutations Challenge #34: Anything Goes
My Craft Spot Challenge #88: Pop It Up
Fantabulous Cricut Challenge #150: Fun With Puns
Cupcake Craft Challenges #231: Shaped Cards
Paper Playtime Challenge #4: Sentiment Stamps
The Corrosive Challenge #168: Rainbow Bright
Spark Your Creativity Now! Challenge #6: Anything Goes
A Gem of a Challenge #68: Add a Bow
Desert Island Crafter’s Challenge #48: used #1 (hearts), #5 (loving sentiment) & #8 (lots of texture)

With the enchanted mommet done, the Lady Commander quickly mumbled the words for the binding spell to link the army outside to the single doll. I quickly snatched the doll from Angela and simply tossed it in the fireplace. Shortly we began to hear the screams from the army of cards outside as, one by one, they began to catch fire and turn to ash.

~ Guild Master Crystal ~

Attack of the Queen

As a blizzard raged outside, the Lady Commander of Copics and I were inside the Guild Hall, huddled deep in our furs, staying warm by the roaring fire. There was a sudden furious banging on the Guild Hall door. Irritated at having to leave the comfort of my blankety nest, I went to see who was out in this weather and calling on us. A young girl was on our stoop, her hair soaked from the heavy, wet snow. “Please, my lady, you must help me,” she begged, fear shining in her round eyes. I suddenly heard a trumpet sound off in the distance and a loud voice scream, “OFF WITH HER HEAD!” The girl, who had glanced behind her at the sound of the trumpet, quickly turned back to me. “Please! She’s going to kill me!”

I started this card by stamping the Alice image from The Octopode Factory and colouring her with Prismacolors. The background I made using red and pink Dylusions spray inks. The then used a harlequin patterned stencil and Perfect Pearls mist to make the background shimmery. I stamped the hearts in the background from the Unity “Loads of Love” set and added some hi-lite with a white gel pen. I found a deck of old playing cards and burnt the edges of two with a lighter to use on the card. This increased my fire magic skills by +502 exp points. The sentiment (from The Octopode Factory) I stamped on the banner from Lawn Fawn’s “Bannerific” set and added some Lawn Fawn hearts.

On the inside I stamped The Octopode Factory sentiment and then the birthday sentiment from the My Creative Time “Wow! So Many Candles” set. I added more hearts from the Unity set to the side. 

And because all my envelopes have to match, I stamped some more of those hearts on the envelope too.

This creation will try to keep its head while in the following challenges:
The Octopode Factory Friday Challenge: Hearts
Spark Your Creativity Now! Challenge #6: Anything Goes
The Corrosive Challenge #168: Rainbow Bright
Paper Playtime Challenge #4: Sentiment Stamps
Divas By Design: Anything Goes
MFP SpeedyTV Simple Salutations Challenge #34: Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp: Anything Goes
Movie Magic Monthly Challenge #1: Alice in Wonderland
Dilly Beans Pink and Red Challenge
Penny’s Paper-Crafty Challenge #116: Use Your Favourite Colour (pink!)

I quickly ushered the girl inside, closing the heavy oaken door behind her. “Thank you, my lady,” she breathed. The Lady Commander had come to the entryway, furs still wrapped around her. “What’s all the commotion about,” she inquired looking at the strange girl who was dripping water all over the floor. Before I could answer we heard the same trumpet blare, although this time it was much much closer. “IF YOU DON’T OPEN THAT DOOR AND SEND THAT WRETCH OUT WE WILL BURN THIS BUILDING TO THE GROUND!” the same voice shouted. I looked at Angela and we exchanged a silent, but meaningful look.

~ Guild Master Crystal ~

continued in Stitching Spells Together...
 

The Circus is in Town

Welcome to the Guild Hall. We have had quite a few new travellers join us in our crafty adventures over the last couple weeks, so welcome one and all. If you are having difficulty finding a place to park your wagon, it is likely because the village is extremely busy today. A travelling circus has stopped by for two nights only. People from all over the countryside and nearby towns have been flooding in to take in the show. As the Lady Commander of Copics and I had nothing to do, we decided to pay a visit to the village and check out this circus. The ringmaster was an old gnome with a long white beard. His star of the show was a Dalmatian named Chester who could juggle swords. This I had to see for myself. 

I made this pair of items as a nameday gift for my niece, Scout, to accompany the books we got her. She loves animals, especially dogs, so I thought she might enjoy a custom bookmark with a dog and her name on it. I cut the dog using Create-A-Critter while the letters I cut using Birthday Bash. The letters on the tag were the first ones I cut and were meant for the bookmark, but I decided they were too small. Not wanting to waste them, I used them on the tag instead of stamping her name as I was originally going to do. This move earned me +194 waste reduction exp points...too bad those can’t be converted into waist reduction exp points - hahahahaha! The little gnome is from the Lawn Fawn “Gnome Sweet Gnome” set and he was quickly coloured in with Distress Markers.

This dynamic duo will be entered into the following challenges:
Fairy Tale Challenge #61: A Set of Two
Spark Your Creativity Now! Challenge #6: Anything Goes
Incy Wincy Designs: Anything But A Card
Shopping Our Stash Challenge #91: Tag It
Simon Says Stamp: Anything Goes
Crafts and Me Challenge #122: Dies or Punches

The circus act was spectacular and awe inspiring. Chester could indeed juggle swords. I’ve got to hand it to the old gnome - I’m not sure how one goes about teaching an animal with no opposable thumbs to juggle!

~ Guild Master Crystal ~

Are You Lost, Deer?

As the geese fly south for the winter, so too do the Winter Festival reindeer return north for the summer. As the next moon approaches, drawing spring closer, and the temperatures increase, we have noticed herds of the creatures moving north to where it is perpetually cold. This morning I noticed a stray one who had been separated from his herd. He was just a young guy and looked extremely lost. I donned my winter gear, and went outside to help the little fellow, however he was no longer standing in the yard where I had spotted him. I did a quick loop around the Guild Hall property and eventually found the young deer. He was huddled next to my horse Ruffles, and had seemed to take a shine to her.

For this card I cut the reindeer and word out using the Create-A-Critter cartridge and gave him some googley eyes, mostly because they're more fun and make things cuter. This earned me +67 kawaii exp points. I embossed “joy” using my Cuttlebug and added some glitter to the center. I didn’t want to throw away the snowflake center that was cut from the “o”, so I just adhered that to the front of the card as well. I used some wintery snowflake paper for the background to complete this simple Christmas card.

This deer will gallop into the following challenges:
CHNC Challenge Extra: February
Winter Wonderland Challenge: Snowflakes Falling All Around
Stamping for Pleasure: Rudolph Day February
Spark Your Creativity Now! Challenge #6: Anything Goes
CHNC Challenge #113: One Word Is Sufficient
ABC Christmas Challenge: D for Designer Paper

“Do you mind watching over this little guy?” I asked Ruffles. “He seems to be lost.” Ruffles looked at the young reindeer who had fallen asleep at her feet. She looked back at me and shook her head. “Thank you,” I said patting her neck appreciatively. Looks like we have a new crafty companion at the Guild Hall. At least until his family shows up...if they show up...

~ Guild Master Crystal ~

Owl Miss You, Buddy

Today I went to the rookery to collect the post and was surprised by the intense quiet that permeated the room. Usually it was bustling with birds coming and going, squawking and cawing, but today it was eerily silent. Much to my dismay, I soon discovered the source of the somber atmosphere. Smokester, our oldest post owl, had died last night. All the owls stood silently around his body whilst the ravens sat quietly in the rafters. Smokester had been been a post owl at the Guild Hall since the Lady Commander of Copics and I had rescued him from an enraged Ravenger many many years ago. He had become our most trustworthy owl, surviving through numerous attacks to get important messages delivered. We always suspected he may have had a little magic protecting him. I decided I needed some craft therapy in his honour.

I started this CAS card by paper piecing the branch using the My Little Shoebox “Home Tweet Home” set. The stamp actually has leaves, but I cut them off since this was supposed to be a winter card. I then stamped the owl from the Lawn Fawn “Winter Owl” set and paper pieced him using different scraps of patterned paper I had on my desk (this is precisely why I hoard keep these scraps). I then cut a hole in the card using my Cricut and the Art Philosophy cartridge and stamped the sentiment from the Lawn Fawn “Winter Fox” set. This card earned me +943 whitespace exp points.

On the inside I stamped a sentiment using the BugBites “Mistletoe” set and the “My Pink Stamper “Christmas Wishes” set. To be honest, I kinda regretted the sentiment combination, because they don't really match. Ah well... I then added some pine tree branches on the side using the Dylusions “Christmas Accessories” set.

I stamped those same pine branches on the envelope to make it “woodsy”.

This little bird will be a hoot in the following challenges:
Christmas Stampin’ All Year Long Challenge #4: Clean & Simple
Cute Card Thursday Challenge #257: Simplify
Milk Coffee Make It Cute Challenge
CHNC Challenge Extra: February
Spark Your Creativity Now! Challenge #6: Anything Goes
Love to Create Challenge #54: Wrap It Up
Paper Playtime Challenge #4: Sentiment Stamps
Tammy’s Scrapin’ Corner Challenge #51: Paper Piecing

Smokester’s presence in the rookery will be missed. It’s always hard when we lose a member of our crafty family.

~ Guild Master Crystal ~

Razzle Dazzle Dizaster

Today the Guardian of Glitter and I decided to visit the fae court and seek an audience with the Spring Sprite. We were rather sick of the winter and all the snow and were hoping to win her favour and perhaps speed up the changing of seasons. We packed our travel sacks with gifts as we would surely need to bribe our way in to have her see us. Many people have attempted this before, and none have succeeded. We however, had a trick up our sleeve, so to speak. Using the tome we recovered, we crafted a forbidden spell called Razzle Dazzle which would render the victim unable to refuse your requests. Because the Guardian of Glitter’s sparkle level was so high, she was confident she could successfully cast the spell. 

I apologize for my ink pad in the picture, but I needed something to keep the card shut. I planned this card with few challenges in mind. I was going to be following a sketch, but also making a “fancy fold”, so I needed the card to follow the sketch when it was all folded up. My image piece ended up being a little wider than I had hoped, covering a little too much of the floral strips...ah well. 

 I started making this card by stamping The Greeting Farm’s “Daisy” and colouring her with Prismacolors. I subtly stamped some swirls and swooshes around the edges with Distress Ink. I used the Art Philosophy cartridge to cut out the flower and the tab where I stamped the sentiment using Lawn Fawn’s “Sophie’s Sentiments” set.

Here’s what the card looks like opened from the front and the side. This earned me +692 folding exp points, which allowed me to level up! [insert FFVII fanfare]. I embossed all the panels with the Cuttlebug and inked them to make the flowers stand out more.

On the inside I stamped the sentiment using the My Pink Stamper “Birthday Crazy” set. 

On the envelope I stamped a flower using the My Little Shoebox “Garden Party” set and quickly coloured it to match the flowers on the paper with Distress Markers.

This flowery card will spring into the following challenges:
Divas By Design: Fancy Fold
The Perfect Sentiment Challenge #67: Floral Fantasia
Penny’s Paper-Crafty Challenge #115: Anything Goes
Milk Coffee Make It Cute Challenge
Simply Create Too Challenge #31: Mother’s Day (or for a female)
TGF Farm Fresh Friday Challenge: Flowers
Little Scrap Pieces Fun Friday Emboss It Challenge
Spark Your Creativity Now! Challenge #6: Anything Goes
Paper Playtime Challenge #4: Sentiment Stamps
Crafting For All Seasons Challenge #46: Dies and Punches
TGF Double Take Tuesday Sketch:


As chance would have it, the Razzle Dazzle spell was actually invented by the Spring Sprite, and by trying to use it against her, I do believe we angered her...a lot. The Guardian of Glitter and I fled the fae court before the Spring Sprite could cast anything on us. I have a sneaking suspicion we may have earned another couple months of winter. *sigh*

~ Guild Master Crystal ~

Out of Season

As I was in the market square today picking up various items we needed to complete some of the recipes we were attempting from the tome we found, I came across a humorous sight. The Market Square Steward was finally making the Penguin Pack vacate the stall they have been occupying since the Winter Festival. The little guys were still trying to peddle Winter Festival items and various merchants have been complaining they could use the stall to sell their own wares...ones which were actually in season. I watched as the rotund creatures attempted to take down all their items, packing them into crates. Two of the birds got into an argument which eventually broke out into a brawl. Being that I was armed, I intervened before things could get out of hand.

I started this ATC by making the background. I used the Dylusions “Let it Snow” stencil for the border. I then masked that off and stamped the middle with an image from the Dylusions “Christmas Borders” set and coloured it in with Iced Spruce Distress Ink. The penguin and sentiment I stamped from the Unity “Tinsel in a Tangle” set. I added some glitter to the tinsel around the penguin, earning me +39 sparkly exp points. Those sure shone on my stats page.

I adhered the penguin and sentiment using POP DOTS of +55 puffiness.

This little ATC will chill out in the following challenges:
Wicked Wednesday Challenge #72: Any Holiday or Birthday
Love to Create Challenge #53: All That Glitters
Incy Wincy Designs: Pop It Up
4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #130: Twine
Spark Your Creativity Now! Challenge #6: Anything Goes
Paper Playtime Challenge #4: Sentiment Stamp

Finally the Penguin Pack got all their items loaded into the crates and on their wagon. They left the village mumbling and cursing, clearly unhappy with the situation. I fear retaliation from their crew, and will remain vigilant.

~ Guild Master Crystal ~

Ancient Secret Recipes

We had got another lead on the schema we were searching for that would allow us to make the legendary adhesive, so the Lady Commander of Copics and I set out to the Shabby Shutter Isle, hoping for better luck than last time. Everything on the island was varying shades of green, making it difficult to navigate and easy to lose our way. Angela began marking trees we passed, using her accessory R26, to help prevent us from getting turned around too much. We finally came to the location we sought and began to dig under the Great Green Oak Tree as instructed. I’ll admit that I was somewhat surprised by what we found. Not only did it include the schema we so desired, but multiple other diagrams, directions and recipes for making various accessories, tonics and potions. 

I made this recipe book as a gift for my lady mother and lord husband’s mother (that’s right, I did two of these suckers) to share my favourite recipes. I made all the pages, embossing the edges of each one, then used a piece of ancient designer paper to bind it all using my YourStory. The letters on the front of the book were cut using the Storybook cartridge. Okay...there’s a lot of pages, so we’ll go fast (I took pics of them before they were bound). You can click on any of the pics should you like a closer look.

The sliced apple was cut using Country Life.

Apples were cut using Give a Hoot.

Muffins were from Create-a-Critter.

The milk and eggs were cut using Country Life.

Cute smiling bananas from Create-a-Critter.

Blender cut from Nifty Fifties.

Cute panda came from Create-a-Critter.

The carrot and cheese were from Create-a-Critter and the snail is from Paisley.

Veggies were cut from Country Life.

Chicken also came from Country Life.

The corn is from Country  Life while the mushroom is from Create-a-Critter.

The KAWAII noodle bowl is from Create-a-Critter.

Lemon and can are from Simply Charmed.

Another chicken from Country Life.

Apron is from Country Life. The utensils are from Disney: Dreams Come True.

Cute mouse is from Create-a-Critter. I honestly don't remember which cartridge the flowers came from.

The ship and fish are both from Pack Your Bags.

Cute cow is from Create-a-Critter.

Cheese block is also from Create-a-Critter.

Mushrooms are all from Paisley.

It's very puffy!

Okay I know that was a lot of pages. Phew. This recipe book will cook up a storm in the following challenges:
Fantabulous Cricut Challenge #149: Kiss the Cook
Friends of SpeedyTV Challenge #60: Recipe Card (well there’s a few here - lol)
Shopping Our Stash Challenge #90: Use your oldest designer paper
Penny’s Paper-Crafty Challenge #115: Anything Goes
Spark your Creativity Now! Challenge #6: Anything Goes
Crafting for All Seasons Challenge #46: Dies and Punches

We carefully removed the tome from the ground, in awe of our find. We would be able to craft some powerful accessories and potent tonics with the knowledge contained inside. The Lady Commander and I left Shabby Shutter Isle to return to the Guild Hall, eager to begin creating. Quest complete!

~ Guild Master Crystal ~