Saturday 31 August 2013

A Very Guildy Wedding

After numerous combat rolls, sneak checks, magic spell attacks and defence rolls, it was time to put the dice aside and celebrate the joining of Guild Apprentice Lindsay and her partner, High Scholar Brendan. Don’t think us guildys naively attended the celebration without some weapons and potions. You can never be too prepared, especially in these parts.

I made this wedding card for our friends who are also our board game playing buddies. We have burned the candles down and spent many a long night playing various games with them, so it only seemed appropriate to incorporate that into their wedding card. The dice were suuuuuper annoying to make. I cut out the “wooden block” image using the Wrap It Up cartridge and had to modify it so you couldn’t see the letter on the block. I don’t have a Gypsy, so this meant hand cutting some panels to cover up the “a” on the face. I then just cut some black circles for the pips on the dice. The top hat and bow I cut using the Create-a-Critter 2 cartridge. The bouquet came from the Freshly Picked cartridge. I made a veil using a scrap of orange ribbon that I removed from an old knick-knack I no longer had any use for and some tuel? (Is that what that white stuff is called? I don’t even know - lol. A friend just gave me a bundle of the stuff). Some googely eyes (different sized of course) finished off these dice people.

I embossed the background paper using my Cuttlebug and a folder that I think is actually dominos. I thought with the dice bride and groom though, they looked close enough to being dice. I stamped the banner using the Lawn Fawn “Bannerific” set and cut it out. The sentiment inside the banner was from the Lawn Fawn “Sophie’s Sentiments” set. Some brads finished off the front of this card.


On the inside I printed off this sentiment (that came from the depths of my brain) using my computer then stamped the corners using the Inkadinkado “Decorative Corners” set. 

I used the same stamp on the corners of the envelope to make it all matchy-match.

I kept the colour scheme to pink and orange since those were their wedding colours. I know this picture is blurry, but I wanted to show you the colours in her actual bouquet.
And here is the head table done up in all its pink and orange glory.
The Crafters Guild even got a special shout out when the bride and groom were doing their “thank you speech” for helping make the decorations for their car! (He literally said "thank you to the Crafters Guild for their help with decorating the car - heehee).
Here we all are at the wedding! From left the right, Guardian of Glitter, Lady Commander of Copics and me, Guild Master Crystal :)

This dicey wedding card will roll into the following challenges:
Top Tip Tuesday Challenge #108: Initials (CT - “Cricut & Cuttlebug” & “Tophat”)
Penny’s Paper Crafty Challenge #142: used ribbon, brads and gem
Love to Scrap! Challenge #12: Bingo (if the banner and sentiment are not enough stamping, please feel free to delete my entry)
Fairy Tale Challenge #75: Recipe - something round (brads and googley eyes), something old (that scrap of orange ribbon used to be tied around the neck of an oooooooold nick-nack I’ve had since I was a kid), one gemstone (on the bow tie)

Surprisingly, the wedding went down without a demon invasion or dark wizard attack. I think it must be a first. We wished the newlyweds well on their new quest together and headed back to the Guild Hall to prepare for our next crafty quest.

~ Guild Master Crystal ~

Day Dreaming a Nightmare

Welcome to the Guild Hall. Today I decided to take my direwolf, Lycan and head to the Whispering Woods. I needed to escape the hall and have some alone time. There is a little known spot in the center of the woods that is filled with fluttering butterflies. Lycan trotted beside me, occasionally darting off to hunt, but never straying too far. Using my magical compass, I was easily able to find the butterfly filled clearing. I found a nice tree and was just about to sit and relax when I suddenly noticed the ominous absence of the mystical butterflies. I slowly turned and was surprised to see a giant Insectoid demon. Luckily, a good guildy never leaves without a plethora of weapons. I quickly downed an elixir and freed my blade from its sheath.

There is a lot going on in this card. I started by cutting the tag using the Winter Frolic cartridge and inking it up. 
The butterflies I cut using the Cricut Give a Hoot cartridge, then stamped some designs on their wings with the Lawn Fawn “Sophie’s Sentiments” set. The sentiment I stamped using the Dylusions “Quintessential Quotes” set.

On the inside I stamped some simple flowers and doodled around the edge. I left the inside blank so this card can really be used for anything, or a “just because”. This earned me +492 versatility exp points.

This tag/card combo meal will take flight in the following challenges:
Top Tip Tuesday Challenge #108: Initials (CT - “Cricut” & “Tag”)

My direwolf must have sensed I was in danger, as he quickly returned to my side and was ready for battle. We were able to perform some tricky beast mode dual techs and fell the foul creature. As the Insectoid demon crumpled to the ground, the butterflies slowly started to fill the clearing once more. I watched in awe as they shone with a golden light, surrounding my direwolf and I, in what I can only imagine was thanks for defeating the demon invader.

~ Guild Master Crystal ~

Sunday 25 August 2013

Sepia Frosty Forest

Today the Guardian of Glitter and I spent the day wandering through Frosty Forest grinding some low level forest dwellers to earn some extra XP. Everything was going swimmingly until we unexpectedly ran into a mini boss - Hedgie. We were certainly taken unprepared, having brought hardly any tonics and elixirs with us. We had cleared Frosty Forest of mini bosses and guardians months ago; all that was supposed to be left were the low level minions that kept regenerating! We had no choice but to battle Hedgie and his owl companion using our minimal supplies.

I started this card by stamping out the little scene using the Lawn Fawn “Frosty Friends”, “Critters in the Forest” and “Winter Owl” sets. I coloured everything using Tea Dye, Vintage Photo and Gathered Twigs Distress Markers and my Hydra Brush of +50 wetness. By sticking to those three colours it gave everything a vintage sepia tone. I distressed the edges with my bladed weapon Paper Distresser and inked around the edges. The sentiment I stamped using the Unity “Warm Winter Comforts” itty bitty. Some brass brads finished off the front.

On the inside I stamped the sentiment using the Echo Park “Holly Jolly Christmas” set and added some snowflakes from the Lawn Fawn “Frosty Friends” set using Tea Dye Distress Ink.

The envelope was decorated using the same snowflakes and Tea Dye Distress Ink to make everything super match, earning me +1405 coordination exp points which was enough to go up two levels!

This vintage looking Christmas card will age in the following challenges:

As fate would have it, luck was on our side, and with some skillful rolling we were able to pass all our combat checks and fell the evil Hedgie. Our supplies completely exhausted, the Guardian of Glitter and I decided to take our leave of Frosty Forest. I was however worried that something more sinister was afoot in the forest. How did the mini boss return after the guild had cleared it? Perhaps a rogue necromancer? We would have to bring some better weapons and a larger party to investigate.

~ Guild Master Crystal ~

Monday 19 August 2013

Follow the Herd

Good day and welcome to the Guild Hall. Don’t mind the straw strewn about. We just returned from a quest over at Natsume Farm. The proprietor had sent a raven to the Crafters Guild earlier today, imploring us to assist him, as someone had stolen all his animals! We donned our armour, grabbed our weapons and rode west to the large farm. The young farmer was in quite a state when we arrived, clearly concerned for not only his animals' safety, but for the loss of revenue that their absence was causing. I lead my direwolf Lycan into the barn so he could collect their scent and then released him. After sniffing the ground for a bit, he took off, following the scent of the stolen animals.   

This was created for the Creative Card Crew’s “Down on the Farm” challenge that is happening now! Create a farm themed project and you could win a $15 gift voucher to Scrapping Center!

 

I made this card for a lady I work with. She lives on a farm with numerous animals (including a buffalo), so decided to make her a farm themed card. I started by cutting the horse and cow out using the Create-a-Critter cartridge and the buffalo using the Birthday Bash cartridge. You may think I stamped a “50” on his skate because the card recipient is turning 50...well....you would be wrong {lol}. I stamped the “50” because her actual buffalo is named “50 Bucks” as that is how much she paid for him ($50). Oh...and she noticed the 50 right away and loooooved that little touch :) Anyways...I digress...the farm house/barn I cut out using the Country Life cartridge and embossed it with my Cuttlebug before gluing it together, earning myself +202 texturization exp points and leveling up! I adhered the animals and the house using different thicknesses of pop dots to create dimension. I then stamped the sentiment using the My Pink Stamper “Birthday Crazy” set. Some ribbon and a sunflower button I’ve had in my stash foreeeeever finished off the front.


On the inside I stamped the sentiment using the Lawn Fawn “On the Mend” and “Harold’s ABCs” sets. I then decorated the edges using the Dylusions “Further Around the Edge” set. I wanted to leave enough white space for everyone to sign.

Which they did!


I used the same Dylusions border stamp around the edge of the envelope to make everything match wonderfully.


This herd will stampede into the following challenges:


We eventually came across the animals in a small apple grove. There didn’t appear to be anyone else around, but they had clearly been taken as they were all tethered to trees. Whilst the Lady Commander of Copics watched our backs, the Guardian of Glitter and I untied the animals and led them back to Natsume farm. It was suspicious that there was no one about and I told the young farmer to perhaps get a guard dog, or someone to stand watch over his flock by night, should the thief return to finish the job. The whole thing seemed kind of "off" to me and I had a feeling this wasn't the end of it...


~ Guild Master Crystal ~

Sunday 18 August 2013

Drunken Sparkles Galore

Today the Lady Commander of Copics and I had to head to the royal dungeons to free the Guardian of Glitter. It would seem she was running amok last night, drunk off wine of the fae, spreading sparkles on everything and everyone she passed. Luckily, because the Crafters Guild is in good standing with the king and queen, we were able to get an audience with the royal couple rather quickly to beg for her release. 

I started this card by embossing the blue cardstock with the Winter Frolic coordinating Cuttlebug folder. It’s a pretty busy pattern, so I wanted to keep everything else simple. I cut the sentiment out of shiny white paper using the Winter Frolic cartridge. I then added some glitter around the edges of the embossed “shape” and popped a bow at the top, calling it a day and earning me +55 simplicity exp points.

This CAS holiday card will sparkle in the following challenges:

I assured their highnesses, that this type of thing would never happen again. Frankly I don’t even know where she got access to fairy wine. Any true adventurer knows better than to eat or drink anything from the fae kingdom! Unless....yes....perhaps someone tricked poor Nikki into drinking the wine, not telling her it was of the fae. But to what end? It would seem another mystery has presented itself. Before we could begin to solve it though, we would have to help the Guardian of Glitter clean up the sparkley mess she created in last night’s glittery escapade...

~ Guild Master Crystal ~

Friday 16 August 2013

A Sudsy Load

Good day dusty traveller. Since moving into the Guild Hall, I have always disliked the laundering chambers. Mostly due to the complete lack of decoration. There are no pictures and no window coverings to speak of. It literally echoes in the chamber. For the past fortnight I have been spending my nights by candlelight in the crafting chambers working away to rectify that problem.

click for +55 enlargement exp points
I bought this collage frame super cheap from Wal-Mart specifically to make something for my barren laundry room. Here is the finished project complete with mini clothes pins, buttons and pearls all glued on. Let’s go through it a panel at a time though...

Every stamp on this panel was an ink virgin until this project. The shirts are from the Unity “The Man” set. I paper pieced the ties onto a different colour cardstock then stamped them with some flowers from the Unity “With Sympathy” set. The tag is also a Unity stamp, but I don’t know what it’s called as it was included free in an order with no packaging. The sentiment is from the Unity “Loads of Love” set. 

Next panel. Ummm...yikes...probably should've cleaned the dust off this frame before taking pics. Oopsies. *ahem*...moving on... I cut some of my beloved My Little Shoebox paper for the background. *sob* The clothesline I diecut using the Country Life cartridge. The little birds and gnome are all from the Lawn Fawn “Gnome Sweet Gnome” set. I stamped them onto watercolour paper and using Distress Markers and my Hydra Brush of +77 wetness coloured them in.

This next one is a panel from a piece of Cosmo Cricket paper...I believe the collection was called Clementine. Well, the 12x12 sheet had six different panels on it and I used three for this project. I added the buttons from the Unity “Sew Cute” set by stamping them onto coloured cardstock and simply cutting them out.

This image was also cut from the Country Life cartridge. I embossed and inked the bubbles and the tub before gluing it all together. The little decorative corners I cut using the Art Philosophy cartridge.

I was super pumped to use my ink virgin “Simply Anya” from The Greeting Farm and the laundry basket (also previous uninked) from the Unity “Loads of Love” set and this panel actually ended up being my least favourite. "Simply Anya" I stamped onto watercolour paper and used Distress Markers and my waterbrush weapon to colour her in. This panel earned me +44 sadness exp points because I was disappointed with the end result.

The background of this was another panel from that Cosmo Cricket paper. The underwear and sentiment came from the Unity “Change is a Good Thing” set. I had fun going through my scraps and finding different patterns to stamp the underwear on. Teehee.

The only panel that has nothing to do with laundry. I decided to make one with our last name. I diecut the letters using the Rock Princess cartridge. The background paper I stamped with a bunch of different Unity stamps. The bird I don’t know what it’s called as it was another packageless freebie (and also an ink virgin). The feather, uninked until now, is from the Unity “Tail Feather” set. The vintage looking gal in the corner who got her ink cherry popped on this project, is from the Unity “Gossip, Hot Flashes & Crazy” set. Oh...I lied...they’re not all Unity stamps...in the top right corner I stamped something from the Tim Holtz “Reflections” set. I diecut the flower and whooshes from the Art Philosophy cartridge, stamping the green parts with that same “Reflections” stamp. That was a LOT of different stamps for one panel - sheesh. I did manage to collection +824 inky exp points for using so many uninked stamps!

Okay last one. Err...this is simply one of the panels from the Cosmo Cricket paper. I literally did nothing else to it other than glue it onto some background paper so it would fit the 4x6 slot.

And here it is hanging in my laundry room! YAY!

This collage will wash up in the following challenges:

After hanging my new creation on the wall a door suddenly materialized behind it! It seems I had triggered some sort of spell by hanging a piece of art in the exact spot the invisible hidden door existed. With great trepidation and a little excitement I stepped through the door into the blackness beyond...

~ Guild Master Crystal ~