A Sciencey Solution

A couple weeks ago, I acquired an enchanted embellishment from the Pre Winter Festival Fair. Since then I have been working tirelessly to no avail to figure out its power. After toiling for a fortnight in the crafting chambers, the Lady Commander of Copics suggested we take the bespelled bauble to Keapon Laffin’s lab and see if he could break the spell using his science.

This bookmark was created for the Creative Card Crew “Black Cardstock” challenge that is happening now. Break out your black cardstock and make a project for your chance to win a prize from our sponsor!

 

I started this by colouring the Delicious Doodles “Halloweenie Crazy Chemist” image using Prismacolor pencils. The frame he comes with was simply too intricate for me to colour with my pencils (which I am unable to sharpen back to a sharp point...anyone with tips on what sharpener they use for this, please leave a comment; I still haven’t completed that quest), so I cut him out.

The background I stamped with the Lawn Fawn “Science of Love” and heat embossed it with some pearl heat embossing powder. I then coloured the beakers and tubes in (using Prismacolors) with the same colour liquid as the crazy scientist was holding. The sentiment I printed off on my computer and cut out. I first saw this sentiment when I was shopping on ThinkGeek and it makes me laugh every time I hear it, which also netted me +101 hilarious XP points. Last I added some red, orange and black twine to make it all matchy-match.

This bookmark will make a chemical reaction in the following challenges:

ABC Challenges: U is for Unique

Catch the Bug Challenge: October Anything Goes

Crafty Catz Challenge #249: All Sentimental

Dream Valley Challenge #92: Anything But a Card

DRS Designs Challenge #142: Twine

Kraftin’ Kimmie: Wonderful Wednesday

Watching the crazed scientist work, the Lady Commander and I found ourselves taking cover as explosions of colours and powders shook his lab. In the end, Keapon Laffin’s scientific experiments could not unravel the mystery of the new shiny. Dejected, my sister and I went back to the Guild Hall, deciding to shelve that task for another day.

~ Guild Master Crystal ~

Tale of the Halfling in Distress

Greetings. Today the Lady Commander of Copics and I gathered our weapons, potions and armour and spent the day gleefully battling our way through the Whispering Weathered Woods. We haven’t spent the day grinding for XP in a while and thought it prudent to gain a few levels before the onslaught of quests sure to come our way with the Winter Festival right around the corner.  We were just comparing who had killed more goomy demons when we heard a cry from deep within the forest. We exchanged a look of silent affirmation and headed off deeper into the dangerous woods. Following the cries of distress, we eventually came upon a young girl, with puffy pink hair who was surrounded by vicious goblin dogs.

I made this bookmark by first cutting some watercolor paper to the appropriate size. I then stamped it using the There She Goes Clear Stamps “Nutmeg” set. I watercolored everything using Distress Markers and my Hydra Brush of +222 wetness. I then made a tassel using some baker's  twine earning myself +402 pizazz exp points. I might also decide to laminate it before giving it away, just to give it some extra defence points.

This bookmark will mark its place in the following challenge:

Dilly Beans Challenge: Anything but a Card

Allsorts Challenge #233: Make a Gift

Penny’s Challenge #153: Add a Sentiment

One Stitch at a Time Challenge #190: Anything Goes

Jo’s Scrap Shack FFC#26: Anything Goes

Simon Says Monday Challenge: It’s a Mystery (bookmark for reading “mystery” books!)

My sister quickly cast a stun spell on the goblin dogs so they couldn’t pounce on the poor pink-haired lass as I drew my new sword, Frostbite - a recent acquisition from a previous quest. It was an easy battle to dispense of the goblin dogs, especially after they had been stunned and the young girl was unhurt, just a little shaken. She introduced herself as Nutmeg (Megs for short), of the Spicey Halfling Clan who dwelled in the Fennel Forest. Apparently she had been gathering herbs when she was separated from her clan. The Lady Commander and I offered to take the girl back to Fennel Forest as it was a full day's ride from where we were. Perhaps we would even be rewarded with some herbs - always useful in potion making…

Continued in “Decorations Poppy-ing Up Everywhere”...

~ Guild Master Crystal ~

Fuzzy Peach Elixirs - More Than Just a Candy

Salutations. Today the Guardian of Glitter and I spent a relaxing afternoon at Natsume Farm picking peaches. These were no ordinary peaches though. Natsume Farm grows magically enhanced elixir peaches that infuse you with healing tonics, filling up not only your HP but also your MP. They are more practical when adventuring, as glass vials filled with your traditional elixir potions tend to break rather easily when jostled.

I started this bookmark by cutting the peach using the Just Because Cards cartridge and inking the pieces a little before gluing everything together. Instead of using patterned paper for the background I hunted through my VAST embossing folder stash and chose some big dots to emboss it with. I have a serious problem when it comes to buying embossing folders...I have over 70 of them! The other fruit I stamped using the Stampin’ Up “Tart and Tangy” set. Instead of using ink pads though, I coloured the stamps using Distress Markers so I could get different colours on the same image. So coloured ‘em up, gave ‘em the ‘ol huff-huff and stamped them. It worked better than I thought it would! This earned me +129 moisture exp points, which I’m not entirely sure what I will do with.

This fuzzy peach will hold a place in the following challenges:

Incy Wincy Designs: Read All About It

Fabtabulous Cricut Challenge #170: Fruit Salad

Shopping Our Stash Challenge #111: I don’t really need another one (embossing folders!!)

Milk Coffee Emboss It Challenge

Simon Says: Summer Food and/or Drink

Friends of SpeedyTV Challenge #82: No Designer Paper

Simply Create Too Challenge #42: Anything But a Card

Challenges 4 Everybody #25: Anything Goes

Moxie Fab World Tuesday Trigger: (the minty/peachy colours inspired my bookmark)

The Lady Commander of Copics refused to join Nikki and I on our fruit picking trip, as she will have nothing to do with “juice” or “fruit products”. She will be sorry however, that she missed seeing the adorable large eyed cows, pigs and sheep at Natsume Farm.

~ Guild Master Crystal ~

Bookmark of +70 Holding

Today has been a rather gloomy day at the Guild Hall. Outside rain is covering the lands, making embarking on an outdoorsy quest undesirable. My direwolf has spent the day curled up next to the fireplace, refusing to step foot outside in the sopping weather. I decided to use the gloomy, lazy day to research some new spells using some of the dusty old tomes in the library. Before settling down to read though, I headed off to the crafting chamber to create a bookmark to not only lift my spirits while searching through the boring texts, but also hold my place when my reading was interrupted, which is most assuredly would be. 

I find bookmarks the perfect way to use up scraps of designer paper, which is exactly what I did with this one. After cutting up the paper to make this card, along with some other crafts that have yet to be posted, I was left with scraps that weren’t really usable for much. It became the background for this vintagey bookmark. I decided to use one of my favourite stamps from the Crafty Secrets “Coffee and Tea” set for the top of the bookmark. (I’m in love with that vintage lady head). The sentiment I stamped using the Dylusions “Quintessential Quotes” set.   

I then used my Your Story and laminated the bookmark to protect its vintagey goodness from spills etc, earning me +104 shield exp points.

This will be holding its place in the following challenges:

Lunagirl Moonbeams Challenge: Divas

Tammy’s Scrappin’ Corner Challenge #64: Vintage

Love to Create Challenge #67: Read All About It!

Friends of SpeedyTV Challenge #74: Bookmarks

Stampotique Designer’s Challenge #102: Transparent

Simon Says Stamp: Anything Goes

The Octopode Factory Friday Challenge: Lovely Ladies

The Cheerful Stamp Pad Challenge #61: My Kind of Gal

With my newly crafted bookmark in hand, I headed to the library with a fresh mug of steaming coffee. I pulled some of the ancients texts from the dusty shelves and settled into one of the creaky wooden chairs. I was immediately distracted by the Lady Commander of Copics coming in and asking if I wanted to play a round of Qwirkle. Good thing I had my bookmark to hold my place!

~ Guild Master Crystal ~ 

This Spot is "Booked"

Greetings and welcome to the Guild Hall. Today was a rather chilly day in the realm, the winds outside blowing ice cold rain against the shutters. As such, the Lady Commander of Copics, who is perpetually cold, decided to light a nice cozy fire. As the flame began to melt the chill off my bones, I went to retrieve the novel I was reading, hoping to curl up next to the roaring fire. When I returned to the parlor I was surprised to find the Lady Commander already snuggled up in front of the fireplace with one of her monster friends curled up beside her. “Hi, Lady,” it said, peeking out from under the furs. Annoyed my reading place was occupied, I instead retreated to the crafting chamber.

I started this bookmark by stamping the “Whisker Monster With Sign” Stampotique image using my trusty Archival Jet Black ink and colouring him with Prismacolors. The sentiment on his sign I stamped using the Lawn Fawn “Cozy Christmas” set. I love being snuggly and cozy when I read, so I thought it the perfect sentiment for a bookmark :) I also used the super cute fire from that set and paper pieced him in my makeshift fireplace, earning me +194 cut-and-paste exp points. The background I made using a stencil and some Distress Ink. After laminating it, I punched a hole and tied some twine and a button to the top.

This bookmark will cozy up to the following challenges:

The Corrosive Challenge #174: My Sentiments Exactly

Paper Playtime Challenge #10: Buttons or Brads

Loves Rubber Stamps Challenge #53: Anything But a Card

Crafty Sentiments: Buttons

My Craft Spot Challenge #98: Ribbon & Twine

4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #143: Critters

Cute Card Thursday Challenge #270: Tie It Up

Stampotique Designers Challenge #100: Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp and Show: Favourite Ink (Archival Jet Black - use it for everything! Don’t think I could work without it!)

Although I didn’t get to read curled up in front of the fire, I am pleased that my sister heeded my request about not letting all the monster pals run amok in the Guild Hall and only invited one over. That is until I returned to the parlor to see the whole lot of them had come over and were deep into a game of Mario Party. *siiiiiiigh* Good thing we are well stocked on crisps.

~ Guild Master Crystal ~

If There's a Will, Butterflies Will Show You the Way

Today the Lady Commander of Copics and I spent the day traversing the mystical, yet strangely fluffy, Velveteen Vale. We were trying to locate the elusive cotton candied tree when suddenly a myriad of butterflies erupted from the tall grass, encasing us in a fluttering rainbow tornado of tiny beating wings.

I started this bookmark by making the background using the “Worn Music” stamp by Unity and inking around the edges using Distress Ink. I then stamped the butterfly from the Unity “You Give Me Tiny Butterflies” set in three different colours and cut them out. The sentiment came from the Unity “Tail Feather” set. I earned myself +1046 trinity unity exp points with this creation. I’m not quite sure what those exp points count towards, but I got a lot of them, so it must be something good.

This bookmark will flutter into the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp and Show: A Very Strict Challenge

Divas By Design: Spring Colours

MFP SpeedyTV Simple Salutation Challenge #39: Anything Goes

Brown Sugar Challenge #36: Spring

Card Crafter’s Circle Challenge #69: Bugs

Dilly Beans Challenge: Spring

Speedy Fox and Friends Challenge #154: Make a Bookmark

Unity Stamp Friends With Flair

The cloud of butterflies began to move, taking us along with it. It was slow at first, but before we knew it, the Lady Commander and I were racing over the soft grass of the Velveteen Vale. Abruptly the butterfly herd stopped and dissipated, all flying off in different directions. When the swarm cleared we were surprised to see we were standing before the great cotton candied tree! Delighted at our luck, my sister and I began to harvest the fluffy pink cotton which we would use to create some new armours and accessories back at the Guild Hall.

~ Guild Master Crystal ~

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 ~

The Petal Peddler

Today we received an unexpected piece of post at the Guild Hall. It appeared our lady mother was coming for an unexpected visit. We normally liked to have the Guild Hall decorated with flowers and such whenever she graces us with a visit, but being that we were in the middle of winter, it would be rather hard to find any blooms or foliage outside. As such, the Lady Commander of Copics and I set out to the village to visit Violet’s Greenhouse and pick up some blossoms to brighten up the Guild Hall for our lady mothers eminent arrival.

I made this card by cutting out the pot and flowers using the Country Life cartridge. I embossed the flower heads with my good ‘ol swiss dots folder and Cuttlebug then added some gems to the middle of them. I tied a scrap of raffia around the pot for some visual interest. The word “mom” was also cut from Country Life. The only thing that sucks is that cartridge doesn’t have shadows for the fonts, so it’s not as “contrasty” as I would prefer.

Next I made a matching bookmark to go with the card. I cut the pot and flowers using papers to match the card exactly. I then laminated it with my YourStory. I always laminate my bookmarks to protect them from wear and tear. They don't look as nice after being laminated, but they'd look even less nice if they got ripped or something, so alas, laminating it is. Making these matching items earned me +80 perfect pair exp points. Not sure exactly what those are used for...but I guess I’ll find out when I gain enough to level up.

This pair of crafts will be entered into the following challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge #67: Dies & Punches
My Craft Spot Challenge #87: Flowers
Penny’s Paper-Crafty Challenge #115: Anything Goes
Simply Create Too Challenge #31: Mother’s Day (or for a female)
Fairy Tale Challenge #61: A Set of 2 Parts
Spark Your Creativity Now! Challenge #6: Anything Goes
Challenges 4 Everybody #14: Anything Goes
Crafting for all Seasons Challenge #26: Dies and Punches

I do hope our lady mother enjoys the blooms we selected. My sister and I know next to nothing when it comes to flowers...we just pick whatever smells the least stinky.

~ Guild Master Crystal ~

It's a Mad Mad World

This afternoon we came across a deranged girl wandering alone through the woods. Her eyes wide, she was muttering about rabbits and tea parties. The Lady Commander of Copics and I were utterly at a loss as to what to do for this poor lass. She seemed possessed, or under some sort of spell. Whatever the case may be, there was definitely some dark magic at work. We took the girl back to the Guild Hall and I sent a raven to Ish’tak, one of the village healers.

I started this bookmark by stamping “Alice” by The Octopode Factory on watercolour paper and colouring her with Distress Markers and the legendary Hydra Brush. To create the background, I spritzed various colours of Dylusions spray ink then used the “Luscious Leaves” stencil and Tumbled Glass Distress Ink for the checkered pattern. I then stamped the edges with the one of the images from the Dylusions “Doodle Parts” set and coloured them in with Distress Markers. I stamped the Octopode Factory sentiment and cut it out to finish off the bookmark.

Before going insane, this mad mad bookmark will be entered into the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp: Anything Goes
Cute Card Thursday Challenge #249: Anything Goes
The Octopode Factory Friday Challenge: Anything Goes
Pause Dream Enjoy Challenge #52: Anything Goes
Challenges 4 Everybody #10: Anything Goes
One Crazy Stamper January “Anything Goes” Challenge
Spark Your Creativity Now! Challenge #5: Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge: The totally mad (no rules) tea party

Before Ish’tak could arrive to assess the girl, she had disappeared from the room we had placed her in to lay down. I don’t know if I am more worried for her safety, or for that of anyone who may come across her in this state. I’ve dispatched some riders to locate her before something happens. What a way to begin the next trip around the sun.

~ Guild Master Crystal ~