Shroom Full of Spiders

Today the Crafters Guild armed ourselves well and prepared to head to the guild raid, an annual event where we destroy and plunder, earning much crafty loot and exp in the process. The four of us dismounted our horses upon approaching the raid site and stopped short. Barring the entrance was a child atop a mushroom tuffet.

“Where ‘ya think you're going?” she asked in a cheery sing-song voice which was at odds with her hostile inquiry.

The four of us looked at each other, unsure as to how to proceed. “Errr...greetings, child…” I started before she interrupted me.

“The name’s Muffet.” Suddenly her smiling face changed, morphing into something hideous, burning red eyes glowing under the brim of her green sunhat. “That’s Miss Muffet to you!” she roared, spittle coming from her mouth.  

This card was created for the reminder about the Just Some Lines September Challenge that is happening now! The theme this month is Autumn/Fall or Back to School. Come play along with a JSL image for a chance to win a digi! Woot!

I started by colouring the Just Some Lines “Lissie’s Sun Hat” image using my trusty Prismacolors. Setting her in a safe place, I got to work on the background. 

This started out as a white piece of paper. I swiped some Distress Inks on my craft mat, sprayed them with water and wiped my paper through. I then stamped the leaves using the Dylusions “Doodle Parts” set. I was fairly pleased with the end result. The sentiment is from a Kraftin’ Kimmie stamp called “Willow” that I’ve yet to use after purchasing it over a year ago. The small mushroom was stamped from the Lawn Fawn “Critters of the Forest” set. The large mushrooms were cut using the Freshly Picked cartridge.

On the inside I inked the edges and stamped the bottom portion using the Unity “You Make Me Mushy” itty bitty. The top part was stamped with the sentiment from the Unity “Nicest Place to Be” itty bitty.

Things sorta got out of hand on the envelope, stamping it all up using the Dylusions “Doodle Parts” set and earning me +3823 overindulgence exp points.

This shroomy card will mush it up in the following challenges:

The Corrosive Challenge #182: All About Fall

Crafty Sentiments: Anything Goes

Loves Rubberstamps Challenge #69: Have a Sentiment on the Front

Parade Your Crafts Challenge #3: Anything Goes

MFPSpeedyTV Simple Salutations Challenge #62: Thinking of You

Penny’s Challenge #144: Anything Goes

Cardz TV Challenge #35: Celebrate the Harvest
My Creative Moments Word Play Saturday “Seasons”

Jo’s Scrap Shack FFC#14: Autumn

Milk Coffee Challenge: Fabulous Fall Colors
Catch the Bug: Indian Summer

Chocolate Coffee and Cards Challenge #48: Anything Goes

Use It Tuesday Challenge #63: Friendship (used an uninked sentiment stamp I’ve had over a year and that “cord” that is nearly three years old!)

The four of us drew our weapons as a spider army hoard emerged from behind the toadstool the demon was seated upon. The Guardian of Glitter and Guild Apprentice Lindsay were paralyzed with a fear spell Muffet cast upon them. It would be up to me and the Lady Commander of Copics.

“Aim for their eyes,” I shouted to my sister over the chaos, loosing an arrow from my great bow, Fungi.

I wasn’t about to let this demon and her spider army stop us from joining the annual crafty raid. Casting a quick barrier spell on the Guardian of Glitter and Guild Apprentice Lindsay so they weren’t hurt, I notched another arrow and unleash a flurry of attacks on our foes. With my arrows equipped with the new poison tipped heads I had just received, it didn’t take long for us to prevail. Now we were set to enjoy the raid!

~ Guild Master Crystal ~

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:

The Cheerful Stamp Pad Challenge #67: Your Choice

Tammy’s Scrapin Corner Challenge #77: Anything Goes

Top Tip Tuesday Challenge #108: Initials (CT - “Cricut & Cuttlebug” & “Tophat”)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes

Brown Sugar Challenge #57: Wedding

Little Scrap Pieces Fun Friday Linky Party

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Dotty

Penny’s Paper Crafty Challenge #142: used ribbon, brads and gem

Cuttlebug Mania: Die Cuts

Delicious Doodles Challenge #51: Anything Floral

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 ~

Heart Flower Garden

Good day traveller. Thanks for stopping by the Guild Hall today. If you’re a regular visitor here, you know we’ve been busy building our robot army in preparation for our assault on the Shrieking Harpies who laid waste on the Crafters Guild a while back. After days immersed in iron and oil, I needed to get outside the laboratory and interact with nature. I could feel my earth magic level dropping, and I needed to keep my spells strong for the impending battle. I decided to plant some heart flowers in the yard to brighten it up (this also game me an excuse to wear my new hat of +65 shadiness). Once fully bloomed these little guys will also produce a sweet nectar that can be used in numerous health and recovery potions.

This card was crafted for the Just Some Lines anything goes challenge that is happening now. Just make something using a JSL image and you could win some digis!

I started this one by colouring the Emo Gardener using my Prismacolor pencils of mass pigmentation and inking around the edges with Tea Dye Distress Ink. Setting that aside, I next cut out the wheelbarrow using the Freshly Picked cartridge. I thought it looked a little plain “as is”, so I used the Unity “You Give Me Tiny Butterflies” set to stamp on it. I also added a button to the wheel and a little bow using some “floss”. Next up, stamping all the leaves using the Bo Bunny “Camp-a-Lot” set and cutting them out. After everything was arranged, I stamped the sentiment using the Unity “Naturally You” set. 

I used the same set to stamp this panel on the inside. Shabby Shutters is fairly light, so I think you would still be able to write a message and sign your name over this, no problem. My only concern is that these obscure sentiments make the card lack purpose. This unfortunately lost me -50 generic exp points. Sad.

I went a little crazy on the envelope, using the Bo Bunny “Camp-a-Lot” set. But look how nicely it matches :D

This card will plant itself into the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp and Show: The Button Challenge

Incy Wincy Designs: Butterflies and Bows

Challenges 4 Everybody #22: Anything Goes

One Crazy Stamper June “Summer Fun” Challenge

My Creative Moments Word Play Saturday “Summertime” 
Speedy Fox and Friends Challenge #164: “Y”

I ended up planting eighteen of the heart flowers. My direwolf ate three, leaving me with fifteen. Next project - building a fence around the new plants to keep Lycan out!

~ Guild Master Crystal ~

"Pots" of Surprises on the Way

As the last of the snow melts away and sprouts of grass are struggling to free themselves from the long winter frost, the bugbelles have also returned from wherever ‘tis they retire to during the frozen months. These interesting creatures are part fairy and part insect, choosing to take up residence in various flora. I’m unsure what purpose they serve in the overall ecosystem, but they are good for a rousing game of Fuzion Frenzy.

I started this card by cutting the flower pot out using the Freshly Picked cartridge, embossing some of the layers with my Cuttlebug. I stamped the girl using the Dylusions “Pondering Petunia” set, placing her behind the pot. The banner I stamped using the Lawn Fawn “Bannerific” set, adding a sentiment from Lawn Fawn’s “Sophie’s Sentiments” set. The background was this weird fibery-fabric paper I got at the Everything-For-One-Brass-Coin stand at the the market square. Now it may appear that all is conventional, but I didn’t really assemble the flower pot exactly as shown in the book....

*Gaaaaaaaasp* The flowers come out! I actually cut the blossoms away from the rest of the pot and adhered them to a rectangular base. With some clever use of pop dots, I was able to make the flowers go “in” the pot, allowing them to be pulled out. This earned me +281 innovation exp points. The sentiment I stamped using the My Creative Time “Wow! So Many Candles” set. The only bad thing about this card, is if you were to mail it to someone, they would likely never know the flowers came out! You kind of have to give it to them in person ;)

On the inside I stamped some sentiments using the My Pink Stamper “Birthday Crazy” set and the Lawn Fawn “Sophie’s Sentiments” set. I then stamped and paper pieced the gnome using the Lawn Fawn “Gnome Sweet Gnome” set.

This purple-tastic papercraft will pop up in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp: April Showers and/or Spring Flowers

Card Crafter’s Circle Challenge #70: Die-ing to Impress You

Pile It On Challenge #15: Embossing
Tammy’s Scrappin’ Corner Challenge #58: Spring Has Sprung

Try it on Tuesday: Spring Has Sprung/Something That Moves

After I lost 7 games of Fuzion Frenzy in a row to the ladybug bugbelle, I kicked her out of the Guild Hall. I am now convinced that the bugbelles retire to somewhere they can play videogames all winter long to sharpen their skills...no one - human OR fairy - should be that good at Fuzion Frenzy.

~ Guild Master Crystal ~

How Much Glitter is Too Much?

I wandered into the dining hall today only to find the Guardian of Glitter adorning the tables with pots of shimmer bulbs. The flowers were already blooming, sending a dusting of sparkles atop each surface.

“I thought I’d brighten the place up!” she exclaimed, gesturing to all the magical blossoms.

I looked at the table tops, full of glitter and wondered how long it would take to rid the dining hall of the unyielding substance. “Don’t you think it’s a little much?” I asked.

“What do you mean?” The Guardian of Glitter coughed, a cloud of shimmering dust emerging from her already glitter coated lungs.

I started this flowery creation by cutting the flower pot out using the Freshly Picked cartridge. At the urging of the Lady Commander of Copics and the Guardian of Glitter, I added some sparkles to the blossoms, earning me +738 shimmery exp points. I cut the "doily" looking thing out using the Art Philosophy cartridge to add some visual interest to the background. I stamped the banner and birds from the Lawn Fawn “Bannerific” set. The sentiment came from the Lawn Fawn “Sophie’s Sentiments” set. A little bow and some buttons finished off the front of this card.

On the inside I cut some shaped panels from the Art Philosophy cartridge and stamped the sentiment using a Close to My Heart set. The flower came from the Unity “Naturally Yours” set.

I stamped a quick ‘lil flower on the envelope using a Close to My Heart set I borrowed from the Guardian of Glitter.

This card will bloom in the following challenges:

Crafting For All Seasons Challenge #49: Floral Delight

Divas By Design: Flowers

Simon Says Stamp: April Showers and/or Spring Flowers

MFP SpeedyTV Simple Salutations Challenge #40: Add an Embellishment

Card Crafter’s Circle Challenge #70: Die-ing to Impress You

Little Scrap Pieces Fun Friday Challenge: May Flowers

Dream Valley Challenge #54: Happy Birthday

The Corrosive Challenge #172: Life’s Special Occasions

Stampotique Designer’s Challenge #94: Flowers

Even though my lady mother taught me it was unladylike, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at the Guardian of Glitter. I will never understand her over enthusiasm for all things sparkly.

~ Guild Master Crystal ~

Step Up Production, Elf!

I was sitting down with Mildred and Olga, two of our house gnomes, for some afternoon tea and they started discussing their distant cousins who lived in the North. Apparently where they live the snow never goes away. I shuddered at that thought; the week of snowfall has already become tiresome and we still have at least five more months of winter to go. They spend their days building toys and games for an overweight chap who travels the lands in one night to deliver the goods to various children. This sounded like an elaborate breaking and entering scheme to me, and I vowed to remain vigilant on the night the toys were supposed to be delivered. 

This was my first attempt at a “step card”. It turned out okay, but it was quite small - well smaller than I expected it to be. Another downside is that there is barely any room on the back to write a message to the person you are sending the card to. Oh well. It looks neat. The Santa and presents I cut from the Winter Frolic cartridge. The “elves” were actually garden gnomes I cut from the Freshly Picked cartridge. 

The signposts also came from that cartridge. I inked them to make ‘em look snowy and stamped the sentiment from the Lawn Fawn “Cozy Christmas” set. I used the Cuttlebug to emboss the white panels with snowflakes and the elves’ clothes with polka dots earning me +128 texture exp points.

This steppin’ card will be entered into the following challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge #58: Polka Dots/Spots
The Corrosive Challenge #161: Know When To Fold ‘Em
Friends of SpeedyTV Challenge #45: Anything Goes
ABC Christmas Challenge: V for Vibrant Colours
Winter Wonderland Challenge: One for the Boys
Christmas Stampin’ All Year Long Challenge #36: Anything Goes
Christmas Cards All Year ‘Round November Challenge: Shaped or Fancy Folds
One Crazy Stamper November Challege: Anything Goes

I spoke with Guild Apprentice Lindsay about these enslaved toy making elves and apparently it is a legitimate thing. She, along with Olga and Mildred, were more concerned with the welfare of the elves than an elaborate breaking and entering scheme. Looks like another quest for the Crafters Guild.

~ Guild Master Crystal ~