Saturday, 15 February 2014

A Litter of Love

Salutations traveller. Today we added some new members to the Guild Hall family as one of the direwolves gave birth to a litter of pups. The Lady Commander of Copics and I were very excited and decided to have a small get together to celebrate. I took to the crafting chambers, made a creativity check and got to work on some invites.

This Valentine’s Day card was created for the Just Some Lines February challenge that is happening now. Our theme this month is hearts and love. Come play along using a Just Some Lines image for your chance to win!

I started this card by colouring the Just Some Lines “Dog Love” image using Prismacolor pencils. I cut the Polaroid shape out of pawprint paper using the Lawn Fawn “Say Cheese” die, earning myself +333 die cut XP points and leveling up that skill.

The inside was stamped using The Greeting Farm’s “Fur-Ever” set. 

I added some more pawprints to the envelope using that same set.

This card will snuggle in the following challenges:
Craft Your Passions Challenge #200 (challenge #158: Adorable Animals)

Luckily I rolled a 19 and was able to pass the creativity check and craft some puppy themed cards. It’s nice to have a day where we get to do other things than defending the realm from evil.

~ Guild Master Crystal ~

Tuesday, 11 February 2014

A Stitched Up Message

Today I awoke to find a stitchy pig wandering around outside the Guild Hall grounds, looking quite lost. I was confused as to how a stitchy pig could have found its way here as they are not native to this side of the Pearlescent Sea. Not being able to turn away a creature in need, I threw on my heavy winter furs and lead the stray stitchy pig to the warmth of the Guild Hall barns. The poor thing eagerly gobbled up the food that was still left in the feeding trough.
“Where did you come from, little guy?” I mused, petting the stitchy pig on its head.
In response the stitchy pig turned its back to me, gesturing with his head at one of the patches adorning his rear end. Intrigued, I carefully peeled back the patch in question and was shocked to see a message on the other side!

This card was created for the Creative Card Crew KISS (keep it simple and sweet) challenge that is happening now. Come and play along with a clean and simple project for a chance to win a prize from one of our sponsors!
 http://mariannedesign.nl/  http://www.qkrstampede.com/
I started this card by colouring the QKR “Stitched Pig” image using Prismacolor pencils and cutting him out. Next step was making a stencil using my Cricut by cutting a square in a piece of paper so I could sponge different colours of Distress Ink to create patches. I also kept the actual square it cut out to use as a mask for some of the overlapping patches. earning me +284 incognito XP points. 
I then used the Unity “Bee Happy Hexagon” set and the There She Goes “Smarty Pants” set to stamp the subtle patterns onto the patches. Everything was then outlined using a thin black pen. I stamped the first part of the sentiment using the Lawn Fawn “Jessie’s ABCs” set. (The “happy birthday” is a Unity stamp).

On the inside I stamped the sentiment using the Mark’s Finest Paper “Celebrate Big” set, adding some stitchy lines around the border.

I created a few more patches on the envelope and drew some stitching lines around the edge to make it match the front of the card.

This pig will make a mess in the following challenges:
Craft Your Passions Challenge #200 (challenge #158: Adorable Animals)

The hidden message on the patch was from the ragdoll clan living across the Pearlescent Sea. They had sent the stitchy pig through a portal to let us know they have heard of our plight against the evil wizard, Black Soot-Ture, who is trying to destroy the Festival of Love and they had a weapon to destroy the villain once and for all. With the recent discovery that there was likely a traitor in the Guild Hall, I couldn’t tell anyone of the ragdolls’ message. I set the stitchy pig up with a comfy stall of his own and hid the patch message in my cloaks, returning to the Guild Hall to plot my next move.

~ Guild Master Crystal ~

Sunday, 9 February 2014

A Forgotten Piece of Post

Today was a lazy day spent cleaning the rookery and preparing all the ravens and owls for their massive flight next week, delivering all the Festival of Love letters and cards. Besides the Winter Festival this is their most intense flight and delivery of the year. As I was finishing up, I espied something odd. Peeking out from under a massive mound of straw was the corner of an envelope. I carefully tugged the letter free and gasped when I read the name on the soiled envelope.   

I started this card by masking off the middle strip and then spritzing the rest using some blue Dylusions spray ink. I then used the Lawn Fawn “You’ve Got Mail” set to stamp the post marks down the right side. I stamped the borders of the white strip that was masked with those blue and red dashes that signify mail - lol...I’m not sure what they’re called or what they’re for, but they mean “mail” to me. I stamped the mailbox and letters using the same Lawn Fawn set and coloured them with Prismacolor pencils.

On the inside I stamped the sentiment using the Lawn Fawn “My Silly Valentine” set and added some little envelopes and hearts.

The envelope was spritzed with some more Dylusions spray ink, making it match the front of the card and earning me +300 spritzy XP points. I added another little envelope flying on some hearts.

This card will be sent into the following challenges:

The letter was addressed to Black Soot-Ture, the evil wizard who has been trying to fell the Festival of Love. Why would there be a letter meant for that foul miscreant in the rookery? Was there a spy in the Guild Hall? A traitor passing information to the nefarious malefactor? It would certainly explain why all our attempts to thwart his plans have failed. Carefully, I transported the letter to the crafting chambers where I could begin testing it to determine its creator and expose the traitor among us.

~ Guild Master Crystal ~

Saturday, 8 February 2014

Cupcakes Gone Berserk

Welcome to the Guild Hall. We are all busy preparing for the guests to arrive for my nameday celebration tonight. The Lady Commander of Copics was charged with baking cupcakes in the kitchens, a quest I thought she would be able to complete. Unfortunately that was not the case. I was just finishing hanging the last of the streamers when I heard screams coming from the kitchens. A house gnome ran past me shouting “THEY’RE ALIVE!! THE CUPCAKES ARE ALIVE!!” This wasn’t good...

This ATC was created for the Just Some Lines February challenge that is happening now. Our theme this month is hearts and love. Come play along using a Just Some Lines image for your chance to win!

I started by colouring one of the Just Some Lines “3 Wacky Cupcakes From Hell” using Prismacolor pencils. Because my background was a little busy I decided to mount the cupcake on some black paper and create a “shadow” border so it stood out better. This earned me +666 shadow magic XP points. I also mounted it on SUUUUPA POP DOTS so it literally stood out...or off...whatever.

This ATC will go crazy in the following challenges:

It would appear that my sister decided to bake without wearing her glasses and instead of adding baking powder added berserker pulverulence (why do we keep those jars right next to each other??), giving a life force to the cupcakes and causing them to go insane. When I entered the kitchens the first dozen of them were jumping around making “nom nom nom” sounds while the house gnomes and the Lady Commander were cowering behind an overturned table. Sighing I downed a mana potion and got to work undoing the accidental magic my sister had performed.


~ Guild Master Crystal ~

Friday, 7 February 2014

The Biker and the Nerd

Today I was strolling to the village to do some shopping as I was fresh out of a few essentials for the crafting chambers, when a young man ran up to me.
“Please...you must help me,” he panted, gasping for breath. He wore a beanie atop his head which I immediately thought was odd as I had only seen people from the Thinker’s Tower wear that headgear. I inquired as to the source of his distress and before he could answer I heard the roar of an engine approaching from the road behind us.
“It’s her! She’s found me!” he exclaimed, eyes wide with fear. The man cowered behind me as a large motorized bike roared up, coming to a halt a few meters from us. As the woman controlling the device dismounted, shutting it off, the gears in the powerful machine clicked to a stop and steam spewed from the rear pipe.
“Did you think you could outrun me?” she laughed coming towards the man, seductively flipping her long brown hair over her shoulder. She was dressed in the tight red leather uniform and large shiny black boots that the Harlsies clan wore.
“Please…” the young man squeaked from behind me. 

So a little background (no pun intended) on this card. I was commissioned to make a valentine’s day card with the following parameters: a biker babe and a dark haired guy wearing a beanie because she always bugs him that his “propeller is spinning” when he’s thinking too hard. This was truly a challenge for me. 

Luckily I had recently procured the Kenny K “Megan Foxy” image which is a perfect biker babe looking girl, so I coloured it using Prismacolor pencils. I chose to use The Greeting Farm’s “Special Autumn” set for the boy. The beanie was a problem...I didn’t have any stamps that were even close, so I just ended up using some clip art from my computer and printing it out so it would fit on Ian’s head, earning me +999 improvisation XP points. Both were coloured using Prismacolor pencils.
The heart was cut using the Artbooking cartridge and embossed with my Cuttlebug. I stamped the sentiment using the There She Goes “Smarty Pants” set. The black background paper is this really cool textured paper that looks almost like leather (obviously hard to photograph that). 

On the inside I stamped the sentiment using a couple Unity stamps and the Lawn Fawn “My Silly Valentine” set.

The envelope was stamped using the Dylusions “Further Around the Edge” set. I then added the little ticket from the Tim Holtz “Odds and Ends” set.

This card will nerd out in the following challenges:
Penny’s Challenge #163: Something Old and Something New (old - TGF stamp new - Smarty Pants set)

“What is it you want with this young gentlemen?” I asked the Harlsie.
“He is mine. I stole him from the Thinker’s Tower. By Harlsie law he now belongs to me,” she said, placing both hands on her hips.
“That’s considered kidnapping in most other places,” I countered, slowly inching my hand towards the hilt of the blade I wore on my hip.
“I don’t much care about other places. That nerd is mine!” She lunged for the young man as I drew my long blade, standing in front of him.
“I’d suggest you leave,” I said, my voice steady. “Quickly,” I added.
“You will regret this, stranger,” she said mounting her motorized bike. “You have just made an enemy of the Harlsie clan!” Her bike roared to life and she rode off back the way she had come from.
I turned to the young man, “I think it would be best if you returned to the Guild Hall with me so we can arrange safe transport for you to the Thinker’s Tower.”
“Thank you, m’lady,” the man said as the propeller on his head began to spin.
Yup...definitely weird headgear.

~ Guild Master Crystal ~

Heart Stick For You

Today the Lady Commander of Copics and I embarked on a quest through Heart Stick Field. In these vast fields grow the rare heartropic plant, a vital ingredient used in brewing love potions. As we roamed the field, felling any enemies who tried to engage us in battle, we collected all of the heartropics plants we came across. We were about the leave Heart Stick Field when we spotted a creature in distress. In the distance, we could see a furry blue monster surrounded by venomous giant spiders. The poor thing was quivering in fear before the demons.
“Come sister,” I said, notching an arrow in my great bow, Fungi, as I raced towards the battle. 

I started this card by making the background using various shades of pink Distress Ink and then adding some spritzes of Pink Bubblegum Dylusions spray ink. I stamped the hearts on top using the Unity January 2013 KOTM (the sentiment also came from that kit). I also stamped the love definition in the background using the Unity “Give it All Meaning” stamp. Next I stamped the Stampotique “Hug Monster” and coloured him using Prismacolor pencils. The hearts-on-sticks I cut from the Cricut Artbooking cartridge.

On the inside I stamped the sentiment using the Lawn Fawn “My Silly Valentine” set. On the side I inked a Unity stamp with Distress ink and before stamping it, spritzed it with water to give it the blurry imperfect look.

The envelope was stamped with the same “heart strings” that are on the front “tying” everything together...get it….strings….tying….Hey - I just earned +60 punny XP!

This card will be giving out hugs in the following challenges:
Penny’s Challenge #163: Something Old and Something New (old - music note paper new - Stampotique monster)

The Lady Commander and I quickly dispensed of the vile spider demons, freeing the blue monster.
Thanks lady warriors,” the monster said as his tail swished behind him, aflame with red light. Suddenly he lunged at us, entrapping us both in a giant hug.
Squishy lady warriors,” he giggled and just as abruptly released us from his grasp.
K bye,” the monster trotted off through the fields waving as he left.
“Well that was peculiar,” I said affixing my bow to my back.
“And CUUUUUUUTE,” the Lady Commander squealed, her eyes shining. “Let’s follow him!”
Before I could stop her, she was already dashing off in the direction of the blue monster. Silently shaking my head I jogged to catch up.

~ Guild Master Crystal ~