Aug 31, 2023

A Perfect Time To Craft Challenge September 2023 Sponsor Conie Fong

Welcome back to my blog! 
This month we are being sponsored by the beautiful digital images of 

I chose the image titled, "Susie Snowflake."  While many are still in the summertime or Christmas in July, I thought I'd jump ahead into a wintery theme.  
I began by downloading the image and printing it on Neenah card stock, then used my Copic markers to color in the image.
Using my Honey Bee precision scissors (my fave) I fussy cut the image after I colored it.
The following markers were used:

Hair: C00,C0, C04, C06, C09, 100 
Skin:  E0000, E000, E00, E11
Lips:  R11, R32
Clothing:  YG0000, YG000, YG00, YG11, YG02
RV0000, RV000, RV00, RV61, RV91
Multiliner .003, white gel, white color pencil

The image was small enough so I decided to go with a #8 tag by Tim Holtz #8 Tag this time around and used the Distress Oxides:  Black Soot, Spun Sugar, Kitsch Flamingo and Squeezed Lemonade.


I used a Dylusion's 5x8 stencil, "Let It Snow" using Distress Oxides ink pads by Tim Holtz to make some of the snowflakes.   

I used the Golden Crackle Paste with the same stencil.  I then hit it with the heat gun and made sure it was completely dry.

Using Foam Dots I adhered the image using Art Glitter Glue onto the tag to give it a 3D effect.

If you are interested in joining the challenge, head over to 
To see more digital images from our sponsor 
 You can also find her Facebook group  to see how other's use her images.

Take care and stay safe!
Ivette (Ivy)

Jul 31, 2023

A Perfect Time To Craft Challenge August 2023 Sponsor CraftsUPrint

 Greetings to all! 

Welcome back!  We've been in the sweltering heat in upstate NY.  Today July 31st is the first day of relief in over a month.  I'm afraid to look at my next electric bill.  We've also been dealing with the wildfire smoke that's been going on in Canada, I can't imagine what those of you who live there are dealing with.  I'm constantly thinking about the wild animals in the area who are losing their lives and homes.  Hopefully this will end soon, if it hasn't already, honestly, I've been trying to stay away from the news due to all the chaos going on in our world, its overwhelming at times.

That's why I LOVE being in my studio and crafting.  

Speaking of which, this month's sponsor is

CraftsUPrint

It was a tough decision but I went with the Buffalo Plaids images for the background.  It would have been great for December but since I no longer do holidays I took a different approach.


I used the swirl stitched die cut, ran it through my Switch machine using black card stock.

I repeated the same process from above using the digital black and white plaid image that I downloaded and printed using Neenah paper.  I removed every other black piece and replaced it with a plaid piece, I then adhered them all down to the base card stock using Art Glitter Glue.

Using my favorite puppy IOStamp die I cut out of black card stock.

I also cut the the image of a small doll out of the same black card stock to compliment the plaid background and used some tiny butterflies and placed them throughout the card.




Distressed the border with some Black Soot Distress Ink by Tim Holtz and called it the day.  

If you are interested in joining the challenge, head over to 
and if interested in digital images check out CraftsUPrint.

Hope you all well, stay safe and don't forget to join my blog for updates by clicking on the blue button on the upper left part of this blog.

Stay humble and kind.
Ivette (Ivy)








Jun 30, 2023

A Perfect Time To Craft Challenge - July 2023 Sponsor: Jan's Digi Stamps

 Back again with a great image called "Crafty Friends" by 

Jan's Digi Stamps.

I want to share my design team project for this month.  I used an already colored image, Crafty Friends and downloaded it onto my favorite Neenah Paper.  




I fussy cut around the image of the ladies and table.  Then I added additional images that were part of the collection and enlarged them, as well as the sentiment.

I had an already cut out frame with stitching around it so I took a piece of acetate and attached it to the frame.  Using a small piece of red material and a hot glue gun,  I began to build curtains and used red thin ribbon to hold them back. 

I used 3D foam to bring the window away from the inside wall paper.


I added brick paper around the window, inside the room, I used black specialty paper that reminded me of wallpaper.   Cut some stairs from an unbranded die using my Switch machine, added a black dog sitting on a red chair, as well as a wall clock all part of the same die collection.

To finish it off the project, I adhered the enlarged pieces of the digital collection on each corner (images and sentiment) some daisies made of acetate adhered on the sides of the corners and called it the day.

Hope you like my project and were inspired.

If you're feeling up to joining our challenge click on the link below  and win some digital images.

A Perfect Time To Craft Challenge.blogspot.com


Thank you for passing by to view my work and don't forget to click on the blue "Follow" button on the upper left of this page.  
Stay safe everyone and always stay humble & kind!

Ivette (Ivy)


May 31, 2023

A Perfect Time To Craft Challenge - June 2023 Sponsor: Dr. Digi

                  Hello everyone!         

     This month we have the wonderful sponsor

                       Dr. Digi

I'm a big fan of Dr. Digi's images, they are funny and cute and has a lot to choose from.   I decided to go with the British Summertime image which I downloaded and printed onto Neenah Solar White Extra Smooth card stock.



As soon as I saw this image I saw sadness all over it.   Sadly, I lost a fellow retired NYPD officer who was in a dark place and committed suicide on April 19, 2023.  I did my best to keep him in the light, but it wasn't enough.  God knows...

His passing took a toll on me and I dove into my art to work through it and I tell you, art really does imitate life, or death.  He is the second retired cop that I know who has committed suicide.

With that being said I decided to use this image to bring awareness to Mental Health. 

I used my Copic markers and my metallic mirror pen to color in the image, the nuts/bolts on the bench and on the thermos.  Can't really tell on the photo but it looks neat.  I then fussy cut the image out.

I had some grungy pieces of card stock laying around and used that as the background, used Distress Ink Walnut Stain around the edges to give it a darker feel.  

For the background I used TCW by designer Ronda Palazzari's 6x6 Mini Urban Landscape stencil, I used Distress Ink Pumice Stone and Vintage Photo to give the scene depth of field.

Used Simon Hurley's 6x6 Looks Like Rain stencil (I added extra raindrops) using one of my favorite products, Glossy Accent to create the wetness on the umbrella and ground.

Using leftover pieces of card stock I wrote out the sentiment cut them out and  hit it with some Fired Brick Distress Ink around the edges of each word, used pop dots to give them the 3D effect and called it the day.  

So my crafty friends, I turned something dark and brought it to light by sharing this project.  When you read between someone's words and you get the feeling something is not right, go with that feeling because that is your conscience sending an alert that something is not right here.  Learn to listen to your conscience if you're not already in tune with it,  its given to us by our Creator, God for a reason.  

Reach out to friends, even strangers when you see something is not right, you may save their life and make a difference even if its just a smile, a wave or a random act of kindness (RAK).  

Mental illness affects all of us to a degree, these days... we are ALL going and dealing with something.

   Sending love and hugs to everyone.   Don't forget make some time for yourself even if it's 15 minutes a day, they're YOUR 15 mins to calm the brain and heart.

If you're feeling up to join our challenge by clicking the link below (scroll down) and win some digital images.

A Perfect Time To Craft Challenge.blogspot.com


Thank you for passing by to view my work and don't forget to click on the blue "Follow" button.  
Stay safe everyone and always stay humble & kind!
Ivette (Ivy)

IN MEMORY OF 
NYPD Retired PO Andre Malave

 

                    

May 1, 2023

A Perfect Time To Craft Challenge - May 2023 Sponsors: Fred She Said & Beat Paper

Hello everyone!  Looks like it's another mild winter for us in the northeast.  On April 12, 2023 we had a high of 81 degrees which is very unusual.  Seems like we're skipping Spring again, tomorrow we're expecting a temperature of 86.  It has gotten
This month we have two sponsors, one is
&
Beat paper has some of the cutest images and I just love all their superheroes and outer space especially since I'm a huge fan off Star Wars and they're showcasing The Mandalorian & Baby Yoda (correct name is Grogu)


Of course those who know me know I had fun with these images.  Once again, I began by downloading the images onto Neenah Paper and colored them using my Copic markers.
C0, C1, C2, YGOO, YGO2, YG11, E00, E11.   I also used the Copic Multiliner to follow the outline and make it look nice and crisp.
I also used my Liquid Chrome (mirror effect) fine point pen (love it).  Whenever any metal is involved that chrome pen comes out.
After the coloring I fussy cut the images and made them sturdy by adding another printout behind it.  
Took a photo of the images and uploaded them into Canva.

          After downloading the beautiful digital alcohol ink background from CraftsUPrint created by Anne Mathieson titled, Starry Night which fit perfectly with my Mandalorian & Baby Yoda scene.  I added and edited a digital moon photo and a black and white checkerboard image just to add some flair to the scenario which I thought looked great.  
Added the infamous Mandalorian quote "This Is The Way" and I was pretty much done aside from printing out the project and putting it into a card or canvas which I haven't decided yet. 
 I think it looks soooo cool!.  

If you're feeling up to crafting submit a project to the link below and win some digital images.


Thank you for passing by to view my work and don't forget to click on the blue "Follow" button.  
Stay safe everyone and always stay humble & kind!
Ivette (Ivy)




Mar 31, 2023

A Perfect Time To Craft Challenge - April 2023 Sponsor Hungry JPEG

Hello, hope everyone is doing well.   

This month our sponsor is 

The Hungry JPEG!     

I'm using several images from the 
by Erasovas.
With these images I took the Canva route and uploaded the images and began to play with them.  I'm still learning Canva and feeling more confident as I learn by trial and error and some research.  I began with adding a background color and placing the images where I wanted.  So everything inside the yellow box is a digital with the exception of the sentiments and the tiny crystal hearts next to them. I also added digital images to the outside of the white picket fence.  I printed everything onto 5x7 glossy photo paper.  It just looked so much better.  
So I went with a scrapbook layout using the 49 and Market Vintage Artists Colors 12x12 Blush Mini Collection by Katie Petite which is now retired.
I used my Distress Ink Aged Mahogany and distressed the edges after I cut off about 1/4" of paper so that it will allow room for my embellishments so that they fit into the 12x12 scrapbooking sleeve.
  
I'm making this layout for my 24 day old 3rd granddaughter that has come into this world.  My granddaughters are my most precious jewels.  Her photo will be placed inside the heart after my photo shoot with her soon.

As you can see I added a white wooden fence and adorned it with small stems of Prima flowers that I pulled apart, added burgundy and yellow self adhesive mesh that I've had in my stash for many years.

I also added thin lacing around the 5x7 image, some pearl drop ribbon across the top as well as some colored moss, a lady bug, a birdie, white ink splatter and I cut and lifted the wings of two of the butterflies for a 3D affect. 




Added some vellum sentiments that I cut out from an old school vellum Quote Stacks booklet by DCWV you can still find them on eBay and Amazon.  I'm sure some of you may recall these, they made a booklet for everything seasons, scriptures, sentiments, holidays, family, baby and childhood, girls, boys, travel... I have them all!  I treasure them!  







Feb 28, 2023

A Perfect Time To Craft Challenge - March 2023 Sponsors - Conie Fong & Sheepskin Designs

      Hey, hey everyone!  Hope everyone is doing well.  We're getting more daylight up in the northeast, you know what that means... Spring is on its way!  Yeh!!  

We are being sponsored this month by the beautiful images of 

Conie Fong 

SheepSki Designs.

My usual beginning is downloading the image to be printed on Neenah Solar White Extra Soft card stock.  Once downloaded I go over it with a kneaded eraser to remove any ink residue and prep it for my Copic markers which are alcohol based.

I used the following Copic Markers:
-B0000, B000, B04, B06, B37
-BV000, BV00, BV01
-E000, E00, E11, E13
-R20, R29
-RV00, RV02
-V04, V06, V17
-YG000, YG06, YG11
Copic Multi-Liner 0.3
Green & Blue Micron pen
White Gel pen

-Distress Inks used:
-Broken China
-Mermaid Lagoon
-Squeezed Lemonade
-Black Soot
I used these Distress inks on the image card and on the base card which was from Tim Holtz's 12x12 Shabby Vintage Paper Stack #TH92824 and the stencils listed below.

TCW 6x6 Mini Gears Template 

I used Tim Holtz Sprocket (#2035467) & Mini (#TH93012) Gears as well as his Quill & Arrow (#TH94220) and colored them in with my Copic marker B04 & YG06.
I dry embossed a thin piece of metal, ran it through my Switch using a Cuttlebug Embossing Folder called Swiss Dots and then used Martha Stewart's 1" Balloon punch (#D5155540S) 
 After punching out some balloons I used a 2nd Martha Stewart punch of a Butterfly (#M283011) used another Cuttlebug Embossing Folder called Spots & Dots, which I colored all the metal punch outs with Copic Markers.  Used some color coordinated wire to attach to the balloons and I cut small pieces to create the antennas of the butterflies, added some tiny green/blue pearls to create the body of the butterflies.


Everything was glued down with Art Glitter adhesive and Pop Dots used to raise the image piece.

If you're feeling up to crafting submit a project to the links below and win some digital images.

Cardmaking Tutorials, Support & Inspiration

Jan 31, 2023

A Perfect Time To Craft Challenge - February 2023 Sponsors - CraftsUPrint

Time for another challenge!

This month we're being sponsored by 

CraftsUPrint

I'm sharing my Design Team inspiration card using the dog image titled, "Doris."  Everyone who knows me knows about my love for animals, especially dogs.

This time around I went with a simple card, using blue and white card stock.  As usually when there's fur or hair involved I'll be fussy cutting slivers to make it look like real hair/fur.  

I ran a piece of card stock with a no name brand embossing folder of paws, after which I used a distress tool to scrap the edges and then inked all around it.

Used Copic Markers, C1, C2, C4, C7, C10

Distressed Inks: Stormy Sky & Black Soot

Embellished with miniature Dog bowls and a bag of dog.

Glitter glue was my choice of adhesive, I also used pop dots to raise the image a bit.

Do swing by the and join in on the challenge.  Click on the links below.

This project was entered in the following challenges/websites:


https://jansdigistampschallenges.blogspot.com/

https://dianamlarson.blogspot.com/

https://classicdesignchallenge.blogspot.com/

https://morgansartworld.blogspot.com

http://dreamvalleychallenges.blogspot.com

https://promarkerchallenge.blogspot.com

https://digichoosday.blogspot.com

http://pennyschallenges.blogspot.com

https://paperfundaychallenges.blogspot.com


"A Perfect Time To Craft" FB

Cardmaking Tutorials, Support & Inspiration


Thank you for passing by and if you have an extra minute, leave a comment and follow, it'll make my day!
Stay safe everyone!
Ivette (Ivy)