A pocket full of Soul

So I was sitting staring at the last few blank playing cards

from the #52CafeCards challenge

wondering how to finish the project

before the end of the year.

It was Week 46, but I had 14 cards left of my 52 card pack.

Then, I had an idea.

A pocket size version of my recently completed SoulBook.

I took photographs,

imported them into a Word document to resize & crop,

then printed them out.

Added some washi tape to the sides,

some Glossy Accents where the glitter gems were ...

... et voila.  

Be Still

This is altered playing card number 38 for 

#52CafeCards
which is the year long creative challenge organised by Marta Lapkowska
& we are currently taking inspiration from her Whisper Boards.

I used the prompts of the colour scheme,
birds, flowers & the lady.

#MaremiWhispersBoard12

The patterned papers are designed by Vanessa Arbuthnott.

The label is by The Graphics Fairy

& can be found in the Free Printables photo album

of Marta's Facebook Group.

The lady is one of the Tim Holtz Paper Dolls.

Breaking the Rules

This is altered playing card number 37 for 

#52CafeCards
which is the year long creative challenge organised by Marta Lapkowska
& we are currently taking inspiration from her Whisper Boards.

I used the prompts of the colour scheme
& book text.

#MaremiWhispersBoard11

I made a cotton thread tassel for the bottom of the card,
using the colours in the mood board.

The background paper was designed by Vanessa Arbuthnott.

The label is by The Graphics Fairy
& together with the tag, can be found
in the Free Printables photo album
of Marta's Facebook Group.

Both the label & tag have text in the background
& I thought the angle of the label matched the angle of the staircase.

What do you think?

Be Creative Everyday

This is altered playing card number 36 for 

#52CafeCards
which is the year long creative challenge organised by Marta Lapkowska
& we are currently taking inspiration from her Whisper Boards.

I used the ideas of the powder blue colour,
flowers & the quote.

I thought the trees looked like the paintbrushes.

#MaremiWhispersBoard10

The background patterned papers are designed by Vanessa Arbuthnott.

The text is torn from my Pride & Prejudice book,

"I hope, I endeavoured to do so much as I might."

The label is in the Free Printables photo album of Marta's Facebook Group
& is by The Graphics Fairy.

Believe in yourself

This is my altered playing card number 35 for 

#52CafeCards
which is the year long creative challenge organised by Marta Lapkowska.

She is tagging these mood board prompts as #MaremiWhispersBoard

I used the prompts of birds,
blue tones & added a yellow gem.

This uses a piece I made for this year's Wanderlust course,
with Everything Art.

I used a copy of a photograph of the completed project,
imported the image into Word,
reduced the size
& flipped the image,
printed it out, together with the words.

Enjoy the Journey

This is my altered playing card number 34 for 

#52CafeCards
which is the year long creative challenge organised by Marta Lapkowska.

Marta is using #MaremiWhispersBoard
as the tag for these mood board prompts.

I used the prompts of purple flowers
& butterflies.

I used patterned paper by Vanessa Arbuthnott,
butterfly image from The Graphics Fairy,
Distress Ink (milled lavender)
& printed text.

Everyday Beauty

This is the next altered playing card for

#52CafeCards

Marta Lapkowska is tagging these mood board prompts as #MaremiWhispersBoard
so use this tag to search for projects by other people on social media.

I am using them to continue altering my pack of 52 playing cards,
but others are creating art journal pages,
mixed media canvases etc

I used the prompt of
flowers with dusty pinks & grey.

You matter

The leaves on the trees have started changing
into their Autumn wardrobe.

Oranges, yellows, reds & browns
mix with the greens of Spring & Summer.

So with this foremost in my mind,
I was pleased to see the next prompt for
#52CafeCards
which is the year long altered playing card creative challenge.

Marta Lapkowska is tagging these mood board prompts as #MaremiWhispersBoard

I used the prompts of
wood (background image),
leaves (fallen autumn leaves from the garden)
to create my butterfly
& the colour scheme.

I used Mod Podge to adhere the leaves
& sealed with Ranger's Distress Glaze.

There is also some orange fibre,
three glitter gems
& some gorgeous lace ribbon from Liberty London

Making the Impossible Possible

Another altered playing card for
#52CafeCards

The next prompt for this year long creative challenge
is another mood board
which Marta Lapkowska is tagging as #MaremiWhispersBoard

I took the ideas of flowers &
fabric textures (by using abaca ribbon)
& followed the colour scheme.

The images are from Brave Girls University.

Be Ready for Anything

Another altered playing card for
#52CafeCards
which is the year long creative challenge

using prompts & inspiration from Marta Lapkowska.

I followed the mood board prompt for Week 30,
which Marta is tagging as #MaremiWhispersBoard

The quotation Marta included in her prompt,
which I think is by Iain S Thomas,
lead me to include a family photograph.

It shows my Grandmother with her parents,
my Great Grandparents,
who together, make up a small part of me.

Along with the treasured family photograph,
I used a neutral colour palette,
to create this simple paper collage,
together with a phrase I had cut from that week's newspaper.

Thrive

Another altered playing card for
#52CafeCards
which is the year long creative challenge

using prompts & inspiration from Marta Lapkowska.

The prompt for Week 29 was another mood board,
which Marta is tagging as #MaremiWhispersBoard

I took the idea of tiled squares,
soft florals &
a large neutral coloured circle.

For the focal point,
I added words cut from that week's newspaper.

Take Two

Another altered playing card for
#52CafeCards
which is the year long creative challenge

using prompts & inspiration from Marta Lapkowska.

The prompt for Week 28 was another visual one,
which Marta is tagging as #MaremiWhispersBoard

I took the idea of black lines of text,
a line of black washi tape, which had white dots,
  Tim Holtz Remnant Rubs instead of stickers

& a winged insect.

With a blue tissue paper background,
allowing the black circles from the playing card to show through.

Fly

Another altered playing card for
#52CafeCards
which is the year long creative challenge

using prompts & inspiration from Marta Lapkowska.

The prompt for Week 27 was a visual one,
which Marta is tagging as #MaremiWhispersBoard

I took the idea of black text,
a butterfly,
birds sitting thoughtfully on a wire,
waiting to take flight
& pink flowers.

Stay true ...

Another altered playing card for
#52CafeCards
which is the year long creative challenge

using prompts & inspiration from Marta Lapkowska.

The prompt for Week 26 was Z for Zentangle.

I covered the playing card in Ranger's Texture Paste
& once dry, painted it black.

A few splatters of white gesso completed the background.

I drew my tangles on a piece of heart shaped watercolour paper
& added my printed words.

As we are halfway through the challenge,
I put together a short video flip through
of the altered playing cards thus far.

Do you have a favourite?

I'd love to know which one & why.

Just leave a comment below.

Be yourself

Another altered playing card for
#52CafeCards
which is the year long creative challenge

using prompts & inspiration from Marta Lapkowska.

The prompt for Week 25 was Y for Yellow.

I used a layer of white mulberry paper
to partially obscure the playing card image of the Queen of Hearts.

Next came a piece of pale yellow handmade paper,
edged with Distress Crayon (black soot).

The butterfly is an image from Brave Girl University
& the girl is a Tim Holtz Paper Doll.

There is also a small piece of lace,
three yellow glitter gems
& printed words.

Do they know you care?

Another altered playing card for
#52CafeCards
which is the year long creative challenge

using prompts & inspiration from Marta Lapkowska.

The prompt for Week 24 was X for XOXO.

The background is patterned paper by Docrafts
& the image is a Tim Holtz Paper Doll.

Wear your wings with pride

Another altered playing card for
#52CafeCards
which is a year long creative challenge,

following prompts provided by Marta Lapkowska.

The prompt for Week 23 was W for Wings.

The background is patterned paper by Docrafts
& the image is a Tim Holtz Paper Doll.

Vintage Memories

Another altered playing card for
#52CafeCards
a year long creative challenge,

following prompts provided by Marta Lapkowska.

The prompt for Week 22 was V for Vintage.

The background is patterned papers by K & Co
& the images are Tim Holtz Paper Dolls.

Unity

Another altered playing card for
#52CafeCards
a year long creative challenge,

following prompts provided by Marta Lapkowska.

The prompt for Week 21 was U for Unity.

The background is patterned papers by K & Co
& the images are Tim Holtz Paper Dolls.

When in doubt ...

Another altered playing card for
#52CafeCards
a year long creative challenge,

following prompts provided by Marta Lapkowska.

The prompt for Week 20 was T for Teal.

Try Empathy And Love

The teal background is a colour blend of Dina Wakley Media
acrylic paints (Lapis & Lemon) with a dab of white gesso.

The lady is from a 1967 two piece dress pattern by Simplicity,
(among this week's charity shop finds).

The polka tape is Trendy Tape by Queen & Co.

The text was printed on card.