Birthday Blooms 🌸🌼🌺

Hi everyone, today I’d like to share a card I made for a friend’s birthday. As the weather and life generally has been so dull and miserable recently, I was in the mood to create something bright, cheerful and vibrant! 

I die cut a stitched square of white stamping card then stamped and heat embossed the beautiful floral arrangement by Julie Hickey - I really do think this stamp has wow factor! I coloured the flowers with Zig pens, added some white Posca highlights then topped the two largest flowers with Wink of Stella for added sparkle. I stamped the greeting, then added gold Posca dots to the image and some spatter. When dry I matted onto a purple border and a 6” square card blank.

I was actually quite disappointed by my colouring of the purple flower - I started with the yellow one and was pleased with my shading, but the purple pens wouldn’t behave themselves very well so I ended up with a flatter colour. My Wink of Stella went a bit blobby as well, but never mind … I did my best! 

Stamps: Julie Hickey - Julie’s Handpicked Blossom and Blooms;

Media: Versafine Clair (Nocturne); Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens; Wink of Stella (clear); Posca pens (white, gold); clear embossing powder;

Tools: Hunkydory Moonstone Duo- Stitched square die.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Beautiful Blossoms #38 - Anything Floral Goes with optional Mood board

Classic Design Challenge #2 2026 - Blooms and/or Butterflies

Craft Rocket #133 - Flowers (2nd entry)

Crafter’s Cafe #327 - For the Girls

Creative Moments #279 - Feminine

Heart’s Quest Celebrations of Love #2 2026 - Birthday

Moving Along with the Times #186 - Floral (2nd entry)

Passion for Markers #825 - Shop Your Stash

Triple B (February) - Birds, Butterflies and/or Blooms

Word Art Wednesday #740/741 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

I Spy With My Little Eye #34

Hi everyone, it’s the third Wednesday of February, so it’s time once again for the  I Spy With My Little Eye... challenge over at Ellibelle's Corner. Thanks so much to everyone who joined in last time - please do check over on Ellie’s blog to see if you are one of our top picks. 

Ellie chose the challenge theme this month, and it is

I Spy With My Little Eye 

*** Something You Love ***

The possibilities are almost endless with this theme - craft supplies, technique or tool that you love to use … or maybe your favourite colour, animal or even season! We look forward to seeing your makes! Please don’t forget to pop over to Ellie's blog to see her fab creation and link up your entries here.

We are also delighted to have Chris joining us as guest designer this month - please do click on her name to visit her blog and take a look at her fantastic creation.

Here’s my card for the challenge. There are many things I love in crafting, though my lack of mojo recently has made me struggle a bit to connect with them. I decided to go with my love of Tracy Evans stamps, inky backgrounds, random background stamping and my favourite stitched dies.

I cut a large piece of white stamping card, and created an inky background by first blending patches of various shades of pink and orange Distress Oxide, then lightly brayering the same shades on top, then spattering with water. Finally I brayered some white acrylic paint on top to soften the overall look. I randomly stamped various background stamps using 2nd generation Summertime and Charming Pink VFC, and added some further stamping using Versamark hear embossed with white embossing powder. I completed the background by adding some stencilling using Hickory Smoke DOX, then die cut a large stitched rectangle.

I then die cut a smaller stitched square, and stamped the focal flower using Summertime and Charming Pink VFC. I added a little pencil shading to give depth, then added white Posca accents. I added a little background stamping and stencilling, then attached to the background panel. I stamped the sentiment onto separate card, cut out and attached, then added a teeny stamped mouse. Finally I edged the finished panel with blended Hickory Smoke DOX to add depth, then matted onto a 7” x 5” card blank.

Stamps: Tracy Evans Boutique Designs TE32 Alpha Florals, TE11 Background Elements; AALL & Create #756 Miniatures, #906 Art Notes; Uniko Simply Said Blocks II;

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks (Kitsch Flamingo, Picked Raspberry, Fossilized Amber, Spiced Marmalade, Persimmon, Hickory Smoke); Versafine Clair (Summertime, Charming Pink, Nocturne); Versamark; WOW. Opaque White ultra fine detail embossing powder; Posca pen (white); acrylic paint (white);

Tools: Hunkydory Moonstone Duo-Stitched Rectangle dies; AALL & Create stencil #110 Digits Checked.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Ally’s Angels #103 - Anything Goes

Cardz 4 Galz #269 - Hugs and Kisses (3rd entry)

Craft Rocket #133 - Flowers

Crafts Galore Encore #144 - Anything Goes 

Crazy Is Our Fame, Stencils are our Game (February) - Use a Stencil with option Create Your Own Background

Creative Artiste #123 - Anything Mixed Media Goes 

DL.Art (February) - Anything Goes

Double D (February) - Signs of Love (Hugs)

Moving Along with the Times #186 - Floral

Papercraft #127 - Hearts and Hugs

Sisterhood of Crafters (February) - Stitching

Sparkles #197 - Vintage / Mixed Media 

We Love 2 Create #1 2026 - Anything Mixed Media / Papercrafting Goes

Word Art Wednesday #740/741 - Anything Goes 

The I Spy Challenge will end on the Sunday before the next challenge starts at 23:59 US Central Time - so this time that is Sunday March 15th, and the next challenge will begin on Wednesday March 18th.

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

An Oldie But a Goodie ❤️

Hi everyone, yesterday was of course Valentine’s Day, and I posted the card I made for my husband. A memory popped up during the day on my FB page from 5 years ago, of the Valentine card I made for him back in 2021. I was particularly interested as it included a Valentine sentiment that I thought I had but couldn’t find, so I started looking back on my blog to check it out. Much to my surprise I found that this must have been a rare card I made during the period when I wasn’t crafting or blogging; and having searched my blog as thoroughly as I can I have concluded that I’ve never published it before. So here it is! It is very different in style from what I make nowadays, but it really made me smile.

Naturally I can’t remember much detail about the process of making it, though I clearly decorated the stepper card with patterned papers, stamped, coloured and die cut my main image (I coloured James the Bear with Promarkers), then added other stamps and die cuts plus a ribbon border.

Stamps: LotV James Big Heart; Me to You husband sentiment; Valentine sentiment - unknown;

Media: Memento black ink; Promarkers; 

Tools: Spellbinders Nestabilities - Floral Ovals and Classic Hearts; Memory Box Cherish border die.

Challenges I would like to enter:

613 Avenue Create (February) - Anything Goes with option Animal Magic

Addicted to Stamps and More! #510 - Diecuts and/or Stencils  (2nd entry)

Aud Sentiments #334 - Dies and/or Love plus a Sentiment  (2nd entry)

Cardz 4 Galz #269 - Hugs and Kisses  (2nd entry)

C.R.A.F.T. #773 - Love  (2nd entry)

Crafty Animals #102 - Include an Animal

Crafty Calendar (February) - Love Is In the Air  (2nd entry)

Crafty Gals Corner #274 - Anything Goes with option Heart  (2nd entry)

Creative Creases #112 - Anything Goes with a Fun fold 

Die Cut Divas (February) - Red/Pink plus Use Dies

Dragonfly Dreams (February) - Fun Fold

Everybody Art #593 - Have a Heart  (2nd entry)

Fab ‘n’ Funky #630 - Love Is All Around  (2nd entry)

Girlz Makes Guyz #36 - Fun Fold

Girlz Rebel #49 - Ribbon, Lace or Twine

Heart’s Quest Challenge #82 - Anything With a Heart Goes with option Red or Gold heart (3rd entry)

Heart’s Quest Celebrations of Love #2 2026 - Valentines  (2nd entry)

I ❤️ Promarkers #600 - Love / Romance

Inkspirational #361 - Visual Prompt - February Collage  (2nd entry)

Just Us Girls #810 - Valentine  (2nd entry) - SHOUT OUT

Leigh SB Designs #49 - Hearts and Flowers

Let’s Craft and Create #228 - Anything Goes with option From the Heart  (2nd entry)

Little Red Wagon #845 - I’m Seeing Red  (2nd entry)

Pearly Sparkles #116 - Hearts (3rd entry)

Tic Tac Toe #286 - Tic Tac Toe  (2nd entry)

(I used Hearts / Die-cutting / Red or Pink)

Try It On Tuesday - All Loved Up  (2nd entry)

Unicorn #117 - Animals

Word Art Wednesday #738/739 - Anything Goes  (2nd entry)

I think that’s me all loved out now! 🥰🥰

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Be My Valentine ❤️❤️

Hi everyone, I have to admit I’ve not had much of either time or inclination for card making over the past couple of weeks, but of course I couldn’t possibly let Valentine’s Day pass by without making a card for my dear husband. I must also confess that I find cards for him the most difficult, primarily because I only have a limited variety of supplies for romantic occasions and I don’t want him to see the same thing over and over! 

I decided this year to go with a fairly clean design, utlilising some Craft Addictions UK slatted hearts dies I bought before Christmas and hadn’t yet used.

I die cut a large stitched square of white card and set aside. I then die cut a slatted heart from my very last snippet of red glitter card, drew round the die and cut out a solid heart shape in gold glitter card, and attached it to the back. I positioned the die cut heart on my die cut square at an angle, then positioned the inner of the slatted heart onto the card and used it to cut into the card. I then drew round the heart die again on my red glitter card snippet, and attached it behind the in-cut slatted heart. I stamped various romantic postmarks and words in the corners and did a little colouring with Zig pens, then stamped the main ‘Be Mine’ sentiment onto separate card and fussy cut out. I attached the red slatted heart and main sentiment using foam squares to add dimension, then matted the stitched square onto black and gold borders and a 7” card blank.

I also decorated the envelope to coordinate.

Stamps: Free with craft magazine;

Media: Versafine Clair (Nocturne); Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens;

Tools: Craft Addictions UK Slatted Heart dies; Hunkydory Moonstone Duo-Stitched Square die.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Addicted to Stamps and More! #510 - Diecuts and/or Stencils

Aud Sentiments #334 - Dies and/or Love plus a Sentiment

Cardz 4 Galz #269 - Hugs and Kisses

C.R.A.F.T. #773 - Love

Crafty Calendar (February) - Love Is In the Air

Crafty Gals Corner #274 - Anything Goes with option Heart

Daisy Chain #104 - Something New

Dream Factory #146 - Love Actually (2nd entry)

Everybody Art #593 - Have a Heart

Fab ‘n’ Funky #630 - Love Is All Around

Heart’s Quest Challenge #82 - Anything With a Heart Goes with option Red or Gold heart (2nd entry)

Heart’s Quest Celebrations of Love #2 2026 - Valentines

Inkspirational #361 - Visual Prompt - February Collage

Just Us Girls #810 - Valentine

Let’s Craft and Create #228 - Anything Goes with option From the Heart

Little Red Wagon #845 - I’m Seeing Red

Love to Craft #90 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Love to Scrap #177 - Anything Goes

Make My Monday #271 - Use 2 Dies

Pearly Sparkles #116 - Hearts (2nd entry)

Sweet Stampin’ - No Designer Paper

Tic Tac Toe #286 - Tic Tac Toe

(I used Hearts / Die-cutting / Red ir Pink)

Try It On Tuesday - All Loved Up

Word Art Wednesday #738/739 - Anything Goes

That’s all for today. Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

February ❤️

Hi everyone, January has been and gone already, so it’s time for me to share the February page on my Lavinia calendar. Last year I did a very sweet and cute February page of loved up wintry hedgies, so this year I decided to go in a different direction with my steampunk heart, and the theme ‘key to my heart’. This is vaguely inspired by a Jo Rice design though it actually turned out very different!

I cut a piece of white Pink Frog super smooth card 19.5cm x 14.5 cm, then stamped and heat embossed the focal heart. I masked the heart then stamped and heat embossed an arrangement of cogs down one side. With the mask still in place I created a smooshed background by applying Blue Lagoon Elements ink to acetate, spritzing with water then dabbing onto the card. I stamped the wooden platforms and mice, then stamped the key and heat embossed in gold. I coloured the heart with Zig pens with gold Posca for the cogs, added Stabilo pencil and Posca white shading to the mice, then stamped a texture stamp in red around the edges. To finish I stamped the word ‘love’ from 3 different sentiment sets randomly onto the background, then matted the finished piece onto my calendar.

Stamps: Lavinia Heart (Large), Cog Set 2, Cog Set 3, Tilly and Tango, Basil and Bibi, Hobbit Door Accessories, Key (Small), Texture 2, Heartfelt Verses, The World Is Full of Beauty;

Media: Lavinia Elements ink (Blue Lagoon); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Strawberry, Twilight); Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens; Versamark; clear and gold embossing powders; Sakura Stardust pen (yellow); Posca pens (white, gold); Stabilo pencil (white).

Challenges I would like to enter:

613 Avenue Create (February) - Anything Goes with option Animal Magic

Crafty Catz #706 - Anything Goes

Country View Crafts (February) - Hearts

Creative Moments #278 - Love and Romance

Dream Factory #146 - Love Actually

Heart’s Quest Challenge #82 - Anything Goes with a Heart, with option Red or Gold Heart

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie #213 - Happy Hearts

Inkspirational #360 - Word Prompt

Krafty Chicks #805 - Anything Goes with option Embossing - TOP PICKS

Outlawz Anything but a Card (February) - Anything but a Card

Pearly Sparkles #116 - Hearts

Shopping Our Stash #566 - Love Me Do

Simon says (Monday) - Have a Heart

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Anything Goes

Sweet Stampin’ - All You Need is Love

We Love 2 Create #1 2026 - Anything Mixed Media / Papercrafting Goes

Word Art Wednesday #736/737 - Anything Goes (3rd entry) 

I’ve still not been finding much time for crafting with everything that has been going on during the past month, but I hope things may be moving into calmer waters, so we’ll see what happens! 

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Guest Designer ☃️

Hi everyone, I was delighted to be invited to do a guest designer spot for 52 Christmas Card Throwdown challenge - I’m always behind with my Christmas makes so it is great to have a reason to get busy at the start of the year.

The 4th Saturday of January is a technique challenge, and this time it is

*** Easel Card***

There is lots of inspiration from the Design Team over on the challenge blog, so please do pop over to have a look and link up your entries here.

I hadn’t made an easel card for a very long time, so I decided to throw myself right into it and really ‘go retro’ with old and neglected stamps, designer papers, dies and even an embossing folder! Here it is. 

I created a 6” square easel base card using two pieces of Pink Frog 30cm x 15cm super smooth card, then cut 2 large stitched squares of snowflake designer paper and attached them to the base and the standing up part of the card base. I cut two rectangles of white card, embossed with a snowflake embossing folder, then lightly shaded with a pink/lilac ink. I attached 2 layers of ribbon to the wider embossed panel, matted onto silver glitter card and attached to the front of the card; then I wrapped one layer of ribbon round the narrower embossed panel,  matted onto silver glitter card as above, attached a sentiment panel heat embossed onto a die cut rectangle, and also attached a die cut snowflake border. This finished panel was attached to the card base to form a ledge to prop up the easel.

I die cut a smaller stitched square of stamping card, stamped the focal image and coloured using Zig pens and Spectrum sparkle pen with white Posca accents, then matted and attached to the card front with foam tape. I finished off by attaching a variety of die cut snowflakes in silver and white.

Stamps: LotV James and Snowman; Uniko Christmas Sentiments;

Media: Versafine Clair (Nocturne); Spectrum Nir Harmony dye ink (Pale Fig); Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens; Versamark; WOW Opaque White ultra fine embossing powder; Spectrum Noir sparkle pen (clear); Posca pen (white);

Papers: LotV Frozen Snowflakes; Pink Frog silver glitter card;

Tools: Hunky Dory Duo- Stitched square and rectangle dies; Memory Box Frostyville Border; various snowflake dies including Joy! crafts Winter Wishes, Whimsy Stamps Winter Jewel 1; Cuttlebug Snowflakes embossing folder.

Challenges I would like to enter:

12 Months of Christmas #130 - Anything Goes Christmas with option Snow People

ABC Christmas - A and B are for …

(B is for blue, bear)

Alphabet Challenge - T is for Texture

As You Like It - Favourite Occasion (and why) - WINNER

(It just has to be Christmas … I love making Christmas cards!)

Can You Handle the Pressure? - Anything Goes with an embossing folder

Christmas Crafts All Year Round (January) - A and B

(B is for blue, bear)

C.R.A.F.T. #772 - Christmas

Crafty Animals #101 - Use an Animal

Crafty Gals’ Corner #273 - Anything Goes with option Snowman - TOP 3

Creative Aunts #109 - Snowmen and Glitter

Creative Creases #111 - Use a Fun Fold

Daisy Chain #103 - Use Dies

Four Seasons (January) - Winter (3rd entry)

Love Those Pretty Papers (January) - Anything Goes with paper + option Snowman

Make My Monday #269 - Use Paper with Pattern

Merry Little Christmas #66 - Anything Christmas Goes

Moving Along With the Times #185 - Use Stencils and/or Dies (2nd entry)

Neglected Stuff (January) - Use Your Neglected Stash

(Pretty much EVERYTHING on this card is neglected stash!)

Outlawz Christmas (January) - Anything Christmas Goes

Peace On Earth #104 - Anything Goes Christmas with optional Mood Board - TOP 3

Pearly Sparkles #115 - Use Patterned Paper

{PIN}spirational #333 - Blue and Purple

 

Sparkles #196 - Snowflakes - SPOTLIGHT WINNER

Word Art Wednesday #736/737 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

I’d like to thank Andreja and the Design Team over at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown for inviting me to be a guest designer this time.

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

I Spy With My Little Eye #33

Hi everyone, after our little break during December, it’s already the third Wednesday of January so it’s time for the first  I Spy With My Little Eye... challenge of 2026 over at Ellibelle's Corner. Thanks so much to everyone who joined in last time with the November challenge - please do check over on Ellie’s blog to see if you are one of our top picks. 

I chose the challenge theme this month, and it is

I Spy With My Little Eye 

*** New Beginnings ***

So think new home, new baby or new job … or you could always go with new stash or a new crafting technique. We look forward to seeing your makes! Please don’t forget to pop over to Ellie's blog to see her fab creation and link up your entries here.

We are also restarting our monthly guest designer spots for 2026, and this month are delighted to be joined by Carol and Helen - please click on their names to visit their blogs and see their gorgeous cards.

Here’s my card for the challenge. It is also my first card of the year, as I haven’t done any crafting for the past three weeks for various reasons that I’ll touch on later. I don’t really have any need for new baby or new home cards, and I didn’t receive any new stamps for Christmas, so I decided to take this theme in a different direction. I love seeing snowdrops as we enter the New Year, as for me they really do symbolise regeneration and ‘new beginnings’. So that formed the basis of my design - here it is.

I die cut a stitched rectangle of white card and stamped the focal snowdrop, which is a beautiful retired stamp by Tracy Evans for AALL & Create. I then masked the flower with masking fluid, and created a smooshed background by dabbing Elements inks onto acetate and spritzing with water. I added some background text and grunge stamping, then inked through a harlequin stencil in one corner and heat embossed with white powder. I removed the masking fluid and coloured the snowdrop with Zig pens and Spectrum Noir sparkle pen, then added a heat embossed sentiment which was stamped onto a separate snippet of card, and two stamped birdies with a teeny heart gem. Finally I matted the panel onto a teal border and a 7” x 5” card blank.

Stamps: AALL & Create #623 Elegant Spring Florals, #648 Friendship Florals, #756 Miniatures; Tracy Evans Boutique Designs TE30 Garden Elements;

Media: Lavinia Elements inks (Blue Lagoon, Pine); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Morning Mist, Very Peri); Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens; Spectrum Noir Sparkle pen (clear); Versamark; WOW Opaque Ultra Fine white embossing powder;

Tools: Hunkydory Moonstone Duo-Stitched rectangle die; Darkroom Door small stencil - Diamonds.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Beautiful Blossoms #37 -  Anything Floral Goes

C.R.A.F.T. #771 - Anything Goes

Crafty Catz #705 - Anything Goes

Crazy Is Our Fame, Stencils are our Game (January) - Use a Stencil

Creative Inspirations (January) - Anything Goes

Dragonfly Dreams (January) - Floral

Everybody Art #592 - Anything Goes

Four Seasons (January) - Winter

Girlz Rebel #48 - Anything Goes

Heart’s Quest #81 - Anything Goes with a Heart

Moving Along With the Times #185 - Use Stencils and/or Dies

Papercraft #126 - Anything Goes

Path of Positivity #137 - Anything Goes Positive

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Emboss It

Triple B (January) - Birds, Blooms and/or Butterflies

Try It On Tuesday - Add Some Text

Word Art Wednesday #736/737 - Anything Goes

I have to say it’s been a bit of a difficult start to the year - problems always seem to come along in convoy like buses! I’ve been wrestling with one or two health niggles over the past few weeks, and since New Year we have been thrust into a domestic drama as our (only) bathroom shower stopped working: the solution isn’t remotely straightforward so is likely to result in a huge amount of expense, stress, inconvenience and mess! I think the stress of everything came together to create a perfect storm, as last week I started to feel unwell and ended up in A&E being checked over potential heart problems! Thankfully my symptoms weren’t down to that, but it seems that anxiety had got a grip of me! Now I’m trying to rest and hoping I’ll soon be feeling better.

The I Spy Challenge will end on the Sunday before the next challenge starts at 23:59 US Central Time - so this time that is Sunday February 15th, and the next challenge will begin on Wednesday February 18th.

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,