Christmas Cats on a Branch

Hi everyone, today I would like to share a Christmas make using another stamp from my Port Sunlight haul. I’m not especially a cat person, but I thought this image was just so cute! This card was actually pretty simple to make. 

First I cut a stitched square of white stamping card with a frame aperture, and set aside. I cut a smaller piece of white card slightly larger than the aperture, and created the sky and moon by blending Memento Paris Dusk ink using a small circle mask. I blended some clouds across the moon using torn paper, then stamped the focal image and the teeny Santa sleigh flying across the moon. I coloured the Santa hats with red Signo pen topped with red Sakura Stardust pen, and white Posca pen for the fur, then added white Posca snow to the tree branches and dots of falling snow. I attached the image panel behind the aperture, stamped the sentiment then matted onto a blue border and 6” square card blank. To finish I added a little Stickles to the fur on the Santa hats! 

Stamps: Inkylicious Christmas Cats on a Branch;

Media: Memento dye ink (Paris Dusk); Versafine Clair (Nocturne); Signo pen (red); Sakura Stardust pens (red, clear); Posca Pen (white); Stickles (Stardust);

Tools: Hunkydory Moonstone Duo-Stitched Squares die; CraftAddiction UK Stitch Craft Fusion Frame (square).

Challenges I would like to enter:

12 Months of Christmas #138 - Anything Goes Christmas

ABC Christmas - U is for Unused Stash

C.R.A.F.T. #792 - Christmas

Christmas Kickstart #116 - Meowy Christmas and a Yappy New Year

Crafting Challenge (November) - Anything Goes

Crafty Animals #111 - Include an Animal

Crafty Catz #722 - Anything Goes

Girlz Creative Christmas #201 - Anything Christmas Goes

Jingle Belles - Animals

Make My Monday #290 - Winter Animals

Merry Little Christmas #71 - Anything Christmas Goes

Paper Funday #93 - Anything Goes with option Autumn or Christmas

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Anything Goes (3rd entry)

 Sparkles #205 - Use Dies (2nd entry)

Tic Tac Toe #304 - Tic Tac Toe (2nd entry)

(Stitching/Glitter/Stamped Silhouette)

Word Art Wednesday #776/777 - Anything Goes (3rd entry)

That’s all from me for today. I’m off out for lunch and a theatre trip with some friends later, so hoping it will be an entertaining afternoon out! 

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Firework Party! 🎇

Hi everyone, wow it’s November already, so time for me to publish this month’s Lavinia calendar page. The illustration on the page this month is of a row of fairies dancing, which inspired me to create a party scene. For my 2025 calendar the fairies had a New Year party for January (here), so I decided that this year they could have a firework party for Guy Fawkes Night!! 

I cut a piece of stamping card 19.5cm x 14.5cm and created the background landscape using blended Elements and Distress inks with hill and circle masks. I stamped the tree using Pinecone VFC then the fairies using Nocturne. I added some dancing and serenading mice, with Mini hanging upside down in the tree after imbibing a little too much mulled wine! I stamped some mini mushrooms, falling and fallen leaves to frame the scene using various shades of Elements inks, and background trees. To complete the scene I stamped some “fireworks” exploding in the sky, for which I used various dandelion stamps stamped with Versamark and heat embossed in gold and silver. I don’t have a lot of sparkly embossing powders so for the gold I added some Stickles and Wink of Stella. I coloured the fairy wings with a gold Posca brush pen, then added some white Posca accents and pastel pencil highlights to the silhouette figures before attaching the finished piece to my calendar. 

Here’s an angled picture to show the sparkle of the fireworks. Sadly one firework went a bit wrong, but I was so invested in the project by then I just carried on regardless!

Stamps: Lavinia Dancing ‘Til Dawn, Seasonal Tree, Tree Scene, Basil & Bibi, Tilly & Tango, Mini & Moo, Fairy Dandelions, Dandelions, Slender Mushrooms Mini, Mini Maple;

Media: Lavinia Elements inks (Truffle, Paprika, Russet Orange, Sahara, Della Blue); Tim Holtz Distress inks (Vintage Photo, Tea Dye, Chipped Sapphire); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Pinecone); Versamark; WOW embossing powders (Metallic Gold Rich, Metallic Silver Sparkle, White Twinkle); Heat It Up! Embossing powders (Enchanted Gold); Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens; Sakura Stardust pen (clear); Wink of Stella (clear); pastel pencil (white); Posca pens (white, gold); Stickles (Gold, Stardust).

Challenges I would like to enter:

Country View Challenges (FB) (November) - Wings

Crafter’s Cafe #335 - Anything Goes with option No Cards

Creative Moments #287 - Things With Wings (2nd entry)

Double D 10/26 - Wings - TOP 3

Dragonfly Dreams (November) - Embossing

Fab ‘n’ Funky #643 - Three of Something 

(3 mice, 3 fairies)

Four Seasons (November) - Fall

Girlz & the Art of Letters #39 - M is for …

 (Moon, mice, magic)

Heart’s Quest Fantasy #55 - Anything Fantasy Goes (3rd entry)

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

Pearly Sparkles #125 - Add Some Sparkle and Shine

Simon Says (Monday) - Trees (2nd entry)

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Try It On Tuesday - Make It Magical

 We Love 2 Create #10 - Anything Mixed Media/Papercrafting Goes

Word Art Wednesday #776/777 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Eagle eyed readers of my blog may have noticed that I didn’t publish a calendar page on 1st October … well, the reason for that is that it was the one and only page I made back in 2025 when I first bought the calendar, ahead of the current year - I posted it here.

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Country Christmas 🎄🎄

Hi everyone, as I mentioned in a previous post, I recently visited Port Sunlight craft fair with the express intention of getting some inspiration for Christmas makes. I particularly enjoyed seeing the samples on the Card-io stall, so I bought a couple of sets of stamps to make some Christmas scenes. Here is my first make with them, which was heavily inspired by a card sample on the Card-io stall. 

Sadly I don’t seem to be able to share the picture I took of my inspiration card  on this post - don’t know whether it is a copyright issue or a blogger problem - but there were some fabulous Christmas cards on display there generally. The main changes I made from the original were to substitute different background trees and branches, animals and a different sentiment, but the overall layout is very similar so I can’t take credit for that!

I die cut a scalloped square of white stamping card, and masked the edges.  I tore  some paper masks for the landscape and stamped the focal tree with a mask in place, then added some landscaping with blended Morning Mist VFC. I stamped the second Christmas tree, then created the sky by blending with dry baby wipes, using a mixture of Morning Mist VFC and Versacolor cubes in Canary and Peony. I added the background trees and small deer, and coloured the tree lights with a Sakura Stardust pen. I stamped the sentiment and matted the panel onto a card blank, then to finish I added white Posca accents and faux snow spatters, crystal Stickles on the snow lines and red Stickles for baubles on the trees.

Stamps: Card-io Peaceful Panorama, Evergreen Encounter, Pine Forest; Inkylicious Deer Stamp set 1; Lavinia Fern branch; Uniko Christmas Sentiments;

Media: Versacolor (Canary, Peony); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Morning Mist); Sakura Stardust pen (yellow); Posca pen (white): Stickles (Stardust, Christmas Red);

Tools: Craft Addiction UK die - Scallopstack Square Frames.

Challenges I would like to enter:

12 Months of Christmas #137 - Anything Goes Christmas (2nd entry)

Christmas Crafts All Year Round (October) - T is for … (2nd entry)

(Trees)

Creative Artiste #131 - Anything Mixed Media Goes

FarmQuest Country Christmas #35 - Anything Country Christmas Goes (2nd entry)

Girlz Creative Christmas #200 - Traditional or non-Traditional Colours

Outlawz Christmas (October) - Anything Christmas Goes (2nd entry)

Peace On Earth #122 - Anything Goes Christmas

Rudolph Days (October) - Anything Christmas Goes

Simon Says (Monday) - Trees

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday #776/777 - Anything Goes

I’m really liking these tree stamps, so I think they will be appearing some more over the coming weeks. Meanwhile I’m now debating with myself whether to order any of the new Lavinia Christmas release … I’m sure resistance will be futile! 

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

In Moonshadow Glen … Where Magic Dwells

Hi everyone, having got into the Hallowe’en mood a couple of days ago I just couldn’t seem to help myself, so I made a Hallowe’en tag utilising a few older spooky stamps and a new-to-me AALL & Create tag set I have wanted for a while but finally purchased a couple of weeks ago in the sale.

Firstly I die cut a tag from white stamping card and the larger tag border from black card. Then I created the background on the white tag by sponging Russet Orange Elements ink over the whole tag. I created a moon with Graphite Elements and a circle mask, then stamped Hattie and the cauldron using Nocturne VFC. I added some Magical Mist using Summertime VFC,  the sentiment over the moon, and some grounding using Elements ink and a hill mask. I thought it still needed a little more, so I added the owl and branches plus a tiny cat. Finally I coloured Hattie’s dress, the swirling mist and the owl’s eyes with orange Sakura Sparkle  pen then matted the finished piece onto the larger black tag, punched a hole and threaded with sparkly black ribbon.

Here’s an angled pic to show the sparkle.

Stamps: Lavinia Hattie, Willow the Witch (cauldron), Magical Mist, Brodwin and Maylin, Tree Branch, Mini Jinx, Magic Dwells;

Media: Lavinia Elements inks (Russet Orange, Graphite); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Summertime); Sakura Stardust pen (Orange); Posca pen (white);

Tools: AALL & Create die #27 Tag It Yourself; Lavinia acetate Hill and Circle masks.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Colourful Options (October) - Black/Orange

C.R.A.F.T. #791 - Hallowe’en/Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Crafty Gals’ Corner #281 - Anything Goes with option Trick or Treat (2nd entry)

Creative Aunts #118 - Hallowe’en (2nd entry)

A Cut Above (October) - Anything Goes with a Die Cut

Dream Factory #155 - Hallowe’en (2nd entry)

Everybody Art #608 - Orange

Hallowe’en Crafts All Year Round #1 - Hallowe’en (2nd entry)

Heart’s Quest Fantasy #55 - Anything Fantasy Goes (2nd entry)

Heart’s Quest for Shaped Cards and Tags #20 - Anything Goes on shaped card or tag

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie #221 - Come On Get Spooky (2nd entry)

Inspired by #412 - Candy

Lavinia Creative Challenge (October) - Witching Hour (2nd entry)

Make My Monday #289 - Use the Colour Orange

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

Papercraft Challenges #135 - Spooky Delights

Pearly Sparkles #124 - Trick or Treat (2nd entry) - TOP 3

{PIN}spirational #342 - Orange and Black

Simon Says (Monday) - Hallowe’en/Spooky (2nd entry)

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Hallowe’en/Spooky (2nd entry)

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers #279 - W is for Witch (2nd entry)

Sparkles #205 - Use Dies

Sweet Stampin’ - Hallowe’en or Colours of Hallowe’en

Try It On Tuesday - Hallowe’en (2nd entry)

Two Old Bats Hallowe’en Challenge (October) - Anything Goes Hallowe’en (2nd entry)

That’s all for today. Stay safe with Storm Boelo.

Take care and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Witching Hour

Hi everyone, as I’ve said before I don’t really ‘do’ Hallowe’en, but I was tempted to buy one Hallowe’en witch stamp while I was at Port Sunlight craft fair a couple of weeks ago, so I thought now’s the time to bring her out to play!

I cut a 14.5cm square of white stamping card, and started by stamping the moon which I then masked. I created the background by blending Elements inks to create the landscape and sky, then removed the moon mask and blended more ink across the moon. I stamped the witch Nerissa flying across the moon, then built up the rest of the stamped scene around her. I coloured the tree and path with Zig pens, added a little colouring and accents with Sakura Stardust pens and a white Posca pen, then matted the finished piece onto a black border and 6” square card blank.

Stamps: Lavinia Nerissa, Hill House, Fairy Path, Everdusk Tree, Moon, Bird Collection, Bats, Mushrooms Mini, Witching Hour;

Media: Lavinia Elements inks (Graphite, Violet Chalk, Flying Fig, Russet Orange); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Morning Mist, Monarch); Sakura Stardust pens (purple, orange); Posca pen (white);

Tools: Lavinia acetate Hill and Circle masks.

Challenges I would like to enter: 

C.R.A.F.T. #791 - Hallowe’en/Anything Goes

Craft Rocket #141 - Autumn and/or Hallowe’en (2nd entry)

Crafting Challenge (October) - Autumn/Hallowe’en (2nd entry)

Crafty Calendar (October) - Autumn/Hallowe’en (2nd entry)

Crafty Gals’ Corner #281 - Anything Goes with option Trick or Treat

Creative Aunts #118 - Hallowe’en

Creative Crafting Uncles #82 - Hallowe’en or Autumn (2nd entry)

Daisy Chain #112 - Autumn and/or Hallowe’en (2nd entry)

Dream Factory #155 - Hallowe’en

Girlz Creative: Splash It with Colour #33 - Purple and/or Orange

Hallowe’en Crafts All Year Round #1 - Hallowe’en

Heart’s Quest Fantasy #55 - Anything Fantasy Goes

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie #221 - Come On Get Spooky - TOP COOKIE

Lavinia Creative Challenge (October) - Witching Hour

Pearly Sparkles #124 - Trick or Treat

Simon Says (Monday) - Hallowe’en/Spooky - DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Hallowe’en/Spooky

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers #279 - W is for Witch

Tic Tac Toe #304 - Tic Tac Toe

(Orange/square card/stamped silhouette)

Try It On Tuesday - Hallowe’en - TOP 5

Two Old Bats Hallowe’en Challenge (October) - Anything Goes Hallowe’en

Unicorn #125 - Autumn and/or Hallowe’en (2nd entry)

Hope everyone is having a great weekend - stay safe everyone with the dreadful storms we are having here in the UK.

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

I Spy With My Little Eye #42

Hi everyone, despite not doing much crafting recently, I couldn’t miss my FT make for 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. 

This month it was Ellie’s turn to choose the theme, which is

I Spy With My Little Eye 

*** Autumn in the Woods ***

A ideal challenge for the time of year, I’m sure you’ll agree - there has certainly been a nip in the air the past few days and the leaves are starting to turn. 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 welcome as guest designer - Lia - so please do click on her name to visit her blog and view her beautiful creation.

Here’s my card for the challenge - I decided to make a scene using some of my favourite autumnal Lavinia stamps plus a brand new autumn sentiment I bought at Port Sunlight recently.

I cut a 14.5cm square of white stamping card, and created a focal circle using circle and hill masks, blending a variety of Distress and Elements inks to form the landscape, sky and sun. With the largest circle mask still in place I then stamped the pheasant and background trees using Pinecone Versafine Clair, and removed the mask to stamp the catkin border and the leaves (stamped in Elements inks). (Confession time … I decided on the catkin border to disguise the fact that my background trees didn’t stamp quite to the edge of my circle!) I coloured the catkins using my Castle Arts pencils which I received for Christmas last year, but for some unknown reason have never really used, then I stamped the birds. I added a sentiment and a couple of acorns in the bottom corner, then added shading with a Stabilo pencil and white Posca accents. I matted the finished panel onto copper glitter card and a card blank.

Stamps: Lavinia Pheasant, Tree Scene, Fairy Catkins, Oak Leaf Flourish, Bird Collection, Ducks, Mini Maple; Inkylicious Autumn Change;

Media: Lavinia Elements inks (Sahara, Russet Orange, Paprika); Tim Holtz Distress inks (Tea Dye, Vintage Photo); Versafine Clair (Pinecone); Castle Arts pencils; Stabilo pencil (white); Posca pen (white).

Challenges I would like to enter: 

Aud Sentiments #342 - Fall and/or any shape but a rectangle, plus a sentiment

Craft Rocket #141 - Autumn and/or Hallowe’en

Crafting Challenge (October) - Autumn/Hallowe’en

Crafty Calendar (October) - Autumn/Hallowe’en

Crafty Catz #721 - Anything Goes

Creative Crafting Uncles #82 - Hallowe’en or Autumn 

Creative Girlz Card Adventures #2 - Autumn

Creative Moments #287 - Things With Wings

Cupcake Inspirations #642 - Fall

Daisy Chain #112 - Autumn and/or Hallowe’en

Double D (October) - Wings

FarmQuest General Store #43 - Anything Farm or Country Goes

Four Seasons (October) - Anything Goes Fall

Let’s Craft and Create #236 - Anything Goes + Colours of Fall

Path of Positivity #144 - Anything Goes Positive

Sisterhood of Crafters (October) - Fall

Triple B (October) - Birds, Butterflies and/or Blooms (2nd entry)

Unicorn #125 - Autumn and/or Hallowe’en

Word Art Wednesday #774/775 - 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 November 15th, and the next challenge will begin on Wednesday November 18th.

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

It’s Beginning to Look a Teeny, Tiny Bit Like Christmas! 🌲🌲

Hi everyone. OK, so here we are in mid October, and how many Christmas cards have I made so far this year? Err… that would be two then! ☺️. So I thought I should finally get a wriggle on, and to help me with that I visited Port Sunlight craft fair on Saturday, in the hope that I would be tempted by some festive stash which just might give my mojo a kick start! I bought 3 or 4 festive items, so today I would like to share a card I made with a Tracy Evans stencil I purchased, heavily influenced by one of Tracy’s video tutorials even though most of the stamps I used are Lavinia.

I cut a 14cm square of white stamping card, and repeat stencilled the fir tree using different shades of Distress Oxide ink while also having a hill mask in place. I then used the hill mask to blend the landscape, and removed it to blend more DOX for the sky. I stamped the lamp post and coloured the lantern with Sakura Stardust pens, then stamped the robins and coloured their chests with red and white Posca. I stamped the sentiment and added Posca snow spatters, then edged the finished piece with black marker pen and finally matted onto silver mirri card and a card blank.

Stamps: Lavinia Street Light, Small Robins, Seasonal Words; Uniko Christmas Wishes;

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks (Twisted Citron, Crushed Olive, Rustic Wilderness, Stormy Sky); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Acorn); Sakura Stardust pens (yellow, orange): Posca pens (white, red);

Tools: Tracy Evans Boutique Designs snippet stencil SS044 Tall Trees.

Challenges I would like to enter:

12 Months of Christmas #137 - Anything Goes Christmas

Addicted to Stamps & More #527 - Christmas

Christmas Crafts All Year Round (October) - T is for … 

(Trees)

Crazy Is Our Fame, Stencils Are Our Game (October) - Use a Stencil

Creative Inspirations (October) - Anything Goes

FarmQuest Country Christmas #35 - Anything Country Christmas Goes

Krafty Chicks #841 - Christmas

Love to Scrap #181 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Merry Little Christmas #70 - Anything Christmas Goes

Mix It Up #85 - Anything Goes

Outlawz Christmas (October) - Anything Christmas Goes

Peace on Earth #121 - Anything Christmas Goes

Word Art Wednesday #772/773 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Hope this will be the first of many Christmas makes over the next few weeks!

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

With Love and Sympathy

Hi everyone, I haven’t been doing any crafting due to a recent holiday, a couple of slight health issues, and general life busy-ness! However I needed a sympathy card so I quickly got busy.  I always think that sympathy cards should be simple and understated, as their primary purpose is not to showcase our crafty prowess, and this one is about as simple as it gets.

I cut a 14cm square of white stamping card, and created a soft watercolour flower spray by colouring my stamp with Zig pens then lightly spritzing with water. I created a soft watercolour wash around the flowers with watered down Elements ink, then stamped the sentiment using Medieval Blue Versafine Clair and the birds using Morning Mist. I matted the panel onto a dark blue border and then a 6” square card blank. I hope it has a tranquil feel to it.

Stamps: Unity Stamps Insightful Meadows; Lavinia Birds, Heartfelt Verses;

Media: Versafine Clair (Medieval Blue, Morning Mist); Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens; Lavinia Elements ink (Della Blue).

Challenges I would like to enter:

Beautiful Blossoms #45 - Anything Floral Goes (2nd entry)

Crafts Galore Encore #152 - Anything Goes

Crafty Catz #720 - Anything Goes

Creative Crafters #104 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Creative Inspiration #43 - Anything Goes

Love to Craft #94 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Anything Goes

Simply Clean and Simple (October) - Anything CAS Goes

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

Word Art Wednesday #772/773 - Anything Goes

Hope you are all having a great weekend. Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,