Christmas Wishes 🎄

Hi everyone, I’m doing my best to stay on a roll with my Christmas cards - here’s another tranquil Christmas scene using some of my recently purchased Card-io stamps along with a couple of older ones.

I cut a square of white stamping card, and created a circle by softly blending Stormy Sky Distress Oxide ink using a large circle mask. I then stamped the branches from Card-io Oriental Blossom using 1st and 2nd generation in Morning Mist VFC to form a wreath. I placed some torn paper as a hill mask and stamped the Christmas tree using Shady Lane VFC, then coloured the tree lights with an Sakura Stardust pen and added a couple of blended ink snow lines. I added a bit of colour to the sky by blending some Versacolor around the Christmas tree and in the sky using a dry baby wipe, then stamped a fence and a couple of trees in the background plus a couple of teeny deer in the foreground, and the sentiment. I matted the panel onto a blue border and card blank, then finally I added some Stickles to the snow lines and Liquid Pearls to simulate berries on the wreath branches. 

Stamps: Card-io Oriental Blossom, Peaceful Panorama, Pine Forest; Inkylicious Deer Stamp Set 1; Tracy Evans Boutique Designs TE22 Christmas Wishes;

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide ink (Stormy Sky); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Morning Mist, Shady Lane); Versacolor (Canary, Peony); Sakura Stardust pen (yellow); Stickles (Stardust); Liquid Pearls (White Opal).

Challenges I would like to enter:

12 Months of Christmas #138 - Anything Goes Christmas (3rd entry)

Beccy’s Month of Holiday Cards - H

(Holiday)

C.R.A.F.T. #792 - Christmas (3rd entry)

Christmas Crafts All Year Round (November) - W is for …

(Wreath, Winter Wonderland)

Craft Rocket #142 - Christmas and/or Winter

FarmQuest Country Christmas #35 - Anything Country Christmas Goes (3rd entry)

FarmQuest General Store #43 - Anything Farm or Country Goes (2nd entry)

Inkspirational #380 - Christmas Florals and Greenery

Little Red Wagon #883 - Anything Goes

Merry Little Christmas #71 - Anything Christmas Goes (3rd entry)

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

Peace On Earth #123 - Anything Christmas Goes (2nd entry)

Pearly Sparkles #125 - Add Some Sparkle and Shine (3rd entry)

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Bling It On

Unicorn #126 - Christmas and/or Winter

Word Art Wednesday #776/777 - Anything Goes (5th entry)

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Creative Artiste Challenge #132 - Guest Designer 🌺

Hi everyone, today I’m delighted to say I have been invited to be Guest Designer for November on the Creative Artiste Mixed Media Challenge.

The theme for this challenge is always 

*** Anything Mixed Media Goes ***

There is lots of inspiration from the regular design team on the main challenge blog, so please do pop over and have a look.

As I said last time I was a Guest Designer for this challenge back in May last year, I don’t really consider myself to be a mixed media artist as I don’t do any art journaling or 3D projects, and I use only a modest array of different colouring media. However I have again done my best to use multiple media on my card for this challenge, and here it is.

I die cut a wavy stitched square of stamping card and masked the stitched edges. I then randomly brayered Pine, Bermuda and Blue Lagoon Elements inks over the card and spritzed with water. I added background script stamping using Shady Lane VFC, and some soft stencilling with Blue Lagoon Elements. I stamped the focal poinsettia, then stamped again onto separate card and coloured with Zig pens topped with Spectrum Noir sparkle pen, and gold Wink of Stella for the central berries. I stamped the sentiment and added some white Posca “snow”, p,us snow spatters on the panel and the separate flower. Finally I fussy cut the flower and attached to the card before matting onto a card blank.

Here is an angled pic to show the sparkle - it doesn’t show up very well in these dull autumn days! 

Stamps: Visible Image Poinsettia Grunge, Sketched Tulips (background script); 

Media: Lavinia Elements inks (Pine, Bermuda, Blue Lagoon); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Shady Lane); Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens; Wink of Stella (gold); Spectrum Noir sparkle pen (clear); Posca pen (white);

Tools: CraftAddiction UK Wavy Stitched Squares die; AALL & Create stencil #110 - Digits Checked.

Challenges I would like to enter: 

12 Months of Christmas #138 - Anything Goes Christmas (2nd entry)

As You Like It - Favourite Christmas Embellishment (and why)

(I love anything that adds sparkle such as my Spectrum Noir sparkle pen)

Aud Sentiments #343 - Stencils and/or Christmas + a Sentiment

Beautiful Blossoms #46 - Anything Floral Goes

Beccy’s Month of Holiday Cards - D

(Die cut)

C.R.A.F.T. #792 - Christmas (2nd entry)

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

Crafty Catz #723 - Anything Goes  (2nd entry)

Daisy Chain #113 - Christmas and/or Winter

Girlz Creative Christmas #201 - Anything Christmas Goes (2nd entry)

Girlz Rebel #57 - Anything Goes + must use a die cut

Love to Scrap #182 - Anything Goes

Merry Little Christmas #71 - Anything Christmas Goes (2nd entry)

Outlawz Christmas (November) - Anything Christmas Goes

Peace On Earth #123 - Anything Christmas Goes 

Pearly Sparkles #125 - Add Some Sparkle & Shine (2nd entry)

{PIN}spirational #343 - Teal and Red

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

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

Word Art Wednesday #776/777 - Anything Goes (4th entry)

At last I seem to be getting down to business with my Christmas cards, though I’ve still got a very long way to go! 

I’d like to thank Andree from the Creative Artiste challenge for inviting me to be guest designer this time. 

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

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

Beccy’s Month of Holiday Cards - C 

(Christmas, cats)

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

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

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)

Mix It Up #86 - Anything Goes with option Anything but a Card

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

Pearly Sparkles #125 - Add Some Sparkle and Shine

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

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 - TOP 3

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 - TOP PICK

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 - TOP 3

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,