Allsorts Challenge #675

Hi everyone,

I'm here again with another weekly Allsorts Challenge. This week Lorraine has chosen the theme and it is

*** Favourite Stamps and/or Dies ***

This week we have 2 great prizes on offer: Oakwood Archer has kindly donated a surprise craft bundle for one lucky winner, and a stencil for a second winner.

Here's my card for this week.

This theme gave me a dilemma in the nicest possible way, as I have lots of favourite stamps, which have changed over time and even day to day. My first loves were Penny Black, then I graduated onto Lili of the Valley ... and more recently I have gravitated towards Lavinia stamps and also love some of the AALl & Create and Visible Image ones too (oh for a bank balance to accommodate them all!!). However I decided to use this old wooden Stampendous stamp "Agapanthus Cluster" - as it is a perennial favourite I return to again and again and suits so many occasions and styles of card (I even have this stamp decorating my bookmark!!).

I decided this time that instead of inking the stamp in the usual way, I would use it as a "brushstroke" stamp. I coloured it with Marvey watercolour markers and spritzed with water before stamping, then repeated to make two overlapping images. I then die cut it out using my stitched fancy rectangle dies, spattered the panel with 2 colours of DO and also sponged round the edges. I don't really have favourite dies and don't even use them all that much any more; but I bought these recently from Amazon and I really love the look they create. I softly stencilled a square background panel using a Lavinia stencil and Distress Oxide ink, attached lace and mesh ribbon, then matted onto a large snippet of pearlescent linen cardstock I found in my box. I also cut a matching stitched rectangle from a second snippet and matted my flower panel onto it,  then attached to the card with foam tape. lastly I stamped and attached my sentiment, and attached a small bow with the edges frayed and 3 lilac heart gems.

Stamps: Stampendous "Agapanthus Cluster"; sentiment - Uniko - Simply Said Blocks II";

Media: Marvey watercolour markers; Tim Holtz Distress oxide ink (Tumbled Glass, Wilted Violet); Versafine Clair (Nocturne);

Tools: Lavinia "Leaf Trail" stencil; stitched rectangle dies from Amazon;

Ribbon, lace and gems from my stash.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Classic Design Challenge #5 2022 - Anything Goes

Crafts Galore Encore #99 - Anything Goes

Dragonfly Dreams (May) - Butterflies and/or Flowers

Happy Little Stampers : Watercolour (May) - Anything Goes with Watercolouring

Pearly Sparkles #73 - Let’s Layer It Up - WINNER

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Feminine

Snippets Playground #427 -  Use Snippets

(Pearlescent lilac linen card stock)

Stamping Sensations (May) - Anything Stamped with option of Floral and Fauna

We Love Stamping (May) - For a Lady

Worldwide Open Design Team Challenge #4 2022 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Hope you can join us again this week, and I look forward to seeing your entries. Don't forget to visit the challenge blog to see more fab inspiration from the rest of the team. Thanks for visiting.

Hugs,