Sunday 10 December 2023

More Winter Blues!


Hi everyone, I took delivery on Friday of a small order of Lavinia stamps, including a couple from the latest release which I resisted when I visited the shop in October but have since decided I just had to have! (Who was it who said that resistance is futile??)  I managed to have a play straight away with the gorgeous Fairy Catkins - I had a circle background with hills already made ready to stamp, so I wasn't sure how this card would turn out - I just let it develop organically! Here it is ...


I created a circle by blending Della Blue Lavinia Elements ink using a circle mask, then added landscape using the Mini Hill Masks. I stamped the Fairy Catkins round the edge of the circle in Medieval Blue, then added a stag to fill the gap. With paper copies of my Mini Hill Masks in place I stamped some background trees in 1st/2nd generation, then added a hanging fairy bell charm. I coloured the catkins with a blue Sakura Stardust pen then added the greetings which I also purchased in this order. Finally I added some white gel pen highlights, Posca snow on the trees, and a little sparkle to the snow with my Spectrum Noir sparkle pen, then matted onto pearlescent blue card stock.

I have to confess the main reason I didn't purchase these sentiments originally is that they have a missing apostrophe in the "Season's Greetings" sentiment - call me old fashioned but I am a stickler for apostrophes even though I now see examples of incorrect use absolutely everywhere!! (I once saw an extremely amusing post on FB that illustrated perfectly the importance of using an apostrophe when required in order to convey the correct meaning ... but it's too rude to repeat here lol!). However the small size of these sentiments is very useful in spaces where larger Christmas sentiments won't fit, so I bought them and just added a wee apostrophe with a fine liner pen!! 

 Here's an angled pic to show the sparkly catkins - though not very successfully!


Stamps: Lavinia Fairy Catkins, Stag, Trees, Skeleton Tree Scene, Fairy Charms, Christmas Greetings; 
Media: Lavinia Elements ink (Della Blue); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Medieval Blue); Sakura Stardust pen (blue); gel pen (white); Posca pen (white);
Tools: Lavinia Circle masks and Mini Hill Masks.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Allsorts #758 - Something Beginning With “B” (blue)
Alphabet Challenge - R is for Reindeer - TOP 3
CAS On Friday #272 - Black, White and One Other Colour
Double D - Christmas Animals
Dream Factory #122 - Elliot the Littlest Reindeer (Anything Christmas Goes with a Reindeer or Stag) - TOP 5
FarmQuest Country Christmas #3 - Anything Country Christmas Goes
FarmQuest General Store #11 - Anything Farm/Country Goes
Four Seasons (December) - Anything Goes Winter (2nd entry)
Happy Little Stampers: Christmas (December) - Anything Christmas Goes with option Festive Animals - TOP 3
Lavinia Creative Challenge (December) -The Magic of Christmas (2nd entry)
Lost Coast Portal to Creativity #180 - In the Deep Midwinter (3rd entry)
The Male Room #181 - Christmas (2nd entry) - HONOURABLE MENTION
Simon Says (Monday) - Winter Blues (2nd entry)
Sparkles #170 - Winter Animals (3rd entry)
Sparkles Christmas #155 - Christmas Animals or Birds
We Love Stamping (December) - Winter Flowers and/or Foliage (2nd entry)
Word Art Wednesday #625/626 - Anything Goes

At least this weekend the snowy scene on my card doesn't reflect the view out of the window - this time last week we had two inches of snow! However yesterday we had instead lashing rain and high winds - oh dear! Stay warm and dry, and hope you're having a great weekend whatever you're doing. Thanks for visiting.
Hugs,

25 comments:

Faith A at Daffodil Cards said...

I love this design Pauline, the catkins are perfect. I also love the proud stag, placed so beautifully. A gorgeous card.
Faith x

Diane said...

A beautifully created scene, love how you created your snow!! We had high winds yesterday too but it was 59 degree's, 35 right now, BRRR!!
Thank you for joining our challenge at The Four Seasons and Double D!
Diane FS and DD Co-Owner
{Nellies Nest}
{Four Seasons}

Alice (scrAPpamondo) said...

Awesome!!! Love so much the beautiful scene you created with the sweet wintery tones, the snow effect and the sparkling!! Well done with the apostrophe. English isn't my language, but I hate errors in Italian, so understand your feel! :)
Thanks so much for joining us at We Love Stamping!

crafty-stamper said...

Absolutely beautiful,love the Wintry background,sparkly Catkins and fabulous stag.
Carol x

Ellibelle said...

Another really beautiful Lavinia card, Pauline, love the fairy catkins stamp and you made a wonderful scene inside. Glad you were able to fix the sentiment. I don't blame you for resisting the stamp when you first saw it, while English is my 2nd language and I am sure I make mistakes (although I really try not to!!), I too would think twice about purchasing something like a stamp with a mistake in it. But this one was an easy fix and the font looks wonderful!
So great to see you joining us at Allsorts and Four Seasons challenges!

Dena J said...

Gorgeous blues and blending, Pauline! Thank you for joining the Allsorts challenge this week.

Becca S said...

Another gorgeous winter country scene creation, Pauline!!! Awesome! I enjoyed reading the steps you went through to build the scene. I'm not sure but the plant you call 'Fairy Catkins' are shaped by what we refer to as 'Pussy Willows' but hard to tell. PWs are light gray-white in color and fuzzy texture blooming in the spring time for my region of the USA. However, it makes a fabulous frame for your snowy woods scene! Thanks for sharing at FQCCCB! And you can also share this over at FarmQuest General Store (anything goes farm and/or country topic themes). --Becca

Sarah said...

Very atmospheric and I can almost feel the frosty chill!!Brrrrr!! A wonderful B card for us at Allsorts. Sarah

Lorraine said...

A stunning card Pauline. I love the colours and the scene you've created. Very elegant.
Lorraine x

Ana G.G. said...

Sencillo y cuco, bonito ;)

Becca S said...

P.s. thanks for also linking to FarmQuest General Store's anything goes farm and/or country topics challenge!! Your winter woods scene makes a wonderful Christmas card! --Becca

brenda said...

Real elegance with the tone on tone colours Pauline and who would ever have know that apostrophe was an addition. I didn't order the Catkins, I have the larger version but do need this one as well.

Please you bought the Snow Crystals stencil, it's so delicate and makes a gorgeous background.

B x

Sarn said...

Absolutely AWESOME Christmas card. Love the blue colours used. Your scenic stamping is amazing.

Ah yes! The wonderful and oh-so-useful apostrophe (when used correctly). Such a small thing, but it can make the world of difference to the meaning of a sentence. At least you were easily able to fix your sentiment xxx

Melanie Hungerford said...

This is so pretty, you do such a wonderful job at creating the perfect shading and blending and colors to make your CAS designs just perfect and beautiful! Thanks so much for sharing with us at the Alphabet Challenge.

Melanie Hungerford said...

Me again- also wanted to say thanks for playing along at Sparkles Christmas Challenge too!

Debbie Mageed said...

What a gorgeous CAS holiday card, Pauline! I love every detail you put into this wonderful scene! When you mentioned snow, I had to find out where you located and I was so happy to see you're in Liverpool where my mother was born and raised! Thank you for playing with us at the Alphabet Challenge. I hope you can join us again soon.
Debbie, DT
Secrets To Stamping
Join my Creative Creases Challenge for fun folds!

Liz said...

Fabulous card Pauline, I love your colour choice and the scene is beautiful. I haven’t used my set of these word stamps yet. Thanks for a heads up for the missing apostrophe, I’ll have to add it too when I use the stamp. xx

papierelle said...

A wonderful atmospheric winter card. Glad you joined us at the Dream Factory. Gundi

Laurie said...

Wonderful winter colors . The stamps you chose are just right to give this a wintery feel. Thanks for joining the Lost Coast Design Challenge!

Anke said...

WOW Pauline your card is so beautiful and thank you so much for your lovely comments.

Hugs
Anke

Karen Letchworth said...

This is gorgeous, Pauline. Thanks so much for sharing your amazing art and talent with us at Word Art Wednesday. I'm always delighted and appreciative to have you play along with us. Have a blessed week.
Karen
www.karen-mycuprunnethover.blogspot.com

kiwimeskreations said...

Pauline this is stunning - loving the monochrome blue, and your stamping and shading is exquisite
Thank you for joining us at We Love stamping this month, and using the theme
Blessings
Maxine WLS DT

Debbie said...

Beautiful card! Love the scene you created!
Thanks for playing along this month at Sparkles Christmas Challenge
Debbie - SCC DT
Debbie's Dash of This and That

Riet Harikini said...

What a gorgeus card. Thanks for playing with us at lost Coast designs mid winter challenge.

Vicki Dutcher said...

Excellent center focal image! Stunning card - Thanks for joining in at TMR