Snowflake Bauble

Hi everyone, my posts are coming along a bit like buses at the moment with 3 posts in less than 24 hours as the end of February looms! Today I’m sharing another card I made based on a tutorial - this time a Lavinia tutorial by Amanda Branston. I’ve wanted to have a go at this for a while but I couldn’t as I had lost my mid size Lavinia acetate circle masks (inner and outer)! However at the recent craft show I bit the bullet and bought another set, so here we are! 

I cut a square of stamping card, and blended Della Blue Elements ink around the circle mask, then placed the outer circle mask and blended more ink inside - due to the slight difference in size of the masks this leaves a fine white border. I drew round the circle mask with a black fine liner to form the outside of the bauble, then stamped two snowflakes on top of but offset from each other in 2 shades of blue VFC. I stamped a mini crown as the crown of the bauble which i coloured silver, then drew a “chain” with black fine liner. I stamped some mini holly in green and coloured the berries with a red Sakura Stardust pen, then added dimension to the bauble by painting fine lines with water and blotting with paper towel, then added my own touch by painting over with Spectrum Noir sparkle pen to add a bit of sparkle! 

I really enjoyed using the techniques in the tutorial to create the bauble, and completed the composition of the card by adding soft snowflake stencilling, a few mini stamped snowflakes and a stamped sentiment.

Stamps: Lavinia Snowflakes (large), Snowflakes, Mini Crown, Mini Holly; Uniko Christmas Wishes;

Media: Lavinia Elements inks (Della Blue, Violet Chalk); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Medieval Blue, Blue Belle, Rainforest); Sakura Stardust pens (red, silver); black fineliner; Spectrum Noir sparkle pen (clear);

Tools: Lavinia acetate circle masks; AALL & Create stencil - Snow Crystals.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Addicted to Stamps and More #462 - Christmas

Christmas Craft Creations (February) - Stencils or Embossing Folders

Christmas Kickstart #83 - Out on a Limb (something found on the Christmas tree)

The Holly and Ivy #156 - Anything Christmas Goes

Krafty Chicks #705 - Anything Goes

Rudolph Days (February) - Anything Christmas Goes

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

Word Art Wednesday #637/638 - Anything Goes (3rd entry)

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Birthday Celebrations

Hi everyone, unusually for me I’m back with a second post today as I have made a card for some special birthday celebrations in blogland. If you would like to see this morning’s Tracy Evans floral card, please go here.

Bev at Uniko is celebrating the brand’s 12th birthday so has a special celebration challenge and blog hop here with some superb inspiration and fabulous prizes. I have made my card using only Uniko stamps and stencils.

It is also a 10th birthday celebration at Time Out, so this card was also made with that in mind.  Here it is.

I cut a square of white stamping card and blended Versamark through the balloon stencil (one balloon at a time!) and heat embossed with 3 colours of embossing glitter. I stamped the balloon strings in grey so they would not look too harsh, then added the stamped sentiment in blue. A few little stamped stars, edging of the panel in blue and matting onto silver mirri card, and it was job done! I love how easy it is to create CAS cards with Uniko designs. 

Here's an angled pic to show the extreme glitteriness (is that a word??).

Stamps: Uniko Balloon Bash, Birthday Sentiments;

Media: Versafine Clair (Morning Mist, Medieval Blue, Charming Pink); Versamark; WOW embossing glitter (Midnight Dream, Fruit Tingle, Silver Sparkle);

Tools: Uniko stencil - Balloon Bash.

Challenges I would like to enter:

AAA CAS #259 - Anything CAS Goes with option Birthday Card (2nd entry)

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Anything Goes

Time Out #257 - Time Out 10th Birthday

Uniko - 12th Birthday Celebration

Word Art Wednesday #637/638 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Congratulations to Bev on reaching 12 years with Uniko, and to Time Out for 12 years of challenges!!

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

The Beauty of Flowers

Hi everyone, I was fortunate enough to win a recent challenge on the Country View Crafts FB page, and with part of the prize voucher I decided to treat myself to a new circular gel press. Up to now I have only had a 6” square gel press, based on the premise that I could die cut shapes such as circles from my large square prints. Although this is true I have hankered after being able to print a circle straight to card and then do my stamping, plus I’ve never really got on with my first gel press. 

 Today I would like to share my first card using the new gel press and some of my favourite Tracy Evans stamps. This card is based on a tutorial by Tracy, though I have changed the colours and done a few other adjustments to the design to incorporate a bird and a different sentiment. 

I applied 3 colours of Distress Oxide ink to my gel press with a brayer, spattered watered down DOX on top and took a print .. I had only one wasted attempt before I got a print I was happy with so this is real progress!! I masked outside the circle and blended some more DOX round the inner edges to give a bit more depth, then stamped the flower three times, masking the centre flower. I removed the masks then stamped the bird, drew a partial circle with a black fineliner to extend the floral design, then stamped the bird in the corner in Nocturne, and the background wording in Morning Mist Versafine Clair. I coloured the centre flower with Zig watercolour brush pens (Tracy coloured hers with Inktense pencils, but I only have 12 of them so can’t easily create subtle shading), then added some shading around the flowers and to ground the bird, which I blended out with water.

I added sparkle to all 3 flowers with Wink of Stella, and white Posca pen highlights. I stamped the sentiment onto separate card and cut out, positioned on the card and then stamped the hearts to hang down from it. I matted the panel onto black linen card stock and a 7” card blank, then replaced the circle outer mask before applying white Posca spatters across the circle, and finally attached the sentiment and some small pieces of ripped washi tape.

Here's an angled picture which tries to capture the sparkle, though not very successfully (it is actually very sparkly!!)

Stamps: Tracy Evans Boutique Designs TE4 New Beginnings, TE6 Branched Heart; AALL & Create #831 Sent With Love;

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks (Kitsch Flamingo, Spiced Marmalade, Picked Raspberry); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Morning Mist, Charming Pink); Kuretake Zig Clean Colour watercolour brush pens;  Wink of Stella; Posca pen (white);

Tools: Lavinia Roland gel press;

Other: AALL & Create washi tape #33 Be a Rebel.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Allsorts #769 - Things That Fly (3rd entry)

As You Like It - Favourite Feminine or Masculine (and why)

(My favourite is feminine cards as I love flowers, butterflies, and feminine colours)

Beautiful Blossoms #14 - Anything Floral Goes with Optional Mood Board

(5th entry)

(I have followed the general pink/peach colour scheme)

My Time To Craft #528 - Create Your Own Background (2nd entry)

Simon Says (Monday) - Fur or Feathers (2nd entry)

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Beautiful Blooms (2nd entry)

Tracy Evans FB Challenge (February) - Heartfelt (4th entry)

Try it On Tuesday - Spotlight It

Word Art Wednesday #637/638 - Anything Goes

Worldwide Crafters and Colourists #14 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

I was always quite nervous about playing with my previous gel press, but I’m hopeful I’m going to get on a lot better with this one, so watch this space!!

Take care and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

New Beginnings

Hi everyone, as February draws to a close there’s the promise of spring around the corner, so I thought I would have a play with the gorgeous AALL & Create “Elegant Spring Florals” set which I bought in the A&C sale before Christmas. I also had an urge to make a triptych card for some reason, so I could use even more of my stamps in one hit! This card actually started out to be a vibrant coloured card with daffodils and tulips, but turned into a more tranquil creation with snowdrop and lily of the valley! Here it is …

I die cut the triptych base card and three stamping panels from white super smooth stamping card, then stamped the lily of the valley and snowdrop onto two of the panels. I blended Distress Oxide ink around the edges and spattered with water, then when dry I added some background stamping. I then decided it needed something more so I added some soft background stencilling.  The centre panel was always going to contain my main sentiment, so I blended DOX round the edges, spattered with water as before, then stamped the bird and spring sentiment (one of my favourite old woodblock Penny Black stamps). I coloured the flowers and bird with Distress watercolour pencils and Spectrum Noir sparkle pen. Finally I die cut three matting panels from co-ordinating aqua pearlescent card stock and  assembled the card.

Stamps: AALL & Create #623 Elegant Spring Florals, #986 The Good; Tracy Evans Boutique Designs TE4 New Beginnings, TE6 Branched Heart; Penny Black Spring Magic (2852C);

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide ink (Tumbled Glass); Distress watercolor pencils (Peeled Paint, Twisted Citron, Picket Fence); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Morning Mist, Warm Breeze); Spectrum Noir sparkle pen (clear);

Tools: Studio Light triptych die SL253; AALL & Create stencil #110 Digits Checked.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Allsorts #769 - Things That Fly (2nd entry) - TOP 5

Beautiful Blossoms #14 - Anything Floral Goes (4th entry)

Crazy Is Our Fame, Stencils Are Our Game (February) - Use a Stencil (3rd entry)

Creative Creases #76 - Anything Goes with a Fun Fold

Daisy Chain #82 - Flowers (3rd entry)

Double Trouble #160 - Fun Fold - TOP 3

Make My Monday #220 - Fun Folds

Simon Says (Monday) - Fur or Feathers

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Beautiful Blooms

Sparkles #173 - Hearts and Flowers (3rd entry)

Tracy Evans FB Challenge (February) - Heartfelt (3rd entry)

Word Art Wednesday #635/636 - Anything Goes (6th entry)

I love spring so am really looking forward to daffodils and tulips appearing, both in the garden and on my cards! Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Vintage Tag

Hi everyone, I never normally make tags for some unknown reason - in fact I can only ever remember making one before - but I had recently been considering buying a grungy style tag die. However during my recent craft show visit a beautiful Woodware vintage style tag stamp caught my eye and it sent my crafty thoughts in a whole new direction. Here is my first vintage-style tag made with this stamp.

I stamped the tag onto cream stamping card using Pinecone Versafine Clair, then distressed it by blending Speckled Egg and Scorched Timber Distress Oxide inks from the edges inwards.  I stamped two butterflies off the edge, then some 2nd generation background grungy text in Acorn VFC. I added some stamped grungy hearts and a beetle, then coloured the butterfly wings and hearts using Distress Watercolor pencils, adding some sparkle to the butterfly wings with Wink of Stella (which the camera doesn't catch unfortunately). I stamped the words onto a separate snippet of card, cut out, distressed and attached. Finally I fussy cut the tag out then punched a hole and threaded with jute twine.

I also stamped on the back and distressed the edges - I’m loving the new Scorched Timber DOX for a vintage look.

Stamps: Woodware Old Paper Tag, Butterfly, Additions (background text), Blooming (hearts), Mini Flower Silhouettes (beetle); AALL & Create #533 Bring On the Sentiments, #984 Tag o Tag (text on back);

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks (Speckled Egg, Scorched Timber); Distress watercolor pencils (Mermaid Lagoon, Salvaged Patina, Speckled Egg, Kitsch Flamingo); Versafine Clair (Pinecone, Acorn); Wink of Stella.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Allsorts #769 - Things That Fly

Crafty Addicts #10 - Anything Goes

Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday (February) - Anything Goes

My Time to Craft #528 - Make Your Own Background

NBUS #59 - Use Your Never-Before-Used-Schtuff

(vintage tag stamp and Scorched Timber DOX)

Outlawz (February) - Anything Goes In a Card Free Zone (3rd entry)

Simon Says (Monday) - Not a Card

Stamping Sensations (February) - Animals, Birds and Creatures (3rd entry)

Tag Tuesday - Asemic Writing (wordless open semantic form of writing)

Triple B (February) - Birds, Butterflies and/or Blooms (3rd entry)

Word Art Wednesday #635/636 - Anything Goes (5th entry)

I really enjoyed trying something a bit different, and I have several other ideas for tags using this stamp, so watch this space!!

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Glittering Heart

Hi everyone, today I would like to share a card I made for no other reason than fun and a few challenges. This week’s Allsorts challenge is on the theme of Shades of Pink, and there are still a number of love and heart themed challenges around; so I thought I would make an  anniversary card for my stash. 

I cut a 5 1/2 “ square of stamping card, and blended Versamark through my Visible image “Heart Ink” stencil then heat embossed with pink embossing glitter that I picked up at the recent craft show. This ended up a bit rough and ready - embossing glitter is SO messy, it seemed to get everywhere despite me using an anti-static cloth on my card - but luckily it is meant to be a grungy heart so I carried on regardless!!   I stamped the cute mice Tilly and Tango holding hands (something I’ve wanted to do for a while!!💕) then stamped some mini hearts which I turned into balloons by hand drawing strings with a black fineliner pen. I also stamped a hanging heart that they are both holding 💕 and grounded them using my Mini Hill masks and a faint touch of Distress Oxide. I added a little shadow with a Zig pen and stamped the sentiment, then matted onto a black border and a 6” card blank.

Here is an angled picture to show the glitter.

Stamps: Lavinia Tilly and Tango, Fairy Charms, Single Heart Mini, Group of Hearts Mini; Woodware Happy Anniversary;

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide ink (Black Soot); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Charming Pink); Versamark; WOW embossing glitter (Petalicious); gel pen (white);

Tools: Visible Image Heart Ink stencil; Lavinia Mini Hills masks.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Allsorts #768 - Shades of Pink

Colourful Options (February) - Pink (2nd entry)

Country View Crafts FB Challenge (February) - It's All About Love (2nd entry)

Crafty Calendar (February) - Add a Heart (3rd entry)

Crafty Gals’ Corner #252 - Add a Heart (2nd entry)

Crazy Is Our Fame, Stencils Are Our Game (February) - Use a Stencil with option Love/Hearts (2nd entry)

Creations In Pink #67 - Anything Goes In Mainly Pink

Dragonfly Dreams (February) - Hearts (3rd entry)

Hand Stamped Sentiments #432 - Mood Board Inspiration

Heart’s Quest Celebrations of Love (February) - Wedding / Engagement / Anniversary (2nd entry)

Inkspirational #309 - Hearts (3rd entry)

Krafty Chicks #704 - All Occasions

Make My Monday #219 - Love (2nd entry)

Moving Along With the Times #163 - Love Hearts (3rd entry)

Sisterhood of Crafters - Love

Stamping Sensations (February)  - Animals, Birds and Creatures (2nd entry)

We Love Stamping (February) - Romance (3rd entry)

I think I’m all romanced out now! 🥰 Take care everyone, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

I Spy With My Little Eye #12

Hi everyone, it's the third Wednesday in the month again, so it’s time for a new 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. 

I have chosen the challenge theme this month, and it is

I Spy With My Little Eye 

 Something Beginning With "B" 

There are plenty of options with this theme so we hope you can join us. Please do pop over to Ellie's blog to see her fab creation and link up your entries here . 

We also have two guest designers this month - Jennifer and  Pia - so please click on their names to visit their blogs and see their wonderful interpretations of this month’s challenge theme. 

As I mentioned on a previous post, I recently visited a papercraft show around a half hour drive from my home … ostensibly to buy a couple of stamps for Valentine’s Day, but of course I also had a good look around while I was there. I didn’t go overboard, but I did spend some time looking at a fab display of Woodware stamps - I do like them though I don’t have many. Anyway my interest was piqued by the “bubble” range of stamps with co-ordinating dies … not only were the display sample cards very pretty but it also dawned on me that this set is the ultimate way to use up snippets - especially little snippets of glitter card - yay!! This is a bit different for me but it was really fun, and I can foresee using various colour combos with it.

So here is my card for the challenge - bubble blooms, birthday and butterfly.

I cut a panel of white stamping card using a stitched rectangle die, then stamped the image and sentiment. I used the matching bubble die to cut small circles from two snippets of glitter card, then glued them to the image (which was actually very therapeutic). I coloured the smallest flower circles with watered down silver Posca pen and the leaves with my Zig watercolour pens, then highlighted both with Wink of Stella. Finally I die cut a stitched rectangle mat from a snippet of lilac pearlescent card, matted everything onto a 7” x 5” card blank and finished off with a silver mirri card die cut butterfly.

Here's an angled picture to capture some of the glitter and sparkle.

Stamps: Woodware Bubble Bloom - Sophie;

Media: Versafine Clair (Nocturne); Kuretake Zig Clean Coour watercolour brush pens; Posca pen (silver); Wink of Stella;

Tools: Woodware Bubble die; Hunkydory Moonstone Duo-Stitched Rectangle dies; ?? butterfly die.

Challenges I would like to enter:

AAA Challenge #259 - Anything CAS Goes with option Birthday Card

Beautiful Blossoms #14 - Anything Floral Goes (3rd entry)

Creative Knockouts #515 - Die Cuts/Punches/Stencils

Craft Rocket #111 - Birthday

Creative Moments #255 - CAS (2nd entry)

Everybody Art #551 - Birthday

Fab 'n' Funky #589 - Paper Piecing - TOP 3

Simply Clean & Simple (February) - CAS

Snippets Playground #474 - Use Snippets

Word Art Wednesday #635/636 - Anything Goes (4th entry)

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 17th, and the next challenge will begin on Wednesday March 20th.

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Love Life!

Hi everyone, this month’s Visible Image FB ATC swap has the theme of All You Need Is Love. I don’t really have anything much in the way of VI love themed products, so I decided to interpret this as “Love Life” using my new “Daisy Grunge” stamps that I won around Christmas time, to make rainbow themed flowers. Here they are.

For both the card and ATC I followed a similar method. First I cut a piece of stamping card and created a smoosh background using Distress Oxide inks. I did some 2nd generation stamping of background text in grey, and added some stencilling using Versamark heat embossed in white. I stamped the flowers onto separate card, coloured with my Zig pens then fussy cut out and attached, then added some additional spatter stamping. I stamped the sentiments onto separate card, embossing the word “love” in white, cut out and attached, then matted onto a black border and added a couple of teeny heart gems.

I finished with Glossy Accents on the flower centres … sadly it cracked again (thank goodness it’s a grungy style card!) but I wasn’t happy as it is a new bottle and I have never had a problem before. I got this bottle from Amazon so I contacted them and got a refund … great news! - so hopefully I’ll soon get another bottle elsewhere and will be back to my sleek and glossy best!!🤣

Stamps: Visible Image Daisy Grunge, Sketched Tulips (background script and the word “life”), Where Flowers Bloom (word “love”), Sunflower Grunge (spatters), Christmas Robin (spatters);

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks (Fossilized Amber, Spiced Marmalade); Kuretake Zig Clean Colour watercolour brush pens; Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Morning Mist); Versamark; WOW Bright Opaque White ultra fine embossing powder; Glossy Accents;

Tools: Visible Image stencil - Halftone;

Other: Teeny heart gems from The Range.

Here’s a closeup of both of them, with challenges I would like to enter.

Card

Challenges:

AAA Colourful #1 - Colour Board

Beautiful Blossoms #14 - Anything Floral Goes  (2nd entry)

Colourful Options (February) - Rainbow Inspired (2nd entry)

Creative Crafting Uncles #50 - Rainbow Card

Pammie’s Inky Pinkies #2406 - Anything Goes

Paper Funday #62 - No Patterned Paper

Sheepski #83 - Anything Goes

Sparkles #173 - Hearts and Flowers (2nd entry)

Sweet Stampin’ - Always Look On the Bright Side of Life - TOP 5

Try It On Tuesday - Hearts and/or Flowers (3rd entry)

Worldwide Crafters and Colourists #14 - Anything Goes

ATC

Challenges:

Addicted to Stamps and More #461 - Make Your Mark

Creative Crafters #73 - Anything Goes

Daisy Chain #82 - Flowers (2nd entry)

Flower Challenge #88 - Add a Heart

Outlawz (February) - Anything Goes in a Card Free Zone (2nd entry)

We Love 2 Create #1 2024 - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday #635/636 - Anything Goes (3rd entry)

Hope everyone is having a great weekend. Take care and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,