I Spy With My Little Eye #30

Hi everyone, wow we’re nearly 3/4 of the way through the year already and autumn is almost here - when did that happen? It’s the third Wednesday of the month, so it’s time once more for another 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. 

Ellie chose the challenge theme this month, and it is

I Spy With My Little Eye 

*** Something Clean and Simple ***

Clean and Simple, (CAS) projects can often be made pretty quickly, so hope everyone will find time to join in this month!  Please don’t forget to pop over to Ellie's blog to see her fab creation and link up your entries here.

Here’s my card for the challenge - the CAS theme was an absolute Godsend to me this time, as I didn’t have a lot of crafting time available! I’m not sure it’s really CAS in the true sense, but it was simple to make and is about as CAS as I get! 

I stamped and heat embossed the focal flower and sentiment, then coloured the flower using watered down ink from my Posca sparkle pens - for some reason I always feel the urge to colour this particular image in rainbow hues, which guided me to use this sentiment which I felt suited it well. Unfortunately my red sparkle pen had dried up, so I improvised with an old Cosmic Shimmer watercolour paint for that. I then added some  background stamping of grungy squares and scribbles, and some faux gold Posca spatter. When dry I matted onto black, then satin gold card and my card blank.

Here’s an angled picture to show the sparkle a bit better,

Stamps: Visible Image Creative Chaos (flower); Uniko Spring Botanicals Daffodil (sentiment); unbranded background stamps;

Media: Versafine Clair (Nocturne); clear embossing powder; Posca sparkle pens; Cosmic Shimmer watercolour paint; Posca pen (gold).

Challenges I would like to enter:

Addicted to Stamps & More! #501 - Make Your Mark 

Ally’s Angels #98 - Anything Goes

Alphabet Challenge - K is for Keep It Simple (2nd entry)

Colourful Options (September) - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Creative Fingers #307 - Anything Goes

Path of Positivity #133 - Anything Goes Positive (2nd entry)

Simon Says (Monday) - Add Some Metal

(gold mirror card and gold metallic Posca pen)

Tic Tac Toe #279 - Tic Tac Toe

(Large Sentiment / three or more colours / stamped image)

Sparkles #192 - Single Flower

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

Word Art Wednesday #716/717 - Anything Goes (2nd 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 October 12th, and the next challenge will begin on Wednesday October 15th.

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Happy Anniversary ❤️

Hi everyone, today I’d like to share the wedding anniversary card I made for my darling husband.  We had a few things going on which put me somewhat behind, and I ended up making this in something of a panic. Feeling a tad short of inspiration, I turned to a design I made last year (here), and CASE’d my own design with a few amendments and enhancements as this card is bigger - 8” square.

I cut a 6.5” square of stamping card and created a heart by blending red Elements ink through a stencil. I then stamped Tilly and Tango “holding hands” and hearts to either side of them, which I turned into balloons by adding strings drawn with a fineliner pen. I then added a further dangling heart being held by them both, and a grunge heart by Tracy Evans in the top corner, with an unbranded “I love you” postmark. I grounded the mice by blending some Graphite Elements using a hill mask, added some white Posca accents to the scene, then stamped my sentiment which was built up from a Woodware set and an old “Me to You” set. I assembled the card by matting onto black and red borders and my card blank.

As it’s for my husband I also decorated the inside of the card …

… and the envelope.

Stamps: Lavinia Tilly and Tango, Single Heart Mini, Hearts Mini, Fairy Charms; AALL & Create #453 Heart Grunge; Woodware Happy Anniversary; Me To You Husband sentiment; Pink Frog Typewriter Sentiments; Unbranded postmark stamp;

Media: Lavinia Elements inks (Emperor Red, Graphite); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Strawberry); Posca pen (white);

Tools: Press to Impress Heart stencil; Lavinia hill mask.

Challenges I would like to enter:

A Perfect Time to Craft #9 2025 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Alphabet Challenge - K is for Keep it Simple

Crafts Galore Encore (September) - Anything Goes

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

Dream Valley #344 - 2 or More Layers

Ellibelle’s Crafty Wednesday (September) - Anything Goes

Heart’s Quest Celebrations of Love #9 2025 - Anniversary (2nd entry)

Love to Craft #88 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Make My Monday #260 - Fun With Stencils

Mix It Up #79 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Layer It Up

Word Art Wednesday #716/717 - Anything Goes

We’re planning to spend the day having some quality time together ❤️

In other news, last week I was really thrilled to discover that my September Lavinia calendar page (here) was chosen as ‘Make of the Week’ on the Lavinia FB page, AND was featured on a graphic about sources of calendar inspiration in the Lavinia FB community groups! Woo hoo! I’ve edited the calendar post to mention it but am also mentioning it here as this is my first post since finding out 😀

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Sending Positive Thoughts

Hi everyone, I don’t make many cards where the primary focus is die cuts, but I made an exception for this one as it is the first outing for my new Craft Addiction slatted dies. I have been admiring them on various blogs over the summer and stalking the Craft Addictions website to try to get my quivering paws on them but they had all been out of stock … until now! I finally managed to get my hands on a couple of sets last week but things have been hectic here since then, so here’s the result of my first play with them.

I die cut a stitched square of white stamping card and embossed with a floral embossing folder. I die cut a large slatted square, then cut a fractionally smaller square of ombré glitter card to stick behind it. I die cut two flowers from pink glitter card then attached the slatted square and flowers to the embossed panel. I stamped, cut out and attached the sentiment, and added a silver die cut mirror card butterfly which I found already cut in my cupboard. I added some pink Distress Oxide round the edges of the embossed panel, then attached to a 6” square card blank.

Stamps: Crafter’s Companion Sending Positivity;

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide ink (Spun Sugar); Versafine Clair (Mornings Mist);

Papers: Crafter’s Companion ombré glitter card;

Tools: Hunky Dory Moonstone Duo-Stitched Square die; Craft Addictions Slatted Square dies; unbranded flower die from Amazon; Die-Sire Butterfly Easel die; Embossalicious floral embossing folder.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Addicted to Stamps & More #500 - Die Cuts and/or Stencils

Beautiful Blossoms #32 - Anything Floral Goes

Can You Handle the Pressure?  - Anything Goes with Embossing

Cardz 4 Galz #258 - Stitching Real or Faux

Crafty Calendar (September) - Lots of Layers

Creations In Pink #84 - Anything Goes In Mainly Pink

Die Cut Divas (September) - Anything Goes with a Die Cut

Double Trouble #199 - 3-2-1 Recipe

Just Us Girls #791 - Die Week

Let’s Craft and Create #223 - Anything Goes + Lots of Layers

NBUS #78 - Use Your Never-Before-Used Schtuff

(Slatted Square dies)

Path of Positivity #133 - Anything Goes Positive

Pearly Sparkles #111 - Traci’s Recipe: Pink, Pearls and/or Sparkle

Simon Says (Monday) - Stamp It in STAMPtember (3rd entry)

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Stamp It (2nd entry)

Sisterhood of Crafters - Card of Encouragement (3rd entry)

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

Word Art Wednesday #714/715 - Anything Goes (4th entry)

That’s all for today. Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Mooch amongst the stars 🌌

Hi everyone, one of my close blogging friends very sadly lost her pet cat just recently, and understandably she was absolutely devastated. So I made her this sympathy/memory card to express my condolences and support. I kept it relatively simple as I always think that’s the best way with sympathy cards, and I envisioned her darling cat gazing at the moon whilst surrounded by a halo of twinkling stars.

I cut a square of white stamping card and created a circle by blending Elements ink around a large circle mask. I stamped Mooch sitting in the corner of the circle, then added a soft hazy moon and wispy clouds with more ink blending. I stamped mini stars around the circle, alternating blue and sparkling silver embossed. Finally I stamped the sentiment in blue, a flock of birds in grey, grounded the cat using a grey Inktense pencil, and matted the finished piece into a dark blue border and card blank.

 

Stamps: Lavinia Mooch, Stars 1 Mini, Birds, Heartfelt Verses;

Media: Lavinia Elements ink (Della Blue); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Very Peri, Morning Mist, Medieval Blue); Versamark; WOW Silver Sparkle embossing powder.

Challenges I would like to enter:

A Perfect Time to Craft #9 2025 - Anything Goes

Alphabet Challenge - K is for Keep It Simple

Crafty Animals #98 - Include an Animal (2nd entry)

Critter Crazy #192 - Anything Goes with featured critter (2nd entry)

Heart’s Quest Celebrations of Love #9 2025 - Sympathy

Love to Craft #88 - Anything Goes

Mix It Up #79 - Anything Goes

Simon Says (Monday) - Stamp It in STAMPtember (2nd entry)

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Stamp It

Unicorn #113 - Circles

Word Art Wednesday #714/715 - Anything Goes (3rd entry)

Very sad to have to make a card like this but I hope it will show my friend she is in my thoughts.💙

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Hello Autumn! 🍁🍂

Hi everyone, yesterday afternoon I had to sit down at my craft table and get a real wriggle on, as for the first time a new month had rolled round, and I hadn’t completed my Lavinia calendar page - waaah!! Life just seems to have got in the way recently, but yesterday I just shoved everything else to the side and got busy - here’s the result.

I have to start by saying this didn’t turn out remotely like my original vision, which was always going to include a squirrel and acorns; but I started with the pheasant and then the squirrel looked far too big, so I just went in a different direction! You may also wonder why there is a heart between the 2 hares? Well, we have our wedding anniversary in September, so within this autumnal scene the bunnies gazing at each other and the heart are a nod to that ❤️

I cut a piece of white stamping card 19.5cm x 14.5cm, then created the landscape and sky by blending various Distress and Elements inks using my hill and circle masks. I stamped the 2 focal trees in Portobello Versafine Clair, then the pheasant and hares using Pinecone VFC to bring them to the foreground. I stamped some background trees using masking and 1st/2nd generation Portobello and Sand Dune VFC, then coloured the main trees with my Zig pens.  I added mini mushrooms in the bottom corners and some autumnal background wording, then stamped leaves in various autumnal shades both on and falling from the trees, using Elements inks.  I blended Vintage Photo Distress Ink round the edges to darken them and draw the eye to the centre of the image, and added some white Posca highlights before matting the finished panel onto my calendar.

Stamps: Lavinia Tree of Courage, Tree of Hope, Pheasant, Forest Hares, Tree Scene, Skeleton Tree Scene, Mushrooms Mini, Leaf 1 Mini, Mini Maple, Single Heart Mini, Winter Spice;

Media: Lavinia Elements inks (Sahara, Russet Orange, Emperor Red, Mulberry, Olive); Spectrum Noir Harmony dye ink (Bordeaux); Tim Holtz Distress Inks (Vintage Photo, Tea Dye);  Versafine Clair (Pinecone, Portobello, Acorn, Sand Dune, Strawberry); Sakura Stardust sparkle pen (yellow); Posca pen (white);

Tools: Lavinia acetate Hill and Circle masks.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Colourful Options (September) - Anything Goes

Country View Crafts FB Challenge (September) - Hello Fall

Crafty Animals #98 - Include an Animal

Critter Crazy #192 - Anything Goes with featured critter 

Do Al(l) Kreatives #105 - Anything Goes

Dream Factory #142 - Wild

FarmQuest General Store #31 - Anything Farm or Country Goes - TOP 3

Four Seasons (September) - Fall

Girlz & the Art of Letters #8 - H is for … (2nd entry)

(hares, heart)

Inspiration Station #277 - Inspiration Photo

(I was inspired by autumnal trees and the changing colours of the leaves)

Lavinia Creative Challenge (September) - Enchanted Forest

Love to Scrap #175 - Anything Goes

Night Owls #52 - Trees

Outlawz Anything Goes In a Card Free Zone (August)  - Anything but a Card (2nd entry) - TOP PICK

Simon Says (Monday) - Stamp It in STAMPtember

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

We Love 2 Create #9 2025 - Anything Mixed Media/Papercrafting Goes

Word Art Wednesday #714/715 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

I have a bit of a respite now, as I have already completed my October calendar page (in fact it was the first one I did back in October 2024!) - in fact I only have November left to complete. However the 2026 calendar is now on sale, so I’m asking myself is the whole cycle soon going to begin again?? Watch this space …

Edited: just found out that this page was chosen as ‘Make of the Week’ on the Lavinia store  FB page and as one of the ‘sources of calendar inspiration’ for the Lavinia FB community groups - wow, I’m absolutely thrilled! I’ve actually also mentioned it on the first post after finding out 😀

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Blue Christmas

Hi everyone, today I would like to share a Christmas card I made which was inspired by a Tracy Evans YouTube video, but where I had to make a number of adjustments due to not having all the same colouring media, stamps and other supplies! 

Tracy’s original card was a rectangle, and had a splodgy background created by inking around the edges of a 5” x 3” gel press. The 2 gel presses I have aren’t suitable shapes and sizes for this technique, so I created a background on square card by applying inked and spritzed acetate. As the outcome effect was different I then went off on a tangent with my foliage, coloured my baubles with Zig pens rather than pencils, and changed the colour of my background stamping to suit!

I cut a 13cm square of white stamping card, and dabbed Distress Oxide ink  around the edges of a piece of acetate the same size, spritzed and dabbed onto the card. I stamped mini baubles into the white space, copying Tracy’s technique of roughly inking round the edges with a Medieval Blue VFC inkpad, then coloured with Zig pens and blender. I stamped 1st and 2nd generation holly branches around the border, hand drew the bauble strings, then added some background word stamping in Morning Mist and the number 25 in Medieval Blue. I added white Posca highlights to the baubles and leaves, sparkle to the baubles, and stamped a teeny Robin bottom left. I matted the square onto dark blue card stock and a 6” square card blank, then added a sentiment which I stamped onto separate card.

Stamps: Tracy Evans Boutique Designs TE21 Holly and Berries, TE22 Christmas Wishes, TE23 Winter Delights;

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide ink (Blueprint Sketch); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Medieval Blue, Morning Mist); Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens; Spectrum Noir Sparkle pen (clear); Posca pen (white).

Challenges I would like to enter:

12 Months of Christmas #125 - Anything Goes Christmas

A Place To Start (August) - Anything Goes

As You Like It - Favourite Colouring Medium (and why)

(I love using Zig pens as they are so vibrant and blend easily)

C.R.A.F.T.  #762 - Christmas

Creative Fingers #306 - Anything Goes

DL.Art (August) - Anything Goes

Everybody Art #583 - Anything Goes

Girlz & the Art of Letters #8 - H is for…

(Holly)

Holly and Ivy #190 - Anything Christmas Goes

Peace On Earth #94 - Anything Christmas Goes

Outlawz Festive Friday (August) - Christmas (2nd entry)

Rudolph Days (August) - Anything Christmas Goes - TOP 3

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday #714/715 - Anything Goes

I have to confess that when this card was halfway in progress it looked a bit of a shambles, but I’m fairly happy with how it turned out in the end.

Take care and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Flower Divine

Hi everyone. I’ve been having a bit of a Bank Holiday playtime, with a view to making a last minute entry for this month’s Lavinia Creative Challenge. It occurred to me that I have a beautiful statement flower stamp that I have never inked up, so I decided now’s the time!

I cut a piece of white stamping card 20cm x 9cm, then stamped and heat embossed the flower and bees. I masked the flower head and bees, then applied smooshed Lemon Drop and Green Parrot Elements inks onto the panel with acetate. I stamped second generation background stamping and applied some honeycomb stencilling with Pine Elements. I removed the masks and coloured the flower and bees using Wink of Stella pens. I stamped, cut out and attached the sentiment, then added a tiny fairy perched on one of the words, then matted onto a black border and DL card blank.

With all the Wink of Stella it’s very sparkly, but the camera doesn’t really capture that.

Stamps: Lavinia Flower Divine 2, Bumble and Hum, Keeping Faith, Fairy Foragers, Believe In Magic;

Media: Lavinia Elements inks (Lemon Drop, Green Parrot, Pine); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Shady Lane); clear embossing powder; Wink of Stella pens (purple, pink, gold, blue, clear); Posca pen (white);

Tools: Lavinia stencil - Honeycomb.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Beautiful Blossoms #32 - Anything Floral Goes (2nd entry)

Creatalicious #292 - Anything Goes (3rd entry)

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

Creative Moments #273 - Embossing (2nd entry)

Lavinia Creative Challenge (August) - Beautiful Blooms (3rd entry)

NBUS #77 - Use Your Never-Before-Used Schtuff (2nd entry)

(floral and crouching fairy stamps, purple Wink of Stella pen)

Pammie’s Inky Pinkies #2534 - Anything Goes

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

We Love 2 Create #8 - Anything Mixed Media/Papercrafting Goes (3rd entry)

Word Art Wednesday #712/713 - Anything Goes (5th entry)

Hope everyone is enjoying the lovely Bank Holiday weather we are having here in the UK. We had a lovely day out yesterday at medieval Samlesbury Hall near Blackburn, which we had never been to before despite it being less than an hour away. I really love this type of historic property - so pretty! Here are a few photos from our visit.

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Fly Free 🎈

Hi everyone, I went through a stage where I really loved making (and trading) ATC’s, but for various reasons I haven’t made any for months. I was recently looking through my folder and I came across a couple I made earlier but never blogged - here is one of them.

Before the Crafter’s Companion shop closed in Chesterfield, I bought a bundle of stamps by Sheena Douglass which were on offer following an in-store workshop. I didn’t realise until later they were part of Sheena’s ‘Draw the Line’ technique range, which is all about creating watercolour wash horizons on watercolour paper. I had a go and to be honest I didn’t have much success with the technique, but did manage to produce this ATC.

I cut a piece of watercolour paper 3.25” x 2.25” and created an inky background wash, masking off a circle for the moon. I stamped the focal skyline with the Sheena Douglass reflection image, and a small sentiment. I added some Posca pen and Sakura Stardust pen highlights, and matted onto a piece of blue card stock 3.5” x 2.5”.

Stamps: Crafter’s Companion ‘Draw the Line’ by Sheena Douglass - Peaceful Bliss and Relax & Renew; Lavinia Silhouette Foliage Set; Tracy Evans Boutique Designs TE4 New Beginnings (sentiment);

Media: Lavinia Elements inks (Blue Lagoon, Violet chalk); Versafine Clair (Nocturne); Sakura Stardust pen (clear); Posca pen (white).

Challenges I would like to enter:

ATC’s Around the World (August) - Anything Goes

Classic Design Challenge #8 2025 - Anything Goes (3rd entry)

Creatalicious #292 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Creative Aunts #104 - ATC’s

Creative Crafters #91 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Creative Crafting Uncles #68 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Outlawz Anything Goes In. Card Free Zone (August) - Anything But a Card

Simon Says (Monday) - Fun With ATC’s

Word Art Wednesday #712/713 - Anything Goes (4th entry)

I really need to get back into making ATC’s … but as I STILL have a couple of 2025 Lavinia calendar pages to complete, and with the 2026 calendar now on the horizon and the Christmas card rush just around the corner, whether I will make any in the near future remains to be seen!

Have a good Bank Holiday weekend if you’re in the UK, take care and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,