The Magic Million! 🩷

Hi everyone, I’m really excited today, as I realised that after 17 1/2 years (I started this blog back in June 2008) I have today passed 1 million page views on my blog!  This actually represents 10 years of active blogging, as I stepped away from it from 2013 to 2021 for a variety of reasons - so I only actually reached half a million views in December 2023! 

I’m really thrilled, and would just like to say a huge

 🩷🩷🩷 Thank you  🩷🩷🩷

to all my visitors.

Take care, and thanks a million for visiting!

Hugs,

Snowflake Wreath ❄️

Hi everyone, I’ve been trying to make a few last minute Christmas cards, so have been seeking designs which are effective without being too complicated. I decided on a snowflake wreath as they are straightforward, but in my opinion very pretty with the Lavinia snowflake stamps. 

I die cut a square of white stamping card using my wavy stitched square die, and created a circle by blending Stormy Sky Distress Oxide ink around a circle mask. I then stamped a variety of snowflakes to form a wreath, using various shades of blue and pink Versafine Clair. At the start I hadn’t decided what I would put inside the wreath, but I decided on a focal sentiment by Penny Black. Finally I added some teeny gems to the snowflake centres, and matted the finished piece onto a card blank.

Stamps: Lavinia Large Snowflakes, Small Snowflakes, Snowflakes; Penny Black

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide ink (Stormy Sky); Versafine Clair (Medieval Blue, Bluue Belle, Very Peri, Arctic, Baby Pink, Hawthorn Rose;

Tools: Craft Addictions UK Wavy Double Stitched Square die.

Challenges I would like to enter:

12 Months of Christmas #129 - Anything Goes Christmas (3rd entry)

613 Avenue Create (December) - Anything Goes with option Sparkle and Shine (2nd entry)

A Place to Start (December) - Anything Goes with option Winter Things (2nd entry)

As You Like It - Festive Creations

Cardz 4 Galz #265 - Christmas Sparkle

Christmas Kickstart #105 - If It’s Christmassy Link It Up! (3rd entry)

Crafts Galore Encore #142 - Anything Goes

Crafty Calendar (December) - Winter/Christmas (2nd entry)

Four Seasons (December) - Anything Goes Winter (2nd entry)

Girlz Creative Christmas #154 - Anything Goes Christmas (2nd entry)

Peace On Earth #101 - Anything Christmas Goes (2nd entry)

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Sparkle and Shine

Sisterhood of Crafters - Anything Christmas

Word Art Wednesday #728/729 - Anything Goes (4th entry)

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Baubles amongst the branches

Hi everyone, today’s card is another Christmas card using the latest Lavinia Faelight Chronicles collection - I really am loving the Starpine, Sugar Pine Cones and Winter Foliage as well as the Glimmer Orbs which I think look so dimensional! 

I die cut a stitched square of stamping card, and randomly stamped cascading Starpine in a mixture of 1st and 2nd generation Shady Lane Versafine Clair. I infilled the hanging foliage with Winter Foliage stamped in Avocado. I stamped three glimmer Orbs of various sizes, then interspersed with Sugar Pine Cones stamped with Pinecone VFC.  I coloured the orbs and pinecones with Zig pens, added a layer of Wink of Stella to the orbs for sparkle, and white Posca pen accents on the pine cones. I stamped some Mini mistletoe from the Winter Foliage to top off each pinecone, then stamped the sentiment and coloured it with a clear Stardust pen. To finish I hand drew the bauble strings then matted the finished piece onto a red border and my card blank.

Here’s an angled picture to put the ‘glimmer’ in ‘Glimmer Orbs’! This picture actually illustrates a problem I am finding increasingly with my Gemini die cutting machine - the plates are very warped and damaged, but I’m soldiering on with them as new ones are not readily available. However they cause my cardstock to ripple and buckle, which can be seen in this picture.

Stamps: Lavinia Starpine, Sugar Pine Cones, Glimmer Orbs, Christmas Greetings, Seasonal Words;

Media: Versafine Clair (Shady Lane, Avocado, Pinecone, Nocturne); Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens; Sakura Stardust pen (clear); Wink of Stella (clear); Posca pen (white);

Tools: Hunkydory Moonstone Duo-Stitched square die.

Challenges I would like to enter:

12 Months of Christmas #129 - Anything Goes Christmas (2nd entry)

613 Avenue Create (December) - Anything Goes with option Sparkle and Shine

Addicted to Stamps and More! #507 - Christmas (2nd entry)

Aud Sentiments #332 - Traditional Christmas + a Sentiment  (3rd entry)

Christmas Kickstart #105 - If It’s Christmassy Link It Up! (2nd entry)

Colourful Options (December) - Colour Mood Board  (3rd entry)

Country View FB Challenge (December) - Christmas (3rd entry)

Creative Inspirations (December) - ‘Tis the Season (2nd entry)

Everybody Art #590 - Bingo (3rd entry)

(Green / Red / Christmas)

Fab ‘n’ Funky #627 - Christmas (2nd entry)

Girlz Creative Christmas #154 - Anything Goes Christmas - TOP 3

Passion For Markers #818 - Mega Christmas Challenge: Add a Sentiment

Peace On Earth #101 - Anything Christmas Goes

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Use Dies in DIEcember (3rd entry)

Sweet Stampin’ - It’s Christmas! (2nd entry)

Word Art Wednesday #728/729 - Anything Goes (3rd entry)

That’s all from me for today.

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Poinsettia Grunge 🌺

Hi everyone, whilst poking around in my Christmas stash to find some inspiration, I dug out this Visible Image Poinsettia Grunge stamp set which has been pretty neglected - in fact although I often use the sentiment from this set, I reckon I’ve only ever inked up the flower once before back in 2023! I must admit I’m not usually a big fan of poinsettias, but I rather like the offbeat quirky look of this one with the script writing on it, and since it last came out to play I have acquired my Zig pens which are ideal for colouring it with. 

I die cut a wavy stitched square of white card and stamped the focal flower, then masked it. I stamped co-ordinating background script text and spatters, then removed the mask and coloured the flower with Zig pens topped with Wi k of Stella, and gold Posca in the centre. I added white Posca accents then matted the finished piece onto a red border and card blank before adding a stamped sentiment.

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

Media: Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Morning Mist); Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens; Wink of Stella (clear); Posca pens (white, gold);

Tools: Craft Addictions UK Wavy Double Stitched Squares die.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Addicted to Stamps and More! #507 - Christmas

Aud Sentiments #332 - Traditional Christmas + a Sentiment  (2nd entry)

 Beautiful Blossoms #35 - Anything Floral Goes (2nd entry)

Christmas Kickstart #105 - If It’s Christmassy Link It Up!

Colourful Options (December) - Colour Mood Board  (2nd entry)

Country View FB Challenge (December) - Christmas (2nd entry)

Crafty Calendar (December) - Winter/Christmas

Creative Inspirations (December) - ‘Tis the Season

Everybody Art #590 - Bingo (2nd entry)

(Green / Red / Christmas)

Fab ‘n’ Funky #627 - Christmas

Let’s Craft and Create #226 - Anything Goes with option Vintage Feel

Neglected Stuff (December) - Use Your Neglected Stuff

Simon Says (Monday) - Use Dies in DIEcember (3rd entry)

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Use Dies in DIEcember (2nd entry)

Sparkles Christmas #179 - Poinsettia

Sweet Stampin’ - It’s Christmas!

Word Art Wednesday #728/729 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Flutterby Birthday 🦋

Hi everyone, today I’m taking a little break from Christmas makes as I needed to make a friend’s birthday card. I decided to try another eclipse card, but this time with a rainbow of butterflies.

I cut a wavy stitched square of stamping card, and stamped the Visible Image butterflies in a rainbow of colours using Versafine Clair. I then created another eclipse card by die cutting the word birthday, cutting it 3 more times from separate snippets of card, then stacking the sentiment layers. I matted the panel onto a card blank and finished off with a scattering of rainbow coloured gems.

Die cutting the sentiment layers for an eclipse card is a great way to use up snippets - and I even remembered to take a photo of mine (wonders will never cease!). You may notice there are enough word cut outs to furnish two eclipse cards - that’s because I made another one while I was at the table, very similar to my first eclipse card here. I’d already given my first eclipse card away and it was well received, so I thought I’d make another in a different colour to have in reserve for when the need arises. 

Stamps: Visible Image VI Minis (butterfly), Birthday Wishes;

Media: Versafine Clair (Strawberry, Summertime, Cheerful, Grass Green, Blue Belle, Monarch, Nocturne); 

Tools: Craft Addictions UK Wavy Double Stitched Square die; Julie Hickey ‘Birthday’ die.

Challenges I would like to enter:

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

Double Trouble #205 - Use at least 3 Colours, 2 layers, 1 image

Krafty Chicks #797 - Birthday - TOP PICK

Simon Says (Monday) - Use Dies in DIEcember (2nd entry)

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Use Dies in DIEcember - WINNER

Snippets Playground #520 - Use Snippets - TOP PICK

Sweet Stampin’ - Birthdays

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

Word Art Wednesday #728/729 - Anything Goes

Word Power (December) - Sentiment as Focus

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

Hugs,

Pipspell Wreaths 🐭

Hi everyone, I really like to make a few stamped wreaths for Christmas cards each year, and I have seen some gorgeous ones made with Lavinia’s latest Faelight Chronicles Christmas collection foliage stamps, so I really needed to give it a try. Here are three wreath variations I made in a recent playtime.

For the first card, I die cut a wavy stitched square of white stamping card, and created a circle by blending Olive Elements ink round a circle mask. I stamped Pipspell the mouse, then created a wreath around him by stamping a variety of stamps from Starpine and Winter Foliage sets using a mixture of Shady Lane, Avocado and Portobello VFC and 1st/2nd generation. I coloured Pipspell and his glimmer orb with Zig pens topped with Wink of Stella. I added some white Posca highlights, and added sparkle to the Starpine by adding light flicks of Wink of Stella. Finally I stamped the sentiments and matted the finished panel onto a card blank.

Stamps: Lavinia Pipspell, Starpine, Winter Foliage, Christmas Greetings;

Media: Lavinia Elements ink (Olive); Versafine Clair (Shady Lane, Avocado, Portobello, Nocturne); Kuretake Zig Clean Color ware colour pens; Wink of Stella (clear); Posca pen (white);

Tools: Craft Addictions UK Wavy Doubke Stitched square die.

Challenges I would like to enter:

12 Months of Christmas #129 - Anything Goes Christmas

Aud Sentiments #332 - Traditional Christmas + a Sentiment

Colourful Options (December) - Colour Mood Board

Girlz Creative Christmas #153 - Anything Christmas Goes

Hand Stamped Sentiments #477 - Mood Board (2nd entry)

(I was inspired by the wreath and red baubles)

———-

The above card used the same method and supplies as card 1, just playing around with how I stamped the foliage. I think this one turned out most symmetrical of the 3! 

Challenges I would like to enter:

Cardz 4 Galz #264 - A Cute Christmas

CAS on Friday #323 - Christmas (3rd entry)

Country View Crafts FB Challenge (December) - Christmas

Creatalicious #295 - Anything Goes with option Christmas in Traditional Colours (3rd entry)

Everybody Art #590 - Bingo

(Green / Red / Christmas)

{PIN}spirational #332 - Mood Board

(I was inspired by the wreath and red baubles)

Simon Says (Monday) - Use Dies in DIEcember

———-

For my final card I added Sugar Pine Cones stamped using Pinecone VFC, and also coloured with Zig pens.

Challenges I would like to enter:

ABC Christmas - X is for X-Stitch (or any stitching) (4th entry) - TOP 3

Critter Crazy #105 - Anything Goes with a Featured Critter

Die Cut Divas (December) - Christmas/Winter with a Die Cut (2nd entry)

Inkspirational #355 - Mood Board (2nd entry)

(I was inspired by the red bauble)

Merry Little Christmas #65 - Anything Christmas Goes (6th entry)

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Anything Goes

I really love these new foliage stamps, particularly the Starpine, and adore Pipspell as he is so cute! In my stamping drawer though he may be getting a bit lonely, as I haven’t purchased Thistlewhisk to keep him company! I don’t think I’ve yet quite worked out the best way to colour Pipspell, but I’m happy to keep practising. Meanwhile, I’m pleased overall with how these cards turned out and they were relatively quick to make - this close to Christmas that’s always a bonus! 

During the past month I’ve managed to make almost 20 Christmas cards so with posting dates around the corner, the situation is looking a lot better than it was - though I’m still not quite there yet !!

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Winter Blues ❄️

Hi everyone, well here we are in December already! Are you ready for Christmas? I’m certainly not, but for me that’s not unusual! Today I would like to share a small batch of simple Christmas cards I made whose design was inspired by  a Tracy Dutton tutorial for a tag.

For each of the above cards I cut a stitched square of white stamping card, and masked the edges to form a smaller central square. I blended Dark Denim Elements ink from one corner and Blue Atoll Elements from the other, then darkened the top edges by blending Paris Dusk Memento ink. With the masks still in place, I stamped a selection of Lavinia Large Snowflakes and Small Snowflakes with Versamark then heat embossed white. I filled in the gaps  by stamping further small snowflakes in Twilight and Bali Blue VFC, then spattered the inked background with water and dabbed to create a mottled effect.  I removed the masks then stamped Lavinia Snowflakes the teeny ones) in the corners. Finally I added a stamped sentiment to each card using Twilight VFC, them matted each finished panel onto a b,use border and 6” square card blank.

Here are the cards in close up.

Card 1

Card 2

Card 3

Stamps: Lavinia Large Snowflakes, Small Snowflakes, Snowflakes; Uniko Christmas Wishes (cards 1 & 2); Hero Arts Winter’s Butterfly (card 3);

Media: Lavinia Elements inks (Dark Denim, Blue Atoll); Versafine Clair (Twilight, Bali Blue); Versamark; WOW Opaque White Ultra fine embossing powder;

Tools: Hunkydory Moonstone Duo-Stitched square dies.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Card 1

CAS on Friday #323 - Christmas (2nd entry)

Christmas (or not) BINGO Challenge #16 - Use 3 lines from BINGO column (3rd entry)

(Column I: Winter / Free / Snowflakes)

Merry Little Christmas #65 - Anything Christmas Goes (5th entry)

Word Art Wednesday #726/727 - Anything Goes (6th entry)

Card 2

52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Stamps (4th entry)

A Place to Start (December) - Winter Things

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

Tic Tac Toe #284 - Tic Tac Toe

(Navy / Free / Holiday Sentiment)

Try It On Tuesday - Snowflakes 

Card 3

Alphabet Challenge - Q is for Quote - TOP 3

C.R.A.F.T. #769 - Christmas (2nd entry)

Die Cut Divas (December) - Christmas/Winter

Four Seasons (December) - Winter

Jingle Belles - Banner Holiday

(I was inspired by the snowflakes, watercolour vibe and swirly text)

Peace On Earth #100 - Anything Christmas Goes (3rd entry)

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Batch Cooking!

Hi everyone, I have been playing with various Christmas combos using my Christmas bauble stencils and new-ish winter cabin stamps. They are ideal for batch cardmaking, so I have made a few more ‘similar but different’ cards to recent makes - here’s a selection.

I have found that my Card-io bauble stencil is a bit big, so I have made a few one layer cards as the stencil fills a 6” square.

For the above card I scored a 30cm x 15cm piece of Pink Frog super smooth card to make a card base that I could stamp and colour onto directly. I stamped the winter cabin and a couple of extra trees in Morning Mist VFC, then created the bauble shape and Northern lights sky by blending Versacolor inks through the bauble stencil with a dry baby wipe - I think this one is much more vibrant than my previous efforts with these inks. I outlined the bauble with fine white Posca and Sakura Stardust pens and added blue shadow, then stamped the little deer.  I coloured the cabin with white Posca pen and Stickles glitter glue, then stamped the sentiment and added white Posca snow. 

Stamps: Inkylicious Winter Cabin (medium), Stag/Deer set 1; Card-io Small Pine Trees; Visible Image Poinsettia Grunge (sentiment); 

Media: Versafine Clair (Nocturnal, Morning Mist, Medieval Blue); Versacolor (Atlantic, Peony, Canary, Green Tea); Sakura Stardust pen (clear); Posca pen (white); Stickles (Stardust);

Tools: Card-io stencil - Vintage Bauble.

Challenges I would like to enter:

12 Months of Christmas #128 - Anything Goes Christmas (4th entry)

52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Stamps (3rd entry)

CAS on Friday #323 - Christmas

C.R.A.F.T. #769 - Christmas

DL.Art (November) - Anything Goes

Dream Factory #145 - Anything Christmassy Goes (3rd entry)

Just Us Girls #803 - Anything Goes + a Stencil - SHOUT OUT

Merry Little Christmas #65 - Anything Christmas Goes (4th entry)

Paper Funday #82 - Anything Goes with option Merry and Bright (4th entry)

For this one I decided to have a go at an OLC with my large bauble stencil on kraft card, as I have previously made a few kraft cards with my smaller bauble stencil. I created the bauble by blending Brilliance Moonlight White ink through the stencil, then stamped everything using Pinecone VFC apart from the background wording which I stamped using Portobello. I coloured the cabin with white Posca pen and Stickles, shaded the bauble with Portobello VFC, and coloured the sentiment with a Sakura Stardust pen to add sparkle.

Stamps: Inkylicious Winter Cabin (medium), Stag/Deer set 1; Tracy Evans Boutique Design TE23 Winter Delights, TE22 Christmas Wishes; Lavinia Seasonal Words;

Media: Versafine Clair (Pinecone, Portobello); Brilliance ink  (Moonlight White); Sakura Stardust pen (clear); Posca pen (white);

Tools: Card-io stencil - Vintage Bauble.

Challenges I would like to enter:

As You Like It - Favourite : Gold, Silver or Glitter (and why)

(I love a bit of glitter on Christmas cards as I think I’m addicted to sparkle!)

Beccy’s Month of Holiday Cards 2025 - Day 29

Crafty Gals’ Corner #272 - ‘Tis the Season (3rd entry)

Daisy Chain #102 - Christmas/Winter (3rd entry)

Everybody Art #589 - Bling/Glitter (2nd entry)

The Holly and Ivy #196 - Anything Christmas Goes (3rd entry)

Krafty Chicks #796 - Masculine - TOP PICK

Moving Along With the Times #183 - Winter Wonderland (4th entry)

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Anything Goes

Unicorn #115 - Christmas/Winter (3rd entry)

This one is another variation on some previous cards I made with a smaller bauble stencil. The method was very similar to card 2 except that I die cut a panel of kraft card to stamp on, then matted onto white pearlescent card and a kraft card blank. I also tried a different method of shadowing the bauble, using a brown Inktense pencil.

Stamps: Inkylicious Winter Cabin (small); Tracy Evans Boutique Design TE23 Winter Delights, TE22 Christmas Wishes, TE18 Decorations;

Media: Versafine Clair (Pinecone, Portobello); Brilliance ink  (Moonlight White); Sakura Stardust pens (clear, red); Posca pen (white); Inktense pencil (Bark);

Tools: Tracy Evans Snippet Stencil SS6 Bauble.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Addicted to Stamps & More #506 - Make Your Mark  (3rd entry) - HONOURABLE ADDICT

Christmas (or not) BINGO Challenge #16 - Use 3 items from BINGO card column (2nd entry)

(Column N: Christmas / Free / Masking & Stencilling)

Craft Rocket #131 - Christmas/Winter (3rd entry)

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

Fab ‘n’ Funky #626 - All That Glitters (2nd entry)

Heart’s Quest #20 - Anything With a Heart Goes

Word Art Wednesday #726/727 - Anything Goes (5th entry)

Well I think I can truly say I’m all baubled out now! I’ll be back soon with another little batch of Christmas cards - but no baubles or winter cabins in sight lol!

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,