Joy, Hope and Wonder

Hi everyone, a pretty simple Christmas card from me today. I hadn’t made a wreath card in a while so I hunted out my Mini mistletoe and cracked on!

I created a soft inky circle by blending Green Parrot Elements ink around a circle mask, then stamped my Mini mistletoe multiple times using Grass Green VFC to form a wreath. I added stars around the outside stamped in 2nd generation Morning Mist VFC, then coloured the mistletoe berries and added highlights to the leaves and stars using a clear Stardust pen. Lastly I stamped the focal sentiment (which is one of my favourite old PB stamps), then matted onto pale green glitter card and my card blank.

Here’s an angled pic to show the sparkle.

Despite this being essentially a simple card it turned into a bit of a palaver, as I managed to stamp the sentiment crooked (it’s an old wood-mounted stamp and isn’t perfectly aligned with the image on the block, and I got it even more crooked … oh dear!) Anyhow I managed to rescue it by cutting the card panel down slightly at an angle on all 4 sides, which resulted in a larger border around the matting than originally anticipated but I’m ok with that!

Stamps: Lavinia Mini Mistletoe, Stars 1 Mini; Penny Black Joy, Hope (3898F);

Media: Lavinia Elements ink (Green Parrot); Versafine Clair (Grass Green, Rainforest, Mornings Mist); Sakura Stardust pen (clear).

Challenges I would like to enter:

12 Months of Christmas #127 - Anything Christmas Goes with option Snowfall (2nd entry)

Addicted to Stamps & More #502 - Christmas (3rd entry)

Classic Design Challenge #9 2025 - Anything Goes with option Trees and/or Leaves (2nd entry)

Everybody Art #586 - Stars and/or Stripes

Girlz Creative Christmas #145 - Anything Goes Christmas (2nd entry)

The Holly and Ivy #193 - Anything Christmas Goes 

Little Red Wagon #827 - H is for Holidays (2nd entry)

Merry Little Christmas #64 - Anything Christmas Goes (2nd entry)

Moving Along With the Times #182 - Sentiment as Focus

Peace On Earth #97 - Anything Christmas Goes (2nd entry)

Sweet Stampin’ - Feature a Sentiment (2nd entry)

Word Art Wednesday #718/719 - Anything Goes (4th entry)

That’s all from me for today - take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Believe In the Magic of Christmas

Hi everyone, I’m finally starting to get a wriggle on with my Christmas cards … for some reason I’m struggling with Christmas mojo this year. I do like a Christmas night sky though, so decided to do a Santa sleigh scene with Visible Image stamps, paired with background stamps and sentiments by Chloe’s Creative Crafts, from my most recent craft magazine.

I die cut a stitched frame from white card, then cut a white square large enough to fit behind the aperture. I created a night sky by blending Distress Oxides onto the cut square and Medieval Blue VFC at the top edge, then stamped three layers of buildings in Morning Mist, Medieval Blue and Nocturne VFC to give a feeling of depth. I stamped Santa’s sleigh riding through the sky, added some yellow sparkle pen to light the windows, and white Posca snow spatter. When dry I attached the panel behind the aperture and added a stamped and die cut sentiment and some stamped stars around the edges, before attaching to my card blank. I still thought it needed something else, so I added some silvery Stardust pen sparkle by outlining the houses and reindeer - here’s an angled pic to show that.

Stamps: Visible Image Christmas Eve; sentiment and stars by Chloe’s Creative Crafts;

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxides inks (Kitsch Flamingo, Picked Raspberry, Blueprint Sketch, Chipped Sapphire); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Medieval Blue, Morning Mist, Very Peri); Sakura Stardust pen (yellow); Posca pen (white);

Tools: Hunkydory Moonstone Duo-Stitched square dies; Chloe’s Creative Crafts Christmas word die.

Challenges I would like to enter:

12 Months of Christmas #127 - Anything Christmas Goes with option Snowfall

Addicted to Stamps & More #502 - Christmas (2nd entry)

As You Like It - Favourite: Square or Not? (and why)

(My favourite is definitely square as I find it gives me plenty of space for my design)

Cut It Up #340 - Use More than One Die

Die Cut Divas (October) - Anything Goes with Dies

Girlz Creative Christmas #145 - Anything Goes Christmas

The Holly and Ivy #192 - Anything Christmas Goes (2nd entry)

Little Red Wagon #827 - H is for Holidays

Merry Little Christmas #64 - Anything Christmas Goes

Outlawz Festive Fridays (October) - Christmas

Peace On Earth #97 - Anything Christmas Goes

Sweet Stampin’ - Feature a Sentiment

Try It On Tuesday - Animals Real or Imaginary

Word Art Wednesday #718/719 - Anything Goes (3rd entry)

Hope everyone is having a great weekend, despite the awful weather. Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

C.R.A.F.T. #765 Guest Designer

Hi everyone, earlier in the summer I was thrilled to be asked to be a guest designer for C.R.A.F.T. Challenge, so here we are with the latest challenge #765. The challenge theme for the next two weeks is

Grandparents / Anything Goes 

There’s a super prize on offer  of 2 Digi images from our sponsor All Dressed Up 

There’s lots of inspiration from the Design Team over in the main challenge blog, so please do pop over to have a look and join in.

Here’s my card for the challenge -  my crafting stash sadly isn’t geared towards grandparent cards, so I went with the option of ‘Anything Goes’.

I cut a 5.5” square of stamping card and stamped the focal flower twice using Pinecone VFC and masking the first flower. I then masked both flowers, masked the edges of the card with low tack tape, then blended a background square with Elements inks and spattered it with water. I removed the tape masking then stamped the background design in Sand Dune, moth in Pinecone and fern leaves in Shady Lane, before removing the flower masks and colouring them with Zig pens. I added white Posca highlights to the flowers and ferns, then stamped the sentiment onto separate card, cut out and attached with 2 stamped birdies sitting on top. I matted the finished piece onto a red border and 6” square card blank.

Stamps: Tracy Evans Boutique Designs TE3 Fern, TE4 New Beginnings, TE27 Insect, TE30 Garden Elements; AALL & Create #533 Bring On the Sentiments;

Media: Lavinia Elements inks (Sahara, Russet Orange); Versafine Clair (Pinecone, Sand Dune, Shady Lane); Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens; Posca pen (white).

Challenges I would like to enter:

Beautiful Blossoms #33 - Anything Floral Goes with optional Mood Board

Card Concept #219 - Inspiration Photo

(I was inspired by the rich red flowers, green leaves, gold background and winged insect)

Crafty Catz #701 - Anything Goes with option Autumn/Fall Colours (2nd entry)

Creative Crafters #92 - Anything Goes 

Double Trouble #201 - 3-2-1 Challenge SomeThing, AyThing, EveryThing

(3 colours of VFC, 2 flowers and birds, 1 sentiment)

Dream Valley #345 - Autumn Colours (2nd entry)

Ellibelle’s Garden Party #7 - Anything In or From a Garden

Love to Scrap #175 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Outlawz Festive Friday (September) - Colours of the Season (2nd entry)

Path of Positivity #133 - Anything Goes Positive (3rd entry)

Word Art Wednesday #718/719 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Thanks again to Jo at the C.R.A.F.T. Challenge for inviting me to be guest designer this time.

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Falling Leaves 🍁🍂

Hi everyone, the weather has been dropping colder here and the leaves are starting to fall - autumn is upon us, so I felt motivated to make a seasonal card. I have had this set of leaf dies since last year and only used them once before, but I really like them so foresee bringing them out on an annual basis! 

I gathered a couple of snippets of white stamping card and made smooshed backgrounds with various autumnal shades of Elements inks, then sprayed the card with a home made gold mica spray. When dry I die cut a variety of leaves and set aside.   I cut a piece of white card 6.75” x 4.75” and masked a border round the edges, then blended Elements and Distress inks to create a lightly coloured panel. I randomly stamped some background script by partially inking a very large old woodblock script stamp I found in my drawer, then stamped the word “autumn”. I arranged and stuck down the cascade of falling leaves then stamped the bird in the corner, stamped again onto separate card, cut out and attached the body on top of the original image. I added the “falling leaves” stamped sentiment then matted the finished piece onto a dark brown border and a 7” x 5” card blank.

Here’s an angled shot to show the gold sheen - I’ve also noticed that I left a couple of the teeny cut outs in the leaves, but I think they’re glued down solid now!

Stamps: AALL & Create #455 Seasons; Tracy Evans Boutique Designs TE4 New Beginnings; Penny Black Letter Background (1999L); Visible Image Erika’s Maple; 

Media: Lavinia Elements inks (Sahara, Russet Orange, Paprika, Olive, Soft Cygnet); Tim Holtz Distress inks (Antique Linen, Vintage Photo); Versafine Clair (Portobello, Sand Dune);

Tools: Unbranded leaf dies from Amazon.

Challenges I would like to enter:

613 Avenue Create (September) - Anything Goes with option Lots of Leaves - TOP ROCKER

As You Like It - Favourite Die (and why)

(Although I’ve only used it a couple of times I love this leaf die set as the leaves are so intricate and work so well with fabulous autumn colours)

Cardz 4 Galz #259 - Dies/Punches

Classic Design Challenge #9 2025 - Anything Goes with option Trees and/or Leaves

Crafty Catz #701 - Anything Goes with option Autumn Colours

Crafty Gals’ Corner #270 - Fill in the Blank - Fall ___

(…ing Leaves)

Creative Artiste #119 - Anything Mixed Media Goes - TOP 3

Cut It Up #339 - It Looks Like Fall

Die Cut Divas (September) - Anything Goes with a Die Cut (2nd entry)

Dream Valley #345 - Autumn Colours

Inspiration Station #77 - Inspiration Photo (2nd entry)

Make My Monday #261 - Autumn Festival/Autumnal Fall

Outlawz Festive Friday (September) - Colours of the Season

Papercraft #122 - Amazing Autumn

Paper Funday #80 - Anything Goes with option Changing Seasons

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

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers #266 - Finally Fall

We Love 2 Create #9 2025 - Anything Mixed Media/Papercrafting Goes (2nd entry)

Word Art Wednesday #718/719 - Anything Goes

I’ve got a small number of additional photos from our holiday in Pula (most photos were on my previous post here). 

Me at Pula amphitheatre

Graham and I at Rovinj

Wedding anniversary dinner by the Temple of Augustus 

Fish and butterflies at Pula aquarium

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

Hugs,

Pine Forest Bauble 🌲

Hi everyone, yesterday afternoon I managed to my first crafting session in three weeks, as I have been completely preoccupied with booking, taking, and sorting myself out after, a last minute holiday. Having never even heard of it until a few weeks ago, we booked a getaway in Pula in Croatia after seeing it feature in a programme on TV. I’ll include a few holiday pics at the end of this post , but first … a card!

Today’s card is closely based on a YouTube tutorial by Heidi the Yorkshire Crafter, but as usual with a few adjustments and twists of my own. The basic premise was an ink blended night sky and tree scene in a bauble using Tracy Evans stamps and stencils. I used an elliptical rather than round bauble stencil (as that’s all I’ve got!) so I changed the card shape from rectangular to square, and as I didn’t have the exact tree by Tracy I substituted with several pine trees by Card-io. My ink colours were similar but not quite the same, and I added a little background stamping around the bauble, primarily to cover a faint smudge on the white card! 🤣

I cut a stitched square of white stamping card from a mid sized snippet, and taped down my bauble stencil and a hill mask. I then blended various shades of blue Distress Oxide to form the sky working outwards from light to dark, and lightly inked in the snowdrift. I then added some blended Twilight VFC at the edges of the sky to make it pop, and lightly blended my palest shade around the bottom edge of the bauble to define it. With the hill mask in place I stamped a few small background trees in 1st and 2nd generation VFC, then added a foreground tree using Twilight. I stamped the teeny mouse from Tracy Evans set TE?? in Nocturne, then grounded the mouse and tree and added a couple more snowdrifts using torn paper and blended Twilight VFC. I added a shadow effect around the bauble by placing the stencil inner on top of the bauble and lightly blending Black Soot DOX around it. 

In her tutorial Heidi created a silver glitter card bauble top by drawing round the stencil and cutting out - but me and craft knives don’t really mix, so I coloured the bauble top with silver Posca pen and blue fine liners, and drew a bauble string. I added some Posca snow to the trees and spatter to the scene, then when dry I stamped the sentiment and a couple of Christmas numbers  in 2nd generation, which I also decorated with Posca snow. I matted the finished piece onto a border of charcoal glitter card (my last large snippet!) and onto a 6” square card blank. 

Stamps: Card-io Pine Forest; Tracy Evans Boutique Designs TE22 Christmas Wishes, TE32 Alpha Florals;

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks (Tumbled Glass, Broken China, Blueprint Sketch, Chipped Sapphire, Black Soot); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Twilight, Morning Mist); Posca pen (white);

Tools: Hunkydory Moonstone Duo-Stitched square die; Tracy Evans Snippet Stencil SS006 Bauble.

Challenges I would like to enter:

12 Months of Christmas #126 - Anything Christmas Goes

ABC Christmas - T is for Trees

Addicted to Stamps & More #502 - Christmas

Crazy Is Our Fame, Stencils Are Our Game (September) - Use a Stencil (2nd entry)- WINNER

Creative Moments #274 - Trees

The Holly and Ivy #192 - Anything Christmas Goes - WINNER

Merry Little Christmas #64 - Anything Christmas Goes

Peace On Earth #96 - Anything Christmas Goes

Rudolph Days (September) - Anything Christmas Goes

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Anything Goes

Snippets Playground #515 - Use Snippets

As mentioned above, we got back at the end of last week from a last minute holiday to celebrate our wedding anniversary, so my previous couple of posts were scheduled while we were away. We had 10 days in Croatia, staying in Pula which is primarily noted for its Roman ruins including an amphitheatre which is fundamentally a smaller version of the Colosseum, and a 2000 year old Roman temple. It was really interesting to see the monuments, and we also had a lovely day trip to the pretty coastal resort of Rovinj plus a visit to  Pula’s amazing Aquarium and turtle rescue centre. We were a bit concerned just before we went by the weather forecast which predicted 4 days of rain, but in the event it only rained for one afternoon and evening - phew!

Here are a few pics from our break.

View from hotel balcony

Pula amphitheatre

Roman arch

Temple of Augustus

Roman Temple and medieval Town Hall

Pula by night

Rovinj

Having had a few days of running around madly getting ready after our last minute booking, and a few days of the obligatory washing and ironing after our return, things are finally settling back down to normal so I guess it’s now time to really start gearing up with the Christmas makes - happy Rudolph Day!

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

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,