Creative Artiste Challenge #132 - Guest Designer 🌺

Hi everyone, today I’m delighted to say I have been invited to be Guest Designer for November on the Creative Artiste Mixed Media Challenge.

The theme for this challenge is always 

*** Anything Mixed Media Goes ***

There is lots of inspiration from the regular design team on the main challenge blog, so please do pop over and have a look.

As I said last time I was a Guest Designer for this challenge back in May last year, I don’t really consider myself to be a mixed media artist as I don’t do any art journaling or 3D projects, and I use only a modest array of different colouring media. However I have again done my best to use multiple media on my card for this challenge, and here it is.

I die cut a wavy stitched square of stamping card and masked the stitched edges. I then randomly brayered Pine, Bermuda and Blue Lagoon Elements inks over the card and spritzed with water. I added background script stamping using Shady Lane VFC, and some soft stencilling with Blue Lagoon Elements. I stamped the focal poinsettia, then stamped again onto separate card and coloured with Zig pens topped with Spectrum Noir sparkle pen, and gold Wink of Stella for the central berries. I stamped the sentiment and added some white Posca “snow”, p,us snow spatters on the panel and the separate flower. Finally I fussy cut the flower and attached to the card before matting onto a card blank.

Here is an angled pic to show the sparkle - it doesn’t show up very well in these dull autumn days! 

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

Media: Lavinia Elements inks (Pine, Bermuda, Blue Lagoon); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Shady Lane); Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens; Wink of Stella (gold); Spectrum Noir sparkle pen (clear); Posca pen (white);

Tools: CraftAddiction UK Wavy Stitched Squares die; AALL & Create stencil #110 - Digits Checked.

Challenges I would like to enter: 

12 Months of Christmas #138 - Anything Goes Christmas (2nd entry)

As You Like It - Favourite Christmas Embellishment (and why)

(I love anything that adds sparkle such as my Spectrum Noir sparkle pen)

Aud Sentiments #343 - Stencils and/or Christmas + a Sentiment

Beautiful Blossoms #46 - Anything Floral Goes

Beccy’s Month of Holiday Cards - D

(Die cut)

C.R.A.F.T. #792 - Christmas (2nd entry)

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

Crafty Catz #723 - Anything Goes  (2nd entry)

Daisy Chain #113 - Christmas and/or Winter

Girlz Creative Christmas #201 - Anything Christmas Goes (2nd entry)

Girlz Rebel #57 - Anything Goes + must use a die cut

Love to Scrap #182 - Anything Goes

Merry Little Christmas #71 - Anything Christmas Goes (2nd entry)

Outlawz Christmas (November) - Anything Christmas Goes

Peace On Earth #123 - Anything Christmas Goes 

Pearly Sparkles #125 - Add Some Sparkle & Shine (2nd entry)

{PIN}spirational #343 - Teal and Red

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

We Love 2 Create #10 - Anything Mixed Media/Papercrafting Goes

Word Art Wednesday #776/777 - Anything Goes (4th entry)

At last I seem to be getting down to business with my Christmas cards, though I’ve still got a very long way to go! 

I’d like to thank Andree from the Creative Artiste challenge for inviting me to be guest designer this time. 

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

I Spy With My Little Eye #41

Hi everyone, September is really flying by, and 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. 

This month it was my turn to choose the theme, which is

I Spy With My Little Eye 

*** Background text ***

Please don’t forget to pop over to Ellie's blog to see her fab creation and link up your entries here.

We are also delighted to welcome Diane as guest designer -  - so please do click on her name to visit her blog and view her beautiful creation.

Here’s my card for the challenge. I always associate background text with a vintage look, though of course that doesn’t have to be the case. I felt inspired to use an AALL & Create set of border stamps I received for my birthday and hadn’t inked up yet, along with a focal flower I don’t think I have ever used even though it is part of a set I’ve had for a long time!

I cut a piece of stamping card 6.5” x 4.5” and created a smooshed background by applying dye inks using acetate spritzed with water. I then stamped the focal flower using Nocturne Versafine Clair, and the background text and film strip using Morning Mist. I stamped the script and butterfly again in Nocturne onto separate card, then coloured the flower and butterfly using Zig pens, and highlighted the flower with white pastel pencil. I added some background stencilling with Della Blue Elements ink, then added a sentiment sticker with two stamped birdies sitting on top. I matted the panel onto a purple border and a 7” x 5” card blank, then to finish I fussy cut and attached the butterfly on top of the original stamping, and added Spectrum Noir sparkle pen to the wings.

Stamps: AALL & Create #648 Friendship Florals, TP-1334 Splatter Film; Tracy Evans Boutique Designs TE30 Garden Elements;

Media: Lavinia Elements ink (Della Blue); Spectrum Noir Harmony dye ink (Pale Fig);  Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Morning Mist); Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens; Spectrum Noir sparkle pen (clear); Posca pen (white); pastel pencil (white); 

Tools: Tim Holtz Dot Fade stencil.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Ally’s Angels #110 - Anything Goes

Beautiful Blossoms #45 - Anything Floral Goes

Crafts Galore Encore #151 - Anything Goes - TOP PICK

Crafty Catz #719 - Anything Goes

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

Creative Crafters #104 - Anything Goes

Creative Inspiration #42 - Anything Goes (2nd entry) - TOP 3

DL.Art (September) - Anything Goes

Dragonfly Dreams (September) - Monochromatic 

Ellibelle’s Garden Party #19 - Anything In or From a Garden

NBUS #90 - Use Your Never-Before-Used Schtuff

(‘Splatter Film’ background stamp)

Neglected Stuff (September) - Use Neglected Supplies - WINNER

(the main floral image)

Paper Funday #91 - Anything Goes

Path of Positivity #143 - Anything Goes Positive

Sparkles #204 - Your Favourite Technique

(ink smooshing)

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

Word Art Wednesday #770/771 - Anything Goes

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 18th, and the next challenge will begin on Wednesday October 21st.

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Siren of Spring

Hi everyone, today I would like to share another card I made recently using some new birthday stash from AALL & Create. When placing my order I chose a couple of floral stamps, but decided to also go for something a bit different to ring the changes, and selected this quirky lady stamp set designed by Soizic. I was a bit unsure, but when she arrived and I started to play with her I was very pleased with the results. This card was actually very straightforward to make, and came together quite quickly. She is called ‘Siren of Spring’ but I think she is actually perfect for a summer card.

I die cut a wavy stitched square of white card, then stamped the focal lady to the left and the cascading flowers from the same set down the right hand side, thus leaving a space for a sentiment. I coloured the stamps with Zig pens, largely following the colour scheme on the packaging, and added some sparkle pen to the flowers. I had to hunt around in my stash for an old long and thin birthday sentiment which would neatly fit the blank space, and fortunately I found it! I blended some Elements ink around the stitched border then matted the panel onto a 6” square card blank. To finish I added some coordinating teeny heart gems beneath the sentiment.

Stamps: AALL & Create TP-1398 Siren of Spring; Hero Arts Special Birthday;

Media: Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Blue Belle); Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens; Lavinia Elements ink (Blue Lagoon); Spectrum Noir sparkle pen (clear);

Tools: Craft Addiction UK Double Wavy Stitched Squares die.

Challenges I would like to enter: 

AAA Colourful #29 - Colour Board

Ally’s Angels #107 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Art Nudge (June) - Colour boards

(I have used most of the colours in colour board C)

Craft Rocket #137 - Birthday (2nd entry)

Crafts Galore Encore #148 - Anything Goes (2nd entry) - DT FAVOURITE

Creative Crafters #101 - Anything Goes  (2nd entry)

Creative Inspiration #39 - Anything Goes (2nd entry) - WINNER

Creative Moments #283 - Pastels or Brights (2nd entry)

Fab ‘n’ Funky #640 - Something Beginning with B

(Birthday, blooms)

Heart’s Quest #86 - Anything with a Heart Goes

Heart’s Quest Celebrations of Love #30 - Birthdays (3rd entry)

Passion for Markers #843 - Anything Goes

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday #758/759 - Anything Goes 

I have an update on my Gemini die cutting machine woes! I eventually managed to source 2 new ‘white’ A4 cutting plates (which supersede the original clear ones) and a magnetic shim, but there is no plastic shim to be had anywhere! I have tried to flatten the original one by weighting it down in boiling water, but not terribly successfully. I then followed a hack I saw online and taped the plastic shim to one of my new cutting plates to try to keep it flat - again only with partial success. Last week I tried die cutting some stitched squares and they came out with awful pressure marks on the card - I wasn’t happy! Eventually I followed a tip I had read somewhere to place the dies at an angle when cutting, and this seemed to work much better, though large frames etc. are still a bit wavy. Mind you, I’m not sure how well that will work when I want to nest dies symmetrically to make a frame! 

To be honest I’m pretty disgusted that Crafter’s Companion could produce such an expensive due cutting machine then within 3 or 4 years the replaceable plates be no longer available. If I had known then what I know now I would never have bought this machine, but at the price I don’t really feel I can justify jettisoning it altogether. At this rate for any dies smaller than 6” I will be reverting to my trusty ancient Cuttlebug ! (yes I do still have it in the back of my craft cupboard!) Anyway, enough of that … it’s just too hot to get hot and bothered about it!

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Rosey Daze

Hi everyone, I mentioned in a recent post that I had been the lucky recipient of a birthday gift voucher for AALLv& Create. Well, I placed my order (as you do), and my goodies duly dropped through the letter box. Two of the stamp sets I ordered were vintage style florals, and I have to confess they were a tad smaller than I had visualised, which set me wondering how best to use them. Then it came to me … a triptych card! Here it is.

I die cut the triptych base card from cream linen cardstock, and the three stamping panels from cream stamping card. I created a smooshed background on the stamping panels, then stamped the two focal roses using Portobello Versafine Clair. I coloured the flowers with Tim Holtz Distress watercolour pencils, then added random background stamping above and below the two images using Sand Dune VFC and a couple of Tracy Evans background stamps. I further added some script stamping below each image using Portobello VFC, and also background stamped onto my central panel. I stamped the sentiment onto a separate offcut of smooshed card, edged all the panels with Scorched Timber Distress Oxide, then attached the sentiment to the central panel. I die cut 3 mats from red cardstock then matted the stamped panels and attached to the card base. To finish I stamped a few spatters from another of my new A&C stamp sets.

The colour scheme for this card was inspired by a colour chart challenge in a FB craft group that I’m part of - Heidi the Yorkshire Crafter.

Stamps: AALL & Create TP-1251 Rosey Daze, TP-1249 Petal Pop (spatters), #906 Art Notes; Tracy Evans Boutique Designs TE11 Background Elements; Visible Image Sketched Tulips (script); Penny Black …dreams… (PB 2711F);

Media: Lavinia Elements ink (Soft Cygnet); Versafine Clair (Portobello, Sand Dune); Tim Holtz Distress Watercolour pencils; Tim Holtz Distress Oxide ink (Scorched Timber); Posca pen (white);

Tools: Studio Light triptych die set.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Beautiful Blossoms #42 - Anything Floral Goes with optional Mood Board - WINNER

Crafter’s Cafe (June) - Anything Goes with option Blooms

Creative Artiste #127 - Anything Mixed Media Goes (2nd entry)

Creative Colour Girlz #5 - Flowers (2nd entry)

A Cut Above (June) - Anything Goes with a Die Cut (2nd entry)

Daisy Chain #108 - Not Square - TOP 3

Die Cut Divas (June) - Anything Goes with die cuts (3rd entry)

Fab ‘n’ Funky #639 - Summer Flowers (2nd entry)

Heart’s Quest Lovable Quotables #5 - Use a Quote

Heart’s Quest Shaped Cards or Tags #18 - Shaped Card or Tag - TOP PICK

Heidi the Yorkshire Crafter - Colour Challenge

Let’s Craft and Create #232 - Anything Goes with option Penny For Your Thoughts 

Moving Along With the Times #190 - Use Your Favourite Stamp, Die or Tool

(I have so many … but my triptych die is definitely right up there! )

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

Unicorn #121 - Flowers (2nd entry)

We Love 2 Create #4 2026 - Anything Mixed Media/Papercrafting Goes

Word Art Wednesday #756/757 - Anything Goes (4th entry)

It looks like we are finally due for a spell of hot summery weather here in the UK - hope you enjoy your weekend, whatever you’re doing.

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

C.R.A.F.T. #777 - Guest Designer

Hi everyone, I’m here again with another guest designer card for this fortnight’s C.R.A.F.T. Challenge - that’s twice on the trot! The theme for the next two weeks is 

*** Seasons / Weather / Anything Goes ***

The fabulous sponsor for this challenge is Polkadoodles 

.. who are offering a fab prize of 3 Digi images from their store.

The design team have made some gorgeous projects to inspire you, so please do visit the challenge blog to check them out, and to link up your own entries. 

Here is my card for the challenge - I decided to make a cheerful spring card, using a beautiful Tracy Evans spring floral stamp which I bought last year but hadn’t inked up until now. 

I took a snippet of white stamping card and stamped the focal flower, then stamped some coordinating script beneath it from an older large Tracy Evans stamp. I coloured the flowers and background with Zig pens , blending out the background with my Zig blending pen, then added Wink of Stella on the flower petals and white Posca spatters. I die cut a large frame from a snippet of green gingham paper, then cut my image snippet to size and attached behind the aperture. I stamped the sentiment onto separate card then die cut, edged with green ink and attached, and attached the finished panel to a card blank. I felt it still needed something else, so I retrieved an experimental coloured flower from the bin, fussy cut it out and attached in the top right corner. I then added a couple of stamped bunnies to finish and highlighted them with white pastel pencil.

Stamps: Tracy Evans Boutique Designs TE47 Wild and Free, TE32 Alpine Florals; AALL & Create #266 Daisy Elegance; Penny Back Spring Magic (2852C);

Media: Versafine Clair (Nocturne): Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens; Lavinia Elements ink (Line Punch); Wink of Stella (clear); Posca pen (white); pastel pencil (white);

Papers: from my stash;

Tools: Hunkydory Moonstone Duo- Stitched square dies.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Beautiful Blossoms #39 - Anything Floral Goes (3rd entry)

Card Concept #225 - Spring Flowers (2nd entry)

Creative Moments #280 - Bunnies and Blooms (3rd entry)

Paper Players #779 - Tic Tac Toe

(Die cut / Flowers / Layers)

Papercraft #128 - Joy of Spring (3rd entry)

Passion for Markers #831 - Dies and/or Punches

Sparkles #198 - It’s Springtime! (3rd entry)

Snippets Playground #529 - Use Snippets

Sweet Stampin’ - Spring or Easter (2nd entry) - TOP 3

Word Art Wednesday #746/747 - Anything Goes 

Thanks very much to the C.R.A.F.T. challenge Design Team for asking me to be guest designer again this time.

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

I Spy With My Little Eye #34

Hi everyone, it’s the third Wednesday of February, so it’s time once again for the  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 You Love ***

The possibilities are almost endless with this theme - craft supplies, technique or tool that you love to use … or maybe your favourite colour, animal or even season! We look forward to seeing your makes! Please don’t forget to pop over to Ellie's blog to see her fab creation and link up your entries here.

We are also delighted to have Chris joining us as guest designer this month - please do click on her name to visit her blog and take a look at her fantastic creation.

Here’s my card for the challenge. There are many things I love in crafting, though my lack of mojo recently has made me struggle a bit to connect with them. I decided to go with my love of Tracy Evans stamps, inky backgrounds, random background stamping and my favourite stitched dies.

I cut a large piece of white stamping card, and created an inky background by first blending patches of various shades of pink and orange Distress Oxide, then lightly brayering the same shades on top, then spattering with water. Finally I brayered some white acrylic paint on top to soften the overall look. I randomly stamped various background stamps using 2nd generation Summertime and Charming Pink VFC, and added some further stamping using Versamark hear embossed with white embossing powder. I completed the background by adding some stencilling using Hickory Smoke DOX, then die cut a large stitched rectangle.

I then die cut a smaller stitched rectangle, and stamped the focal flower using Summertime and Charming Pink VFC. I added a little pencil shading to give depth, then added white Posca accents. I added a little background stamping and stencilling, then attached to the background panel. I stamped the sentiment onto separate card, cut out and attached, then added a teeny stamped mouse. Finally I edged the finished panel with blended Hickory Smoke DOX to add depth, then matted onto a 7” x 5” card blank.

Stamps: Tracy Evans Boutique Designs TE32 Alpha Florals, TE11 Background Elements; AALL & Create #756 Miniatures, #906 Art Notes; Uniko Simply Said Blocks II;

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks (Kitsch Flamingo, Picked Raspberry, Fossilized Amber, Spiced Marmalade, Persimmon, Hickory Smoke); Versafine Clair (Summertime, Charming Pink, Nocturne); Versamark; WOW. Opaque White ultra fine detail embossing powder; Posca pen (white); acrylic paint (white);

Tools: Hunkydory Moonstone Duo-Stitched Rectangle dies; AALL & Create stencil #110 Digits Checked.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Ally’s Angels #103 - Anything Goes

Cardz 4 Galz #269 - Hugs and Kisses (3rd entry)

Craft Rocket #133 - Flowers

Crafts Galore Encore #144 - Anything Goes 

Crazy Is Our Fame, Stencils are our Game (February) - Use a Stencil with option Create Your Own Background

Creative Artiste #123 - Anything Mixed Media Goes 

DL.Art (February) - Anything Goes

Double D (February) - Signs of Love (Hugs)

Girlz Creative Splash It With Colour #15 - Orange and/or Pink

Moving Along with the Times #186 - Floral

Papercraft #127 - Hearts and Hugs

Sisterhood of Crafters (February) - Stitching

Sparkles #197 - Vintage / Mixed Media 

We Love 2 Create #1 2026 - Anything Mixed Media / Papercrafting Goes

Word Art Wednesday #740/741 - Anything Goes 

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 15th, and the next challenge will begin on Wednesday March 18th.

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

I Spy With My Little Eye #33

Hi everyone, after our little break during December, it’s already the third Wednesday of January so it’s time for the first  I Spy With My Little Eye... challenge of 2026 over at Ellibelle's Corner. Thanks so much to everyone who joined in last time with the November challenge - please do check over on Ellie’s blog to see if you are one of our top picks. 

I chose the challenge theme this month, and it is

I Spy With My Little Eye 

*** New Beginnings ***

So think new home, new baby or new job … or you could always go with new stash or a new crafting technique. We look forward to seeing your makes! Please don’t forget to pop over to Ellie's blog to see her fab creation and link up your entries here.

We are also restarting our monthly guest designer spots for 2026, and this month are delighted to be joined by Carol and Helen - please click on their names to visit their blogs and see their gorgeous cards.

Here’s my card for the challenge. It is also my first card of the year, as I haven’t done any crafting for the past three weeks for various reasons that I’ll touch on later. I don’t really have any need for new baby or new home cards, and I didn’t receive any new stamps for Christmas, so I decided to take this theme in a different direction. I love seeing snowdrops as we enter the New Year, as for me they really do symbolise regeneration and ‘new beginnings’. So that formed the basis of my design - here it is.

I die cut a stitched rectangle of white card and stamped the focal snowdrop, which is a beautiful retired stamp by Tracy Evans for AALL & Create. I then masked the flower with masking fluid, and created a smooshed background by dabbing Elements inks onto acetate and spritzing with water. I added some background text and grunge stamping, then inked through a harlequin stencil in one corner and heat embossed with white powder. I removed the masking fluid and coloured the snowdrop with Zig pens and Spectrum Noir sparkle pen, then added a heat embossed sentiment which was stamped onto a separate snippet of card, and two stamped birdies with a teeny heart gem. Finally I matted the panel onto a teal border and a 7” x 5” card blank.

Stamps: AALL & Create #623 Elegant Spring Florals, #648 Friendship Florals, #756 Miniatures; Tracy Evans Boutique Designs TE30 Garden Elements;

Media: Lavinia Elements inks (Blue Lagoon, Pine); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Morning Mist, Very Peri); Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens; Spectrum Noir Sparkle pen (clear); Versamark; WOW Opaque Ultra Fine white embossing powder;

Tools: Hunkydory Moonstone Duo-Stitched rectangle die; Darkroom Door small stencil - Diamonds.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Beautiful Blossoms #37 -  Anything Floral Goes

C.R.A.F.T. #771 - Anything Goes

Crafty Catz #705 - Anything Goes

Crazy Is Our Fame, Stencils are our Game (January) - Use a Stencil

Creative Inspirations (January) - Anything Goes

Dragonfly Dreams (January) - Floral

Everybody Art #592 - Anything Goes

Four Seasons (January) - Winter

Girlz Rebel #48 - Anything Goes

Heart’s Quest #81 - Anything Goes with a Heart

Moving Along With the Times #185 - Use Stencils and/or Dies

Papercraft #126 - Anything Goes

Path of Positivity #137 - Anything Goes Positive

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Emboss It

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

Try It On Tuesday - Add Some Text

Word Art Wednesday #736/737 - Anything Goes

I have to say it’s been a bit of a difficult start to the year - problems always seem to come along in convoy like buses! I’ve been wrestling with one or two health niggles over the past few weeks, and since New Year we have been thrust into a domestic drama as our (only) bathroom shower stopped working: the solution isn’t remotely straightforward so is likely to result in a huge amount of expense, stress, inconvenience and mess! I think the stress of everything came together to create a perfect storm, as last week I started to feel unwell and ended up in A&E being checked over potential heart problems! Thankfully my symptoms weren’t down to that, but it seems that anxiety had got a grip of me! Now I’m trying to rest and hoping I’ll soon be feeling better.

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 February 15th, and the next challenge will begin on Wednesday February 18th.

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,