Merry Christmas Everyone! 🎄🎄

Hi everyone, I’m just popping by with a scheduled post to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. I hope you have a happy, joyful and peaceful time with loved ones, and find time to relax and have fun.

I know that Christmas can be a difficult time for some people, particularly if you or your loved ones are ill, if you have lost loved ones during the year, or if you do not have family and friends to spend the festive season with. If you are having difficult times I wish you all the best, and I hope you will be able to enjoy the season as much as possible for your circumstances, and that you will have better times ahead.

I will be spending Christmas quietly - just me and my husband  - but I hope to have an enjoyable time eating, drinking and relaxing while watching some festive TV! Here is the card I made for him - I always wait to publish it until he has opened it on Christmas morning!

I decided to make a variation on my Lavinia mega-project which I made a month ago during my DT stint on the Simon Says (Monday) challenge (here). I just had to use the adorable Pipspell and the fairy post box, though this time, in the interests of making a more masculine card, I didn’t include a fairy!

I cut a 7” square of white stamping card, stamped the focal Wishing Post post box, and then masked it. I added masks for the landscape and moon, then created the sky by blending Elements inks. With the masks still in place I stamped a variety of pine trees in 1st/2nd generation, then added snow drifts by blending ink using my hill masks. I stamped Pipspell, and opposite I stamped Basil holding the orb on a branch. I also stamped Tilly (or Tango?) dangling joyfully from the postbox - this is one of my favourite stamps as he/she always looks so joyfully abandoned when hanging upside down! 

I stamped some Starpine and Sugar Pine Cones in the top right corner, then coloured the Wishing Post, Pipspell, Pinecones and orbs with Zig pens. I added Wink of Stella to the orbs for sparkle, and also added it in flicking motions to the Starpine leaves. I added white Posca snow lines to the scene and topped them with Spectrum Noir sparkle pen for a more silvery sparkle. I cut out a teeny rectangle of card and drew on it with fineliner to represent a stamp and loving message on the front of an envelope, then popped it into Tilly’s paw.

 I matted the panel onto two shades of blue card stock and an 8” square card blank, then stamped the sentiments onto separate card,  coloured with Sakura Stardust pen, then edged with dark blue and attached. Finally I added Posca snowfall.

This is another very sparkly card which doesn’t show up on the photos! 

Stamps: Lavinia Wishing Post, Mailbox Names, Pipspell, Tilly and Tango, Basil and Bibi, Everlight 2, Small Pine Trees, Small Fairy Fir Tree 2, Christmas Tree Group, Starpine, Sugar Pine Cones, Winter Foliage, Christmas Greetings, Seasonal Words; Uniko Christmas Greetings (inside);

Media: Lavinia Elements inks (Pink Elephant, Della Blue, Dark Denim); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Pinecone, Rainforest, Shady Lane, Avocado, Medieval Blue); Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens; Wink of Stella (clear, gold); Spectrum Noir sparkle pen (clear); Sakura Stardust pen (clear); Posca pen (white);

Tools: Lavinia acetate circle mask and Mini Hill Masks.

Challenges I would like to enter:

12 Months of Christmas #129 - Anything Goes Christmas (5th entry)

52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Pick a Previous Theme Challenge (3rd entry) - HONOURABLE MENTION

(I picked December - Winter Scene)

613 Avenue Create (December) - Anything Goes with option Sparkle and Shine (4th entry)

Ally’s Angels #101 - Anything Goes

Cardz 4 Guyz #381 - Christmas Critters

Country View FB Challenge (December) - Christmas (4th entry)

Craftlandia #25 - Snowflakes (3rd entry)

Crafts Galore Encore #142 - Anything Goes (3rd entry)

Creatalicious #296 - Anything Goes with option Winter Animals (2nd entry)

Creative Crafters #95 - Anything Goes - TOP 3

Everybody Art #591 - Christmas/New Year (2nd entry)

FarmQuest Country Christmas #27 - Anything Country Christmas Goes (2nd entry)

FarmQuest General Store #35 - Anything Farm and/or Country Goes (2nd entry) - TOP 3

Girlz Makes Guyz #34 - Anything Goes Male

Girlz Rebel #47 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Inkspirational #357 - Cold (3rd entry)

Krafty Chicks #800 - Masculine

Lavinia Creative Challenge (December) - Story Time

Passion for Markers #818 - Mega Christmas Challenge: Add a Sentiment (3rd entry)

Peace On Earth #102 - Anything Christmas Goes (3rd entry)

Rudolph Days (December) - Christmas

Simon Says (Monday) - Sparkle and Shine (2nd entry)

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Add a Sentiment

We Love 2 Create #11 2025 - Anything Papercrafting/Mixed Media Goes (2nd entry)

Word Art Wednesday #730/733 - Anything Goes (4th entry)

This is my last post of a new card for 2025 as I am now taking a seasonal break from crafting, though I’m hoping to find time next week to do a ‘year in review’ post. So I’d like to finish by once again  thanking all my visitors and blogging friends  for all your visits, kind comments and support during the year, and to wish you all a

🎄🎄🎄 Very Merry Christmas 🎄🎄🎄

and a

🥳🎉🥳 Happy New Year 🥳🎉🥳

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Merry Christmas Everyone

Hi everyone, Christmas Day is here at last, so I’m following one of my annual traditions of scheduling a post for the card I made for my husband, as I never publish it before I’ve handed it over to him on Christmas morning 😀🎄

This year I was inspired by Lavinia’s  latest Christmas robins Bobby and Jemima. I think I’ve mentioned previously that I didn’t think I liked them when they were first released, but as I have seen more and more beautiful makes with them and various colouring options they have really grown on me. I’ve only used them a couple of times before, so I’m still very much at the experimental stage with colouring them but I thought I’d give it a go! 

Originally I was hoping to produce a card using the beautiful techniques from a tutorial by Lisa Taggart, but I couldn’t get the watercolour background to work for me no matter how hard I tried, so I decided to go in a different direction and make a mistletoe wreath (what else for a romantic card?) to host the robins. 

I cut a 6” square of white stamping card (it was meant to be slightly bigger but after a couple of failed attempts I measured it wrongly and didn’t realise until later!) and created a circle using a mask and blended Elements inks. I stamped the branch (with leaves wiped clean of ink) and robins using Pinecone VFC, then added Mini Holly leaves in 1st/2nd generation using Rain Forest VFC. I stamped a wreath of Christmas Mistletoe around the circle using Grass Green VFC and I filled the gaps with 2nd generation Mini Mistletoe, then added a further piece of Mini Mistletoe in Bobby’s beak and some little hearts ❤️.

 I coloured the robins and branch using a mixture of Zig pens and white Signo pen, the holly berries with red Signo pen topped with Sakura Stardust pen, the mistletoe berries with white Posca pen topped with Spectrum Noir sparkle pen, and the mini mistletoe with clear Sakura Stardust pen. I added white Posca snow on the branch topped with Stickles, and Posca falling snowflakes. I matted the panel onto a green frame and 8” square card blank, and finished by stamping, cutting out and attaching the sentiments. Unfortunately I was rather rushing by the end so have suffered bleed through of colour on the snow on the branch and a couple of the snowflakes, which no amount of touching up has covered! Luckily my husband just loves the fact that I make him a card, and knows that I did my best! 🥰

Stamps: Lavinia Bobby, Jemima, Vine Branch, Christmas Mistletoe, Mini Mistletoe, Mini Holly, Group of Hearts Mini; Uniko Christmas Wishes, Fizzy Moon For Him;

Media: Lavinia Elements ink (Della Blue, Dark Denim); Versafine Clair (Pinecone, Rain Forest,  Grass Green, Strawberry, Nocturne); Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens; Signo pens (white, red); Sakura Stardust pens (clear, red); Posca pen (white); Spectrum Noir sparkle pens (clear): Stickles glitter glue.

Challenges I would like to enter:

613 Avenue Create (December) - Anything Goes with option Any Winter Holiday (3rd entry)

As You Like It (December) - Anything Christmassy (3rd entry)

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

Creatalicious #284 - Anything Goes with option Christmas (3rd entry)

Creative Crafting Uncles #60 - Christmas and/or Happy New Year (3rd entry)

Festive Friday (December) - Christmas (3rd entry)

Inspired By #315 - Christmas (2nd entry)

Lavinia Creative Challenge (December) - Snow Is Falling (3rd entry - picture without sentiments)

The Male Room #193 - Anything Goes

Papercraft #113 - Under the Mistletoe - TOP 3

Peace On Earth #78 - Anything Christmas Goes (3rd entry)

Pearly Sparkles #102 - Christmas (2nd entry)

Rudolph Days (December) - Anything Christmas Goes

Simon Says (Monday) - Cold and Frosty

Sweet Stampin’ (December) - Christmas Creations (3rd entry)

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

Word Art Wednesday #679/680 - Anything Goes (3rd entry)

I’m taking a little blogging break now until after New Year, so I’d just like to thank everyone who has visited my blog and left kind comments during the year - I really appreciate your support. 

Finally I would like to wish to all those who celebrate it a very Merry Christmas, and to everyone a happy, healthy, peaceful and creative New Year xx ❤️

Hugs,

Snow Dome

Hi everyone, Christmas is fast approaching now … how are your preparations coming along? I have mostly finished making my Christmas cards - I just need to make a few more CAS ones for the neighbours and my husband’s card which I always seem to leave until the last minute! This is the last of this year’s posted cards for other close family/friends, which is for my husband’s aunt. It’s my first outing for the Moon Jar sticker stencil to make a dome, though I have previously used the base when making a smaller round snow globe here.

I cut a piece of white stamping card and attached the sticker stencil “outer” then used the “inner” to mask the base which I shaded with Scorched Timber Distress Oxide. I then created the dome with blended Elements ink. I added a few snowdrifts with blended Elements and mini hill masks, then stamped the tree + Annie and Edward. I added a star to the top of the tree stamped in Versamark and heat embossed gold, then added mini holly round the top and base of the dome, and a couple of fairy foragers. I coloured the tree with fine brushstrokes of Pine and Olive Elements topped with Spectrum Noir sparkle pen. I drew baubles in the fairies’ hands with black fineliner, then coloured the tree baubles and holly berries with Posca sparkle pens, and the fairy wings with Sakura stardust pens. I added a few white Signo and Posca highlights, then my sentiments in black, highlighted with Sakura Stardust pen. 

I couldn’t resist adding a couple of tiny robins which I stamped in Sand Dune then coloured with Zig pens and white Signo pen - I rather wished I hadn’t done that afterwards as I need quite a bit more practice colouring them but never mind! I added some Posca snowflakes falling and gathering at the base of the dome, and after matting onto a green frame and C5 card blank I added a little red bow to finish.

It’s another sparkly one …

Stamps: Lavinia Christmas Joy, Annie and Edward, Fairy Foragers, Mini Holly, Small Robins, Seasonal Words, Christmas Greetings;

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide ink (Scorched Timber); Lavinia Elements inks (Della Blue, Pine, Olive); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Shady Lane, Rainforest, Acorn, Sand Dune); Versamark; WOW gold metallic embossing powder; Posca sparkle pens (red, yellow, green); Posca pen (white); Sakura Stardust pens (red, yellow, clear); Spectrum Noir sparkle pen (clear); Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens;

Tools: Lavinia sticker stencils set 9 - Moon Jars, White Orbs stencil, acetate Mini Hill masks.

Challenges I would like to enter:

As You Like It - Anything Christmassy

Cardz 4 Galz #240 - Christmas 

Christmas Crafts All Year Round (December) - Bows, Gifts or Decorations (2nd entry) - TOP PICK

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

Creatalicious #284 - Anything Goes with option Christmas

Creative Crafting Uncles #60 - Christmas and/or Happy New Year

Creative Inspirations (December) - Let It Snow! (2nd entry)

Creative Moments #265 - Sparkle and Shine (2nd entry) - TOP 3

Double Trouble #181 - Anything Goes with option Use a Bow (2nd entry)

Festive Fridays (December) - Christmas (2nd entry)

Heart’s Quest Fantasy Challenge #12 2024 - Anything Fantasy Goes (2nd entry) - WINNER

Inkspirational #331 - Use Stencils

Lavinia Creative Challenge (December) - Snow Is Falling (2nd entry)

My Time To Craft #549 - Something Snow Related

Peace On Earth #78 - Anything Christmas Goes

Sisterhood of Crafters - Christmas (2nd entry)

Sadly some of our Christmas preps have been a bit derailed due to the storm damage last weekend, so my husband had some painting and fence mending to do and consequently we are a bit late getting our Christmas decs up this year. Nonetheless it’s starting to feel pretty Christmassy now!

Take care and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Happy Christmas … may your heart be filled with joy!

Hi everyone, this is a scheduled post today as I would like to share the Christmas card I made for my darling husband, which I never publish until I have given it to him on Christmas morning. 

I would also like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas - I hope you have a wonderful day whatever you’re doing.

I decided to make another joyful Lavinia scene, with Tilly and Tango dancing around as they decorate the Christmas tree, though this time they are carrying baubles rather than lanterns! This is an 8" square card, so plenty of room to build up my scene with the imposing Wild Pine Christmas tree! It took me several hours to make this, but I am pleased with how it turned out so I hope he will like it!

I cut a 7" square of stamping card and created my background snowdrifts and sky by blending Della Blue Elements ink using hill and circle masks. I then stamped the focal tree "Wild Pine" in Shady Lane and Pinecone Versafine Clair, and the mice in Pinecone. I added a variety of background trees in 1st/2nd generation stamping, then stamped a fence and gate in Acorn VFC and added a little robin by stamping a bird in Acorn VFC then coloured the red breast with a red Signo pen and added white gel pen to his tummy. 

I coloured the main tree by painting with watered down Olive Elements ink in flicking motions, added a wash of Wink of Stella, then coloured the tree baubles with blue, yellow and green Posca sparkle pens. I added a star on top of the tree stamped with Brilliance gold ink. I added baubles being held by the mice by drawing small circles with black fine liner  using my Lavinia White Orbs stencil, then drew the bauble top and string and coloured the baubles with Sakura Stardust pens. I added some overhanging branches in the top left corner, and added snow to them with a white gel pen, then added a small lantern sitting on the fence post and created the lamplight with yellow Stardust pen. I highlighted the moon and background trees with clear Stardust pen and added snow to the drifts, fence and gate with white Posca pen, then added white gel pen and pastel pencil highlights to the mice. 

Finally I added a highlight of Spectrum Noir sparkle pen to the moon and matted the finished piece onto green linen card stock and an 8" square card blank. I then decided to add some embossed and some Posca snowflakes (which made the card go wrinkly so I had to place it under a pile of books to flatten out!!) and stamped my sentiments.

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

As this is a special Christmas card I also decorated the inside, with Tilly and Tango in a frenzy of excitement with their Christmas baubles!!

Stamps: Lavinia Wild Pine, Small Pine Trees, Christmas Tree Group, Red Pine (small), Fern Branch, Tilly and Tango, Gate and Fence, Bird Collection, Small Lanterns; North Star Mini, Snowflakes (Small), Snowflakes; sentiments - Uniko Christmas Wishes, Woodware Christmas Sparkle. 

Media: Lavinia Elements inks (Della Blue, Olive); Versafine Clair (Shady Lane, Pinecone, Acorn, Morning Mist, Medieval Blue, Nocturne); Brilliance pigment ink (Galaxy Gold); Versamark; detail white embossing powder; Posca Sparkle pens (blue, yellow, green); Sakura Stardust pens (turquoise, yellow, clear); fine liner pen (black); Wink of Stella; Spectrum Noir sparkle pen (clear);  Signo pen (red); gel pen (white); Posca pen (white); 

Tools: Lavinia Mini Hill Masks, Hill Masks, Circle masks, White Orbs stencil.

Challenges I would like to enter:

12 Months of Christmas #107 - Anything Goes Christmas (3rd entry)

613 Avenue Create (December) - Anything Goes with option Any Winter Holiday (3rd entry) - TOP ROCKER

ABC Christmas - Y is for Your Choice (Anything Goes) (3rd entry)

Allsorts #760/761 - Cold and Ice

Christmas Craft Creations (December) - Christmas Decorations

Christmas Crafts All Year Round (December) - Anything Christmas Goes (3rd entry)

Crafting Happiness #154 - Christmas Trees

Crafty Calendar (December) - Christmas (3rd entry) - TOP PICK

Creative Aunts #84 - Christmas Magic

Creative Crafting Uncles #48 - Christmas and/or Happy New Year 

(3rd entry)

Creative Inspirations (December) - Happy Christmas (3rd entry)

Daring Cardmakers - Bauble

Double D - Winter Snow Scene 

(2nd entry)

Dragonfly Dreams (December) - Christmas (3rd entry)

Dream Valley #306 - Anything Goes (3rd entry)

The Holly and Ivy #153 - Anything Christmas Goes (3rd entry)

Inkspirational #305 - Celebrate 

(2nd entry)

Lavinia Creative Challenge (December) -The Magic of Christmas (5th entry)

(version of card without sentiment)

Most Magical Time of the Year #15 - Christmas (3rd entry) - TOP PICK

Peace On Earth #54 - Anything Christmas Goes 

(3rd entry) - WINNER

Simon Says (Monday) - Let It Snow 

(2nd entry)

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Party Time!

Word Art Wednesday #627/628 - 

Anything Goes 

(3rd entry)

I’m going to be taking a little break from crafting and blogging now until after New Year so I can hopefully spend some quality time with husband, friends and family. We are having a quiet day today, just the 2 of us, but have some plans to get together with friends over the festive period.

So to all my blogging friends and followers, wishing you a very happy, healthy and peaceful Christmas and a Happy New Year, and I look forward to seeing you all in 2024.

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Merry Christmas everyone! Today I would like to share the Christmas card I made for my husband, which I never publish ahead of him opening it on Christmas Day.

This card is quite similar to a few others I have made this year though it is bigger (8" x 8") ... a sparkly Christmas scene. I have deliberately incorporated both Santa's sleigh and a squirrel ... my husband loves wildlife generally and adores squirrels!

I cut a large square of stamping card and created my background with Distress Oxide inks and circle and hill masks. I then stamped the trees, background script and Santa sleigh using a variety of shades of ink and 1st/2nd generation stamping, and stamped the squirrel  building up the colour gradually with different inks on my stamping platform. I added a little fence and gate for a bit more interest, then highlighted everything with my Sakura Stardust pen, and the snow banks with holographic glitter and my Spectrum Noir glitter brush pen. I matted the finished panel onto glitter card and an old LotV paper, then added my stamped sentiment panels plus a teeny gem. Finally I added my Posca pen "snowflakes" ... it ended up snowing a bit more heavily than I anticipated!!  Here is an angled pic to show the sparkle!

I also stamped the inside of the card, to make it a bit more special for him!

... and the envelope ...

Stamps: Lavinia Fairy Fir Tree 2, Fairy Fir Tree (Small), Red Pine (Small), Christmas Tree Group, Red Squirrel, Cedar (cone), Gate and Fence, Winter Magic; Visible Image Christmas Eve (sleigh, stars, moon), Uniko Christmas Wishes (sentiment); Me to You (husband sentiment);

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks (Stormy Sky, Chipped Sapphire); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Twilight, Medieval Blue, Morning Mist, Pinecone); Versafine (Vintage Sepia);  Spectrum Noir Harmony die ink  (Bordeaux); Sakura Stardust pen (clear); Spectrum Noir glitter brush pen (clear); Posca pen (white);

Papers: LotV.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Christmas Crafts All Year Round (December) - Waiting for Santa - TOP PICK

Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge #626 - Anything Christmas Goes

Festive Fridays - Christmas

The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge #130 - Anything Christmas Goes (2nd entry)

Lost Coast Portal to Creativity #157 - Something Seasonal (6th entry)

Sheepski #69 - ‘Tis the Season (3rd entry)

Simon Says (Monday) - Party Time (3rd entry) - DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT

Sparkles #143 - Non-Traditional Christmas Colours (2nd entry)

Use Your Stuff #473 - Anything Goes - Christmas Edition

Word Art Wednesday #575/576 - Anything Goes (4th entry)

I'd like to finish by wishing all my visitors a happy, healthy and peaceful Christmas and New Year, and to say thank you for your visits and kind comments during the year.  

This is my last card for 2022 - I'm taking a little time away from blogging for the festive season, but I hope to be back for a whole new year of blogging challenges in January.

Hugs,

Christmas Love Dragons

🎄🎄🎄 Merry Christmas everyone! 🎄🎄🎄

I am scheduling this post as today I would like to show you the Christmas card I made for my husband …I never publish it until after he has had chance to open it on Christmas Day 😀

Back in September I made him a wedding anniversary card using the gorgeous Lee Holland cuddling “Love Dragons” image (post here); so when I saw the same dragons wearing Santa hats I just had to have that image for his Christmas card 😍

I coloured my image with Promarkers and drew “scales” with fine liner pens, then embellished the hats with holographic glitter, and created snowflakes with my Posca pen. I then matted and layered with my papers, ribbons, die cut and stamped sentiments, and die cut and punched snowflakes. I have to 'fess up that the teeny snowflakes were prompted by one of them needing to cover a smudge with my Posca pen .. but after so many hours creating the card I just had to rescue it!! 

My thanks also need to go to Alyce at Kit & Clowder for her fab colouring class which covered colouring LH dragons and drawing scales .. I think I still have some way to go but I love colouring them nonetheless!

Stamps: Lee Holland Christmas Dragon Couple; sentiments - Me To You;

Media: Promarkers;

Papers: LotV Nitwits ‘Twas The Night;

Tools: Tattered Lace die - Merry Christmas; Cuttlebug Cut ‘n’ Emboss - Ice Crystal; Martha Stewart snowflake punch;

Gems and glitter from my stash.

Challenges I would like to enter:

As You Like It - Favourite Christmas Sentiment and why (2nd entry)

(I actually have several, but I always think Merry Christmas hits the spot, and this ornate Tattered Lace die never disappoints. Also I love making cards with the sentiment “For My Wonderful Husband” 😍)

Christmas With the Cuties #56 - ‘Twas the Challenge Before Christmas

( I have chosen theme #55 - Make A Card for Someone Special)

Crafter’s Cafe # 280 - Use Some of your Favourites (2nd entry)

(I have used.a Lee Holland dragon image, and my favourite Christmas sentiment die).

Crafty Calendar (December) - Christmas (3rd entry) - TOP 3

 Creative Moments #229 - Anything Goes

Cutie Pie Challenge #166 - Cute and Cuddly Christmas

DRU #183 - Anything Goes using a brand of die DRU sells (2nd entry)

(I have used Tattered Lace)

Pammie’s Inky Pinkies #2151 - Anything Goes

Passion for Markers #621 - Mega Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes (2nd entry) 

Uniko Challenge #68 - Celebrate with option of Reds and Greens (3rd entry)

I hope you are all enjoying time with your loved ones - I will be spending the day quietly with my husband, hopefully enjoying a lovely turkey dinner and chilling in front of the TV. Hope you all have a wonderful time whatever you’re doing. I will be taking a break from cardmaking and blogging over Christmas and look forward to seeing you on 1 January with my DT card for the first Allsorts challenge of 2022.

Until then - wishing you all a very happy, healthy and peaceful Christmas, and hope you stay safe in these uncertain times.

Thanks for visiting,

Hugs,