I Spy With My Little Eye #39

Hi everyone, it’s the third Wednesday in July so 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 

*** Something With Wings ***

So think birds, butterflies, bees, fairies, angels … even aeroplanes - the list is almost endless! 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 Maria  and alice k as guest designers - so please do click on their names to visit their blogs and view their beautiful winged creations.

Here’s my card for the challenge. I make quite a lot of cards that feature winged creatures - butterflies, dragonflies, fairies … I love them all! However I really do love bees - I think they are beautiful and endlessly fascinating creatures, so I decided to let a bee take centre stage with this gorgeous matching stamp and die set by Visible Image.

I cut a square of stamping card, and lightly blended Sundance Elements ink through a hexagon  stencil I placed centrally. With this stencil still in place I then overlaid it with a honeycomb stencil and blended Sundance, Sahara and Russet Orange Elements through both stencils, going darker towards the edges. I removed the stencils and stamped some grungy AALL & Create hexagons in 2 corners.  I stamped the largest VI bee onto separate card, coloured with Zig Pens, Wink of Stella gold on the body and Spectrum Noir sparkle pen on the wings, then cut out with the matching die. I stamped my sentiment onto the main panel, matted it onto black cardstock and copper glitter card then attached the die cut bee. The bee is actually quite sparkly but the photo doesn’t capture that! 

Stamps: Visible Image Bee Happy; AALL & Create #383 Scripted Hexagons; 

Media: Lavinia Elements inks (Sundance, Sahara, Russet Orange); Versafine Clair (Nocturne);  Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens; Wink of Stella (gold); Spectrum Noir Sparkle pen (clear);

Tools: Visible Image Bee Happy die; Crafts Too hexagon stencil; Darkroom Door honeycomb stencil.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Addicted to Stamps & More #521 - Make Your Mark (2nd entry) - TOP ADDICT

Ally’s Angels #108 - Anything Goes

Crafty Catz #717 - Anything Goes - TOP 3

Crazy Is Our Fame, Stencils Are Our Game (July) - Use a Stencil (2nd entry) - TOP 3

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

Cut It Up #360 - Create Your Own Background + a Die Cut

Dream Factory #152 - Beekeeper - TOP 3

Ellibelle’s Garden Party #17 - Anything In or From a Garden  (2nd entry)

Four Seasons (July) - Summer (2nd entry)

(Inspired by the bee)

 

Girlz Rebel #54 - Glitter - TOP 3

Love to Craft #93 - Anything Goes  

Love to Scrap #180 - Anything Goes 

Mix It Up #84 - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday  #760/761 - 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 August 16th, and the next challenge will begin on Wednesday August 19th.

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

I Spy With My Little Eye #37

Hi everyone, it’s the third Wednesday in the month so it’s time for a new I Spy With My Little Eye... challenge over at Ellibelle's Corner - back from our little break last month. 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 

*** Something Monochromatic ***

We would love to see your makes in shades of any colour, and of course black, white and neutrals are also fine! 

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 back Gerrina 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. My start point for this project was to select a colour I wouldn’t normally choose for a monochrome card - in this case orange - and then think what kind of image would suit that colour scheme. I decided on a butterfly, and off I went…

I die cut a scalloped square of white stamping card, and created a large stencilled butterfly using a Visible Image stencil and two shades of orange Distress Oxide inks which I then spattered with water. I stamped the smaller butterfly onto a separate small snippet of white card, coloured with an orange Sakura Stardust pen and Spectrum Noir sparkle pen, then fussy cut out. I stamped some background script in 2nd generation Nocturne VFC, using part of a much larger floral stamp by AALL & Create which I have cut down into separate bits. I also stamped some Visible Image butterfly-related words onto the butterfly wings,, then matted the white panel onto a square cut from a large snippet of orange cardstock, and onto a square card blank. Finally I attached the smaller butterfly and bent up its wings.

Stamps: Visible Image Minis #1, Wings of Change; AALL & Create Daisy Elegance;

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks (Spiced Marmalade, Ripe Persimmon; Versafine Clair (Nocturne); Sakura Stardust pen (orange); Spectrum Noir sparkle pen (clear);

Tools: Visible image stencil - Butterfly Ink; Craft Addiction UK die - Scallopstack Square Frames.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Colourful Options (May) - Black & White with a Pop of Colour

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

Fab ‘n’ Funky #637 - Monochromatic - TOP 3

Love to Scrap #179 - Anything Goes - TOP PICK

Pearly Sparkles #119 - One or More Butterflies

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Use Craft Dies

Snippets Playground #532 - Use Snippets - TOP PICK

Sweet Stampin’ - Things With Wings

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

Word Art Wednesday #752/753 - 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 June 14th, and the next challenge will begin on Wednesday June 17th.

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

I Spy With My Little Eye #35/36

Hi everyone, once again it’s the third Wednesday in the month which can only mean one thing … it’s time 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. 

This time we have got double the fun for you, as we are running a two month long challenge with two themes, so you have got both plenty of time to enter, and plenty of choice of subject. So … our two themes for this challenge are

*** Spring Flowers***

and

*** Spring Showers ***

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 be joined by a guest designer - Jolanda - so please do click on her name to visit her blog and view her beautiful creation.

Here’s my card for the challenge - as you can see I decided to go with spring flowers.

Last autumn I bought a fabulous extra large background “spatter” stamp by Inkylicious at a craft fair, but for some unknown reason I had never inked it up until now. It is VERY big, so I decided to make a one layer card to give maximum space to accommodate it! I scored a piece of 30cm x 15cm Pink Frog super smooth card to make a square card blank, then dabbed various colours of Distress Oxide onto the stamp and spritzed with water then stamped - it acted rather, like a gel plate! I stamped the daffodils, then stamped again onto a separate snippet of card, coloured with Zig pens and Wink of Stella, fussy cut and attached. I stamped two bunnies in the corner which I highlighted with white Posca pen and pastel pencil, then stamped the sentiment - job done! 

Stamps: Inkylicious Spatter Circle XL; Visible Image Golden Daffodils; Lavinia Wild Hares (large); Uniko Spring Botanicals Snowdrop (sentiment);

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks (Twisted Citron, Cracked Pistachio, Peacock Feathers, Broken China); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Medieval Blue); Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens; Posca pen (white); pastel pencil (white).

Challenges I would like to enter:

Beautiful Blossoms #39 - Anything Floral Goes with optional Mood Board

Craft Rocket #134 - No Designer Paper

Crafty Calendar (March) - Spring

Creative Crafting Uncles #75 - Spring and/or Easter - WINNER

Creative Moments #280 - Bunnies and Blooms

Daisy Chain #105 - Flowers

Ellibelle’s Garden Party #13 - Anything In or From a Garden

Four Seasons (March) - Spring (2nd entry)

Girlz Creative Crafts #66 - Flowers

Papercraft Challenges #128 - Joy of Spring

Passion for Markers #829 - Make It Bloom

Path of Positivity #139 - Anything Goes Positive

Simon Says (Monday) - Beautiful Blooms

Sparkles #198 - It’s Springtime!

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

Try It On Tuesday - Spring

The I Spy Challenge will end on the Sunday before the next challenge starts at 23:59 US Central Time - as our challenge runs for two months this time that is Sunday May 17th, and the next challenge will begin on Wednesday May 20th.

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,

I Spy With My Little Eye #32

Hi everyone, Christmas is fast approaching, it’s the third Wednesday of the month and 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. 

This is our last challenge for 2025 as we will be taking a little break over Christmas - it will end at the usual time but then we will be back in January. Please see the end of this post for full details.

Ellie chose the challenge theme this month, and it is

I Spy With My Little Eye 

*** Something Festive for Christmas ***

For those of you who (like me!) are behind with your Christmas makes it’s the perfect opportunity to make up for lost time; and if you’re in the fortunate position of having already got Christmas 2025 done and dusted, you can always get ahead for next year! 

We look forward to seeing your festive makes! 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. It’s quite a simple card this time as I’m starting to feel the pressure to complete my Christmas makes; but I did my best to incorporate a couple of magical and whimsical elements with the mice celebrating around the decorated tree.

I die cut a base panel using one of my new die sets from Craft Addiction UK - they recently got some new styles, and I thought a couple of them would be very useful to use as an alternative to my stitched squares. I stamped the focal Christmas tree then created landscape by blending Della Blue Elements ink using torn paper. I blended more Elements for the sky using a circle mask for the moon, then coloured the tree using fine brushstrokes of Olive Elements, Wink of Stella and Sakura Stardust pens for the baubles. I stamped the mice using Pinecone VFC and added accents with a white Posca pen and pastel pencil, then stamped the little fairy. Finally I stamped the sentiment then added some sparkly highlights with Spectrum Noir sparkle pen and some faux snow spatter. Sadly the sparkle doesn’t show up on photos - probably a reflection of the awful and very dull weather here!

Stamps: Lavinia Christmas Joy, Basil and Bibi, Fairy Foragers, Christmas Greetings;

Media: Lavinia Elements inks (Olive, Della Blue); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Rainforest, Pinecone, Medieval Blue); Sakura Stardust pens (blue, green, yellow, clear); Wink of Stella (clear); Spectrum Noir sparkle pens (clear); Posca pen (white);

Tools: Craft Addiction UK Scallopstack Squares die.

Challenges I would like to enter:

12 Months of Christmas #128 - Anything Goes Christmas

52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Theme: Winter Scene - WINNER

ABC Christmas - W is for Wings

Addicted to Stamps & More #506 - Make Your Mark

Beccy’s Month of Holiday Cards 2025 - Day 19: Q is for Quirky

Crafty Animals #100 - Include an Animal 

Die Cut Divas (November) - Critters plus Use a Die Cut (3rd entry) - TOP 5

Dream Factory #145 - Anything Christmassy Goes

FarmQuest Country Christmas #26 - Anything Farm or Country Christmas Goes (2nd entry)

Girlz Creative Christmas #151 - Christmas Tree

Heart’s Quest Fantasy #11 2025 - Anything Goes Fantasy

Just Us Girls #801 - Winter

Lavinia Creative Challenge (November) - Snow Flurry

Merry Little Christmas #65 - Anything Christmas Goes (2nd entry) - TOP PICK

Peace On Earth #100 - Anything Christmas Goes

Try It On Tuesday - Get Ready for Christmas

Word Art Wednesday #726/727 - Anything Goes

Don’t forget - this is the last I Spy Challenge for 2025. The challenge will end at the usual time on Sunday December 14th at 23:59 US Central Time, but there will be no new challenge in December so we will be back with you on Wednesday January 21st 2026, when we will also announce our December top picks.

In place of a challenge in December there will be a I spy a crafty year in review: Favourites of 2025 linkup on Ellie’s blog starting Wednesday December 17th which will be open until Sunday January 18th 2026 -  the Sunday before the January challenge starts.

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

I Spy With My Little Eye #31

Hi everyone, October is flying by, it’s the third Wednesday of the month and 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. 

I chose the challenge theme this month, and it is

I Spy With My Little Eye 

*** Something Spooky ***

We look forward to seeing your Hallowe’en and other scary makes!   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.

I die cut a square of stamping card using AALL & Create Papyrus Essence die set, and created a background by blending Green Parrot, Flying Fig and Violet Chalk Elements inks onto it. I stamped the moon using 2nd generation Monarch VFC, then stamped Hattie the witch using Nocturne. I added some grounding landscape using blended Nocturne VFC with torn paper, then stamped the cauldron and rising mist. I stamped Textures 2 around the edges to create depth, then added some 1st and 2nd generation foliage. I coloured Hattie’s dress and the mist with purple Sakura Stardust pen to add some sparkle, and also added sparkle to the moon with Spectrum Noir sparkle pen; then I decided it needed something more so added the spooky house. I stamped some bats flying in the sky, and added white Posca highlights to the various elements. Finally I stamped, cut up and attached the sentiment, and matted onto black cardstock also die cut with the same set. Idiot that I am, I couldn’t leave it alone, and decided last minute to add the mini cat. He turned into a bit of a blob, so I did my best to define him with white Posca outlining - not ideal but it is what is now! When will I ever learn, eh?

Here’s an angled picture to show the sparkle.

Stamps: Lavinia Hattie, Hill House, Willow the Witch (cauldron), Magical Mist, Moon, Texture 2, Dill, Bats, Mini Jinx, Believe In Magic;

Media: Lavinia Elements inks (Green Parrot, Flying Fig, Violet Chalk); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Monarch); Sakura Stardust pens (purple, yellow); Spectrum Noir sparkle pen (clear); Posca pen (white);

Tools: AALL & Create dies Papyrus Essence.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Cardz 4 Galz #260 - Purple and Green - TOP 3

Country View Crafts FB Challenge (October) - Heavenly Bodies (2nd entry)

Craft Rocket #130 - Autumn/Hallowe’en (2nd entry)

Crafty Calendar (October) - Hallowe’en

Crafty Gals #271 - Fill in the Blank - Spooky …

(Hallowe’en nights)

Creative Crafting Uncles #70 - Hallowe’en 

Creative Inspirations (October) - Autumn/Something Spooky! 

Daisy Chain #101 - Autumn and/or Hallowe’en (2nd entry) - TOP 3

Die Cut Divas (October) - Anything Goes with a die

DL.Art Thankful Thursday #381 - Anything Goes with option Hallowe’en

Double D - Hallowe’en Colours

Dream Factory #144 - Hallowe’en

Four Seasons (October) - Anything Goes Fall (2nd entry)

Heart’s Quest Fantasy Challenge #10 2025 - Anything Goes Fantasy

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie #209 - Spooky Fun

Inkspirational #352 - Seasonal

Lavinia Creative Challenge (October) - All Hallows’ Eve

LeighSB Designs Hallowe’en Blog Hop 2025 - Hallowe’en

Outlawz Festive Friday (October) - Hallowe’en (2nd entry)

Paper Funday #81 - Anything Goes with option Cute or Creepy

Shopping Our Stash #558 - Hey Ghoulfriend (Hallowe’en)

Sweet Stampin’ - Inspired by a Book/Song/Film

(Hocus Pocus)

Two Old Bats Hallowe’en Challenge (October) - Anything Goes Hallowe’en

Unicorn #114 - Autumn and/or Hallowe’en (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 November 16th, and the next challenge will begin on Wednesday November 19th.

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,