I Spy With My Little Eye #28

Hi everyone, it’s the third Wednesday in July, which means that 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. 

Ellie chose the challenge theme this month, and it is

I Spy With My Little Eye 

*** Something to Celebrate ***

A very wide-ranging theme, we hope you agree, giving everyone plenty of opportunity to join in!

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

I’ve been working my way through playing with my haul from when I visited the Lavinia Fairy Festival two weeks ago, and I desperately wanted to make something using one of the adorable new fairy teapot stamps - so what better than a whimsical “New Home” card? As luck would have it I know a lady who is due to move house soon, so I thought I’d get ahead of the game! So here’s my card for the challenge.

I cut a 6 1/4 “ square of stamping card and stamped the focal teapot, path and sunflowers, then masked them. I stamped Tilly poking her head out of the teapot, and the lid in her hand, then masked the lid. I then created the background by blending Elements inks using acetate masks, then stamped the fence and gate. I removed the masks and stamped the rest of the scene using various shades of Versafine Clair, then coloured the teapot, sunflowers and path with Zig pens. I added white Posca and Stabilo pencil highlights, Wink of Stella on the sunflower heads, then matted the piece onto a green border and 7” square card blank. To finish I stamped the sentiment onto separate card, cut out and attached, and added Glossy Accents to the teapot house window.

Stamps: Lavinia Earl Grey Lodge, Fairy Path, Tilly & Tango, Sunflower 1, Sunflower 2, Foxglove, Falling Ivy, Gate & Fence, Bench, Magical Mist, Bird Collection, Small Robins, Birds, Words From the Heart;

Media: Lavinia Elements inks (Pine, Green Parrot, Lime Punch, Blue Atoll, Undance); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Morning Mist, Pinecone, Acorn, Shady Lane, Avocado, Medieval Blue, Blue Belle, Lilac Bloom, Hawthorn Rose, Charming Pink); Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens; Wink of Stella (clear); Posca pen (white); Stabilo pencil (white); Glossy Accents.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Country View FB Challenge (July) - The Great Outdoors (2nd entry)

C.R.A.F.T. #759 - Anything Goes (2nd entry) - TOP 3

Crafts Galore Encore #137 - Anything Goes

Crafty Animals #96 - Include an Animal

Creative Artiste #117 - Anything Mixed Media Goes (2nd entry)

Creative Fingers #305 - Anything Goes

Dream Valley #340 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Four Seasons (July) - Summer (3rd entry)

Heart’s Quest Fantasy Challenge #7 2025 - Anything Fantasy Goes (2nd entry)

Lavinia Creative Challenge (July) - Once Upon a Time (4th entry)

Let’s Craft and Create #221 - Anything Goes

Love to Scrap #174 - Anything Goes

NBUS #76 - Use Your Never-Before-Used Schtuff

(fairy teapot, path and foxglove stamps)

Sparkles #190 - Summer Days

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

Try It On Tuesday - Summer Blooms (2nd entry)

We Love 2 Create #7 2025 - Anything Papercrafting / Mixed Media Goes

Word Art Wednesday #708/709 - Anything Goes

I have to admit this card took over 3 hours to make, but I was very pleased with how it turned out, apart from the small fact that my (fairly new) Glossy Accents turned brown again on the window … no idea why that happens!! The last release of Lavinia stamps is my favourite for quite some time, and I really had to rein myself in to stop myself buying the lot, especially as I visited the Dreamatorium … it would be very easy to fall completely under a spell!!

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 17th, and the next challenge will begin on Wednesday August 21st.

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Allsorts Challenge #678

Hi everyone,

It's Saturday so it's time for another weekly Allsorts Challenge. Thanks so much to everyone who entered our special 13th birthday challenge last week and made it such a success .. it was great seeing all your entries.

This week Mervi has chosen the theme and it is

*** Anything but Birthdays ***

After last week's mega prize haul, we are now back to normality ... which means that we have just the 2 great prizes on offer!! They are...

a Paper Boutique 8" x 8" Sunflower paper pad

and

a Tattered Lace Cut 'n' Emboss - Sweetpeas

Here's my card for this week.

Having recently got this adorable Lavinia fairy house stamp in order to make a new home card for my oldest friend, I found I was able to get my money's worth as we also have a new set of neighbours, so I decided to make them feel welcome with a card. It isn't as elaborate as my first card, but I'm still pleased with how it turned out.

As this is a tall image I decided to make a 7*5 card which is very unusual for me. I was inspired by a Lavinia tutorial (which I can't now find) to place my house inside a stencilled oval - I used my Press to Impress oval stencil to place my stamp, then stamped it and coloured with Promarkers and Flexmarkers. I then masked the house and replaced the oval stencil so I could sponge a distress oxide background - grass and sky. I then stamped my various flowers, fairy charm, birds and dragonfly with various colours of Versafine Clair, and dotted some Posca pen flowers around the base of the house. I finished off by matting the image panel and stamping my sentiment, and attaching little house number stickers to the front door.

Stamps: Lavinia Harrietas House, Fairy Charms, Garden Poppy, Bluebells, Silhouette Foliage Set, Birds, Fairy Bugs; sentiment - Woodware;

Media: house - Promarkers and Flexmarkers; background - Tim Holtz Distress oxide inks (Rustic Wilderness, Mowed lawn, Tumbled Glass, Salty Ocean); Versfine Clair (Nocturne, Charming Pink, Warm Breeze); Versafine (Majestic Blue); Posca pen (pink); Posca sparkle pens (pale pink, yellow);

Tools: Large oval stencil - Crafts Too Press to Impress.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Addicted to Stamps and More #430 - Die Cuts and/or Stencils

Classic Design Challenge #5 2022 - Anything Goes (5th entry)

Crafty Calendar (May) - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

I ❤️ Promarkers #511 - Anything Goes

Krafty Chicks #613 - All Occasions

Love To Scrap #155 - Anything Goes

Pammie’s Inky Pinkies #2221 - Anything Goes (3rd entry)

Passion for Markers #642 - Special Anniversary Challenge - Spots and/or Stripes

(Spotty roof and dotty flowers around base of house)

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Anything Goes (3rd entry)

Word Art Wednesday #545/546 - Anything Goes (3rd entry)

Hope you can join us this week, and I look forward to seeing your entries. Don't forget to visit the challenge blog to see more fab inspiration from the rest of the team. Thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Home Sweet Home

Hi everyone,

My oldest friend moved house last week after 25+ years at the same address, so I wanted to make a really special card to mark the event. I had my eye on the beautiful Lavinia stamp “Harrietas House” (yes, no apostrophe!), and got it for my birthday from my husband, along with some other Lavinia stamps from another dear friend. I decided to make an 8*8 card with a Lavinia scene, using a mix of new and existing stamps.

This card has to be one of the most complex scenes I have created, as it required various layers of masking the house and sun to create the stencilled hills and clouds. I coloured my house with Promarkers, then masked the image and also cut a circle from masking sheet for the sun, while I blended first my landscape then clouds using DO. I then removed the sun mask and cut a “negative” in copy paper, to enable me to sponge yellow DO inside the circle for the sun. I stamped my trees and birds using Versafine Clair with my house mask still in place, and stamped my foreground flowers and foliage using a mix of VFC and DO’s,  and first/second generation stamping. I sponged some DO round the edges of the panel, highlighted the image with a yellow Sakura sparkle pen, and finished with a stamped sentiment.  I matted the finished panel simply onto a border of pearlescent black linen card. For a final touch I used a teeny gold sticker from my stash to put a house number on the door 😀

I also decorated the inside of the card …

… and the envelope to match. 

Once again, here's an angled picture to show the sparkle of the Sakura pen ...

Stamps: Lavinia - Harrietas House, Celestial Tree, Small Trees, Garden Poppy, Wild Poppies, Bluebells, Vine Flourish, Fairy Charms, Birds; sentiment - Woodware;

Media: House - Promarkers; scenery - Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks (Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Iced Spruce, Tumbled Glass, Salty Ocean, Squeezed Lemonade, Wilted Violet); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Pinecone,  Charming Pink, Warm Breeze, Rainforest); Versafine  (Majestic Blue, Sepia); Memento (Black); Sakura sparkle pen (yellow);

Tools: Lavinia hill masks; home made hill, circle and cloud masks; masking sheet.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Addicted to Stamps and More #429 - Any Occasion - TOP ADDICT

Classic Design Challenge #5 2022 - Anything Goes (3rd entry)

Colour Crazy Craft Challenge #19 2022 - Anything Goes With Colouring (2nd entry)

Daring Cardmakers - Rain or Shine

Day of the Month #39 - Love a Tree Day (2nd entry) - TOP 3

Little Red Wagon #653 - Make It Bloom

Make My Monday #174 - Springtime - TOP PICK

My Time To Craft #481 - Around the House

Simon Says (Monday) - Alcohol

(I used Promarker alcohol markers to colour the main image)

Stamping Sensations (May) - Anything Goes with option Floral and Fauna (2nd entry)

Try It on Tuesday - Use a Stencil

Worldwide Open Design Team Challenge #5 2022 - Anything Goes

Take care, and thanks very much for visiting.

Hugs,

Starting over

Hi everyone, and welcome to 2014!  Hope it is going to be a happy, healthy and crafty year for you all.

 

I have finally returned to blogland after so long away, so it is time for me to welcome you to the first Crafty Little Fairies Challenge for 2014 ... it is the turn of the Pink Fairies this week, and our theme is

 

Starting Over

 

A pretty apt theme for the season I'm sure you'll agree, and particularly resonant for me!!

 

This week we are sponsored by the lovely Mary at

 

 

The rest of the fairies have sprinkled their fairy dust as always so don't forget to check them out ... this is what I did.

 

 

Stamps: Penny Black image from "Hugs" transparent set;

Media: promarkers and Flexmarkers;

Papers: LotV "Country Lady" and "Country Gent";

Supplies: flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts; ribbon from Hobbycraft; pearls from the Hobby House; lace and charm from my stash; printed sentiment from LotV Art Pad 8;

Tools: Joycraft butterfly die.

 

 

Challenges:

Simon Says Wednesday - Something New
Totally Gorjuss #216 - New
Heck Of A Challenge - New
Sentimental Sundays #187 - Pick of Team's Favourite Challenges

(I picked #140 Celebrating the NEW)

Craft Your Passion #194 - Something New

Oldie But A Goodie - Tartan or Check

(my PB stamp is several years old)
A Gem of a Challenge #109 - Anything Goes

Creative Craft #26 - Anything Goes

Creative Card Crew #52 - Anything Goes

Bearly Mine #117 - Anything Goes

Crafty Creations #253 - Anything Goes

Stampin' For The Weekend - Anything Goes

 

 

Hope you can join us this week and look forward to seeing your creations.

hugs,

Out With The Old, In With The New!

Good morning everyone and Happy New Year! A brand new year of crafting awaits, so I thought today would be a perfect opportunity to show a card with a theme of "new".

A colleague of mine has just moved into a new house, so it gave me the opportunity not only to make a card on the theme of "new beginnings" but also to use a new stamp - I have actually had this one for months but it has never seen ink before!! (It's far from alone!!) Indeed if I were to have one crafty New Year resolution, it would be to use what I've got before I buy more lol! (where have I heard that one before??)

Stamps: LotV "Moving Day" and "Everyday Sentiment Circles";

Media: Promarkers and Flexmarkers;

Paper: LotV Nitwits collection "Promises";

Supplies: roses from Wild Orchid Crafts; green blossom from The Hobby House; purple blossom from Hobbycraft; ribbon and square doily from my stash;
Tools: Leone Em "Ash Family" leaf punch.

Challenges:

Sketch Saturday #239 - Sketch

PaperPlay #51/52 - Out With The Old, In With The New

Bearly Mine #67 - Something Old, Something New
(new image stamp, old papers and sentiment stamp)
Ready Teddy Go #18 - Something New
Crafty Sentiments - New
Winter Wonderland - New Beginnings

Passion For Promarkers #179 - New Beginnings
Totally Gorjuss #164 - New
Stamptacular Sunday #196 - Doilies Galore!

Simon Says - Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp & Show - Anything Goes

Cute Card Thursday #249 - Anything Goes

Well the Christmas holiday has flown by ... back to work tomorrow (groan!) Still I'll be back on Thursday with a new challenge for Lili's Little Fairies .. so see you then :-)

Hugs