Simon Says (Monday) Guest Designer week 2 - Thinking of You

Hi everyone,

The past week has flown by, and it's time already for my second week as Guest Designer for the  

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge.

This week the theme is

*** Thinking of You ***

The lovely folks over at Simon Says Stamp are generously giving away a FABULOUS $25 voucher to shop at the  Simon Says Stamp Store! All you have to do is take out your crafty supplies, make something following this week’s prompt, and add a link in the Inlinkz  on the challenge blog post!  You can enter 5 times so that's 5 possible chances to win! All winners are chosen randomly, so everyone has an equal chance - good luck everyone!

Here's my card for this week (links to my supplies are below the description).

I always prefer ‘thinking of you’ cards not to be too fussy, so I kept this one relatively simple. I die cut a stitched square of white card, and created the background by blending various shades of Distress Oxide ink through a Lavinia Honeycomb stencil then spritzed lightly with water to give a softer look. I die cut the lovely Simon Says ‘Fresh Daisies’ from purple glitter card stock, a white butterfly from the AALL & Create ‘Papyrus Essence’ die set, and the Simon Says ‘You’ from silver mirror card. I stamped the rest of the sentiment from the matching stamp set onto a snippet of black card stock using Versamark, heat embossed white, then cut out. I assembled the pieces onto the background and matted onto a 6” square card blank, and finished off with a scattering of teeny purple gems.

Here are links to what I used (* or nearest equivalent)

Stamps: Simon Says Stamp You Matter;

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks (Shaded Lilac, Spun Sugar, Stormy Sky, Wilted Violet); Versamark; WOW Opaque Bright White super fine embossing powder;

Tools: Lavinia Honeycomb stencil; Simon Says Stamp Fresh Daisies and You wafer dies; AALL & Create #42 Papyrus Essence dies;

Other: Altenew Amethyst Gem Sparkles (*)

Don’t forget to visit the challenge blog to see the amazing inspiration from the rest of the Design Team.

You have until Monday 8am Ohio time (EST), 1pm UK time (GMT), 2 pm CET to join in.

Challenges I would like to enter:

A Place to Start (November) - Anything Goes with option Something New

(Sentiment stamp and die)

Addicted to Stamps and More!  #505 - Diecuts and/or Stencils (2nd entry)

Crazy Is Our Fame, Stencils are our Game (November) - Use a Stencil (2nd entry)

Creative Moments #276 - Add Some Sparkle (2nd entry)

Die Cut Divas (November) - Critters and Use a Die Cut

Just Us Girls #800 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Thinking of You

Snippets Playground #519 - Use Snippets 

(everything apart from the base layer)

Triple B (November) - Birds, Butterflies and/or Blooms - TOP 3

Word Art Wednesday #724/725 - Anything Goes

Take care, and thanks for visiting my blog today.

Hugs,

Purplicious! 💜

Hi everyone, I am still feeling inspired by Tracy Evans’ current FB challenge The Colour Purple, so I thought I’d make another project for it. I wanted to use this particular floral stamp as I bought it during AALL & Create’s mega clearance sale, but I’ve never inked it up until now. I have also recently seen several paper pieced projects on other people’s blogs and I think this flower is very suitable for that, so here’s how these various sources of inspiration came together.

I cut a piece of white stamping card 20cm x 10 cm and created a smooshed background using Della Blue and Violet Chalk Elements inks spattered with water. I also created a smaller smooshed panel using an offcut with Flying Fig and Dark Denim Elements. I stamped the focal flower onto the main panel, then again onto the smaller panel where I fussy cut the flower head, added a coat of Spectrum Noir sparkle pen, and added some white Posca accents. I added a little purple background stencilling using A&C ‘Digits Checked’, then some white stencilling on the edges using TimmHoltz ‘Dot Fade’ stencil. I coloured the flower leaves with Inktense pencils and attached the paper pieced flower head. I stamped the little birdies and added some white Posca spatters then, when dry, matted onto a black border and DL card blank. Finally I added a stamped sentiment, Glossy Accents to the number circles, and a couple of pieces of torn washi tape.

Here’s an angled picture to show the gloss and sparkle.

Stamps: AALL & Create #539 Gem of a Plant; Tracy Evans Boutique Designs TE 30 Garden Elements; sentiment brand unknown;

Media: Lavinia Elements inks (Violet Chalk, Della Blue, Flying Fig, Dark Denim); Spectrum Noir Harmony dye ink (Pale Fig); Versafine Clair (Nocturne); Versamark; WOW Ultra fine white embossing powder; Spectrum Noir sparkle pen (clear); Posca pen (white); Inktense pencils; Glossy Accents;

Tools: AAL L & Create stencil - Digits Checked; Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz stencil - Dot Fade;

Other: AALL & Create washi tape #45 Night Shade.

Challenges I would like to enter:

613 Avenue Create (May) - Anything Goes with option Floral Delight

As You Like It - Favourite Soft or Bold Colours (and why)

(I tend to prefer soft colours as they are more gentle and atmospheric, but also like bold colours occasionally - I think this card has a bit of both!)

Beautiful Blossoms #28 - Anything Floral Goes (4th entry)

Cardz 4 Galz - Flowers (2nd entry)

Craft Rocket #125 - Flowers (2nd entry)

Crafty Catz #693 - Anything Goes with option May Flowers (2nd entry)

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

Do Al(l) Kreatives #101 - Anything Goes with option Flowers - DT FAVOURITE

Dream Factory #138 - Magnolia (Use Flowers) (2nd entry) - WINNER

Girlz Rebel Challenge #40 - Anything Goes with an Image

Let's Craft and Create #219 - Anything Goes with option No Patterned Paper

Outlawz Festive Fridays (May) - Say It With Flowers

Simon Says (Monday) - Stencil Fun

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Beautiful Blooms (2nd entry)

Tracy Evans FB Challenge (April/May) - The Colour Purple (2nd entry)

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

We Love 2 Create #5 2025 - Anything Mixed Media/Papercrafting Goes (2nd entry)

Word Art Wednesday  #698/699 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Talking of Purplicious …. I went with my husband on Friday to see Torvill and Dean’s farewell tour ‘Our Last Dance’. 

We first saw them in 1985 on their first world tour after winning Olympic gold, in their home town of Nottingham - an event which still rates right up there in terms of excitement after all these years! This performance brought back a lot of memories … here’s a little clip of them skating an updated version of their iconic Olympic gold medal routine ‘Bolero’.

Hope you’re having a great weekend. Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Thinking Of You

Hi everyone, today’s post is a card made as a last minute final entry for this month’s Country View Crafts Challenge - Flower Power. Entries need to use brands stocked by CVC - this time I decided to turn to a Lavinia flower stamp, and as I only have a few Lavinia flowers that are on the CVC website (quite a few of mine aren’t) I’m  trying the technique of watercolouring on Fairy Bells with Zig pens which I recently saw demonstrated by Jo Rice. I also wanted to incorporate stencilling as that is the optional theme for this week’s Allsorts challenge. 

I cut a 5” square of stamping card and stamped the Fairy Bell flowers which I coloured with Zig pens and lightly spritzed with water - a mix of 1st and 2nd generation stamping. I then “grounded” the flowers with more Zig pen colour which I blended out with a water brush, and added soft stencilling with Distress Oxide. I added some delicate spatters with Posca purple glitter and silver metallic  pens, then edged the finished piece with silver Posca, matted onto lilac card stock and a card blank. I stamped the sentiment onto separate card in grey as it gave a softer look than black, edged with silver Posca and attached, then added some dewdrops to finish - I just thought that with the soft lilac flowers it just looked like a “Thinking of You” card.

Stamps: Lavinia Fairy Bells; Woodware Made For You;

Media: Kuretake Zig Clean Colour watercolour pens; Tim Holtz Distress Oxide ink (Bundled Sage); Versafine Clair (Morning Mist); Posca pen (silver); Posca sparkle pen (purple);

Tools: Lavinia stencil - Divine;

Other: Crafter’s Companion Dewdrops.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Allsorts #778 - Use a Stencil

Beautiful Blossoms #16 - Anything Floral Goes (6th entry)

Country View Crafts FB Challenge (April) - Flower Power (5th entry)

Crazy Is Our Fame, Stencils Are Our Game (April) - Use a Stencil with option Spring Flowers (2nd entry)

Double Trouble #165 - Anything Goes

Krafty Chicks #713 - All Occasions

Simon Says (Monday) - Feminine

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

Sparkles (April) - April Showers Bring May Flowers - SPOTLIGHT WINNER

Word Art Wednesday #645/646 - Anything Goes (3rd entry)

I rather like this watercolouring technique for use with silhouette or brushstroke stamps, which I used to do with Marvey markers back in the day. I’ll definitely be practising it some more with my Zig pens.

Take care and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Thinking of You

Hi everyone, today’s card has been made using another of my new Lavinia stamps … the exquisite Forest Leaf. Although it is part of Lavinia’s Christmas release, this one isn’t really specifically a Christmas stamp. I decided to try a simple embossed outline on a smooshed pastel background to show the delicacy and intricacy of the stamp. 

I made this into a “Thinking of You” card for three reasons - firstly that is this week’s challenge over at Simon Says Stamp, secondly because I felt it suited the image, and last but not least it seems fitting for me to use this sentiment today as it is the 8th anniversary of the date my dear dad passed away … I still miss him a lot and think of him often ❤️

I cut a piece of stamping card 6.5” x 4.5” and created a pastel smooshed background by daubing Distress Oxide inks onto a large acrylic block, spritzing with water and stamping onto the card. I needed to mask  one side of the acrylic block to achieve the correct shape, so after inking I removed the tape and reapplied clean tape, resulting in a wavy edge to the stamped background which I was ok with. I stamped the leaf using Versamark and heat embossed with detail white powder. I masked the white border and added some 2nd generation background word stamping in grey, then removed the masking tape and added a stamped grey sentiment. I applied Wink of Stella to the leaves to add sparkle, then matted the finished panel onto pearlescent charcoal linen card stock and a 7” x 5”  card blank. 

Here's an angled picture to show the sparkly leaves (not very successfully as the weather is so dull and rainy!!)

Stamps: Lavinia Forest Leaf, Keeping Faith; Uniko Simply Said Blocks II;

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks (Spun Sugar, Shaded Lilac, Salvaged Latina); Versafine Clair (Morning Mist); Versamark; Detail White embossing powder; Wink of Stella.

Challenges I would like to enter: 

Crafts Galore Encore #117 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

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

Creative Fingers ##265 - Anything Goes

Less Is More #496 - Anything CAS Goes

Mix it Up #68 - Anything Goes (2nd entry) - TOP PICK

Simon Says (Monday) - Grunge It Up (2nd entry)

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Thinking of You

Through the Purple Haze #210 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

We Love 2 Create #10 - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday #621/622 - Anything Goes (3rd entry)

On reflection I don’t think this design really worked as well as I envisaged, as there isn’t enough contrast between  the stamp outline and the background, but hey it’s done now and at least I do like the soft and delicate look of it.  I’ll definitely be trying out a few different ideas with this gorgeous stamp. That’s all for today - take care and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Fairy Dandelions

Hi everyone,

Just a quick and simple card from me today as I continue with my batch of one layer notelets.

My most recent order from Lavinia included the gorgeous Fairy Dandelions, as dandelion clocks are one of my favourite images.  I created a simple blended ink background by masking my card, then did some soft stencilling on top. I stamped my flowers and sentiment, and highlighted the fluffy flower tips with Sakura stardust pen ... as usual the camera doesn't pick that up very well, so here is an angled picture.

Stamps: Lavinia Fairy Dandelions, Mini Seed head; sentiment - unknown;

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks (Shaded Lilac, Villainous Potion); Sakura gelly roll Stardust pen;

Tools: Art Deco stencil from The Range

As with all my batch notelets I also stamped the envelope to match.

Challenges I would like to enter:

AAA Cards #208 - Black, White + 1

A Gem of a Challenge #3 2022 - Anything Goes

Crafter's Cafe #281 - CAS (5th entry) - TOP 3

Crafty Calendar (February) - Anything Goes

Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2206 - Anything Goes

Pearly Sparkles #70 - Anything Goes

Sisterhood of Crafters - Anything Feminine including Flowers

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

We Love Stamping (February) - Anything Stamped with option of Stencilling

Take care and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Thinking of You

Today I would like to share a simple card I made to showcase one of the beautiful Rachel Vass Designs digital images I won last week - I don't use digital images very much, but I just couldn't wait to print off this one and colour it.

 I coloured the image with my Promarkers and Flexmarkers, and created a co-ordinating smoosh background with my DO and DI inks. I also spattered the background lightly with silver acrylic paint, though that didn’t show up too well. I kept the mounting simple as I really wanted the image to be the focal point of the card, though I found a bit of two-tone ribbon in my stash that was such a perfect match I just had to use it! 

Stamp: Rachel Vass Designs "Happiness Blooms" (digi); sentiment - "Meadow Flowers" free with cardmaking magazine;

Media: flower - Promarkers and Flexmarkers; background - Tim Holtz DO and DI inks, silver acrylic paint;

Ribbons and gems from my stash.

Challenges I would like to enter:

A Gem of A Challenge #23 - Anything Goes

Classic Design Challenge (November) - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Colour Crazy Challenge #44 - Anything Goes

Crafter's Cafe #277 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Crafty Calendar (November) - Anything Goes

Creative Moments #226 - Anything Goes

I ♥ Promarkers #447 - Anything Goes - TOP 3

Passion For Markers #617 - Three of a Kind

(I have used 3 sparkly gems)

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Thinking of You

Weather is looking grim so I may well stay in and have another crafting session this afternoon. Thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Insightful Meadows

Hi everyone. Since I restarted crafting a couple of months ago I have focussed almost exclusively on cute images coloured with my Promarkers, pretty papers and embellishments .... and long may it continue!!  This week however I have been feeling in the mood to try something different, and fancied trying some inky background blending. Initially I searched out my old Tim Holtz distress ink pads and at the weekend I treated myself to  blending tool, and this afternoon I sat down to have a play.  

Here's the result.

In the end I didn't actually use my distress inks, but instead sponged a background using some Versamagic chalk ink pads I found in my craft box. I also created a stamped wildflower meadow by using a variety of stamps from a couple of different sets of silhouette stamps. I then just matted the result onto two co-ordinating border layers and that was basically it... no papers, no ribbon, no flower embellishments (I needed a lie down after that!). Of course I couldn't completely leave this CAS card alone so I added a bit of glamour dust to the bee's wings and two teeny aqua gems to the sentiment.

I'm not actually tremendously well set up with supplies for this type of project, so I'm seriously thinking about buying one or two stencils and masking sheets so I can take things a bit further. However, despite a little accident right near completion where I got a bit of glue on my background I'm not too displeased with this first attempt.  

Stamps: Flowers - Unity Stamps "Insightful Meadows"; leaves, bee and sentiment - "Summer Meadow", free with Cardmaking and Papercraft magazine;

Media: background sponged with Versamagic chalk ink - Aquatic Splash, Sea Breeze and Aegean Blue. Image stamped with Memento ink.

Challenges I would like to enter:

A Gem of a Challenge #18 - Anything Goes

Allsorts #639 - Clean and Simple

Crafter's Cafe #273 - Anything Goes

Crafty Creations #425 - Anything Goes

Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes

Creatalicious #218 - Anything Goes

Simon Says (Monday) - Glimmer and Sparkle

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Stamp It in STAMPtember

Sparkles #143 - Monochromatic (2nd entry)

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

So that's my crafting done for today. Thanks very much for visiting.

Hugs,

Special wishes for a special lady

Hi everyone, hope you are enjoying your weekend.

I would like to show you today a card I made for my dear bloggy friend Jennifer, whose pussy cat Pally sadly passed away a couple of weeks ago. Poor Jennifer is devastated as she is a big animal lover and thinks of her pets as her second family; so this was just to let her know I was thinking of her.

It was quite difficult to know what to make as I have never made a card for this particular eventuality before ... so I just went for a soft gently slightly distressed look, but not quite so overtly purple as I would tend to use for a human sympathy card.   Anyway, Jennifer has now received it and seemed to like it (it has to go all the way to Australia), so hopefully I was on the right track!

Stamps: sentiment from Penny Black transparent set "Hugs!";

Media: sentiment stamped "tea dye" and flowers distressed wtih "dusty concord" Tim Holtz distress inks;

 Papers: LotV "Timeless Victorian", with edges distressed with my Tim Holtz distressing tool;

Supplies: flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts and Hobbycraft; pearl hearts from The Hobby House; pearl brads, spacers and wooden butterflies from my stash;

Tools: "Floral ovals" nestabilities; Simon Says Stamp "Fresh Daisies" die; Marianne D "Forest Branch" die; EK Success large flower punch.

Challenges:

Frilly & Funkie - Neglected Dies 

(both the dies on this card really!)

Simon Says Monday - D is for Distress

A Gem of a Challenge #115 - Special Lady

Sweet Stampin' - Special Lady

Papertake Weekly - Bingo! (2nd entry)

(gems / die-cuts / flowers)

Stampin' For The Weekend - Anything Goes

Penny's Paper Crafty #168 - Anything Goes

Thanks for visiting today.

Hugs,

A clean and simple wish

Here is a card that I made earlier in the week for a close family member who has just had a very serious cancer operation. I deliberately kept it simple as it didn't strike me as being appropriate to send a card which was a case study in how clever I can be with the decorative elements - it really is just a wish from the heart.


Being as there are challenges out there I will enter this card for one or two, though it obviously wasn't the main focus in my mind when I made it.

Passion For Promarkers #57 - Your favourite things (flowers)
Sweet Stampin' Challenge #31 - Clean and Simple
Sir Stampalot Monthly - Punch it
Everybody Art Challenge #96 - Pink & Green
Crafty Creations #73 - Shine (glamour dust and pearlescent card)

Recipe:

Main image: Penny Black "Fanfare" coloured with Promarkers and decorated with just a teeny bit of glamour dust;

Sentiment: Penny Black transparent set

Paper: from my stash;

Supplies: pearls from my stash;

Tools: Martha Stewart "doily lace" edge punch and "monarch butterfly" punch.

Back tomorrow with another Penny Black Saturday Challenge :-)