I Spy With My Little Eye #9

Hi everyone, it's the third Wednesday in the month which means 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. 

Ellie has chosen the challenge theme this month, and it is

I Spy With My Little Eye 

 Sparkle and/or Shine 

I know I love a bit of sparkle … don’t we all? So we look forward to seeing your sparkly pens, shimmery paints or sprays, glitters, gilding polishes and flakes, sparkly embossing powders, sequins  and gems .. the possibilities are endless! Please do pop over to Ellie's blog to see her fab creation and link up your entries here. 

We also have another guest designer this month - Jolanda - so please do visit her blog here to see her fab interpretation of this month’s challenge theme.

Here's my card for the challenge. I love sparkle and shine when it comes to Christmas cards and I am also loving my new Lavinia stamps, so I brought them together for this make. 

I used a large circle mask to create a circle of blended Elements ink, then created some hills and moon by blending more Elements using my Mini Hills masks and a home made small circle mask. I stamped various old and new fir trees inside the circle in a variety of shades of Versafine Clair using 1st and 2nd generation, then stamped the little houses on the right, adding lights in the windows with a Sakura Stardust pen.... these li'l houses are new to me as I bought them to go with the new release stamps when I visited the Lavinia shop, and I'm very pleased with what they add to a scene.  I stamped the berry wreath around the edge of the circle and coloured the berries with Sakura Stardust pens, then closed the gap by stamping snowflakes using Versamark, heat embossed with silver sparkle embossing powder. I stamped the sentiment and highlighted it with a Stardust pen, and also highlighted the scene with a clear Stardust pen and Spectrum Noir Sparkle pen. Finally I edged the finished panel in black and matted onto lilac card stock and my card blank.

As is so often the case this card is much more sparkly than the picture really shows - here is an angled shot to attempt to show the abundance of sparkle from the embossing glitter, Sakura Stardust pens and Spectrum Noir sparkle pen (very similar of Wink of Stella) ... I didn't hold back on this one!!

Stamps: Lavinia Small Pine Trees, Red Pine (small), Fairy Fir Tree (small), Small Dwellings, Berry Wreath, Small Snowflakes, Snowflakes, Seasonal Words;

Media: Lavinia Elements ink (Violet Chalk); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Twilight, Morning Mist, Monarch); Versamark; WOW Metallic Silver Sparkle embossing glitter; Sakura Stardust pens (purple, yellow, clear); Spectrum Noir Sparkle pen (clear); Posca pen (white);

Tools: Lavinia Mini Hill Masks.

Challenges I would like to enter:

ABC Christmas - W is for Wreath

Beccy’s Month of Holiday Cards - Day 15, M is for Moon

Christmas Crafts All Year Round (November) - 11 Pipers Piping

(I have used 11 silver embossed snowflakes)

Christmas Kickstart #80 - It's Christmas Jim, but not as we know it! (2nd entry)

(Non-traditional Christmas colour combo)

Creative Inspirations (November) - Contemporary Christmas Colours (2nd entry)

Creative Moments #252 - Winter

Daisy Chain #80 - Christmas/Winter (3rd entry) - TOP 5

FarmQuest Country Christmas #2 - Anything Goes Country Christmas 

Krafty Chicks #689 - Christmas (2nd entry) - TOP 3

Lavinia Creative Challenge (November) - White Winter Blizzard  (3rd entry)

Merry Little Christmas #53 - Anything Christmas Goes (2nd entry)

Try It On Tuesday - Baby It’s Cold Outside

Unicorn Challenge #93 - Christmas (2nd entry)

Use Your Stuff #497 - Winter/Snow

The I Spy challenge will end on the Sunday before the next challenge starts at 23:39 US Central Time - so this time that is Sunday December 17th, and the next challenge will begin on Wednesday December 20th. 

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

A Snowflake is Winter’s Butterfly

Hi everyone, today’s share is a bit of a mash up of various designs I have seen using the stunning new Lavinia snowflake stamps, with a couple of little twists of my own.

I started by making a master board (is that the right word?) by blending three vibrant colours of Distress Oxide ink randomly onto a piece of stamping card. I went for pink, orange and yellow as I particularly wanted contemporary but unusual Christmas colours. I randomly stamped the different snowflake stamps from the various Lavinia stamp sets using Versamark and heat embossed with detail white embossing powder, then filled in the gaps by stamping more snowflakes using 1st and 2nd generation Charming Pink and Summertime Versafine Clair.  I cut three stitched frames using my stitched square dies, then cut the inked panel into 3 pieces, each of which would fit behind a frame. Before attaching I randomly stamped teeny snowflakes cascading in opposite corners on each frame, and stamped an old wooden Hero Arts sentiment stamp in another corner in grey. I attached a stamped panel behind each frame then attached them to card blanks, and finished by adding some teeny pink gems to the largest snowflake centres. 

I ended up with 3 cards that were fundamentally the same from this crafting session, so I am just sharing one of them here.

Stamps: Lavinia Large Snowflakes, Small Snowflakes, Snowflakes; Hero Arts Winter’s Butterfly;

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks (Squeezed Lemonade, Picked Raspberry, Ripe Persimmon); Versafine Clair (Charming Pink, Summertime, Morning Mist); Versamark; detail white embossing powder;

Tools: Hunkydory Moonstone Duo-Stitched Square dies.

Challenges I would like to enter: 

613 Avenue Create (November) - Anything Goes with option Embossing (2nd entry) - TOP ROCKER

Art Impressions #364 - Making Spirits Bright

As You Like It - Favourite Modern or Traditional Christmas Colours (and why)

(I like both, but my favourite is modern colours as I love the opportunity to make vibrant and eye catching designs where the colour pops!)

Aud Sentiments #307 - Christmas Plus a Sentiment

Beccy's Month of Holiday Cards - G is for Gems

Christmas Kickstart Challenge #80 - It’s Christmas Jim, but not as we know it!

(Unusual Christmas colour combo)

Crafty Catz #658 - Make It Sparkle (2nd entry)

Creative Inspirations (November) - Contemporary Christmas Colours - TOP 3

Daisy Chain #80 - Christmas/Winter (2nd entry)

Krafty Chicks #689 - Christmas

Merry Little Christmas #53 - Anything Christmas Goes

Most Magical Time of the Year #14 - Christmas (2nd entry)

Peace on Earth #51 - Anything Christmas Goes

Shopping Our Stash #509 - Emboss Like a Boss (2nd entry)

Simon Says (Monday) - Grunge It Up (3rd entry)

Unicorn Challenge #93 - Christmas

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,

Fabulous!

Hi everyone, this month's Visible Image FB ATC swap is on the theme of "Sparkle and Shine", so it was pretty inevitable that I would want to join in. As always, I made an ATC and co-ordinating card for my swap partner using only Visible Image stamps, stencils and/or dies.

For me this was a perfect opportunity to play with my new WOW Silver Metallic Sparkle embossing glitter, and wow does it sparkle when used on a silhouette stamp or stencil!

First the card:

I created a smooshed background using Distress Oxide inks, then sponged Versamark ink through my "Butterfly Ink" stencil and heat embossed with the silver embossing glitter. I added some background stamping using Brilliance pearlescent lavender ink, then stamped the focal butterfly onto separate card and heat embossed with the same glitter. I fussy cut the butterfly and coloured with my Spectrum Noir sparkle pen to give it a shimmery gleam, and attached on top of the stencilled butterfly. I stamped the sentiment in Medieval Blue Versafine Clair, then edged the panel in Indigo Blue marker pen and matted onto silver mirri card and my card blank.

Stamps: Visible Image Butterfly Effect, Birthday Wishes (sentiment);

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks (Kitsch Flamingo, Shaded Lilac); Versamark; WOW Metallic Silver Sparkle embossing glitter; Versafine Clair (Medieval Blue); Brilliance pearlescent ink (Pearlescent Lavender); Spectrum Noir sparkle pen (clear);

Tools: Visible Image stencil - Butterfly Ink.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Addicted to Stamps and More #456 - Make Your Mark (3rd entry)

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

Happy Little Stampers: Stencil (November) - Anything Goes with Stencilling

Pammie’s Inky Pinkies #2344 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Path of Positivity #117 - Anything Goes Positive - TOP PICK

Shopping Our Stash #509 - Emboss Like a Boss

Simon Says (Monday) - Grunge It Up

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

Try It on Tuesday - Sparkle All the Way (3rd entry)

Word Art Wednesday #621/622 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Secondly the ATC:

This followed a similar method to the card but with a couple of key differences: the silhouette butterfly was stamped and heat embossed, and both butterflies were from the smaller VI set "VI Minis #1"; and I masked the original sentiment to stamp only the word "fabulous" plus an exclamation mark!.

Stamps: Visible Image VI Minis #1, Birthday Wishes (sentiment);

Media: As per card above.

Challenges I would like to enter:

613 Avenue Create (November) - Anything Goes with option Embossing

Classic Design Challenge #10 2023 - Anything Goes 

Crafting From the Heart #7 - Anything Goes

Crafts Galore Encore #117 - Anything Goes

Crafty Calendar (November) - Anything Goes

Crafty Catz #658 - Make It Sparkle 

Kraftin’ Kimmie Skrappy Challenge (November) - Anything but a Card

Mix it Up #68 - Anything Goes

Outlawz (November) - Anything Goes in a Card Free Zone

Through the Purple Haze #210 - Anything Goes

We Love 2 Create #10 - Anything Goes

The silhouette butterflies on both makes are very sparkly, a fact which is hidden in the above photos by the stamped butterflies that are attached on top. Here is an angled picture to show the silhouette stamping

Take care, and thanks very much for visiting my blog today.

Hugs,

 

C.R.A.F.T. #697 G.D.T. - For Children

Hi everyone, another week has flown by, so it's time for a new C.R.A.F.T. Challenge and my second GDT card. This week's challenge is 

*** For Children ***

This week's fabulous sponsor is 

All Dressed Up

The prize is 2 digi images from their shop.

Here is my GDT card for this week.

I very rarely have to make cards for children, so I had to get my thinking cap on for this one. In the end I plumped for this adorable old Lili of the Valley stamp of a teddy peeking out of a gift box .. it just struck me as very cute for a little girl. I coloured the image with Promarkers and Flexmarkers and highlighted the flowers on the gift box with sparkly Sakura Stardust pens. I cut the image out with a stitched notched square die, then cut a larger notched square from a snippet of pink card stock for matting. I also used up a couple of large snippets of old but well-loved LotV papers for my background, matted onto a stitched square of pink card stock, and I finshed off with a Penny Black sentiment.

Here's an angled pic to show the sparkle on the box.

Stamps: LotV Patchwork Teddy; Penny Black Salutations;

Media: Promarkers & Flexmarkers; Memento ink (black); Versafine Clair (Paradise); Sakura Stardust pens (pink, green, turquoise, purple); 

Papers: LotV Nitwits "Bonnets and Bowties"; 

Tools: Stitched notched square die and Stitched Notched rectangle die (unbranded); Hunkydory Moonstone Duo-Stitched Square die.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Addicted to Stamps and More #456 - Make Your Mark (2nd entry)

Creations In Pink #63 - Anything Goes in Mainly Pink

Happy Little Stampers: Birthday (November) - Birthday

I ❤️ Promarkers #546 - Anything Goes with option In the Pink

Let's Craft and Create #201 - Stitched Up (Real or Faux)

Pammie’s Inky Pinkies #2344 - Anything Goes

Passion for Markers #715 - Favourite Stamp

(I don’t really have a particular favourite, but adore this one as it is so cute and also very easy to colour which is important for me as I have lost my confidence colouring with markers)

A Perfect Time to Craft (November) - Anything Goes

Snippets Playground #466 - Use Snippets

(all the pieces of card and papers on this were snippets from my box)

Word Art Wednesday #621/622 - Anything Goes

We hope you can join in with the challenge this week - please do pop over to the C.RA.F.T. Challenge blog to see the fabulous inspiration from the Design Team and to link up your entry.

Take care and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Christmas Joy

Hi everyone, today I would like to share with you some Christmas Joy … that is both the name of the focal stamp on this card, but also an apt description of the warm fuzzy feeling I had when I was creating with some of the wonderful new Lavinia stamps. Although I really like Lavinia stamps I wouldn’t normally describe myself as a “super fan” - that is to say I don’t normally go into a frenzy of excitement over each new release. However I can’t tell you how much I love the latest stamps … the new Christmas trees and snowflakes are absolutely exquisite, and I am feeling full of ideas of how to use them, both alone, with existing stamps I have already, and even with existing stamps I don’t have yet!! Here is my first card using “Christmas Joy”, which I made as an entry for Lavinia’s monthly Creative Challenge but which I would also like to enter into some other challenges.

I cut a square of white stamping card and created a landscape by blending Elements inks using my new Mini Hills Masks and a circle mask for the moon. I made some paper masks by drawing round my acetate Mini Hills masks so I could then stamp some background fir trees in 1st/2nd generation grey Versafine Clair. I stamped the focal tree in the foreground in green and brown, then coloured it by painting with watered down Elements ink and a wash of Spectrum Noir sparkle pen, and coloured the tree baubles with Posca sparkle pens. I wanted fairies to be decorating the tree but none of mine were really suitable, so I improvised by masking and stamping different parts of the stamp “Dancing Till Dawn” to represent the fairies dancing round the tree whilst bringing lanterns. I added lanterns to the tree and to the fairies’ hands by masking my Small Lanterns stamp, then coloured them and the fairy wings with Sakura Stardust pens. I stamped some hanging creepers at the top to frame the scene, then liberally highlighted the scene with my clear Sakura Stardust pen. I stamped the word "Joy" in Twilight VFC over the moon - for the Lavinia Challenge I stopped there, but for other challentes i added some extra greetings words by Uniko.  Finally I added white Posca snowflakes before matting onto midnight blue card stock and a 6” square card blank. 

Here's an angled picture to show the sparkle.

Stamps: Lavinia Christmas Joy, Small Pine Trees, Christmas Tree Group, Dancing Till Dawn, Small Lanterns, Leaf Creeper, Seasonal Words; Uniko Festive Sentiments;

Media: Lavinia Elements Inks (Della Blue, Dark Denim, Olive); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Morning Mist, Shady Lane, Pinecone, Rainforest, Twilight); Sakura Stardust pens (yellow, blue, turquoise, clear); Spectrum Noir Sparkle pen (clear); Posca Sparkle pens (Yellow, Blue, Light Blue); Posca pen (white);

Tools: Lavinia Mini Hills masks, acetate circle mask.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Allsorts #753 - The Great Outdoors - TOP 5

Beccy’s Month of Holiday Cards (November) - D is for Dancing Till Dawn

Daisy Chain #80 - Christmas/Winter

Dragonfly Dreams (November) - Inspiration Photo

(I was inspired by the blue baubles)

The Fairy and the Unicorn #11 2023 - Anything Goes Fantasy - WINNER

Festive Friday - Christmas

Lavinia Creative Challenge (November) - White Winter Blizzard (version with single word “Joy”) (2nd entry)

Most Magical Time of the Year #14 - Christmas

Sheepski #80 - Getting Ready for Christmas

Stamping Sensations (November) - Get Ready for Christmas

Try It On Tuesday - Sparkle All the Way  (2nd entry) - END OF YEAR SPOTLIGHT 2023

We Love Stamping (November) - Christmas Characters

That’s all from me for today, though I may be doing some more crafting later if the weather continues to be so awful! Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

C.R.A.F.T. #696 GDT - Anything Goes

Hi everyone, Today I have a bit of exciting news to share. I was delighted to be asked to be a Guest Designer over at C.R.A.F.T. Challenge for the month of November - so that is the next 5 Thursdays starting today! 

This week's challenge is nice and easy as the theme is

*** Anything Goes ***

There are 2 fabulous sponsors for the challenge this week:

DRS Designs 

is offering one lucky winner a $20 gift voucher

and

Sheepski Designs 

is offering another winner 3 digi images of their choice.

Here is my GDT card for this week.

I decided to have a little play with another stamp set I acquired in the recent AALL & Create sale - “Friendship Florals”. I created a smoosh background with 3 colours of Distress Oxide ink, then stamped the focal flower and birds in Nocturne Versafine Clair. I added some background stamping of motivational words from another new-to-me set “Background Noise” using 2nd generation Warm Breeze VFC, and a little stencilling using Brilliance white pearlescent ink. I stamped the flower again onto separate card, coloured with watered down Elements inks then fussy cut and attached. I stamped a sentiment onto separate card, cut out, edged in black and attached, then edged the finished piece and matted onto black card stock and a card blank.

Stamps: AALL & Create #648 Friendship Florals, #457 Background Noise; Pink Frog Typewriter Sentiments;

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks (Salvaged Patina, Cracked Pistachio, Peacock Feathers); Lavinia Elements inks (Sundance, Sahara, Russet Orange, Lime Punch, Olive),; Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Warm Breeze); Brilliance Pearlescent ink (Moonlight White); gel pen (white);

Tools: Visible Image stencil - Halftone.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Addicted to Stamps and More! #456 - Make Your Mark

Beautiful Blossoms #10 2022 - Anything Floral Goes

Birthstone Challenges #6 - Topaz and Turquoise

Crafter's Cafe #302 - Flowers

Love to Craft #77 - Anything Goes

Love to Scrap #164 - Anything Goes

Shopping Our Stash #508 - Colour Challenge (use at least 3 colours from the mood board)

(I have used all the colours except far right) - TOP 3

Use Your Stuff #496 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)
Word Art Wednesday #619/620 - Anything Goes (6th entry)

We hope you can join in with the challenge this week - please do pop over to the C.RA.F.T. Challenge blog to see the fabulous inspiration from the Design Team and to link up your entry.

Take care and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Stag and Sparkling Snowflakes

Hi everyone, I’m back again today with my second make using a mixture of old and new Lavinia stamps following my visit to the Lavinia shop on Sunday. I am absolutely blown away by the new snowflake stamps (and the existing teeny snowflakes too, which I had never noticed before!!) and loved Jo Rice’s tutorial where she stamped them partly surrounding a circle of softly blended ink which framed a little scene. I knew straight away I wanted to develop this idea in a different direction using my existing stag stamp and the new smaller pine trees.  I also bought a couple of Christmassy embossing glitters, so I just had to include some sparkling silver snowflakes.

I cut a square of white stamping card and created a softly blended part circle of Distress Oxide ink using an acetate mask. I stamped the stag on the right side to fill the gap in the circle, then used hill masks and the new mini hill masks to create some snowy  landscape with more blended DOX. I masked the landscape and stamped the small pine trees using 1st and 2nd generation dark blue and grey ink, then stamped and heat embossed a large and two small snowflakes using Versamark and Silver Sparkle embossing glitter. I stamped more snowflakes around the circle using 1st and 2nd generation dark blue, purple and pink VFC, then stamped the sentiment in two tone. I highlighted the scene, snowflakes and sentiment using a clear Sakura Stardust pen, and blinged up the snowy hills with a touch of Wink of Stella, then highlighted the stag with white pastel pencil and black fineliner. Finally I edged the finished panel with black marker pen, added some white Posca pen snow spatter, then matted onto red card stock and my card blank.

Here's the angled "sparkle shot".

Stamps: Lavinia Stag, Small Pine Trees, Snowflakes Large, Snowflakes Small, Snowflakes, Seasonal Words;

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide ink (Stormy Sky); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Medieval Blue, Morning Mist, Monarch, Charming Pink); Versamark; WOW Metallic Silver Sparkle embossing glitter; Sakura Stardust pen (clear); Wink of Stella; pastel pencil (white); Posca Pen (white);

Tools: Lavinia hill masks, Mini hill masks, circle masks.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Allsorts #752 - Embossing Heat or Dry (2nd entry)

Beccy’s Month of Holiday Cards (November) - Day 1: A is for Antlers

Creatalicious #270 - Anything Goes with option In the Forest - TOP 3

Double D - Oh Deer

FarmQuest Country Christmas #1 - Anything Country Christmas Goes (2nd entry) - TOP 3

The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge #151 - Anything Christmas Goes - TOP 5

Inkspirational #301 - Cold

Lavinia Creative Challenge (November) - White Winter Blizzard

MAWTT #160 - Christmas Animals

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Anything Goes (5th entry)

Try It On Tuesday - Sparkle All the Way - TOP 5

Word Art Wednesday #619/620 - Anything Goes (5th entry)

Up until the past 2-3 weeks I had scarcely made any Christmas cards, but luckily I am now feeling a rush of enthusiasm - just as well as I have some ground to make up!! Thanks once again for visiting - take care.

Hugs,