Birthday Flower

Hi everyone, today I would like to share the card I made for my oldest schoolfriend’s birthday. I decided to have a play with one of my favourite older Tracy Evans stamps, along with a matching teeny tag from a set I recently acquired in the sale specifically to match the larger flower.

As luck would have it I used a number of snippets for this card, and Sarn and Di have two fabulous mega challenges going on over the course of December over at the Snippets Playground, with surprise festive bundle prizes on offer on top of the usual hot chocolate and mulled wine in the tree house! What a fab way to celebrate the festive season! ❤️

I cut a piece of white stamping card 6.5” x 4.5” and created a background by daubing Distress Oxides onto an acrylic block masked with tape to the correct size, spritzing with water then removing the tape and stamping onto the card. I stamped the focal flower, then stamped again onto a separate snippet of card. I coloured the flower head and leaves with Zig pens, added silver and white Posca dots to the flower centre, added Spectrum Noir sparkle pen to the flower head and circle then fussy cut them out and set aside. I stamped the teeny tag onto a small white snippet and coloured the flower head as above. I added some background stamping to the corners for added interest then stamped the sentiment and coloured it with Sakura sparkle pen. I assembled the card by attaching first the flower head with scrunched up silver holographic thread behind it (which totally refused to behave itself!!), then the circle, then the tag on top of some thread placed across the card. I matted the piece onto a large snippet of black card stock and a 7” x 5” card blank, and finished off with a teeny silver bow on the tag.

This is another very sparkly card where the photos don’t really capture it due to the poor winter light.

Stamps: AALL & Create #904 Flower Journey, #531 Textured Florals, #899 Garden Mix Tagged; Tracy Evans Boutique Designs TE6 Branched Heart; sentiment - Woodware Made For You;

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxides inks (Shaded Lilac, Wilted Violet, Cracked Pistachio); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Morning Mist, Lilac Bloom, Very Peri); Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens; Sakura Stardust pen (clear); Spectrum Noir sparkle pen (clear); Posca pens (silver, white).

Challenges I would like to enter: 

AAA Birthday #68 - Lovely Layers

Addicted to Stamps and More #483 - Birthdays

Beautiful Blossoms #23 - Anything Floral Goes - TOP 3

Double Trouble #181 - Anything Goes + option Use a Bow

Heart’s Quest Celebrations of Love #12 2024 - Birthdays - TOP 3

{PIN}spirational #320 - Anything Goes

Snippets Playground #495 - Use Snippets 

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

We Love 2 Create #11 2024 - Anything Mixed Media Goes  (2nd entry) - TOP 3

Word Art Wednesday #677/678 - Anything Goes (4th entry)

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside!

Hi everyone, today I would like to share the latest page I have made for my 2025 calendar - August.  I wanted a summery theme (even though we certainly can’t rely on the British summer weather!) and I was inspired by a recent tutorial by Emma-Jo at Lavinia  here, where she used the gorgeous little cottages to make a beach hut-type scene with stylised waves created using hill masks. I introduced a few extra elements due to the different size image I wanted to create (Emma Jo’s was a DL card) plus I used different pens and slightly different techniques to create the sea and sky - but I loved the basic concept so much I thought it was perfect for a “summer holiday” calendar page - we can live in hope of sunny skies! 

I cut a piece of stamping card 19.5cm x 14.5cm and created the waves by blending Blue Atoll Elements ink using a hill mask, and edging each wave with a narrow band of Blue Lagoon. I then masked the waves and blended Sundance up to a masked horizon line to create the sand.

 I stamped a row of three cottages and had the brainwave of using the large stones stamp (which I think I have never used!!) to create a sea wall. I then masked the cottages and stones and blended more Blue Atoll Elements to create the sky and sun, which I coloured with more Sundance. With the masks still in place I used the stones stamp to create little walls between the cottages and stamped some birds in flight, then added some green foliage between the cottages.

I removed the masks and coloured the cottages and stones with Zig pens and added some white Signo pen highlights, then outlined the waves with blue Posca sparkle pen and painted further stylised mini waves with turquoise sparkle pen. I also added dots to the beach and white Posca dots to the waves in the same style as Emma Jo, and also some sparkle with both Sakura Stardust and Spectrum Noir sparkle pens. 

I stamped the sentiment which seemed to me to be made for this scene, and at that point I felt it needed something else … seagulls! I stamped 2 birds sitting on the sea wall using Sand Dune VFC then painted them with white acrylic Posca pen paint and Zig pens for the beak and wings, and outlined them with a black fineliner.  I’ve not tried this before so it wasn’t perfect, but I was reasonably happy with how the birdies turned out. To finish I blended a bit more Blue Lagoon Elements around the edges to add depth.

Here’s an angled picture to show the sparkle.

Stamps: Lavinia Woodland Cottages, Stones (large), Leaf Creeper, Bird Collection, Birds, Deeper than the ocean;

Media: Lavinia Elements inks (Blue Atoll, Blue Lagoon, Sundance); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Avocado, Paradise, Sand Dune); Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens; Sakura Stardust pens (blue, yellow, clear); Posca sparkle pens (blue, turquoise, yellow); Posca pen (white); Signo pen (white); Spectrum Noir sparkle pen (clear);

Tools: Lavinia acetate hill masks and circle mask.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Ally’s Angels #88 - Anything Goes - WINNER

Crafty Catz #684 - Anything Goes

Creative Artiste #111 - Anything Mixed Media Goes - TOP 3

Double Trouble #181 - Anything Goes 

Everybody Art #569 - House/Home

Krafty Chicks #745 - Stamps

Love to Craft #83 - Anything Goes (3rd entry) - TOP PICK

Love to Scrap #170 - Anything Goes (2nd entry) - TOP PICK

Mix It Up #74 - Anything Goes (3rd entry)

My Time to Craft #548 - Anything but a Card 

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

Path of Positivity #126 - Anything Positive Goes - TOP PICK & DT DELIGHT

Simon Says (Monday) - Make It Sparkle (3rd entry)

We Love 2 Create #11 2024 - Anything Mixed Media Goes

Word Art Wednesday #677/678 - Anything Goes (3rd entry)

This was another project that took hours to complete, but I must confess I was thrilled with it when it was finished, so many thanks to Emma Jo for the inspiration. 5 calendar pages done now … only 7 to go! 🥰

I hope everyone has survived the terrible weekend storms unscathed. We came home from a weekend away to find a large bush collapsed in the front garden, damp on the ceiling of our living room bay window which was only replastered and painted less than 3 months ago, rear garden fence pieces strewn around and a greenhouse glass panel smashed on the floor! The joys of English weather! 

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

FarmQuest Country Christmas #15 - Guest DT

Hi everyone, last month I was delighted to be invited by the team over at FarmQuest Country Christmas challenge to be their Guest DT for December - and of course I said yes! All I had to do (and all you need to do to join in) is to make a “Country Christmas” themed project - how easy is that?

So what do we mean by “Country Christmas”? Anything Christmas or December/January holiday or winter wishes themed …. and …. content needs to be outdoor/rural Christmas decorations and/or wintry scenes. 

There is plenty more inspiration available from the Design Team - please do visit the FQCC challenge blog to view their projects and link up your entry here. 

Here is my card for the challenge.

I cut a 15cm square of white stamping card, and used a square mask along with a small circle mask to create the background sky and moon, using Elements inks.  I masked the bottom of the square with paper and stamped a row of fir trees using a variety of shades of blue VFC and 1st/2nd generation, then stamped the reindeer, birds and little robins in Nocturne.  I added snowy accents to the trees with a white Signo pen, then added sparkly highlights to the whole scene with Sakura Stardust pen. I grounded the animals with a little blue/grey Zig pen then added some Posca snowflakes and wisps of mist using white pastel pencil. Finally I stamped the sentiment in dark blue, then matted the finished piece onto dark blue linen card stock and a 7” square card blank.

Here is an angled picture to show the sparkle.

Stamps: Lavinia Reindeer (large), Fairy Fir Tree (small), Small Robins, Birds; Uniko Christmas;

Media: Lavinia Elements inks (Della Blue, Dark Denim); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Twilight, Medieval Blue), Very Peri); Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pen; Sakura Stardust pen (clear); Spectrum Noir sparkle pen (clear); Signo pen (white); Posca pen (white); pastel pencil (white).

Challenges I would like to enter:

2 Sisters on the Blog #92 - Blue (2nd entry)

12 Months of Christmas #117 - Anything Christmas Goes (2nd entry)

Aud Sentiments #320 - Non-Traditional Christmas Colours and/or Winter + a Sentiment  (2nd entry)

Christmas Kickstart #93 - If It’s Christmassy Link It Up! (2nd entry)

Country View Challenges (December) - Christmas

Crafter’s Cafe #314 - Anything Goes with option Monochrome - TOP 3

Dragonfly Dreams (December) - Christmas (2nd entry)

Fab ‘n’ Funky #606 - Christmas Animals 

Festive Fridays (December) - Christmas - TOP 3

Four Seasons (December) - Anything Goes Winter (2nd entry)

Lavinia Creative Challenge (December) - Snow Is Falling (pic without sentiment) - WINNER

The Male Room #193 - Anything Goes - HONOURABLE MENTION

Merry Little Christmas #59 - Anything Christmas Goes with option Monochrome (3rd entry)

Peace On Earth #77 - Anything Christmas Goes (2nd entry)

Pearly Sparkles #102 - Christmas

Simon Says (Monday) - Make It Sparkle (2nd entry) - DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Winter Blues (2nd entry)

Stamping Sensations (December) - Winter (2nd entry)

We Love Stamping (December) - Winter (2nd entry)

Word Art Wednesday #677/678 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

I’d like to say a big thanks to Becca and the FQCCCB team for inviting me to be their guest DT this month - we look forward to seeing your entries!

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Christmas Card Swap

Hi everyone, in the run up to Christmas one of the lovely members over on the Tracy Evans FB group has organised a 1-1 Christmas card swap. This struck me as a really fun idea and I have several of Tracy’s Christmas stamps so I decided to join in. Here’s the card I made - sadly it has been delayed in the post so my swap partner said she didn’t mind me publishing it to enter a few challenges .. she won’t peek lol! 

I created my bauble by blending Distress Oxide ink round my bauble stencil, then I created snowy hills by blending more DOX using a torn paper mask, and a moon with a teeny home made circle mask. I masked the area around the bauble and stamped the trees using 1st and 2nd generation Twilight VFC then added the penguin. I stamped my teeny text in Morning Mist and my fern branches in Twilight, then coloured the penguin’s chest with Zig pens. I added white Signo pen snowy highlights to the trees topped with Sakura Stardust pen, and added Posca pen snowy highlights spatters before matting onto a dark blue card stock border and 6” card blank. Finally I attached a sentiment I had stamped onto blue cardstock and heat embossed white.

Stamps: Tracy Evans Boutique Designs TE23 Winter Delights, TE22 Christmas Wishes, TE18 Decorations; AALL &Create #806 Fallen Leaves;

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide ink (Tumbled Glass, Broken China); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Twilight, Morning Mist); Versamark; WOW opaque bright white embossing powder;  Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens; Sakura Stardust pen (clear); Signo uniball pen (white); Posca pen (white);

Tools: Tracy Evans snippet stencil SS06 - Bauble.

Challenges I would like to enter:

2 Sisters on the Blog #92 - Blue

12 Months of Christmas #117 - Anything Christmas Goes

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

Allsorts #809 - Winter Flowers and Fauna

Aud Sentiments #320 - Non-Traditional Christmas Colours and/or Winter + a Sentiment

Christmas Kickstart #93 - If It’s Christmassy Link It Up! - TOP PICK

Classic Design Challenge #11 2024 - Anything Goes with option Bells & Baubles

Creative Inspirations (December) - Let It Snow!

Double D - Christmas Ornaments

Dragonfly Dreams (December) - Christmas

Four Seasons (December) - Anything Goes Winter

Peace On Earth #77 - Anything Christmas Goes

Simon Says (Monday) - Make It Sparkle

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Winter Blues

Simon Says - Celebrating 20 Years of Distress #SSS20YearsofDistress

Stamping Sensations (December) - Winter

Tracy Evans FB Create, Share, Inspire (Nov/Dec) - Christmas/Festive Project (3rd entry)

We Love Stamping (December) - Winter

Word Art Wednesday #677/678 - Anything Goes

Take care and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Joy, Hope and Wonder

Hi everyone, I have recently seen some lovely winter scene cards featuring the Northern Lights, so I thought I’d have a go at my own version, broadly inspired by the look of this card by CarolAnn.

 I always use Pink Frog super smooth 300gsm card for stamping, and last weekend they gave me a pack of 30cm x 15cm sheets to try, as I visited their depot which is in my home town of Chesterfield to exchange a large box of A4 super smooth which had unfortunately been damaged in transit. I was delighted by this kind gesture and it struck me that these sheets would be brilliant for making 6” square one layer cards, so I cracked open the pack and made 4 cards - two each of 2 similar but different designs.

I created my card blank, then placed a Lavinia Mini Hill mask in the centre and created a snow line by blending blue Distress Oxide ink. I then blended angled stripes of Picked Raspberry, Wilted Violet and Cracked Pistachio DOX before filling in the gaps and blending out using Blueprint Sketch and Chipped Sapphire. I then applied a paper mask over the snow line and stamped the row of fir trees using Twilight VFC. I stamped additional trees in the foreground in Twilight, then added a couple more snowdrifts using blended DOX. I added snowy accents to the trees using a white Signo pen, then added some Spectrum Noir sparkle pen to the trees and snowdrifts. I stamped a Penny Black sentiment which seemed to me particularly apt for a Northern Lights scene, then finished off by adding white Posca dots for falling snow.

Here are a couple of closeups of the 2 designs. They are actually very sparkly but it is impossible to capture that in the poor winter light here.

Card 1

Stamps: Lavinia Christmas Tree Group, Fir Tree 1; Penny Black joy.hope (3898F);

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks (Chipped Sapphire, Blueprint Sketch, Picked Raspberry, Wilted Violet, Cracked Pistachio); Versafine Clair (Twilight, Blue Belle); Signo Uniball broad (white); Posca pen (white); Spectrum Noir sparkle pen (clear);

Tools: Lavinia Mini Hill masks.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Addicted to Stamps and More #482 - Christmas (2nd entry) - TOP ADDICT

Beccy’s Month of Holiday Cards - Holiday Themed (7th entry)

C.R.A.F.T. #742 - Christmas

Double D - Get Ready for Winter (2nd entry) - TOP 3

Heart’s Quest Celebrations of Love #11 2024 - Christmas (2nd entry)

The Holly and Ivy #173 - Anything Christmas Goes (2nd entry)

LeighSB Designs #34 - Anything Goes with option Falling Into Winter (2nd entry)

Night Owls #43 - In the Snow  (2nd entry) - TOP 3

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Anything Goes

Simon Says - Celebrating 20 Years of Distress #SSS20YearsofDistress

Simply Clean & Simple (November) - Christmas is Coming - TOP 3

Card 2

Stamps: Lavinia Christmas Tree Group, Fairy Fir Tree (small), Fairy Fir Tree 2 (small); Penny Black joy.hope (3898F);

Media & Tools: same as card 1.

Challenges I would like to enter:

AAA Card Challenge #279 - Anything CAS Goes  Christmas/Winter

Allsorts #808 - Anything Goes (2nd entry) - TOP 5

Aud Sentiments #319 - Glitter and/or Christmas + a Sentiment (2nd entry)

FarmQuest Country Christmas #14 - Anything Country Christmas Goes (4th entry)

Little Red Wagon #784 - Non-Traditional Winter Holiday

Peace On Earth #76 - Anything Christmas Goes (3rd entry)

Rudolph Days (November) - Christmas

Simon Says (Monday) - Trees - DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT

Simon Says - Celebrating 20 Years of Distress #SSS20YearsofDistress

Word Art Wednesday #675/676 - Anything Goes (3rd entry)

I definitely need more practice to get a better effect with the Northern lights, and I think my blending brushes are perhaps not quite up to the task, but I’m reasonably happy with my first attempt and really enjoyed trying it.

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Bobby and Holly

Hi everyone, today I’d like to share a card I made using one of the new release robins by Lavinia. When they came out I didn’t order them as I didn’t actually like them, but since then I’ve seen so many lovely makes with them that I have changed my mind! This card is also the first wreath card I have made using my recently acquired holly stamp, which is proving so useful I’m at a loss as to why I never purchased it until now!

I die cut a stitched square of stamping card, and created a background circle by blending Elements ink through a circle mask. I then placed a home made circle mask and stamped the background text using Sand Dune VFC. I stamped a wreath of holly then added some second generation mini holly, and stamped Bobby using Pinecone VFC. I highlighted the holly leaves with white Signo pen and coloured the berries with red Signo pen and Sakura Stardust pen, then highlighted Bobby and coloured his red breast with Zig pens and his tummy with white Stabilo pencil. I stamped the sentiment in Nocturne and a couple of pinecones in the corner which I also accented with my white pen, then matted the finished piece onto a 6” card blank. I finished off with a little festive gingham bow … it’s not currently stuck down as I seem to have lost my glue dots, so I guess I’ll have to get some when I’m next passing Hobbycraft!

Stamps: Lavinia Bobby, Holly, Mini Holly, Mini Pine Cone, Spirit of Christmas, Christmas Greetings;

Media: Lavinia Elements ink (Pine); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Shady Lane, Pinecone, Sand Dune); Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens; Signo pens (Red, white); Sakura Stardust pen (Red); Stabilo pencil (white);

Tools: Hunkydory Moonstone Duo-Stitched Squares die; Lavinia circle mask.

Challenges I would like to enter:

52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Ribbon

Addicted to Stamps and More #482 - Christmas

Allsorts #808 - Ribbon or Twine

Beccy’s Month of Holiday Cards - Holiday Themed (6th entry)

Country View Challenges (November) - Winging It (3rd entry)

C.R.A.F.T. #741 - Christmas  

Die Cut Divas (November) - Any Holiday in the Year + Use a Die Cut

Double Trouble #180 - Stitch It Up

Dream Factory #134 - Christmas Again?! (2nd entry)

Fab ‘n’ Funky #605 - Dies and/or Punches

Festive Friday (November) - Christmas / Winter Birds (2nd entry)

The Holly and Ivy #173 - Anything Christmas Goes 

Let’s Craft and Create #213 - Anything Goes with option Use a Bow

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Sparkle & Shine (2nd entry)

Try It On Tuesday - Traditional Christmas

We Love Stamping (November) - Christmas (3rd entry)

Word Art Wednesday #675/676 - Anything Goes (3rd entry)

This card was pretty straightforward to make so while I was at the craft table I made 2 more, just substituting the background colours and/or sentiment. I’m still in experimental mode when it comes to colouring the new robins, so it may be that a few more will appear coloured using different media!

That’s all from me for today. Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Mooch with Honeysuckle

Hi everyone, today I’d like to share another page from my 2025 Lavinia calendar … that’s 4 completed now, only 8 to go (!!) For this one I decided that my design would reflect the illustration of Mooch on the page, so I did a variation on a theme I have used before - honeysuckle climbing against a wall, with Mooch gazing up at the flowers and the dancing bees and butterfly. 

I cut a piece of white stamping card 19.5cm x 14.5cm and started by creating a softly stencilled brickwork background using my Lavinia Red Brick stencil and Confetti Elements ink. I stamped the honeysuckle several times using Morning Mist VFC to give a slightly softer look than Nocturne, then stamped some trailing foliage in the opposite top corner using a mixture of Avocado and Shady Lane VFC. I stamped Mooch looking up at the flowers then positioned my bees, butterfly and dragonfly. I coloured the honeysuckle, butterfly and bees using watered down Posca sparkle pens (very fiddly … my extra fine Lavinia paint brush came in extremely handy for that!) and added a little clear Sakura Stardust pen to the bees’ wings, then I added a few white Posca highlights and gold Posca dots on the flower stamens. Finally I grounded Mooch using a Mini Hill mask and Black Soot Distress Oxide - I think I might have overdone that but hey, it’s done now! 

Here’s an angled picture to try to show the sparkle and shine of the Posca pens, though not very successfully!  You may notice I haven’t actually stuck the panel down yet in my calendar, and that’s because I’m not yet100% sure whether I like it, but having invested the time in making I will probably go with it in the end!

Stamps: Lavinia Honeysuckle, Mooch, Vine Flourish, Bee Mini, Butterfly Mini, Fairy Bugs;

Media: Lavinia Elements ink (Confetti); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Morning Mist, Avocado, Shady Lane); Posca sparkle pens (pink, red, yellow, green, orange, turquoise); Sakura Stardust pen (clear); Posca pens (white, gold);

Tools: Lavinia  Red Brick stencil, Mini Hill masks.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Addicted to Stamps and More #481 - Make Your Mark (2nd entry)

Beautiful Blossoms #23 - Anything Floral Goes

Crafts Galore Encore #129 - Anything Goes

Crafty Animals #89 - Include an Animal

Crazy Is Our Fame, Stencils Are Our Game (November) - Use a Stencil with option Sparkle and Shine (2nd entry)

Creatalicious #283 - Anything Goes

Daring Cardmakers - Sparkle

Dream Valley #325 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Love to Craft #83 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Mix It Up #74 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Simon Says (Wednesday) - Sparkle & Shine

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

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

Word Art Wednesday #675/676 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

I was a bit concerned whether May is too early for honeysuckle, but then I remembered a trip we took in May this year to Rufford Old Hall where it was in full bloom!

Hope you’re having a great weekend whatever you’re doing.

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,