52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge

Monday, 17 February 2025

Lavinia Stamps "Shrooms" and Pipin Card



Another quick play session with the new release stamps from Lavinia Stamps, I'm using the minimal stash I have here in the caravan, so I'm having to be more creative with the backgrounds. 

I masked off the edges of the card, then multi stamped the Lavinia "Rosemary" stamp in first and second generation stamping using "Leaf Green" Ranger Archival Ink. I then went around the top edge and sides with a blending brush with "Sky Blue" Ranger Archival Ink.

I used Versafine Clair "Nocturne" black ink to stamp the large and small "Shrooms" and "Pipin" the hare.  I used black ink remaining on my blending brush to create the landscape using the torn edge of a piece of copy paper.

I then used "Nocturne" again to stamp the "Dill" as bushes, using Posca pens to give the impression of flowers, a black fine line pen to add shadows and chimneys to the "Shrooms", a 2B pencil for the smoke coming from the chimneys and a white gel pen for high lights.

Sunday, 16 February 2025

Lavinia Stamps Herbalum Bob Card



Today, I have had another play with some of the new release of stamps by Lavinia Stamps, creating this card, again with minimal stash.

I started by using a blending brush with "Forget-me-knot" Ranger Archival ink to give a blue circle-ish middle.  I then used the torn edge of a piece of paper with Versafine Clair Ink to create the landscape.

I used the same ink to stamp Herbalum Bob,Dill & Sage Pots, Small Shrooms and the Herb Garden Sign.  I used the "Thyme" stamp with "Leaf Green" Ranger Archival Ink to add some height in the background.

To colour the scene, I used a white gel pen, a 2B pencil and assorted colours of Posca Pens,

52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2025 - Week 7



The Crafting Niche 52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge 2025:

This is a weekly challenge. I provide you with a prompt/theme each Sunday morning through out the year.  The challenge is very relaxed.  You can do as much or as little as you like.  You can create cards, tags, Artist Trading Cards (ATC's) or index cards, the choice is yours. You just go with what ever is in your head at the time.  You can stamp, get inky, use patterned papers, texture, embellish it is all down to you.

There is a dedicated private Facebook Group, with a lovely bunch of people who are already sharing their makes from previous challenges.  You can find the group by clicking this link.  I'd love you to join in.

The prompt for Week 7 is "Gel Print"

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For my Week 7 "Gel Print" tag, I used a plain white tag to take the Brusho / Colourbox print from the gel plate for the coloured base.

I used the Lavinia Stamps "Tree Branch stamp" with Versafine Clair "Shady Lane" green ink to stamp the branches. I then used Versafine Clair "Pinecone" brown ink to stamp the Lavinia Stamps "Flittermice/bats".

I used two Versafine Clair purple inks (Lilac Bloom and Monarch) with one of the Lavinia "Moon Masks" to spotlight the two of the hanging bats.  I then used a white Derwent Inktense pencil to lighten areas of the moon/spotlight.

At the base of the tag, I used Versafine Clair "Shady Lane" green ink to stamp the Lavina "Climbing Ivy".

Finally, Using a gold glitter/shimmer pen I added highlights to areas of the tag and then added dots of Liquid Pearls in "Blackberry (purple) and a copper colour to give the impression of flowers within the foliage at the base of the tag. I added dots of yellow Posca Pen to the eyes of the bats too.

Saturday, 15 February 2025

Lavinia Stamps Bottle Sticker Stencil and Pipin the hare



Well I am still in the caravan.  We've been here for eight weeks and I've not had my crafting stuff for about three months.  I am missing it awfully.  Because of this, I have bought a few bits and bobs to keep me going.

I have a black Versafine ink pad, a stamping block, some white 300gsm card eight mini Ranger Archival Ink pads, some cheap blending brushes and a couple of bottles of Liquid Pearls.

Lavinia Stamps recently had a stamp release including stamps and sticker stencils. so I of course ordered those, so today I decided to have a play.  I'm not especially happy with this make, for several reasons, but it was the best I could do with my limited supplies.

I used the following Lavinia Stamps: Mini Pipin, Mini Stars 1, Dill & Sage Words, Dill and Sage along with a bottle stencil from the Lavinia "Sticker Stencils 11" set finishing with touches of Liquid Peals.

The word sticker is part of a Funky Fossil Designs word sticker set.

Sunday, 9 February 2025

52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2025 - Week 6



The Crafting Niche 52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge 2025:

This is a weekly challenge. I provide you with a prompt/theme each Sunday morning through out the year.  The challenge is very relaxed.  You can do as much or as little as you like.  You can create cards, tags, Artist Trading Cards (ATC's) or index cards, the choice is yours. You just go with what ever is in your head at the time.  You can stamp, get inky, use patterned papers, texture, embellish it is all down to you.

There is a dedicated private Facebook Group, with a lovely bunch of people who are already sharing their makes from previous challenges.  You can find the group by clicking this link.  I'd love you to join in.

The prompt for Week 6 is "Love"

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For my Week 6 "Love" tag, I used a plain white tag for the base.

I used Versafine Clair "Medieval Blue" ink to stamp the large and small Lavinia Stamps "Hummingbirds" off the edge of the tag, but with their beaks close to each other.

I used a Lavinia Stamp "Moon Mask" with "Sky Blue" Ranger Archival Ink for the spotlight area in the centre of the tag.

I then used ink left on my blue blending brush to give a hint of colour through the Lavinia Stamps "Leaf Trellis" stencil to the top left and bottom right of the tag.

Next, using a ruler and a black fine liner pen, I drew some vertical lines through the centre of the tag. I then used Versafine Clair "Medieval Blue" ink again to stamp the word "Love" which is part of the Lavinia Stamps "Live the life" stamp set.

Moving on to the finishing touches, I used the "Mint Leaf" Derwent Inktense pencil, applied with a paint brush to colour the wings of the birds.  Once dry, I then added "A Wink of Stella" over the top of the colour to give a lovely subtle gold shimmer.  Finally adding a few dots of black Ranger "Enamel Accents".

Sunday, 2 February 2025

52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2025 - Week 5



The Crafting Niche 52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge 2025:

This is a weekly challenge. I provide you with a prompt/theme each Sunday morning through out the year.  The challenge is very relaxed.  You can do as much or as little as you like.  You can create cards, tags, Artist Trading Cards (ATC's) or index cards, the choice is yours. You just go with what ever is in your head at the time.  You can stamp, get inky, use patterned papers, texture, embellish it is all down to you.

There is a dedicated private Facebook Group, with a lovely bunch of people who are already sharing their makes from previous challenges.  You can find the group by clicking this link.  I'd love you to join in.

The prompt for Week 5 is "Cool and muted colours"

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For my Week 5 "Cool Colours" tag, I used a plain tag and cut up a coupld of pages of patterned paper from a Funky Fossil Designs pad called "Snow Merry".  I then cut some off cuts of white card and cut curved shapes to create a landscape.  I stuck all the cut elements on to a plain tag and used ink that was on my blending brushes to add some extra colour.

I mounted the tag on to grey card then stamped the sentiment, which is part of the Hobby Art Ltd stamp set called "General Greetings CS016D", stamped in Versafine Clair "Morning Mist" grey ink.  Finally adding white sequins, white and clear beads to embelish the surface.

Sunday, 26 January 2025

52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2025 - Week 4



The Crafting Niche 52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge 2025:

This is a weekly challenge. I provide you with a prompt/theme each Sunday morning through out the year.  The challenge is very relaxed.  You can do as much or as little as you like.  You can create cards, tags, Artist Trading Cards (ATC's) or index cards, the choice is yours. You just go with what ever is in your head at the time.  You can stamp, get inky, use patterned papers, texture, embellish it is all down to you.

There is a dedicated private Facebook Group, with a lovely bunch of people who are already sharing their makes from previous challenges.  You can find the group by clicking this link.  I'd love you to join in.

The prompt for Week 4 is "Ephemera"

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For my Week 4 "Ephemera" tag, I started with a white tag, sticking sections of old unused diary pages on to the tag, till the surface was covered.

Next, I used two Funky Fossil Designs stamp sets, using "Abstractions" and "Musings" with four colours of Versafine Clair Inks.  I used Arctic, Morning Mist, Tulip Red and Nocturne shades of ink.

I found an old stamp that I had torn off an envelope, so stuck that to the top right hand side.  I also stuck the "January" banner which was in an old diary.  

Next, I found a mailing from a wine company, so tore a section out with wine bottles and stuck them to the base of the tag.

I had saved some stickers from a Christmas crackers so stuck the hearts to the tag, then got busy with a red Posca Pen to circle the days of the week.

Edited to add:  this tag kinds of suggest I like a glass of wine or two, I actually don't drink very much alcohol!

Sunday, 19 January 2025

52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2025 - Week 3



The Crafting Niche 52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge 2025:

This is a weekly challenge. I provide you with a prompt/theme each Sunday morning through out the year.  The challenge is very relaxed.  You can do as much or as little as you like.  You can create cards, tags, Artist Trading Cards (ATC's) or index cards, the choice is yours. You just go with what ever is in your head at the time.  You can stamp, get inky, use patterned papers, texture, embellish it is all down to you.

There is a dedicated private Facebook Group, with a lovely bunch of people who are already sharing their makes from previous challenges.  You can find the group by clicking this link.  I'd love you to join in.

The prompt for Week 3 is "Film Title"

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For my Week 3 "Film Title" tag, I started with a white tag using two shades of Distress Oxide Inks to colour the background.  The two colours I used were Kitsch Flamingo and Worn Lipstick.

I lay the Funky Fossil Designs "Heart Lines" stencil over the tag and applied "Festive Berries" Distress Oxide through the stencil using a blending brush.

Next, I used the Lavinia Stamps "Heart Shaped Sticker Stencil" with two shades of purple Distress Oxide Ink.  For the heart in the background, I used "Wilted Violet", for the heart in the foreground, I used "Willainous Potion" ink.

I used the Lavinia Stamps set called "Inspire Me" to stamp the word "Love", using Versafine Clair "Monarch" purple ink.  I used the same ink to colour the edges of the tag, before mounting it on to a piece of navy blue coloured card.

On the computer, I printed the word"...actually", coloured the white background with some pink ink left on my blending brush, then cut it to size and edged it with a gold coloured pen.

Masking off the tag, exposing the darker of the two hearts, I then splattered gold coloured paint over the surface of the heart.  Finally, adding some dots of "Blackberry" Liquid Pearls across the surface of the tag.

Sunday, 12 January 2025

52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2025 - Week 2



The Crafting Niche 52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge 2025:

This is a weekly challenge. I provide you with a prompt/theme each Sunday morning through out the year.  The challenge is very relaxed.  You can do as much or as little as you like.  You can create cards, tags, Artist Trading Cards (ATC's) or index cards, the choice is yours. You just go with what ever is in your head at the time.  You can stamp, get inky, use patterned papers, texture, embellish it is all down to you.

There is a dedicated private Facebook Group, with a lovely bunch of people who are already sharing their makes from previous challenges.  You can find the group by clicking this link.  I'd love you to join in.

The prompt for Week 2 is "Retro"

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For my Week 2 "Retro" tag, I started with a plain white tag, using two stencils from Funky Fossil Designs to create the background pattern.  The two stencils I used are called "Retro Pattern Builder" and "Retro Pattern Builder 2".  I used three shades of Ranger Archival Inks through the stencils, using Sky Blue, Magnese Blue and Cobalt.

Next, I used Versafine Clair "Nocturne" black ink to stamp the words "Retro Vibes" and "You're a classic", both sentiments are part of the "Wired For Sound" stamp set by Funky Fossil Designs.  Finally, I added some touches of silver glitter pen to some of the stencilled areas.


Sunday, 5 January 2025

52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2025 - Week 1



The Crafting Niche 52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge 2025:

This is a weekly challenge. I provide you with a prompt/theme each Sunday morning through out the year.  The challenge is very relaxed.  You can do as much or as little as you like.  You can create cards, tags, Artist Trading Cards (ATC's) or index cards, the choice is yours. You just go with what ever is in your head at the time.  You can stamp, get inky, use patterned papers, texture, embellish it is all down to you.

There is a dedicated private Facebook Group, with a lovely bunch of people who are already sharing their makes from previous challenges.  You can find the group by clicking this link.  I'd love you to join in.

The prompt for Week 1 is "Hello"

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For my Week 1 "Hello" tag, I used three shades of Distress Oxide Inks to cover a white tag to create the background colour.  The colours I used are:  Worn Lipstick, Abandoned Coral and Spiced Marmalade.

I used Versafine Clair "Acorn" Brown ink to stamp the Lavinia Stamps "Tree Branches", in first and second generation stamping.

I then stamped the Lavinia Stamps robins, called "Jemima and Bobby" using two shades of Versafine Clair inks.  The colours I used were "Pinecone" brown ink and "Strawberry" red ink for the chest. 

In the background, I stamped text using the Lavinia "Crystal Signs" stamp for December/January.  I used Versafine Clair "Morning Mist" grey ink, stamping the text in second generation stamping so it was quite light in the background.  Over the top of that, I then stamped Lavinia "Musical Notes" using Versafine Clair "Acorn" brown ink.

The "Hello" word, is part of a Lawn Fawn stamp set called "Simply Sentiments" and is stamped in Versafine Clair "Nocturne" black ink.

To finish the tag, I added extra detail using a black fine liner pen, a gold gel pen and a white gel pen.