52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2026 - Week 11

The Crafting Niche 52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge 2026:

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 11 is "Songs / Rhymes".

I decided to create a tag, based on "Ten Green Bottles, Sitting On The Wall".  For the lower secion of this tag, I used three shades of Ranger Archival Inks, using Shadow Grey, Leaf Green and Orange Blossom colours of ink, through the Lavinia Stamps "Red Brick Stencil". I used "Sky Blue" Archival Ink for the sky area above the wall.

On a piece of white card, I used Versafine Clair "Rain Forest" to stamp the Papermania "Beer Bottle - PMA10124".  I then arranged them into position and once happy, glued them down.

I used the computer to type and print the words "Ten Green Bottles" the title for my tag.  It's a song my siblings and I would enjoy singing when we were young.  Finally, I used a 3B pencil, a black fine liner pen to add shadows.

Lavinia Stamps Castle in the arch card

I have used the Lavinia Stamps "Red Brick Stencil" and their "Sticker Stencil set 5" for the arch, with Ranger Archival Inks (Sky blue, Shadow Grey, Fern Green, Leaf Green, Acorn and Tea Rose).

I've used assorted Versafine Clair inks (Acorn, Fallen Leaves, Morning Mist, Shady Lane and Rain Forest) for the stamping of the Lavinia Stamps Cherry Blossom, Silhouette Castle, Tree Scene and Heartfelt Verse sentiment.  Finsihing with touches of 2B pencil, Posca Pens and Fine Liner pen.

Lavinia Stamps "Sunflower 1" Birthday Card

 

I used a cream coloured card for the base of this card.  Stamping the Lavinia Stamps "Sunflower 1" in Versafine Clair "Shady Lane" and "Summertime" inks.

I then lay the Lavinia Stamps "Red Brick Stencil" over the top of the card and used three shades of Ranger Archival Inks, using:  Cornflower Blue, Leaf Green and Orange Blossom through the stencil.

I used one of the Lavinia "Hill Masks" to ground the sunflower using Versafine Clair "Shady Lane" green ink.  I used the same ink to add tiny areas of text on the wall area using one of the Lavinia "Spirit Signs" stamps.  I then stamped the sentiment using one of the greetings from the "Heartfelt Verse" set of sentiment stamps.

I coloured the sunflower using  various shades of Distress Oxide inks.  Adding finishing touches with a gold coloured gel pen and a Posca pen.

Lavinia Stamps "Arch of Angels" Card

I decided to have a play with the new Lavinia Stamps release, this time playing with an archway stamp.

I started by stamping the Lavinia Stamps "Arch of Angels" using Versafine Clair "Morning Mist" grey ink.  I then used the Lavinia "Red Brick Stencil" with three shades of Ranger Archival Inks (Shadow Grey, Orange Blossom and Prickly Pear).

I gave the archway a wash of Distress Oxide Inks, using Antique Linen, Tea Dye, Pumice Stone and Weathered Wood.  Within the archway, I stamped the "Silhouette Castle" using "Morning Mist" Versafine clair ink.  I then coloured the background using the following Distress Oxide Inks:  Tumbled Glass, Bundled Sage and Crushed Olive colours. I then stamped the new "Inner Gate" in Versafine Clair "Shady Lane" grey ink.

Using Versafine Clair "Shady Lane" I stamped the "Leaf Creeper" trailing down the building and the "Thiimble Weed" growning up the building. I then used Versafine Clair "Spruce" green ink with one of the "Foliage Set" of stamps.  Then added the "Small Branch" stamped in Versafine Clair "Portobello" brown ink.

Finally, I used a 2B pencil for low lights/shadows and various colours of Posca Pens for the flowers.

Lavinia Stamps "Luka the cat" Card

Hooray!  My Lavinia Stamps order has arrived, so after adding them to my spread sheet and repackaging them, I had to have a play.  What I noticed in this new colllection is that there is only one animal and no fairies, which makes a pleasant change.

I started by masking off two edges of the card, the bottom and the left hand side, leaving a similar space covered.  I used the three shades of Ranger Archival Inks through the Lavinia Stamps "Red Brick Stencil", keeping the colours light and fading out towards the top and to the right hand side of the card.  The colours I used were Shadow Grey, Orange Blossom and Prickly Pear.

Retaining the masking tape in position, I then started stamping.  I stamped the Lavina "Falling Ivy" in Versafine Clair "Shady Lane" green ink, using first and second generation stamping. I used the same ink with the Lavinia "Psychic Signs" text stamps to add a little interest to the empty areas.

Next, I stamped the the new Lavinia cat called "Luka" using Versafine Clair "Pine Cone" dark brown ink.  I added a bit of shading to the cat using a Derwent Inktense Pencil.

I checked through my Lavinia Stamps and came across the "Corks" set of stamps, which I was yet to use.  I decided one of them would make an ideal flower pot, so stamped that in the new Versafine Clair "Portobello" brown ink.  I then coloured the pot in with an orange and green Derwent Inktense pencil.  While the green pencil was out, I added some strands of grass to the scene.

I used Versafine Clair "Pine Cone" dark brown ink to stamp the bird on top of the pot, using one of the birds from the "Bird Collection" of stamps.

Finally, removing the masking tape I added a few finishing touches using a white gel pen and an orange coloured Posca Pen for the flowers.

Lavinia Stamps "Fairy Dandelion" Card

After the epic amount of stamping of my previous card, this one is more minimal, opting for a clean and simple look.

I masked off three sides of the card, to protect from inky marks.

I've used three shades of Ranger Archival (Majestic Violet, Cactus Flower and Vibrant Fuchsia) through the Lavinia Stamps "Red Brick Stencil" to create the panel of colour.

Using Versafine Clair "Nocturne" black ink, I stamped the Lavinia Stamps "Fairy Dandelion" and the sentiment, which is part of the Lavinia Stamps "Heartfelt Verse" stamp set.

...and that's it!  Definitely a simple card.

Lavinia Stamps "Poppies" Thinking of You Card

I had a stencil and stamp play this morning making this sympathy card.  Fortunately, I don't need it at the moment, but I always keep a few to hand... just in case!

I started with a piece of white card.  I lay the Lavinia Stamps "Red Brick" stencil over the top, so that the stripes ran vertically and secured with a low tack tape.  I then added rows of tape so that I had two sections that I could ink up on the left hand side of the card.  

On the far right I used "Lost Shadow" Distress Ink.  On the far left I used "Garden Patina" Ranger Archival Ink. I then lifted the tape and repositioned it so that I could colour the central area, this time I used "Violet" Ranger Archival Ink.

After lifting and cleaning the "Red Brick Stencil", I then lay another Lavinia stencil over the top of the card, this time using the "Ornate Stencil" again, securing the stencil with low tack tape.  Working from the left hand side and fading out to the right, I applied "Watering Can" Ranger Archival Ink with a blending brush.  This resulted with the pattern being stronger over the coloured background and gradually getting lighter to the right hand side of the card.

I then moved on to the stamping.  I selected two Lavinia stamps:  the "Garden Poppy" which is the taller of the two and the "Wild Poppies" stamp.  I stamped both in Versafine Clair "Nocturne" black ink.  Stamping the Garden Poppy first, so that I had the correct height and then the "Wild Poppies" either side.

While the "Nocturne" was out, I also stamped the "Thinking of You" sentiment which is part of the Funky Fossil Designs stamp set called "Stripped Back Sentiments".

I mounted the card on to a piece of black paper and then on to a card blank.  Finally, I added some touches of white gel pen and yellow Posca Pen to the poppy heads.

Lavinia Stamps "Tock" Retirement Card

A clean and simple card featuring the timepiece from the new Lavinia Stamps steampunk collection and two of their new stencils to make this retirement card.

I started by dusting the card with an anti-static bag, then using Wow! Clear embossing ink to stamp "Tock" the pocket watch.  I coated the stamped image in Wow! Rich Gold Super Fine embossing powder then heat set.

While the watch was cooling, I stamped another pocket watch on to a post it note, fussy cutting the image to create a mask.

I positioned the mask over the heat embossed pocket watch image, then secured the new Lavinia Stamps "Filigree Stencil" over the card using a piece of low tack tape.  I then applied "Garden Patina" Archival Ink through the stencil lightly, keeping relatively close to the bottom right hand corner of the card.

I removed the Filigree stencil then positioned the Lavinia "Red Brick Stencil" in the same way.  This time using "Shadow Grey" Archival Ink through the stencil.

Removind the stencil and the mask, I coloured the face of the pocket watch using "Antique Linen" Distress Oxide Ink to give it a more vintage look.  Using a black pastel pencil, I created a slight shadow on the bottom right of the card.

I couldn't fine a suitable Lavinia retirement sentiment in my stash, so chose one by Clarity Stamps, which is part of their "Entwined Sentiments" stamp set.  I used Wow! Clear Embossing Ink and once again the Wow! Rich Gold Embossing powder and heat set the sentiment.

I decided the card needed something else, so I dug out some metallic paint, popped a blob onto my mat and added a littel water, this was enough to make the consistency right to splatter droplents of the gold paint from a fan shaped paint brush on to the card.  Once the paint was dry, I mounted the card on to a piece of gold card then on to a kraft card blank.