Skeleton Tree (Thinking Of You Card) Lavinia Stamps

To make this card, I used Distress Inks for the background and Versafine "Black Onyx" ink for the trees and the sentiment.  

I started by making the mountain/hill area.  For the skyline, I used a stencil in two different colours and two different directions.

I stamped the Lavinia Stamps "Single Skeleton Tree" and the Stampin' Up "Sheltering Tree" Sentiment.  Finally, I added a little sparkle by using a silver Signo pen, which unfortunately, doesn't really show up in this photo).

Monday Wash Day - Lavinia Stamps

Today I have re-visited my Lavinia Stamps which have been ignored for far too long and decided to enter into their January challenge on a theme of "A story to be told".

I decided on the stamps I would use and have called this "Monday Wash Day".  I started by using Distress Inks to create the background.  I used four Lavinia Stamps:  Fairy Washing Line, Creeping Vine, Fairy Barnacle and Sacred Spells Script, stamped in Versafine inks.  I added a touch of sparkle by using a Signo silver glitter pen.

Engagement Congratulations Card

I've been going through my magazines today.  Pulling articles out for keeping and putting the rest in the recycling.  While doing that, I came across a number of freebies, so with some of them, I made this card.

The trellis background, the birds and the sentiment were all free with issue 186 of Simply Cards and Papercraft.  The trellis was a stencil which I put Distress Inks through.  

I stamped the birds onto the trellis and also onto a piece of plain card.  On the trellis piece of card, I coloured the branch that the birds are sitting on in a brown Promarker.

Returning to the stamped image of the birds on the plain piece of card, I coloured the birds using a moist paint brush and water colour pencils.  I then cut the bodies and heads of the birds out (I didn't cut the branch or the bird feet).  I then went around the edges of the cut out birds with a black felt pen.  Using foam pads to elevate the image, I stuck the birds on top of the earlier stamped bird image on the trellis to provide a puffed up 3D body effect.

I then punched a little heart and added it above the birds and mounted the image onto the same pinky/red background, trimming to size.

I found an embossing folder which came free with and earlier issue of Simply Cards and Papercraft (issue 170) and ran it through the Big Shot and trimmed to size.  I mounted the bird image onto the embossed background. Digging around my pre cut die cut box, I found the two green foliage pieces that I thought would work and added these to each side of the card.

Week 2 - 52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2019

The prompt for Week 2 of the challenge is "New".

This could be new stash, baby, home, year, shoes, phone, diary the choice is endless.  I opted for "New Year, New Diet" for my Week 2 tag.

I used one of the free stamps in issue 66 of Creative Stamping magazine for the main image, stamped in Versafine "Black Onyx" ink and coloured with Promarkers.

I gave the background a wash using a paintbrush and colour from a water colour pencil.  Once dry, I randomly stamped the tape measure (which came in the same set as the main image), in Versafine "Stormy Grey" ink.  I filled in the area with silver dots using a Signo pen.  I then inked the edges and surface of the tag using two shades of Colorbox ink.

Finally, using a ProvoCraft rolling alphabet stamp I stamped the words "New Year and New Diet" . I cut the words down and gave the surface a rub with ink, then drew a box around each word before positioning them raised on the tag using foam pads.

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You can join in with this challenge at any time, it doesn't have to be at the beginning of the year.  You can find info about the challenge here.

Why not join the challenge Facebook Group.  Here you can upload your challenge images to the weekly albums and chat to others taking part about crafty things.  It's a really friendly group and the challenge is very relaxed.  You do what you can, when you can.  There is never any pressure to keep up.  The more the merrier. Sam x

2018 Tag Challenge Overview

The 2018 tag challenge seems to be a distant memory, so I thought I would share with you photos of the tags I made for the challenge. Some weeks I made more than one, so there are more than 52.

Don't forget it is never too late to join in with the 2019 tag challenge.  You'll find the info here and the Facebook Group where you can upload your images and join in with the chat is here.

Male Teen Birthday Card

It's time for me to get cracking on cards needed in the next few weeks and here is the first.  A birthday card for a male teen - a theme that I have difficulty with.

I created a background using three shades of Distress Oxides (Tumbled Glass, Spiced Marmalade and Blueprint Sketch).  Once dry, I stamped circles using a Visible Image stamp from their "Shape It Up" set.

Using a stamp from a Stampin' Up set called "Epic Celebrations" I stamped the trainer image in black Versafine ink.  I then stamped the same image on a piece of white card.

I coloured the shoe laces on both images of the trainers, then cut the shoe shape from the white card (but not the dangling laces).  I ran a black pen around the edge of the shoe image then stuck it to the card base using foam pads to elevate the trainers.

I finished by mounting onto black card and trimming to size.  To add a little more interest, I used a silver glitter Signo pen to add dots across the surface of the card - these are not really picked up very well in the photograph.

Design Team Make - Love To Craft Challenge Blog (30)

How time has flown, here I am on the 1st January with my Design Team project for "Love To Craft Challenge Blog".  The challenge blog has an "anything goes" theme every month, so if you have a minute, do pop over and take a look at the fab makes by my fellow Design Team colleagues and maybe enter the challenge yourself?

For my project, I started by making the background with Distress Oxides, using about five different shades.  Using a script stamp, I randomly stamped across the page.

I die cut a circle of vellum the size of the decorative snowflake border and stamped the "Hello", using a Stampin' Up stamp, stamped in StazOn ink.  I stuck the vellum to the background using two dots.

I then stamped the dots and honeycomb using Stamper's Anonymous stamps - I don't recall what they are called as I have had them for some time.

I then added glitter to the decorative snowflake border, available from Craft Box and then stuck it into position over the top of the layer of stamped vellum.

Finally, I covered some chipboard numbers in black and positioned onto the ring and punched snowflakes.  I coated the snowflakes in glitter and then stuck them diagonally across the card.