Clarity Star Flower Sprey Stamp Sympathy Card

While we were away last week, I received some sad news that the wife of my dear cousin has passed away. The news was a shock, she was a lovely warm, kind and caring woman.  I think what hit me more was that she was my era.  The first of the Cousins to pass.  Although we didn't see each other often, I will miss her.

Anyway, I needed to get a sympathy card in the post and was not really feeling crafting to be honest, so I replicated a card I made a while back, which I felt would be suitable to send to a male.

In the background, I have used "Cornflower Blue" Ranger Archival Ink through the Clarity Stamps "Peacock Pattern" stencil, fading the colour out towards the top and the left hand side.

Using Versafine Clair "Medieval Blue" ink, I stamped the Clarity "Star Flower Sprey" stamp.  I used the same ink to stamp the small "With Sympathy" sentiment, which is part of the Simon Says Stamp "Tiny Words" stamp set.

Tiffany Johnson Creative #100daysartplay Challenge - Day 58

Today is Day 58 of the Tiffany Johnson Creative #100daysartplay challenge.  This week the prompt is collage. 

For my collage, I started with a piece of cream coloured card, colouring areas of it with Versafine Clair "Sand Dune" ink to give it a more aged look.

I added brown splatters, to replicate foxing, by tapping a brown Posca paint pen over the surface of the cream coloured card.

I had saved some of that course brown paper that is in some Amazon packages.  I tore a piece off, scrunched it up then flattened it.  I then dragged a Versafine Clair "Pine Cone" ink pad over the surface, so that it hit the higher areas.  Then stuck the paper down on the cream coloured card.

In my stash, I have some book pages that I had tea dyed some years ago.  I tore a piece of one of the pages up, inked the edges using "Gathered Twigs" Distress Oxide Ink and then stuck the piece of book page on to the card.

I added a line of Washi Tape with a music design about two thirds down the card.

I had some pretty tissue paper with a butterfly design on it.  I cut a small area off and stuck it to the card with Distress Collage Medium.

I used a Tim Holtz Idea-ology word sticker, saying "in the garden" and finally added some dots of Liquid Pearls called "Gold Pearl".

52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2024 - Week 16

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 Crafting Niche 52 Week Mini Art Card/Tag Challenge 2024:

The prompt for Week 16 is "Stencil"

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This is the tag that I have made for the Week 16.  I started with a cream coloured tag, colouring the surface with three shades of Ranger Archival Inks, using Buttercup, Sunflower and Bright Tangello.

I used "Vermillian" Ranger Archival Ink through the Clarity Stamps "Bijou Bookprint Stencil" in three different positions off the edge of the tag.

Next I used Ranger Archival "Watering Can" ink through the stripes section of the Clarity "Birds Decorative Panel" in the blank areas.

I lay the Clarity "Barbara's Star Flower Spray stencil" over the tag and applied Versafine Clair "Nocturne" black ink through the stencil.  I then inked the edges of the tag using the same ink.

For extra detail, I went around some of the areas with a black fine liner pen. I also added dots and lines using a metallic gold gel pen.  Finally adding some dots of pale blue Posca Pen to the middle of the flowers.

Tiffany Johnson Creative #100daysartplay Challenge - Day 57

Today is Day 57 of Tiffany Johnson Creative #100daysartplay challenge.  It's the start of a new week of prompts, this week is "collage"!

For my make, I raided my stash of cardstock and patterned papers, finding a 6x6 patterned paper with tiny copper dots on a blue background, so I matched everything else with that.

I've used different shades of blue cardstock, some with torn edges, there is some stamping in Versafine Clair "Medieval Blue" ink using one of the Lavinia Stamps "Pysichic Signs".  

I used a piece of Funky Fossil "Washi Tape" and a piece of copper foil tape that I scrunched up and then smoothed for added texture/interest.

I used various die cuts I already had cut and finally added a Tim Holtz Idea-ology "Big Chat" word sticker saying "Understanding".

Book Review: The Vintage Flower Van on Love Heart Lane by Christie Barlow

Every now and then, I share a review of a book I have read.  Today, I wanted to share a fabulous read by the author Christie Barlow called "The Vintage Flower Van on Love Heart Lane (this is actually book 14 of the Love Heart Lane series) and I have loved every one of them.  The books can be a stand alone read or you can read them numerically.

I was very fortunate to be offered to read this book via Netgalley, having previously reviewed a couple of titles by Christie Barlow.

I was itching to start reading this book as soon as it was downloaded, but had to control the urge and finish the book I was mid way through.  As soon as I started the first paragraph, I was immersed back into the world of the Scottish village of Heartcross and their residents.

Florist, Florries life is in a spin, Aunt Ada has passed away. At the funeral service, the face of Tom, her teenage crush turns up and then she finds out what she thought was being left to her isn't!  

Florrie has to call upon the community of Heartcross to help save "Rose Cottage Gardens" from being developed into new homes, she also has to fight to save the Vintage Flower Van too, which results in some surprising collaborations, and Toms face just keeps popping up!

I have loved reading all the Love Heart Lane books and this one is no exception.  It definitely gets a thumbs up from me!

The Vintage Flower Van on Love Heart Lane is available to pre-order on Amazon, with a release date of 23rd May 2024.

Tiffany Johnson Creative #100daysartplay Challenge - Day 56

Today is Day 56 of the Tiffany Johnson Creative #100daysartplay Challenge.  It is the last day of using the gel plate prompt.

For my background, I used "Graphite" Elements ink brayered on to the gel plate.  I then splattered three colours of Brusho paint, using White, Lemon and Purple, to achieve the speckled background.  I apologise, I got stuck in to stamping and forgot to take a photo of the background.

For the stamping, I used Versafine Clair "Spruce" greeen ink to stamp the Penny Black "Breezt - 40-111" slapstick/cling stamp.  I added extra detail with a white gel pen, finally adding some dots of white Ranger "Enamel Accents" to break up the background colour.

Tiffany Johnson Creative #100daysartplay Challenge - Day 55

Today is Day 55 of the Tiffany Johnson Creative #100daysartplay challenge.  This week is all about using the gel press.

I've used Pan Pastels on the gel plate with three stencils by Funky Fossil Designs.  The stencils I have used are:  Retro Starburst, Peony Panel and Distressed Diamonds. For this card, I have only used half of this gel plate print.

Using Verasfine Clair "Nocturne" black ink, I stamped the figure and sentiment, which is part of the Funky Fossil "Serenity" stamp set.

I created a dark ground area for the figure, by using Versafine Clair "Morning Mist" grey ink and the torn edge of a piece of paper.  I outlined the figure using a white gel pen. Finally adding Versafine Clair "Strawberry" to ink the edges of the card.