Lavinia Stamps March 2020 Creative Challenge "A Forest Gathering"

On the first of every month, Lavinia Stamps announce a new theme for their "Creative Challenge" which runs from the 1st to the 25th of each month.  The theme for March 2020 is "A Forest Gathering".

You can enter the challenge up to five times a month.  If your name is randomly drawn after the 25th you will win £40 of vouchers to spend on lovely Lavinia goodies.

This is a sample I made for the challenge.  I started by creating the background sky and ground base using three shades of Distress Oxide Inks:  Antique Linen, Tumbled Glass and Twisted Citron.  I masked a circle off for the moon and darkened the edges by using Versafine Clain "Morning Mist" lightly around the edge.  I added a little touch of yellow to the middle of the moon too.

I then started to stamp the images.  The first ones were the "Celestial Tree" and the "Skeleton Tree Scene" stamped in Versafine Clair "Morning Mist" grey shade of ink.

I then stamped the large tree trunk on the left hand side using the "Tree Root" stamp stamped in Versafine Clair "Acorn", a mid brown coloured ink.  I needed to extend the tree trunk so had to mask areas several times to get the look I wanted to achieve.

Using the same brown ink, I stamped the "Tree Branch" a couple of times. I then used a selection of Distress Oxide Ink colours to paint the tree (Gathered Twigs, Peeled Paint, Walnut Stain and Ground Espresso).

I decided to add a little stream running from behind the tree to the right hand corner.  I used three shades of Distress Oxide Inks to create this:  Tumbled Glass, Salty Ocean and Stormy Sky.  

I added darker green for grass on the river bank using "Mowed Lawn" Distress Oxide with a paint brush to create tufts of grass. I also added touches of "Stormy Sky" to the top and side of the sky area to pull the eye into the image.

Next I moved on to stamping the animals, starting with one of the crows from "The Crow Set" using Versafine Clair "Nocturne" black ink.

Using Versafine Clair "Pine Cone" a darker brown coloured ink, I stamped the animals in the foreground "Whimsical Hares", "Pipin" and the hedgehog part of "The Wallace Family".

I then used Versafine Clair "Shady Lane" to stamp the "Meadow Grass" at the bottom of the image.  I stamped the "Mini Slender Mushrooms" in Versafine Clair "Pinecone" ink.

Finally, I added touches of white to highlight areas using a white Posca Pen.  I used a green fine line pen to add long tufts of grass too.

Lavinia Stamps February 2020 Monthly Challenge - Beneath The Moon

There is still time to enter the Lavinia Stamps monthly challenge for February 2020, which has a theme of "Beneath The Moon".  You have till the 25th to submit your maximum of five entries.  A name will be drawn from all entries and the winner will receive £40 of vouchers to spend on lovely Lavinia goodies.

I wanted to create something with Lavinia Stamps that did not include fairies and animals for a change.  Highlighting that you can produce a different card.

I masked off a circle for the moon and created the background using Distress Oxide Inks, using a swooshing through Tumbled Glass and Stormy Sky colours.

I then added the green colours using Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn and Peeled Paint applied randomly with a paint brush.  

I decided the sky needed to be darker, so added some "Chipped Sapphire" Distress Oxide ink.  I edged the masked moon using Versafine Clair "Morning Mist" grey ink.  Then lifted the mask and added a touch of "Antique Linen" Distress Oxide Ink.

Using Versafine Clair "Twilight" dark blue ink, I stamped the "Fairy Dandelions".  Using the same ink I stamped the "Time To Reflect" sentiment. 

I added two sorts of Lavinia Moon Dust to the dandelions, which I hope shows up in the video clip above.

Lavinia Stamps February 2020 Monthly Challenge "Beneath The Moon"

On the first of the month Lavinia Stamps has a new monthly challenge theme.  The challenge theme for February is "Beneath The Moon".  

You can enter the challenge up to five times per month.  If your name is randomly drawn after the 25th, you will win £40 of vouchers to spend on lovely Lavinia goodies.

This is my first sample for this challenge.  I decided to go for a different look creating a grid background to highlight a gorgeous selection of stamps.

To create the background grid, I used plain white card and "Squeezed Lemonade" Distress Oxide Ink, applied across the card using a blending tool.  I then applied a circle mask to one side of the card.

Using a striped stencil, I used low tack tape to hold the stencil in place over the yellow background, making sure that it is positioned straight.  I then used "Spiced Marmalade" Distress Oxide Ink with a blending tool to create stripes over the yellow background.

I gently lifted the tape and stencil, then repositioned it at a horizontal angle to stripes already created on the card.  I then applied "Picked Raspberry" Distress Oxide Ink, again with a blender.  Gently lift off the tape and the stencil to reveal the grid and remove the mask.

I then moved on to the stamping.  I positioned the main stamp "Josie" the fairy, with the dandelion over the moon and then stamped the image using  Versafine Clair "Chianti" dark red ink.  Using the same ink, stamped the sentiment "Every Dream". I also created the landscape that "Josie" stands on using the torn edge of a piece of copy paper with the Chianti ink.

To create the foliage frame around the base of the card, I used the "Vine" Stamp, stamped in Versafine Clair "Acorn" brown ink.  I then stamped the "Mini Berry", which is part of the pound stamp section in "Tulip Red" Versafine Clair ink.  

Finally, I added some gold highlights to the vine leaves using a metallic pen and some gentle gold shimmer to the fairy using a Sakura Gelly Roll pen.

Lavinia Stamps February 2020 Monthly Challenge "Beneath The Moon"

On the first of each month, Lavinia Stamps announce a new monthly challenge theme.  The theme for February is "Beneath The Moon".

For this sample, I decided to make it with a "Love" feel... well it is February, calling it "The Moon of Love'!

I started with a white card base, masking off a circle for the moon, adding colour using the following Distress Oxide Inks:  Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick, Picked Raspberry, Festive Berries and Wild Honey. I then removed the circle mask and added a touch of "Scattered Straw" Distress Oxide Ink to the moon shape.

Using a Versafine Clair "Morning Mist" grey ink, I stamped the background "Background Script".

The remaining stamping was all done using Versafine Clair "Nocturne" black ink, starting with the "Star Gazing" couple, then the "Silhouette Thistle", the "Heart Hill Border" and then the word "Love" which is part of the "Live The Life" stamp set.

I then mounted the image on black and co-ordinating card before stamping the "Together We Have" sentiment at the top and the bottom of the card.

Finally, using a Sakura Gelly Roll pen, I added some gold shimmer highlights to the thistles and the fairy.

Lavinia Stamps January 2020 Monthly Challenge - Moonlight Magic

On the first of the month, so time for a new Lavinia Stamps monthly challenge theme.  The theme for January is "Moonlight Magic".  You can enter the challenge up to five times each month.  If your name is randomly drawn, you will win a £40 voucher to spend on lovely Lavinia goodies.

I started by masking of a circle and colouring the area with with "Antique Linen" Distress Oxide Inks, to create a moon.  I then covered the area and coloured the sky with various shades of blue Distress Oxide Inks (Faded Jeans, Chipped Sapphire and Blueprint Sketch).

I used a Versafine Clair "Medieval Blue"Ink to stamp the "Tree of Dreams" image.  I then used a Versafine Clair "Twilight" dark blue coloured ink to stamp the "Dancing Till Dawn" fairies.  

I multiple stamped the "Sacred Spells" in Versafine "Smokey Gray" shade of ink.  Using the same ink, I created the landscape using the edge of a torn edge of paper.  It then coloured some of the landscape area in "Spun Sugar" Distress Oxide Ink.

I used a white Signo Pen to add highlights to the tree branches and to the edges of the fairies.  I used a silver glitter Signo Pen for the fairy wings and a turquoise glitter pen for the climber up the tree.

Finally, I printed the title "Dancing in the Moonlight", cut it to size and coloured it to match the background.

Lavinia Stamps January 2020 Monthly Challenge - Moonlight Magic

On the first of each month, Lavinia Stamps announce a new monthly challenge theme.  The theme for January 2020 is "Moonlight Magic".  You can enter the challenge up to five times in one month.  If your name is randomly drawn after the 25th of the month, you will receive £40 vouchers to spend on lovely Lavinia goodies.

I made a tag as my second challenge sample, it has a beautiful sparkle which I hope you can see from my little video clip.

I started by giving my tag a coat of "Faded Jeans" Distress Oxide Ink.  Then at the top of the tag I blended in a darker shade of Distress Oxide Ink called "Chipped Sapphire".

My next step was to stamp the "Fairy Barnacles" at the bottom of the tag using Versafine Clair "Fantasia" purple ink.

I dragged an anti-static bag across the surface to the tag then using Wow! Clear Embossing Pad, I stamped the "Fairy Dandelions", coating them in Wow! Super Fine Metallic Silver Embossing Powder and set with a heat gun.

I repeated the process stamping the "Meadow Grass" with the clear embossing pad and using Wow! "Silent Night" embossing powder which is a dark grey/black with a beautiful sparkle to it.  I again set it with the heat gun.

I stamped the fairy, which is part of the "Three Dancing Fairies" stamp set in Versafine Clair "Nocturne" Black ink.  I added some touches of sparkle to her wings and around her using a Silver Glitter Signo Pen.

Lavinia Stamps January 2020 Monthly Challenge - Moonlight Magic

Well here we are on the 1st January 2020.  I hope you have had a wonderful Christmas and are ready to face the new year.

As it is the first of the month, it is time to introduce you to one of my makes for the Lavinia Stamps challenge.  The theme for the monthly challenge for January Is "Midnight Magic".

I created the coloured background using Distress Inks in the following shades:  Wilted Violet, Tumbled Glass, Mermaid Lagoon and Peacock Feathers.  Using a paint brush, I created some swirls (in the top left and bottom right corners) using the same colours. 

I masked the moon off and edged it with a grey ink.  I then used two shades of Distress Oxide Inks (Blueprint Sketch and Chipped Sapphire) to darken the sky, leaving a halo around the moon.

Using the "Lavinia Fern Heads (Singles)", I curved the stems of the stamp and multiple stamped the image using Versafine Clair "Fantasia" purple ink.

In the bottom right hand corner, I multiple stamped the "Lavinia Berry Wreath" in Versafine Clair "Blue Belle" ink.

I next stamped the "Willow" in Versafine Clair "Warm Breeze" ink.

I used a stamp that I got free with a magazine to stamp the air bubbles in the background in Memento "London Fog" grey ink.

I then stamped the main fairy figure.  I like to think that the way her hair is that she is underwater, which is why I chose this fairy for the central image.  This Lavinia fairy is called "Celeste".  I have stamped her in another Versafine Clair Ink, this one is called "Twilight" and is a very dark blue.

Once all the stamping was complete, I needed to attempt to replicate foam on top of the water and also air bubbles, so I used a white Posca Pen and a silver glitter Signo Pen.  I also used the silver glitter Signo Pen to glitter the fairy wings.

I added white highlights to the fairy and to the fern fonds using a white Signo Pen.

Lavinia Stamps December 2019 Monthly Challenge - Snow at Christmas

This is the third sample I have made to promote the Lavinia Stamps December 2019 monthly challenge.  The challenge runs from the 1st to the 25th of the month.  The theme for this month is "Snow at Christmas".

You can enter the challenge to a maximum of five times.  If your name is randomly drawn, then you will win £40 of vouchers to spend on lovely Lavinia goodies.

I wasn't really sure where I was going with this card when I first started making it.  The first thing I did was to randomly stamp the "Faerie Spells" sentiment in Versafine Clair "Twilight" darlk blue ink.

On a seprate piece of white card, I stamped the "Fairy Hive" in Versafine Clair "Warm Breeze" which is a teal coloured ink.

I then stamped the fairies to each side of the hive, using two from the "Fairy Foragers" set, stamped in Versafine Clair "Twilight" ink.

I then started work on the background.  I put some "Tumbled Glass" Distress Oxide Ink on my mat and added a little water and applied to the background of the hive like a thin pale blue wash,

Using the following Distress Oxide ink colours, I painted daubs (is the closest thing I can call it) in Spun Sugar, Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans and Chipped Sapphire.  I wanted to create a soft coloured speckled/snowy sky look to the background.  I then added dots of white using a Posca pen.

I stamped the "Have a fairy merry Christmas" sentiment in Versafine Clair "Twilight" ink.  I coloured the lantern held by the fairy and also the window of the fairy hive with a yellow Posca Pen.  

Finally, I added "Hollographic Moon Dust" to the panel to add an extra icy snowy look to the card.

Lavinia Stamps December 2019 Monthly Challenge - Snow at Christmas

On the first of every month, Lavinia Stamps announce their new monthly challenge theme.  The theme for December 2019 is "Snow At Christmas".

If you enter the challenge (you can enter up to five times), and your name is randomly drawn, you will win £40 of vouchers to spend on lovely Lavinia goodies.

For my card, I started off creating a background using a selection of Distress Oxide Inks.  I used the swooshing technique and a paint brush to get this look.

I then stamped the "Shanty", using Versafine Clair "Twilight" which is a dark blue ink.  At first I stamped direct onto the card and then the second time on to a piece of rice paper.

At the top corner of the rice paper, I wrote right side in pencil, to remind me which way round was the right way.  I then flipped the rice paper over and started to colour the background using Arteza Brush Pens.

I then tore the edges of the rice paper so that there were no straight edges and pasted PVA glue on to the back. I then flipped it over and very carefully positioned the shanty over the original stamped image on the card.

The reason for me using the rice paper, was that I was able to achieve better colours to the shanty, rather than them beind distored by the Distress Oxide background.

Using the same "Twilight" ink, I stamped "Rory" from the "Rory and Darcy set".  His image didn't come out very cleanly, so I went over his image with a green Sakura Gelly Roll pen, which made him colour match that used on the shanty - so a happy accident!

I stamped the "Every Dream" sentiment in two lines across the large moon, using Versafine Clair "Twilight" ink.

I used a white Posca pen to create snow flakes, but it didn't really stand out very well, so I decided to get busy with the "Lavinia Holographic Moon Dust" to add some icy sparkle to the card.

I decided the foreground looked a bit bare, so I added some dots of "White Opal" Liquid Pearls.  As I was moving the card to the side to dry, I managed to drop it and smudge the wet white pearl droplets.  To cover the error, I used some green Liquid Pearls called "Mermaid", which very handily matched the colour of Rory and the door, so another happy accident.

Lavinia Stamps November 2019 Monthly Challenge - Winter Wonderland

Every month, Lavinia Stamps have a monthly challenge.  For November 2019 the challenge theme is "Winter Wonderland".  You can enter up to five times.  If your name is randomly drawn, you win £40 of vouchers to spend on lovely Lavinia goodies.

To make this card, I swooshed two shades of Distress Oxide Inks, "Tumbled Glass and Weathered Wood", I then added a touch of "Stormy Sky" to add some darker colours.  I masked a circle shape and filled with "Mustard Seed" Distress Oxide ink.

I used Versafine "Vintage Sepia" to stamp the "Seasonal Tree" image.  I used the torn edge of a piece of paper with "Weathered Wood" Distress Oxide Ink to create the landscape.

I painted colour to the tree using various shades of greens and brown Distress Oxide Inks.  I then stamped the sentiment "Seasons Change", stamped in Versafine "Vinatage Sepia" brown ink.  I stamped the "Birds" using Versafine Clair "Morning Mist".

I then stamped the "Small Reindeer" using Versafine Clair "Pinecone" brown ink.  I added snowflakes and highlights to the card using a white Signo Pen.

Lavinia Stamps November 2019 Monthly Challenge "Winter Wonderland"

Every month Lavinia Stamps has a new challenge theme.  For November 2019, the challenge theme is "Winter Wonderland".  If you enter and your name is randomly drawn, you will win £40 of vouchers to spend on lovely Lavinia Goodies.  You will find all the details you need to enter here.

I started by stamping the figure "Zemira" and the wolf "Maka" using Versafine Clair "Morning Mist grey coloured ink.

Using the torn edge of a piece of copy paper, I created the landscape using two shades of Distress Oxide Inks:  Tumbled Glass and Weathered Wood.

I stamped the Lavinia Small Fairy Fir Tree and the Small Fairy Fir Tree 2 stamped in Distress Oxide "Weathered Wood" along the landscape lines.

Using Distress Oxide inks, I created the sky colour.  First using Distress Oxide ink "Milled Lavender" and then "Stormy Sky", edging the card with Distress Oxide Ink "Black Soot"

I then stamped the Lavinia "Tree Scene", "Birds" and the "Once Upon A Dream" sentiment in Versafine Clair "Morning Mist" ink.

Using the Distress Oxide Ink "Milled Lavender" I stamped the "Lunar Buds".

I stamped the Lavinia "Snowflakes" using a Memento ink called "London Fog".  I added some clear gems to the landscape and white highlights and dots of snow using a Signo Pen.

Lavinia Stamps Design Team make for November 2019 challenge (Winter Wonderland)

The first of the month means that there is a new challenge theme on the Lavinia Stamps site.  The theme for November 2019 is "Winter Wonderland".

If you enter this challenge, your name could be randomly picked to win £40 of vouchers to spend on lovely Lavinia goodies!  

For this card, I used Distress Oxide Inks for everything but the sentiment, where I used a Versafine Clair "Nocturne" shade of ink.

Using the Oxides, I started by using a wash of Tumbled Glass and Weathered Wood to create the sky and just shades of Weathered Wood for the ground area.

I used two shade of Oxides to stamp the trees, Weathered Wood and Iced Spruce, using two Lavinia Stamps "Fairy Fir Tree Small" and "Fairy Fir Tree 2 Small".

I used Versafine Clair "Nocturne" to stamp the "Forest So Green" sentiment.  Finally, I used some Stickles called "Frosted Lace" to add a little sparkle to areas of the snow in the foreground.

Lavinia Stamps October 2019 Monthly Challenge 2019 - All Hallows Eve

The theme for the October 2019 Lavinia Stamps monthly challenge is "All Hallows Eve".

You can enter up to five pieces into each monthly challenge.  If your name is randomly drawn then you will win £40 of vouchers to spend on lovely Lavinia goodies.  You have till the 25th of October to submit your entries.

I made this card as a Design Team Project to promote the monthly challenge.  I have used a Colorbox Ink and Brusho paints on a gelli plate to create the background colours.

I masked off a circle and filled it with "Antique Linen" Distress Oxide Ink, to lighten the circle.

I used black Versafine Clair "Nocturne" ink to stamp the "Far World Castle", the "Tree Scene" trees, the "Bats" and the "Fairy Web".  I edged the moon in the same ink too.

Finally, I used a white Signo pen and a gold Sakura Gelly Roll pen to highlight the spiders web.

Lavinia Stamps October 2019 monthly challenge "All Hallow's Eve"

Every month, Lavinia Stamps have a new challenge.  For October 2019 the theme is "All Hallow's Eve".  You can enter up to five times.  If your name is randomly drawn, then you will receive £40 of vouchers to spend on lovely Lavinia goodies.

This is the second card I have made as part of the Lavinia Stamps Design Team to help promote the challenge.  Here's a little video I took of the card so that you can see the gold shimmer, which doesn't really show up too much in the flat photograph.

I used two shades of Brusho paint to create the background colour (Purple and Ultra Marine).  

I used some Cosmic Shimmer Pixie Powder in a "Rich Gold" shade.  I wasn't quite sure how to use it to be honest, initially I thought I could maybe get it to be loose like the Brusho, but it didn't work.  What I did manage to do was to brush it across the page which created an interesting streaked shimmer effect to the surface.  Not too dis-pleasing after all.

I masked the circle to create the moon and partially covered it with "Mustard Seed" Distress Oxide ink.  I also used a little bit of white Stampin' Up ink too as I didn't want a solid looking moon.

I added some Distress Oxide Inks in two shades to create some definition in the colours.  I used Wilted Violet and Chipped Sapphire.  Using the Versafine Clair "Nocturne" black ink, I inked the edges of the card.

Using Versafine Clair "Nocturne" black ink, I stamped the Lavinia Stamps "Tree Branch", "Barric" (the crow) and the spider which is part of their "Bugs" set.

I used a white Signo Pen to add highlights to the tree, crow and spider, I also added some stars using the same pen.  I used a gold shimmer Sakura Gelly Roll pen to edge the moon.

Finally, using some sticky letters that I had in my stash from Scrapbooking, I added the word Spooked.

Lavinia Stamps October 2019 monthly challenge make - "All Hallows Eve"

On the first of each month Lavinia Stamps announce the new monthly challenge prompt.  The theme for October 2019 is "All Hallows Eve".

You can enter five pieces into the monthly challenge.  The challenge closes on the 25th of the month and the winner is randomly picked so the challenge is not ability based.  The winner will receive £40 of vouchers to spend on lovely Lavinia goodies.  Good luck if you enter.

This is a card that I have made as part of the Lavinia Stamps Design Team to help promote the challenge.  I started by using Twisted Citron Distress Oxide Inks through a Creative Expressions stencil  called "Fade Away" to create the patterned background.

Using Versafine Clair "Nocturne" black ink, I stamped the "Witches Cat", "Bats", "Bat Colony" and the cauldron from the "Willow The Witch" set.

I then gave the background a light colouring of "Wilted Violet" Distress Oxide Ink using a blending tool.

Using the torn edge of a sheet of paper, I created the landscape by dragging a black ink blender.

I then stamped the "Spring Trees" and part of the "Let Your Spirit Take Flight" sentiment in Versafine Clair purple "Monacrch" ink.

Finally, using Versafine Clair "Nocturne" black Ink, I stamped the "Mini Slender Mushrooms".  I used a white Signo Pen to high-light the mushrooms and a gold shimmer Sakura Gelly Roll pen to add gold high-lights to other areas of the card.

Lavinia Stamps Monthly Challenge make for September 2019 - If you go down to the woods

Every month, Lavinia Stamps have a monthly challenge.  The theme for the September 2019 challenge is "If you go down to the woods".

If you enter the challenge and your name is randomly drawn, you will win £40 of vouchers to spend on lovely Lavinia goodies.  

I started by blending three Distress Oxides Inks:  Twisted Citron, Old Paper and Shabby Shutters randomly, deliberately leaving some areas lighter to add a little contrast.

I positioned a Sweet Poppy Stencil (SP6-109) Faux Dragon Leather Backplate using low tack masking tape and used a further two Distress Oxides in the shades of Bundled Sage and Peeled Paint.

Once the stencil was removed I filled the central area with darker shades of Distress Inks - Crushed Olive and Mowed Lawn.

I then stamped the Lavinia Stamps "Green Man" in Versafine Clair "Acorn" Shade of ink.  The little leaves are also part of the "Green Man" stamp set and they are stamped in Versafine Clair "Chianti' shade of ink.  I used the same ink to stamp the sentiment "the forest so green" which is part of a larger Lavinia sentiment called "Forest So Green".

Using a blending tool, I inked around the edge of the card using the "Forest Moss" shade of Distress Oxide ink.  At this stage, I decided the card was too large, so cut it down a little so there was less border to fill.

Using the branches of the "Green Man" stamp, I multiple stamped them around the edge of the card to create a border using the Versafine Clair "Acorn" ink.

I then used two Lavinia Stamps from their "Pound Section", the "Mini Berries" were stamped in Versafine Clair "Chianti" and the "Mini Holly" was stamped in Versafine Clair "Shady Lane" ink.

Finally, I inked the edges using the "Chianti" ink.  I added some gold lines to add interest to the face using a metallic pen.  I used a white Signo pen to the eyes and to highlight areas of the berries.  I used a red Arteza Brush Ben to colour the holly berries.

Lavinia Stamps Monthly Challenge make for September 2019 - "If you go down to the wooods"

On the first of each month, Lavinia Stamps announce a new challenge title.  For September 2019 the theme is "If you go down to the woods".

The challenge winner is the name randomly drawn from all entries, so it's not ability based.  The winner wins £40 of vouchers to spend on lovely Lavinia goodies.

I created the background by using the following Distress Oxide Inks:  Squeezed Lemonade, Twisted Citron, Cracked Pistachio, Peeled Paint, Tumbled Glass, Salty Ocean and Stormy Sky applied initially by swooshing and then filling in areas with a paint brush.

First I stamped the hill side at the bottom of the card using the "Hill Border (thin lines) stamp", stamped in "Mowed Lawn" Distress Oxide ink.

I then stamped the script areas using the "Sacred Spells" stamp in Versafine "Smokey Gray" shade of ink.  Using the same shade of ink, I stamped the "Skeleton Trees" in the background.

I then moved on to stamping "Rory", the butterfly on his finger, which is part of the "Butterflies" set, the "Flutterbies" and the mouse, which is part of the "Three Woodland Mice" set - all stamped in Versafine Clair "Nocturne" ink.

Finally, I moved on to the area at the base of the card, stamping the "Meadow Grass" and "Field Grass" in Versafine Clair "Nocturne" ink.  I added white highlight areas using a Signo Pen.

Design Team make for "Love To Craft Challenge Blog" #38 September 2019

This is my September make for the "Love To Craft Challenge Blog" which has an "Anything Goes" theme.  If you have a moment to spare, please do pop over and take a look at the other fab makes by my fellow Design Team colleagues.

I had an off cut of a gelli plate background in a pale blue colour.  I decided to use this as the base of this card.

I used a Stampin' Up stamp from their "Dragonfly Dreams" set. stamped in two shades of Versafine Clair ink (Warm Breeze and Verdant).  I stamped another dragonfly on a post-it note and cut around the edge to create a mask.

I positioned the mask over the top of the dragonfly image (on the gelli plate background), then inked up a Crafty Individuals background stamp with a dragonfly design (CI-409).  I used Versafine "Smokey Grey" coloured ink.  I then removed the mask.

I decided the background colour needed more depth so using the "Warm Breeze" and "Verdant" Versafine Clair ink again, I added colour, eventually using a Distress Oxide  Ink in "Black Soot" shade to ink the very edges of the card.

I added high lights of both silver glitter and white to various area of the card using Signo Pens.

I adhered the image to the central area of a square card then stamped the "Thinking Of You" sentiment, which is part of a Hobby Arts Ltd set called "Greetings For Friends".  I stamped in a Versafine Clair shade of ink called "Twilight".

Lavinia Stamps Monthly Challenge make for September 2019 - If You Go Down To The Woods

Every month, Lavinia Stamps hold a challenge.  The theme for September is "If you go down to the woods".  If you enter and your name is randomly drawn from all those entered into the challenge, you will win £40 of vouchers to spend on lovely Lavinia goodies.

I decided to make a woodland tag for my first Design Team challenge sample.  I started by using the following Distress Oxide Inks:  Tumbled Glass, Twisted Citron, Peeled Paint and "Cracked Pistachio" to create a very loose landscape scene for the background.

I started by stamping the "Tree Root", the "Tree Branch" and the "Owl", in Versafine "Vintage Sepia" ink, but then overstamped in a couple of other shades of Versafine Clair Ink (Pinecone and Fallen Leaves), to get the main colour that I wanted.  I coloured the tree using four shades of brown Arteza Brush Pens.

I stamped the hare, which is part of the "Whimsical Hares" set of stamps in Versafine Clair "Acorn" shade of ink.  I added some grounding to him using a pencil.

Finally, I added some "Mini Slender Mushrooms" to pop up from the tree roots.  I added highlight areas to the tag using a white Signo Pen.