Rudolph Snippets

Morning everyone, I hope you all had an enjoyable Christmas Day. We spent it across the garden at eldest Daughters house, just eight of us and today I'm hosting 14, think I drew the short straw! 

Puppy Fleur is a darling and growing nicely. Despite her rotten start in life she's putting on weight and so bright and alert, dry at night but likes to let us know she's awake well before 6am. Rosa four is so good with her and almost taken over the Mummy role, indulges her in lots of play and teaching her the ropes. A couple of photos.

So being up well before dawn the chance to write a quick post before I head to the kitchen to get stuck in. Two cards for a couple of favourite challenges and thanks to Helen and Miss's Di and Sarn for all their hard work running both challenges for another year at Rudolph Days and the Snippets Playground. Would like to enter this one at Creative Knockouts Tis the Season and Ellie's Garden Party.

Above a simple floral wreath using all Lavinia stamps which on this occasion I'm not listing individually so I can get this posted and the necessary link ups done.

A while back I treated myself to some new unbranded dies from Amazon and this one came about on discovery of an age old mountain of Bazzil and bag of offcuts left from 12x12 sheets. The backing is MCS printed onto Premium Pure Print and the word is PB, a border die but I just used the word cut twice from the same Bazzil snippets.

Scenic at Allsorts

Good morning to you all, we have a new challenge at Allsorts where Lynn would like us to Create a Scene, as always theres the Anything Goes option as well. We have some super goodies from Lavinia to be won. 

So naturally my scene was created with Lavinia stamps along with Pan Pastels and Elements, I like to think a little nod to early Spring on a frosty morning with a flurry of snow. I created Snowdrops with Fairy Bell's and the scene built up with Street Lamp, Fir Tree, Small Trees and in the foreground Gideon the Fox. Four Seasons challenge is Anything Winter.

I made this in a couple of different colourways some months back but never blogged so sharing today. Zemira remain my favourite Lavinia Fairy stamp, I say Fairy as she doesn't have wings but she's so elegant and definitely magical. A Gelli Plate background and an old stencil to create a distant City. She's releasing a kaleidoscope of Butterflies, two small Fairies are Jaylar and a Fairy Forager and to frame the scene Leaf Spray, Fairy Buttercups, Bluebell and Vine Flourish and of course some sparkle. A final one for Hearsquest Fantasy.

To finish a couple of Tags made with a variety of Lavinia stamps to go on hampers I've made up as gifts along with a reminder that's there's still a week to enter our December challenge at Tag-Along (and ATC's) challenge, there a lovely tag die set to be won. I'd like to add this at the Alphabet Challenge - R is for Ribbon and Creative Knockouts - 'Tis the Season and Sweet Stampin' It's Christmas.

This will probably be my last post before Christmas, so I would like to wish you all A Very Happy Christmas and my thanks for all your support, visits and encouragement. You have all helped no end during what has been a very up and down year for me.

More Robins and an awesome sky

Morning all, it's mid way inspiration time at We Love Stamping and Stamping Sensations where we have the themes of Red and Green and Fantasy with prizes from Visible Image and Lavinia Stamps.

Above a lolly stick base, spritzed with a mixture of Dylusions and Oxide sprays, texture paste, glitter and a stencil to add snowflakes and Visible Image Christmas Robin stamped, coloured and cut out with the matching die set. I would like to link to the Christmas themes at Sisterhood of Crafters, The Male Room, Creative Artiste, Stencil Fun and As You Like It challenges.

My SS card above uses Lavinia Rogue, Vine Branch and Wild Poppies, I masked the border, drew in a half frame with a fine liner, masked again to add some stencilling in the background and then stamped the Poppies, leaves and Fairy using Versafine Clair. Linking this one to Beautiful Blossoms and Heartsquest Fantasy (link to Becca's new blog).

This was the amazing sky above the garden cabin just before eight AM yesterday morning, it was frosty with black ice and a low laying mist, as the old saying goes "pink sky at night Shepard's delight, pink sky in the morning Shepard's warning".

Christmas Robins and an introduction

Morning to you all, it's mid way at Tag-Along (and ATC's) challenge where we are following Lynn's Red and Green theme.

My tag above uses Visible Image's matching Robin stamps and dies onto a stencilled background, red stickles for the berries and the word Robin from the same stamp set. Lots of snippets used for the Holly and Robins on both of these so popping to the Snippets Playground withe the above tag. Mixed Media Artiste would like to see a Christmas slant so hope this fits the bill and it's If it's Chrismassy at Christmas Kickstart, Sisterhood of Crafters and Krafty Chicks. At Inkspirational they would like to see stencils used.

My ATC uses the same sets mentioned above but the smaller Robin which makes it a very useful set. At Sweet Stamping it's Christmas so adding my ATC as it is at Crafty Calendar.

Now the introduction, below our new family member who we have called Fleur. We had no intention of having a new puppy and certainly not so soon after losing Holly, it just didn't seem right. But as people keep telling me, some things are are meant to be.

Last Monday we were asked by our Vet if we would consider homing a Lab puppy who had not fared well with the breeder. It all happened very quickly within just a few hours so we were totally unprepared, but agreed when we saw her and knew she needed lots of love and attention. 

The Vet weighed her at just 2.85kg, all skin and bone, at nearly nine weeks she should be double that. She had a high temperature so onto antibiotics along with a high protein diet. She had been left alone in a loose box at the stables and clearly had little human attention, she didn't even know how to take a treat from our hands, but learning quickly and yesterday up to 3.4kg, she's such an affectionate little thing and already bouncing about with her toys. Thank goodness for Amazon who have been beating a path to our door the last few days with all the essential puppy needs!!

Rock Star

Morning all, it's rather sobering that it's the last challenges of the year at We Love Stamping and Stamping Sensations, this year seems to have flown by. At WLS Anesha has chosen our theme of Red and Green and at SS Chris's chosen theme is Fantasy and we have prizes from Visible Image and Lavinia Stamps.

I veered away from the obvious seasonal choice and went with something totally different using new to me VI stamps. I love the splatter background stamp called Fluid which I inked with red and green Versafine Clair, stamped Rock Star, coloured and cut out and placed over the Melody die. 

The theme at Simply Clean and Simple is Reds and Greens so hope this might be sufficiently CAS and the same colour palette at Colour my Heart and at Crafty Chicks the theme is Birthday.

An arch shapes base card to reflect Lavinia Arch of Angels shape, added Fairy Path leading up to it, various leaves and flowers and in the arch Nia with Luka watching on. I'm popping to Ellies Garden Party with this one. Becca has re-launded her Fantasy challenge here, so the place to add all you Fairy and Fantasy creations.

Seems I missed this one using Visible Image Precious Life stamp for WLS from my initial post. The vase is Lavinia as are the grasses and ferns added around the focal flowers. It looks rather pink as opposed red in the photo, but irl is red. I'm popping to Beautiful Blossoms with this one.

All new at Allsorts

Good morning to you all, we have a new challenge at Allsorts where Liz has selected the theme of New - Baby, Home or other new events. We have stamps from AALL and Create to be won.

Above the card I made for eldest Grandson and wife when they moved into their new home, it was in late September so there's a bit of an Autumnal feel to it. Using large letter dies I decided on an eclipse card cutting the letters six times to give height and use a favourite AALL and Create Pinecone stamp which still seems to be available from some stockists, inking direct to stamp with Ecoline pens.

This was one was a sample made months ago when I was still a TRR/Highlight DT, the dies and matching reflections are from the Just in Case collection, a stencilled background and a computer generated sentiment.

One for Christmas Kickstart challenge, I'll confess it was totally inspired by Chris, I've made few cards the last month, with all that's gone on my heads not been in the right place. But I saw Chris's card using her new Card-io stamps and although I don't have the same ones, decided to give the few I did have a long overdue airing.

Santa's on his way

Morning everyone and firstly my thanks for such kind comments and messages about Holly following my last post.

We have new challenges today at Tag-Along (and ATC's) where Lynn has selected Red and Green as our theme and at Moving Along With The Times it's Santa. Both themes perfect for last minuted gift tags and cards.

Above AALL and Create's Santa called Sack of Joy in a snowy setting and their die Roadway Vistas base die, cut twice, one scored a third of the way down and adhered to the second to create a stand up card. Inkspirational challenge has a moodboard and from that my Santa has holly, Christmas tree and a bauble and hope the snowy elements work at Four Seasons Winter challenge and Santa fits at A Place to Start's Winter things theme. 

My tag and ATC both feature Two Red Robins seasonal dies and matching Reflections, the tag above has a Poinsettia cut out design using a die from Amazon with glitter card behind, Poinsettias and a Robin, also TRR. The Paper Shelter have Gift Tags as their theme and Simon Say's Monday would like to see dies. Poinsettia is the theme at Sparkles Christmas and have lots of them on my tag.

My ATC has an inky background, stamped with a Lavinia background stamp and the various TRR die cuts arranged in the corner. Just Add Ink would like stencils or die cuts, I have used the latter and it's Christmas Time at ATC Around the World.