Pop, Pop Poppy

Good morning from a damp foggy Fenland, I intended posting these yesterday but the weather got the better of me and it by afternoon too dark to take decent photos.

I dug out a rather neglected PB stamp to make the above for the new Penny Black Saturday challenge with the idea of following the stamping, glitter and monochrome line from their grid, but somehow some green crept in so it's monochrome'ish! The focal stamp is Penny Black Pop, Pop Poppy stamped onto a masked panel, some background stamping and sentiment from Happy Wishes. The theme at Sweet Stampin' is Use Red and the Poppy stamp at Neglected Stuff.

More Poppies, this time for the new Snippets Playground challenge, made a while ago when I had new Penny Black stamps Poppy Promise and matching dies. No photo of the snippets I'm afraid, but the panels for the DL layers were offcuts form a A4 sheets used on a square card, I'm trying to make it a habit to cut down the offcuts ready for DL cards, otherwise they get tatty and often binned (I'll confess not the most frugal of crafters). The die cut panel is an Amazon purchase, Poppies coloured with Zig clean colour pens, a little tag stamped with a sentiment and some twine. Also linking to A Cut Above.

Mood Board at Allsorts

Good morning, another new challenge at Allsorts where I'm your host and have created a Mood Board as inspiration. Our prizes are a $25 Simon Say's voucher and an A4 stamp set from AALL and Create

I had fun creating the mood board (below) and for the above card took inspiration from the colours, Stag who is Lavinia, a semi wreath using Fairy Catkins and Red Pine in the background onto a Gelli Plate print using Lavinia Elegance stencil. The theme is Animals at The Male Room so linking there and Daisy Chain Christmas/Winter.

A second one taking inspiration again from the colours and trees, yet another spin tool wreath using Fir Cone Branch, Christmas Tree Group and Ashfoot the Hare plus some berries and a Robin. The theme is Autumn or Christmas at Paper Funday.

Just one more share as wanted to stretch myself with the new Meowy Christmas (Dogs as well!) theme at Christmas Kickstart. 

After much deliberation decided to try and put Lavinia's Luka into a Christmas scene, stamped and masked him, then stamped Arch of Angels which was also masked to allow foliage to be stamped using lots of worker stamps and a sentiment. Realised after I made this it will be perfect for a Cat loving crafty friend. The new theme at Fab 'n Funky is Red, Green and Gold, the gold's not too evident in the centre of the Holly so also used it for one of the mats, at Inkspirational the theme is Christmas Florals and Greenery.

Moonlight Magic

Morning everyone, it's reveal time at the Card Chain Challenge where this month I sent my card to Imke in Germany and received a fun card from Wendy in Ireland.

I went with the colour palette and Spooky using stamps from Lavinia's Midnight Coven collection, I'm not big into Halloween but this release really appealed to me and I made quite a few cards and other projects using it. I started with a stencilled sun/moon and rays then used the spin tool to create the wreath shape and stamped the headless scarecrow in the middle and a Crow sitting on top. Linking to the Halloween theme at Dream Factory, Autumn/Fall at Cupcake Inspiration, Halloween All Year, Four Seasons and Creative Girls. Also A/G at Stencil Fun.

The weekend was very foggy and misty and one of my DIL's was set on taking some photos of our big Horse Chestnut which is still hanging onto it's gorgeous Autumnal leaves, so I tagged along and took a few. It's a beautiful tree with a perfect shape and sits right in the middle of the lawns looking majestic in all seasons.

It wouldn't be a misty morning without a few cobwebs! And below the moon last week, not brill as my camera seems to be failing me in bad light, time to invest in another as it's years old.

Critters and garden birdies

Morning all, we have a new challenge starting today at We Love Stamping as well Tag-Along (and ATC's). At the first Sarah chose the theme Christmas Critters and at Tags Pinky would like us to create Our own Backgrounds. Our prize at WLS is a very fitting collection of dies and digital download from Highlight Crafts and at Tags we have a lovely Studio Light tag set from AALL and Create.

When I saw Sarah's theme I knew exactly what I would make using Lavinia's Thistlewhisk and Robin sitting on the Streetlamp along with holly and berries to build the scene. All placed inside Craft Addiction Inverted Scallop frame. And it's snowing, lots of Posca white flicks! Linking to Try it on Tuesday Magical theme, Christmas Card Throwdown Mini Scene/shaped dies and Jingle Bells Not a Creature was Stirring and Christmas Crafts V&W - Wintertime

A second one using Lavinia's new Frost and Fable collection, I've had such fun with this release, the Hares are adorable and for this one a Fairy Forager perched on the front of the cart lighting the way, all inking with Versafine Clair and pastel pencil used to colour the Hare's coat as they seem to work well over black ink. Entering Favourite Christmas Critter (Hare) at As You Like It, Tic Tac Toe (animal, glitter, square) and Critter Crazy (Hare)

A tag within a tag cutting an aperture frame and stencilling sunrays for the background then Lavinia Dandelion, Summer Flower, Leaf Spray, a couple of Butterflies and a sentiment sticker to reflect the background. Linking to Stencils at Little Red Wagon and Outlawz Anything but a card.

The set of ATC's came about by chance when I had been using some TRR/Highlight animals and found a couple left on my desk so out they came again and I used some honeycomb pieces left from another project, same with the ATC bases which were Gelli Plate offcuts and stamping in the background with Penny Black Trailing. It's an A/G theme at ATC's Around the World so entering my set there,

A bookmark with a harlequin stencilled background, Lavinia Leaf Spray again, Sunflower and sentiment stickers and another of the Stamp Addicts tassels I found hidden away and trying to use up.

I also have a few photos which I took sitting watching footie last Sunday afternoon (we won!!), we'd had rain, the ground was wet so there was lots of frantic feeding going on. Above one of the pair of Jays, shy birds but so pretty. Not as clear as I'd like, my camera is rather poorly.

We have both Greater Spotted and Green Woodpeckers, above the former and just a couple of apple trees away the Green popped in for a peck at the bark. The Greater Spotted are far more timid than the Green and get easily scared away by the flash of the camera. 

It was a lovely afternoon of footie and bird watching, I always feel so blessed to see so much wildlife from the comfort of a chair indoors. Further across there were a pair of Moorhens, several Squirrels and just before dusk a Roe Deer wandered in to feed on the fallen Quince's, I wasn't quick enough for a photo of that!

Off to decorate the tree

Morning everyone, I have my card for the new Snippets Playground challenge.

A few days ago a crafty friend referred to "flare ups and fogs" delaying her crafting activity and I thought it such a perfect analogy for the times many of us go through with our health. It's certainly a perfect explanation of why I am so very late sharing some samples made with Lavinia's new Frost and Fable collection (sorry guys). 

I understand there were some internet issues on release day but hope people are getting their bundles now and enjoying the magical collection. There were so many ideas going round but they have been slow coming together, eventually a few that I have finished starting with the above. It uses Warren and Wisp pulling along their cart of Christmas baubles ready to decorate the tree. Black base card, white pan pastels, all images stamped and the Hare's jackets, cart and baubles stamped again onto offcuts and paper pieced. Also linking to Girlz Creative Christmas, Peace on Earth and Stamps and Fun four legged friends.

My snippets, I'm gradually using up all the apertures left over from the last batch of RSPCA cards.

For me fairly CAS, saw something similar so created with the new stamps. She is Wishweaver dashing through the snow, masked to enable me to stamp the older sentiment and in the corner Holly Tree and added another light hanging from it. Linking to Make my Monday use orange.

This one using Candlelight and Winter Halo plus a few older small stamps to build up the semi wreath.

Another of the Hares out in the snow on a frosty night, the snow stamps are so clever, with a bit of glitter snow and white marker make a perfect snowy base for the characters.

Fashionista

Good morning, another new challenge at Allsorts where this time round Lynn has chosen Feminine as our theme. Our prize comes from AALL and Create.

I have two shares, both using a variety of A&C goodies, above a double card using one of their new dies called Starlight, the stamp on the left is Sirens of Spring, on right is Drawing in Air and although I made weeks ago for a friends Birthday went with some favourite Autumnal colours of Zig Clean Colour pens. The stencil is probably A&C but confess I keep stencils in a drawer, in bags by make but sometimes my filing system fails! Adding to Beautiful Blossoms orange inspiration, Just Us Girls stencil week and Stencil Fun orange option.

Again all A&C both stamps, the lady and flowers are Drift with the Stem and Layers of Air coloured with Zig clean colour pens and Lavinia sticker sentiment on the tab. Entering this one at Sparkles use die cuts.

Squirrel among the acorns

Morning all, it's mid way time at We Love Stamping with our seasonal theme is Shades of Autumn. We have two prizes of stamps and stencil from Sweet Poppy.

The spin tool came out for this one to build the wreath using Lavinia Oak Leaves, Squirrel and Birds plus a few mini worker stamps. The word is AALL and Create and leaves coloured with Gansia Tambi metallic pains and a touch of red Zig pen dragged out with the watercolours, irl there is actually some nice shine and sparkle. I've selected Bird, Brown and Leaves as my three for Pick 3 challenge and Add an Animal at Cards4Galz and another one for Ellies Garden Party as I know she has Squirrels in her garden!

My share for the current Snippets Playground challenge, all flowers, leaves and sentiment tag were cut from a little pile of card left over from apertures cut for a bundle of similar design RSPCA animal cards. The dies are a mixture of Sizzix and Amazon and the DL frame a really old set of which I have absolutely no idea of the make. 

Although I tend to stamp most cards, this batch uses stickers which Miss Di suggested (thanks Di, they are perfect) and my subsequent find was some beautiful Retrievers and Horses at Amazon which are fully trimmed and a decent size for a 7x7 card (one below). I leave most without a sentiment which allows more flexibility of use.

I get so much pleasure from making donation cards for the RSPCA and although many are Animal themed, they always tell me Fairies and rural scenic ones are equally popular. Selling at £3.50 - £5.00 each the few hundred I give over the year bring in a few pennies for their much needed work. Last week I delivered 80 Christmas cards made over the year, some individual, some in packs of four. I'm currently working on new ones with some rather stylish Lavinia Hares (watch this space) and will drop a few over to them shortly.

Cut it Up

Good morning, I was very happy to be invited to be a Guest Designer at Cut it Up Challenge and above is my card for their Pretty in Pink challenge which starts today, thank you for the invitation. 

The base card was created with a favourite from AALL and Create Heart Marks the Spot and the focal image their Art of Bouquet stamped with Versafine Clair, coloured with Zig pens and some light stencilling in the background. A simple sticker sentiment from a TH book. Linking to Think Pink at Simon Say's Monday.

Also sharing another entered at Lavinia's Withcing Hour using stamps from their recent fun Midnight Coven collection, the background is a mixture of Mica sprays and Pan Pastels and all stamping using Versafine Clair. Also entering this at the new Dream Factory Halloween theme and Fab 'n' Funky (3 gravestones!!) and Try it on Tuesday, Black Ravens at Shopping our Stash.

Sybella's away

Morning everyone, it's mid way inspiration time at Tag-Along (and ATC's) challenge with the theme of Autumn. Our prize this month is a Penny Black stamp, stickers and silk ribbon form Buddly Crafts.

I've gone Halloween for both my shares, above a double stand up tag using the new Lavinia Midnight Coven collection plus some worker stamps, the Witch is Sybella. A Pan Pastel background and all stamping in Verafine black plus some stencilling. Adding the above at Lost Coast Halloween, same at Try it on Tuesday, The Witching Hour at Lavinia and Halloween Crafts all Year.

My ATC has an inky background, stencilling with Distress Crackle Glaze through a spider stencil and a number of older Lavinia images. 

If you've not already joined in then I do hope you will find time to do so, you can enter up to four times with Tags, Bookmarks and ATC's. Adding to ATC's Around the World. 

I have one more for The Little Things, just couldn't resist the idea of Halloween pink and Pumpkins, so had fun creating a tag with a number of different stamps and stencils from Lavinia, the base tag is A&C. Adding at If you give a Crafter a Cookie Get Spooky and Halloween at Stamps and Fun.

Fancy folds and Gothic Christmas

Good morning, our new challenge at Allsorts starts today and Liz has selected More Than One Fold for our theme. For our prize there is a useful bundle of craft essentials from Stix2 plus a stamp set.

Above a triptych with three arches cut from Kraft,  stamps are Lavinia Lupin, Logan, Fox and several worker stamps, the leaves at the top AALL and Create and the trailing leaves Penny Black. The theme at Fab 'n Funky is Three of a Kind - three Animals may fit the bill and Critter Crazy, plus Autumn at Make my Monday, Craft Rocket, Daisy Chain and Try it on Tuesday.

Using an old but favourite die set, several of us have this set and want to say it's Studio Light but have to confess I'm not certain as no longer the the packaging. Stamps are again Lavinia Dandelion and Tall Dandelion, Some see a Weed plus workers stamps onto a brayered background. Adding to Ellies new Garden Party, Shaped cards at Di Cut Divas, Girlz Creative and Die Cuts at Do-All Creative.

Now for a challenge in more ways than one. The other day Jo from Christmas Kickstart challenge told me the new theme was Gothic Christmas which she thought that would be my sort of thing, right Jo! Gothic to my mind is not far removed from Stempunk which I always struggle with, so was determined to rise to the bait and above is what I came up with. 

I've had the TH Gothic Arch die for years so cut a stencil then sponged white Pan Pastel's to create the window, next stamped Lavinia Starmoth and Christmas Joy using black ink and embossed with detail white EP (why use back and not Versamark - it shows up better on a dark background to remove excess EP). Two sentiment stickers and stickles. Adding to Holly and Ivy.

Final note of thanks for all the lovely cards received for our special anniversary which I mentioned a couple of posts ago. The children arranged a surprise meal at a favourite Italian restaurant for 22 consisting of us, children and grandchildren and how lovely it was to all be seated at the same table. We had a flypast by The Red Arrows (honestly, the restaurant sits beside the Great River Ouse and they regularly use it as a flightpath to displays and that afternoon just happened to be one of them) and finished off by the arrival of Thea, a baby Great Granddaughter, she went into labour just after the meal, two weeks early!

A tad spooky

Morning all, we have a new challenge starting today at We Love Stamping and our very seasonal theme is Shades of Autumn, no guessing who selected that one! We have two prizes of stamps and stencil from Sweet Poppy.

Above a (rather busy) Autumnal scene using stamps from the new (at least new until later this month!) Lavinia Midnight Coven release along with a few older stamps including Acorn Abode with the little Mouse sitting on it. Brayerd background, all stamped with Versafine Clair plus a bit of shading using DI's. The theme at Crafty Calendar is Autumn/Halloween, also Lost Coast, Two Old Bats and Crafty Animals.

There had to be an Autumn wreath, created on the spin tool stamped onto an inky background, all elements in the wreath are Lavinia inked with inks and ecoline pens, the sentiment from a set sent by a crafty friend and have to confess I don't have the package any more so not sure of the make. Entering this one at the Autumn themes at Colourful Options, Colour Hues, Try it on Tuesday and another for Sweet Stampin'.

With all thew family activity I'm a couple of days late with my share for the Card Chain Challenge, above what I sent to Linda in Minnesota following the colour options along with stencil (this one was very kindly sent to me by a CCC friend who knows how much I love Poppies) and tone on tone ink blending. I received a card with an adorable Hedgie from Alice in Austria.