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.

Fairies Autumn outfit and celebrating a special day!

Morning everyone, we have a new challenge starting today at Tag-Along (and ATC's) challenge and in case some don't know, that also included bookmarks! I am your (very predictable) host with the theme of Autumn. Our prize this month is a Penny Black stamp, stickers and silk ribbon form Buddly Crafts.

My tag above uses stamps from Lavinia's recent Loomweavers collection and AALL and Create base tag, the skirt and bodice cut from DP offcuts and finished with some silk ribbon and twine (some as in prize, it's ivory but colours well with watered down DI's). Another for the Autumn theme at Sweet Stampin' plus Little Red Wagon and Four Seasons.

My trio of ATC's were pretty quick to make as they use  ready cut TRR dies and the bases cut from an inky piece of card in my background drawer. It's always been a habit to have a splurge cutting a good few of each new TRR die to have them ready for use. Being a non colourist (it's my least favourite form of crafting) I appreciate the Reflection artwork. And below a simple Autumnal bookmark using a Penny Black stamp long discontinued. Am entering my ATC's at The Dream Factory Autumn/Fall challenge and the same at ATC's around the World. And entering the bookmark into Outlawz Anything but a Card.

This is a last minute addition to an already scheduled post, I will admit readily I had no intention of mentioning any of this, but one or two close friends as well as family said I was being foolish. I've had a hang up about my age since I was about 30, diagnosed with MS and told my days of activity were numbered etc, etc.......so to hint at my age by admitting that hubby and I are celebrating a special Anniversary has taken some courage on my part. 

I was a child bride in a designer dress and just into what they now call sixth form, he not much older and for whatever reason my parents gave their blessing so obviously most said it wouldn't last. I'll say no more than a card arrived this week from The Palace, apparently they only send them for this Anniversary and upwards! 

I made the card above for hubby, maybe not what some would consider suitable for such an occasion, but we're not into slushy words and when he's not working in his office he's in the garden. He loves yellow flowers, has more pots stacked up than the local garden centre, Robins his favourite Bird and the little Dog at the front so like our little Poopy who we lost last year at 13, he was given her as a puppy for Father's Day. Apart from the A&C background stamping, everything is TRR/Highlight.

There's apparently a 'surprise' gathering this weekend, which of course we know nothing about, to be fair, all we know is get dressed ready to go out! So today to kick things off in suitable fashion with Covid and Flu jabs, but later off to Ely for Afternoon Tea.

Butterfly snippets

Morning all, theres a new challenge at the Snippets Playground where the new term has started so had better get my homework in early.

A messy play creating an inky background, random stamping with A&C stamps and decided to use up some of the long neglected lace idling in the box placing three pieces onto the base and arranged Butterflies all cut using A&C dies. I buy very few DP's as prefer to create my own backgrounds, but I do keep the odds and ends, these ones were left after cutting Fairy dresses for Lavinia stamps a while back. A piece of coordinating thread and sentiment cut from the same offcuts.

And here are my snippets. Also linking to Creative Artiste, Just Add Ink Stencils and Dies and Creative Fingers and We Love 2 Create.

Have a good Sunday everyone.

Autumn Glory

Good morning, time for a new challenge at Allsorts where Christine has selected the very appropriate theme of Anything Autumn. Our prize consists of some beautiful stamps from Buddly Crafts.

The above triptych created using what is probably my oldest and most used arch die set, bought many years ago at a craft show. The two panels were brayered, one cut in half to create a triptych which fold in for posting, stamps inked with Ecoline pens, they are all Penny Black, Flower Lanterns, Natures Paintbrushes, Together and across the top Trailing. Adding to Ellies Garden Part 20, Girlz Creative Splash of colour orange and Sweet Stampin' Autumn.

More PB stamps, not sure I really like this one, was a bit of an experiment embossing onto Kraft with white works well, but colouring with Gansai Tambi metallic paint is a little pale for my linking. This time I used a newer arch set from Maximum Crafts, stamps are Autumn Gala, Soft Wings, many years old but still available and Autumnal Gifts now retired. Entering Crafty Gals Corner Fall Foliage.

My final card entered into the Lavinia challenge Harvest Moon which is just ending, using stamps from their new Midnight Coven collection along with a few worker stamps. A brayerd background and some splatters to finish. Also linking to Carz 4 Galz Fantasy and Inkspirational Fall and Halloween.

Church in the Trees

Morning everyone, it's mid way time at We Love Stamping with Emma's theme of Trees and Leaves. There's some really lovely prizes on offer, a $30 store voucher from Taylored Expressions and Penny a Black stamp set and stencil from Buddly Crafts.

For the above Winter card I used new goodies from Penny Black, a stamp set called Quiet Place to build up the scene, there is also a set of Coordinating Dies, although didn't use for this, a sentiment from Christmas Cheer then shading using DI's and Pan Pastels and some snow and glitter. The frame is cut with Inverted Scallop, one from a recent crafty indulgent at Craft Addiction, great prices! The theme at CRAFT is Christmas.

For this one I first cut the base layers using Penny Black Cherish border die and placed it vertically, then used a Lavinia stencil over the background of the focal piece and stamped Autumn Gala coloured with Zig Clean Colour pens and a sentiment from my own Believe stamp set, available here. Entering this one at Penny Black Saturday Use a Die, Inky Paws Falloween and Time Out Seasonal Colours and Tic Tac Toe (ink blending, free and leaves) and Autumn at Four Seasons.

Poppies, Herbalums and a Squirrel

It's the fourteenth of the month which means mid way time at Tag-Along (and ATC's) where we have Lynn's theme of Circles, can be just one circle or lots! Our prize is a bundle with tag dies, stencil, stickers and twine.

My tag above has a brayered background plus stamping using an A&C worker stamp, a really old TH die to create the circle holes with an inky piece laid beneath, Two Red Robins Poppies, coloured twines and a word sticker. Poppies are Bright so linking 613 Avenue Create, Creative Knockouts Lots of Layers, Just us Girls Bold and Blooms for Triple B, Blooms, Birds or Butterflies.

A set of ATC's, my circles are the sun/moon with a whole host of Lavina stamps which include Herbs and Delights with Pixie Herabalum's gardening and the little Bunnies coming along to eat everything that grows, just as they do in our gardens. Sewing the Seeds of Love by Tears for Fears is my song for A Place to Start and the AG option at The Little Things.

This was my Sunday afternoon experiment for the Snippets Playground, not sure if it worked and certainly far more gold splatters than planned....my left hand and arm remain wonky since surgery and index finger doesn't move anymore, so if I'm not using a stamp platform everything that happens is all rather hit and miss! 

My snippets below shows the middle parts left after cutting apertures for Christmas cards (which will pop up later this week) onto which I stuck snippets of Autumnal (Amazon) DP's onto them and cut out the circles. A brayerd background, random stamping with A&C and Lavinia stamps, then just arranged the circles. Adding at Love Those Pretty Papers.

Wonder if Google will get the reading list issue sorted this week, we live in hope, I'm trying hard to check on those I visit regularly but sure some are falling through the net so apologies if I've missed some visits.

Simple blooms

Good morning, time for a new challenge at Allsorts where Gail is our host with the theme of Sympathy/Thinking of you/Get Well. Our prize is a bundle of dies and artwork from Highlight Crafts. 

Above a card and box with sufficient room to add refresh wipes or hand cream sachets for someone unwell. The hexagon and honeycomb dies are really old Tattered Lace, from when I first started on their DT in February 2015, Two Red Robins and Reflections soon came along and the flowers are from Flower of the Year. All cut out on the Scan and Cut (something I use rarely as have a love hate relationship as eyes not good enough for the small pop up screen). Cut it Up theme is In shape, at Craft Rocket it's Dies and Frame It at Let's Craft and Create.

For my second card I used a mop up from my spray box for the background, the box has a sheet of ribbed card in the bottom and gives some interesting unpredictable patterns, the blooms are a fairly old A&C set called Unfurling Petals and the sentiment is from Penny Black Words of Kindness. The theme is Not Square at Unicorn Challenge and Thinking of you at Aud Sentiments.

From what I've heard most of us are suffering the reading list issue, mine last updated Tuesday so with all the will in the World impossible to remember all the blogs you would normally visit. Blogger seems to lurch from one problem to another the last few months, I blame AI!!

Harmony and Reindeer Games and CCC share

Morning all, we have a new challenge starting today at We Love Stamping where the theme of Tress and Leaves has been selected by Emma. Our lovely prizes are a $30 store voucher from Taylored Expressions and a Penny Black stamp set and stencil from Buddly Crafts.

Above a wreath made on the spin tool using some older Penny Black stamps Natures Gifts and Just Looking, various Versafine Clair inks and a little colouring to create an Autumnal feel using Zig Clean Colour pens. The word in the middle is Lavinia. Entering under A/G at Penny Black Saturday and Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers L for Leaves and Ellies Garden Party 20.

A very simple scene as the two Penny Black stamps Restful and Snowy Village did most of the work. For the background a mixture of Pan Pastels and DI's and sentiment stamp which is also PB. Entering Krafty Chicks Birthday.

Finally one for Christmas Kickstart Reindeer Games, my Lavinia Reindeer is a pretty serious chaps so not really playing any games although the way he's eying up those Fairy Catkins he's perhaps planning tugging them down? Entering at Simon Say's Wednesday Stamp It, Girlz Creative Christmas and Peace on Earth.

Just realised with all that's been going on the last week I totally forgot to share my Card Chain Challenge card, it went to Dagmara in Poland, following the colour palette of pewter, stone and sand along with Mice from the options. I received a really lovely card from Majda in Slovenia.

Thankfully my ocular shingles seems to have settled a little and less painful last few days. Hubby's surgery to rectify what went amiss in what should have been a routine cataract procedure was done very swiftly the following day although had to be followed by a further one yesterday, bonus was whilst he was under they did the cataract in the other eye as well, so fingers crossed all now dealt with.

Going round in circles and a Snippet

Morning everyone, the 1st of September means a new challenge at Tag-Along (and ATC's) where it's Lynn's turn to choose the theme which is Circles. Our prize is a bundle with tag dies, stencil, stickers and twine.

I used Stamperia Desire-Tango ephemera, an impulse buy, as you do! Was pretty simple to make just building up and arranging the various elements on the tag base, my single circle the Amor sentiment. The backing DP is MCS.

An ATC coin with an oxide acetate 'splodged' background, a moon and Lavinia Fairy Catkins along with Pipin the Hare.

Finally a bookmark using Lavinia Blackberry which I felt fitting for September, some circle stencilling on the background and an embossing folder with circles although that's probably not too apparent in the photo. The single word also Lavinia.

Theres a new challenge over at the Snippets Playground and just found this in my files so I can pop over for the start of the new term this week. Afraid no snippet photo but Poppies which are Penny Black as is the die cut word all stamped onto and cut from snippets, wheat stamped in the background with very old HA stamp and heat embossed with gold EP. Try it on Tuesday's new theme is embossing so entering there and Penny Black Saturday under A/G.

All Creatures Great and Small

Good morning, time for a new challenge at Allsorts where I'm your host and my chosen theme is 'All Creatures Great and Small'. There are two lovely prizes of Lavinia Stamps.

Short post, icing on the cake this week, hubby had emergency surgery after routine cataract surgery went wrong and I have ocular shingles so not feeling on top of the World. 

Card below made weeks ago for this challenge and above one of the few made with the new Lavinia Midnight Coven release. Not usually into Halloween but do rather like these and want to play more. Linking to the Animals theme at Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers.

Entering the above at Alphabet Challenge I for Insects (Bees) and As You Like It Wild Animals, love to watch the antics of the many grey and black garden Squirrels and Just Add Ink colour palette.

Sorry no visits, done a few short ones for DT commitments but do hope to get round to everyone soon. 

Vibrant blooms and Autumn snippets

Morning all, mid way inspiration day at We Love Stamping where we are following Avril's theme of Summer Blooms. Prizes are Penny Black stamps and stencil from Buddly Crafts.

Rather criminal how I created this one but I knew exactly what I wanted as a finished piece but with the exception of Penny Black Natures Jewels all the PB stamps are really old wood mounted ones (Blush, Floral Silhouette and Aspire) and could only be achieve using the spin tool off their blocks, so what did I do? Yes, I carefully peeled all three from the wood blocks and along with Versafine Clair inks created my floral wreath...........then stuck all back onto their wood blocks! Try it on Tuesday's new them is Inspired by a Song so as an opera lover The Flower Duet from Lakmé came immediately to mind. Also entering another at Beautiful Blossoms under A/G this time and In the Garden at Cupcake Inspirations and Off to the Tropics at Retro Rubber.

There's a new Snippets challenge and I have one to share there as well. I've always enjoyed playing with A&C's Crunched Leafdrops and Leafinity Detailed (currently on offer as a set following the second link) and after seeing a card on Pinterest using black for leaves decided to give it a go with the A&C ones.

Autumn with a difference creating the base with A&C Starflight dies, background with Oxides then stamping the leaves onto the base layers and then black card and all heat embossed with detail white EP (no idea why some look red tinged in my photo). A tad busy but went all out with everything on my desk including some scrim I'd just dipped in coffee to colour it and some washi tape. The sentiment is PB Happy Wishes. Classic Designs would like Die Cuts and it's Washi Tape at Girlz Rebel.

And my snippets.

Birthday Poppies

Good morning, time for a new challenge at Allsorts where Lynne has selected the theme of Embossing, it can be wet or dry embossing. Our prize is from Lisa Horton and is the same (as) the set I have used for one of my cards.

In fact Poppy Corner is one of the very first LH sets I bought, well it's Poppies! An arched card and aperture, a trellis using a really old Tattered Lace die placed over a piece of MCS DP. I used Vellum for the Poppies coloured with Oxides through the stencils on LH Ulti-Mate, cut out with the coordinating die, embossed and a simple Birthday sentiment. Beautiful Blossoms have Poppies as their inspiration, Ellies new Garden Party 18 just started, Cut it Up who would like a sentiment added, All About Frames and Garden for Inkspirational.

My second card uses a newer LH set called Red Red Robin, coloured as above, cut with the matching die then embossed and placed over LH Padded Quilt embossing folder. The sentiment is a pretty old wood mounted Penny Black which I believe is discontinued. Linking to the Christmas theme at Krafty Chicks and the A/G option at Can You Handle the Pressure and Christmas Card Throwdown Christmas without Snow.

Fashion icons

It's mid way time at Tag-Along (and ATC's) where Pinky selected our theme of Fashion with a prize of an AALL and Create tag set. 

For my tag I adhered as oddment of MCS DP onto a piece of white card to give it more strength to then cut using using AALL and Create Tag it Yourself. I applied crackle texture paste through a stencil around the focal 1890's lady in hat, some lace, Butterfly stamped onto another snippet and frayed silk ribbon at the top.

My ATC was created with different MCS collections to create a floral frame and the 1950's Dior style fashion icon sized down to fit within the flower and foliage frame. Linking to The Little Things A/G option.