The Leaves Are Beginning To Turn...

...but there's still plenty of time to enter our October Challenge at Stamping Sensations, where our theme is Trees and/or Leaves and/or Autumn.

This time I've used a stamp by Penny Black. I stamped it with Memento "Desert Sand" ink so I could use the no-line colouring method. I coloured the image with my Arteza coloured pencils. Background paper is by Dovecraft, sentiment by Inkylicious. Silk ribbon and button from my stash.

The challenge runs until 30th October, and my lovely teamies have even more gorgeous inspiration for you over on the Challenge Blog. We have some beautiful entries already; why not add yours and be in with a chance of winning a fab £25 voucher from our sponsor Stamp Addicts. Please just remember, though, that the focal element of your project must be stamped and fit the theme, otherwise it will not be eligible for the prize.

Chill in the Air

Into October now, and there's definitely an autumnal feel. We've had a few frosty mornings this week and the leaves are beginning to turn. I really do not look forward to the winter, but the wonderful autumn colours are some compensation. And it is in that vein that we introduce our October challenge at Stamping Sensations with the theme of

* * * * * TREES and/or LEAVES and/or AUTUMN * * * * *

We want you to show us the beauty of autumn in all its glorious colours. As usual, to be eligible for our October prize, kindly donated by our lovely sponsors Stamp Addicts, the main element of your project should be stamped and follow the theme.


I needed a lightweight card to post, so decided to make it one layer. I masked the edges of the base card before sponging pigment inks through the stencil and around the edges of the masked area, thus creating a white border to the card, before overstamping with the trees, buzzard and sentiment. Very quick and easy to do! All the stamps and the stencil are by Inkylicious.

We are hoping for lots of autumn colour this month, and I can't wait to see the entries! There is some wonderful inspiration from the Design Team over on the Challenge Blog, so do go and take a look. Good luck everyone!

Flap and Flutter!

For our August challenge at Stamping Sensations we return to one of my favourite themes, which is

* * * * * THINGS WITH WINGS * * * * *

I love to watch the birds and butterflies in my garden, so it's not surprising that they frequently find their way on to my cards and projects. Of course, anything with wings will be eligible for our challenge, so this could include insects, fairies, dragons or even aeroplanes, as well as butterflies and birds. To be eligible for our prize or Top 3 your "thing with wings" must be the main focal point of your project and must be stamped, and you must put a link to Stamping Sensations Challenge in your post. For the full list of rules, see here.

For my card I stamped some butterflies from Inkylicious, coloured them with Arteza watercolour pencils, blended the colour with a water brush, and cut them out. I used a Spellbinders die to cut a piece of white card unequally in two, matted the pieces on to purple card and stamped a sentiment by Chocolate Baroque on the larger piece. The beautiful backing paper was a magazine freebie. A few flower sequins added the final touch.

Also returning this month are our lovely sponsors Rubber Dance, who are giving the lucky winner a fantastic £25 voucher to spend in their online shop.

I can't wait to see this month's entries! My teamies have plenty of gorgeous inspiration for you over on the Challenge Blog, so do go and take a look!

Happy Flowers!

We have a lovely new challenge theme for you this month at Stamping Sensations! What could be more reminiscent of summer than

* * * * * THE EARTH LAUGHS IN FLOWERS * * * * *

We want to see anything floral in your creations, but please do bear in mind that flowers must be the focal point of your project and they must be stamped (hand stamped or hand coloured digi) or they will not be eligible for our prize (a fab £25 voucher from our lovely sponsors Crafty Individuals) or top three, nor will they be commented on by our DT.

I have used some Crafty Individuals stamps and papers for my project.

My base is a MDF Artboard plaque from Inkylicious, which I covered with a piece of one of the gorgeous background paper A4 sheets from the Aurora Borealis pack. This has a matching stamp (CL-493) which I stamped over a pigment ink sponged background and cut with dies from The Works for my focal point. I embellished the design with flowers from the CI-206 elements plate which I cut out and coloured with brush pens. A sentiment from Hobby Art completed the plaque. Apart from the sentiment, all stamps are by Crafty Individuals.

I think our July theme is going to be very popular, because who doesn't love flowers! So I am looking forward to seeing lots of beautiful floral entries!

Footprints on the Moon

Hadn't used the Brushos for ages, so having a few spare minutes, and some lovely new stamps from Stamps By Me, I thought I'd get them out and have a play.

First I stamped and masked the moon, and then made the background with the Brushos using the sprinkle & then spray method, blotting it after spraying to lighten it up as it was quite dark. Some of the paint leaked under the mask a bit, but I quite liked the effect. I thought it looked like clouds over the moon and gave it some dimension. Serendipity!

The Stamps By Me set has the trees, the moon and two sentiments. I particularly liked the one I've used here, but I thought the picture needed something else to help tell the story, so I added the rabbit & buzzard, along with a few grasses at the bottom, all from Inkylicious.

I stamped the sentiment in Versafine Clair ink and embossed it with WOW Neutral Ultra Shimmer Regular powder, which has the most gorgeous sparkle, but the photo doesn't do it justice. You can perhaps see it a little better in the next one.

And here's the rabbit gazing at the moon! (And probably hoping the buzzard doesn't spot her!)

 

It's quite a while, well before Christmas in fact, since I had chance to make something just for the sake of it, rather than for a particular person, event or occasion, and I really enjoyed doing this one. When I make cards for family and friends, I tailor them to the recipient and usually know what I'm going to do before I begin. Not that I don't enjoy doing those too, of course, but I love having the creative freedom to pick out a few stamps and inks etc. and just see where they lead. When I started making this card I had no idea how it was going to turn out, but I'm happy with the result!

Brighten up these grey days!

Don't know about your neck of the woods, but up here it's been damp, dull, dreary and draughty lately. Very draughty! And very damp! Not to mention cold! We've had the odd fine day, but they've been few and far between, and the unremitting grey leaves me feeling blue. I'm definitely not a winter person. Roll on the spring!

However, at least we have Christmas to look forward to, along with this month's challenge from Stamping Sensations which I hope is going to brighten things up considerably as our December theme is

* * * * * WINTER SPARKLE * * * * *

Bring out the bling, and show us your winter wonders, but please do remember that the main image of your project must be stamped and follow the theme.

We are sponsored once again by the fabulous Gordon and Justin of Be Creative, and knowing Justin's love of all things Christmassy and glittery, I'm sure they will both be looking forward to seeing all your entries as much as I am.

I've used some of the superb Be Creative products on my card.

Their Wonder Tape, Wonder Sheet and Glue Wands are my go-to adhesives for card making, and their Wonder embossing powders and crystals are to die for. I stamped the sentiment (Inkylicious) and embossed it with one of the detail embossing powders from the White Mystical set. This is a set of four white-based powders, three of which have glitter mixed in, and the one I chose is named, appropriately, Winter Sparkle. I used the same powder to make the background. I cut a piece of Wonder Sheet to size, removed the cover sheet from one side and sprinkled the powder all over it, and heated it. Both the Wonder Sheet and the Tape are heat resistant, so they are perfect for heat embossing. Once melted, the silver glitter mixed in with the white powder really does sparkle beautifully. The photo doesn't do it justice, although you can maybe see it a little better in the next one.

I diecut the sentiment with a Spellbinders die and added a few punched snowflakes (Tonic Studios punch) to finish off the design.

My lovely teamies have loads of gorgeous sparkly inspiration for you over on the Challenge Blog, so do go and take a look, and I hope to see lots of entries for our final challenge of the year. Let's make Blogland sparkle!

And panic begins to set in......again!

This is the time of year when I suddenly realise that, in spite of all my good intentions, it is less than two months until Christmas and I have hardly started making my Christmas cards! (Also just realised that my November post last year had a similar title!) So it is just as well that our theme for November at Stamping Sensations reminded me that I'd better get a move on, as it is

* * * * * GET READY FOR CHRISTMAS * * * * *

We'd like to see your take on all things Christmassy, just as long as your main image is stamped and follows the theme.

Here I've used a gorgeous new winter scene from Inkylicious (so new I don't think it's even on their website yet! I bought it at Stamp Magic last month.). The background stamps are a set of two Twinchie stamps, also by Inkylicious, The sentiment is one I've had for many years, and the make is unknown. The holly diecut is a magazine freebie. I coloured the main image with watercolour pencils and added some glitter glue for a bit of sparkle.

We are sponsored this month by the fabulous Swedish House Crafts. I'm sure this will be a very popular theme, so I will look forward to seeing lots of lovely entries! Now, I'd better start thinking about some more Christmas card making......

Autumn Colours

The theme for our October challenge at Stamping Sensations is one which I'm sure will be a favourite for many people.What better to showcase at this time of year than the

* * * * * SHADES OF AUTUMN * * * * *

The subject of your entry can be anything you choose as long as the main element of the project is stamped and you have used typical autumn colours, such as greens, yellows, oranges, reds and browns.

Nothing says Autumn to me more than the changing leaves in all their multicolour glory, so that is what I have portrayed on my card.

I stamped various leaves (both solid shapes and outlines) from a set by Stamps By Me, leaving spaces to cut out three more leaves with a die by Concord & 9th. I made a background with Brushos, using autumn colours, and adhered it behind the stamped piece, after which I fixed the diecut leaves back into their cut out spaces so that the Brusho background showed through. I was quite happy with the result but felt that it just needed a little more, so I added the sentiment (Inkylicious) and stamped a few splatters (Concord & 9th) to finish it off.

There's a £25 voucher from our fab sponsors Stamp Addicts for our lucky October winner, and my lovely teamies have some gorgeous inspiration for you over on the Challenge Blog.

Whilst autumn is not my favourite season of the year (too close to winter and the cold weather!) I do love the autumn colours, so I'm really looking forward to seeing lots of lovely entries. Good luck everyone!

A Cold And Frosty New Year!

Happy New Year  everybody! Hope 2018 is a year of peace and happiness for all. It's been a bit nippy lately up in our neck of the woods, and that makes Stamping Sensations' first challenge of the year quite appropriate! We'd like you to use

* * * * * COLD AND FROSTY COLOURS * * * * *

We're thinking blues, purples, lilacs, whites, silver etc. for the main colours of your project. And as always, please do remember that we are a stamping challenge, therefore we must see a stamped image as the focal element of your artwork, not just a stamped sentiment or stamping in the background. This means that stamping must be the central subject of attention and interest. 

We have a super prize for our winner, this wonderful assortment of products from Sizzix!



I've used Distress Oxide inks (Broken China and Wilted Violet) and Inkylicious stamps for my card.

This was the first outing for my Splatter Circle, which I bought at last October's Stamp Magic show but haven't had chance to use until now. It's a fabulous stamp, very versatile, and huge! (My card is 7" x 7"). I inked it up randomly with the two inks and then lightly misted it with water to blend the inks. Once the image was dry, I overstamped it with the Winter Birds (another new favourite stamp!) and went over the snow with a white gel pen. I coloured the berries with a Promarker. The sentiment was cut out with a Spellbinders die, and I added a couple of gems for a bit of sparkle. A snippet of glitter paper found amongst my stash was perfect for matting the picture, and I also used some DP which was a magazine freebie. All stamps by Inkylicious.

Although we haven't had much snow yet this winter, we have had some very hard frosts. There are still a few berries around here for the birds, and we have lots of visitors to our feeders every day. Recent ones were these stunning bullfinches. We had three pairs one day, flitting amongst the brambles at the edge of the garden.

  I managed to capture a bit of video of them.

We get not only most of the common garden birds, but also some more unusual ones. For example:

Goldfinch

Yellowhammer

Siskin

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Nuthatch

Lesser Redpoll

the gorgeous Pheasant

And my favourite cheeky, chirpy Long Tailed Tits!

I never tire of watching the birds, and I don't even have to leave the house to see them. All the photos were taken through my kitchen window! We are so lucky to live where we do, with nature all around us. I'm never short of inspiration.

Talking of which, if you should need any to help you with our Cold And Frosty Challenge, do fly over to the Challenge Blog and have a look at the beautiful samples which my talented teamies have produced for you. Can't wait to see your cool creations!

Northern Lights

The current mid-month challenge for our DT at Stamping Sensations is to try something new. This month it is my turn to step outside my comfort zone!

Living in the north of the UK gives us the chance of seeing the Aurora Borealis, if conditions are favourable, and since we moved up here a few years ago I have been lucky enough to see them just once, back in October 2015. Not a good photo but at least I saw it.

I follow the Aurorawatch UK website, which sends out alerts when there is the possibility of aurora. Alerts range from green (no geomagnetic activity) through yellow and amber to red (aurora likely). Last week there was a red alert (which doesn't happen very often), meaning that there was a very good chance of seeing it if the skies were clear! Unfortunately not from here, though, as it was too misty.

However, it reminded me that I have been meaning for ages to have a go at the Northern Lights technique, so that is my something new for this month.

I had a look at a few tutorials, and learned that there is more than one method of producing the effect, using various colours of card for the background. The one I decided to follow was by Emma from Inkylicious. I won't go into all the details of the technique because you can check out Emma's excellent video here.  If you want to have a go, Inkylicious have put together a fantastic Aurora Borealis card kit with everything needed to make Northern Lights cards. Emma's method uses black card. Mindful of our one layer theme this month, I worked directly on to the base card (after quite a few practice attempts!). 

Having produced my aurora, I created the scene using landscape stencils which I made myself (though the Inkylicious kit includes a mountain/valley stencil), and white pigment ink for the stamping (all stamps by Inkylicious). I used a stamping platform to stamp the main elements so that I could go over each one a couple of times to get a good dense white and make sure they stood out against the background. I added highlights with a white gel pen and some shading to the hills with a white pencil.

I didn't get the sweep of the aurora quite how I wanted them, and I think less would have been better (got a bit carried away!), but I'm reasonably happy with the final result as a first effort. It was a fun (not to mention messy!) technique to try, and I'll certainly be having another go!

There's still plenty of time to join in this month's Challenge, where our theme for November is One Layer Christmas Cards. Full details and entry rules, along with plenty of inspiration from the DT, are on the challenge post, which you will find here. It's definitely worth entering, as we have some wonderful prizes, but please do remember to check out the rules to ensure that your project is eligible. We look forward to seeing your creations!

The Glory of Autumn

In my previous post, I mentioned that whilst I don't look forward to the shorter days and cold of winter, I do like to see the glorious autumn colours. So I'm very happy that our October theme at Stamping Sensations is

 * * * * *AUTUMN GLORY * * * * *

We'd like to see your interpretation of Autumn. I'm thinking reds, greens, oranges, yellows, browns, leaves, trees, acorns, conkers, autumn flowers, berries, toadstools .......   well, that's what Autumn says to me. What does it say to you?

Please do remember that as we are a stamping challenge, the focal element of your project must be stamped (rubber/clear or hand coloured digital image) if you want to be in with a chance of winning a prize or top 3 place. Our sponsor this month is Stamp Addicts, who are giving a fabulous £25 voucher to spend in their shop or on their website.

I had been having a play with some Distress Oxide inks on watercolour paper, and by accident rather than by design, found that I had a pattern that made me think of a lake scene and morning mists, such as we often get on our local loch at this time of year. I decided to use it as the base for my autumn card.

A few stamps from Inkylicious (including the sentiment) brought the scene to life, and I matted it with some papers in autumn colours which have been in my stash for years! Think I have been subconsciously saving them because the colours are so rich and, well, autumny!

I felt the card needed a bit of embellishment, but I didn't want to detract too much from the lake scene. My recently acquired leaf dies from Concord & 9th fitted the bill perfectly. Considering I had no fixed idea in mind at the start of my project, I was quite pleased with how the card turned out. Something a bit different.

And that's what I'm hoping to see in this month's entries - something different, outside the box thinking, serendipity even! Just so long as they show the beauty and glory of this spectacular season. My teamies have have come up with some simply stunning samples, over on the Challenge Blog. Don't miss them!

I've been looking forward to this for ages, and really hope to see lots of entries on what I'm sure will be a popular theme. Good luck everyone!

My favourite themes!

I'm loving the Stamping Sensations May Challenge, as our theme combines three of my favourites! Of course, it's

* * * * * BUTTERFLIES, FAIRIES, AND FANTASY * * * * *

So much scope for beautiful designs and colours. It's the perfect opportunity to ink up all those butterflies, fairies, and other magical images, the choice is up to you. However, we do need to see something stamped and associated with the theme as the focal point (ie. the main image) on your artwork: a small punched or die cut butterfly will not suffice. We don't have many challenge rules (check them out here), but there are a few things we insist on to make it fair for everyone, so please do make sure your project qualifies if you want to be considered for our prize or top three.

And it is a superb prize this month! The stunning Mariposa Butterfly Collection of dies by Couture Creations.

Couldn't resist making two samples this time. My first is a card.

All stamps by Lavinia Stamps. (The tiny birds were hand drawn,) I think this fairy is my all time favourite fairy stamp! The background was made with Distress Oxide inks. They were great for this theme as I found I could get lovely misty, ethereal effects with them.

The idea for my second project came when I saw some logs that my DH was chopping for the fire. One had a sloping face, which I then sanded smooth, stamped on to (stamps by Inkylicious), and coloured with Distress Oxide inks. Once it was all dry, I polished it with wax polish to seal and protect it, covered the base with a piece of self adhesive baize, and I now have a handy paperweight!

Needless to say, I can't wait to see this month's entries! And my teamies have come up with some stunning samples to inspire you, so check them out on the Challenge Blog and then see what you can come up with. Good luck everyone!

Stamping Sensations April Challenge

First Sunday of the month, so time for a new challenge at Stamping Sensations, and we have a very easy one for you this month as our theme is

* * * * * ANYTHING GOES * * * * *

The choice of subject is entirely up to you, but of course, as we are a stamping challenge, the main element of your design must be hand stamped (or a hand coloured digital image). Please do check that your project fits our rules (see them here), otherwise it will not be eligible for the prize or top 3 and may not be commented on, in fairness to others who do follow the rules.

Our wonderful April sponsor is PDA, who have given us a fabulous £40 voucher for the winner to spend in their store!

I managed to get my hands on some of the new Distress Oxide ink pads last week, and I've used some of them for the background of my card. Think they are going to be my new favourite inks! I'm only just beginning to explore all their possibilities but I'm loving them already!

I stamped over the background with Lavinia stamps (flower border, pods and butterflies), a text by Inkylicious and a sentiment by Visible Image.

Good luck everyone, I'm looking forward to seeing lots of lovely creations!

February Challenge at Stamping Sensations, and a strange phenomenon

Since Christmas, my mojo seems to have disappeared. I reckon it's taken itself off to warmer, sunnier climes, given the cold, grey, wet and dreary weather we've been having here lately, and I can't say I blame it. However, I need it back, but how to attract it? One look at the state of my craft room was enough to suggest the answer!

A mega clear out was long overdue. The task was so daunting, I'd kept putting it off but I knew that a good tidy up would go a long way towards making me feel like crafting again. One of the main problems was not being able to find anything I needed without having to shift piles of stuff out of the way first. I store all my unmounted stamps in A5 ringbinders, and when I first set up my craft room, five years ago, they all fitted into a small bookcase. Not any more! As my collection grew, the extra binders had to be crammed into odd spaces here and there on other shelves, which was really annoying.

Then, a few weeks ago, my daughter announced that she had a large, tall bookcase that had become surplus to her requirements, and would I like it? Would I??! Of course, that meant I had to bite the bullet and start the grand clear out! To cut a long story short, what once looked like this



now looks like this!

So much tidier and more efficient, don't you think? Anyway, the clear out is just about finished, (as well as the stamp shelves I have two walls of built-in floor to ceiling shelves and drawers to store everything else) and I now know where everything is again.

But - and here's the strange thing - although I have removed a considerable amount of rubbish and stuff I didn't want to keep, and have gained more storage space with the new bookcase, there doesn't seem to be any more room on the other shelves than there was before! If anyone has an explanation for this odd phenomenon, I'd be very interested to hear it!

Fortunately I managed to clear enough space on my desk in time to make my sample for this month's challenge at Stamping Sensations, where our theme for February is

* * * * * ANIMAL MAGIC * * * * *

As usual, you may interpret this however you wish, as long as the main element of your design is hand stamped (or a hand coloured digital image) and reflects the theme. Please do check that your project fits our rules, otherwise it will not be eligible for the prize or top 3, and may not be commented on, in fairness to others who do follow the rules. And you will not want to miss out on this month's fabulous prize, kindly donated by our lovely sponsors Tattered Lace.

For my card I have used some of the latest new Lavinia Stamps, which are absolutely gorgeous. The range includes badgers, foxes, squirrel and snail, all perfect for our challenge theme, as well as some beautiful fairies.

All stamps on my card are by Lavinia Stamps. I stamped and masked the moon before creating a background with an Inkylicious mountain and valley stencil and pigment inks. The badger, fairy, flowers, foliage and distant trees were then stamped over the top, and a bit of sparkle added with some glitter glue to finish.

I'm entering this card in the Lavinia Stamps Creative Challenge for February, where the theme is "The Full Moon".

There's some stunning Animal Magic by my lovely teamies over on the Challenge Blog, so do go and take a look, and they would be delighted if you had time to visit their individual blogs too. I think this will be a popular theme, and am looking forward to seeing your entries.

Coffee and Cream

Happy New Year, everyone, I hope 2017 will be good to you all! As New Year's Day is a Sunday, we're straight in with our first challenge of the year at Stamping Sensations, where our January theme is

* * * * * COFFEE AND CREAM * * * * *

As usual, you may interpret the theme however you wish, but please do remember that we are a stamping challenge, so the main element of your design must be either hand stamped or hand coloured digi and should reflect the theme. Sadly, projects which don't fit the theme or our rules will not be eligible for the prize or top 3, and may not be commented on, in fairness to all those who do follow the rules. If you're not sure what they are, you can find them here.

Here's the prize for this month's lucky winner!

And here's my sample.

I was aiming for a vintage feel, which I think works well with this lovely image by Crafty Individuals. The background paper is from the same Dovecraft pack as the paper I used in my November sample. Although the pack is Christmas themed, many of the designs are suitable for other occasions too, and the one I've used here seemed to go perfectly with the theme. A piece of self adhesive lace. some pearls from Be Creative, and a sentiment by Inkylicious, cut out with a Spellbinders die, completed the card. I thought the sentiment was quite appropriate for the New Year.

My lovely teamies have some really beautiful samples to show you over on the Challenge Blog, so do pop over and have a look at them. I'm just off to put the kettle on. Still got a drop of cream left over from Christmas, so I shall have a final seasonal indulgence and put it in my coffee. Back on the diet tomorrow!