Lavinia Stamp "Indian Flourish" Card

I made a quick card this morning using my new Lavinia "Indian Flourish" stamp on a circle of blended Distress Inks.  The sentiment is from a Stampin' Up set called "Dragonfly Dreams".

I'm not sure if it's just my computer screen, but in real life the Distress Ink background is a mix of purples and turquoise.

Week 22 - 52 Week Mini Art Card Tag Challenge 2018

The prompt for Week 22 of the challenge is "Anything Goes".

It's raining and thundery here today - so much for Bank Holiday sunshine, but it does mean that I'm home playing with inks and stamps.

For this weeks tag, I started with a piece of yellow cardstock cut to a tag shape. I used a Crafti Potential "Messy Watercolour Background stamp" to create a mottled look in two shades of Distress Inks.

Using assorted Lavinia stamps, I stamped the black foliage/flower images using a Versafine Ink. The "Love" word is part of a Stamper's Anonymous set called "Graffiti".  

Using a white Signo pen, I added dots.  Using the thin end of a Promarker I made up a heart background in dots.  Finally, using the tip of a pin, I added small amounts of Stickles glitter to the long flowers.

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If you would like to know more about this challenge, please click on the tab to the side of the "Home" button above.

We also have a Facebook Group where you can share your images and talk to others taking part in the challenge.  All are welcome, the more the merrier :)   Sam x

Anniversary Card

Tomorrow Hubby and I celebrate our 33rd wedding anniversary.  33 years seems such a long time but it has passed in a blink of an eye.  

Hubby always jokes that one of my home made cards costs about £100, judging by the amount of crafting stash, so I really couldn't buy one.  So made this for him instead.

Quite a simple card as the background is so dramatic, which is a sheet of Clarity "Shenandoah Natural Wonders".  

The scrolls are stamps that I've had for years.  They may be 7gypsies and Basic Grey, I really can't remember.  The sentiment below the "Love" word says "It's a matter of making years count" all stamped in Versafine ink.

Butterfly "Thinking Of You" Card (Visible Image and Clarity Stamp)

More playing with inks today, making this card.  I used Distress Inks through a Clarity Stamp Stencil to create the background.  The butterfly is a Visible Image stamp from their "Live Life Now" set.  I added some additional black and white dots too.  The sentiment is from a free set I got with a magazine a while back.

Flourishing Phrases Hello Card

I made this quick card by stamping the flower (Stampin' Up "Flourishg Phrases) onto a plain piece of card using a Versamark ink pad and clear embossing powder.  I blended three colours of distress ink from the centre of the card outwards.  Finally, I stamped the "Hello" (Stampin' Up "Hello Friend) in StazOn ink.

A Lavinia Stamp Sparkling Seahorse Tag

I have been stalking my postman.  Today, he delivered my Lavinia stamps including their new seahorse.  I couldn't wait to get playing and made this tag.

In both instances I have created the background using Distress Oxides and Distress Inks.  I've used a Versafine Ink to stamp the seahorse image and a white Signo pen for the white dots.

Upcycling a magnetic stamp (Rubbadubbadoo Feather Card)

I came across an old magnetic backed Rubbadubbadoo stamp that I've not used for some years, mainly due to it having the magnetic background.

I decided to ease the magnetic backing off the stamp and then applied "Easy Mount" to it.  I am now able to use it with my clear blocks or Stamping Platform.  I decided to put it to use, making this card.  I've painted to Distress Inks on to the image to colour it. The sentiment is from a Stampin' Up set called "Sheltering Tree"

Week 21 - 52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2018

So we're nearling the half way point of this annual challenge.  

The prompt for Week 21 is "Go Wild".  This can be interpreted in many ways, I have gone for an Africa theme.

I used a blend of Tim Holtz Distress inks to create the background for this tag.  I've used Versafine ink on Darkroom Door stamps from their set called "African Trees".

I used some bright pink card stamped with a Darkroom Door  Zebra background stamp using Versafine ink.  I added a white border using a white Signo pen.  The Zebras are from another Darkroom Door Set called "Wild Africa Vol 1", cut out and layerd to the base.

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If you are interested in knowing more about this challenge, please click on the tab to the right of the "home" button above.  All the info you need is detailed there, including the previous challenge prompts.

We also have a Facebook group, where you are more than welcome to share your creations and talk to others taking part in the challenge.

Stamp Storage Solution

I am always trying to find suitable storage solutions for my ever growing stamp collection.  I came across this pretty white woven and lined basket in Home Bargains for only £7.99 it's ideal for some of my stamps and it also fits in the Ikea cubby holes too.  I think I may have to get some more.

Week 20 - 52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2018

I feel a bit at sea this week as my laptop is in for repair and I’m posting this on my phone. It feels very strange.

The prompt for Week 20 is “Butterflies”

I started my tag with a piece of pale pink card. I used Distress Inks through a hydrangea stencil I had from a magazine a while back.

I then added more detail to the flowers by using Promarkers and a Signo pen to fill in the area of the flower head. I also inked the background in green Distress Inks.

I used an Oak House Studio text stamp and a Crafters Companion stamp from their “Flutterby” collection for the sentiment.

I found an off cut of paper coloured with alcohol Inks, so I used two dues to cut the butterfly shapes. A Papertrey Ink die from their “Love Lives Here” set and a Stampin’ Up due from their “Butterflies Thinlits” set.  I backed the large butterfly die cut with velum.

A Sweet Poppy Stencilled Card

I’ve not been very creative lately, but today I made a card with anew stencil I bought last week.

I used a Sweet Poppy Stencil with three shades of distress Inks for the foliage. I used a Hobby Arts “Inspiration” stamp for the sentiment which is stamped in a Memento Ink in a “Peanut Brittle” shade.

The sentiment reaves “art has d not what you see, but what you make others see”.

Week 19 - 52 Week Mini Art Card / Tag Challenge 2018

It's Bank Holiday weekend here in the UK and the sun is out and it seems that the whole of the country have flocked to North Wales, judging by the amount of traffic in the area.

The prompt for Week 19 is "Farm Life"

For my tag, I started off with a Graphic 45 stamp set called "Home Sweet Home 2", stamping the title, churn, sign and the cattle in a black Versafine ink.  I then coloured the images with Promarkers.  I added an off-cut of a die cut that has a brick look to sections of the tag.

The background was painted using a mix of Tim Holtz Distress Inks and Oxides.  I then used Stamper's Anonymous stamps around the edges and inked the extremities in black too.

I hope you're having a fabulous long weekend.

Sam x

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If you would like to know more about this challenge, click on the button at the top of the page (next to the home button).  You will find all the info and a list of the previous prompts there.

We have a Facebook Group for the challenge.  In the group you can share your images of your challenge creations and talk to others taking part.

Art Impressions - "Girlfriends Wine Taster" Birthday Card

Today my Mother in law celebrates her 80th Birthday.  She doesn't want any fuss, just wants to go out with a couple of her girlfriends for a drink, so I thought this card was ideal for the occasion.

I used an Art Impressions stamp from thier "Girlfriends" collection called "Wine Tasters - UMU4387" stamped in StazOn and coloured with Promarkers.  

I typed the sentiment so it is personalised for Nin, the Birthday girl. (Nancy and Mavis are the friends she is going out to celebrate with).