Lavinia Stamps "Sirlus" the Pegasus Card

Last week we had family staying at our house, which included ten year old Jessica, who happened to be into crafting.  So it was only natural that we had a little crafting session, where I helped her to create these cards. 

For the background, we used a piece of Lavinia Stamps patterned paper, from their "Colourburst Collection".

We stamped in Versafine Clair inks, enhancing the background colour using Versafine Clair "Warm Breeze" and using the following Lavinia Stamps:  Talia the Unicorn, Sirlus the Pegasus, Tree Group, Birds and "Tree of Hope". We also added colour using pastel pencils and Posca Pens.

Netgalley Book Review: "Christmas at Red Robin Cottage" by Sue Roberts

I have been a member of Netgalley since 2016.  Netgalley is a book review site and this is a reveiw of one of the books I have just read.  The book will be available to purchase late September 2022.

The festive looking cover of "Christmas at Red Robin Cottage" drew me to this book and I wasn't disappointed by the content. The book made me want to step straight into Christmas. Sue Roberts, the author, has a very descriptive style of writing that sets the Christmas theme perfectly. I couldn't get enough of this book, it was right up my street!

Set in a village in the Liverpool area, Sarah Dunn works in an old fashioned cinema and loves her job. Sarah is a single Mum to sixteen year old Ellie and is divorced to Robbie, Ellies Dad.

Sarah lives in her beatiful old cottage and loves everything about the pretty building. Life is perfect, she has her job and great friends, but there is the lack of a life partner. Sarah reflects on her past, especially the teenage years spent doing am-dram with her best friend Kay, who just happens to have an older brother called Luke, that Sarah had her first crush on.

Fond memories of her crush for Luke, means that Sarah isn't sure if she spots him in a window seat of a train going in the opposite direction or if she has imagined it. A visit to the city library reveals a surprise for Sarah, was it Luke she saw?

Lavinia Stamps "Stag Snowscene" card

For this card, I was inspired by a recent card made by one of my crafting friends, Susan Bradney.

To create the sky, I have used four Lavinia Stamps "Elements Ink" colours:  Sundance, Russet Orange, Della Blue and Graphite.

I've used both the large and the smaller Lavinia Stamps "Red Pines", the "Stag"  and the "Nadolig Llawen" sentiment, which is part of the "Welsh Words" sentiment stamp set, all stamped in Versafine Clair "Nocturne" black ink.

Penny Black Inc "Fall Flourish 40-783" birthday card

I've been away at the caravan for the past ten days, so there has been minimal paper crafting.  I have been able to do a little hand sewing though. 

I packed a small box of papercrafting items, just in case I wanted to faff with inks etc.  As it turned out, it was handy that I did, as one evening I had an urge to play, making this card.

I used the Penny Black "Fall Flourist 40-783" cling stamp and the sentiment from one of their clear stamp sets (You're retro 30-239).  I stamped in Versafine Clair inks and coloured using Derwent Inktense pencils and a 2B pencil.  

Once home,  used the Funky Fossil Designs "Micro Dots" stencil with "Tea Dye" Distress Oxide ink.

Funky Fossil Designs "Hope Blooms" Charity Insta Hop

Today, 19th August 2022 from 9am, Funky Fossil Designs is holding an Instagram "Insta-hope" to promote a stamp set called "Hope Blooms" where all profit from sold sets will be donated to a breast cancer charity.

If you are on Instagram, check out my Insta post you could win a £20 voucher to spend with Funky Fossil Designs.

Here are some of my makes using the "Hope Blooms" stamp set.

Penny Black "From My Heart 40-845" Birthday Card

This morning I have made a birthday card using the Penny Black "From My Heart 40-845" stamp coloured with Derwent Inktense pencils.

I stamped the image and the Waffle Flower sentiment, using Versafine Clair "Morning Mist" grey ink.

Lavinia Stamps "Mae" monochrome tag

I'm back after a week away at the caravan, but was so ready to do a bit of stamping, so while the first load of washing was in the machine, I made a monochrome tag. 

I stamped the Lavinia Stamps fairy "Mae" and one of their "Bubbles" in Versafine Clair "Nocturne" black ink.  I masked off the moon area then covered the tag with a light brushing of "Weathered Wood" Distress Oxide Ink.  I then used the same ink through the Lavinia "Replenish" stencil.

I used Van Goch pastel pencils, a white Signo Pen and black Enamel Accents to add extra details.