WLS March#1 - Hello Spring

Good Morning everyone

Today is the start of a new challenge over at We Love Stamping

The theme this month is HELLO SPRING

but you can always go with the anything goes theme as long as you use stamping

A6 white linen cardblank.  I took a piece of white linen card and stamped the crocus stamp twice with 'monarch' versaclair ink which was a Christmas present.  The colour reminds me of the purple crocus you get but i decided to colour the actual crocus yellow with my inktense pencils and cut them out....I have both colours of crocus flowering together each year.

In my paper stash i found a piece of paper with co-ordinating colours so die cut into 2 small cross stitch rectangles, matted onto purple and added top and bottom of the cardfront.

I die cut the base image into a cross stitch rectangle and decoupaged the cut out crocus onto the base image which i had put a light wash of blue around the image.  I matted the panel onto purple and then added the card front.

'Think spring' die cut from a snippet of gold satin card and a few pale green gems added to finish.  I used green gems as a contrast to the yellow and purple and pick up on the stems and leaves which are green.

You can see the gold satin better at this angle - nightmare to get a decent photo of it .  My crocus have been enjoying the spring sunshine we've had this week.

Items Used:

Chocolate Baroque stamps 'spring is in the air'

Sue wilson die 'think spring'

Derwent inktense pencils

MFT Xstitch rectangle dies

Bobunny paper (very old)

CraftUk white linen card

Purple paper

Gem gems

Versafine clair ink 'monarch'

Do hop over to We Love Stamping to join in and see what the rest of the DT have created with our spring theme

This months prizes are these 2 beautiful penny black stamp sets.

Thank you all for stopping by, I hope you all have a lovely week. Emmax

Id love to enter the following:

https://daringcardmakers.blogspot.com/2025/02/bring-me-flowers.html

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https://carlinskaartenparadijs.blogspot.com/2025/03/challenge-80-maart.html

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https://cardsgalorechallenges.blogspot.com/2025/03/march-2025-crafts-galore-encore.html

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https://thecraftingchallenge.blogspot.com/2025/03/aspettando-la-primavera-waiting-for.html

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https://2sistersontheblog.blogspot.com/2025/03/challenge-95.html

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https://thefourseasonschallenge.blogspot.com/2025/03/spring-season-march-2025.html

 

WLS #2 Feb - CAS

Good Morning everyone

Its time for the half way post for We Love Stamping

Where the theme this month is CAS (Clean & Simple)

But if thats not for you we always have the anything goes option as long as you include stamping - either traditional stamps or digi stamps.

approx size 5x5"  I found this cat in my previously stamped and coloured drawer - It had been watercoloured with my inktense pencils and cut out.  I die cut a piece of white linen card and stamped the cat image off centre in black and also stamped the cat-i-tude stamp just beneath so it looks like the pot is stood on it.

On the base image i watecoloured the leaves and then added the cat in pot with glue gel after gently curving it in the middle, also decoupaging the leaves.  I then die cut my base card from kraft card and adhered the white panel. Glossy accents added to the cats eyes to finish.

Showing it side on so you can see the dimension of the cat and leaves.  I curved the leaves and glued part on flat so that the tips curve upwards - giving a lovely shadow and adding a bit of interest to a simple card. 

Items Used:

Katzelkraft stamps KTZ295 'Cats on books'

Funky fossil stamp 'Feline magic' by Olga Heldwein ('Catt-i-tude stamp')

Nesting dies

Derwent inktense pencils

CraftUK ltd white linen card

Kraft card

These gorgeous stamps are the prize this month so do hop over to join in at 

We Love Stamping

Thank you all for popping by once again and all your amazing comments on my mums birthday card last week - she loved it. Its half term this week so im sure i will be crafting up a storm with my nieces at some point. I hope you all have a good week.  Keep warm. Hugs Emmax

Id love to enter the following:

https://scscards.blogspot.com/2025/02/february-2025-love-andor-hearts.html - anything goes option

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https://creativeinspirationchallenges.blogspot.com/2025/02/creative-inspiration-challenges-23.html

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https://fabnfunkychallenges.blogspot.com/2025/02/challenge-610-stitching-real-or-faux.html - stitched effect dies

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https://craftyanimals.blogspot.com/2025/02/challenge-91.html - #2

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https://2craftycrittercrazies.blogspot.com/2025/02/challenge-95-anything-goes-with.html

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WLS Feb#1 - CAS

Good Morning everyone

Its the 1st Sunday of February so time for a new challenge over at 

We Love Stamping

The theme this month is CAS (Clean and Simple)

Or if thats not for you we always have the anything goes option as long as you use stamping

So CAS is not easy for me to do, a bit like OTT, Im more of the middle road kind of crafter😀  I suspect my design here is slightly over CAS but i did sit on my hands when they were itching to add a few tiny gems😁.....It is CAS for me!

A6 (6x4") Turquoise card base made using nesting dies.  I die cut a smaller die from white cardstock and stamped the hare towards the bottom right corner with ombre inkpad with shades of teal, turquoise & green.  I stamped the hare a 2nd time and cut out.  I took a smaller nested die and embossed into the white panel so it lined up nicely with the hare - just use a rubber mat to emboss the die without cutting.  I very lightly inked inside the die with the ombre ink pad to add a little frame.  I then stamped the words 'long eared mammal' & 'long-legged' that are in the stamp set along the edges of the frame.

I decoupaged the 2nd stamped hare with glue gel to add just a little dimension.

Here you can see the slight dimension the hare has, adding a little interest to an otherwise flat card.

Items Used

aall&create stamps #836 'Long eared mammal'

Kaleidacolor ombre inkpad 'Caribbean sea'

Turquoise card

CraftUk ltd hammered effect white card

Nesting dies

These lovely stamps from Lavinia are the prize these month for 2 lucky winners

So do hop over to We Love Stamping to join in and see what the rest of the design team came up with for our CAS theme

I hope you all have a good week & keep warm and safe. I think i was hibernating for most of January so now we are in February I must make an effort to do more!   Emmax

Id love to enter the following:

https://craftycatzweeklychallenge.blogspot.com/2025/01/crafty-catz-686-atg-blue-and-green.html

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https://theoutlawzchallenges-friday.blogspot.com/2025/01/festive-friday-challenge-3-january-2025.html - used something blue and New stamp

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https://lilredwagon.blogspot.com/2025/01/challenge-792-is-for-anything-goes.html

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https://fabnfunkychallenges.blogspot.com/2025/01/challenge-609-include-stamped-image.html

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https://craftyanimals.blogspot.com/2025/02/challenge-91.html

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https://dragonflydreamschallenges.blogspot.com/2025/02/february-challenge-cas-clean-and-simple.html

 

Jacks Birthday

Good Morning everyone

Today im sharing the 2 cards I made for my brothers birthday

This brother absolutely is NOT a morning person, mum would always threaten to take him to school in his pyjamas as he just wouldn't get up in the mornings.....and yes she would have and he knew that so It did work.  When he was in the army his mates would actually have to tip him out of bed in the mornings.  Even at 42 he is just as bad and don't even attempt to talk to him before 10am!  So when i saw these fun aall&create stamps in the sales i knew they would be perfect for him....He is also a caffeine addict!

I made a little concertina card from kraft card, each section measures 5x3"

I stamped the images onto kraft card and then papers without too much pattern from my scrap box.  I cut out one whole character from kraft card, just his head from a 2nd kraft card and then his PJ's, mug & slipper from the papers and adhered together.

I found this fab sky background with has kind of rays coming down and covered in dots of silver holographic which was perfect for the background so i added to each panel.  I tore green paper for some ground for him to stand on - this from my scrap drawer.   I added the character in place.  Stamped the sentiment onto more kraft card and cut into a funky shape- felt that kind of matches the vibe this card was giving me😁

Showing the card opened out, i carried on the blue sky and green grass on each panel.  To the middle panel i added the 2nd character.  To the left panel i die cut the sentiment from kraft card into a scalloped circle, which i matted onto a sun die cut from yellow.  On the right panel i added a yellow die cut oval to write the greeting on........which my other brother thought was an egg😁

This 2nd character I also stamped onto kraft card and paper pieced his PJ top and cup.  This quote reads 'Ok, but coffee first'

This photo also shows the holographic dots on the background too, when the light hits them they really come to life, like raindrops.

Items Used:

aall&create stamps  #252 'coffee first' #253 'Morning'

spellbinders oval & inverted scallop circle dies

MFT sun die

CraftUK ltd kraft card

patterned papers from the works

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and card 2 

6x6" stepper card die cut from kraft card. 

Last year i was lucky to win a choice of 3 digistamps from 'The paper shelter' and i choose this digi called 'cockatoo rules'.  For this card i used the precoloured image and found a marbled paper in my stash that worked well for the background.  After matting the paper panels on to the card front I added the cockatoo which i had printed out twice, cut out and decoupaged so he has lots of dimension.  I added glossy accents to his sunglasses and bike light.

Birthday sentiment & 2 screw heads die cut from gold mirri card to finish.  I added the screw heads to the top of the side panels for a little embellishment.

Sorry for the rubbish photos, had to take them on a dark dank day!

Items Used:

'cockatoo rules' from the paper shelter

presscut stepper die

sizzix sentiment die

spellbinders screw head dies

Kraft card

Thank you all for stopping by and all your previous comments.  Big hugs Emmax

Id love to enter the bear card in the following:

https://lovethoseprettypapers.blogspot.com/2025/01/atg-using-pretty-patterned-paper.html

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https://snarkystampers.blogspot.com/2025/01/soss-258-n-is-for-nbus-never-been-used.html - never used the bear stamp sets before

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https://craftycatzweeklychallenge.blogspot.com/2025/01/crafty-catz-686-atg-blue-and-green.html

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https://mytimetocraftchallenge.blogspot.com/2025/01/mttc-552-theme-of-masculine-starts-24.html

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WLS Jan#1 - anything but square

Good Morning everyone

WISHING YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY & HEALTHY NEW YEAR

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas.  Mine didn't go quite to plan - I had an emergency tooth extraction Christmas eve which did not go smoothly - I will be having nightmares about it for years to come I think!  So I didn't get to eat much, although I did go over to family for Christmas day but came home early.  The swelling is finally subsiding and my dislocated jaw settling down😀... 

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Time for the first challenge post of the year for We Love Stamping where the theme picked by me is for ANYTHING BUT SQUARE - So any other shaped card or you can always use the anything goes as long as stamping involved.

This should be an easy one for me as i make alot of shaped cards using my nesting dies but my mojo always goes on holiday this time of year.  I use it up getting all Christmas and we have alot of December and early Jan birthdays made so its off on its annual holiday! 

Looking for inspiration in my stamps I found this old Chocolate Baroque set with spring flowers which seemed ideal.  So ive made a little snowdrop card.

Card size approx 3.5x5"  I die cut my card base using crealies stitched arch die from white card.  I stamped the front with the snowdrop stamp in a peeled paint distress ink, the word 'spring' with marigold DI and a stamp saying 'beautiful beginnings' in shaded lilac DI using multi-generation ink for them all.  Splatters added with the same DI.  I inked the outside edge with 'green oasis' versafine clair ink

I stamped the snowdrops with 'green oasis' versaclair ink onto a smaller white arch die cut and added a little colour with the same distress inks used for the background.  I matted this onto a larger arch die cut from lilac glitter card and added to the card front with foam tape, adding a little strip of the glitter card across the front too. 

I love seeing the snowdrops appearing from the brown winter earth, the first signs that life is awakening once again. We are lucky in Cornwall that Spring does start early and the first bulbs are well on their way to showing their cheery heads.

Items Used:

Chocolate Baroque stamps 'spring is in the air'

aall&create stamps #455 'seasons' #748 'add a motto' 

Crealies arched dies

Distress Inks 'peeled paint, dried marigold, shaded lilac, vintage photo'

These are the lovely prizes you could win from aall&create

So do hop over to we love stamping to join in and see what the rest of the DT came up with. 

I look forward to sharing another year of crafting with you all.  Big hugs Emmaxx

Id love to enter the following:

https://beautifulblossomschallenge.blogspot.com/2024/12/beautiful-blossoms-challenge-anything.html

https://cardsgalorechallenges.blogspot.com/2025/01/january-2025-crafts-galore-encore.html

https://dd-tripleb.blogspot.com/2025/01/triple-b-january-2025-challenge.html

https://colorfuloptions.blogspot.com/2025/01/january-2025.html