Flowers Are the Music of the Earth

Hello and welcome! It's Saturday again (hard to believe the last weekend of February!!) and it's time for a new theme at Allsorts challenge. This week we want to see "Hand Coloring or Paper Piecing". It's a nice and easy one I think and hope you will join us! Remember, we welcome up to 3 different creations so maybe you will try both options! There are two prizes to win this week - a digi prize of 3 images by Ruth Hamilton Design and a Tonic die set from Coleman Craft Warehouse. 

This week I decided to use one of Ruth Hamilton Design's images, the beautiful Clematis Montana to make my card. When I selected this image I had a completely different card in mind but then this is what it turned out to be and I do like the look of it. 

I used Copic markers for coloring in light shades of blue, lilac and lavender (flowers) and a couple shades of green (plus E50 - this eggshell color will give a nice glow on the edges) for the leaves. I also used a Sepia Faber Castell Polychromos pencil for some shading. 

I printed the image out twice, fussy cut the full image and then the two large blossoms from the second image. 

A Stampers Anonymous tiles stencil from this set was  used on the background with Bundled Sage Distress ink for some interest on the background. Before adhering the flowers, I stamped the music note stamp (an oldie from a Whiff of Joy stamp kit - this stamp set would make a good alternative option) using Versafine Onyx ink. 

The two separate flowers were then added under the music note, one of the flowers with foam tape. Sentiment is from Penny Black's set Blooming Sentiments (also on Amazon). I've used it on a couple other upcoming cards (not the same sentiment just from the same set) and it was still laying on my desk which is what inspired the music theme of the card. 

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Before adhering the card front to the base, I used Avery Elle's Wonky Stitches large die. I added some fine loose glitter I've had forever (Stampin Up's Dazzling Diamonds) with Tombow Mono clear glue to make them sparkle. 

Related Products You May Like:

Thanks so much for visiting!

This post may include some affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links. As always, this is at no cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting this blog!

Sharing with these challenges:

Crafty Catz - Flowers // Craft Rocket Challenges - Sparkle // Krafty Chicks - All Occasions // Little Red Wagon - Stitched (Real or Faux) // Simon Says Stamp - AG // The Paper Funday - AG // Digi Choosday Challenge - AG // Crafting Happiness Challenges - AG // Cupcake Inspirations  - AG // Double Trouble Challenges  - Bring on Spring // Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenges - AG // Path of Positivity - AG // 

Always Anything Goes:

Taylor Made Cards 4 U // 613 Avenue Create opt. twist watercolor // Creative Moments // Through The Craft Room Door // The Corrosive Challenges // A Bit More Time to Craft // A Perfect Time To Craft // Classic Design  Challenge * // Crafts Galore Encore // DL.Art Linky Challenge // Love to Craft // QKR Stampede // The Creative Crafters // World Wide Open Design Team Challenge // Lil Patch of Crafty Friends 

Link Parties:

Dare to Share //  Inspire Me Monday //  Link Up Potpourri //  Random-osity Good, Random, Fun // You're The Star Blog Hop Link Party @Stonecottage Adventures // Anything Goes with Your Hosts @ My Random Musings // Jenerally Informed The Happy Now // Spread the Kindness Linkup @ Shelbee on the Edge //  Thursday Favorite Things // Little Things Thursday // Encouraging Heart and Home @ Slices of Life // 

Orchids, Stencils and Penny Black Stamps

Hello and welcome!

It's the start of a new challenge over at the Allsorts challenge blog, Lynn is hosting this week and her theme is "I Love......". Hope you will join us and share what you love with us. As always we have a great prize on offer, this week it's a surprise bundle kindly donated by Oakwood Archer and a second prize of an Oakwood Archer stencil. By the way, if you are looking to add some new Spring Stamps to your collection, Oakwood Archer will be releasing their new Spring stamps and stencils on "the Craft Store" TV February 21st at 9am and 1pm  (UK times).

And here is what I love:

Stencils of course, no surprise, they've become my favorite type of tool over the last few years. And then of course Penny Black stamps including this gorgeous Orchid and the large sentiment. And then my favorite type of inks: Distress inks. 

Using a stamp positioner (a necessity for Brushstroke stamps, I think) I inked the beautiful stamp Gentle Whisper using Distress inks/ Oxides. Here I used Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Vintage Photo on the leaves/stem. Then Wilted Violet, Picked Raspberry, Blueprint sketch on the flower. My Distress markers are pretty much all useless now so I just used the ink pads and that's why you see some shades of green mixed in on the blossom, but I like the effects. I do try to wipe off any extra ink with a paper towel but it's not possible to remove it all.

When using these stamps, I don't add all the colors at once, I start with a base inking then simply add more ink as I go and that's why a stamp positioner comes in so handy as this would be impossible otherwise. At some point I lightly spritzed with water too for a better coverage. 

Next I used Tim Holtz's stencils from this stamps and stencils set with Blueprint Sketch ink on the background. 

The large sentiment is from Penny Black's set "Happy Wishes" (also on Amazon with free shipping), stamped using Versafine Onyx ink. Then I finished it off by stamping the script border on the left side. This is another one of my long time favorite stamps, retired from Whimsy Stamps. It was hard to get the script stamp stamped on straight and I'm not happy about it being crooked, but the rest of the card was complete so I just decided it will have to do. 

 Thanks so much for visiting!

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This post may include some affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links. As always, this is at no cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting this blog!

I will link up here:

We Love Stamping - Stencils // Penny Black Saturday - Use PB Stamps // River of Creativity - AG //  Sisterhood of Crafters - Feminine and Flowers // 

Always Anything Goes:

Taylor Made Cards 4 U // 613 Avenue Create opt. twist watercolor // Creative Moments // Through The Craft Room Door // The Corrosive Challenges // A Bit More Time to Craft // A Perfect Time To Craft // Classic Design  Challenge * // Crafts Galore Encore // DL.Art Linky Challenge // Love to Craft // QKR Stampede // The Creative Crafters // World Wide Open Design Team Challenge // Lil Patch of Crafty Friends 

Link Parties:

Dare to Share //  Inspire Me Monday //  Link Up Potpourri //  Random-osity Good, Random, Fun // You're The Star Blog Hop Link Party @Stonecottage Adventures // Anything Goes with Your Hosts @ My Random Musings // Jenerally Informed The Happy Now // Spread the Kindness Linkup @ Shelbee on the Edge //  Thursday Favorite Things // Little Things Thursday // Encouraging Heart and Home @ Slices of Life // 

Bunny Tail and a Feathered Friend with a Note to Say Hello

Happy Friday! 

Did you get a chance yet to join us this month at Stamping Sensations? Plenty of time still left to do so and we always welcome up to 3 different creations so hope to see you there!! Our prize is a wonderful bundle of Uniko stamp sets. Our theme is simply Anything Goes with option of Wings or Tails.

I've used both wings and tails on my card today. I found my inspiration in my box of scraps where this cute image had already been previously colored and fussy cut so all I had to do was come up with a card design. 

This cute stamp is Penny Black's Sweet Talk.  I have it as the wood mounted version but it's available now as part of this clear stamp set, possible at a little bit smaller scale. 

I stamped the grass from Penny Black's set Enjoy Life using Twisted Citron Distress Oxide ink (stamped off once on scrap paper for a lighter shade). Then added a die cut border which I inked with Vintage Photo distress ink and used part of Penny Black's Oscillations stencil. My die is an oldie from Whimsy Stamps but this border die set would be a similar option and includes several dies. 

More Hillside Die Options:

The sentiment is another oldie from Whimsy stamps, part of a ticket sentiment set (I used it by itself without the ticket or matching die). Not the same but similar to this set and looks like there is a matching die set too, just mine is to be used vertically instead of horizontal. I layered a couple different pieces of pattern papers under the sentiment, used a stapler and then tied a jute twine bow onto the staple. I love May Arts Natural Jute Twine. You can get it on a large roll here.

Ticket sentiment option below:

Don't forget to check out what my teamies made for the midway reminder post :)

Thanks so much for visiting!

This post may include some affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links. As always, this is at no cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting this blog!

Linking up here:

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - PB Stamps // Critter Crazy Challenges - Critters // Crafty Animals - Animals // Happy Little Stampers - Dies // Sweet Stampers - Furry Friends // Colouring in Scrapland - AG // Crafting Happiness Challenges- AG // Path of Positivity - Something Positive // Stamps & Fun = Creativity - H is for..."Hare and Hello" // 

A Clean and Simple Card with a Touch of Elegance

Hello and welcome!

It's time already for a new theme at Allsorts challenge and this week it's my turn to host. I'd love for you to join in with my theme!

For this week I chose the theme of Clean and Simple with an option of Elegance. So if you like to challenge yourself a little bit more, you can include some Elegance on your  CAS card but any CAS entry will be just fine. We have 2 prizes this week, a  £15 store voucher from WOWVOW and a fabulous AALL and Create stencil from Colemans Craft Warehouse.

I do think most of my cards tend to be somewhat CAS so for this challenge I decided to go even simpler and left a lot of white space.

I struggled a bit with the "elegance" option but since I was the one who selected the theme I thought I should be including the option too :-) Finally remembered a Hero Arts stamp kit (February 2019 - now sold out) I received a few years ago and it's been a little while since I last used it, so out it came.

I started by adding a few score lines using a scoring tool. Then stamped the sentiment, an oldie from Stampin Up. Next I stamped the dancing couple from the Hero Arts kit onto a separate piece of card stock using Versafine Onyx ink and it's been cut out using the matching die which was part of the stamp kit. I wanted to add a piece of patterned paper, but then decided to keep it simpler and instead I used a thin strip of very sparkly card stock. If you're in the UK you can find similar card stock at WOWVOW. In the US you can find some options at Hero Arts (where my paper came from as part of another kit) and I also found this assorted glitter paper pack from Scrapbook.com. DCWV also has some pretty glitter paper packs at Amazon and maybe your local craft store (if it's stocked better than mine!!)

Related Products You May Like:

To finish it off, I adhered 3 shiny golden confetti pieces around the image which were part of the stamp kit as well.

You can see the sparkle and shine below. 

Thanks so much for visiting!

  

This post may include some affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links. As always, this is at no cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting this blog!

Linking up here:

Challenges:

AAA Cards - Black and white plus one (my +1 is gold) // Cut It Up - Love // Crafty Catz - All Dressed Up or AG // Cardz 4 Galz - Make it Sparkle // Craft Rocket Challenges - Sparkle/ Bling // Moving along with the Times - Love, Anniversary, Wedding // Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Love is in the air // 

Link Parties:

Dare to Share //  Inspire Me Monday // Encouraging Heart and Home 

Easy Stenciled Background For a Handmade Card: Fairy Wings and Happy Wishes

The first seven days of the month are always the busiest here on the blog and I am back already with another new card :0) 

It's the first Sunday, so today is the start of a new challenge at Stamping Sensations, a nice and easy theme of  "Anything Goes with the Option of Wings".  We have some beautiful Uniko stamps to give away this time along with our  monthly Top Picks selection and a chance to be a guest designer for a future challenge!

It was a perfect opportunity to ink up one of my Lavinia fairies for this month's card. 

I started with a stencil by Stampers Anonymous and Tumbled Glass and Picked Raspberry Distress inks which I blended using these blending brushes. Next I stamped the fairy Grace and hare Pipin using Versafine Onyx ink. After making sure the black ink was completely dry, I took two different sized die cut circles and used as masks, then inked inked around the circle masks using Picked Raspberry ink. 

If you are new to larger silhouette stamps like the Lavinia fairies, I do recommend using a stamp positioner (for example the Mini Misti) so you can repeat stamp to get a solid image. 

Products Used:

I used a white Posca pen and some diluted Wilted Violet ink to add ink spatter onto the card. The sentiment is from the Penny Black set Happy Wishes, stamped using Versafine Onyx ink.

The script on the background was done with an old stamp from Just for Fun Rubberstamps (no longer in business).  

I also used:

My design was inspired by a Lavinia card I had seen on Pinterest, which led me to a YouTube video by Eileen Godwin. She used different Lavinia stamps and stencils but the design is similar. And I had so much fun creating this card!

Thanks so much for visiting! Hope to see you joining us at Stamping Sensations! The challenge does run until the end of the month so plenty of time to play along!

This post may include some affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links. As always, this is at no cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting this blog!

I'm linking up here:

We Love Stamping - Stenciling // Crafty Calendar - AG // The Fairy and The Unicorn - Fantasy // Krafty Chicks - Stamp Act // Clever Dexter Challenge - Favorite Technique (Stenciling) //

Always Anything Goes:

Taylor Made Cards 4 U // 613 Avenue Create opt. twist watercolor // Creative Moments // Through The Craft Room Door // The Corrosive Challenges // A Bit More Time to Craft // A Perfect Time To Craft // Classic Design  Challenge * // Crafts Galore Encore // DL.Art Linky Challenge // Love to Craft // QKR Stampede // The Creative Crafters // World Wide Open Design Team Challenge // Lil Patch of Crafty Friends 

Link Parties:

Dare to Share // Sunday Showcase - First Sunday with Ada and Mireille  //  Inspire Me Monday //  Link Up Potpourri //  Random-osity Good, Random, Fun // You're The Star Blog Hop Link Party @Stonecottage Adventures // Anything Goes with Your Hosts @ My Random Musings // Jenerally Informed The Happy Now // Spread the Kindness Linkup @ Shelbee on the Edge //  Thursday Favorite Things // Little Things Thursday // Encouraging Heart and Home @ Slices of Life //  

Poppy Field and a Happy Hedgehog

Hello and welcome! 

It's time already for a new theme at Allsorts challenge and I hope you will join us this week! It's Wendy's turn to host and she would like to see "Red Flowers" but with an "Anything Goes" option too so please do stop by the challenge blog and link up your new crafty makes for a chance to win. We have a fabulous prize again this week, kindly donated by Craft Stash - a wonderful sentiment set and a paper pack full of pretty poppy themed prints!

When I think of red flowers I first always think of poppies and so I decided to use one my favorite (and one of my very first) Penny Black stamps. 

This cute image is called Poppy Field. It's a wood mounted oldie and could possibly be found on eBay or Etsy. 

Before stamping my image I taped up the sides with thin washi tape (left) and wider painter's tape (right side) so I could ink the panel. I left a little space in between the green and blue ink where the hedgehog's face would be. I used Twisted Citron, Tumbled Glass and Blueprint Sketch Distress Oxide inks for inking the background.

After removing the masking tape, I stamped the image using Versafine Onyx ink and colored with Faber Castell Polychromos pencils. 

The sentiment is from the Penny Black set Snippets and I added a die cut butterfly which is part of Penny Black's Flowing Butterflies die (retired - alternative options below). I simply trimmed this butterfly off from the rest of the die cut. I did use white card for the butterfly and then ink it up using Blueprint Sketch Distress Oxide ink. Some sticky back rhinestones and sequins finish off the card.

Butterfly Die Options:

Thanks so much for visiting! 

This post may include some affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links. As always, this is at no cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting this blog!
 

I will link up my card  here:

Penny Black Saturday - PB Stamps // Craft Rocket Challenges - Bling (I used Rhinestones) // Krafty Chicks - Stamp Act // 

Always Anything Goes:

Taylor Made Cards 4 U // 613 Avenue Create opt. twist watercolor // Creative Moments // Through The Craft Room Door // The Corrosive Challenges // A Bit More Time to Craft // A Perfect Time To Craft // Classic Design  Challenge * // Crafts Galore Encore // DL.Art Linky Challenge // Love to Craft // QKR Stampede // The Creative Crafters // World Wide Open Design Team Challenge // Lil Patch of Crafty Friends 

Link Parties:

Dare to Share // Sunday Showcase - First Sunday with Ada and Mireille  //  Inspire Me Monday //  Link Up Potpourri //  Random-osity Good, Random, Fun // You're The Star Blog Hop Link Party @Stonecottage Adventures // Anything Goes with Your Hosts @ My Random Musings // Jenerally Informed The Happy Now // Spread the Kindness Linkup @ Shelbee on the Edge //  Thursday Favorite Things // Little Things Thursday // Encouraging Heart and Home @ Slices of Life // 

Card Chain Challenge Reveal Day: Using Scraps for Paper Pieced Flowers

Hello and welcome! 

(This is my second post for today, if you are here for Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday February Challenge please click this link or simply scroll down.)

Last month I joined in the Card Chain Challenge again and today is reveal day so I am sharing the card I made and sent in today's post. 

As always, we were given options for the challenge from which we can choose, there was a sketch, color option, product and technique/theme options. 

I really liked the sketch and that was my first thought along with some of the other options given but after I had picked out my stamp it didn't exactly work that way so I switched up the sketch a bit and included several other options instead: Scraps, Friendship, Sequins and Embossing Folder. 

Here is my card that went to Hilary in UK. 

I knew I wanted to use the option of scraps so I can use up some patterned papers and for that reason I chose this floral stamp. I find it's perfect for paper piecing and that's a great way to use up scraps!

The background panel was inked with Victorian Velvet Distress ink with a circle mask in place. Then I ran this through my Big Shot machine using an embossing folder from Stampin Up (old).

The image (Penny Black Awaken) has been stamped on white card stock and fussy cut. Then I stamped just the blossoms again on the patterned paper scrap and fussy cut these as well. The stems have been colored using a Faber Castell Polychromo pencil and I glued the paper pieced flowers onto the card with my Tombo Mono multi glue. 

Related Products:

I wanted to include a friendship sentiment which was another challenge choice, this one is from the Penny Black set "Friendship" stamped on another paper scrap and then added onto the masked circle. 

A few more scraps added to the bottom right and top left and then I chose some sequins which I had received as part of a past Hero Arts stamp kit for the sequins challenge option. 

I really had so much fun with these themes, and I was happy to hear that Hilary liked my card. 

I would normally photograph and show you the card I received from my sender, but it hasn't arrived yet. It has a long way to go from New Zealand and I did read in the news that mail delivery from/to New Zealand will be delayed. 

By the way, if you are a card maker and would like to take part in this world wide card exchange type challenge, you can still sign up for the February Card Chain Challenge. This was my 4th month of joining in and it's been so fun!

Thanks so much for visiting!

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This post may include some affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links. As always, this is at no cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting this blog!

Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday - February Challenge

Hello and welcome to Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday - February challenge taking place right here on my blog! I'm so glad you decided to stop by to check out the new theme and I'd love for you to join in too!

I can hardly believe it's February already, although time flies, January seemed to have been such a looooong month, it had been extremely cold here too and I am looking forward to hopefully better weather in February, although for today we're having a winter storm warning! But at least it's not so frigid now! Hope you are staying warm where-ever you are located! 

But lets get on with the challenge - be sure to scroll down to see if you were one of my Top Picks from last month! 

This month's theme

Fitting for the month of February I selected the theme of..................

Hearts or Flowers

As always the theme is for your inspiration (optional) and you may link up any of your crafty makes. This doesn't have to be a card, it can be anything creative as long as it's handmade by you!

And here is what I made:

All stamps are by Penny Black. I started out by stamping the fence (PB Snow Fence) using Ice Spruce Distress Oxide ink then inked along the edges/sky using the same ink. If you look closely you can see that I also used a circle mask when I inked up the edges and sky.

The white splatter was done using a Posca pen. Sentiment is from the Penny Black set Dream Love Sentiments stamped in Versafine Onyx ink. 

  Scrapbook.com Card Making Sale Going On Now! (Ad) 

The cute stamp - Penny Black Nose to Nose has been stamped on a separate piece of Bristol Vellum paper, colored and then fussy cut. They look white but were colored in a very light shade of gray and blush pink cheeks. 

  

Penny Black's  Berries die was used behind the bears and the heart is a die from Avery Elle's Heart Frame die set.

Penny Black Nose to Nose // Penny Black Snow Fence //  Dream Love Sentiments // Penny Black Berries die // Avery Elle Heart Frame Die Set // Ice Spruce Distress Oxide // Festive Berries Distress Ink // Versafine Onyx ink // Posca pen // 

This post may include some affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links. As always, this is at no cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting this blog!

The color inspiration for my card came from this month's mood board from The Four Season's challenge, so will be entering my card there.

And also linking up here:

Penny Black Saturday Challenge // Simon Says Stamp - With Love // The Paper Funday - Hugs and Kisses // Dies R Us Challenge - Love// Paper Shelter - For the One You Love // Cardz 4 Guyz - Beginning with "P" (Polar Bears) // Ike's World - Love // Unicorn Challenge - Let's See Red // Double Trouble Challenges  - AG Thing 1 // A Gem of a Challenge - AG // Di's Digis Designs - Winter Fun // Crafty Catz - AG // DL ART Thankful Thursday Challenge - Valentine // Crafty Gals Corner - Snow Much Fun // Double D Challenge - Hearts

Always Anything Goes:

Taylor Made Cards 4 U // 613 Avenue Create opt. twist watercolor // Creative Moments // Through The Craft Room Door // The Corrosive Challenges // A Bit More Time to Craft // A Perfect Time To Craft // Classic Design  Challenge * // Crafts Galore Encore // DL.Art Linky Challenge // Love to Craft // QKR Stampede // The Creative Crafters // World Wide Open Design Team Challenge // Lil Patch of Crafty Friends 

Link Parties:

Dare to Share // Sunday Showcase - First Sunday with Ada and Mireille  //  Inspire Me Monday //  Link Up Potpourri //  Random-osity Good, Random, Fun // You're The Star Blog Hop Link Party @Stonecottage Adventures // Anything Goes with Your Hosts @ My Random Musings // Jenerally Informed The Happy Now // Spread the Kindness Linkup @ Shelbee on the Edge //  Thursday Favorite Things // Little Things Thursday // Encouraging Heart and Home @ Slices of Life // 

 Last month's top picks

I will continue to add my favorites to the dedicated Pinterest board, but going forward I will once again showcase the top pick's creations with links to their individual blogs, which will be removed at the start of each new month's challenge to remain in compliance with GDPR.

Selecting just three is never easy but something that needs to be done and here they are from last month's theme of Something New or Anything Goes. They are listed in order of entry.

No. 9 Debbie M

No. 28 Pia

No. 30 Carole

Congratulations!! Well deserved recognition. Your Top Pick logo is below, feel free to post it to your own blogs if you like to :)

Can't wait to see what you will share this month!

A few things to remember:

• You may follow the theme or anything crafty goes.

• You may combine with any other challenges.

• You may use any brand of stamps/digis/products (no company restriction).
• No more than 3 entries per person please - no worries if you end up with more.
• Please do include a link back here to my blog in your blog post.
• Backlinking IS allowed.