Lavinia stamps Christmas challenge

I've been eagerly watching the Lavinia stamps blog for a while note hoping you enter but as the rules state that the only stamps to be used are Lavinia's I was struggling as I only had two! This week I rectified that situation and armed with a little selection of exciting new Lavinia stamps I checked back on the blog. Doh, hadn't realised it was a Christmas challenge this time. I had ponies, lavender, autumn vine, fairies, stars and a bumble bee with which to create my Christmas entry!
Time to get a little inventive! I masked and inked a triangle shape and with the mask still in place repeatedly stamped the stars then sprayed with smooch spritz. I inked part of the autumn vine and placed it to look like the fairies were decorating with it.

I inked all round the edges with distress ink and stamped more of the vine coming off the page. Finally I used bits of the lavender stamp to add an undergrowth effect at the bottom of the card. A bit of obligatory stickles and some garnet liquid pearls and I was there!

This is a closed up of the Christmas tree to show some of the details

Take a look at the Lavinia stamps blog here.

Ponies in the snow

Today I'm shearing this little snowy card with you. I created the snowy scene by masking the card with torn paper and inking it in Chateux grey versa ink. With the mask still in place I added in the line of trees and the sunset in camellia and canary versa ink. I stamped Lavinia stamps pony duo in the fore ground then set about crafting the wreath. This is actually the sizzix 'autumn gatherings' die but I thought if I cut them all out in white they would have a wintery look. To some leaves I added silver ink, and to others I added more of the grey. I punched a couple of flowers with woodware punches. The whole lot is stuck on with 3d foam mounts. Finally (because I can't make a card without it) I added silver stickles to some of the leaves.

This card has been designed with the following challenges in mind;
My time to craft let it snow
The craft barn snowflakes (not technically snow 'flakes' but you can't get snow without the flakes, right?!
Stamping sensations- festive foliage and flowers
Little Claire's Christmas in white
Simon Wednesday- Christmas

One layer Santa

Well this is my third and final entry to this weeks less is more Santa one layer challenge. I masked the rectangle before inking with versa colour inks. I stamped pale silver snowflakes on the diagonal and spritzed the whole thing with smooch spritz in vanilla. Finally I added Santa to the front and stamped the sentiment in the corner. I'm just glad I photographed it before the cat walked across it with his muddy paws. I guess perhaps he felt on this occasion less wasn't more?!

Dashing all the way

These dear little chaps are a penny black stamp which I bought a long time back in one of those 'love at first sight' moments.
I thought they made quite a fun one layer Santa card for this weeks Less is more challenge.

They are coloured with copics and pro markers and I have added some liquid appliqué to their hats along with frosted lace stickles for a bit of texture. The sentiment and border lines were added with my fine liner at the end.

Santa's washing line

Today's clean and simple card on the theme of Santa. I quite fancy the idea that this is what Mrs Claus' washing line looks like up there in the north pole!

Ingredients;
Free stamps from creative stamping
Garnet liquid pearls
White liquid appliqué
Copic pens

Less is more challenge

Advent calendar

Today I have finally completed the advent calendar panel I bought at the craft show in Exeter back in September. (Thank you to Crafty ribbons whose theme of 'Christmas tree' spurred me on to get done!)

The panel is printed by makower and I bought it from the little Laura's stand. I wanted to make it my own so I've added various extra little details.

I made bows from satin ribbons and stitched them on to some of the parcels.

I used gold twine to make the bauble threads 3DD,

and added a couple of other bits and pieces from my crafty stash such as this turquoise ribbon and little jingle bell.

Finally I hung it with some crafty ribbons red snowflake ribbon.

I may add a little glitter to it all yet but I'm not quite decided!

As well as the Crafty ribbons challenge, I'd also like to enter this project in to the Allsorts 'not a card' challenge. (It's definitely not a card but does a sewing project still count?)

Penny black winter bough

This weekend it was time to bring out one of my all time favourite stamps. It is the penny black winter bough and it has been used countless times for cards, tags, wrapping paper, you name it!

I had a couple of goes at what you can see turned out to be pretty similar cards. I started by inking the background with Tim Holtz bundled sage distress ink, then worked in to it with some Nick Bantock sapmoss green. 

I wanted that splattered effect in the ink (as inspired by the The funkie junky tag #5) I don't own a proper spritzer so in desperation I hunted through the cupboards and settled upon, well, um... Dettol. Yep, not only do we have a Christmas card, but now it has that pine fresh smell of anti-anti-bac too!!

Anyway, it did the job nicely, I spritzed it and dabbed off the excess with kitchen paper.

Next I repeat stamped the winter bough in sapmoss green, overlapping it slightly to create a bigger branch. I spritzed the whole thing again, this time with smooch spritz and added garnet liquid pearls. To add another layer to the inking I added some little silver stars and snowflakes with the card-io winter flurry set in versa colour silver. The sentiment stamp was free with creative stamping #27.

This card is destined for the following challenges;

The craft barn My world record would have to be 'most unusual product used on a card!!!'

The funkie junky - check out their boutique here

Stamping sensations festive foliage

Simon says stamp something beginning with N is 'Noel'

Casology - Give. Well Christmas is all about giving isn't it?