WLS April fav stamp + ribbon

Good Morning everyone

The first sunday of April so its time for a new challenge over at We Love Stamping

The theme this month is

FAVOURITE STAMP &/or RIBBON OR LACE

adding ribbon is now optional - boy did i struggle to add it in!!

or you can always go with the anything goes theme as long as its using stamps - physical or digital

Now this is a difficult theme -  choosing a favourite stamp - I have so many that are favourites for different reasons but my first choice was these 'thistlehogs' from Pink Ink Designs as each time I see them they just make me smile and lift my spirits.  

I have a garden full of hedgehogs and who knows a few of these tiny thistlehogs may come out at night with the fairies, these guys are like the moths just flittering around in the dark😁

A5 white card blank.  I first stamped and watercoloured the thistlehogs with distress inks.  I then raided my stash and found this fab autumn skeleton leaf paper. So that the thistlehogs stood out more, I toned it down a bit by dry brushing antique white chalk paint over the top and added a little stencilling with pale teal chalk paints.  I cut it to size and matted onto pearlised teal card and then wrapped with my pale teal lace and peach satin ribbon and then added to the cardfront.

I added a bow from the same peach satin ribbon so that there was no question on the adding ribbon part! lol  Years ago i added ribbon to everything before i got into stamping, my style has changed alot since then.

I curved the bodies of the thistlehogs and added with pinflair glue gel.

I then raided my stash of chat stickers and came up with 

'Sprinkle a little Happiness every where you go'

I had to make it up out of random left over chat stickers - hence it being every where as 2 words not one! I adhered them to white card, outlined with black pen and then arranged on the front.

You can see the dimension better at this angle.

I had stamped the thistlehogs onto the leaf paper as well so that i got all the extra swirly bits around them, these i added colour to with posca paint pens in peach and teal

I added a little diamond stickles to the wings so they sparkle in the light. 

Every time i see one of 'my' real hedgehogs they make me smile, they have been out of hibernation for a couple of weeks now and it seems several have made the winter which is great......I had 6 trying to get at the food bowl in the porch.......I obviously need a bigger bowl for them😁 

Items Used:

Pink Ink designs stamp 'thistlehogs'

Patterned paper 10+ years old

Tim Holtz Chit chat stickers

Stencils

Distress Inks ' evergreen bough, cracked pistachio, dried marigold, wild honey.

Plaid 'folk art' matt paint - #515 'vintage white' #6458 'ocean view'

Posca pastel paint pens

Papermania lace & ribbon

Ranger stickles 'diamond'

Do hop over to We love stamping to join in the fun and have a chance to win a lovely prize

Prize from fairy hugs

Thank you all for stopping by and also your amazing comments on my birds nest project last week.  Spring is in the air as the birds are busy nest building at the moment......including the seagulls on our roof.

I hope you all have a good week whatever you get upto.  Hugs Emmax

Id love to enter the following:

https://mytimetocraftchallenge.blogspot.com/2025/04/mttc-557-theme-is-rectangle-shaped.html

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https://craftygalscornerchallenges.blogspot.com/2025/03/challenge-265-fill-in-th-blank-fairy.html - tiny little thistlehogs fly among the fairies

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https://paper-rocks-scissors.blogspot.com/2025/04/april-3-challenge.html - background paper, scissors to cut out the images

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https://craftycatzweeklychallenge.blogspot.com/2025/04/crafty-catz-challenge-691.html

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https://daisychainchallenge.blogspot.com/2025/04/challenge-95-not-square.html

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https://sweetstampinchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2025/03/female-cards.html

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Eggs in the nest

Good Morning everyone

Today its time for a new challenge over at Creative artist mixed media where we celebrate all things mixed media

Ive decided to go seasonal again and make a lovely little birds next.  I used these digital bird images for my nieces birthday and had several left over cut out so thats what triggered my idea to build them a little nest. 

8x8" Mdf shadow box frame.  Pictures below show how I built up the background and texture.  Once that was done I made a little nest out of orange and copper soft craft wire which I adhered into the box with glue gel.  I lined the nest with feathers and added a few around outside the nest and added my little eggs into place.  

I then added 2 of the larger birds - yes i know technically they are 2 different birds and wouldn't be a pair but hey this is craft land and artistic license😁

I created a hanging from the same wires used for the nest and 3 matching beads on each side - got to use my beads up some how and this seemed a good way and adds a bit of bling and interest.

You can see into the nest better here - Ive had these feathers for about 10yrs so good to use some!  You can also makes out the gold dora paint better at this angle 

The hanging loop I made with craft wire and beads

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and onto the step by step background

After making up the mdf box i added die cut feathers (great way to use up scraps of cardstock) and then added a little texture paste through a net effect stencil which I felt would give a little tree bark like feel.  Once dry cover in white gesso

I randomly added yellow, orange, red and turquoise acrylic paints

Then a wash of van dyke brown - yep it looks a mess now but let it pool around the texture....if its too heavy in any area just dab with some tissue.  Once the first wash was dry i added a bit more in areas to make them even darker

Dry brush on antique white, pale blue & lemon chalk paint 

The top coat was Cadence dora paints which have amazing shimmer, you could use gilding waxes instead.  I personally get on better with the dora paint as can dry brush it on very lightly - a little goes a very long way. Difficult to take photos off - but when the light hits it, it really comes to life.

To finish I coated it all in gloss mod podge to seal and protect.

How I made my little birds eggs.  Took little foam eggs from poundland and coated in white gesso and then pastel blue matte acrylic paint and then splattered on darker watered down acrylics to give the speckles and finished with a coat of matt mod podge.  I found it easier to handle them by sticking on a cocktail stick in some polystyrene....this does of course leave a little hole in the bottom of the eggs but easily hid when adhering them to my project 

Items Used 

Mixed Media birds clipart from Double Helix Digitals on etsy

Feather die - joy crafts

Woodware stencil

Texture paste

mini foam eggs - poundland

Cadence dora paint - gold, orange

Folkart Acrylic paints 

1mm soft craft wire

beads from stash

Do hop over to creative artiste mixed media to join in, anything goes as long as you mix your medias, so cards, atc's, tags, art journal pages are just as welcome as 3d makes like mine

Thank you all for stopping by once again.  Next week is the school Easter holidays so I shall be getting some crafting in with my 5 nieces, hopefully the weather stays fine too as they can get out and play. Emmax

Id love to enter the following:

   

https://daranddiane.blogspot.com/2025/04/double-d-easter-challenge.html

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https://thefourseasonschallenge.blogspot.com/2025/04/spring-season-april-2025.html

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https://dd-tripleb.blogspot.com/2025/04/april-2025-challenge.html

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https://www.simplyellibelle.com/2025/03/i-spy-with-my-little-eyethe-dawn-of.html - dawn of spring

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https://2craftycrittercrazies.blogspot.com/2025/04/challenge-97-anything-goes-featured.html

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https://craftyanimals.blogspot.com/2025/04/challenge-93.html

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Hollyhocks for mum

Good Morning everyone

Today Im sharing the card I made for my mum for Mothering Sunday.  I used metallic flakes, printed acetate and my very old well loved hollyhock die to make a DL card for her.  Nightmare to take photos of though with all the shimmer and shine!

DL (8x4") white linen cardbase which i lightly inked the edged with cracked pistachio and tumbled glass distress inks.  I die cut a lacy panel from white linen card and added to the front.

I adhered a sheet of double side adhesive to white card and on the other side rubbed in the metallic flakes and then die cut them with the hollyhock die.  I die cut foliage from pale blue and pearl teal cardstock.

I have packs of 'clear prints' from stamperia which is very very heavy weight acetate with beautiful printed images, so I die cut a jar from one fo them.  Now this acetate is so thick the die doesn't cut right through but enough that i could then finish cutting it with scissors and get a clean edge.  I added this to the card front with pinflair glue gel and then got arranging the flowers and foliage. 

I added a torn scrap of green paper under the jar to 'ground' it

Side view of the dimension.  I added curve to the hollyhocks with a ball tool

The acetate jar has a lovely shine which adds interest and another texture.  I debated where to put a sentiment but decided against it, I know mum will have this on display for months so doesn't really need a sentiment on the front. 

Here you can really see the colours better, the metallic fakes really are shimmery and gorgeous but I do so hate them! lol

No matter how hard I try every time Ive used guilding flakes or metallic flakes they go everywhere and stick to everything - for weeks afterwards they turn up somewhere, for days the cats had red speckled fur - one even had a red sparkly nose for a few days,  the hoover has a lovely coating of them where they stuck to the warmth of the outside plastic areas.  So I did use the whole pot up in one go adding to adhesive sheets to get it over with - I still have them to use.  I was give the pot as a Christmas present and the effect if beautiful with the different colours in them but yep a product I still Hate to use😒

Items Used

Cosmic shimmer metallic flakes

Stamperia clear prints

Impression Obsession hollyhock die

Jar & foliage dies

Various printed papers 

Distress Inks - tumbled glass, cracked pistachio

Thank you for stopping by once again.  I hope you all have a great week. Emma

Id love to enter the following

https://www.simplyellibelle.com/2025/03/ellibelles-garden-party-no-1-anything.html

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https://mytimetocraftchallenge.blogspot.com/2025/03/mttc-556-theme-is-celebrate-someone.html

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https://beautifulblossomschallenge.blogspot.com/2025/03/beautiful-blossoms-challenge-anything.html #2

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https://dragonflydreamschallenges.blogspot.com/2025/03/march-challenge-gardening.html

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Kirsty's 40th Birthday

Good Morning everyone

Today Im sharing 2 cards I made for my Sister-in-laws 40th birthday.  This sis-in-law is hard to craft for as she doesn't really have any hobbies, interests or fav colours and with my mojo still being very sporadic these were hard going😀

6.5.5" card.  I made the fold with 2 sheets of white card.  I picked 3 patterned papers with a yellow and teal theme and on the front matted the floral paper onto the green one and added to the front.  I die cut the birthday sentiment from a yellow gold mirror card and white card, off set and adhered to a larger circle die cut from the teal paper.  

Flower die cut from yellow paper I used on the inside and a large glittery gemstone added to finish.

On the inside, i covered all the outside panels with this lovely yellowy orange floral paper and the pop out sections with the teal paper.  

Not having large number dies, I printed out a large 40 from my computer onto card, cut it out and used as a template to then cut the 40 from the gold mirror card and white card.

Here you can see i used the same paper as on the front for the side panels of the pop out book sections.

After adding the numbers, I decided they didn't look great - being hand cut, but also all the plain mirror was a bit too stark.  If i had thought about it before sticking them in I would have run them through an embossing folder.  I finally decided to use a small embossing ball tool and doodle a little swirl and dot pattern over the mirror card which made a big difference.  I also ran a large ball tool around all the edges which softened them and made them not look so wonky and 'hand cut'

and the back of the card - I added a white die cut circle to write the greeting in after using the same papers i used to decorate the front.  

and onto the 2nd card I made for her

A5 white card base which i die cut using my nesting dies. I cut a piece of black and white patterned paper with the next size down and adhered.  I die cut 2 champagne glasses from a silver rainbow glitter card, I adhered with glue gel to the front and added a white die cut 4 & 0 to the glasses.

I added little strips of the glitter card across the top and bottom and a white die cut sentiment to finish.  Very simple but mojo was in hiding!

Trying to show how beautiful the glitter card is in real life, it is silver but when the light hits it at certain angles you get a rainbow of colours.  No idea where it came from as i was given it years ago - so about time i used it! lol  Unfortunately it sheds glitter which i do not like - I don't use glitter for that reason - its like sand and gets everywhere.

Items Used:

Spellbinder dies - aster flower

Memory box dies - champagne glass, numerals

Elizabeth crafts birthday sentiment die

? nesting dies, circle birthday sentiment die ?

Patterned papers - various pads from the works

Thank you all for stopping by once again. Emma

Id love to enter card 1 into:

   

https://beautifulblossomschallenge.blogspot.com/2025/03/beautiful-blossoms-challenge-anything.html

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https://girlzcreativecrafts.blogspot.com/2025/03/challenge-54-layer-it-up-dt-call.html

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https://secretstamper.com/2025/03/creative-creases-challenge-101/

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https://theoutlawzchallenges-monday.blogspot.com/2025/03/march-3rd-monday-greetings-with.html

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https://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/2025/03/challenge-819.html

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WLS March#2 - Hello Spring

Good Morning everyone

Gosh where does time go to, half way through March so time for more inspiration over atWe Love Stamping where the theme is

SPRING 

or if thats not for you we always have the anything goes option as long as you use stamps - physical or digital

In the January Sales I got this lovely tulip collage effect stamp from Studio light which i thought would be ideal for my easter/spring cards this year.  Ive also raided the scrap draw and used alot of paper offcuts up - using thin strips left over from making envelopes for the backgrounds & smaller pieces to paper piece the flowers.

I made 15 variations - they are also totally flat which is very rare for me, so easy posting

DL (8x4") Kraft card base with rounded corners.  I stamped the image in black onto soft toned patterned paper and die cut with lacy DL nesting dies, I watercoloured the leaves, stems & bulb with inktense pencils, also adding a little grey shadow around the flowers to give a little extra depth. I stamped the flowers again onto different papers, cut out just the flower heads and paper pieced flat onto the base image. 

I die cut another piece of patterned paper with one of the lacy nesting dies - actually I only die cut the end sections, cut off and adhered to the card front - great way to use up small pieces of paper & add interest to my layout - the cut edges are hidden behind the topper panel. 

I stamped the love spring sentiment from clearly besotted stamps onto scrap of kraft card, cut to size and adhered to the front.  I added green stickles glitter glue to the centre of the smaller flowers for a little bling to finish.

 

and the inside - again i raided the scrap paper drawer - very satisfying to have used up so many off cuts and little snippets.  I die cut a pale paper with the same lacy DL nesting die used on the front, stamped another clearly besotted sentiment stamp in black and a chocolate baroque tulip stamp in grey.

Version 2 - Ive yet to see turquoise tulips but who knows one day! lol

The sentiment quote is lovely and so true

'The first blooms of spring always make my heart sing' 

It is a magical time of year when everything is awakening.  Had my first hedgehogs out of hibernation last week and another 2 joined them this week...well thats only the ones I have seen in the porch eating their dinners...well breakfast I guess as they come just on dusk.

Version 3 - sorry for the not great photos - had a nightmare taking the photos

and another version😀

Items Used:

Studio light stamp #394

Chocolate Baroque stamp (tulip) 'spring is in the air'

Clearly Besotted stamps (CBSSE208) 'Seasonal sentiment'

DL nesting dies

Various patterned papers

Derwent Inktense pencils

Ranger stickles 'lime'

CraftUK ltd kraft card

We have these beautiful pennyblack stamps as prizes this month so do hop over to We Love Stamping  to join in and see what the rest of the DT came up with.

Thank you all for stopping by once again and all your amazing comments which i always appreciate. Emmax

Id love to enter 1st card in the following:

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

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https://paper-rocks-scissors.blogspot.com/2025/03/march-2-challenge.html - used lots of paper and used scissors to fussy cut the flowers to paper piece

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

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https://lovethoseprettypapers.blogspot.com/2025/03/atg-using-pretty-patterned-paper-march.html #2 papers used for the topper panel and paper piecing 

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https://creativecraftinguncles.blogspot.com/2025/03/63-spring-and-or-easter.html

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https://pixiessnippetsplayground.blogspot.com/2025/03/challenge-502.html - everything apart from the kraft card is a snippet and scrap