WLS Jan #1 - something new

Good Morning everyone and welcome to 2026

I hope you all had a good Christmas and wishing you all a Happy & Healthy New Year.   All those months of build up to Christmas and its over in a flash

Its time for the first challenge of the year over at We Love Stamping and the theme is fairly simple 

SOMETHING NEW

So could be new baby card, happy new year or in my case a new stamp set

I bought this stamp set purposely as the girl looks exactly like my oldest niece Sophie, she is super tall and legs like bean poles with long flowing hair so I thought the image would be perfect for her birthday card.  She was 14 in December.

Card size 6x5"     I found a funky paper pad in my stash that is perfect for a teenager and predominately Sophie's fav colour of greeny blue.  To make the most of the papers I decided to do a fancy fold.   

Black card base - I simply folded the front of the card in half back on itself. I cut the papers to size for each panel, edged with a black pen, matted onto solid teal paper and then the black card base. I added border strips of the paper across the front to break it up a bit.

 I stamped the girl onto white card, one of the pink papers and one green paper and paper pieced the top and skirt onto the white version.  I coloured her hair with alcohol markers and used a satin alcohol marker for her skin - Sophie has very very pale skin - like me - they used to say Id been moon bathing!😁. I then cut around the image leaving a white edge, which I don't normally do but in this case felt it would help the image stand out a bit against the busy patterns.

Die cut the sentiment from pink paper and added a drop shadow die cut from the black, this i matted onto a vellum circle.  Gel heart stickers added to the corners to finish.

Here she is...Sophie is expressive with her hands also so loved that the image had attitude with her hands

I used a vellum circle to add the sentiment as it just softens the busy pattern enough to help the sentiment stand out but doesn't actually hide any of the paper.  Sophie likes writing affirmations so the paper is ideal for her....I knew Id kept this paper pad 10+yrs for a reason....eventually the perfect occasion comes along😁

And the back of the card a place to write, I took a piece of solid pale pink paper and stamped the sentiment and added off cuts of papers used on the front to the bottom to tie it all together.

Items Used:

 Jane Davenport stamps CEJDCS003 'Dreamy days'

woodware birthday sentiment stamp

Birthday sentiment die

Circle dies

6x6 Paper pad My Minds eye 'Jubilee - wild berry' (very old!)

Vellum

Black cardstock

gel heart gems

We have these fabulous prizes for the lucky winner

Various dies from Tonic - may vary to picture

A voucher for overseas winners

So hop over to We Love Stamping to join in with your stamped creations and be in with a chance of winning.

Thank you for stopping by. Emmax

Id love to enter the following:

https://girlzcreativefunartofscrap.blogspot.com/2025/12/challenge-17.html

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https://craftrocketchallenges.blogspot.com/2026/01/challenge-132-something-new.html - my stamp is new

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https://kraftychickschallenge.blogspot.com/2026/01/krafty-chicks-challenge-801-birthday.html

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https://lovethoseprettypapers.blogspot.com/2026/01/atg-using-pretty-patterned-paper.html

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Deck the halls

Good Morning everyone

Today im sharing my last Christmas design of the year, a couple of cards made using this beautiful stamp i was given a couple of birthdays ago, Ive gone with a different colour combo for Christmas of teal and purple - just because I can😁

I stamped onto white linen card which has been a nightmare to photograph without it going all funny so i apologise for the dodgy photos!

A6 white linen card base.  I stamped the image onto white linen card with versafine clair ink 'warm breeze' I watercoloured the bird and berries with Derwent inktense pencils and added a touch of colour to the leaves.  I die cut into a rectangle with X-stitched edged die.  I stamped the image again, just inking the sentiment banner and stamped into it with one of the sentiments on the stamp set with 'purple delight' ink, cut out and decoupaged onto the main image.

I found a printed snowflake paper in teal and purple pearl cardstock die cut both with nested X-stitch dies, added across the middle of my card front and then adhered the topper panel with foam tape for a little dimension

To finish I added glitter glue to the poinsettia and the birds hat for a bit of festive sparkle and glossy accents to the berries.

Version 2, the same but different, this time another sentiment in the set and snowfall paper

You can see it a bit clearer at this angle without the linen going all weird!  

For the patterned strip across the middle, its not actually a full strip as the dies weren't long enough as they actually nest into the one i used for the topper, so i just cut the panel in half and glued into place, with the topper on top no one knows any different - it also means only need small scraps of paper too.

Items Used:

Lil inker stamp 'Tis the season'

MFT Xstitch rectangle die set

versafine clair inks 'warm breeze' & 'Purple delight' 

Derwent inktense pencils

CraftUK ltd white linen card

Purple card

Teal snowflake papers - old pad from 'The Works'

So I had a phone call end of last week from the eye infirmary and a cancellation spot for my eye laser treatment so that was very last minute and the best Christmas gift...didn't quite go to plan so have to leave my eyes 3 months to heal and have it done again but it worked enough to relieve the pressure so they are no longer close to rupture and the pain and sight loss should improve so fingers crossed....early days but hopefully day by day they improve.  Back to hospital for my next MS treatment today so hopefully thats all the hospital visits for the year.

Thank you for all your support and comments on my blog this year, especially when i haven't been the best blog buddy keeping up with you all. Wishing you all a Happy Christmas & A Healthy & Peaceful new year.  Big hugs Emmaxxx

Id love to enter the first card in the following:

https://creativeknockouts.blogspot.com/2025/12/561-december-18-tis-season-polkadoodles.html

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https://kraftychickschallenge.blogspot.com/2025/12/krafty-chicks-challenge-799-cas.html

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https://lilredwagon.blogspot.com/2025/12/christmas-card-838.html

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https://thesisterhoodofcrafters.blogspot.com/2025/12/121025-anything-christmas.html

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https://dd-tripleb.blogspot.com/2025/12/december-2025-challenge.html

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https://peaceonearthchristmas.blogspot.com/2025/12/peace-on-earth-challenge-102.html

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WLS Dec #2 - red & green

Good Morning everyone

Its the 1st sunday of the month so its time for a new challenge over at We Love Stamping where the theme is 

RED & GREEN

Very apt for the season but you don't have to make a Christmas card, just use these 2 colours but of course we still have the anything goes option as long as you use stamping

I came across a pack of small tags in my stash that are eons old, they came as a mix of kraft card and white so I decided to make an effort to use some of them.  At the same time had this stamp set arrive which I got in a sale from aall&create.  So a batch of CAS Christmas cards were made.  

4x6" card blank which I made for white double sided pearl card and embossed the front with a swirl EF, being 350gsm the card front holds its integrity well even when embossed with a 2d embossing folder, don't think it would work so well with a 3d folder.

I took the white tag and dipped into distress oxide inks id spritzed with water.  Once dry i stencilled on holly leaves with the same ink.  Then i stencilled on snowflakes with cosmic shimmer silver glitter paste which is very shimmery in the light.  I added this tag to the card front - after playing around I found off centre worked better for me.

I stamped the santa onto white, watercoloured with distress inks and cut out.  I added him to the front with glue gel for a little dimension, i also added a little curve to his body for a little shape.  Sentiment stamped onto a small die cut tag and tucked in behind santa to finish.

You can make out the shimmer of the glitter paste snowflakes better here.  I also added frosted lace stickles to the fur on his hat so with that, the glitter paste and pearl card this really shimmer and shines in the light.

Version 2, Made the same but I used the kraft tag as the starting point so used kraft card for my base card as well. Holly embossing folder here.  This one i also rounded the corners on to pick up on the rounded bottom of the tag - I couldn't decide if i preferred them rounded or not so of the 12 versions i made half have rounded corners and half dont!   

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And smaller set of cards using the smaller tags & stamps in the sets 

Dinky 3x5" kraft card.  Made the same way as the bigger ones, just using them landscape and the dinky little santa stamp.  I die cut merry christmas from white pearl card. 

Holly embossing folder - its been lovely digging out my very old embossing folders again.  Being 2d they don't warp the card front too much.

Pearl white version

You can see the shimmer of the glitter paste better here

Im very chuffed with myself to make such flat cards with just the santa added with glue gel for a little dimension.  Hopefully the different textures and finishes add enough interest.  I made 12 bigger ones and 12 smaller ones....personally I find batch making therapeutic as I concentrate on each element of the design once Ive made the 1st version.  This Christmas Im glad I got ahead and made Christmas cards earlier in the year when I was feeling better! 

Items Used:

aall&create stamp set #1216 'Santa's workshop wonders'

Funky Fossil snowflake & holly stencils

Cosmic shimmer glitter paste

Sizzix embossing folders - all very old

papermania kraft & white tags

CraftUK ltd kraft card

White pearl card

Distress Oxide ink - cracked pistachio, evergreen bough

Distress Inks - Fired brick, lucky clover, wild honey, salty ocean, black soot

Hop over to We Love Stamping to join in and be in with a chance of winning this lovely prize by Visible Image

Thank you for stopping by once again.  Last week was very wet, wild and windy here in Cornwall so hopefully the coming week is much calmer weatherwise for us all to venture out for that Christmas shopping😁   Whatever you get upto I hope its a good week for you all. Emmax

Id love to enter my first card into the following:

https://cyhtp.blogspot.com/2025/12/anything-goes-with-twist-of-celebrate.html

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https://inkspirationalchallenges.blogspot.com/2025/12/inkspirational-challenge-356-use.html - ive used snowflake stencil with glitter paste 

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https://sweetstampinchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2025/12/its-christmas.html

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https://scscards.blogspot.com/2025/12/december-2025-reds-and-greens.html

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https://tuesdaytaggers.blogspot.com/2025/12/its-all-about-santa.html

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WLS Dec #1 - Red & Green Christmas Fairy

Good Morning Everyone

Its December - how scary is that! So time for a new theme over at 

We Love Stamping

The theme this month is 

RED & GREEN

So ideal for some Christmas makes but also don't just think Christmas, anything red & green, but of course we always have the anything goes option too as long as you use some stamping.

Today Im sharing a batch of star shaped Christmas cards using this lovely Christmas fairy stamp from Jane Davanport.  These were made back in the summer heat wave...a distant memory now its so wintry

Approx size 6x6"  I used star dies to cut my base card from green card, I cut 2 stars, scored a line at the top of one which I then attached to the front one - thus giving an opening card.

I die cut a smaller card from Ivory card and embossed with a spots embossing folder which I thought picked up on the baubles in her dress.

I sprayed green and gold pearl inks onto watercolour paper and let dry.  Once dry I stamped the fairy twice, once onto the green and once onto Ivory - on the ivory one I coloured her skin, wings and shoes with alcohol markers.  Then the green one I cut out just the dress which I added over the base image.  I then attached her to the card front with glue gel for a little dimension.

Festive wishes die cut from red mirror card and adhered - I don't offer use red mirror card so good to use that from my old stash and all the green card too. 

To finish I added red stickles glitter glue to the baubles on her dress and diamond stickles to her wings and the star in her hair - afterall its Christmas so the more sparkle the better! lol

Just a close up.  I used a dark blue ink to stamp the fairy as a bit softer than black

Version 2 

Made the same way just used a darker green base card and a swirl embossing folder.  Sadly the photos don't pick up the mica pearl spray used on the dresses 

and version 3

Again made the same way but a light green base card and a star embossing folder - I had so much green card in my stash its good to use some of it up.  

Items Used:

Jane Davenport stamp 'Christmas tree fairy'

Creative craft star dies

Sue Wilson festive wishes die

Sizzix embossing folders - various and very old

Cosmic shimmer airless misters

Ranger stickles 'diamond' & 'red'

We have this fabulous prize by Visable image this month so to be in with a chance of winning hop over to 

We Love Stamping

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

Id love to enter my first card into the following:

https://fabnfunkychallenges.blogspot.com/2025/12/challenge-627-christmas.html

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https://craftygalscornerchallenges.blogspot.com/2025/11/challenge-272-tis-season.html

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https://sweetstampinchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2025/12/its-christmas.html

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https://neglectedstuff.blogspot.com/2025/11/neglected-stuff-1225-challenge.html - my embossing folders are old and were gathering dust