WLS Nov #2 - Driving home for Christmas

Good Morning Everyone

Time for some mid month inspiration for We Love Stamping where the theme this month is 

CHRISTMAS

But we always have the anything goes option as long as you use stamps

I bought this quirky car stamp set earlier in the year and wanted to use on a fun Christmas card.  I decided to get both cars on the front and make a gatefold card, the cars are also added on wobblers for extra fun.  

This year Ive been determined to use up some very old Christmas papers... I decided to make these ones look better to emboss them with the letter press technique which completely changed the look of them.

6x6 Gatefold made from white card.  I first stamped the cars, watercoloured with distress oxide inks and cut out.  

I took a pale teal snowflake printed paper and using distress ink evergreen bough and a 3d tree embossing folder used the letter press technique.....you ink the 'flat' side of the folder so that when embossed the raised part is left un-inked and the background is inked with evergreen ink - great way to change a paper you aren't too keen on.

I cut to size, matted onto silver satin card and added to the front.  I used scraps of black glitter card at the bottom for the 'road' and added the cars with wobblers.

Computer printed sentiment matted onto black glitter card, adhered to one side and red candy dots added to finish.

and the inside, layered with paper, sentiment die cut from red matted onto a white oval and a larger silver satin oval.  White die cut snowflakes and touches of glitter glue added to finish.  You can see the wobblers the cars are on better here too.  

and on the back of the card, a place to write.  Computer printed sentiment onto white and an offcut of the paper used inside at the bottom to tie it all together....this also saves it going in the bin or scrap pile!! 

Just showing the dimension the wobblers give

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and version 2

The same but different!  The stamp set comes with different items you can add to the cars roof racks which is fun and I decided after making the first card that the 'road' would look better cut with a wavy edge

Version 3...this paper had a more grey tone so i used 'Iced Spruce' distress ink to letterpress emboss and a textured grey paper for the road.  This was all matted onto black glitter card.

and inside, I used scraps of paper to die cut red and green snowflakes from to pick up on the red and green on the front.

Items Used:

aall&create stamp set #1112 'Movin on up'

Distress Inks 'evergreen bough, iced spruce'

Distress Oxides 'candied apple, lucky clover, salty ocean, fossilized amber, ripe persimmon, black soot.

Sizzix 3d embossing folder by Kathrin Breen #665254

Memory box snowflake dies

Sue Wilson sentiment die 'festive wishes'

Spellbinders oval dies

MFT curved edge dies

Random old Christmas papers

Ranger Stickles 'diamond'

We have these fabulous stamps from stamp addicts as the prize this month so do hop over to We Love Stamping to join in and have a chance to win.

Thank you all for stopping by once again and all your recent comments.  Im still having to limit my screen use...Im still hoping to get my eye 'op' before Christmas but not holding my breath - it would be the best Christmas present for sure....sadly I think the nhs is in meltdown

I hope you are all keeping warm in this cold snap - nice to get some dry weather with it though so not all bad. Emmax

 

Autumn Shadow box

Good Morning everyone

First week into November - how scary is that! So with the 1st Friday in this month we have a new challenge over at Creative Artiste Mixed Media where the theme is always anything goes as long as you mix your medias - at least 3 different types please.

Ive made an autumnal shadow box for this month which actually started out life as a pet food box - its amazing what can be done with different mediums to transform something...

Approx size 6x8" See below for how I made & decorated the box.  Once that was done I got creating my little woodland scene.  I die cut a tree die multiple times from brown cardstock and adhered together to make my own chipboard - this making it more study.  I dabbed acrylic paint to the leaves in yellow, orange and red and dry brushed brown onto the trunks to break up the solid brown of the card & sealed with mod podge.  I then adhered these to the back of the box, one flat and 2 with glue gel to give a bit of depth.

I took wooden leaves and painted with acrylic paints and adhered to the back and sides of the box.  I then arranged some toadstools which I had printed and cut out way back in the spring just waiting to be used, they were printed onto 300gsm card but to give them extra stability I added card strips to the back of the stalks which also gave me more area to add glue to, to adhere them into place.

I add the same acrylic paints used for the background to scraps of cardstock and once dry die cut into lots of leaves which I then arranged around the box to make it look like they are falling from the trees onto the forest floor.

I die cut the word Autumn from gold glitter card and brown card, adhering the brown letters as a drop shadow and then added to the top back of the box.  I also die cut the gold glitter into a few leaves and scattered around to help tie it altogether. 

Everything was coated in mod podge to seal and protect.....the best way of dusting these projects is with a very soft large make up brush which is delicate enough to brush off any dust but not damage the rest...I was once asked that😁....Ive found the best way to avoid dusting in general is having craft projects lying around everywhere otherwise the cats are well trained in dusting with their tails😂😂😂

This shows the true colours better.  For the background tree I cut 1 up so that I could make it seem taller and a slightly different shape so that not all 3 trees were uniform, same with the one on the left I trimmed some off the left hand side so it tucked up in the corner more - the offcuts i glued into place behind other branches to help give the effect of different trees.

Technically these toadstools are too big for real life but this is craft land and I wanted them to be seen, not hidden under leaves

The toadstools - to give them more stability and area for me to add glue to, I glued strips of card together and added to the back of the stalks, adding a couple of coats of mod podge also helped give them some extra strength.

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and onto the box

I first cut the cat food box to size - this is a 40 pouch box so I got 2 out of it by cutting down the middle - this then left a side without a wall so I used the lid of the box for that, cut to size and held in place with paper tape before I covered the whole box in brown paper which helps strengthen the box, hold the side panel in place and cover all joins.  I actually used brown paper often used in parcel packaging now - its ideal for this.  Tear it into small pieces and decoupage into place using watered down pva - so my whole shadow box is made from rubbish basically😁   

Once dry cover with gesso which covers the brown paper nicely and gives a good base to work on.  You can easily use tissue paper to cover it but as i save all the brown paper from packaging its ideal for this and good recycling. 

Here in the UK Sheba & Whiskers boxes are the best as they are much studier than Gourmet & Felix - yes my feline bunch are spoilt & old so fussy and all eat something different so I get to try all the boxes out😺 The other boxes I cut up into panels which make great bases for the childrens art creations - more study than normal card but alot cheaper than canvas board etc... 

I then added a layer of teal, brown & navy acrylic paint.  Then once dry stippled on a layer of yellow, orange, maroon and brown paints - the same colours I used for my leaves. I then knocked the colour back with a layer of vintage white dry brushed over.  This helped my images to stand out but also meant the colours in the background give the effect of the autumnal forest behind my scene.  It does seem weird to add colour to then cover over it but its only a light top layer and the original colours do all still show through in the finished result and is more effective than a solid colour.

On the outside of the box I added texture paste through a bamboo stencil and freestyle using my spatula.  Once dry I covered with the same paints used on the inside.  Teal and Navy first and then the browns, yellows catching the raised areas and once completely dry I dry brushed on gold paint to highlight.

You can make out the gold a bit more here, just on the raised areas.  All coated in glossy mod podge and metals corners added on all the corners to help protect and neaten up.  To think this was just a humble cardboard box.....I amaze myself sometimes😀 

I of course have the 2nd box to decorate too.

Items Used:

Toadstool digitals 'Mixed Media Toadstools' from Double Helix Digitals on Etsy

Papermania wooden leaves

Memory box tree die (very old)

Spellbinders leaf dies (very old)

Memory box alpha dies 'Parker'

Bamboo stencil

Texture paste - white

Plaid folkart matt acrylic paints

Pebeo acrylic paints

Decoart Gold acrylic 'splendid gold'

Brass effect metal corners

Crafters companion gold glitter card

Hop over to Creative Artiste to see what the rest of the DT & Guest DT have created and to join in.  The more you mix your mediums and get creative the better.

I hope you all have a good month. Hugs Emmax

Id love to enter the following:

  

The four seasons

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https://thesisterhoodofcrafters.blogspot.com/2025/10/10825-anything-fall.html

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https://theoutlawzchallenges-saturday.blogspot.com/2025/10/the-outlawz-anything-goes-in-card-free_02053675983.html

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https://craftingacutabove.blogspot.com/2025/11/november-challenge-2025.html - dies used 3 different leaf die sets, tree die, alphabet dies

 

WLS Nov#1 - Merry Christmas

Good Morning everyone

Its the first Sunday of a new month so time for a new challenge over at We Love Stamping and the theme for this month is 

Christmas 

So a good excuse to crack on with your Christmas cards - get creative with your stamping

Today im sharing a batch of Christmas cards made using a stencil and stamp set that I bought in the craftstash closing down sale.  You get a stencil for the word merry and then tiny stamps to fill in the letters, I also used these filler stamps for my backgrounds.  I used what versafine clair inks I have hence it being mainly teal and pink combo....but then anyone who follows me will know I quite often use less traditional colours for Christmas....

DL(4x8") pearl teal card base.  I first stencilled onto white linen card the word 'merry' with tumbled glass distress ink.  I then used the stamps in the set to build up the foliage and flowers all using versafine clair inks.  Once dry i die cut with DL dies which have little holes around the edges and matted onto teal pearl card.

I die cut a larger panel from white linen card and using the same stamps as in the alphas I built up a background, focusing the stamping around the edges.  Once dry I inked around the outside edge with tumbled glass DI.  This I adhered flat to my card front and then added the Merry topper with foam tape for a little dimension.

I die cut the word 'Christmas' from pinky purple mirror card and adhered under the Merry.  Touches of glitter glue added to give a little festive sparkle.

After finishing I felt the letters weren't standing out enough so I put the 'Merry' Stencil back in place and drew around them with a teal fineliner pen and then used a grey alcohol marker for a drop shadow which made a big difference - I should have taken a before photo to show the massive improvement such a little detail makes but didn't think of that at the time!  

Version 2 - the same but different.  I made 12 in all and all slightly different with how the backgrounds ended up stamped.  On this one I had a couple of inky marks on the topper where I didn't want them, so covered them up by stamping little stamps from the set to hide😁

Items Used:

Apple blossom stamp & stencil set 'merry' (STOBXM220042)

DL eyelet nesting dies (brand unknown)

Versafine Clair inks 'warm breeze, purple delight, glamourous, green oasis'

Tim Holtz distress Ink 'tumbled glass'

Grey promarker

CraftUk Ltd white linen 300gsm card

Craft Consortium pink mirror card

Teal cardstock

We have a prize of these lovely stamps from stamp addicts for the lucky winners so to be in with a chance of winning hop over to We Love Stamping to join in

I hope you all have a good month of November - scary how the weeks are passing.  Emmax

 

WLS Oct #2 Autumn

Good Morning everyone

Time for some mid month inspiration for We Love Stamping where the theme is 

AUTUMN

or we always have the anything goes option as long as you use stamping

Ive got quite an eclectic card today using lots of different brands.  

Card Size approx 5x7" Cut from maroon cardstock.  I raided my stash for a previously made background, this green and copper one was made using brushos & copper pixie powders.  I then stamped the spiders web onto it with black ink, die cut to fit the cardfront and adhered.  I then die cut a frame from the same maroon card smaller than my background panel and adhered with foam tape

I stamped the pumpkins watercoloured with distress inks, cut them out and adhered into place with pinflair glue gel.  Stamped the sentiment onto orange inked card, die cut into fishtail banner and tucked behind the pumpkins. 

I then raided my stash of leaves ive cut from scraps over the years to find some that co-ordinated and adhered in the corners and some smaller ones floating around the pumpkins. 

Sadly the photos don't pick up the mica powder shimmer in the background and some of the die cut leaves are from gold glitter card and copper satin card so both dance when the light hits them.

Items Used:

aall&create spider web stamp #572 'spooky sky'

Stampendous stamp #CRP371 'pumpkin night'

Clearly besotted stamps 'seasonal sentiments'

Brusho powders - moss green, lime

Cosmic shimmer pixie powder - copper

Distress Inks 'spiced marmalade, dried marigold, wild honey, dusty concorde, black soot'

Spellbinders die 'little leaf sets'

MFT fishtail banner die set

?? Nesting die set ??

Stamps not to scale

The prize this month is these beautiful stamps from Lavinia so hop over to

 We Love Stamping to join in for a chance to win. 

Thank you for stopping by once again.  I hope you have a good weekend. Big hugs Emmax

 

 

WLS October - Autumn

Good Morning everyone and welcome to October.  

Its time for a new challenge over at We Love Stamping  and the theme this month just had to be 

ANYTHING AUTUMN

but if thats really not for you we always have the anything goes option as long as you use stamps.  I love autumn just as much as spring.

A5 Ivory card blank.  I stamped the toadstool image twice onto ivory card with dark brown ink.  One I watercoloured with inktense pencils and cut out and the 2nd one i cut into a rectangle panel...to this one i added a die cut frame from a textured gold satin, I then decoupaged the toadstools on top with glue gel.  

As im still attempting to use up 6x6 paper pads I raided the drawer for papers in colours that matched.  I took a dark brown printed paper and matted onto gold satin...as its a 6x6 paper on an A5 card I cut it in half and covered the middle section with a different paper - thus extending its length.

I decided i wanted some of the green used in the topper to break up the background colours and lift it so found a green paper than matched, cut into strips and added on a wonk.  I then added the topper with foam tape for a little dimension.

Computer printed sentiment die cut into an oval to finish. 

Difficult to show the gold satin, but when the light hits it, it really shines, it has a slight embossed pattern in it too - another one thats been in the drawer for 10+ years! 

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Version 2

Topper made the same way, just different papers with leafy patterns

 

I made 8 versions in all so a good dent on autumnal papers - which are all years old.

Items Used:

aall&create stamp #1078 'Mycelium potions'

spellbinders foliage frame die #S6-006 'branching out'  (very old set)

oval stitched dies

derwent inktense pencils

various patterned papers

CraftUK ltd cream linen 300gsm cardstock

Gold satin card

We have an amazing prize of Lavinia stamps this month 

So hop over We Love Stamping to join in with your Autumn stamped projects to be in with a chance of winning. Just get creative with your stamping - you can use physical or digital stamps.

I hope you all have a good week ahead.  Emmax

Id love to enter the following:

https://lovethoseprettypapers.blogspot.com/2025/10/love-those-pretty-papers-october.html

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https://craftrocketchallenges.blogspot.com/2025/10/challenge-130-autumnhalloween.html

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