WLS April #1 - Wakey Wakey spring is here

Happy Easter to you all.

Welcome to April and our theme over at We Love Stamping this month is 

SPRING

Or you can always go with the anything goes option as long as you use stamping

Ive gone a bit outside the box this time and not used a spring designed stamp or my usual spring florals and instead had the idea to use this bear stamp who is waking up and drinking his coffee after coming out of hibernation.  I was also on a mission to use some very old paper pads which had spring colours in them.

Sorry for the bit blurry photos, my camera just kept focusing on the bear as the focal point and not the whole card....after nearly 50 attempts I had to accept defeat and the camera won😒

Approx size 6x6"  I used 300gsm A4 cream linen card, I folded in half and cut to 6" tall, on the right hand side of the front panel I die cut the tulip edge die - just to add interest and also use the die again! 

I took one of the papers from the 6x6 pad to line the inside which peeks through the tulip, i kept it a plain paper so can be written on.  I then cut another paper to fit the front, using the tulip die to get the right curve on the right hand side and also cut a smaller panel of cream card and embossed with a leaf embossing folder - I matted these and adhered to the card front.

I stamped the bear onto more of the cream card used for the base and one of the patterned papers, i coloured the bear with alcohol markers, cut out his pj's and pieced onto the base image.  I die cut this into an oval and matted onto another oval and added to the card front.

Computer printed sentiment 'wakey wakey' & 'spring is here' as the bear comes out of hibernation.

Showing it stood up and the lovely tulip edge 

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I made a few versions so made a little dent in some papers!

A more pink version.  Im quite pleased as managed to use really busy patterned papers that get left in paper pads and by having them as the matt layer behind my embossed panel its not too overwhelming

A more blue and green version, again behind the embossed panel I used a paper which is lovely but the pattern made my eyes go funny....these are double sided papers so I actually die cut the oval heart out of the middle of the patterned paper mat layer as i knew it would be hidden behind the embossed panel - thus making those luxury papers go further

Items Used:

aall&create stamp set #253 'Morning'

Technique Tuesday Tulip edge die

Sizzix leaf embossing folder (very old)

crafters companion 3d lace embossing folder

Paper pads - all very old and some loose left over pages

Ivory linen 300gsm card

Alcohol markers

white gel pen

We have lovely prizes from Lavinia for the lucky winner this month so hop over to We Love Stamping to join in and in with a chance of winning

I hope you all have a wonderful month of April.  Big hugs Emmaxx

Id love to enter card #1 into the following:

https://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/2026/03/challenge-846.html

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https://fabnfunkychallenges.blogspot.com/2026/04/challenge-634-easterspring.html

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https://daranddiane.blogspot.com/2026/04/double-d-humor-challenge-2026.html - I think my card is humous and tongue in cheek😁

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https://creativeknockouts.blogspot.com/2026/04/568-april-2-embossing-delight-rachelle.html

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https://paper-rocks-scissors.blogspot.com/2026/04/april-15-challenge.html - used paper for the background & bears PJ's and scissors to cut out the bear

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https://sweetstampinchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2026/03/sweet-stampin-spring-or-easter-creations.html

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Bird house - creative artiste April

Happy Easter to you all.

Its the first Friday of the month so time for a new challenge over at Creative Artiste Mixed Media

Ive used a new stamp of this sparrow and made him a little bird house....its quite a long post so you may want a cup of tea or coffee....thankfully we can type these posts up little and often as my brain is still like marshmellow so i hope it actually makes sense😁

See below for how i made the background etc...

I stamped the bird 4 times onto white card and the flowers many times and watercoloured with my derwent inktense pencils, added white highlights, covered with modpodge and cut out.  I took one base image and decoupaged on top of it, 3 layers for the bird and 2 for the flowers.  I coloured the 4th stamped bird to look a bit more like a female and just cut out the body section so i could tuck her in behind and create a pair of sparrows.

I raided the drawer in which I keep die cut foliage which Ive die cut from left over inked backgrounds etc...and picked out a variety.  I then arranged the foliage and birds to the right over the birdhouse.

To finish I dug through a large pack of chat stickers by aall&create to find some suitable, I went with 'Blossom''Glow''Shine''Thrive'&'Live' as felt thats what all birds are doing and we should attempt the same in our lives.....we can but try!  I covered them with glossy accents to give an enamel look and adhered in place.

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and onto the how I made the background

I cut up a stiff cardboard box to a rectangle to start with and then cut one top edge at an angle, the offcut i then flipped over & used to draw the other side so that the angles matched for the roof - hope that makes sense!

  I then cut stripes of the cardboard and adhered 2 together to give a double thickness, these I adhered to make the roof.  I then trim the ends to the desired length.

I added grit paste through a brick stencil and concrete paste on in blotches as i wanted an old wall feeling - once dry covered in white gesso - both these  texture pastes i won last year when i won a mixed media box from tag along challenge  - i also won the chipboard frame used on this project.

I added a layer of purple, pink and green paints picking up on the colours used in the image and then added vintage white over the top concentrating on the sides, I wanted the middle to be darker to give the effect of a hole in a bird house, where its darker inside and my frame would sit over the top.  

House Sparrows love to live in an old wall, So technically they don't live in birdhouses but thats why i wanted the old brick wall effect. My mum has a colony of them living in a tumbled down building opposite her kitchen and while they aren't the most exciting bird to look at they are such happy birds always chit chattering away and good company.........certainly more melodic than 'my' seagulls - which are also always chatting away but its more like screaming and they are always company too, when im out in the garden Mr & Mrs seagull always come down to join me to see what im upto.....It always amazes me how they know my cats from the hundreds of other neighbourhood cats....you would think to them one black cat looks like another black cat🐈  ....they are the advanced warning system to strangers about - 4 or 2 legged!

A close up of the lovely texture, you can also just see the pink paint underneath showing through which helps tie it in with the pink cherry blossom...no layer of paint is a waste, even when mostly hidden it plays an important role in the end result and it all being cohesive. 

I took the chipboard frame and again painted it with the same pink and purple paints used on the background and then dry brushed on a paler lilac to soften.  I then covered the whole thing in matt mod podge to varnish and seal.

Items Used:

Carabelle stamps

Derwent inktense pencils

Folk art acrylic paints

Daler Rowney heavy bodied acrylic

Cadence dora paint - fuchsia pink

Icraft texture paste 'graphite brown'

CraftTreat Speciality paint 'concrete effect' CTMM008

Mod Podge gloss & matt

Aall&create chat stickers

Chipboard frame

Foliage dies

Brusho & pixie powders (on foliage)

Cosmic shimmer airless mister (on foilage)

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I have plenty of substrates in my stash but it is fun seeing how you can completely change a piece of cardboard box destined for the recycling bin and it shows those starting out in mixed media that you don't need alot of expensive kit to start.  I often just use cheap polyfiller as my texture paste and in the past have even used up left over grout which also worked well, once its covered up with a layer of gesso and then paint it all looks the same.  My new fav paint is folkart matt acrylic and this is great, a little goes a very long way and covers and layers beautifully - its mid range in price.  I have found matt and opaque much easier to work with than transparent acrylic, so a few little tips Ive learnt as i go to encourage you to give mixed media a go - if i can do it anyone can but you do need to accept that the middle section of working usually looks a mess but stick with it and know it is a process and you will create a little work of art that is unique to you.  Start with something small so its not overwhelming - atc's or postcard size are good for that.

Do hop over and join us at Creative Artiste to join in and for more inspiration, hints and tips from the design team, we all have our own style so something is sure to inspire you to give Mixed Media a go....

I hope you all have a good Easter weekend whatever your plans. Emmax

Id love to enter the following:

https://tolanythingbutacard.blogspot.com/2026/03/the-outlawz-anything-but-card-april.html

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https://craftyanimals.blogspot.com/2026/04/challenge-104.html

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https://2craftycrittercrazies.blogspot.com/2026/04/critter-crazy-109-anything-goes-with.html

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https://thefourseasonschallenge.blogspot.com/2026/04/spring-season-april-2026.html

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https://dd-tripleb.blogspot.com/2026/04/tb-april-2026-challenge.html

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https://www.simplyellibelle.com/2026/03/ellibelles-garden-party-no-13-anything.html

 

WLS March #2 - Wildlife

Good Morning everyone

Time for some mid way inspiration for We Love Stamping with the theme this month

WILDLIFE

I have lots of stamps suitable for this theme but decided to go with an old pink ink one that hasn't been used in a while - this magnipheasant pheasant and stamped a feathery background for him too

8x8" card made from dark green cardstock and nesting dies.

I cut a smaller die from Ivory linen card and using my ombre ink pads stamped the feathers all over it, this i then die cut into frames using the same nesting dies - just because i can and it adds interest and breaks up the solid background.  The outside frame i adhered with 2mm foam tape, the next size down with 1mm foam tape and the middle section i adhered flat.  The green of the backing card peaks through which helps frame and draw the eye to the pheasant.

I then stamped the pheasant onto the same ivory linen cardstock.  Many of you know I dislike colouring in, so this time I decided to use the same ombre inkpads I used to stamp the feathers and small blending brushes and just picked up the colours on the brushes and blended onto the image....I was quite pleased with the outcome and was soooooo much quicker, of course in this case it helped with open areas and nothing too technical to pick out and the linen card adds texture! I added some white gel pen highlights and cut him out.

I stamped some larger feathers from an old SU set, cut out and added these behind him.  I adhered him into place with pinflair glue gel.

Stamped the greeting from the set with brown ink, cut out, matted onto some of the green card and added.

A close up on Mr Pheasant

As the nesting die set I used is round and I didn't want it rocking I cut a small sliver off the bottom of the back panel so it stands up straight.  This works well and then doesn't affect the aesthetic of the front

Just showing the ombre ink pads i used, ive had these for years and years, must be 8+ and they are so useful.  They have a lever that you click when you want to use them so they join together and then when you are finished before storing you unclick it and they separate so that the inks don't bleed together - very clever really.  Ive used them quite alot so they are now beginning to run out a bit and sadly I don't think you can get them any more.  A Co-incidence but i used the brown one of my first card for this months wildlife theme too.

Items Used:

Pink Ink designs

Stampin up 'fine feathers'

Creative Craft nesting dies 'stretched circles'

Kaleidacolor ink pads 'carribean sky, cappuccino delight & desert heat'

Unbranded nesting dies

CraftUk ltd ivory linen card

dark green card

White gel pen

We have lovely wildlife themed prize from aall&create this month

So hop over to We Love Stamping to join in, if wildlife isn't your thing we always have the anything goes option as long as you use stamping 

Thank you for stopping by once again.  Its scary how fast the weeks are passing at the moment. I hope you are having a good month of March. Emmax

Id love to enter the following:

https://craftrocketchallenges.blogspot.com/2026/03/challenge-134-no-design-paper.html

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https://paperfundaychallenges.blogspot.com/2026/03/march-2026-challenge-85-anything-goes.html - fur or feathers

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https://neglectedstuff.blogspot.com/2026/03/neglected-stuff-march-2026-challenge.html - pink ink pheasant stamp  & stampin up feather stamps not used in a few years

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https://movingalongwiththetimes.blogspot.com/2026/03/challenge-187-birds-andor-bees.html

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https://craftyanimals.blogspot.com/2026/03/challenge-103.html

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https://dd-tripleb.blogspot.com/2026/03/march-2026-tb-challenge.html

 

Natural beauty - butterflies

Good Morning

Its the first Friday of the month so time for a new challenge over at Creative Artiste Mixed Media where the theme is anything mixed media goes, using at least 3 different mediums.

 I made this mdf plaque home decor piece for a friends birthday.  Her favourite colour is purple so I started with that.  We've had some sun this week so Ive seen a few early butterflies out, a couple of brimstones & painted ladies so spring must be here😀

This is another one I forgot to measure before posting but I think it was approx 6x10" 

See below for how I did the background.  I took the chipboard butterflies and on 2 base layers and 1 top layer 1 painted with pale and dark purple paints and then on the other 2 top layers and 1 base layer I used an interference paint which is purple until the light hits it when it turns gold.  Once dry I layered the butterflies together. 

 Inspired by my fellow DT at Creative Artiste Tracey at hotchpotchcreations who uses alot of seed beads in her creations I decided to use some of the million seed beads I have for the bodies of the butterflies - I chose beads in a mix of purples and golds, when the light hits them they really sparkle and shimmer.

I raided my stash of alphas and decided on 'natural beauty' the smaller ones are plastic ones by tim holtz which I covered with very dark green acrylic to take the plastic look away and the larger ones are chipboard which I painted with the purples used on the butterflies.  I then worked out the placement for the alphas and the butterflies and adhered all into place.

You can see the dimension on the butterflies better here and the beads give a lovely 3d effect to the bodies.  To stick the seed beads I added a good layer of tacky pva glue and waited for it to start going sticky and then added plenty of beads and pushed into the glue, once completely dry i brushed off any that hadn't stuck. 

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onto how I did the background

I first coated the background in pink and purple acrylic paints and once dry added texture paste through a large floral stencil, this is a nice big stencil so i could easily pick out the flowers i wanted.  I edged around the flowers with green paints and then dry brushed on a yellowy orange paint to just catch the texture paste flowers 

I added gold glitter paste through a foliage stencil but it wasn't very effective, i think the glitter too chunky for the stencil so switched to gold paint instead, you can just make out both here.  Once the background was finished i coated in mod podge to seal and protect.

This is how it started off - a charity shop find for £1 - I bought it with the sole intention of upcycling it.... First i gave it a light sanding with fine sandpaper and then a coat of gesso and no one would know Tenerife was there!    I also found the pack of greyboard butterflies in the charity shop for £1 so a bargain and the starting point for this project was born.  Now that im doing more mixed media projects  I do pop in charity shops more just to see what they have that I can use as a substrate and to upcycle. Its win win as it supports the charity shop and gives me affordable bases to work on..........mind you I do also have plenty of 'proper' substrates in the cupboard but it is fun to see how something preloved can be turned into something new. 

Items Used:

MDF plaque

Maya Road Chipboard butterflies 

Cosmic shimmer glitter paste 'sahara gold'

Marabu Crea texture paste

Decoart Metallic 'splendid gold'

Pebeo & Folk art acrylic paints

Folk art 'color shift' 'blue violet flash'

Thats crafty 7x7" stencil

13@rts stencil 'tiny leaves'

Tim Holtz adhesive alphas

Chipboard alphas

Gold & Purple seed beads

So hop over to Creative Artiste to join in and see what the rest of the DT created while mixing their mediums

Thank you all for popping by once again. I am still having issues with my eyes especially close up but determined to keep crafting and now using a magnifying glass that hangs around my neck so that is helping a bit but can only do small sessions but better than no crafting! Emmax

Id love to enter the following:

https://craftingfromtheartchallenge.blogspot.com/2026/02/february-challenge-2026.html

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https://dd-tripleb.blogspot.com/2026/03/march-2026-tb-challenge.html

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https://stencilfun.blogspot.com/2026/03/stencil-fun-march-2026-challenge.html  I used a large floral stencil and a small foliage stencil

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https://dragonflydreamschallenges.blogspot.com/2026/03/march-challenge-butterflies.html

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https://tolanythingbutacard.blogspot.com/2026/02/the-outlawz-anything-but-card-march.html

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https://www.simplyellibelle.com/2026/02/garden-party-no-12-anything-in-or-from.html

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