June WLS #1 - Sports & Hobbies

Good Morning everyone

Its a new month so time for a new challenge over at We Love Stamping where the theme for June is

SPORTS & HOBBIES

Although I come from a family big into playing and watching sports and before my MS I was fairly sporty myself I have absolutely no sport themed stamps and I wasn't going to buy new just for this challenge, so Ive gone down the hobbies root,  and what better hobby to start with than arts and crafts! 

Black DL card (approx 4x8.25")  I first stamped all the art elements onto white watercolour paper, coloured with derwent inktense pencils and cut out once dry.  I worked out what size i wanted my panels and cut white linen card to size and stamped the sentiment towards the top in black.  I matted this onto rainbow printed cardstock which i tore the edges to show the white core to help lift the colour and add some 'crafty' interest!  Now i say i matted it - its actually 2 strips adhered either side and i flipped them - so the rainbow of colours runs opposite ways up and down - just for a fun element.  I then adhered this to the card front with foam tape.

I then got arranging all the art products which did take a few attempts until i was happy with them.  Some I adhered flat and others with glue gel. 

Just a close up - on the paint pallet I purposedly added some of the paint colours over the edge to make it look like a well used set - these art supplies are well loved!  I used a silver paint pen on the 'ferrule' (metal parts) of the paint brushes and added white gel pen highlights. 

Items Used:

(creative expressions) Jane Davenport stamp set CEJDCS023 'HeArt Supplies'

Creative Craft stamp set 'craftiness sentiments' (company closed)

Derwent Inktense pencils

CraftUk Ltd white linen cardstock

Black cardstock

Rainbow printed card from Lidl

White gel pen

We have this fabulous prize from Visible image for the lucky winners so hop over to We Love Stamping to join in with your stamped creations

Thank you all for stopping by once again.   I finally have my check up apt for my eyes on the 22nd June - so ive come to the conclusion, any time frame they give you you need to double!  Then after that waiting for the next round of lasers...its a bit like how long is a piece of string with the nhs these days...but good news my mojo is slowly returning, nearly 2 months with no crafting is unheard of for me so I was beginning to worry😓     I hope you all have a good month of June, not sure where the sun has gone as y/day was so windy they had to cancel the Royal Cornwall show which is sad as its the biggest date in the calendar for Cornwall and lots of farmers spend months prepping for it.  Big hugs Emma

Id Love to enter the following:

https://colorfuloptions.blogspot.com/2026/06/june-2026.html - rainbow option

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https://paperfundaychallenges.blogspot.com/2026/06/june-2026-challenge-88-anything-goes.html - stripes option

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https://paper-rocks-scissors.blogspot.com/2026/06/june-17-challenge.html - used paper and scissors to cut out all the images

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https://craftycatzweeklychallenge.blogspot.com/2026/06/crafty-catz-challenge-715.html

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https://creativefingerschallengeblog.blogspot.com/2026/06/challenge-324.html

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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

 

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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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

 

Christmas bells - WLS Nov #2

Good Morning all

Half way through November so time for some more Christmas inspiration for We Love Stamping

Ive used another woodware stamp of these lovely bells and made DL cards (approx 4x8").

I stamped the image onto white card using green ink and watercoloured with derwent inktense pencils, adding some splatters with the same colours to soft the white background. I went around the outside edge of the bells with a pale grey alcohol marker.

  Ive gone with a green & gold combo here.  I made my card base from Yellowy card and die cut a mat layer from green card and added my topper on top. Keeping it all flat for posting. Glitter glue highlights to the bells and along the edge of the topper panel to finish and add some Christmas sparkle.  

I decided not to add an extra sentiment as it would hide the lovely bells and i think the 'ding dong merrily on high, in heaven the bells are ringing' which is part of the stamp says it all. 

This is the reverse of the first one, so matted onto yellow with a green card base

I think you can just make out the glitter here, i added it to the bells and around all 4 edges of the white panel - in real life its very sparkly

the 2 together...the great thing about making DL cards is that the last third of the A4 that is spare is the perfect size for the mat on the 2nd card so no waste.

and a red and gold version

Items used:

woodware stamp FRS358 'heavenly bells'

Versafine Clair ink 'green oasis'

Derwent inktense pencils

DL nested dies

Ranger stickles 'crystal & diamond'

the lovely prize for the winner

So do hop over to we love stamping to join in with the Christmas theme or anything goes as long as stamping is involved.

Emma

Id love to enter the following:

https://classicdesignchallenge.blogspot.com/2024/11/classic-design-challenge-11-2024-novdec.html

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https://kraftychickschallenge.blogspot.com/2024/11/krafty-chicks-challenge-742-christmas.html

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https://craftrocketchallenges.blogspot.com/2024/11/challenge-120-christmas-andor-winter.html

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https://unicornchallenge.blogspot.com/2024/11/challenge-104-christmas-andor-winter.html

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https://thehollyandivychallenge.blogspot.com/2024/11/challenge-172-anything-christmas-goes.html

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https://52cct.blogspot.com/2024/11/november-theme-challenge.html - I used glitter on the bells and around all the edges 

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https://peaceonearthchristmas.blogspot.com/2024/11/peace-on-earth-challenge-76.html

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