WLS May#2 - All creatures great and small

 Good Morning everyone

Time for some midway inspiration for We Love Stamping where the theme is 

ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL

I went with one of the smallest creatures (mouse) last time so this time its one of the largest creatures and this fabulous whale stamp from aall&create, this is another one thats been neglected for a while too so good to get it out.  I have teamed it up with one of my brusho/pixie powder backgrounds - I have a draw full of backgrounds as I often have sessions making them when i don't feel like properly crafting... plus I make such a mess using brushos that its good to get lots made at once and then one lot of clean up!

Card Size approx 5x7" die cut from navy blue cardstock, I felt the rounded corners on this die set picked up on the curve of the whale nicely. I die cut my brusho & pixie powder background to fit the card front, then stamped the whale stamp with blue versaclair ink and then used a circle embossing folder - this to pick up on bubbles in the water. I then lightly inked over the top with chipped sapphire distress ink to just help the embossing stand out a little bit more - not too heavy as i still wanted it to be in the background.  I used posca paint pens on the background stamping to add a little bit extra colour, using yellow and white on some of the hexagons.

I then stamped the whale onto a pinky patterned paper which is not a very realistic colour I know but a nice contrast to the background!  I added some white pen highlights, curved her body and adhered into place with glue gel.

I then die cut some seaweed bits from green holographic card off cuts that were on my desk.  Sentiments stamped onto white with the same blue ink and adhered into place - these sentiments come from a ZinskiArt mermaid set but fit well i feel.

You can make out the mica of the pixie powders in the background better here and the holographic seaweed, both shimmer & dance when the light hits them like the sparkle of sunshine on the water.

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and version 2 which is more muted

Made almost the same way as the first one but this time i started with a background made using oxide inks so very muted.  I die cut an old tim holtz holey die into the background and matted onto silver holographic cardstock.  The whale was stamped onto card that had been sprayed with blue & purple ink and bright pink mica spray.

Hard to really show off the holographic but you can make it out more on the bottom of the photo, with the matt finish of the oxide background it really shimmers and dances - i went with this to give the effect of bubbles in the water

Items Used:

aall&create stamp #390 'sea life'

Funky Fossil 'ZinskiArt' stamp set 'Making waves'

Funky Fossil stamp set 'weird fish'

Sizzix circle embossing folder (very old!)

? Nesting dies

Dawn Bibby die set DBC0371 'Into the deep' embellishment set

Brusho Powders

Cosmic shimmer pixie powder

Chipped Sapphire distress ink

Distress Oxide - shaded lilac, cracked pistachio, tumbled glass & iced spruce

Versafine Clair ink 'Medieval blue'

Silver & green holographic card from Aldi

Navy cardstock

We have these lovely stamps from aall&create as the prize this month so hop over to We love stamping to join in, as well as the all creatures great and small theme we always have the anything goes option as long as you include stamping.

Id love to enter card one into the following:

https://craftrocketchallenges.blogspot.com/2026/05/challenge-136-not-square.html

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https://2craftycrittercrazies.blogspot.com/2026/05/critter-crazy-challenges-110-anything.html

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https://craftyanimals.blogspot.com/2026/05/challenge-105.html

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https://creativefriday.blogspot.com/2026/05/creative-friday-411-jedes-tier-ist.html - all animals permitted

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July #2 Sun, sea & sand

Good Morning everyone

Mid way through July so time for another post for We love stamping where the theme is 

SUN, SEA &/OR SAND

We always have the anything goes option as long as you use stamping as the main elements.

So plenty of options to go with.  Last time I went with more of a seaside image, this time i have gone deep under the sea using this lovely octopus stamp from Pink Ink.

8x6" white card base.  I first created a background with green brushos and pixie powders, once it was dry i stamped the octopus and turtles onto it using navy blue ink and cut them out, i used a paint pen to add details to the octopus for his suckers etc.. I stamped the shells onto scraps of inked papers and cut out.

As Im trying to use up old papers I found an old bobunny pad with a beach theme - I took a white paper with blue foil printed seaside words and inked over the top with blue distress inks so it looked more water like than the stark white it was - the foiling resisted the ink.  I took a sandy printed paper and torn along the top edge, i added this over the water and matted them onto navy card and then the base card.  

I then added the octopus, turtles and shells with pinflair glue gel. 

Sadly the photos don't pick up the shimmer of the mica in the octopus, but it is lovely when the light hits it and the blue foiled words in the background

Items Used:

Pink Ink designs stamp 'pinky inky'

Bobunny paper pad (ancient) 'boradwalk'

Brusho powders - lime, seagreen, emerald green

Cosmic shimmer pixie powders - red and peacock

Distress Inks tumbled glass, cracked pistachio, salty ocean

Posca white & pastel paint pens

The prize this month is this beautiful set from Lisa Horton

so do hop over to We love stamping to join in 

If the sun, sea & sand theme isn't for you then we always have the anything stamping goes, show us how creative you can be with a stamped image, outline digi-stamps also accepted.

I can't believe how fast July is going and next week we will be into the school holidays once again! Emmax

Id love to enter the following:

https://stampsfun-creativity.blogspot.com/2025/06/479.html - in the water theme

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https://neglectedstuff.blogspot.com/2025/07/neglected-stuff-july-2025-challenge.html - paper pad 8+ yrs old, stamp 4+ both not used in ages

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https://inspirationstationchallenge.blogspot.com/2025/07/inspiration-station-challenge-july-2025.html - inspired by the sand, sea and green

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https://craftyanimals.blogspot.com/2025/07/challenge-96.html

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July WLS #1 - sun, sea & sand

Good Morning everyone

Gosh the months are flying by, its time for a new challenge We Love Stamping with the theme this month chosen by me is

SUN, SEA &/OR SAND

So plenty of options there but if thats not for you we always have the anything goes option as long as you use stamping

I dug out a very old chocolate baroque stamp set with these fab seagulls which is very apt as as the seagulls which nest on my roof spend most of their time sat on the washing line posts in the garden.  In the heat the chicks have fallen off the roof so inhabiting the back garden so its a no go zone for now unless you like being dive bombed😁

6x4.5" card.  I first stamped the seagull image onto white card and then the poem beside it using dark blue ink.  I die cut into a fancy rectangle, this is a very old spellbinders die but i thought the edge had a bit of a rope effect look to it.  I then watercoloured the scene with distress inks.  Once dry i stencilled on the sun with lemonade distress oxide ink, keeping it soft around the poem.  I stamped the seagulls a 2nd time, watercoloured and cut out the posts and seagulls and decoupaged onto the base image with pinflair glue gel for a little dimension.  Added a few white gel pen highlights.

Then adhered to a kraft card base card, I went with kraft card as once again felt it picked up on the theme. 

The poem reads

I must down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide is a wild call and a clear call that may not be dented; and all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying, and the flung spray and the blown spune, and the sea-gulls crying.

Items Used:

Chocolate Baroque stamp set 'seashell collage'

Spellbinders die set S5-217 'Valiant honor'

Sheena Douglass 8x8 stencil 'sunrays'

Distress Inks  tumbled glass, salty ocean, chipped sapphire, vintage photo, wild honey, aged mahogany

Distress Oxide 'squeezed lemonade'

Kraft card

This month we have these beautiful set from Lisa Horton as the prize so do hop over to We Love Stamping to join in and be in with a chance of winning

Thank you all for stopping by once again. I hope you all have a good week whatever you get upto.  Emma

Id love to enter the following:

https://dd-tripleb.blogspot.com/2025/07/july-2025-challenge.html

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https://thefourseasonschallenge.blogspot.com/2025/07/summer-season-july-2025.html

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https://tuesdaytaggers.blogspot.com/2025/06/add-some-text.html

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https://craftyanimals.blogspot.com/2025/07/challenge-96.html

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WLS Jan#2 - Trio of mermaids

Good Morning everyone

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

ANYTHING BUT SQUARE -  so any other shaped card 

or you can always use the anything goes theme as long as stamping is involved.

After all the Christmas and many Dec & Jan birthdays i craft for, I take time out to give my craft stash an annual tidy up ready to start the next crafty year.  I have a drawer where i put things left over from projects and that is where i found these mermaids, fish and die cuts so i decided I would use them all together.

Card size approx 7x4.5"  I took 2 of the white die cut shapes, scored a spine on one and adhered it to the back of the other one, thus making my shaped card base.  I then covered the front with sea themed patterned paper.  I die cut a smaller frame from white card and added to the front with foam tape.  I then arranged the mermaid and fish, adhered some flat and some with glue gel for dimension.  Sentiments stamped onto white, cut out and added.

The Mermaids and fish had all been previously stamped onto white and watercoloured with inktense pencils, cut out and glossy accents added to the eyes.  I then added a touch of diamond stickles here and there for a little sparkle.

This shows the dimension better and you can see how it stands up.

Version 2 made the same way

and Version 3

These images are such fun, a great way to brighten up a grey winters day

Items Used:

Funky Fossil stamps

Spellbinders grand labels 4 dies (very old!)

12x12 paper pad from the works

Derwent inkense pencils

Rangers stickles 'diamond'

Glossy accents

Do hop over to We Love Stamping to join in with your anything but square projects or you can just go with the anything goes theme, as long as stamping is involved. 

You could win these lovely prizes from aall&create if you join in.

Thank you all for stopping by once again. Emma

Id love to enter card #1 in the following

https://fabnfunkychallenges.blogspot.com/2025/01/challenge-608-all-things-bright-and.html

https://addictedtostamps-challenge.blogspot.com/2025/01/challenge-484.html

https://2sistersontheblog.blogspot.com/2025/01/challenge-93.html

https://www.stampingsensations.uk/2025/01/january.html - handcoloured image - i coloured mine with inktense pencils

https://creativeknockouts.blogspot.com/2025/01/539-something-to-say-polkadoodles.html

https://cinspirations.blogspot.com/2025/01/january-challenge-something.html - something old - the stamps, dies, papers are all years old

 

Sun, Sea, Sand #2

Good Morning everyone

Mid way though July so time for another sun, sea, sand inspired make at We Love Stamping

or you can always go with the anything goes option as long as some stamping is involved 

This time ive just gone with the sea

Ive used this lovely printed acetate from Stamperia for my card front, so it gives a lovely glossy finish with its sea print.

I stamped the aall&create whale scene onto white card with greeny blue ombre ink pad and die cut into spellbinders labels 4 shape.  I added stencilling to the background with pale oxide inks & stamped some bubbles.

I stamped the whale again onto more white card this time with a dark blue ink, watercoloured with pink and peach distress inks so that it contrasts with all the green//blue, cut out just the whale and decoupaged onto the base image with glue gel.

I stamped some shells with the same pink, peach & lilac inks, cut out and arranged onto the card front along with some real shells ive collected over the years.  Stamped sentiment and some stickles glitter glue details to finish.

This is really thick weight acetate so I just used it as the card front and used plain white card for the back, i scored a flap at the top of the white card to which i attached the acetate.  I rounded the corners with my corner chomper which easily cuts through the thick acetate & 300gsm cardstock together - the rounded corners pick up on the rounded edge of the die cut

This months prizes that you could win 

Items Used:

aall&create stamp 'sea life'

Chocolate baroque stamp set 'seashell collage'

Visible image stamp set 'swim deep'

Lavinia stencil

Stamperia acetate - clear prints (SBA415) 'Vagabond in Japan'

Distress Inks ' picked raspberry, shaded lilac, 

Kailiedacolor ombre inkpad 'Caribbean sea'

Thank you for popping by once again.  Its scary how fast the weeks are passing and that next week the schools break up.  Emmax

Id love to enter:

https://inkspirationalchallenges.blogspot.com/2024/07/inkspirational-challenge-320-designers.html  - Ive used stamps from aall&create, chocolate baroque & visible image

https://starstampz.blogspot.com/2024/07/challenge-60-anything-goesin-or-beside.html