A little Craft Consortium goodness!

Happy Thursday lovely crafty friends.

It's been a while since I've been on my little old blog but I'm back and I'm really excited to be here today to share my very first post as a new member of the Craft Consortium design team.  

Anyway, let me share with you what I've created with goodies from their recently released 'Leather Bound' collection.  This collection is gorgeous and so versatile there's stamps and beautiful papers - I have lots of ideas running around in this little old head of mine lol! 

So let me share my card I have made.  I had such fun making this.  

Papers and Stamps:-  Craft Consortium 'Leather Bound' collection

Raffia and button from stash

I chose a couple of papers from the paper pad.  Then inked up both of the texture background stamps and heat embossed them with some metallic embossing powder on to the papers just to add that extra layer of interest. Sliced up the papers into strips and stuck them alternatively on to my card base.  

I then inked up the coffee cup stain and heat embossed it onto a sheet from the paper pad.  I roughly tore around the shape of the stain and dirtied the edges with some distress stain.  I also decided to added a few of the sentiment stamps from the collection, added a little raffia and few gold pearls and my card was done.

A little side view of my card in which you can hopefully see better the texture from the background stamps.

So that's all from me today.  Thank you so much for stopping by my little patch it really is very much appreciated.  Don't forget to check out the Craft Consortium's Official Network Facebook page.  There is so much inspiration over there and the rest of my team mates have been crafting up a storm with the new collection. 

Happy crafting peeps and I'll be back soon with some more inspiration.

Take care, 

Ann-Marie

xxx

Challenges I would like to enter:-

Stamping Sensations  -  Anything goes (optional Valentines/Romance)

Love to Craft  -  Anything goes

Creative Crafters Challenge  -  Anything goes

Beautiful 'Sky'

Happy Tuesday lovely crafty friends.  A quick pop in to share one of my latest makes with you .... a little bit of fairy love courtesy of the fabulous Lavinia Stamps and beautiful 'Sky'.  I just love this stamp and you can't go wrong with a toadstool either.

An inked background and a couple of foliage and flower stamps later and it all sort of just came together.  Not sure I'm happy with how the moon ended up but I'm not touching it any more.  I used lots of Sakura Stardust pens, Posca and paint pens to add accents to the flowers and toadstool.  I sort of just ran with it and had to step away at some point lol!

So that's my little fairy card for today.  This is a card for my mum to give to her friend for her birthday.  I'm actually really happy with how it turned out.  In fact I like it so much I don't really want to give it away so I may just do it again and frame it for myself.

Right so that's all from me.  I've made a few cards lately just haven't had time to share them but hopefully I'll be back in a few days with another.

Take care folks and happy crafting.

Ann-Marie

xxx

Challenges I'd like to enter:-

Allsorts  -  anything goes (option of summertime)

Sweet Stampin  -  no designer paper

The Fairy and the Unicorn  -  anything fantasy goes

The Crafty Addicts  -  anything goes

Unicorn Challenge  -  no designer paper

Lots of sparkle ...

Happy Monday lovely crafty friends.  As the title suggests I have been playing with lots of sparkle and nobody does sparkle quite like Chloes Creative Cards.  I treated myself to the new wedding collection she released not long ago and boy it is absolutely gorgeous and so very versatile.

As lots of my posts will show I'm normally a stamp and colour kind of gal so this is something a little different for me.  Lots of sparkle (and it's not even Christmas) and lots of layers but it was so much fun to make.  I kept with a silver and white theme and it's beautiful.

Everything is from Chloes Creative Cards except the mirri card, ribbon, pearl paper I've used to create the flowers and the stamens.  The pretty borders are even Chloes and I used her fab chisel tip glue pen to accent them with glitter also.

Here's a closer look at the sentiment and flowers:-

I apologise I'm not a photographer so the piccies are not the best and the light was terrible, but you get the idea.

So that's all from me today folks.  I'm off to have another quick crafty session before I concentrate on feeding the herd.  I'm back at work tomorrow so it will be a case of squeezing craft in where I can but hopefully see you soon.

Take care lovelies and happy crafting.

Ann-Marie

xxx

Challenges I would like to enter:-

Crafting Happiness challenges  -  anything goes (option of flowers)

Creative Inspirations  -  anything goes

The Creative Crafters  -  anything goes

The Crafty Addicts  -  anything goes

Midnight Magic

Happy Monday crafty friends.  This is me making an effort to update my blog with my makes.  I must get in the habit of sharing here every time I upload to Instagram lol! 

 

So here's one of my latest cards made using lots of lovely Lavinia Stamps images.  It's a little scene made using Lavinia Elements inks for the background.  These were a Christmas present and it's the first time I've used them.  I must say I'm very impressed with them.  The main images were stamped with a variety of Versafine Clair inks and coloured with Derwent Inktense pencils.

I actually coloured the flowers with Sakura Moonlight gel pens and highlighted the leaves with them also.  I like to do this as I think it adds some definition.  I did add Stickles glitter to the flowers which looks really pretty but unfortunately my ploppy photography isn't picking it up lol!

Anyway, that's my little share for today.  I do have other makes to add so I will try and upload these too.

Take care folks and happy crafting. 

Ann-Marie

xxx

Fay loves Fall

Well look at me .... sharing a second autumn card lol!  This is me making an effort to keep my little old blog up to date.  So how many autumn themed makes can I get in before Christmas takes over.  I'm already itching to play with my crimbo stash but I'm determined to make a few more, although I have had some gorgeous new crimbo goodies arrive in the post this week so it's going to be hard not to at least have a little play.

Anyway, as my title suggests I have another autumnal card to share with you.  Again using another Stamping Bella image ... this is tiny townie 'Fay loves Fall' and isn't she adorable.  She's been coloured up with copics to compliment the gorgeous Raspberry Road papers.  

Image:  Stamping Bella Tiny Townie 'Fay loves Fall'

Sentiment:  from the same stamp set

Medium:  copics

Papers:  Raspberry Road Designs download 'Autumn Evenings'

ribbon and gems from stash

A list of copics used just in case you would like them:-

Skin:  E41, E50, E53, E33

Clothes:  G40, G43, G46, G29/E33, E35, E37, E39

Hair, Shoes & Basket:  E43, E44, E47, E49

Pumpkin:  YR21, YR24, YR27, E39

That's all from me this evening folks.  I'm off to paint some pumpkins to add to my tiered tray.  Won't be long before it's time for real pumpkins too ... I can't wait.  Anyone else excited over pumpkin season?  Last year was the first year I spray sealed them and put them out on my front step.  They lasted for ages so got to get me some more for this season.  My hubby thinks I'm nuts lol!

Anyway, have a lovely weekend, take care and happy crafting.

Ann-Marie

xxx

Challenges:

Colour Crazy Challenge (Wk 37)  -  anything goes

Creative Knockouts (#470)  -  fall

Stamping Sensations  -  feminine

Autumn love

Yay, folks it's officially Autumn! I can't tell you how happy that makes me.  I'm really not a summer person and I'm well and truly over it not that I was ever really in it lol but you get what I'm saying.  

Anyhow, it's been such a long time since I've shared anything on my little old blog and it's not as if I haven't been crafting I just never seem to get around to posting it on here.  Today, however, I am sharing some Stamping Bella autumnal vibes with you.  I just love this stamp and decided to make a slimline card for a change as it just seemed to lend itself to it.  The lush papers are a download from Raspberry Road Designs and are beautiful.

Image:  Stamping Bella Tiny Townie 'Autumn loves Autumn'

Medium:  copics

Papers:  Raspberry Road Designs 'Fall Breeze'

A little close up of the image.  Isn't she sweet.  A little bit of doodling some lines around the image as I thought it was just missing something.  I love doing this and they really don't have to be precise.

Just in case you find it useful for a list of colours, here are the copics I used to colour her up.

Skin:  E41, E50, E53, E33, E35

Hair/shoes:  C1, C3, C5, C7, C9

Clothes:  R20, R22, R24, R27 + BV25 for added shadow

/E02, E04, E07, E09/YG11, YG25, YG63, YG67/YR31, YR21, YR24, YR27

Toadstool:  R20, R22, R24, R27 + BV25/W1, W3, W5

Okay, so that's me done for today peeps.  I'll try my very best not to neglect my blog too much but you can always catch me over on my Instagram page .. that's the place where it all gets updated first lol.

So, take care lovelies, have a wonderful week and make sure you get yourself some crafting in ... it's always good for the soul!

Take care and happy crafting.

Ann-Marie

xxx

Challenges:-

Get Creative Challenges  -  Fall/Autumn

Stamping Sensations  -  Feminine 

Allsorts  -  anything goes

Colour Crazy Challenge  -  anything goes

The Four Seasons  -  September anything goes fall

Simon Says Stamp  -  anything goes

Creative Inspirations  -  anything goes

  

Bluebell Woods

Happy Sunday lovelies.  It's a rather wet and stormy day here but I don't mind I like listening to the thunder just not when I'm on my own.

Anyway, I am behind sharing all my makes with you so I have a backlog to upload on here but for today this is my latest card I've finished.  Again it features lots of Lavinia Stamps I'm sorry I do seem to be a little obsessed with them at the moment.

So my background was made with distress inks that I'd smooshed onto my glass craft mat and spritzed with water and then dabbed my white card into.  This was dried thoroughly and then I just began making my scene up I was aiming for a bluebell wood.  I didn't achieve the depth I wanted in my card but by the time I'd added all the highlights and everything I think it's a keeper.  Anyway, it was all coloured with Inktense pencils and soft pastels and lots of highlights added to the flowers, leaves and trees with Posca and Sakura gelly roll pens.

A really quick stop by me today.  I hope you like my little creation.  I really do learn something new every time I play with these stamps and ink and I have such a fun time.

So until next time, take care lovelies and have fun crafting. 

Ann-Marie

xxx

Challenges

Stamping Sensations  -  floral and fauna

Addicted to Stamps and more  -  any occasion

King of the Forest

Hello lovelies and a very happy Wednesday to you.  It's been a little while since I've popped anything on here so I'm putting that right today.  My crafting time of late has been a little erratic what with work and just general life but I have squeezed some craft in when I can. 

So what better way to get back into the swing of sharing my makes than to show you my latest card using some Lavinia Stamps images.  My background was made using a mix of Tim Holtz Distress Ink sprays and mica sprays.  I painted the moon using a Lavinia stencil and acrylic white paint and once dry used some soft pastels to add shadows so it wouldn't appear so flat.  The only thing I definitely knew when I started the card was I wanted the fabulous stag to appear in front of the moon and the rest of the card sort of just came together by playing with some tree stamps. 

I highlighted the trees with a silver gel pen and added a few orbs with a white gel pen and smudged some white pastel around them to soften them.  Whilst I had the white gel pen out I went a little crazy adding lots of stars lol but I like the effect.

Overall I'm quite happy with how it turned out.  I'm still learning with my spray inks and making backgrounds but I'm loving the process although they don't all make it to cards some end up in the bin but it's fun playing.

So that's all from me this time peeps.  I will try and not leave it so long between posts on my blog.  My Instagram account always seems to get updated first maybe it's because I find it quicker I don't know but I will make an effect to update here too.

Take care lovelies and happy crafting.

Ann-Marie

xxx

Challenges I would like to enter my card into:-

Crafting Happiness  -  anything goes

Stamping Sensations  -  anything stamped with option of wings or tails

We love Stamping  -  anything stamped option of stencilling

 

Mushroom Forest

Hello lovely people and a very happy Sunday to you.  I have a few cards I haven't shared on here yet.  I must admit I'm guilty of sharing on my Instagram page but my poor little blog gets a tad neglected.  I always think to myself "I'll do that later" and then never do.  Do folks even read blogs anymore? or is it all Insta and TikTok now?  I don't know but for now I shall make an extra effort to update here as well.

So my latest is another card and it's fairy themed again.  I just love my fairies lol but then you know that.  I think I shall call this one 'mushroom forest'.  I've used Lavinia Stamps images and stamped in Versafine Clair ink.  My background was made with lots of blending of Distress Inks and a Lavinia Stamps template for the moon.  I coloured the spotty mushrooms with Inktense pencils and those that were 'solid' images I used some soft pastels and Sakura metallic gel pens to add light accents.  All in all I love how it came together.

Images:  Lavinia Stamps - 'Spellbound fairy', 'Spotty Toadstool', 'Meadow Mushroom', 'Fairy Toadstool', 'Creeping Vine', 'Luna Lights' and 'Slender Mushrooms mini'

Backgound:  Distress Inks - Tumbled Glass, Mermaid Lagoon, Wilted Violet, Blueprint Sketch, Picked Raspberry and Lucky Clover

Images stamped with Versafine Clair in Nocturne and Twilight

I used a metallic silver gel pen to add highlights to the mushroom/toadstool stalks and the hanging luna lights and then just dotted some acrylic paint pens around for like little flowers and fairy dust.  Oh and not forgetting my white Signo gel pen for the stars that are just peeking through the foliage.  No fairy is complete however without a little sparkle so if you look closely you may see her twinkly wings but photography is not my forte so it doesn't show up as much as I'd like.

So that's all from me today.  As I said I have a few more cards to share so I'll be back in a few days.

Take care folks and happy crafting.

Ann-Marie

xxx

I would like to enter into the following challenges:-

Allsorts  -  add some sparkle

The Fairy and the Unicorn  -  anything fantasy goes

Cute Card Thursday  -  anything goes

Falling Flowers

Happy Monday lovely crafty peeps.  Hope you are all doing okay and staying safe in this somewhat crazy world of ours.  Well we have been in isolation for the past 10 days as my son tested positive for Covid.  I'd just received his NHS letter through too to book a vaccine jab typical really.  We have been very lucky though and he only felt unwell for a few days so they were very mild symptoms indeed.  So what do you do when you can't go anywhere ... you craft of course!

I was having a little looksie through some of my stash and I came across an older Bildmalarna stamp and I'd forgotten just how cute they are.  I coloured her up with my copics to compliment the papers which I also found amongst my stash and must be years old lol! 

Image:  Bildmalarna Little Winged Friends 'Falling Flowers'

Medium:  copics

Papers:  Making Memories 'Sydney' (old stash)

She really is adorable and a dream to colour.  I decided to mat all the papers onto black card.  I like using black card behind papers as it really makes them pop.  I didn't add too much 'fussy' stuff didn't think it needed it, although I did do a little doodling around the image with a black fine liner.

Copic list

Skin:  E41, E50, E53, E33, R20

Hair/Shoes:  E43, E44, E47, E49

Clothes:  B60, B63, B66, B69/G40, G43, G46, G29

Flowers:  Y21, Y23, Y26, YR27, E08/B66, B69

Okay that's all from me folks.  I'm back to work tomorrow so an earlier night for me but I think I can still squeeze in a couple of hours of colouring before I go.  What to ink up next though?  I'm off to have a rummage through my stash.

Take care and happy crafting.

Ann-Marie

xxx

Challenges I'm entering into

Crafting Happiness challenges  -  always anything goes

Simon Says Stamp  -  anything goes (option slimline)

Cute Card Thursday  -  anything goes

Allsorts  -  anything goes (option roses)

 

 

By the light of the silvery moon

Happy Saturday lovely crafty peeps.  It's a very quick drop in from me today as I'd like to share one of my latest cards made using Lavinia Stamps and distress inks.

As I've mentioned before I'm very new to making backgrounds and building scenes it's a complete learning curve for me not just the placement of everything but also the colour blends of the inks.  I've listed under my card the inks I used to create the background and I've got to say this combination is going to be a firm favourite of mine.  

So let me share my card.  I've used lots of mediums on here.  Obviously distress inks blended out for the background.  I created the moon with a Lavinia template and then gesso and soft pastels.  All of the Lavinia Stamps were stamped using Versafine Clair inks in various colours to compliment the background and out came my Sakura Stardust pens and Nova metallic markers to highlight some of the foliage images and add like little flowers.  Finally, everything was flittered with a little microfine glitter especially the wings of the fairy.  I'm rather pleased with my bat flying across the moon too.  I don't have masses of Lavinia Stamps yet but I wanted something to be like flying across the sky/moon so I used my mini Sycamore £1 stamp, stamped it but didn't stamp out the stalk part and altered it slightly with my black fine liner pen to look like bat wings and a little head and ears and I've got to say I just love it!

Images:  Grace(small), Creeping Vine, Fairy Buttercups, Lavender, Orchard Grass, Slender Mushrooms Mini, Mini Sycamore

Stamped with Versafine Claire (Nocturne and Twilight)

Background:  Distress Inks (Seedless Preserve, Salty Ocean and Peacock Feathers)

Okay, so that's all from me today.  I'm off to have another play around with my stamps and backgrounds.  I find where I'm still learning things it can take me a little while to actually finish a card and I dither quite a bit with where to place all the stamps.  I'm hoping I'll get less hesitant as I do more lol.

Happy crafting folks.

Take care 

Ann-Marie

xxx

Challenges

Crafty Calendar  -  anything goes

Sweet Stampin  -  something beginning with B (I'm going with bat and colour blue)

The Fairy and the Unicorn  -  anything Fantasy goes

Cute Card Thursday  -  anything goes

Last of the sun's rays

Happy Wednesday lovely crafty people.  I hope you are all diddling okay.  It's been a tad soggy here in fact I think it's rained every day this past week, but on the upside it's perfect weather for hiding yourself away in your craft room.

I have another card to share with you guys.  It's another one I've made using lots of Lavinia Stamps.  Still out of my comfort zone as normally I just stamp and colour, but really enjoying getting inky and theres lots to learn.  In my head it wasn't meant to turn out quite so bright but hey I love it all the same.  The background was made using Distress Inks, Lavinia Stamps stencils and Versafine Clair inks and I just accented the sun and mountains with soft pastels.  I also grabbed my Inktense pencils and added a little colour to the toadstools and fairy wings.

The beautiful fairy is 'Raven' and she has got to be one of my faves and she's just perched on the branch taking in the last of the evening sun. 

Stamps used:

Lavinia Stamps - 'Raven', slender mushrooms mini, lavender, 

meadow mushroom, fairy toadstool.

Versafine Clair ink pads:

nocturne, chianti

Distress Inks:-

scattered straw, spiced marmalade, seedless preserve

Okay so that's all from me today.  I've managed to grab an unexpected day off so time to play I think.

Happy crafting folks.

Take care, 

Ann-Marie

xxx

Challenges:-

Crafting Happiness challenges  -  anything goes

Love to Craft  -  anything goes

Allsorts  -  anything goes

Creative Fingers  -  anything goes

A sprinkling of fairy dust

Happy Monday lovely crafty peeps, it's been a little while since I've popped on my blog to share anything.  I have still been making things it just kinda gets uploaded to Instagram first and that's as far as it gets.  However, this is me making a concerted effort to contribute more to my little old blog.  

So let me share my latest with you.  Well you know how much I love anything fairy and magical so after watching a fair few You Tube videos I finally took the plunge and ordered some Lavinia Stamps.  It's a completely new direction for me what with inking my own background and making scenes and stuff.  So out of my comfort zone but I had so much fun.  I had a few disasters before I actually got to the finish line, but hey what a fun learning curve!

Okay so my background was made using Distress Inks and I used a Lavinia Stamp mask to create the moon with gesso and soft pastels.  I dug out my Inktense pencils to add a little colour to some of the stamps especially the beautifully tree 'Druids Inn'.  All of the stamps used to create the scene are Lavinia Stamps and I've stamped using a range of Versafine Clair ink pads.  I used a touch of soft pastels here and there where I wanted a little more depth such as on the mushrooms and the door in the tree and as finishing touch I used some metallic markers to make all of the little tiny flowers as it needed something and I didn't want to add any more stamping.  

I must say I'm quite pleased with the outcome.  Considering I didn't really know what I was doing I just went with it I'm quite surprised I had something worth photographing.  After matting it on complimenting cardstock and I have one finished fairy card which will probably makes it way to my mum for her birthday.

That's all from my crafty cubbyhole for today which incidentally is a complete mess after making this so let the clean up operation begin!

Take care folks and I promise to not leave it so long next time.

Happy crafting.

Ann-Marie

xxx

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:-

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends  -  always anything goes

Allsorts  -  create a landscape or scene

Sweet Stampin  -  things with wings

The Fairy and the Unicorn  -  anything fantasy goes

Creatalicious challenges  -  anything goes (option of 'things with wings')

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge  -  feminine

  .  

Winnie Christmas Wreath

Hello crafty peeps.  It's been a bit of an odd week in our household.  My daughter returned to school and my son has now left.   It was hard seeing her go but it needed to happen.  She was so excited to see all her friends again it was lovely to hear about everything when she got in from her day.  The school, to be fair, have done an excellent job in trying to get 1800 pupils back into education and it's going to be a learning curve in these strange times so I think we'll just take each day as it comes.

So, how have you all been?  I've noticed a fresh crispness to the air first thing in the morning now and the leaves are just starting to turn so looks like Autumn is just around the corner.  This pleases me greatly as it's my favourite season.  I spent a day switching up all my planters on my decking and front garden with flowers in beautiful autumnal colours and it's lovely to sit on the decking of an evening and watch my solar lights slowly come on one by one and light up the flowers, so pretty.

Anyway, I digress lol.  I'm actually popping in today to share my latest DT make for Polkadoodles Crafting Challenge.  Our theme for the team this week was 'Christmas' but for all you lovely peeps wanting to join in with us you can share anything you like it doesn't have to be Christmas related or even Polkadoodles goodies for that matter.  You can share anything with us and we'd love to have you join us and be in with a chance of winning some goodies.

Well, for my make I decided to ink up Winnie Christmas Wreath.  I stamped and coloured her with my copics to match the beautiful LDRS 'Country Christmas' papers.  I used a little Frantage around the edges of the die cut oval.  I love this stuff and I really should use it more.  I didn't really want to crowd my card with too much so opted for a simple bow and a couple of poinsettias.  I just love these poinsettia dies too.  They cut and layer up beautifully and I love how delicate they look.

Image:  Polkadoodles 'Winnie Christmas Wreath

Medium:  Copics

Papers:  LDRS 'Country Christmas'

Dies:  Polkadoodles 'Poinsettia Lace' die set

Ribbon and pearls from stash

My usual close up of Winnie.  She's so sweet isn't she and what struck me when I got her is it's a real decent size stamp to work with and you get a little separate robin stamp in the set too, although I haven't used it on my card.

Okay so that's all from me today.  I better dash as I've got school uniform and stuff to get ready for tomorrow.  I guess that's one thing I didn't miss ... getting the lunch boxes ready and ironing school uniform lol!

Take care folks and happy crafting.

Ann-Marie

xxx

Challenges

Allsorts  -  incorporate things you love (for me that's my favourite colour red, absolutely anything Christmas, my favourite colouring medium copics)

Jingle Belles  -  Baby it's GOLD outside

Krafty Chicks challenge #524  -  Christmas