Shades of blue

Hello crafters, 

Today we have a new theme for our Allsorts challenge, "Shades of Blue", chosen by Liz. You can also enter with the Anything Goes option. up to 5 times! My inspiration make is this tag all in blue bar the matt: 

I did all my stamping first, using different colours of Versafine ink.
Stamps are all Lavinia: 
Oak Leaf Flourish (LAV760)
Fantasea (LAV721)
Bulrushes (LAV003)
Forest Moss (LAV857)

I then created the background, also with Versafine Clair inks using a smoothie. The moon (a simple circle) and the boat were masked to preserve the lightness.
I added a few strokes of pastel pencils to anchor the bulrushes and represents ripples in the water.
The base and the black mat were die-cut with the #27 Tag It Yourself die set by AALL & Create  

Hop over to the Allsorts blog to see all the DT inspiration and upload your projects. There are two prizes of Lavinia Stamps and stencil (photos not to scale) to be won!

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield   I am entering the Addicted to Stamps, Polkadoodle, 

                                                        Stamping Sensations and We Love Stamping challenges

My Valentine

Hello crafters,

I am kicking the month of February with not one but 2 romantic cards... 

First up a card for the Allsorts challenge, where the fortnightly theme chosen by Gail is Romance/Music. As usual you can also enter with the "Anything Goes" option.

I used the Lavinia stencil (Leaf Trails) with Distress inks, Memory Box dies (Cupid with swing, Pinpoint Heart Circle, Heart Sprinkles) and an envelope die (Docrafts) to contain my heart confettis from the Heart Sprinkles die.
The sentiment is made up of a Crafter's Companion word die and alphabet die (Sizzix Monde de Blonde).

I relished using some of my antique stash in this make, maybe a little too sweet for a man but I doubt it will make a big difference to him!

*************

Hop on to Allsorts for the chance to win stamps and stencils (random selection) from AALL and Create. You can enter up to 5 times and worthy entries will earn a place in the Top 7.  

 

  

Thanks for coming by,
 Craftyfield       I am entering the Simon Says Stamp Monday. 

                                                            Simon Says Stamp Wednesday and Addicted to Stamps  challenges

Wintry Scene with Lavinia

Hello crafters!
Today I have a first inspiration make for our Country View Challenge held in the Facebook group. This month the theme is "Wintry Scenes" hosted by Rachel.

More snow in my scene than in real life in England...

I created the background with Versafine inks and paper masks for the "hills". 

I stamped my Fairy Fir tree (LAV478), Small Pine Trees (LAV836), Forest Moss (LAV857) just peeking from the snow, the Small Robins (LAV928) and Mini Mistletoe (LAV926). Most of those are new to me so I just had to use them!

I die-cut the scene and a matching mat with the AALL & Create #78 - Die-Cutting Die Set - Roadway Vistas die set.

A few dab of gel pen here and there for snow and the white of the mistletoe berries finish the scene.

I hope I have inspired you to enter the challenge! Do hop on to our friendly group here and upload your project to the challenge album. You could win a prize from  the Country View Craft shop.

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield       I am entering the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday and 

                                                      Simon Says Stamp Monday challenges

Fairy Christmas

Hello crafters!
Today my second inspiration make for our Country View Challenge held in the Facebook group is another Christmas card.

I created my own snow globe stencil with the help of a die (Crealies CLCZ08) and applied Elements inks with a smoothie.

With another DIY stencil I sponged white pigment ink to create a hill.

I then stamped the Fairy Fir Tree (LAV478) several times with Versafine ink as well a small tree from the Lavinia Tree scene set (LAV219). 

I added Mia (LAV284) holding a Mini Fairy Lantern (LAV588)

For a finishing touch I splattered some iridescent medium with a brush, more interesting than white for "snow".

2 layers of mats and voila a magical Christmas card! As I write this I am realising that this is quite similar to a tag I made last month here.

To enter the challenge, hop on to our friendly group here and upload your project to the challenge album. a place on Zoe Hillman’s next workshop at the Country View Crafts shop in the new year!

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield       I am entering the challenge Stamping Sensations, 

                                                              We Love Stamping and Lost Coast Designs

Snowy scene with Lavinia

Hello crafters!

I am back for more inspiration for our Country View Challenge on the theme "Winging It" Hosted by Fiona.

I stamped the Fairy Fir Tree (LAV478) several times (1st and 2nd generation stamping) at the bottom of the tag with Versafine inks. I stamped the Moon (LAV431) and masked it.

I stamped and embossed Miniatures stars (LAV152) in white.

I added colour across the whole tag also with Versafine inks and  Smoothies, then stamped Mia (LAV284) to push the moon in place...

To finish I used gel pen on the tree branches and splattered some white acrylic ink over the tag.

To enter the challenge, hop on to our friendly group here and upload your project to the challenge album. You could win all 5 of the newly released Layer It Up Washis by AALL & create from the Country View Craft shop.

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield     I am entering the We Love Stamping, Stamping Sensations,  

                                                         Addicted to Stamps challenges 

Hummingbird

Hello crafters!

Today I have a first inspiration make for our Country View Challenge held in the Facebook  group. This month the theme is "Winging It" hosted by Fiona.

I chose this Lavinia Hummingbird for my Winged creature as it is a recent addition to my stash.

My background is alcohol inks on yupo paper.  I stamped the Hummingbird Small (LAV894) and the Open Dandelion  (LAV745) with Brilliance inks, letting them dry a full 24 Hours before colouring.

Since I didn't have small nib sizes of acrylic or Posca pens, I used water based markers to colour the bird. Those eventually dried, but, being a transparent medium, the background colours do show through.

I wanted the Dandelion in white and tried gel pen on the petals with mixed results: yes the gel ink dried and yes it added a bit of white but not enough to hide the background colours. [Add to shopping list: small nib acrylic pen...].

I then used my new favourite die (AALL & Create die set #32 Numberama) to cut both image and mat, before assembly on a white base card.

To enter the challenge, hop on to our friendly group here and upload your project to the challenge album. You could win all 5 of the newly released Layer It Up Washis by AALL & create from the Country View Craft shop.

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield     I am entering the Allsorts, Simon Says Stamp Wednesday, 

                                                         Stamping Sensations and We Love Stamping challenges 

Signs of Autumn

Hello crafters!

I am back for a second inspiration make for our Country View Challenge held in the Facebook  group, still on the theme of "Autumn Richness". This time I used the colours of Autumn for this whimsical scene.

I started by a Distress Oxide sprays background (Tea Dye, Picked Raspberry and Walnut Stain).

The stamps I used are all Lavinia, stamped with Versafine black:
- LAV 564 Mini Forest Mushroom

- LAV 630 Mini Seed Head

- LAV 745 Open Dandelion

- LAV 859 Scout Small

I gave a hint of a hill for the scout to stand on, and the plants to rise from, with some Distress ink. 

To mat my focal image, I made a decorative mat by cutting the same border die (Spellbinders Borderabilities Lattice Borders 2 S4-218) on all four sides of a piece of red cardstock. One way of making use of these old dies which never seem to see the light of day!

To enter the challenge, hop on to our friendly group here and upload your project to the challenge album. 

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield     I am entering the Stamping Sensations, Allsorts, 

                                                         We Love Stamping, and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenges

Autumn has arrived

Hello crafters!

Today I have a first inspiration make for our Country View Challenge held in the Facebook  group. This month the theme is "Autumn Richness" and to celebrate the new season, not that it's my favourite, I chose to make a decor item. 

The base has been recycled from a particularly big wooden packaging, the lightweight kind that comes with some ready made dishes. It was round but I cut it as an Octagon and flattened it (I have worked out that an ordinary steam iron works well for that). 

For the background to the "Autumn" I used the AALL & Create die set Infinarty (#39) and the Lavinia stencil Leaf Trails (ST017) with Distress inks.

I added my title, die-cut with the Sizzix Alpha set 662228 and stamped 2 leaves (stamp from my own collection).

The 3D elements are the fantastic mushrooms moulded with the Stamperia Silicone Mould Woodland Mushrooms (KACMA502) and the fallen leaves a mix of die-cuts and punched leaves from cardstock inked with Distress Oxide inks.   

For now, I have left the knots of the twine as you can see them whilst I mull over how I am going to transform the back into a Winter/Christmas decor piece, but, if possible, I will hide them with metallic leaf brads.

To give you an idea what it looks like in situ in the house: 

To enter the challenge, hop on to our friendly group here and upload your project to the challenge album. You could win the Paper Artsy bundle seen below from the Country View Craft shop.

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield     I am entering the  Allsorts, Simon Says Stamp Wednesday

                                                        Stamping Sensations,   We Love Stamping, 

                                                        Simon Says Stamp Monday challenges 

Bridge over Calm Water

Hello crafters, 

I indulged in scene making with Lavinia stamps... 

The stamps used are: 
- LAV72 Fantasea
- LAV866 Sacred Bridge Small
- LAV003 Bulrushes
- LAV478 Fairy Fir Tree
- LAV760 Oakleaf

For colouring I used Distress inks, coloured pencils, pastel pencils and gel pen.
Looking at it now, I'm thinking the perspective isn't brilliant and the morning light is a bit too subdued. Room for improvement... 

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield   I am entering the Addicted to Stamps, Allsorts and

                                                       Stamping Sensations challenges

Winter scene under the stars

Hello crafters another winter scene... this time I went for the more whimsical with the Lavinia Honeysuckle cottage (LAV687) fit for a fairy and the starry sky of a magical Christmas... 

I stamped and masked the cottage and created paper masks to colour sky and hills with Distress inks.  

In the sky I stamped and embossed the stars (LAV152 Stars Mini); on the sides of the card I stamped the fir tree (LAV478) with both green and brown inks (Versafine).  

I used colour pencils for the cottage and added some shimmering white ink (brilliance Moonlight White) with a sponge on top of the hills, roof and fir trees as if snow had settled there. But since this wasn't noticeable enough, especially in photos, I also used white gel pen on the trees and rocks. 

I considered adding a sentiment at the bottom and maybe will do later! 

Thanks for coming by, 

 Craftyfield   I am entering the Stamping Sensations (favourite colour is blue),
                                                        SSS Monday, and Lost Coast Designs challenges 

Brushos and Gelli plate

Hello bloggers,

Today I have 2 cards that could either be Christmas, or as I plan New Year cards. Both use Lavinia stamps and the oval and circle backgrounds have been printed using the Gelli plate. 

I made the background by inking the circle plate with light blue dye ink and sprinkled a tiny bit of brushos, Turquoise for the sky and Moss green for the "hills". Using my stamping platform, I stamped that first circle. Then I inked the plate with pigment ink and over stamped the background for a foggy effect. 

The Fairy Fir Tree (LAV478) was then partially stamped 3 times.
A few die-cuts to finish (Sizzix). 

The background was made the same way as before, except I splattered some acrylic ink for snow instead of stamping pigment ink.
The oval die-cut is from Craft Companion.

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield         My first card is entering the Lost Coast challenge.

Oak leaves and mushrooms

Hello crafters, today I have a bit of inspiration for our Country View Challenge over on Facebook on the theme of Autumn Magic.  

Before that a word to my email subscribers:

Yesterday you received an email from me with the two blog posts that were published last week. This is a case of technology gone rogue or rather my failure to understand how migrating to the new system worked...  It should all be fine from now on and today's post should not appear more than once...

The scene has been built with the following Lavinia stamps and a mix of dye inks and Versafine: 
- LAV431 Moon 
- LAV 564 Mini Forest Mushroom 
- LAV 760 Oak Leaf Flourish 

- Tree Scene 

Hills were created with paper masks, and I used a paper from an old pad and a piece of Kraft cardstock to mat the image. 
The final flourishes come in the shape of leaf brads, which I have had in my stash for decades, having bought them when they were all the rage... but aren't they perfect here?! 

So, if you haven't joined our Facebook group yet, hop on over and click on "Join Group", answer a few questions and upload your project(s) in the album. The DT shows off new makes every few days to inspire you... 

On another note... you may have noticed I have changed my profile picture, the vision in pink of a Sarah Kay girlie to which I hung on way too long, for a more representative image of my style, combining both my love of CAS and Vintage.

 
Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield   I am entering the Stamping Sensations, and Allsorts  challenges

Badger and Fantasea

Welcome to July and my first post for the new Country View Challenge! 

The theme chosen by the lovely Sue is 4 Legged friend. 

I am starting with this badger, a Lavinia stamp: 

I stamped the Badger (LAV443) and the Fantasea (LAV721) and masked them before stamping the Fairy Fir Tree (LAV478).

I then used Distress inks with brushes and torn paper to create sky, hills, lake and grass. 

I used colour pencils for the Fantasea, badger and sun.

Finally, I added some Berry Leaves (LAV577) with green inks and some punched flowers. Full disclosure - the flowers are hiding a mishap with a mushroom stamp...

I will be back for more inspiration but, in the meantime, it's your turn to create a project featuring a 4 Legged animal (and not a bird as per my initial thoughts...) and link it up to the Country View Challenge for the chance to win a £20 voucher for the Country View Craft shop.

*******
Heads up: Country View Challenges we will be taking a break in August and September whilst changes are made to the way the challenge is run. 

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield     I am entering the SSS Wednesday challenge, 

                                                        Addicted to Stamps and Allsorts

New season

It starting to feel a lot like Autumn.... Gone the scorching heat and place to crisp mornings, turning leaves and harvests. In tune with the season the lovely Debs has chosen the theme for our Country View Challenge to be "Season of Mists and mellow fruitfulness". 
This poetic theme immediately evoked the orange tinted sunsets of September and I created this scene: 

On glossy cardstock, I stamped the Moon (431)and the Honeysuckle Cottage (687) and masked the moon. 

I applied dye inks in an ombre style from red(ish) to green(ish) with a brush. 

All the other elements were stamped on top with Black Memento ink: 
Berry Leaves (577)

Mini Forest Mushrooms (564)

Tree Scene

I hope I have inspired you to enter our Country View Challenge. Don't forget there is a £20 voucher for the Country View Craft shop to win if you link up your projects! 

Just make sure you follow the theme AND the rules.

For more inspiration do check what the DT made on the Country View Challenge blog

Thanks for coming by,
Craftyfield     I am entering the SSS Monday, SSS Wednesday, Paperbabe and Stamping Sensations challenges

The moon, stars and Honeysuckle cottage

My lovely team mate Sue at the  Challenge has chosen Stars as the theme for our June Country View  Challenge. Daunting but such a good idea! Here's my take on this theme: 

The Moon and the Honeysuckle cottage were stamped and masked first, before I created the background sky, hills and grass with brayers and brushes using Distress inks. 

I stamped the path, trees and the Dandelions to finish. I lighten the stones on the path with a brush and water. 

Finally I stencilled the stars, a Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Mini Stencil Set #43, with thick Gesso. 

With hindsight I wonder if the placement is the best. my idea was stars around the cottage as if it was magic (with Lavinia we ARE in a magic world!) but in terms of composition I'm not so sure....

Anyway, it's up to you now, have a look at what the DT made on the Country View Challenge blog and link up your project to the challenge for the chance to win a £20 voucher for the Country View Craft shop.

Also... I heard they are some special Jubilee bargains to be had... 

Thanks for coming by,

 Craftyfield   

Monochromatic stencilling and stamping

 Welcome to my second inspiration post for our Country View Challenge, where the theme, chosen by Debs, is "Monochromatic".

I like stamping scenes and usually they are in colour so I thought this would be an interesting experiment for me.

I used masks cut out of paper for hills, a stencil for the clouds (Stamplorations) and the left hand motif is from a stencil created with an old punch (EK success). 

The stamps are all Lavinia: 

Tree scene

Badger

Mini mushroom

Leaf Trails

as is the Elements ink in Merlot I used for everything but the badger, and the Multifarious card. 

I hope I have inspired you to create a monochrome project to enter our Country View Challenge. 

For the avoidance of doubt you can use white and black as the lightest and darkest hue of your chosen colour but no other.  

Thanks for coming by,
I am entering the Casology and Paperbabe challenges.

Dreamscape Journal page

This did NOT turn out as I intended... 

My journal page for our Country View Challenge, on the theme "Not a card",  was to be Vintage, soft colours, shabby chic... Somehow we ended up with this bright, colourful and fantasy scene. Go figure...

I started with a Gelatos background on Gesso'ed pages:

I then removed colour through stencils, above Fibres from Visible Image and Tim Holtz mini layering stencil set #43  below

Then I used the star stencil from the same TH set and the Strobes stencil by Visible Image to finish the background.

By now I was well on the way to a landscape, with strange colours, yes, but I could see river(s), sun and stars... I retrieved some stamps and set out to further that impression.

I stamped a forest with Lavinia's Tree scene set and some Dandelions.

The Moon and Mia the pushy fairy... I think she pushed the stars in a maelstrom...

And finally Mini Mushrooms, the Large Path and some foliage (Berry Leaves):

And to reward you if you have read so far... the finished page:

I do hope you like my page and will be inspired to enter the Country View Challenge. If you do, you might win a £20 voucher for the Country View Craft shop. And that ain't bad, is it!

Thanks for coming by,
I am entering the Allsorts challenge.

The Gates of Halloween

Be afraid, be very afraid... mwahaha

Yes it's Halloween this month and the theme chosen by Monika for our Country View Challenge...
You must create a Halloween scene.

I stamped the Beware Gate (Stampendous) in Memento Black and the Moon in Memento London Fog (Lavinia) first, then applied Distress inks with Distress Foam in Carved Pumpkin, Chipped Sapphire, Wilted Violet and Forest Moss.

The Halloween word has been created by die-cutting individual letters with the Tim Holtz/Sizzix  Alphanumeric Script set (662228), which was given to me by a generous crafty friend.

It came in really useful as I don't "do" much Halloween and so have limited supplies on this particular theme!

Over to you now, have a look at what the DT made on the Country View Challenge blog and link up your project to the challenge for the chance to win a £20 voucher for the Country View Craft shop.

Thanks for coming by,
I am entering the SSS Wednesday, Unikostudio challenges.

Pushing the Dandelions

Today I have another make for the Country View Challenge where the theme is "Do More Of What Makes You Happy", chosen by Sue. So use your happy colours, favourite stamps etc..

This turned out completely different to what I had planned... As I love scenescapes, I was going to ink my way through a classic whimsical landscape in the Lavinia style with my new stamps.

After a number of false starts I have ended up with an alcohol ink background and my old favourite Lavinia stamps. Still, also something that makes me happy...

I made the background by spreading alcohol inks on a piece of plastic (you can use yupo, metal or any kind of non absorbent substrate) as my "palette" and used alcohol lift ink and an oval polymer plate to lift the colours and transfer on my white card.

I stamped all 3 flowers from the Dandelions set  in black Versafine, curving the stalks as I wished and added the faerie (Mia isn't in stock at the moment but there are plenty of other fairies here).

For finishing touches, I added a piece of paper lace coloured with Oxide Distress inks in Walnut, a flower die-cut (X-cut Trim Borders) and a die-cut sentiment (All occasion Dies).

You still have 10 days to link to our Country View challenge, plenty of time to do something that makes you happy, and maybe win a £20 voucher which will definitely make you happy...

Thanks for coming by,

Seahorse

I should have been showing you rabbits, chicks or hens today but... Seahorses have been popular in the stamping world recently and I had valiantly resisted buying one. Then, I saw this cute one from Lavinia and caved... I love the delicate filaments of this design.

My background is Gelatos on a polymer rectangle sprayed with water (wouldn't recommend this method, inks work much better for this).

I then stamped the Seahorse with black Versafine and overstamped with Versamark, using my stamping platform.

I needed the base colour of black for the Seahorse to be visible when in the shade, but in the sun... it's the silver mica I applied over the Versamark that is visible :

I added a wooden anchor (old stash) and 2 sentiments from the Sizzix Thinlits Vacation Words by Tim Holtz.

Happy Easter!
I am entering the Allsorts, Craft Stamper TIMI, Penny Black and more  and Addicted to Stamps challenges.