Inky Play

 This card started with one of the Gelli plate backgrounds which I made recently - makes sense to do a few while the 'messy' stuff is out.  I then looked through some of my stamps and pulled out this fairy which for some reason immediately brought to mind the Piped Piper of Hamelin.  I don't have any rats to follow him (or children either) but did come across this gaggle of geese which I though would be a fun twist on the idea.  Finished off by stamping foliage and flowers around - I dithered a bit about adding a stamped sentiment, still not entirely sure about this but it's done now so no going back 😉.

Background - Gelli plate using Distress Oxide inks and Brushos
Stamps - mix of Lavinia stamps with some others from my  (growing) collection

New Home

 A card to share today, made using dies from more than one set and also some more of the beautiful New Horizons DSP.  A few layers here to create this scene which I thought would be ideal  to welcome someone into a new home.

House - from Peaceful Cabin set Stampibn' Up (retired)
Main Scene - New Horizons DSP, stamps and dies Stampin' Up

Still Away with the Fairies

 I believe there's a saying 'a cat may look at a King', but this particular one is gazing at a fairy, poetic license maybe 😉.  I started by masking off the edges of my card with low-tack stencil tape before adding some thin gesso through a leafy stencil to act as a resist. When dry this was followed  by lightly brushing some colour; then stamping the fairy and toadstools.   A little bit of second-generation stamped text was added for interest and a simple sentiment, leaving the cat to be stamped after the masking tape had been removed..

Fairy, cat and toadstools - Lavinia stamps
Text and sentiment - stamps from my stash

A Fairy Dwelling

I really enjoyed building up the colour to showcase this quaint dwelling.  The image was stamped onto a piece of white card followed by carefully cutting out a mask so that I could then add all the other details. The final thing after removing the paper mask was to colour the dwelling with pencils. 

 

 Stamps - Bumble Lodge, flowers and leaves Lavinia Stamps
Stencil - from Lavinia stamps
Colouring - Polychromos pencils
Sentiment - from a set of stamps I've had for ages, probably free from a magazine

Allsorts #679

 The theme for the Allsorts Challenge this time is **anything goes, with an option of sun, sea and/or sand)**.  I've incorporated all three options on my card as well as a lighthouse.  I've die cut an oval and then stamped the various components, masking where necessary before putting it together into a fairly simple card. The stamps I've used are no longer available but the same company has some similar ones in their current catalogue. Great prize again this time and some lovely inspiration from the design team.

Stamps used - from High Tide set by Stampin' Up (retired).

Class in the Post

I do treat myself to the occasional class in the post if I like the look of the theme but as the cards are usually small in size I tend to rather do my own thing with the designs and make them into larger cards by adding matching papers or card from my stash.  The most recent class features the lovely Wisteria Wishes dies - such an attractive flower both in real life and on these cards.  The first card was extended to a 5" x 7" and the square one was designed as a gatefold but I adapted it to fit a 6" square.

 Class - from Jenny at Stamping Moments, Stampin' Up Demonstrator

More Toadstools

 I've made another card with toadstools but this is nothing like the one I made the other day.  This time I've rummaged into my smaller snippets and die cut a selection of toadstools and other bits and pieces because I wanted a card for the latest Snippets Playground Challenge.  Everything came from my snippets mountain apart from the base card blank.  I embossed the oval background to add a bit of interest and then built up the arrangement of ferns, berries, toadstools etc.  The ladybird was stamped onto a small snippet of red and clear embossed to give it a shine.

To celebrate the Jubilee there are double prizes this fortnight but you have to be quick to catch the first one as it ends on Saturday 4th - read all the details by following the link to the Playground and if you enter,  good luck!!

Toadstools and Ferns etc - Funky Foliage die set from Sizzix
Ladybird -  Bugs stamp and die set from Sizzix Tim Holtz
Ovals - from Tonic