Lavinia Stamps Challenge for December....

Morning all, and welcome to the very last LAVINIA STAMPS challenge of the year....can't believe we'll soon be into 2015!

The challenge for December is ADD A FLOWER .....and all we want you to do is make something with either Lavinia Stamps or Lavinia Dies, and include a flower/flowers on it....easy peasy!

The prize for the winner ( chosen by random.org ) is a fabulous £40 voucher to spend on the Lavinia website.

Here is my DT card for this challenge...

 The background on this card is coloured with Pan Pastels....I love the vibrancy of it.

I've used FAIRY HOUSE and BELIEVE stamps,  Tattered Flower die from Sizzix and Leaf Flourish from Marianne.

 

A bit of Glamourdust and some sequins and 'Voila'!

Hope you like it.....

Back soon with a review of the year from Oak House Studio, and pics of my Saturday workshop.

Barbara xx

Don't forget to checkout the inspiration from the rest of the DT, it's amazing! xx

A very simple 'tag' tutorial for Oak House Studio

Hi everyone, back again, with a very easy tag tutorial for OAK HOUSE STUDIO

While doing some 'winter' themed projects for the November challenge, I unearthed some stamps I hadn't used for a while....CHRISTMAS WREATH SET 

I have lots of Oak House Studio white tags, but typically couldn't find them for this project, so had to cut some....
I've used white linen from
PAPERMILLDIRECT 

1)  I stamped the branches using Green Oak inkpad, and the sentiment using black inkpad.

 2) Using Spring Green inkpad I stamped the cluster of holly leaves from the Christmas Wreath set, randomly over the branches.

 3) I then mixed some Green Oak inkpad with Peridot acrylic ink together to make a darker shade, and over-stamped with a single holly leaf.

4) I painted in a few holly berries with Valentine Red inkpad and an aquabrush.

When they were dry, I dotted 'Glossy Accents' over the berries, to give them a bit of shine.

5) A bit of red metallic cord, and done!








 I liked the effect so much, I made a couple of cards to match....

Well, that's all for now, catch you soon,

Barbara.....

Don't forget to get your entry into the Winter Challenge....

There's a fab prize of £40 for the winner, and also a personalised stamp for the back of your cards!

'Winter' challenge at Oak House Studio......

Evening all....just popped by to tell you of the new November challenge at 

OAK HOUSE STUDIO

The theme this month is WINTER.

Just make a card or two, with stamps from Oak House Studio, and enter the challenge....the prize for the winner is £40 worth of products.

Here are a couple of DT cards for inspiration....

This is a shaker card .

All cardstock from 

PAPERMILL

White embossing powder, cobalt blue inkpad, snowflake set, sentiment and beech tree stamps from Oak House Studio

Stamps and cardstock as above.

Why not pop over to the Oak House blog, and find out what the rest of the DT have been making, there's lots of inspiration.

Catch you soon,

Barbara

x

I'm entering these cards into the following challenges :-
DREAM VALLEY CHALLENGES
MY CRAFT CREATIONS
SPARKLE 'N SPRINKLE CREATIVE CHALLENGE
ADDICTED TO STAMPS
CRAFT A SCENE
STAMPING SENSATIONS
STORYTELLER

New Special Offer from Papermilldirect....

Hi everyone, it's time for another 'Special Offer' from

PAPERMILL

This lovely Biscuit card, at 240gsm is available in a small sized box (approximately 80 A4 sheets) for the mouth watering price of only £5.50.  

I've used my Silhouette Portrait for this DT work, thanks to some new friends from a lovely little craft shop in Trowbridge, Wiltshire called EMBOSS & BEAD ......the ladies have kindly helped and persuaded me to use the machine which has sat new, in it's box for 8 months!

This is the very first project done on the SP, a very simple idea, but I'm thrilled to bits with it, LOL

I've used PAPERMILL cardstock in white linen, BISCUIT, brown and red.....and lovely little snowflake stamps from OAK HOUSE STUDIO to decorate the box. 

What do you think???

I'll be back over the weekend with details of a great new challenge from Oak House Studio, but until then, happy crafting.

xx
I'm entering this project into the following challenges :-
Creative Moments
City Crafter Challenge
Creative Card Crew
Through the Craftroom Door
Dream Valley Challenges

New Lavinia Stamps challenge - Snow and Sparkle

Evening all, hope you've had a great weekend, so far. 

I've been busy with TWO workshops, so I've had a fab weekend, spent with lots of crafty friends, new and old.

 I'll show photos from the workshops in a day or so, but first onto the new challenge at 

LAVINIA STAMPS

This month the theme is

SNOW and SPARKLE....

There is a £40 prize for the winner of the Lavinia challenge, the only stipulation is that you use Lavinia Stamps....simples!

Here are my DT cards.

ALL cardstock from

PAPERMILL 

Imagine a super, frosty day, bright sunshine, and crisp snow.....

Now, imagine a cold, crisp evening, with a full moon.....

Twit twoo!

The pine trees stamp is one of my most favourites...of all time!

Why not pop over to the Lavinia challenge blog,

HERE

and see the inspiration from the rest of the team, it's fabulous!

http://eileenscraftyzone.blogspot.co.uk/ Eileen

http://paulinescraftyhaven.blogspot.co.uk/ Pauline

http://zoeblingcards.blogspot.co.uk/ Zoe

http://elliescupboard.blogspot.co.uk/Hellen

http://stampingwithbibiana.blogspot.co.uk/ Bibiana

http://karenslittlegiftsandcards.blogspot.co.uk/ Karen

http://wendyscardcraft.blogspot.co.uk/ Wendy

http://karenbcreations.blogspot.co.uk/ Karen

http://julie-rainbowdays.blogspot.co.uk/ Julie

http://craftingdiary.blogspot.co.uk/ Melissa
 

You can enter the challenge by email, if you haven't got a blog.

Catch you all in a day or so.

Barbara x

Happy Halloween........

Happy Halloween....

I HATE 'All Hallow's Eve'......simply can't understand why peeps would want to promote death, ghosts, ghouls, and torture etc.

This is the only card I have made.....from necessity.

Super-smooth and black cardstock from PAPERMILL

Red acrylic ink from OAK HOUSE STUDIO

Computer generated sentiment.

Enjoy the evening, if it's your type of thing.

Back soon with something nicer,

Barbara xx

Guest Spot for Try it on Tuesday

Morning all, just a quick little post from me today......

A few weeks ago I entered a tag into a challenge at TRY IT ON TUESDAY .....and won ;-) I was asked to do a 'guest spot' for today's blog (thank you ladies).....the theme is Autumn.
Why not pop over to TIOT, and join in the fun.....?

Here is the tag I made....

I've used a few different coloured inkpads from 

OAK HOUSE STUDIO

The leaf stamps are from

LAVINIA STAMPS

Sentiment from

INKYLICIOUS

and

Cream 'hammered' cardstock from

PAPERMILL

I quite like this tag, the colours appeal to me.

Hope you like it too....

Catch you soon,

Barbara x

OAK HOUSE STUDIO - Mini 'ONE STAMP' event.

Morning everyone, happy Saturday....

There is a 'mini ONE STAMP' event on today, over at 

OAK HOUSE STUDIO

The idea of the 'one stamp' event is to use ONE stamp in as many different ways as possible....this time it's the turn of the lovely CHRISTMAS CORNER.....available HERE

These are my DT cards using the Christmas corner stamp.....hope you like them.

ALL cardstock is from

PAPERMILL 

Heat-embossed and coloured with Colour Chemistry inks from

Oak House Studio

Same method, then coloured with Cosmic Shimmer....(the pic doesn't show up the lovely sheen on the flowers)

The sentiment stamps are also from Oak House Studio, of course.

As above but a bit more 'clean and simple'

My least favourite, but I'll send it to someone whom I don't like, hahaha

I've used pearl silver embossing powder on this one and acrylic inks from Oak House Studio.

Don't forget to pop over to the blog and see the fab inspiration from the rest of the team. You can also join the facebook page - Inkspired by Oak House Studio - to keep up to date with offers etc. 

Catch you all soon,

Barbara x

New Challenge at Lavinia Stamps....

Hi-di-hi everyone......it's ages since I blogged, so hope you're all still with me ;-)

We had a fab holiday in Morocco, and came home refreshed and ready to crack-on with stuff that we've been putting off for months....ie decorating, clearing the garden, going for long walks with Finn.....all those things that are better done in Summer of course, but we just didn't have time then...hey-ho!

 I'm also gonna have more time to craft now, as we've employed a full-time manager in the pet shop, and I don't need to go in 3 days a week...yeah!

Anyway, onto this month's challenge at LAVINIA STAMPS...

the theme is AUTUMN COLOURS.

As usual, the prize is a whopping £40 to spend on Lavinia products, and you don't need a blog to enter, we also take email entries. 

You need to use Lavinia products to enter, so grab your stamps, and get busy....

I've made a couple of tags this month...hope you like them.

                              

                           

On this tag I've used the stamp

  Nigela Damascena

      HERE 

 one of the tiny star stamps, a sentiment,

and loads of copper embossing powder and spray inks 

from

OAK HOUSE STUDIO

 

This tag uses the same spray inks

with the Zen, large mushroom house,

HERE

and a couple of the foliage stamps.

I absolutely LOVE the Autumnal colours, but I don't like Autumn very much....it's because no matter how pretty the colours are, the trees are closing down for Winter and everything is dying.

Anyway, not much we can do about it, so may as well just enjoy the colours, and look forward to CHRISTMAS!!! 

Catch you all soon,

Barbara x

New challenge at Oak House Studio

Morning everyone, and what a great day it is, 'cos we're going on holiday today .....yay! Morocco here we come. Last time we were there, the temperature reached 49 degrees......It won't be so hot on the coast, but that's fine....it's the break we need, as opposed to the heat.

Anyway, best get on and tell you that the new challenge at OAK HOUSE STUDIO  has started, and the theme this month is 'Autumn'.....There are FIVE prizes of £10 to spend on Oak House Studio products, and you DON'T have to have a blog. Pop your creation in the album on the Inkspired by Oak House Studio facebook page here to be in with a chance of winning....oh, and of cousre you have to use their products.......

Here are my DT cards for this challenge.....

All cardstock from PAPERMILL  

All inks, stamps and embossing powders from

Oak House Studio

Love this sentiment!

    Catch you all soon....maybe a post from Morocco! 

Barbara xx

A new challenge at Lavinia Stamps....

Morning everyone.....the sun is shining, whoohoo!

Today sees the start of the September challenge at LAVINIA STAMPS and as usual, there is a fantastic prize of £40 to spend on whatever you want from the Lavinia website.  The theme this month is 'USE SOME RIBBON'...easy peasy!

Lavinia products MUST be used, and you can enter via your blog, OR by email. So, without further ado, here are my DT cards for this month....

ALL cardstock is from 

PAPERMILL

Inks and embossing powders are from

OAK HOUSE STUDIO

Hammered cardstock give a great 'blotchy' effect when inked. 

The Lavinia stamps I've used on this card are

Vine ( here )

and

Dandelion ( here )

Sentiment (one of my faves) ( here )

Cardstock & inks same as above.....

Lavinia Stamps used are

Leaf trail ( here )

and

Fairy dust silhouette ( here )

So everyone, hope you like them.

Please pop over to the Lavinia Stamps website as there are LOADS of new stamps available. ( I'm watching for the postie, as I write this blog, waiting for my new images being delivered )

Please checkout the rest of the DT creations, they're amazing...

  

Back soon

Barbara xx

I'm back.......!

Hi everyone.....well, finally I have a few minutes / feel well enough / have the energy to blog....first time for over 3 weeks! Everything seemed to come at once, and although I've THOUGHT about blogging, I just haven't had the time.....or the inclination. Feeling much better now, thankfully, and trying to get back to normal before our hols, in two weeks ....YAY!

So, a quick blog to show a couple of cards I made as part of my DT work for PAPERMILL, weeks ago. Very simple cards to show the hammered effect on white cardstock.  (still one of my most favourite designs)

                                      

I like the 'clean' look to this card. The polka dot was printed onto white cardstock too.

White 'hammered' again, with flowers from

 PETAL LU 

and a Jofy sentiment.

Well. I did say they were simple cards, didn't I ?? LOL

I'm taking part in a blog hop this weekend....if you have time, pop over to the facebook page of

CRAFTING CAFE

and checkout the fabulous inspiration. I'll be working my way around them all later tonight.

BTW, Papermill have another fab offer on this week, checkout the website for full details. (link above)

Catch you all in a day or so, but until then, have a good weekend,

Barbara x

THREE great offers from Papermill this week......

Hi everyone, PAPERMILL have THREE fab special offers on this week......

1) Antique White Pearlised - 300gsm - small box, 75-80 A4 sheets - £7.50

2) All 'essentials' - ie white/cream hammered/linen cardstock. 10% off all orders.

3) A chance to win a great pack of hand-crafted flowers from PETAL-LU - check the Papermill blog for details.

Here are a couple of cards made with the 'Antique Pearlised'

I have inked the cardstock with spray inks from OAK HOUSE STUDIO

The stamp is from Little Claire.

All Oak House Studio inks and stamps (except the LOTV sentiment)

Both cards have Papermill 'Mocha Brown' bases.

All white hammered cardstock, including the polka-dot background, which I ran through the printer as a digi-background.

The 'HOME' die is a Sizzix Bigz. I cut 6 pieces and piled them on top of each other to give depth.

Back soon with a few more samples,  made with 'essential' carstock....don't forget to stock up while the 10% offer is on.

Barbara

x

Lavinia Stamps challenge.....Add some glitter

Hi everyone, back again with my second post in 2 days......I can't quite believe that I used to blog every day! Where did I find the time?

Anyway, the new challenge has started today at LAVINIA STAMPS.....the theme is 'add some glitter'.

As usual, a fab prize of £40 is up for grabs.... however to be entered into the draw, you must use Lavinia Stamps, of course.

These are my DT inspirations for this month.....

All cardstock is from

PAPERMILL 

I just wanted this card to be simple and elegant. I still love cards with lots of white.

'White linen' works so well for this type of card.

This is the FUCHSIA stamp from Lavinia, still one of my favourites.

All inks on these cards are from

OAK HOUSE STUDIO

Lavinia Stamps used are :-

Cherry Blossom, Vine, Nigella Damascens, Dandelion

Here is a close-up of each one....

Well, that's all for today....enjoy your weekend.

Catch you soon,

Barbara x

New 'special offer' from Papermill......

Morning all, how's things?

Have you been over to the fabulous, brand-new PAPERMILL website yet?......( HERE ) It's full of gorgeous products....envelopes, papers, and top-quality cardstock in some amazing colours. (good cardstock helps make your creations look so much more proffessional ). Pop over and checkout the weekly 'Special Offers', there's always some bargains to be had.

This week, it's a mixture of lovely summer colours.....In the box you will get Bright Orange, Raspberry Pink, Pale Turquoise, Dark Violet, Daffodil Yellow and Ocean Blue.....a 'midi-box' for only £21.60 which is a saving of 10%. Of course there are lots more offers on the site, so hope you can find time to have a little look.

These are my DT projects, using some of the special-offer cardstock....

Bird mobile.....using lots of summer colours. the sun was too bright on the day I took this pic, so the colours don't show up too well.

I wanted this card to use 'rainbow' colours,

On this little set of cards I used the large daisy stamps, and coloured inkpads all from 

OAK HOUSE STUDIO

Hope you like these projects.....I'll be back soon with the new challenge from Lavinia Stamps.....it starts tomorrow x

Barbara.
I'm entering these projects into the following challenges :-
Art Impressions
MOO-MANIA
Stampotique Designs
Kraftin' Kimmi
Deep Ocean Challenge

Oak House Studio, and Lavinia Stamps challenge finishing soon........

Morning everyone......just a quick post to remind you that the challenges at 

OAK HOUSE STUDIO

and

LAVINIA STAMPS

are coming to an end on 31st July......so still time to get your entries in......

A MASSIVE £40 prize from both companies, for the winner, so what are you waiting of??

The theme for the Oak House Studio is 'Wedding', so this could be a wedding card / stationery /or anything 'weddingy'.....if that's even a word LOL

These are my DT projects....

 

All cardstock, on every project, from 

PAPERMILL  

Large 'Walesby Heart', sentiment stamps and Colour Chemistry Inks from

OAK HOUSE STUDIO

 A simple stationery set using 'Mountain Ash' stamp, Rose inkpad, and embossing powder from Oak House Studio.

Sentiments were computer generated.

 

The Lavinia Stamps challenge theme is 'Summer Colours'.....this was one of my DT projects.

Hope you can all find time to still join in these challenges....they both finish on 31st, so no time to waste.

Catch you soon, with details of a new promotion from PAPERMILL....

Barbara xx

Christmas in July.....another great offer from Papermill

Morning all, hope you're well, and surviving the heat....never happy, are we??

I have a very quick post today showing my first Christmas card of the year......very strange thinking of snow, in 26 degrees.....

Anyway, for those who like to get ahead on Christmas crafting, PAPERMILL have a great offer this week.

15% OFF ALL POSTBOX RED and FOREST GREEN CARDSTOCK and MATCHING ENVELOPES

Small Box (approximately 80 Sheets) only £5.73
Mid Box (approximately 260 Sheets) only £17.00

This is a fab offer and a chance to start early on Christmas plans.....I only got one card finished this week, don't know where the time is going at the mo, however I'll have a few things to show you in my next blog.

Don't forget to pop over and grab this offer, before it sells out,

Catch you soon

Barbara xx

There are some great inspirational projects from the rest of the DT, here are their blog deets xx

SYLVIA - Designs for Occasions

RUTH - A passion for cards

SANDIE - The crafty side of me

LISA - Paper Craft Bliss

ANGELA - Polly Purple Horse

 SHARON - The other side of me revitalised