Bunny with grapes for LOTV

Hello lovely peeps

 Here's my second LOTV Design Collective card for March

I've used another one of the returning favourite stamps, this one is Get Well Bunny. Poor thing, needs to drink up her carrot juice and get better.

I've coloured her in with Promarkers and Graph-It pens. I kept the bedding white because this card is going off to my cousin who is currently in hospital with pneumonia. Hope you're better soon hunny bun xx

I added Glossy Accents to the bottle and medicine for a bit of shine.

I've made my own background by stamping onto a plain-ish patterned paper (First Edition).
To make the bunches of grapes I first punched a small circle from foam - this was my stamp.
Next I spread some purple acrylic paint onto a piece of cut and dry foam with a palette knife - this was my ink pad.

I then stamped several circles together in a vaguely bunch-of-grapes-shape. The stem was painted in with green acrylic by just flicking my paintbrush upwards. I repeated this a few times to make a pattern.

To distress the edges a bit I stamped randomly around the outside with black Memento ink on a crackeglaze stamp (IndigoBlu)

I've finished off with flowers cut using Tim Holtz's tattered flower punch/strip die.

I would like to enter this in the following challenges:-
Retro Rubber Challenge  #34 Hopping Down The Bunny Trail (had stamp 2 years)
Through The Craft Room Door - Always Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp (Wed)Cute And Cuddly
Colour Your World with Lacy Sunshine Anything Goes

 The Corrosive Challenges #3 Anything Goes 
The Craft Barn  background of circles
We Love 2 Create #6 Anything Mixed Media Goes
Crafty Girls Creations  #16 Anything Goes
Simply Papercraft  #25 Anything Goes
Where the HeART is #7 Easter/Anything Goes 
  

Thanks for stopping by,

Katrina x

New LOTV stamps - Jasmine and Oliver

Hello lovely peeps.

You may remember a few years back some of the first unmounted stamps that LOTV brought out featured the young teenagers Jasmine and Oliver.

Well now they've grown up a bit and there are some fabulous new stamps coming out on March 31st.
 The best part is that they are available to pre-order on the Lili of the Valley website AND there's a great multi-buy offer - get 4 for £16 :D

I've used the gorgeous 'Jasmine Laptop'  for today's card.
I've coloured her in with Graph'Its and Promarkers

There are also lots of lovely new sentiment stamp sets coming out, with another multi-buy offer - 3 sets for £35. I've used one from the 'Teenage Girl Sentiments' set - these are fab, they remind me of personalized car number plates :D  The background paper is an ancient one from my stash (Colorbok?)

I would like to enter this in the following challenges:-

The Ribbon Girls Spring/Easter or Anything Goes
Scrapbook Stamp Society Challenge Blog  Anything goes with option of Lace and or Ribbon
Crafty Girls Creations  #16 Anything Goes
Creative Card Crew  108 - Chicks (animal or human kind)
Crafty Gals Corner #62 ~ All About the Girls
Clear It Out Theme: Anything Goes Stash: Patterned paper over a year old!
Paper Creator's Crafts #45 Spring Colors
Creative Craft Cottages Challenges #59 Let's Get Sentimental
Crafting With An Attitude  #13 Anything Goes
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper  Anything goes with Patterned Paper
 

Thanks for stopping by,

Katrina x

Spring Challenge at Lili of the Valley

Hello lovely peeps

There's a Spring Challenge running over on the Lili of the Valley Facebook page at the moment. It's running until 6pm on Sunday 13th April so you still have plenty of time to enter - you just need to make something 'springy' with a LOTV image.

There are some fab prizes on offer for 5 winners that we will pick at random. The first 4 will have the choice of any of the following;
Any 2 sentiment sheets or
any 5 rubber stamps or
any Cross Stitch Kit or
£20 to spend in our Ebay Store (where there are still many die cut sheets and toppers)

The lovely Ribbon Girls have also offered a fab £10 voucher, thank you Mary and Andrea x www.ribbongirl.co.uk

For my card I've used one of the gorgeous stamps that was re-released  recently. There are 14 returning favourites -  available again for a limited time only. This one is Spring Bunny with Daffs

I've coloured him in with Promarkers
Bunny - Tan, March Hare, Satin, Blush, Khaki, Pastel Beige
Daffs - Apple Cider, Lime Zest, Mustard, Daffodil Bloom, Ice Grey 1

The background was done with a Sizzix embossing folder called 'Happy' and the greeting is from the LOTV For You Circular Sentiments set. I've glued some coco fibre behind it along with some foliage cut from some old My Minds Eye papers.

For the bottom of my easel card I've used part of a retired stamp called 'Leap Frog', stamped directly onto yellow ombre paper and coloured in. The flower and stamens are from Wild Orchid Crafts - I coloured the stamens with a promarker to match the centres of the daffs.

I would like to enter this in the following challenges:-
Crafty Sentiment Designs - Spring
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge Blog #267 Feathers or Fur
Creative Corner  Bunnies Everywhere!     
The Ribbon Girls Spring/Easter or Anything Goes
A Snowflakes Promise  #17 - Anything Goes with a a spring theme
Oddball Art Stamps  Add a Sentiment
Penny Black and More  Feature a Creature

Thanks for stopping by,

Katrina x

Hey Chick for Lili of the Valley

Hello lovely peeps.

Here's my second LOTV Design Collective card for February.

I've used papers from the 'Sunny Side Up' 8x8 pad (retired) and the chicken from Little Critters - Hey Chick

 Obviously she has to have a name. She looks like a Matilda to me, I'm going to call her Tilly for short.

First I made my main background by painting white gesso onto some Kraft card with a damp paintbrush, which I then left to dry.

Next I coloured Tilly in with Promarkers

(Poppy, Daffodil, Tulip, Almond, Putty & Blender)

I die-cut a plain and scalloped circle from two of the papers to give Tilly a frame to sit in and then covered up her nest with some raffia. The flowers are from Wild Orchid crafts (Foundation White Blooms) and I've just added red adhesive gems in the centres (Kanban)

I would like to enter this in the following challenges:-

Fan-Tastic Tuesday #124: anything goes with a twist ... make it cute
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge Blog #265 Anything Goes
Brown Sugar #186 - Anything goes
Winter Wonderland - Clean and Simple
The Ribbon Girl - February 'Use any image'
Lemon Shortbread - #9 - Anything Goes
Creative Inspirations #345 - Anything Goes + option of  a sketch
That's Crafty! - Circle It
Stamping Sensations - Anything goes

Thanks for stopping by,

Katrina x

Squidgy Flowersoft Heart for LOTV

Hello lovely peeps.

Here's my first Lili of the Valley Design Collective card for February.

I've stamped up 'Odd Dog - Squidgy Heart' onto Neenah Solar White card and coloured him in with Promarkers (Almond, Putty and Tawny Owl). I then filled in the heart with PVA glue and sprinkled on 'Raspberry Fizz' ultra fine Flowersoft.

By the way, if you're doing this technique with something that has a finer texture I would suggest using Zig two-way glue or double sided adhesive. I tried PVA glue with embossing powder (I love the look of it unmelted) but because my glue wasn't perfectly even it ended up all bumpy.

I've layered my topper onto papers from the 8x8 Rose Garden pad by First Edition/Trimcraft. The hearts were cut with X-Cut nesting heart dies and I scribbled around the edges with a black fineliner pen.

For the tag I used one of the stamps from the Sentiment Tags set (also Lili of the Valley). I found a bit of ancient pink raffia in the deepest depths of my stash* to thread through the hole I made with my pokey tool.

* I found the burgundy hessian down there too :D

I would like to enter this in the following challenges:-

In The Pink #87 With Love

Crafts Galore Use a digi or stamp for February
 ARTISTIC INSPIRATIONS #149 Anything goes / twist of valentine
The Ribbon Girl - Make a card - Anything goes
THE PENCIL CASE  L = Love/Romance 
Creative Corner Challenges - Happy Valentine's Day/Love
Brown Sugar #184 - Valentine/Love
Simon Says Stamp (Wed) - Have A Heart
Inky Chicks #62 - LOVE (LETTERS) AND/OR HEARTS
Incy Wincy Designs - Love is in the air
Deep Ocean #122: "Hearts"
Creative Moments #86 Always Anything Goes/ optional twist Romance/Love

Thanks for stopping by,

Katrina x

Vroom vroom

Hello lovely peeps, hope you are well.

I'm just popping in quickly to say that the fabulous new trio stamps are now available on the Lili of the Valley website. I think they're going to be popular, so you'll need to be speedy if you want to be among the first to get them :D

I've made another card with the Vintage Car Trio, this time coloured with Distress Inks and teamed up with some old K&Co papers.

Challenges:-
Sweet Stampin - Vintage or Shabby Chic
Make My Monday Newest or Most Favourite Stamp
Tuesday Throwdown  # 278 Anything Goes
Mod Squad Challenge  - Masculine Birthday
Inspiration Destination #70 Anything Goes
Always Playing With Paper #58 {Masculine Photo Inspiration}

Thanks for stopping by,

Katrina x

Purrfect

Hello lovely peeps.

Here's my second Design Collective card for January.

I've used one of the mini stamps that were launched in November. 

This one is called Happy Cat.

I stamped onto Sheena's Stamping Card and then coloured him in with pencils. The papers are from the original Docrafts Gorjuss collection. 

I inked up part of a sentiment from Handwritten Phrases with Adirondack Espresso Ink (just use some scrap paper to mask off the part you don't want to include while you're inking up the stamp).

The letters were cut out with an X-Cut Alphabet die strip called 'Rome' 

I would like to enter this in the following challenges:-

Crafting From The Heart #96 Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp (Wed) - CREATE WITH CRITTERS
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #26 Anything Goes
Creative Inspirations #343 - Anything Goes + Option of a Sketch!
Creative Moments #84 Anything Goes w/optional twist "Let it Snow"
 Simply Papercrafts #21 Anything Goes

Thank you for stopping by,

Katrina x

Cute Cottage Garden for LOTV

Hello lovely peeps.

If you hadn't heard, the Lili of the Valley paper pads and art pads are being discontinued, so if you want any then you need to head off to the website and snap them up before they're all gone. 

My first January card for the Design Collective uses images from the 'Cute Cottage Garden' art pad and the 'Heartfelt' paper pad* - these are both still in stock at time of writing.

*The dark red paper is from Always and Forever Solids (no longer available at LOTV, but still available as a digital download from Nitwit)

I've also used one of sentiment stamps in  'Set 7 - For You Circular Sentiments'

The basis of my design is a sketch from the current Stamp, Ink Paper Challenge as I thought this was a good way to showcase the beautiful papers.

I would like to enter this in the following challenges:-

Stamp, Ink, Paper #29 –Sketch
Craft your passion - #293 Anything Goes

TTCRD - Anything Goes

Inspiration Destination #67 Anything Goes

Creative Inspirations #342 - Florals

As you like it - Anything Goes

In The Pink #85 - ANYTHING GOES

Craftyhazelnuts Patterned Paper Challenge - Jan

Where The HeART Is #5 Anything Goes

Sisters of Craft - Anything goes

I'll be back at the weekend, thanks for stopping by,

Katrina x

p.s. there's only 5 days left to enter my 100th post blog candy draw

Snowman Serenade

Hello lovely peeps, hope you are well.

Here's my first December card for LOTV, using 'Snowman Serenade'. I had to have this stamp - the idea of carolling snowmen really tickled me, plus I love a good old sing-song (in a big crowd so my voice gets drowned out blends in).

I've coloured the image in with Graph'It markers

Lantern and Carrots: 1210, 1230, 1270

Snow: 9500, 9501

Stones: 9506

Scarves: 7105

LOTV's Christmas Wishes A5 stamp set is really useful as there is a whole range of sentiments on it in different fonts and it includes 6 lines from Christmas carols.  I chose 'Tis the Season to be Jolly' because the snowmen look like they're having a fab time.

The papers are from the Winter Wishes 8x8 paper pad and I covered the bottom of the card with cotton wool dressing. I cut the 'Fa la la la la' out of silver mirri card using my Craft Robo.

I would like to enter this in the following challenges:-

Sweet Stampin - Snow Time

The Craft Barn Christmas

Pile It On  #98 - Anything Christmas/Winter

Crafty Sentiments Designs - Christmas Cards

Papertake Weekly - Fun Fun Fun

A gem of a challenge #159 Anything Christmas Goes

Crafty Friends #20 Christmas

Addicted to Stamps #115 Christmas

Holly Jolly - Anything Goes Christmas

That's Crafty! - Seasons Greetings
Fussy and Fancy  #154 - Happy Holidays!

Thank you for stopping by,

Katrina x

Skiddy Skates

Hello lovely peeps, hope you are well.

Here's my second November card for LOTV (in the nick of time!!)

This is 'Skiddy Skates'. He's normally holding a bunch of holly but I've cut around that bit and given him a sign to hold instead. The papers are from the 'Winter Wishes' 8x8 paper pad and the greeting is from the 'Christmas Wishes' clear stamp set. I've picked a suitably ambiguous greeting so this card would do for a winter birthday or Christmas.

I've coloured him in with my Graph'It markers (and a couple of Le Plumes for the blue)

Hat, scarf & gloves: B711, B715

Jumper: 3210, 9403, 9404

Trousers: 9501, 9502, 9503

Skates: 9401, 9402, 9404, 9405

Skin: 4150

The sign is just a strip and rectangle of white card with wiggly lines drawn around the edges. I cut a line between his thumb and fingers to slot the handle into before glueing his arm down. The trees are cut from another 'Winter Wishes' paper using a Sizzix die and edged with Antique Linen DI.

I would like to enter this in the following challenges:-

C.R.A.F.T.   #339 Winter
World of lacy Sunshine Anything goes
Cardz4guys #98 Fun in the Snow
Digi Choosday #47 Winter Birthdays
Creative Knockouts  #117 Festive Fun
 Crafting for all Seasons #115 Brrr It's Cold Outside
Where The HeART Is #3 Anything Goes/Winter Blues
Southern Girls - Patterned Paper Mix Up
613 Avenue Create #152 - Anything Goes 

Thanks for stopping by,

Katrina x

Antipodean Christmas

Hello peeps, hope you are well.

Today I have my first Design Collective card for November.

I have a cousin who lives in New Zealand with her family and they sometimes get to spend Christmas at the seaside, because of course it's summer over there in December (OK, I'm a teensy bit jealous). 

With that in mind I usually send Christmas cards with parcels etc. on rather than snow scenes. 

When the Lili of the Valley Calendar Fairies were launched in the summer I thought that 'August' would make a great Christmas fairy for my cousin's card. So here she is, with her festive red bathing suit.

 I found some ideal Christmas papers in my stash as they have hints of gold and aqua in them to match the sand and sea (they're from Dovecraft, about 3 years old). I also added a turquoise paper from the Beach Bliss 8x8 paper pad (LOTV).

I've coloured August in with my Graph'It markers

Sea: 7210

Sand: Ivory Promarker & 1210

Bathing Costume: 5210, 5220,5245, 9500

Hair: 3210, 3255

Skin: 4115, 4155, 4170

Shell: 9401, 9304, Budding Rose Promarker

Star: 1210, 1230

Snorkel glass: 7105

I would like to enter this in the following challenges:-

World of lacy Sunshine Anything goes
Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge  256: things with wings
 Craft your passion  #289 Anything Goes
 Papertake Weekly - Take Your Pick (Glitter it up)
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge Blog #255 Use something from your craft stash (papers, button)
Simon Says Stamp (Wed) - AG
Quirky Crafts Challenges #24 It's Nearly Quirky Christmas!
 Crafty Boots - Spots or Dots & GDT
 Graph It Colour Challenge #47 Christmas
Crafting With Friends #11 - Anything Goes
Simply Papercrafts #18 Anything Goes

Sweet Stampin Christmas - Stars
Whimsy Stamp Challenge #88 Anything Goes - Holidays
SSS Work it Wednesday - a holiday card
 

Thanks for stopping by,

Katrina x

Cold Hands, Warm Heart

Hello lovely peeps

 Here's my second Design Collective card for October. 

Nothing like leaving it until last minute, eh? Gosh, that month went quickly.

I've used the LOTV stamp 'Cold Hands, Warm Heart'. 

I love this one, it reminds me of the wonderful John Lewis advert that was on 3 years ago.

I coloured the stamped image in with Graph'Its and Promarkers.

His scarf: 9101 and 9102

Her scarf: 5255 and 5280, satin and march hare

Twigs arms: umber

Carrot noses: 3110

Snow: 9500, 9501 amd 9502

The sentiment is from the LOTV Christmas Sentiment Tags set and the patterned papers are from Nitwit (Woodland Wishes Too) .

The dies I've used are Sizzix Original die 'Tree, Pine', Cheery Lynn fence, and Marianne poinsetta.

I've added Fluffy Stuff to the trees and fence and sprinkled with fine glitter before heating.

I would lke to enter this in the following challenges:-

Allsorts Challenge Blog #335 - Christmas

Cute Card Thursday #397 - Sparkles

Crafty Catz #299 Lets Tag it...

Winter Wonderland - Anything Goes

Clear It Out Theme: Halloween or Christmas cards, Stash: Die cuts

A Snowflake's Promise #9 Winter/ Christmas

Holly Jolly - Snowman

Little Miss Muffet #123 - Tags

Simply Create Too #97-Baby It's Cold Outside

Whimsy Stamp Challenge #87 Fall Colours or Christmas

Natalie and Amy #38 'Winter Scenes'

Graph It Colour Challenge #43 Autumn/Christmas Colours

I'll be back tomorrow with a sneak peek of one of the Lili of the Valley stamps being launched at the NEC next week. They are all adorable, start saving your pennies :)

Thanks for stopping by,

Katrina x

It's raining leaves

Hello peeps. Hope you are all well.

This is my first Design Collective card for October.  

I love this time of year -  there are piles of leaves lying around everywhere and the child in me just cannot resist kicking up a few :D

The stamp is 'April' from the LOTV Fairy Calendar range, which was released in the summer. As you can see from my teamie Karen Oliver's lovely card, she's usually playing in the puddles after some April showers.

To prepare her for a bit of leaf-kicking I have given her sleeves and coloured her in Autumnal colours (mostly with Graph'Its)

Skin: 4115, 4155, 4170 and 4145
Hair: 3255 and 3280
Dress: 3210 and Ivory Promarker
Boots: 2150, 2180, 3130
Wings: 9500, 9501 (and glitter)

I've covered up the puddles with some tiny leaves which I cut from some paper scraps using my CraftRobo. The sentiment was stamped with one of the stamps in the Pretty Grungy - Good Times set, also LOTV.
I've inked the edges of the main panel with Pumice Stone Distress Ink and roughened the edges of my layers with scissors, to give the card a slightly grungy look.

I made a second version of this card to send to my lovely crafty buddy Sue.
This tags on this one were stamped with the Everyday Sentiment Tags stamp set from LOTV.
I can't make up my mind which version I like best. What do you think?

I would like to enter the top card in the following challenges:-
DRS Designs #197 Fall-ing for You!
Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge #103: anything goes with a twist ... use some leaves
Crafty Cardmakers #150 Autumn Colours
Creative Inspirations #332 - Anything Goes + Option of a Sketch!
Mod Squad Challenge  - FLIP FLOP
Addicted to Stamps #112 THINGS WITH WINGS 

Polka Doodles Add Sparkle, Bling or Glitter
Penny Black - Autumn colours
Stamping Sensations - Colours of autumn
Whimsy Stamp Challenge #87 Fall Colours or Christmas 
Crafty Boots - Autumn and Halloween
Crafting From The Heart - #83 Anything Goes
Craft your passion - #285 Anything Goes

Well, that's all from me for now.
Except to say go and kick up some leaves if you can, it's one of life's little pleasures.

Katrina x

Woof You

Hello lovely peeps. Hope you are all well.

There are fabulous special offers on the Lili of the Valley website from midday today (Wednesday) until Saturday. You can get 6 paper pads for £30, 6 art pads for £30 or 10 selected stamps for £30 (from a huge range). There is also free shipping!

This is another one of the stamps included in the special offer - it's called 'Woof You' and includes a sentiment. I have also used papers from the Always and Forever 8x8 paper pack, and a circle sentiment from the Pretty Grungy - Good Times clear stamp set.

The die-cuts were made using Eyelet Squares (Spellbinders) and Serafina Heart (Memory Box).

The image is coloured in with a combination of Promarkers and Graph'Its.
Fur: Putty and Cinnamon
Nose/Paws: 9205
Flowers: Budding Rose and 5280
Leaves: 8240 and 0000 (blender)
Ground: 9500 and 9502

I would like to enter this in the following challenges:-

The Ribbon Girl - Any Image Anything Goes

Glitter n Sparkle #158  Use some pink

Everybody-Art #340 Flowers

 Crafty Boots - Pink

Inky Chicks - Think Pink

 Kitty Bee Aloha Friday Animals (2 of 2)

Creative Inspirations #331 Clean and Simple or Fussy and Fancy (F&F)

Crafting From The Heart - #81 Anything Goes

Craft your passion - #283 Anything Goes

 Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - #19 Anything Goes

 Crafting With Friends #8 - Anything Goes

Thank you for stopping by,

Katrina x

Paint the Town

Happy Monday Peeps.

There will be a special offer on lots of fabulous stamps at Lili of the Valley this week (from Wednesday onwards). There will also be a Facebook competition running at the same time, so hop on over on Wednesday and join in the fun.

One of the special offer stamps is Painting Puppy. He's been running amok and dripped paint everywhere. You have to forgive him though, he's so adorable :D

This was great fun to do -  I splattered some watered down paint onto linen textured card and left it to dry for about ten minutes. The main image was coloured with my Graph'It markers and then matted onto card. Rather than spend ten minutes hunting out matching cardstock, I just coloured the edges of some white card with one of the markers I used for doing the paintbrush

For the paw prints I used two different sizes of epoxy dome stickers which have a lovely glossy finish to them. The sentiment was printed from my computer using Backtalk Serif BTN font.

Challenges:-
Allsorts Challenge Blog #332 - No design papers
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

Crafty Boots - Pink

Seize The Birthday - Anything Goes/Splatter 
Kitty Bee Aloha Friday Animals

Live & Love Crafts - Pink

Inky Chicks - Think Pink
Creative Fingers #95 Anything goes
Southern Girls - Let's Celebrate
Sweet Stamps - Anything Goes

Hope you all have a lovely week, thanks for stopping by.

Katrina x

Indian Summer for LOTV Design Collective

Hello peeps, hope you are well. 

We got our Indian Summer at last - it's been lovely and sunny here for the last four days. Yay!

This cutie is called 'Smoke Signal' from Lili of the Valley and I coloured her in with my Graph'It markers.

Skin: 4110, 4115 and 4145

Hair: 3210, 3245 and 3250

Feather/Rug: 9100 and 7160

Dress: 3125,3110, 1270 and 1230

For the background I have used papers from the 'Promises-Solids' (sky), 'Father Knows Best' (rocks and foreground) and 'Antebellum' (desert floor)  8x8 paper pads by Lili of the Valley.

To get the shape of the rocks I traced around the 'Monument' Mask from ClarityStamp.

I have also used 'Sentiments to Fit Scroll' by LOTV, stamped onto clouds cut with Joy Crafts dies.

I would like to enter this in the following challenges:-

Sweet Stampin - Use a non white base

613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes w/optional colour sapphire

Hiding In My Craft Room - #218 Any Holiday (Thanksgiving)

Crafter's Cafe - Create a sky scene

Thank you for stopping by,

Katrina x