Encouraging Words to a Would-be Butterfly - Lavinia World

How crazy the weather is this Christmas Season! We yo-yo between being above average, to below average! This morning we awakened to the 30s, something that usually happens in January and February. Those of you in the northern hemisphere seem to be having a lot of unusually severe weather for December as well!

I wish you the very best this Holiday Season.

Today, my Fairy is having a heart-to-heart discussion with Christopher Caterpillar on the importance of letting go to become a butterfly.

Did you know Letting Go is Magic at work?

Thanks to Vicki who has inspired me to do the same!

And now you know it is time for a new Lavinia World Challenge!

Details of our Lavinia World Challenge: A Winner receives

a $15 gift certificate to the Lavinia World store. Submissions can be placed either on our Lavinia World Challenge blog which has an ANYTHING GOES theme using ANY brand clear or rubber stamp - no digitals. Or you may play in our friendly Facebook Group called Anything Lavinia if using ANY Lavinia Product in your creation. Either way, we enjoy seeing your artwork!

Store -- Facebook -- Challenge -- Instagram

Today's project features Twilight Fairy and Christopher Caterpillar:

I've received a few questions about how I put my fairy scenes together, so here is a mini tutorial for how my colors are chosen, and how to add the "layers" of inked images for dimension.
Please click on the photos to enlarge them:

The fun sentiment comes in a straight line, but I cut my stamp into three pieces and used it that way:

Above: notice the before and after with the words and the highlighting using the Uni-Ball Pen Signo Gel in White. The Gel pen really makes things come alive! (around fairy, leaves, caterpillar, fern heads, butterfly wings)


The border was distress with Nocturne Versafine Clair ink, and heat set with black EP that contains glitter. Making a frame around the edge of the scene gives a finished look. I also used an old Martha Stewart border punch for the edges - one white and the other black, for visual interest:


Thanks for popping by - looking forward to seeing your pretties in the challenge!

Products Used:

• Lavinia World Let Your Spirit Take Flight LAV523
• Lavinia World Fairy Bugs LAV471
• Lavinia World Flutterbies LAV556
• Lavinia World Christopher Caterpillar LAV504
• Lavinia World Twilight Fairy LAV469
• Lavinia World Vine LAV165
• Lavinia World Fern Heads LAV470
• Lavinia World A6 Water Mist Lavender Paper
• Lavinia World Uni-Ball Pen Signo Gel in White
• Lavinia World VersaFine Clair inks in Cheerful Yellow (under white EP), Fantasia PurpleMedieval Blue, Nocturne, Morning Mist
• Other: Distress ink Shaded Lilac, MS punch lace trim, Black Glitter EP, White Detail EP, Lavender Mica EP

Playing in the following fine challenges:

1. Classic DT Open Challenge #12 AG DT 1/1 sep post
2. Pammie's Inky Pinkies #1950 AG 12/22 sep post

Stamping Hugs,

Jan's Digi Stamps Anything Goes #4 Turner Syndrome Key Stamp Set

Last August, Jan Mahew wanted to do something special for the Turner Syndrome Awareness campaign Lori Kobular organizes.

Jan created a sweet stamp set that can be used not only for fundraising, but for conventional cardmakers as well which includes vintage keys and butterflies. Jan's set also contains another set of keys that have the TS logo on them, just in case you'd like to make cards for Lori's fund raising campaign.

ONE HUNDRED PERCENT of the proceeds for this $2.00 set are donated to the Turner Syndrome Foundation.

It's time for our ANYTHING GOES Challenge at Jan's Digi Stamps where a $10 store credit is given to a winner every challenge!

Facebook - Shopping - Pinterest - Challenges

We hope you will enjoy Jan's TSF Key Stamp Set

First, I arranged the Key on my word processor, creating a background, using Jan's sentiment. With the opacity option of my word processor, the background was faded out:



Colored with Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 Color Pencils and Gamsol and Distress Inks, more goodies were aded to make a frilly-girly card:


Can you see the "Happiness is the Key to inner Beauty" throughout the background of the Key panel?




The key was then "colored" with VersaMarker and heat set with a pearly semi-transparent embossing powder (I had to get the light just right for you to see the metallic-pearly shine):



All Done!



Please share your inspiration with the rest of us
at our ANYTHING GOES Challenge!

Products Used:

• Stamps: Jan's TSF Key Stamp Set
• Dies: Taylored Expressions Banner Stacklets #1, SB 5x7 Detailed Scalloped Rectangles, MS Doily Lace Trim Deep Edge Punch, Tim Holtz Garden Greens, SB Bitty Blossoms
• Inks: Dye inks for distressing the banner,
• Colored with: Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 Color Pencils and Gamsol
• Paper: White Express-it, K&Company background, White, Wine
• Misc: Clear embossing powder that has pearlescent mica powder in it.

Challenges I'd like to play in please:

1. World Wide Open DT Challenge #12 AG DT 01/15.
2. Do-A1 (1) Creative Challenges #36 Shabby Chic/Vintage 1/15 (sep post)

Happy Stamping!

Lavinia World - Christmas Fun

Greetings, dear friends! I hope you are doing well, and enjoying the holiday season. Today's card share is Christmas Sweetness - (surprise - giggle)

In real life these cards look so sweet. I wish the photography could pick that up.

And now you know it is time for a new Lavinia World Challenge!

Details of our Lavinia World Challenge: A Winner receives

a $15 gift certificate to the Lavinia World store. Submissions can be placed either on our Lavinia World Challenge blog which has an ANYTHING GOES theme using ANY brand clear or rubber stamp - no digitals. Or if using a any Lavinia Product in your creation, you may play in our friendly Facebook Group called Anything Lavinia. Either way, we enjoy seeing your artwork!

Store -- Facebook -- Challenge -- Instagram

Today's projects use Rue Fairy:
Rue was stamped twice with VersaFine Clair Rain Forest Green, and twice with VersaFine Clair Green Oasis, then heat embossed with a clear EP containing glitter:

This is how she looks after being "inked" and die cut:

Boo-boo sharing time, and how I fixed it:

Worn Lipstick Oxide and Cracked Pistachio Oxide were applied to the dry embossed areas:

The difference a little ink makes:

I die cut the sentiment and used glitter on three of them:

Hopefully you can see the difference between the VersaFine Clair Rain Forest Green and the VersaFine Clair Green Oasis, here - one is bluer and slightly darker - they both have the same color EP on them, but the light catches it differently:



VersaFine Clair Rain Forest Green and the slight difference when the light hits the image just right:

A White background and a Green background - both inked the same way:

The sequins are actually the same pale pink as the ink:

Different sentiments:



 Thanks for stopping by today.
Hope to see your projects in one of our challenge locations soon!

Products Used:

• Lavinia World Rue Fairy LAV515
• Inks: VersaFine Clair Rain Forest Green, VersaFine Clair Green Oasis, Worn Lipstick Oxide, Cracked Pistachio Oxide, Mowed Lawn Distress, Spun Sugar Distress, Cracked Pistachio Distress.
• Embossing Powder: a detail clear EP mixed with a little microfine clear glitter
• Papers: White
• Dies: SB Mega Nestabilities Long Classic Scallop Rectangles, Tonic Slab Merry Christmas
• Embossing Folders: Craftwell Love Triangles, Craftwell Delicate Dots

Stamping Hugs,

Anything Goes at Jan's Digi Stamps #3 and a Freebie

Waving Hello to all my on-line friends!
Yesterday we were at 83 (28C) unusually warm degrees.
This morning, we will awaken to 65ish (16) and temps will continue going down. For the next three mornings we will be in the mid 30s (1-2C) and hoping for no frost.
When drastic changes like this occur, it hurts the farmers, flower growers and wildlife. But life is good compared to my dear friends who live in severe weather conditions and where the sun doesn't shine much.

Bringing you lots of "sweetness" today in the way of peppermint candy!
You deserve it!

It's time for our third ANYTHING GOES Challenge at Jan's Digi Stamps where a $10 store credit is given to a winner every challenge!

Facebook - Shopping - Pinterest - Challenges

For Cyber Monday, Jan announced that her digital sets 25% off Cyber Monday thru Friday this week!

My card features a "silently released" Christmas set packed full of cute images and sentiments, called Holiday Gingerbread!

The precolored images are especially detailed.
But I've opted to make mine a house of peppermint, rather than a house of ginger.

Using the individual gum drop, I created a border in my word processor and lined it with lace and scallops. The green adds just the right amount of color to bring out the various shades of pink:


The scene is colored with Prismacolor Pencils, Gamsol, Spun Sugar Distress ink and Victorian Velvet Distress ink. Each area was individually "painted with glue" and the colors of glitter were applied so that a little extra dimension could be seen. I say glitter looks like sugar, but hubby says, "glitter looks glitter, not sugar". We agreed to disagree (giggle)

Hoping this photo shows the glitter laden scenery along the gumdrop roof, the snowy tiles, details along the eaves and snow covered yard - all coated with berry, bubblegum or clear glitter:

Jan's set also comes several darling gingerbread people to be used as accessories on your projects, are by themselves. The sentiment and the border are both popped up dimensionally:



Hop on over and share your latest projects with us.
We love seeing your inspiring pretties!

I have made a freebie digital sentiment for you in a sweet font. NOT for commercial use, please. Use it on any of your projects, including projects involving any design teams you might be on.

This sentiment was sized and created at an angle to specifically fit the sign in this set. If you purchase the Holiday Gingerbread #3235J please enjoy the sentiment, too. If the sentiment works for you even at an angle with the escalating font size, then enjoy it any way! (giggle)

Click on the image to bring it to full size, then right click and do a SAVE.

Enjoy!

Products Used:

• Jan's Digi Stamps - NEW - Holiday Gingerbread #3235J
• FREEBIE SENTIMENT on the sign made to go specifically with this set. If you buy the Gingerbread set, this sentiment will fit on the blank sign.
• Dies: Sue Wilson Italian Collection Umbria, Tutti Snowglobe Expressions, Martha Stewart Scallop border punch
• Colored with Prismacolor Pencils, Gamsol, Spun Sugar Distress ink, Victorian Velvet Distress ink
• Glitter: Clear, Pale Pink, Dark Pink
• Paper: Express-it White, Pink, Burgundy
• Lace

Challenges I would like to enter:

1. Crafty Friends Challenges #124 Anything Goes 12/13
2. My Time to Craft #411 Christmas Scene 12/13
3. Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers #149 Y is for Yummy 12/13
4. A Bit More Time to Craft #105 Anything Goes 12/15
5. Classic Design Team Open Challenge #12 AG DT 1/1

Peppermint Sweet Christmas Hugs,

Lavinia World - Clean and Simple

My first EVER really Clean-and-Simple card!
So glad you are here to witness it (giggling).

And now you know it is time for a new Lavinia World Challenge!

Details of our Lavinia World Challenge: An ANYTHING GOES theme using ANY brand clear or rubber stamp - no digitals. Winner receives

a $15 gift certificate to the Lavinia World store.

We now have a new Facebook Group where you can upload your Lavinia cards. It is called ANYTHING LAVINIA. The blog Lavinia World Challenge is an Anything Goes theme with any brand of clear or rubber stamps (no digitals). The Facebook Group Anything Lavinia is also an anything goes theme, but permits only projects made using any Lavinia Products.

Store -- Facebook -- Challenge -- Instagram

Today's project:
Our beloved DT Coordinator and my dear friend,
Anne Temple, 
challenged me to do a CAS card, because she knows I've never been able to make one. So today's card is CAS - but it was not simple for me to make. (giggling) After 2 tries, and 3 backgrounds, I just went for whatever happened.



I spritzed water onto 4.25" x 5.5" cold pressed watercolor paper. The glass Work Surface was dabbed with two colors of Oxide inks and also spritzed with water. The paper was smooshed on top of the watered-down ink, and dried with a heat gun. (PS on the third try I dropped my ink pad twice, but decided to use the background anyway.)




Dragon Verse was stamped with Distress Peacock Feathers ink, stamped off once on scrap paper, and then stamped on top of the background.

Fairytale (fairy)  was stamped with VersaFine Clair Cheerful Yellow and heat set with white detail embossing powder. I use the VFC because the image is superior than any other ink and it gives complete coverage. 

Using a ruler and a Sakura Quickie Glue Pen I made two intersecting straight lines for visual interest, and heat set them with more white detail EP:



Shown above, her wings are colored with Zig #4 FL Green and Zig #42 Turquoise Green brush markers. The closest wing was slightly cut out to fit atop the white aperture. Also shown above, the Once Upon a Dream image was stamped with VersaFine Clair Nocturne ink and heat set with black with black detail EP that contains silver mica powder. The "splatter" of the black sentiment is actually part of the sentiment - it is distressed for us already.

Card Assembly: Die cat 4.5" x 5.75" white cardstock with choice of aperture die. Attach the color panel to the back to the frame. Cut the vellum strip and place the sentiment, folding the ends behind the white aperture. Use white "fun foam" and adhere to back of finished layer. Attach to white 4.75" x 6" card base:



Here is the front with a white background (hard to photograph white on white):

Products Used:

• Lavinia World Dragon Verse LAV555
• Lavinia World Fairytale (fairy) LAV389
• Lavinia World Once Upon a Dream LAV520
• Inks: VersaFine Clair Cheerful Yellow (image), VersaFine Clair Nocturne, Oxide Mermaid Lagoon, Oxide Cracked Pistachio, Distress Peacock Feathers
• Embossing Powders: Detail White and black with black mica powder
• Die: SB Labels Four (aperture)
• Zig #4 FL Green, Zig #42 Turquoise Green brush markers
• Paper: Cold Pressed Watercolor, White, Vellum
• Sakura Quickie Glue Pen (for diagonal lines) with white EP

Challenges I'd like to play in please:

1. The Fairy and the Unicorn Challenge (Nov 2) AG Fantasy 12/7
2. Pammie's Inky Pinkies #1946 AG 11/25
3. Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #118 AG 12/1
4. A Bit More Time to Craft #104 AG 12/1 (sep post)
5. Classic DT Open Challenge #11 AG DT 12/1 (sep post)
6. Love to Craft Challenge Blog #40 AG 12/1 (sep post)
7. Creative Crafters #22 AG 12/15 
8. Country View Challenges Nov "Hand Stamped" 12/14 (sep post)

Fairy Kisses,