Falling Sparkles

Today's card features a background stamp from Stamps by Chloe called 'Falling Sparkles' that I got from a charity shop earlier this week. I stamped it onto purple card using Versamark ink, then heat embossed it using 'Magical Mauve' embossing glitter from WOW. I matted it onto some purple mirror card, then added a sentiment cut using a Tonic Studios die from more of the purple mirror card. This is so sparkly and shiny in real life, but a real pain to photograph!

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• I Spy with My Little Eye - Something Monochrome
• Little Red Wagon - Make Your Own Background
• Rudolph Days - Anything Christmas Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

Floral Flourish

I have a simple one layer card to share today, featuring a stamp called 'Floral Flourish' by Stamps by Chloe. I stamped it directly onto a lilac card blank using a white pigment ink, along with a sentiment using one of the stamps from the 'Go To Words' set by Visible Image, then heat embossed it all using white embossing powder. I added some shading to the flowers using purple watercolour pencils.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Stamping Sensations - Inspired by Nature
• Stamps & Fun = Creativity - Stamp
• Time Out - Pick Two (Pastel & Bloom)

Poppy Border

Today's card features a stamp that my Mum found in a charity shop, called 'Poppy Border' by Stamps by Chloe. I stamped it onto smooth white card using Versamark ink, then heat embossed it using 'Metallic Gold' embossing powder from WOW. I added a sentiment, using a stamp from the 'Go To Words' set by Visible Image, embossing that in gold to match. I coloured the poppies using a red Cosmic Shimmers pigment mixed with a little water, then matted the panel onto some gold mirror card, distressing the edges a little, before adding it to a white card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Embossing
• Beautiful Blossoms - Anything Goes
• Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Creative Moments - Feminine
• Moving Along with the Times - Floral
• Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes
• We Love Stamping - Anything Goes

Butterfly Thank You

Today's card features a lovely Stamps by Chloe butterfly stamp called 'Butterfly Cascade' that I got for Christmas. I stamped it onto smooth white card using Versamark ink, along with a sentiment using a  stamp from the 'Big Messages' set by Paula Pascual, then heat embossed them using 'Metallic Silver' embossing powder form WOW. I coloured the butterflies using a mixture of Cosmic Shimmers watercolour paints, and Cosmic Shimmers pigments mixed with a little water, then matted it onto some silver mirror card before adding it to a white card blank.

Here's another angle that shows the shimmer a little better:

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Aud Sentiments - Anything Goes + a Sentiment
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Something New (The butterfly stamp is new)
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Something New (The butterfly stamp is new)
• Stamping Sensations - Something Beginning with 'B' (Butterflies)
• We Love Stamping - Something New (The butterfly stamp is new)

Favourite Five Christmas Cards 2025

Today, as has become traditional, I'm sharing my favourite five Christmas cards of the year. I made slightly more cards this year - 88, compared to 81 last year. Each photo is linked to the original blog post, so if you would like any more details, please click through.

The first card is from February, and uses a 'new to me' time (the lovely large Penny Black 'Joy' die) that I've used several times this year. I particularly like using the central aperture for a scene/sentiment.

Penny Black critters continue to be my most used stamps, and this chicken, used on this card from March, always makes me smile!

I made several cards using this technique on black card - I love the way the mica pigments show up when used as a watercolour paint, this card from August also makes use of one of my many charity shop crafty finds this year!

Coming a close second to the Penny Black critters, are the Anita Jeram animal stamps, like the bunny stamp used on this card from October. I also love making embossed backgrounds, and used a layout similar to this on many cards this year.

My final card is a recent one from earlier this month, and again features some Penny Black critters, and lots of lovely papers!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Poinsettia Panel

Today's card features part of a prize that I won recently over at the Allsorts Challenge...a lovely sentiment die by Tonic Studios. I started by stamping my 'Poinsettia Panel' stamp (from Stamps by Chloe) onto some black card using Versamark ink, then heat embossed it using metallic gold embossing powder from WOW, then watercoloured it using Cosmic Shimmers mica pigments mixed with a little water. I cut the sentiment from a snippet of gold mirror card, then layered it over the stamped and coloured panel. I matted it all onto some more gold mirror card before adding it to a white card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• As You Like It - Gold, Silver or Glitter (I love using gold on Christmas cards (especially on a dark background) to give a really luxurious feel)
• Flower Challenge - Christmas Florals
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Use Dies
• Sparkles Forum Christmas - Poinsettia
• We Love Stamping - Red & Green

Poinsettia Panel

I have a Christmas card to share today, which features a stamp that I picked up in a charity shop last week. The stamp is called 'Poinsettia Panel' by Stamps by Chloe, and I stamped it onto a snippet of black card using Versamark ink, then heat embossed it using 'Metallic Gold' embossing powder from WOW. I used Cosmic Shimmers pigments mixed with a little water to watercolour the image. I used a Creative Expressions die to cut the sentiment from a snippet of gold mirror card, then added it on top. I matted the panel onto another snippet of gold mirror card, then added it to a white card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Krafty Chicks - Christmas
• Peace on Earth - Anything Christmas Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• The Holly & the Ivy - Anything Christmas Goes
• We Love Stamping - Flowers

ABC Christmas Challenge - P, Q & R are for?

We have a fun new ABC Christmas Challenge starting today...Lynda is the host, and the themes are:

'P is for Pastels'

'Q is for Quick'

&

'R is for Robins'

There are some lovely Newton's Nook goodies for the lucky winner:

For my 'P is for Pastels' card, I used a Forever Friends bear and snowman stamp. I stamped it onto watercolour paper, along with a sentiment using a stamp from the 'Beary Merry Christmas' set by Funky Fossil, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. I paired it with papers from the 'Glittering Snowflakes' pad from Crafter's Companion, and the 'Snowscape' pad from Woodware (the green one). I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and black and white gel pens.

For my 'Quick is for Quick' card, I used a Christmas tree stamp from Stamps by Chloe called 'Snowflake Tree' that I picked up in a charity shop earlier this week. I stamped it directly onto a kraft card blank, along with the sentiment that came with it, using Versamark ink, then heat embossed it all using white embossing powder.

It was so quick to do that I made a second matching card!

Finally, for my 'R is for Robins' card, I used a cute Woodware stamp called 'Robin Stack'. I stamped it onto watercolour paper, along with one of the sentiments from the set, then coloured the image using watercolour pencils. I matted it onto red card, distressing the edges, then added it toa white DL card blank.

I'm also entering these cards into the following challenges:

• Allsorts - Animals (Third card only)
• Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes (First card only)
• Creative Moments - Embossing (Second card only)
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes (First card only)
• Sparkles Forum Christmas - Include a Tree (Second card only)
• Stamping Sensations - Birds, Bees & Butterflies (Third card only)

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the ABC Christmas Challenge.

Owl & Butterfly

Today's card features some charity shop finds...a Personal Impressions stamp set called 'Owl & Butterfly' and a Stamps by Chloe paper pad called (I think) 'Swirls & Foil', that I thought matched fairly well. I stamped the butterlies on to a snippet of pink-ish paper from a Craft Sensations pad using Versamark Ink, then heat embossed them using WOW 'Metallic Silver' embossing powder. I then stamped the swirl from the set around the edges, again embossing in silver. I ditressed the edges a little, then matted the layers on to silver mirror card.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Corrosive - Anything Goes
• Creatalicious - Anything Goes
• Incy Wincy - Cute and/or Pastel Colours
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes