Sparkling into November

We had our first frosts last week...brrr and the nights really are drawing in now.

However the frost gives such a pretty sparkle on the plants in my garden.

 It's time for my Monday design team inspiration for Visible Image.
This month we have the new challenge theme of "Make it sparkle". Although many of you might be thinking of fireworks later today I am thinking ahead to Christmas and getting my stash of cards made.

I wanted to make something festive and sparkling using the lovely girl in the Daydreamer stamp set

I thought she might be dreaming about a white Christmas so I set about making a snowy background for her.

I added some blue alcohol inks to glossy card and then added clear embossed the snowflakes from 

Snow is falling

I also used the circles from

set the tone

to create this snowy background.

I had the idea to have her at a window waiting for the magic of Christmas. I die cut a window form Kraft card and stamped one of the Christmas sentiments from the Go to Christmas words set

I put acetate in the windows for glass on which I clear embossed "ice" using the Two tone set again. Is it only me that remembers, before the days of central heating, that ice used to form on the inside of windows in the winter?!  I also added some DecoArt "snow" and added glitter to it.

I made a few of these windows and I have other plans for them too.

Of course I need a star to sparkle, well it is Christmas isn't it?
I used the star from the Peace, hope and love set

and glitter gold embossed it onto my snowy background.

I stamped my daydreamer and fussy cut her out. I just added colour to her face, hat and hair. I added glossy accents to her glasses (seen in the final photos).

I then put my design together.

A close up showing the glossy accents on her glasses and the speech bubble.

and one last shot

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges;

Pixie's snippets playground #338
Sparkles Christmas 1/3 heat or dry embossing mine is heat.
The artistic stamper 1/3 square it I have made a square card.
Simon says stamp Wednesday anything goes
Christmas at sweet stampin 2/3 anything goes

Addicted to stamps and more 2/3 anything goes

Die cutting divas 2/3 anything goes I have used my Tim Holtz Bigz widow die.
The Ribbon girl 2/3 anything goes
Cute card Thursday 2/3 anything goes
Dragonfly dreams 1/3 anything goes
Happy little stampers Christmas 1/3 anything goes

All the Visible Image links can be found here;

Visible Image group page on Facebook. Our friendly Group is here ...it would be lovely to see you. You can add work to the new challenge album where one randomly chosen winner each month wins a £40 coupon to spend on the website.

The main Visible Image Facebook page is here; there are weekly stamp giveaways...open world wide.

And the shop web site is here; where all their gorgeous stamps and stencils can be purchased. 

You can also follow all the latest news and inspiration via

Pinterest

Twitter

and 

Instagram

Remember to add your "sparkle projects" to the FB album here The challenge
ends on 30  November. It will be great to see them all and you might even be the randomly selected winner of a £40 voucher to spend on the website...now that would be like Christmas coming early wouldn't it!

And "what if" we really did have a white Christmas.......? We can daydream can't we.

Thanks for stopping by today,

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x

Rainbows and stamps for STAMPlorations

Hello, it's time for a brand new theme and sketch challenge over at STAMPlorations. For November  it is

Here is the lovely sketch which you can use too.

Please check out all the rules over at the main blog post here. In brief you need to use stamping on your projects. You don't have to use STAMPlorations stamps to enter but of course we love it if you do! You can link up 6 times with new blog posts and you need to add our logo to your post. You can go with the theme, the sketch or both, the choice is yours.

Today I am sharing my first card to hopefully give you some inspiration to join us. I have chosen to use both the theme and sketch.

The lovely stamp set I chose to work with is Always Tea time

I created a rainbow using distress re inkers on watercolour card

 I then repeat stamped the small teacups for the background

 I stamped and watercoloured the large teacup for the focal.

I matted up my card and added a ribbon and some sequins to finish.

Here it is. 

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges;

Crafty card makers 1/3 explosion of colours

Addicted to stamps and more 1/3 anything goes

Die cutting divas 1/3 anything goes
The Ribbon girl 1/3 anything goes
Cute card Thursday 1/3 anything goes

The sketch is a very simple one and lovely to work with. We hope to see lots of you joining in the month, you can go with the theme or sketch or both. Here is the link again .

Remember that you can also get 20% off all the products on the website if you use my code STAMPGIRLJANE ......now there's an offer your can't refuse.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Enjoy a lovely weekend. This photo was taken as I walked my latest cards down to sell at Dotty's Teahouse, there may not have been a rainbow but there is always something delightful to look at.

Have a lovely weekend, thanks for stopping by.

Bye for now,

Jane x

ATC coins

Good morning, here we are at 1st November and the end of 2018 really is in sight now. The clocks went back last weekend and it really is beginning to feel like Christmas is fast approaching.
Despite the cooler temperatures though Mother Nature is still looking stunning.
I took these photos on the way down to Dotty's on Monday.

It is time for our brand new challenge over at Country View and the theme for November is an unusual but very interesting one...Artist Trading Card Coins. These have been taking the crafting world by storm since earlier this year. Just in case they have passed you by they are the same as Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) only coin shaped and should measure 2 1/2 inches diameter. They were designed to be made in small editions by artists to sign on the back and trades them. However I think they are a great way to make a design and also they could be used as circular focals on cards (which is what I plan to do with mine).

The details can be found here.

As Christmas is so near now I decided that for my 1st and 2nd Design team inspiration I would make Christmas themed ATCs. I decided to make a masterboard and use it to share 2 very different designs. I dug out some PaperArtsy frescos and brayed them onto watercolour paper.

I then got out some festive distress inks and used my Tim poinsettia stencil to create my background

I also added some gold star stamping

I then cut out my coins and added stamps from my old Stamper's anon Father Christmas set to make these 3 ATC coins. 

As I am not trading my coins I decided to put them to good use ....I used them as focal on some Christmas cards for Dotty's.
I used another of my brayered fresco backgrounds and my fab newest die which I think I can say is becoming my favourite ever! Susan has it in stock on the website here. If it shows as out of stock just add your email address and as soon as it is back in she'll email you.

I used gold shimmer card under the card front which I die cut to make this card, the gold card underneath really shimmers through.

Here is a close up, I also used some Tim rub ons too.

I have plans for the other 2 coins. Watch this space.

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges;

Winter Wonderland 1/3 colour it
Addicted to stamps and more 1/3 anything goes
Die cutting divas 1/3 anything goes
Simon says stamp Wednesday anything goes
Christmas at sweet stampin 1/3 anything goes
Crafting from the heart 1/3 anything goes

We hope to see lots of you joining in our "ATC coins" challenge this month. Why not have a dig through your own stash and see what you have there to use. These coins are such fun to make and as you can see make great card or even tag focals if you don't trade them. You could even make a start (or even finish) making your Christmas cards...are you ready 🎅?

All the details again can be found here.

Thanks for stopping by and for the very kind comments you take the time to leave. I know how busy life gets so I really appreciate every single one of them.

Back tomorrow,

Bye for now,

Jane x