Countdown to 2016….

The countdown to 2016 is now underway in my own country and in many parts of the world the “bells” have already declared the first day of 2016.
(stamps:- Character Construction, Crafty Individuals and PaperArtsy ESN)
I cannot thank you enough for being so loyal to my Blog and to have your friendships and also to be inspired by all of you.  Even at those times when my blog has been less active, on my return I wasn’t sure if anyone would be there to visit but when I would check-in, there would still be comments left for me to read even if I was unable to visit your own blogs.  You probably don’t realise just how much that actually meant to me, especially during those times.So here’s to you …. 2016 – if you can, be kind to all of us, try and keep us as healthy and as safe as possible, bring good times our way and allow us to continue to cement good friendships.It seems a nice point of the year to look back and to acknowledge the amazing people who make crafting such a joy for me with the amazing products they create and allow me to play with. I never imagined I would be in such a privileged position and it still makes me pinch myself. (In the middle of drafting this post I had a wee chuckle to myself as you could mistake the following for an Oscar acceptance speech!!!! )

Jean and Malcolm from Crafty Individuals
Rachel Greig from Darkroom Door
Suzanne at Oxford Impressions
Leandra at PaperArtsy along with Darcy
Chris and Sharon at Redlead Paperworks
Laura at That’s Crafty
All at Stampington whose support and encouragement has been incredible and a final Thank You to the lovely Catherine Moore at Character Construction

To all of you who continue to inspire me and who I am lucky to have your friendship, I truly cannot wait to see what you all create throughout 2016, I certainly know I will continue to be amazed!
Here’s to all of you…..
Happy New Year Wishes,
Lynne x

 

A Loving Heart

Hello Everyone
I promise this isn’t too long a post, a few photographs but short on words as I know, even though we have said goodbye to Christmas 2015, it is still a busy time of the year.
One of the gifts I made this Christmas is this pendant, centred around a Prima Relics and Artifacts’ heart –  have I mentioned how much I have fallen in love with this range of products!!! I knew the style I had in mind so I had a root amongst some of my favourite stamps from The Stampsmith, which I am sad to say, haven’t been inked up for a wee while.  After the lengthy decision of which image would best suit the shape of the heart I opted for this, one of my all time favourite Stampsmith stamps (with Ophelia possibly being my absolute favourite Stampsmith stamp.)
Frescos helped me achieve the look I was aiming for on the heart, almost a stone like appearance,with simple embellishments of beautiful vintage lace and rhinestones and a pearl all set on a long chain with a decorative closure.
There is a little secret to this pendant.  Flip it over and there is a message on the rear.  The wearer doesn’t need to display this side of the heart but kept close to her heart she will remember that many, many people know she has a loving heart and a dear friend to so many.
(The words above are from PaperArtsy Eclectica ESN (Sara Naumann) along with stamped music score which I quickly distressed before heat setting and sealing. Also, if you are interested in the Relic and Artifacts heart, you can source some of the product range at PaperArtsy.
I hope to squeeze in one more blog post for 2015 which I will share on Hogmanay.  Until then, many thanks for your visit to this blog post.
Wishes
Lynne

To Summarise

Hello Everyone
In this blog post I am sharing a link to the PaperArtsy blog where this evening I have the honour of kicking off a week of Summary Posts.  This signals seven nights over which all the challenge themes for 2015 will be re-visited, a time to select blog posts which caught our eye and also a selection of amazing challenge entries.
I was asked to cover the first three themes of 2015:- Fragile Papers, Shiny Stuff and Paint.  Alongside my selections for those themes I was also asked to create one piece featuring all three challenge themes.The complete blog post can be viewed HERE but I have to tell you, it was not an easy task limiting my selection with so many incredible tutorials and challenge entries inspired by those tutorials.

It was just over a year ago when I was invited as a PaperArtsy Guest Artist, never imagining they would ask me to “stick around” for 2015.  Being a small part of PaperArtsy has allowed me opportunities to play with paint colours and stamp designs I might have otherwise over-looked.  So a huge thank you, especially to Leandra and Darcy and to all the amazing stamp designers and other artists who are part of PaperArtsy and who constantly inspire.
Wishes
Lynne

Time For Celebration

Hello Everyone
The beautiful stamps on this Christmas card are PaperArtsy designed by Sara Naumann (ESN).
If  silence is what you seek over the festivities then here’s to you finding that quiet space to sit and just “be”, maybe a moment ofa time for reflection,  a time to consider the approach of a new year or the nearing demise of the old or maybe this time of the year heralds a time for celebration.Whatever the festivities bring your way, I hope it is what you seek, bringing comfort or joy to your heart.
Seasons Wishes
Lynne x
(A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fear

…….. John Lennon)

 

 

 

At the time of drafting this post I am unsure if this will be the final post for 2016 or the last until after Christmas Day.

Oh Deer, It’s Nearly Christmas!

Hello Everyone
Over at That’s Crafty I am sharing a trio of rustic/woodland style ornaments.As always, instructions, supplies and more photographs can be viewed over at That’s Crafty, HERE.
This is my last post for That’s Crafty for 2015 and I wanted to say huge Thank You for those of you who take the trouble to comment here and also then visit the That’s Crafty blog to leave words for me over there also.
Wishes
Lynne

Sparkle, Glisten, Gleam (The Stampers’ Sampler)

Hello Everyone
In this post I am sharing one of the cards I have published in the latest issue of The Stampers’ Sampler, a card I submitted to the Holiday Happenings Challenge Call.
If you are a regular visitor then you probably recognise the stamp on this card, She Loves Snowflakes , as I have already shared a wee hanging with this stamp, HERE.
This card has a very simple colour palette of Kraft, winter white and black but it also has lots of sparkle and shimmer!
Stencilled snowflakes with one of my all time favourite mediums for artwork relating to this time of the year, which can be found here at That’s Crafty, Maimeri Iridescent Paste.  This is the paste I have been using on all the mittens I’ve made recently.The sparkle appears in different forms, some I cannot now remember (!) but there is definitely  Crystal Glamour Dust (DecoArt), Cosmic Shimmer Vintage Mica Flakes (both available from That’s Crafty) and a dash of vintage glass glitter.
The sentiments are from another wonderful Redlead stamp, HERE, Stamp Some Tape:- Snowflakes and Christmas Greeting. It is such a brilliant idea of two stamps in a set with the idea that you can stamp your own tape. So one design is snowflakes and the other is Christmas Greeting. Click the link to discover what they actually look like. With the Christmas Greeting stamp it means you can stamp it to appear as a piece of tape or as I did for this card, stamp onto cardstock (Kraft painted with Gesso) and then cut into strips.It looks as though I still have a fair few festive posts to share with you. I might hold the more winter themed posts to share into the New Year. Funny how to my mind, once Christmas is over and done with, I seem to think it has to be the end of all winter artwork, moving in my mind onto more Spring like style or Valentine’s yet it will still be the middle of winter in my part of the world!
(At the time of drafting this blog post, Redlead had a Christmas Greetings discount code of 30%)
Wishes
Lynne

Like A Snowflake On A Winter Morning

Hello Everyone
Today I have a DT post over at That’s Crafty where I share this:-
Quite a mix of items to create this art doll who rests on a That’s Crafty Alterable Surface and I couldn’t resist playing with one of their Dinky Stencils to add a touch of texture to the base.  I also used paperclay in two different ways.
The full project with supply list and instructions can be view HERE, that is if you are interested to learn more about this piece.
Wishes
Lynne

Woolen Mittens On A Snowy Morning

Hello Everyone
If any of you joined in my recent Giveaway then it probably meant that the Oxford Impressions Woolen Mittens stamp set caught your eye. It is a gorgeous stamp set, brimming over with nostalgic images for this time of the year, although there are stamps that I will be inking up beyond Christmas.
One of the stamps which particularly caught my eye is the stamp with one simple word, snow. Sometimes this is the way of it for me, it can be the smaller, what some would say, slightly insignificant stamps that catch my eye in a set.
It has a gorgeous naive style to it, as though a child has written the word.  For some reason it brought to mind name labels, when a child writes their name on a fabric label to ensure that everyone knows that item belongs to them!
A wee cluster dangles from the mini pompom trim.On both sides of the mitten I stencilled my absolute favourite stencil, a Dinky Stencil from That’s Crafty.  I have been working with this stencil practically non-stop for festive cards/gifts.  It can be found HERE and you will definitely see it turning up again.
This mitten was a gift which I sent along with this card featuring stamps again from Woolen Mittens.
I opted for the softest of pinks and browns, with watercolour paper panels painted with various PaperArtsy Frescos.
A little cut out from a vintage doily which has a slightly snowflake design to it, with the mittens dangling freelyand simply embellished with stained ricrac and a MOP button.I’ve surprised myself at how many Christmas/festive posts I’ve been sharing and still have to share especially as I am not something who gets terribly excited about Christmas. Just goes to show!
Many thanks for your visit.
Wishes
Lynne

She Loves Snowflakes

Hello Everyone
All of a sudden it feels as though Christmas is nearly here and the realisation that I still have a few festive pieces to share.
Last year I was lucky enough to receive some beautiful Redlead Paperwork  Christmas themed stamps to play with, including She Loves Snowflakes.
With this delightful stamp with the sweetest little girl surrounded by a flurry of pretty snowflakes, I made this wee hanging. The handmade paper, with the little white dots, brought to mind snow and when torn it created the fluffiest of edges, perfect for adding some softness to the panel and as a way of tying in with the stamped image, with the snowflake background.  To add to the flurry I also scattered diamond glass glitter and a dash of the teeniest tiniest pearl stickers.This lovely sentiment is available on this particular set HERE (also from Redlead Paperworks). I so love this set because the sentiments are just a little bit different to the normal Christmas/festive greetings. I’ve been dipping into this set many times for Christmas 2015.  I can just imagine this sweet girl donning her pristine ice skates to skate on the local frozen lake with her friends, catching falling snowflakes on their tongues.  I can almost hear their giggles ringing sweetly through the frosty air!Sharon and Chris at Redlead are so productive, they are constantly releasing new products whether new stamps, collage sheets, chipboard or wooden items. Their on-line store is a treasure trove of goodies.
Many thanks for your visit. I always appreciate them.
Wishes
Lynne

And The Winner Is …..

I’m going to keep that a secret for a moment longer!

First I want to say a huge thank you to all of you who joined in.  I really wasn’t sure how many would join in but I can say that it turned out to be many more than I would have ever expected.  I know I didn’t give too much time to join in but I wanted to have the goodies into the mail so hopefully it will be received in time for Christmas.

All the names were added to a bowl, with any extra chances of winning also added. A family member was the one who picked one randomly chosen winner.

The winner is…..
paperprofusion

I don’t plan on leaving it such a long time until my next Giveaway, in fact I have something brewing in my mind at the moment.  So it might not be long into the New Year before I share another Giveaway with you.
Again, thanks to everyone and to paperprofusion, (who I happen to know is Nicola), I hope you enjoy this stamp set.
Wishes
Lynne