Month: April 2026

lavenderhousecreations

Bee Happy

Challenge #275 here at cardz 4 galz is all about bees this time and Dawn will be the one choosing the winners.

In my personal stamp collection I haven’t had much in the way of bees, just few odd stamps here and there. But in the local dollar store I did come across this particular stamp set and thought it might be useful. The challenge with these types of stamps is the poor quality of the impression. If you press too hard they squish and move. As well they don’t come with matching dies, so I may invest in a better set later this year.

I stamped the honeycomb directly onto the card front, moving the stamp across it until it was filled. On a separate piece of CS, I stamped the sentiment, which I find cute, and then I cut it with a die from Sizzix. After that I went around most of the sentiment with a Sakura gold glitter pen and I also coloured in the bee bodies with Prisma pencils. This was then popped up with foam tape. I decided to add a few more bees to the honeycomb and used the gold sparkle on their wings. I liked how it looked so went through the whole honeycomb with the gold so it glistens similar to real honey. You can just see the sparkle in the photo, but it more obvious in reality.

A very simple card but it works and can be used in different ways depending on what I write inside. We look forward to seeing your creations in our gallery and hope you have fun creating. Many thanks for stopping by, it is appreciated.

lavenderhousecreations

3-2-1 Recipe

Welcome to the new challenge here at Double Trouble recipe #215. The recipe is as follows: 3-Layers and card base counts here, 2 shapes or images, 1 stenciled and/or embossed element. Thing 3 by twisted sister is to include flowers if you wish, and Thing 2 is the double dare for you to add your creation to the TSOT Sketch #694 challenge. When you do this, be aware of the backlinking rule.

My card has the 3 layers, one of which is also a stenciled layer. I used a Color Box stencil and some TCW Stardust butter in champagne for this. I bought 2 containers of these butters earlier this year and when I opened the rose gold one, I discovered it was as hard as rock. I no longer have the receipt for the purchase so cannot take it back to the art store. Anyone with any ideas of how to soften it please share.

The PP was on my desk as I had used it recently for something else so I decided to put the two together and then add them to the card base. The image is from Wild Rose Studio and I stamped it then coloured with Prisma pencils. This was then fussy cut. I did two of the flowers and shaped a bit when I put them together. As well I used an alcohol blending pen to smooth out the colouring. The Scrapbook.com sentiment was another stamp I still had on my desk and I quite like it so decided to add it to a Hero Arts die cut heart giving me my second shape. The heart was coloured with the same pencil I used on the flower. It was at this point that I realized I hadn’t quite gotten the edges accurate when I added the layers and it bothered me. To fix it, I used a border die (can’t remember which company) and using a scrap piece I cut the hearts. Instead of using the actual border, I used only the tiny hearts and glued them down the side.

All in all I’m quite pleased with the end result. It is loosely based on the sketch, but I cannot enter there due to the backlinking rule. We look forward to seeing your creations in our gallery and above all hope you have fun creating. Thanks for joining me today, I appreciate you and your time.

lavenderhousecreations

Stripes and Florals

Aren’t I lucky as I seem to be on a roll and managed another twofer before stopping for the day. The Paper Players is a PP783 – A Sketch Challenge from Stef and Sunday Stamps is SSC384 Pastel Portraits and I combined the two.

My Crafters Companion set (from a kit) seems to live on my desk lately and I’ve not used all the stamps in the set as yet. So I took the largest floral stamp and using the colours from the challenge stamped 3 flowers and heat set them clear. After trimming this layer down a bit I looked for some PP that would fit down the side as per the sketch. Then I stamped the butterfly, from the set, in Worn Lipstick and heat set it before fussy cutting. I’m not sure why the butterfly looks more red than pink in the photo. This was then added using foam tape. Somehow I managed to smudge a section in the main layer with yellow, which I didn’t see until after I glued everything to the card front. To hide the error I stamped the sentiment, also from the set, fussy cut around it, after I had heat set this clear as well.

It is nice to get another card done, considering that I’m still not feeling as creative as I know I can be. Sometimes just getting one or two done seems to kick start the creative flow, at least it does for me.

I’m off to get ready to go to dinner, which I’m looking forward to. We haven’t seen these friends recently as they’ve been away so we’ll have a good catch up I’m sure. Many thanks for stopping by, you are appreciated more than you know.

lavenderhousecreations

Primarily Pink

After I had posted yesterdays pink card, I realized that it may have worked for this one here at Seize the Birthday #325-Primarily PINK! The challenge with that would have been trying to say Happy Birthday with only one word. So this morning I set about making one specific to this challenge and this is what I came up with.

In my searching for items yesterday, I came across this stenciled background piece that was left over from a long ago project. I remember using an unbranded die to make the stencil from some cardboard which was then discarded after use. I took some glitter CS and cut a layer for the base and added the heart layer on top. Using a new die from Uniquely Creative and some scrap pink CS I die cut the postage stamp layer. I found a floral stamped piece of vellum that I had left over from a while back and cut the vellum to fit the top and bottom spaces. The florals are from Crafters Companion. Then I took a die set from Altenew called Sunlit Butterflies and cut the base butterfly in a darker pink and a vellum topper. I added them together in the middle space leaving the vellum loose in the wing section.

The sentiment is from Hampton Arts and was stamped in Picked Raspberry ink and then heat embossed. I cut the sentiment into two pieces and stacked them as you see.

I spent 30 minutes outside weeding in my garden, which is sadly a bit of a mess. To avoid getting stupidly overtired and sore I actually took a timer along and when it beeped I stopped. This worked quite well so I may do this again throughout this week. Even if I only get a tiny section done it will be better than nothing at all and it is rather nice to be outside at the moment. We have beautiful weather. We are going with friends for Sushi later so I don’t have to be in my kitchen at all, Yay!

Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate you, your time and any comments.

lavenderhousecreations

Shades of Pink

I’m fortunate in that this card works for two challenges so it will be entered into the current As You See It and at CYHTP challenges. At AYSI, it is a kind of a recipe challenge where 5 elements have to be used but how you use them is your choice and at CYHTP it is the usual embossing but with a twist of flowers and my folder (unbranded) is all about roses.

I started with the embossing after testing the folder on some craft CS. I couldn’t remember which side was the debossed side and my initial thought was to ink the folder. However, my test piece looked quite nice (to be used later) and I decided to emboss a pink piece of CS and then used a darker ink from Hero Arts and swiped over the raised parts. Once this was dry I added this layer to the white card front. It took some thinking to decide how I would do the frame requirement and I played around for a bit before deciding on a StampinUP circle set. I found a darker pink paper and die cut the circle leaving me with this empty square frame. This was cut down a bit more to narrow the edges and then I added it to frame one of the roses. Using the same paper and an MFT word die I cut two layers of the word, glued them together and added it underneath.

Being completely truthful, I am not feeling very creative at the moment so I’m just pleased that I got something made that is decent if not inspired. We’ve been dealing with accountants and taxes, which I find emotionally draining, as messing with numbers is something that often upsets me. Our accountant is transitioning into retirement after more than 20 years of looking after us, and has passed our file to another person who doesn’t understand my number phobia at all. Once this tax season is over we shall be looking for someone closer to where we now live and whom we hopefully will like. As my hubby has had cataract surgery and the second eye isn’t settling well yet, it has been challenging for him to check the documents before they get officially filed. It meant I’ve been more involved than I normally would be. Stress levels for both of us were pretty high, but this morning we signed it all, and went to the bank to make the payments. I hate tax season, sigh!

Thanks for stopping by, your time and your comments are appreciated.

lavenderhousecreations

APRIL SHOWERS or LOVE IN THE RAIN

Welcome to a new challenge here at cardz 4 galz, and the theme for this one is about April Showers. As you can see I have used a cover plate die that looks as if the rain is pouring down. It did have a cut out umbrella, but as I wanted to use this particular stamped image, I have covered up that section with the stencil/die word.

My image is from an old Inspired by Stamping set and I coloured this with pencils then fussy cut it. Before attaching this to the card front I turned it over and using a shaping tool made the umbrella look more dimensional. To ensure it wouldn’t collapse when being mailed I doubled up on some foam tape and added more to the bodies. After die cutting the word and stenciling in some colour I added it over the gap and then added the image below it. My stenciling skills need some work because my edges aren’t as crisp as they could be. It isn’t my go to technique, and I really ought to use it more than I do.

I’m not unhappy with the end result and I learn a lot during my process so it is time well spent.

Many thanks for stopping by. I appreciate you taking the time and any comments you may leave for me.

We look forward to seeing your creations in our gallery and of course wish you fun in the process.

lavenderhousecreations

Another Year Flies By

Let’s make this Air-mazing is the latest challenge here at Double Trouble #214. Our recipe is as follows: 3 Patterned and/or special papers, 2 colours from colour wheel #1, 1 image. And our twisted Sister is suggesting an optional flying element. The double dare is to use the sketch TSOT#693 and enter it there. Be careful not to backlink when posting to TSOT.

As you can see, my flying element is a kite from a StampinUP collection, as is my sentiment. I used a sky paper layer from a very old paper pad (it still comes in handy at times) and some holographic paper. As I don’t have dies that will cut a cloud shape in a line I used some shaped scissors. I could have free handed it but felt the scissors were best. Once the kite and tail were stamped I used a combination of Sakura glitter pens and Prisma pencils to colour it and did the tail stars in silver glitter. Believe it or not I did fussy cut these elements and then added them to the, also fussy cut, kite. I backed all this with foam tape to lift it off the sky and did the same to the clouds on each edge. I stamped the sentiment and heat set it with a multi coloured powder then added a small black layer behind before adding to the clouds.

It was at this point that I realized I had missed part of the recipe as there were only had 2 patterned papers and I really didn’t want to have to begin again, so some thinking was required. I settled on adding another layer of paper over a portion of the holographic section. I found this piece in a paper pad and added it flat at the top. In a way it wasn’t a bad idea as it has toned down the glare that comes from the shiny section but it wasn’t quite the look I had in my mind.

Thanks for stopping by to take a look. I appreciate you and your time. We hope to see your creations in our gallery and that you have fun making them.

lavenderhousecreations

Blossom Window Arch

This card has been created with 2 challenges in mind. The first being As You See It who want to know which occasion cards we make the most. In my case mostly birthdays. And the other is Seize the Birthday who ask us to create a Spring garden.

Having just acquired my second set of Craft Addiction Arched slatted dies, I decided to use the larger in the set to create my window. Once die cut, I used foam tape and added some sky paper in behind and an additional arch to give the piece more support. I pulled out a couple of Spellbinders die sets, La Dolce Vita and Citrus spritz, and proceeded to cut the leaves and flowers. I thought I might combine both sets on one card but quickly realized this wouldn’t work so there are only a few pieces here that are from the Citrus set and I have the rest ready for another card.

I used ink and brushes to add colour to the die cuts and then played with placement until satisfied. Once glued I used an off cut linen look yellow card for the background and then added it all to a white card front. The sentiment is part of the collection and this set has its own dies making it easy to use.

I’m quite happy with the end result and had fun putting it together. I won’t be around much this coming week as we have a guest here from tomorrow for 6 nights. It will be great to see her in person after several years of absence.

Sadly I have to make a sympathy card today as I’ve just learned that a cousin has passed away rather suddenly at age 68. It is a shock for everyone, but the diagnosis he received 2 weeks ago told him there was no hope and no treatment available. At least it wasn’t a long drawn out painful end, which doesn’t help his family, but from my own experience, is still a better outcome than watching someone suffer for weeks as happened with my youngest sister. I’ll get the card done now so I don’t have to think much about it during the visit with my friend.

Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate you and your time.

lavenderhousecreations

Marching Along Wishes

Using stencils isn’t my go to technique most of the time, which is rather silly when I think about it. I don’t think I’m very good at it, but if I don’t practice I have no chance to improve. Anyway for a change I did decide to stencil this background for the April 2026 – Stencil Fun Challenge. I’m not sure which brand the stencil is but suspect it is from Sizzix/Tim Holtz.

The challenge twist is to use rainbow colours so I used different inks diagonally. Once dry I sprayed with some shimmer and then I cut it down to the size I required. The two rings were leftover bits and I added them so the little fussy cut fox had somewhere to be as he marched along. He comes from some old StampinUP paper and was a leftover from another project. I used a Joy Clair sentiment stamp on the banner and curved it slightly on the block before I stamped. Before adding him to the top I used some foam tape for dimension and I went around the layer with a black pen as well.

As the background is quite striking and busy I decided to leave the card as is rather than add any embellishments.

We have a lovely sunny, warm spring day but I chose to do house chores rather than work outside. My hands are sore from gardening over the weekend and I woke up with them being very swollen this morning. This card was mostly done yesterday afternoon and only needed to be added to the card front today so not too much work or fiddly stuff that my hands couldn’t deal with. It will likely be a few days more before they settle so I won’t be doing much creating until they do. I don’t mind aging, but I do mind the aches and pains that come with it.

Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate you and your time.

lavenderhousecreations

And the Winner is …

So Double D have this Humor Challenge 2026 and I was wondering what I might do. In my search for an idea, I remembered that I had a few comic stickers that someone gave me and in going through them I decided on this one.

The challenge then became how to showcase it. After some looking through online ideas, then searching my paper stash, I came across an Ephemera package, by Simply Stated Design, that I had forgotten about. The package was all different film strips and I chose three for my background. I created the sentiment strips at the top on my computer, thinking about Academy awards and how the elephant didn’t win. Using an unbranded border die I cut a bunch of stars in both gold and silver and one larger one in silver using a Hero Arts die. I then scattered the stars onto the film strips.

This may not be the most creative card I’ve made, but it is at least amusing and hopefully will make others smile.

We have a warm spring day today, perfect for an Easter celebration and we saw a few family gatherings with people outside BBQing when we went for a walk with our dog. We ourselves, are invited to our neighbors for dinner so I get a night off from the kitchen. We both worked in the garden earlier, and I’m a bit sore but nothing too bad thankfully. I had done this card last night, but didn’t have time to post it till now.

Happy Easter everyone, thanks for stopping by.