stamping

lavenderhousecreations

Golf Ball Snowman

As a male friend shares his birthday with Christmas day, I was planning to make him a card soon. Then the current challenge at Seize the Birthday #338-Masculine arrived and I thought ‘do it now’ and join in the challenge at the same time.

One of my stamping friends sent me a bunch of images a couple of years ago when I asked for help, but didn’t want to buy a stamp set just for a specific project. This is one of the images she sent to me and I have dressed it up to make a winter card.

I masked off the image first but because this is the only one I have left I took a photo copy and used that for my mask. Then I proceeded to add some shading with ink to give the idea of snowbanks at the bottom. I also used a stamp from a set by GKD and added my trees which I heat embossed clear. Once that was dry I added a wash of colour for the sky and sprayed some shimmer along with some spatter at the same time. When it was dry I removed the mask and added colour to the snowman using Sakura glitter pens. My friend had also included some related sentiments so I tried to adapt one but messed it up. In the end I used the idea and did it on my computer changing the last word to birthday. It came out a lot bigger than I expected so I cut it up and added it as you see at the bottom. (I forgot to put my glasses on otherwise I would have realized the font was a bit too big.)

My final step was to sponge a darker blue along the edges before I attached it to the card front. I’m not displeased with the end result in spite of some small mistakes as I went along.

Many thanks for stopping by, I appreciate you, your time and any comments you may leave.

lavenderhousecreations

Word Power

Welcome to our latest challenge here at cardz4galz, and this one is asking that the sentiment become the star of the card.

Just recently, I was fortunate to acquire some StampinUP products from a demonstrator, who was selling off some items. She gave me a good deal on various sets and I’ve used one of them for this card.

I decided to make it an aperture card, but before I cut anything I sponged some CS with Twisted Citron Distress Oxide ink and then added a spatter of Lindy Magicals. When it was dry I cut the aperture. With a separate piece of CS, the sentiment was stamped in Peeled Paint D.O. ink and heat embossed clear. Using dies from the set that matched the leaves around the sentiment I die cut the leaves and glued them on top of the inked panel cutting off any excess at the edges. I wanted the texture without actually using a folder to create it. Backing the layer with foam tape, I added the sentiment layer and added everything to the card front.

Now it is your turn to display your creative skills and we look forward to seeing your creations in the gallery soon. Thanks for stopping by, your time and comments are appreciated.

lavenderhousecreations

‘It’s a Tall Order’

Welcome to the latest 3-2-1 recipe here at Double Trouble #229. Your challenge is to make a slimline or mini slimline using the following ingredients.

3 colours from colour wheel, 2 images, 1 slimline or mini slimline. Thing 3 from Twisted Sister has the option of using a colour, sentiment or image that starts with the letter “T” and Thing 2 is a Double Dare to use the sketch at TSOT #708 and enter for an additional chance to win. Beware the backlinking rule with this.

My card uses the colour Teal in two shades and has the word Travel in the sentiment. Additional colours used are taupe/dark green and violet. The travel die cuts (plane, globe and suitcases) are from an unbranded set from Amazon, the Eiffel tower is from Tattered Lace and the sentiment piece is from Elizabeth Crafts. I created the sentiment words on the computer. Initially I had planned something different in my head, but the card decided to head in this direction so I went with the flow. I added a touch of glitter here and there using a Sakura pen. I used the glitter card stock for the card base as it worked better than plain white.

Now it is your turn and as always we look forward to seeing what you create in our gallery. Above all have fun. For me my craft room is my safe place and helps me to settle any odd anxieties or other stuff because when creating I don’t think about them.

Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate you and any comments you may leave.

lavenderhousecreations

Merry & Bright

This card is a 2nd one using some leftover embossed vellum from another project. The folder used is from Taylored Expressions and I used white pigment ink over the raised sections and then heat embossed it clear to get this shiny effect. I added it to the red layer and then to the white card front.

I had a small piece of the green glitter CS so I cut two strips one for each side and added them. A, new to me, cut and emboss sentiments folder from StampinUP was used and I picked this one. Because I had used the red CS I realized the sentiment doesn’t stand out so I went over it with a Sakura pen which helped a lot.

This card fits the latest challenge at Color Hues which is to use Red and Green, so I shall add it there. Color Hues #144-Red and Green

Thanks for spending time with me today, I appreciate you and any comments you may leave.

lavenderhousecreations

Autumn

Welcome to challenge #288 here at cardz4galz and Lynda has chosen the theme of Autumn Florals/Foliage. As you can see my card features foliage.

I started with a white layer and inked it using Distress Oxides along with some splattering. When it was dry enough I ran it through an EF by Sizzix and added a bit more ink over the raises sections before attaching it to the metallic copper note card. For my leaves I used a combination of scrap CS and stamp sets. Stamp sets used are by SSS and an unbranded set each with their own dies. Using Versamark I stamped most of the smaller leaves on the gold and using a dark brown I stamped onto the coloured CS then heat set it all clear. The SSS leaf was stamped with Forest Moss and heat set clear and I then coloured the leaves using water colour pencils and some glitter Sakura pens. The tiny leaves and acorns are fall outs from a YNS background plate and were leftover from another project. Sentiment comes from the same unbranded set and was heat set with gold embossing.

It took a while to get the placement to my liking and it required some moving around of various elements. I used foam tape for dimension on some of the elements and the sentiment piece was fussy cut and then popped up on a thicker foam tape. Before choosing the copper CS I played with using white or green as my card front but I liked the fall look of the copper best.

Now it is your turn to play and we look forward to seeing what you create in our gallery. Above all have fun in your crafting space. Many thanks for stopping by, I appreciate you, your time and any comments you leave.

lavenderhousecreations

Snow Globe

Recently I’ve seen several ideas on using a snow globe die to make a card and they reminded me that I had this die from Precious Marieke and while not new it has rarely been used. It took me some thinking to decide how to create what I wanted and this is the result. It is by no means perfect as I couldn’t quite get the mechanism to fold properly but even with that I’m okay with the end result.

First I die cut the main globe frame using some silver CS and some scrap to add on the back of the front piece to give it some strength. I also cut a silver one for the back. Then I cut a piece of plastic for my center section. On this I added some snowy slopes and the small die cut houses and trees. For these I used a set from Kokorosa. The snow man is my own creation but I did use an MFT die for his arms. On the background piece I added a die cut circle from some PP that had a pretty seasonal design. The sentiment was cut using a 2 part die from Scrapbook.com and I used a sparkle pen on the snowy dots in the letters.

This photo shows the background a little better than the original one.

To get the effect I was after I cut and scored a panel that could be folded into a box, which as I mentioned, isn’t folding exactly flat but it still works. As I shall probably be giving this card in person having it fit into an envelope isn’t really necessary. Once my two piece box was done I added a couple of silver bits on each side so it wouldn’t be too obtrusive for the globe base. If I do another similar card I will cut my box so it is the shape of the globe base. I played with the center section to ensure it wouldn’t be too low down before gluing it in place and then the front and the back were added. The back piece has a white circle to which I can add my own words.

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

Challenges entered: Peace on Earth Challenge #122. ABC Christmas Challenge – U & V are for? (although the die isn’t completely unused I still feel it fits the challenge and lastly October Technique Challenge at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown.


lavenderhousecreations

Christmas Birthday

As I have a couple of friends who celebrate birthdays on Christmas day I decided to make a card that works for both events. With the latest challenge at Seize the Birthday #337-Geometric and Word Dies, I made my card to work with this too.

All the products used are from Spellbinders except for the little yoga Santa who is from Gummiapan. I started by stamping the geometric diamond stamp in barn door red which took several tries due to my not being able to press hard enough on the stamp. Once I was happy I then used clear heat embossing. I cut the layer down a little more and then added it to the red layer.

Using the Gummiapan die for my Santa I added colour with pencils and with a sparkly Sakura pen enhanced a few details. He was backed with some foam tape and set aside while I carried on with the rest. Having a glitter piece of gold CS I used two of the word dies from a set designed so one can build ones own wishes. Stamped the birthday words onto a small strip which also was heat set clear. I cut this piece narrower and then played around with placement of the words and the Santa before attaching everything permanently. Decided on keeping it somewhat CAS so no additional embellishments were added. I’m quite happy with the result and realized that this stamp set would work for other Christmas designs, so it’s staying on my desk to remind me. Although I do yoga classes regularly, this is one pose I cannot manage without a great deal of effort, so I’m envious that Santa does it with ease, lol.

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

lavenderhousecreations

Through the Window

Being in need of a masculine birthday card for a special friend, I set about creating this one. First I created the die cut window, using an older Art Impressions die set. I like that the window can be folded open. To give it some strength and dimension I cut several and glued them together.

Setting the window aside I took a small piece of watercolour paper and inked it using speckled egg Distress Oxide ink. When it was fully dry I stamped the image using two stamps from an Inspired by Stamping set that I won years ago. I used weathered wood ink for this as I wanted a softer impression than black ink would have given. I placed this piece behind the window gluing it and then cutting around the edges so it fit perfectly. I wanted a weathered look to the card so I took some wood grain CS and swiped the same ink so the grain stands out. I found the striped scrap of paper in my stash and cut that to the same size adding both to the card front. Using a white scrap I added it so the join was covered, after which I added the window.

As I didn’t have the right size stamp for an anchor, I searched online and found the one I’ve used here as it was a free download. This I then fussy cut and punched a hole at the top so the cord could be pushed through. I had the piece of net in my stash so I cut it to the size I wanted and added it. Then I added the anchor and twisted the cord gluing it here and there so it would stay attached. My sentiment is from Open Studio and I used the tiny fallout heart from the window underneath it.

I quite like how this card looks and am pretty sure our sailing friend will love it. He is always fascinated with my card designs. Although I wasn’t creating this card for any specific challenge it seems to work for the one at Sunday Stamps #SSC397 and it also works for the Anything Goes at: Ally’s Angels #111 Anything Goes theme + #110 brags for 15 Oct 2026 – a first time entry into this challenge for me.

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

lavenderhousecreations

Orange and Black

In general I make very few Halloween cards, but the challenge at Color Hues #143 – Orange and Black seems to lend itself to Halloween. As my card fits into the challenge at https://twooldbatshalloweenchallenge.blogspot.com/, I’m adding it there as well.

Why the colour changes when I do a photograph is beyond me, as here is looks more yellow than orange, although in reality is is a very bright orange.

My card is a CASE from something viewed on Pinterest. I used 2 different EF’s, one from Craft Concepts and one from Lifestyle Crafts. Both are ancient and not 3D. After embossing the background piece, I figured out the head section for my owl cut it and then embossed that piece too. We recently received a box of handmade chocolates as a gift and the box had this amazing orange belly band so I cut it into pieces to be used. A couple of the pieces had a silvery pattern on them. Fortunately I also had some card stock that was close in colour, which I used as the card base.

Using Hero Arts infinity circle dies I cut circles in different sizes to make the eyes. Once they were glued together I added them as you see and then added the head/beak section on top. I also added an orange piece to make the beak stand out. The layers were then added to the card base. An old Halloween set had the sentiment from GKD and I stamped in Versamark and then heat set black. A few gems were added on this piece after I had adhered it to the black layer.

I’m happy with how this turned out which is always a bonus for me, as so often I don’t like a card immediately it is finished. Thanks for spending time with me today, it is appreciated.

lavenderhousecreations

Celebrate Loud

As I needed a congratulations card for our surrogate daughter, I decided to create this pocket style card using a tutorial at Stamptastic Designs. Of course now I need the actual link I can’t find it so I apologize. I’ve been a bit tired lately and I guess I forgot to save it.

I searched my stash of StampinUP DSP and found this one that I really like both sides of and used it along with a CS from GKD that integrates the colour tones. Cutting the paper gave me some additional pieces that will be used on other designs soon. When the cutting and folding were done I added adhesive to close it properly. Using some cream lightly textured paper I stamped the sentiment from Spellbinders and heat set it clear, then the flower stamp is from Crafters Companion and this too was heat set clear. I filled in the flowers using a fine gold pen. This piece was cut so it would fit onto the precut wine coloured background and then I cut a hole for the ribbon to fit through. With the insert done I cut an oval from the same CS and a shaped piece from the cream and added them together. The shaped die cut is a very old die and I have no idea of the brand. The sentiment here was die cut from sparkle CS and uses another very old word set from Sizzix. A few small gem embellishments and the card was finished.

The card seems to fit two challenges, October 2026 – Fall Challenge at Sisterhood of Crafters and the other TB October 2026 Challenge at Triple B. The paper seems to be very fall like even if the colours are less so and the addition of the floral sprig certainly fits in the Triple B challenge.

Thanks for spending time with me, I really appreciate it and also any comments you may leave. Now it is posted here, I can mail the card so it will be waiting for our girl when she and her hubby return from there trip to Japan. She told us that she feels as if she is out of prison now that the studying is done, and yes she did pass and has her new designation for her job.