New year, new month and New challenge at Lavinia stamps! And what better theme than ‘ a story to be told’ we all look forward to a new story on the first day of 2019. What will yours be? I hope you can join us this month.

In the meantime here’s a little inspiration from me which all began by mopping up ink from my craft mat on to a spare piece of card.

I created a sun using a small circle mask and purple ink.

It reminded me of water so I selected the following stamps to create a scene.

Unicorn 2

Silhouette castle

Christmas tree group

Fairy bridge

Fairy buttercups

I wanted to keep the delicate colours so I needed to make sure the background stamping was much paler than the foreground. I used one of my masks to add a horizon. I stamped trees in pale colours- and second generation stamping. The bridge was stamped using grey versa Clair ink. The castle in a lilac blue.

Then I got so involved I forgot to take anymore photos… oops! So I’ll talk you through.

Once the trees and castle were stamped I created mist by dabbing white ink over the area with a sponge. (Momento luxe wedding dress) I also added darker colour to the castle using zig clean colour watercolour markers. I coloured the bridge using these too.

I increased the intensity of the sky and foreground colour using my artistry ink pads (clarity stamps) . I lightly masked and inked mountains and drew clouds with a gel pens ( white and clear glitter)

I stamped the unicorn in grey and built up the colour using my black Stabilo pencil. I added clear sparkle on his back with a zig pen to create the impression of light. I drew in a shadow in the foreground using Stabilo pastel pencils and did a little highlighting with a white gel pen.

Finally after extending the hills from the bridge stamp and adding pastel pencil deeper colour to the foreground, I stamped the buttercups to frame the picture . I also lightly scribbled a few in a paler colour to the background here and there.

So that’s my story. I wonder who lives in the castle and whether the unicorn had a friend ….

Good luck in the challenge… vouchers to be won … till next time.

Lisa x