Latte, Snowy and help please

 I had a card making session last night ... and here are the results.

The first is for these challenges:
Sugar Bowl - sketch and black, white plus 1
Everybody Art Challenge - monochromatic brown
Stampavie and more - monochrome

 This is one of my stamps from Sugar Nellie, Luv a Latte.  I coloured it using my copics and then chalked the background.  I embossed some white cardstock and chalked it up too.  Finally I added some brads, doodling and faux stitching.

My second card covers these challenges:
I Love Promarkers - Snowmen
Simon Says Stamp - sparkle
Creative Inspirations - Anything Christmas/wintery
Paper Play- Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow
Lili of the Valley - Glitter and Sparkle

I do love these LOTV Christmas images.  I coloured the snowman using my promarkers and then cut him out and liberally stickled him!  The dp is from last year, lost the front so I don't know what it was!  I added some card candy and a sentiment ... simple but masculine, definitely for a male friend this year.

Now for some help please .. I got these lavinia stamps from the NEC and now matter what I do I think they are stamping palely, if you see what I mean.  I have washed them in soapy water, selloptaped them and they still look pale to me ... any ideas?