Jonquil Two Ways

I have a couple of cards to share today that feature a Penny Black brushstroke stamp called 'Jonquil'. I used a couple of different techniques with Distress Inks to stamp and colour the images.

On the first card, I stamped the image on to watercolour paper using a 'no line' ink from Ink on 3, then watercoloured over the top using 'Mustard Seed', 'Spiced Marmalade', 'Mowed Lawn' and 'Rustic Wilderness' Distress Inks. I added a sentiment (from the 'Go To Words' set by Visible Image), then distressed the edges a little and adding faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen, before adding the panel to a kraft card blank.

On the second card, I used the watercolour stamping technique, applying the inks directly to the stamp, and misting with a little water before stamping on to watercolour paper. I kept the layout the same as on the first card, just changing up the sentiment.

Challenges for these cards:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• CAS on Friday - Flowers
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Inkspirational - Stitching
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

More Snowflake Edges

I have a Christmas card to share today, made using one of the stamps from the 'Snowflake Edges' set (by Simon Says Stamp) that I got recently with a Simon Says Stamp Challenge prize. I use my stamping platform to stamp the snowflakes along one edge of a snippet of watercolour effect paper from the 'Mystery Marbles' pad by Craft Sensations, using Versamark Ink, and heat embossed it with a white detail embossing powder from Cosmic Shimmers. I then flipped it round and did the same along the opposite edge. I distressed the edges a little, then added the panel to a DL card blank. For the sentiment, I used a Creative Expressions die, cutting it three times from snippets of white card, then carefully layering them up to make a 'chunky', more 3D sentiment, then added that over the centre of the card.

Challenge for this card:

• C.R.A.F.T. - Christmas
• Krafty Chicks - All Occasions
• Little Red Wagon - Die Cuts
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Rudolph Days - Anything Christmas Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

Present Pile

Today's card features an 'oldie, but a goodie' stamp from Penny Black called 'Present Pile'. I stamped it directly on to a kraft card blank, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. The sentiment is from the 'Birthday Buddies' set by Paper Smooches. 

Challenges for this card:

• Crafter's Cafe - Cute
• Everybody Art - Birthday
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Time Out - Birthday

Rainbow Trees

I have a Christmas card to share today...featuring a couple of Christmas tree stamps by Woodware (called 'Mini Tall Twiggy Tree' and 'Mini Wide Twiggy Tree') that I picked up in a post-Christmas sale. Despite the trees being labelled as 'mini', I've made quite a 'maxi' sized card (this is A5), by using the two stamps combined, and repeat stamped to make a 'rainbow' of trees. I used Distress Inks (Festive Berries, Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed, Lucky Clover, Salty Ocean, Chipped Sapphire and Wilted Violet) to ink up the trees, alternating the two styles, and overlapping them slightly so that they would fit on my panel of watercolour paper. Once dry, I stamped the sentiment (from the 'Letter It - Christmas' set by Ranger) over the trees using Versamark Ink, then heat embossed it in 'Metallic Gold Rich' embossing powder from WOW. I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen, befre matting on to some gold mirror card, and adding to a kraft card blank.

Here's a better look at the colours of the trees...and although you can't read the sentiment terribly well, you can see the shine from this angle!

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• The Holly & the Ivy - Anything Christmas Goes

Big Butterfly

Today's card features an 'oldie, but a goodie' stamp from Indigo Blu called 'Big Butterfly'. I stamped it on to watercolour paper using Versamark Ink, then heat embossed it using 'Metallic Bronze Sparkle' embossing glitter from WOW. I watercoloured it using Distress Inks (Cracked Pistachio, Peacock Feathers, Uncharted Mariner & Gathered Twigs), then stamped a sentiment (from the 'Signature Greetings' set by Memory Box) in black ink, heat embossed it using clear embossing powder, before splattering some more of the Distress Inks over the top. I distressed the edges a little, then added it to a kraft card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Anything Goe (Optional 'Wings')
• Creative Knockouts - Birthday Wishes
• Dream Valley - Your Favourite Colours (My fvourite colour is blue...specifically 'Teal')
• Seize the Birtthday - Optional 'Use Your Initials' (Luckily my initials are HB for 'Happy Birthday'!)
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Embossing

PBSC February - Anything Goes (Optional 'Hearts and/or Flowers')...More Inspiration!

It's the third Saturday of the month, so that means it's time for some more inspiration for this month's Penny Black Saturday Challenge...where the theme is:

'Anything Goes'
or

'Hearts and/or Flowers'

As usual, we are sponsored by the awesome 1-2-3 Stitch:

Prize - a $20 voucher!

No flowers from me this time...just lots of hearts! The cute pup is from the 'Every Which Way' set...I stamped him on to a snippet of watercolour paper, coloured him using watercolour pencils, then carefully cut him out. For the background, I used an unbranded hearts background stamp that I picked up in a charity shop I stamped it on to smooth white card using Versamark Ink, heat embossed it with clear embossing powder, then blended 'Stormy Sky' Distress Ink over the top. I distressed the edges a little, matted it on to some bright pink card (to match the balloon), then added the pup on top using 3D foam pads. The sentiment is from the 'Sending Sunshine' set by Simon Says Stamp...I straightened it out (the stamp is wavy) as I placed it on to an acrylic block, then heat embossed it in white on a snippet of black card, then added that with more 3D foam pads.

I'm also entering this card into the following challenges:

• C.R.A.F.T. - Love/Valentine's
• Crafty Friends - Love/Romance
• Cutie Pie - Hearts and Flowers (Valentine's or Mother's Day - mine is a Valentine's card)
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Emboss It (The background & sentiment are heat embossed)
• Incy Wincy - Valentine's or In the Garden (Valentine's)
• The Sisterhood of Crafters - Hearts

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the Penny Black Saturday Challenge.

Pink Christmas

I have another Christmas card to share today...again featuring a charity shop find...a set of clear 'Snowflakes' stamps by Personal Impressions. I stamped the snowflakes in Versamark Ink on to a piece of pink watercolour effect paper (from the 'Watercolour Feelings' pad from The Works), using my stamping platform so that I could simply rotate the paper 180° and reproduce the design, then heat embossed them in white. I then stamped the sentiment (from the 'Festive Phrases' set) in the centre, again heat embossing it in white. I distressed the edges a little, then added the panel to a white card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Christmas Craft Creations - Pink
• Creatalicious - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Emboss It
• Stamping Sensations - Anything Stamped

Snowman with Heart

Today's card features a stamp that I picked up in a charity shop yesterday...it's a rather lovely plump snowman called 'Snowman with Heart' by Rubber Stampede. I stamped him (the sentiment is part of the stamp) on to watercolour paper, then coloured him using watercolour pencils. I distressed the edges a little, the added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen, then matted it to to some red card before adding it to a kraft card blank. 

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes (Optional 'All About Hearts')
• Corrosive - Anything Goes
• Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes
• Everybody Art - Hearts/Love
• Fab 'N' Funky - Valentine's or Hearts

Meeting Shelty

Today's card features an old wood mounted Penny Black stamp called 'Meeting Shelty'...my best charity shop bargain of last year...it cost the princely sum of 20p! I stamped it on to watercolour paper, along with a sentiment from the 'Sending Sunshine' set by Simon Says Stamp, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. The papers are from the 'Bright Freshness' pad by Craft Sensations...I've nearly managed to use these all up....there's just one full sheet, and lots of snippets left! I distressed all of the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

Challenges for this card:

• As You Like It - Favourite Love or Friendship (Friendship - I especially like making cards for crafty friends, as I know that they'll be appreciated!)
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Sparkles Forum - Friendship
• Stamping Sensations - Anything Stamped

Snowflake Edges

Today, I have three Christmas cards to share...all made using stamps from the 'Snowflakes Edges' stamp set by Simon Says Stamp. On the first card, I started by stamping one of the sentiments in the centre of a piece of teal card using Versamark Ink, then heat embossed it in white. I then used my stamping platform to stamp one of the edge stamps above and below...also heat embossing in white. I then added the panel to a white card blank.

For the second card, I stamped the corner stamp directly on to a kraft card blank...again heat embossing in white. I added a sentiment from the 'Winter's Blessing' set by Crafter's Companion.

On the final card, I inked up the largest stamp in the set with a mixture of Distress Inks (Picked Raspberry, Wilted Violet, Peacock Feathers & Uncharted Mariner), then stamped it on watercolour paper. I added another of the sentiments, then distressed the edges a little before matting it on to some bright pink card, and then on to a kraft card blank.

Challenges for these cards:

• Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Krafty Chicks - Christmas
• Jingle Belles - Embossing (First two cards only)
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Sparkles Forum Christmas - Non-traditional Christmas Colours (Last card only)
• Stamping Sensations - Anything Stamped

ABC Christmas Challenge - C & D are for?

It's the second Wednesday of a new month, so that means it's time for a new ABC Christmas Challenge! Lynda is the host, and the themes are:

'C is for Checks'

&

'D is for Die Cuts'

Here's the prize on offer for the lucky winner:

For my 'C for Checks' card, I picked an old Crafter's Companion paper pad called 'Vintage Christmas', as it had lots of different checked patterns as the basis for my card. I used three of the different papers, distressing the edges a little, before adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. To go with the vintage feel of the papers, I picked a Lili of the Valley pre-coloured die cut image (from the 'Tis the Seaon' sheet), adding a snippet of gold lace behind it.

For my 'D is for Die Cuts' card, I used a set of Sizzix dies called 'Intricate Baubles'...cutting the two shapes from some teal card. I then cut a pieces of gold mirror card to layer behind those, drew gold 'thread' on to some cream card using a gold glitter gel pen, then added the baubles on 3D foam pads. I used a Creative Expressions die to cut the sentiment from more of the gold mirror card, and added that to the panel too, then matted it on to more gold mirror card, then on to a cream card blank.

I'm also entering these cards into the following challenges:

• AAA Cards - Teal & Gold (Second card only)
• Christmas Cards All Year Round - Two of Something or Doves (Second card only)
• Christmas Kickstarrt - Baubles (Second card only)
• C.R.A.F.T. - Winter (First card only)
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• The Holly & the Ivy - Anything Christmas Goes

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the ABC Christmas Challenge.

Watch This Bookmark

When I was playing with my new set of Anita Jerum stamps last week (making this set of cards), I couldn't resist combining a couple of the dog images to make this simple bookmark. The dog at the bottom has a ball balancing on his nose, so I started by covering that with some masking tape before inking the stamp. I then removed the tape, then stamped him on to a snippet of kraft card. I use my stamping platform to position the second dog so that he is balancing on the nose of the other dog, then coloured the images using watercolour pencils.

Challenges for this bookmark:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes...Optional 'I love...' (Dogs, colouring on kraft, books!)
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes

Guest Designer - We Love Stamping

Today I'm sharing another Guest Designer card, this time for the We Love Stamping Challenge, where the theme for this month's challenge is:

'Anything Stamped'

(Optional 'Add a Stencil')

I have a few stencils...but hardly ever think to use them, so this was the 'kick up the bum' I needed! The stencil I picked is called 'Bones' by Funky Fossil. I laid the stencil over a kraft card blank, then used masking tape to create a strip across the middle, then sponged white pigment ink through the stencil. Once dry, I used it as a background for a cute Whipper Snapper pup called 'Birthday Beagle'. I stamped him on to watercolour paper, coloured him using watercolour pencils, then carefully cut him out...adding him over the top of the stencilled background using 3D foam pads. The sentiment is from the 'Birthday Buddies' set by Paper Smooches.  

For more inspiration from the fabulous Design Team, and all of the details of this month's wonderful prize, please pop over to the We Love Stamping Challenge.

PBSC February - Anything Goes (Optional 'Hearts and/or Flowers')

It's the first Saturday of the month, so that means it's time for a new Penny Black Saturday Challenge...where the theme is:

'Anything Goes'
or

'Hearts and/or Flowers'

As usual, we are sponsored by the awesome 1-2-3 Stitch:

Prize - a $20 voucher!

I picked a cute little pup image from the 'Critter Party' set (an oldie, but a goodie!), and stamped him on to a kraft card blank. I coloured him using watercolour pencils, then added a snippet of heart print paper (from the 'Hello Today' pad by Heidi Swapp) along the bottom egde of the card for him to stand on. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Smooches' set by Paper Smooches...as is the little heart stamp, which I stamped in Versamark Ink, then heat embossed it using 'Turkish Nights' embossing glitter from WOW...I outlined the heart shape using a black gel pen to help it stand out better against the kraft.

I'm also entering this card into the following challenges:

• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Creatalicious - Anything Goes (Optional 'Love/Hearts')
• Inkspirational - Moodboard Inspiration
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Love is in the Air

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the Penny Black Saturday Challenge.

February Desk Calendar

Today I'm sharing the page for February in my little Penny Black desk calendar. The blank calendar is from Paper Mill Direct, and as I mentioned when I posted the page for January, I've decided to keep it really minimal, and stamp directly on to the page this year. The image I chose for February is called 'The Park Bench Affair', and I coloured it using watercolour pencils.

Challenges for this calendar:

• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything Goes
• A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes
• Creative Knockouts - Love is in the Air
• Krafty Chicks - Stamp Act
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Love is in the Air

Guest Designer - Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge

A couple of month's ago, I was the lucky winner of a Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge, and asked to guest design for a future challenge, and today I'm sharing that card. 

This challenge is sponsored by Sheepski Designs, and the image I chose to work with is called 'Vixen'. I printed it on to smooth white card, then used watercolour pencils to colour it...I didn't use any water to blend the pencils, as I often have issues with that smudging digi stamps (I don't have the right kind of printer...which is why you don't see me using a lot of digi stamps), but I quite like the texture it's given the fur. I used some of my Nesties to cut the circles, and paired the image with a snippet of bauble paper from the 'Ho, Ho, Ho!' pad by Polkadoodles...doodling simple borders using a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Wintertime Messages' set by Hero Arts.

For more inspiration from the fabulous design team, please pop over to the Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge - thanks for having me!