March Desk Calendar

Today, I'm sharing my desk calendar page for March. The image I've used is 'Hello World!' by Penny Black...I stamped it on to watercolour paper, then coloured it using watercolour pencils, before cutting the circle shape using one of my Nesties. The pink paper is from the 'Happy Colours' pad (from The Works) and the yellow paper is from the 'Geometrie' pad by Folia Paper...I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

Challenges for this calendar:

• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Fur or Feathers
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - Bright Colours

Butterflies & Ewe

Today's card features a cute little Penny Black stamp that I found recently in a charity shop...called 'Butterflies & Ewe'. I stamped it directly on to a kraft card blank, coloured it using watercolour pencils, then added a sentiment from the 'Sending Sunshine' set by Simon Says Stamp.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes

Santa Stop Here!

I have a Christmas card to share today...featuring three stamps that I picked up recently in a charity shop. They were all unmounted and bagged together (along with four other stamps)...but I had no idea what brand they are, or even if they were a set. After a little Googling, I've managed to determine that the igloo stamp is by Elzybels, but I don't know if the little penguin and sentiment are also from that brand. I stamped them on to a kraft card blank, then coloured the image using watercolour pencils.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Animals - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Krafty Chicks - All Occasions
• Rudolph Days - Anything Christmas Goes
• Sparkles Froum Christmas - Use Kraft Card
• The Holly & the Ivy - Anything Christmas Goes

Butterfly Birthday

Today's card features another recent charity shop find... a swirly background stamp by Stampin' Up! I started by making a simple watercolour background, by blending Distress Inks (Peacock Feathers, Mermaid Lagoon, Broken China and Chipped Sapphire) on to wet watercolour paper. Once dry, I stamped the swirly background stamp over the top using Versamark Ink, then heat embossed it using metallic gold embossing powder from WOW. I cut a butterfly from a snippet of gold mirror card, using a die from the 'Mini Detailed Butterflies' set by Tim Holtz for Sizzix, then cut the matching solid butterfly shape from a snippet of pearlised aqua card to layer behind it. I added the butterfly to the background using 3D foam pads, and matted it all on to some more gold mirror card before adhering it to a white card blank. Finally, I stamped a sentiment (from the 'Go To Words' set by Visible Image) on to a snippet of white card, matted it on to another snippet of gold mirror card, before adding it to the card.

Challenges for this card:

• Aud Sentiments - Use Dies + a Sentiment
• My Time to Craft - Make Your Own Background
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday

The Lost Balloon

Today's card features another recent charity shop find...a set of 'cloud' edge dies...brand unknown as they were not in their original packaging. I started by stamping an old Lili of the Valley bunny stamp called 'The Lost Balloon' on to a kraft card blank. I coloured it using watercolour pencils, then added some Glossy Accents to their balloons. I stamped a sentiment (from the 'Watch This!' set by Anita Jerum for the Colorado Craft Company) on to a snippet of white card, then used one of the cloud egde dies to cut the bottom edge, before adding it to the top of the card.

Challenges for this card:

• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything Goes
• AAA Cards - CAS Birthday
• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Creative Knockouts - Die Cuts/Punches/Stencils
• Creative Moments - CAS
• I Spy With My Little Eye - Somthing Beginning with B (Bunnies & Balloons)
• Stamping Sensations - Animals/Birds/Creatures
• Stamps + Fun = Creativity - Cute

Champagne Anniversary

Today's card features stamps from a set I picked up in a charity shop last week. I wanted it primarily for the anniversary sentiments...something that's lacking in my stash. The set wasn't in its original packaging...which is often the case, and means a trawl through Google using a whole host of search terms to locate the brand/item...however, this set (rather helpfully!) had some tiny text on the acetate backing, so I can tell you it's called 'Champagne Anniversary Silhouette' by My Sentiments Exactly!

I stamped the champagne glasses and sentiment on to a piece of kraft card using Versamark Ink, then heat embossed everything using metallic gold embossing powder from WOW. I matted the panel on to piece of gold mirror card before adding it to a matching kraft card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• CAS on Friday - Male
• Krafty Chicks - CAS
• Little Red Wagon - Show Us Some Love
• The Sisterhood of Crafters - Love
• We Love Stamping - Anything Goes

PBSC February - Anything Goes (Optional 'Wings')...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

'Wings'

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

Prize - a $20 voucher!

I went with chickens again for the 'Wings' element of my card, this time using a stamp called 'Best of Luck!'. I stamped it on to watercolour paper, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. I added a sentiment (using a stamp from the 'Watch This!' set by Anita Jerum by The Colorado Craft Company), and doodled a simple border using a black gel pen before adding it to a kraft card blank.

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

• Everybody Art - Birthday
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday
• Stamping Sensations - Animals/Birds/Creatures
• Time Out - Birthday

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

Guest Designer - C.R.A.F.T Challenge!

Today, I'm excited to be sharing a Guest Designer project for C.R.A.F.T. Challenge, where the theme for the next two weeks is:

'Christmas'

The sponsor for this challenge is All Dressed Up

I used 'Sharing at Christmas' on my card...printing it on to smooth white card, then colouring using watercolour pencils. I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen, before matting the image on to co-ordinating aqua and pink card. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous.

For more inspiration from the fabulous Design Team, please pop over to the C.R.A.F.T. Challenge - thanks for having me!

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! Helene is the host, and the themes are:

'C is for Cats'

&

'D is for Dogs'

The prize for the lucky winner is a $10 Gift Certificate to one of Helene's favourite Digi Stamp stores:

For my 'C is for Cats' card, I used a pair of caroling cats from the 'Christmas Hugs' set by Penny Black, stamping them on to watercolour paper, then colouring them using watercolour pencils. I cut around the top of the image, then added a piece of starry sky paper (from the 'Christmas Night' pad from The Works) behind them. The sentiment stamp is from an old Lili of the Valley set.

The pup image of my 'D is for Dogs' card is also by Penny Black, this time from the 'Wintertime Cheer' set. I stamped him on to watercolour paper, then coloured him using watercolour pencils. I used a couple of snowflake covered papers from the 'Let it Snow' pad from Poundland for the background...distressing the edges a little using my CutterBee Bug and a black and white gel pens.

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

• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Stamping Sensations - Animals/Birds/Creatures

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

Homespun Hearts Snowman

I have a Christmas card to share today...featuring a really old High Hopes stamp called 'Homespun Hearts Snowman'. I stamped him on to watercolour paper, coloured him using watercolour pencils, then added some Stickles glitter glue to his hearts. I paired him with a piece of paper from the 'Glittering Snowflakes' pad by Crafter's Companion...distressing the edges before adding faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Hearts
• Christmas Cards All Year Round - Hearts
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes
• Inspirational - Hearts
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Love is in the Air
• We Love Stamping - Anything Goes

Embossed Noel

I have a cpair of simple Christmas cards to share today...made using a new 'Noel' stamp from Inkadinkado'. I stamped it on to snippets of red and green card using Versamark Ink, then heat embossed it using metallic gold embossing powder from WOW. I matted the embossed panels on to snippets of gold mirror card, then added them to some cream card balnks.

Challenges for these cards:

• Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Dream Valley - Add a Sentiment
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets

Snowy Winter Nights

I have a Christmas card to share today, featuring an old Hero Arts stamp called 'Snowy Winter Nights'. I stamped it on to smooth white card uing Versamark Ink, then heat embossed it using 'Midnight Dreams' embossing glitter from WOW. I added a sentiment using a stamp from an old Lili of the Valley set, then distressed the edges a little before adding it to a card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Christmas Craft Creations - Glitter & Sparkle
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Krafty Chicks - Christmas
• Merry Little Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• Peace on Earth Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• The Holly & the Ivy - Anything Christmas Goes

James Big Heart

Today's card features another old Lili of the Valley bear stamp...this one is called 'James Big Heart'. I stamped him on to a kraft card blank, then coloured him using watercolour pencils. The sentiment was made using a couple of stamps from the 'Smooches' set by Paper Smooches.

Challenges for this card:

• Addicted to CAS - Heart
• Crafty Calendar - Add a Heart
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Creative Inspirations - Someone You Love/Someone Special
• Incy Wincy - Valentine's/Love
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Love is in the Air
• Sweet Stampin' - Valentine's
• We Love Stamping - Romance

Busy Baking!

Today's card features an old Lili of the Valley stamp called 'Busy Baking'. I stamped it on to a kraft card blank, then extended the line of her 'worktop' to the edges of the card using a black gel pen, before colouring it using watercolour pencils. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Anytime Sentiments' set by Hero Arts.

Challenges for this card:

• Little Red Wagon - Pour Some Sugar on Me
• My Time to Craft - Hobbies (Baking)
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Stamps + Fun = Creativity - Beginning with 'B' (Bear & Baking)

PBSC February - Anything Goes (Optional 'Wings')

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

'Wings'

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

Prize - a $20 voucher!

For my card, I picked one of the chickens on the 'Caroler's stamp...masking off his buddies before inking him up, then I stamped him directly on to a kraft card blank. I coloured him using watercolour pencils, then added a sentiment from the 'Jazzy Cats' set.

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

• A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes
• CAS on Friday - Valentine
• Creative Knockouts - Love/Valentine's Day/Anniversary
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

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

February Desk Calendar

As it's the first of the month, I'm sharing my desk calendar page for February. The blank calendar is from Paper Mill Direct...and once again I'm going to us all Penny Black stamps...these ones are from the 'Every Which Way' set. I stamped them on to watercolour paper, coloured them using watercolour pencils, then cut the circle shape using one of my Nesties. For a simple background, I combined papers from the 'Vintage Dreams' pad by Craft Sensations (green) and 'Geometrie' pad by Folia Paper. I distressed all of the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

Challenges for this calendar:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Krafty Chicks - Stamps
• Moving Along with the Times - Love Hearts
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Have a Heart
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Stamps + Fun = Creativity - Anything Goes