Snow Dust

I have a Christmas card to share today, made using a rather neglected Penny Black stamp called 'Snow Dust', last used in November 2023! I stamped it onto smooth white card using Versamark ink, heat embossed it with white embossing powder, then blended 'Wilted Violet', 'Chipped Sapphire', and 'Uncharted Mariner' over the top. I used it as a background for a cluster of reindeer (cut from snippets of white card using dies from the 'Winter Wonderland' set by Tim Holtz/Sizzix), adding a strip of white card, with a torn top edge, along the bottom for the snowy ground. I matted it onto a piece of navy card before adding it to a white card blank. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous.

Challenges for this card:

• A Cut Above - Anything Goes Using a Die Cut
• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• As You Like It - Favourite Christmas Critter (Reindeer... after all, they're the ones helping Santa bring the presents!)
• Christmas Cards All Year Round - V & W (W is for Winter Wonderland)
• Fab 'N' Funky - Three of Something (Three deer)
• Krafty Chicks - Anything Goes
• Jingle Belles - Animals
• Neglected Stuff - Anything Goes (The tree stamp is my neglected item)
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Sparkles Forum - Use Dies

Dancing Santa & Snowman

I have a Christmas card to share today, made using a cute Funstamps stamp that I got from a charity shop earlier this week. I stamped it onto a piece of watercolour paper, then added a sentiment from the 'Merry Delivery' set by Penny Black, before colouring it using watercolour pencils. For the background, I used papers from the 'Christmas Basics' pad by Dovecraft. I distressed the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. I matted the image, onto a piece of red card, then layered everything up on another piece of matching red card before adding it to a white card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• AAA Christmas Cards - Traditional Christmas
• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Crafty Gals Corner - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes
• Rudolph Days - Anything Christmas Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

Guest Designer - 52 Christmas Card Throwdown!

Today, I'm excited to be sharing a Guest Designer card for the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown Challenge, where the theme is:

I started by cutting out three large circles from snippets of white card using one of my Nestie dies. I embossed the first one, using a Sizzix embossing folder called 'Snowfall'. I used a Clearly Besotted die called 'Tree Landscape' to cut one of the circles, and one of the 'Scenic Border' dies from the Contemporary Christmas collection by Crafter's Companion to cut the other. I added a sentiment to the layer with the houses, using a stamp from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous, heat embossing it using metallic silver embossing powder. I distressed the edges of the circles, then layered them up, before matting them onto a scalloped circle, cut from another snippet of white card. I added a square of white card (with distressed edges) to a card blank, then popped the circle scene on top using 3D foam pads.

For more inspiration from the fabulous DT, please pop over to the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown.

Cat in a Tree!

I have another Christmas card to share today, featuring a long-neglected Penny Black stamp from the 'Holly Jolly Christmas' set. I stamped it onto a piece of watercolour paper, then added a sentiment using a stamp from the 'Getting Ready' set by Anita Jeram for the Colorado Craft Company. I coloured the image using watercolour pencils, then added a touch of sparkle to the baubles and star using some Stickles. I matted it onto a piece of red card, distressing all of the edges, then added it to a kraft card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes
• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Christmas Cards All Year Round - T & U (T is for Tree)
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Stamps + Fun = Creativity - Four-legged Friends
• We Love Stamping - Anything Goes

Royal Mail

I have a simple one layer card to share today, featuring a cute Penny Black stamp called 'Royal Mail'. I stamped it directly onto a kraft card blank, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous.

Challenges for this card:

• 52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Christmas Mailbox
• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Crafty Animals - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Peace on Earth - Anything Christmas Goes
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes

Winter Penguin

I have a Christmas card to share today, featuring a cute little chap called 'Winter Penguin' by Hero Arts. I stamped him onto a snippet of watercolour paper, along with a sentiment using one of the stamps from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous, then coloured him using watercolour pencils. I matted the image onto a snippet of dark card, distressing the edges and adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. I added a snippet of plaid patterned paper (from the 'Jingle All the Way' pad by First Edition) to the bottom of a kraft card blank, then added the penguin image over the top.

Challenges for this card:

• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Inkspirational - CAS (Optional 'Plaid')
• Krafty Chicks - CAS
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Sweet Stampin' - Cute Creations

ABC Christmas Challenge - U & V are for?

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

'U is for Unused Stash'

&

'V is for Violet'

The prize for the lucky winner is:

For my 'U is for Unused Stash' card, I combined an unused stamp, from the 'Bundled Snowman' set by Penny Black, and a sheet of patterned paper from the 'Contemporary Christmas' pad from Crafter's Companion. I stamped the snowman onto a piece of watercolour paper, extended the line for the ground using a black gel pen, then coloured him using watercolour pencils. I added a sentiment, using a stamp from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous, then carefully cut around the top of the image. I layered it over the snowflake paper, then matted it onto some pale blue card before adding it to a white card blank.

For my 'V is for Violet' card, I used a bauble stamp from Marianne Designs (it doesn't have a name, but is one of the 'Tiny Borders' stamps), and stamped it onto a piece of black card using Versamark ink, then heat embossed it using silver embossing powder. I added a sentiment using another of the stamps from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous, embossing it in silver to match, then watercoloured the baubles in violet using a Cosmic Shimmers mica pigment mixed with a little water. I matted it onto a piece of violet mirror card, then added it to a white card blank.

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

• Allsorts - Anything Goes (First card only)
• Christmas Kickstart - Gothic Christmas (Second card only)
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes (First card only)
• NBUS - Use Unused Stash (First card only)
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Use Patterned Paper (First card only)
• Sweet Stampin' - Cute Creations (First card only)

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

Bundled Snowman

I have a simple Christmas card to share today...featuring another snowman from the 'Bundled Snowman' set by Penny Black. I stamped him onto watercolour paper, extended the line for the snowy ground using a black gel pen, then coloured him using watercolour pencils. I cut around the top of the image, then layered it onto a kraft card blank. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes
• Krafty Chicks - Christmas
• Peace on Earth Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• Sparkles Forum Christmas - Use Red & Green

A Wish & a Kiss

I have (yet) another Christmas card to share today, this time featuring an older Penny Black stamp called 'A Wish & a Kiss'. I stamped him onto a snippet of watercolour paper, added a line for the snowy ground using a black gel pen, then coloured him using watercolour pencils before carefully cutting around the top of the image. For the background, I stamped my 'Festive Background' stamp by Woodware onto a snippet of pink paper from the 'Pastel Watercolours' pad from The Works, using Versamark ink, then heat embossed it using white embossing powder. I layered the duck over the top, then matted it onto a piece of bright pink card before adding it to a white card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• 52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Hot Foil or Hot Embossing
• Creative Knockouts - Anything Goes
• Everybody Art - Pink
• I Spy with My Little Eye - Added Text
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Make Your Own Background
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Christmas in September
• We Love Stamping - Anything Goes

Bundled Snowmen

I have another Christmas card to share today, featuring a cute snowman stamp from the 'Bundled Snowman' set by Penny Black. I stamped it onto a piece of watercolour paper, coloured it using watercolour pencils, then used one of my circle Nesties to cut out the circle shape. I added a sentiment using a stamp from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous, then matted it onto a pink scalloped circle (cut using another Nestie die). For the background, I used snowflake covered papers...the blue one is from the 'Let it Snow' pad by Art Studio, and the pink one is from the 'Snowscapes' pad from Woodware...I distressed the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen. I matted it all onto some more pink card, before adding it to a white card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
• Peace on Earth Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• Rudolph Days - Anything Christmas Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Christmas in September
• We Love Stamping - Anything Goes

Merry Delivery

I have another Christmas card to share today, featuring another of the stamps from the 'Merry Delivery' set by Penny Black. I stamped it onto a piece of watercolour paper, added a sentiment using a stamp from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Hol;tz for Stampers Anonymous, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. For the background, I used a couple of patterned papers from the 'May Your Days be Merry & Bright' pad from Craft Sensations, distressing the edges a little before adding them to a kraft card blank. I placed the image on top, then added a picket fence cut from a snippet of brown card using a Die-namics die.

Challenges for this card:

• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything Goes
• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes
• Crafty Animals - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Polkadoodles  -Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Christmas in September

Gentle Christmas Hugs

Today's card features one of the stamps from the 'Merry Delivery' set by Penny Black. I stamped the image, and one of the matching sentiments, onto a piece of watercolour paper, then coloured the image 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 it onto a piece of teal coloured card and adding it to a kraft card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Clean & Simple
• Stamps + Fun = Creativity - Text (Stamp)
• Sweet Stampin' - CAS

PBSC September - Anything Goes (Optional 'Use a Die')...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

'Things with Wings'

We're currently without a sponsor, so this challenge is just for fun.

I picked a cute snowmen image from the 'Bundled Snowman' set, and stamped it onto a a snippet of watercolour paper, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. I used dies from the Tim Holtz/Sizzix 'Snowglobe 2' set to cut the 'globe' from a snippet of watercolour effect paper from the 'Mystery Marbles' pad by Craft Sensations, and the 'plinth' from a tiny snippet of kraft card. I used a Tim Holtz/Sizzix 'Snowfall' embossing folder to emboss the 'globe', then lightly sanded over the raised areas to reveal some of the white core of the paper. I layered the snowmen over the top, then trimmed it to match the circle shape. I added a sentiment to the 'plinth' using a stamp from the 'Christmas Hats' set by Anita Jeram for the Colorado Craft Company, then inked around the edges of that, and the 'globe' using 'Brushed Corduroy' Distress Ink. I wanted to keep the background fairly simple, so added a piece snowflake covered paper (from the 'Snowscapes' pad from Woodware) to a kraft card blank, then added the assembled snowglobe on top. 

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

• A Cut Above - Anything Goes with a Die Cut
• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Can You Handle the Pressure - Anything Goes (Using an Embossing Folder)
• C.R.A.F.T. - Christmas
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets

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

Owlsome Christmas!

Today's card features a cute owl stamp from Purple Onion called 'Owlsome Christmas!'. I stamped it onto watercolour paper, along with a sentiment using a stamp from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. I paired it with papers from an unnamed pad from The Works...distressing the edges a little and adding faux stitching using a black gel pen. I matted the image and the bottom layer onto some teal coloured card, then added it to a white card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Creative Knockouts - Lots of Layers
• Just Us Girls - Bold
• Love Those Pretty Papers - Anything Goes
• Merry Little Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes

Poinsettia Border

Today's card features stamps from a Julie Hickey set called 'Poinsettia Border', that I got recently from a charity shop. I stamped them onto a piece of watercolour paper, adding the sentiment from the set in the centre, then coloured the images using watercolour pencils. I distressed the edges a little, then added it to a kraft card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes
• Krafty Chicks - Christmas
• Little Red Wagon - Use a Stamp
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Stamp It
• We Love Stamping - Trees & Leaves

ABC Christmas Challenge - S & T 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:

'S is for Snowmen'

&

'T is for Transport'

The prize for the lucky winner is the matching stamp & die from Your Next Stamp

For my 'S is for Snowmen' card, I picked a Woodware stamp called 'Snowman Family', and stamped it directly onto a DL white card blank. I added a sentiment, using one of the stamps from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous, then coloured the image using watercolour pencils.

For my 'T is for Transport' card, I picked a sledge for my mode of transport, and used a cute Lili of the Valley stamp called 'Sledging Buddies'. I stamped it onto a snippet of watercolour paper, and added a sentiment using a stamp from the 'Just Add Snow!' set by Anita Jeram for the Colorado Craft Company. I coloured it using watercolour pencils, then carefully cut around the top of the image. I layered it over a snippet of snowy sky paper, from an unnamed pad from The Works, matted it onto a snippet of teal card, then added it to a kraft card blank.

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

• Peace on Earth Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes (First card only)
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes (Second card only)
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Stamp It (Second card only)
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Stamp It (First card only)
• Sparkles Forum - Animals (Second card only)

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

PBSC September - Anything Goes (Optional 'Use a Die')

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

'Use a Die'

We are currently without a sponsor, so this challenge is just for fun.

I picked a Penny Black die to use on my card, and started by cutting the 'Immense Joy' from a snippet of bright red card. I then used the die to cut the centre of the 'O' from a snippet of white card, then stamped my Penny Black 'Jingle Friends' stamp onto that, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. I made a simple background by embossing a piece of white card using a snowflake embossing folder from Sizzix, then matted it onto a piece of bright red card. I added the die cut on top, inserting the coloured image into the centre of the 'O', then added it to a white card blank.

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

• Can You Handle the Pressure - Anything Goes with an Embossing Folder
• Christmas Cards All Year Round - R & S (R is for Rudolph & S is for Santa)
• Christmas Kickstart - Reindeer Games
• Creative Moments - Make it Cute
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Stamp It
• Sweet Stampin' - Use a Die Cut

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

Festive Foliage

I have another Christmas card to share today, featuring a background stamp I got from a charity shop at the weekend. It's by Chloe Creative Stamps, and is called 'Festive Foliage Background'. I stamped it onto teal card using Versamark ink, then heat embossed it using 'Metallic Platinum Sparkle' embossing glitter from WOW. I stamped a sentiment, using a stamp from a Colorado Craft Company set, onto a strip of vellum using Versamark ink, then heat embossed it using silver embossing powder. I tore the edges of the vellum, then added it over the top of the embossed background, matting it all onto a piece of silver mirror card before adding it to a DL card blank.

It's not very easy to see, but the background is super sparkly in real life!

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

Fluffles Noel

I have a Christmas card to share today, made using some more charity shop purchases...a Stampendous woodmounted stamp called 'Fluffles Noel', and some BasicGrey 'Figgy Pudding' papers. I stamped the image onto a snippet of watercolour paper, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. I distressed all of the edges, then added faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen, before layering it up onto a kraft card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - All Creatures Great & Small
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Love Those Pretty Papers - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Lots of Layers
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

Rudolph & Friends

I have (yet!) another Christmas card to share today...this one features a cute Woodware stamp called 'Rudolph & Friends' that I got recently from a charity shop. I stamped it onto a DL kraft card blank, then coloured it using watercolour pencils, but without using any water. It's a huge stamp - I have quite a few this size from Woodware, and it's always a bit tricky to figure out where a sentiment might fit, but as I don't think you'd mistake this for anything other than a Christmas card, I left this one with just the image.

Challenges for this card:

• A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes
• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Christmas Kickstart - Friendship
• Peace on Earth Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• Rudolph Days - Anything Christmas Goes