Fishing Ted

Today's card featuresa cute Funstamps stamp called 'Fishing Ted' that I picked up last week in a charity shop. I stamped him on to watercolour paper, then coloured him using watercolour pencils. I paired him with papers from the 'Fresh Florals' pad by Craft Sensations...distressing the edges, and adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a blac gel pen. The sentiment stammps are from the 'Birthday Buddies' set by Paper Smooches.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Inspirational - Layer It (Layers of papers)
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

Holly & Baubles

I have a pair of Christmas cards to share today, made using a couple of stamps that I picked up earlier this week in a charity shop...'Holly Spray' by Funstamps, and an unmarked wood mounted bauble stamp. I stamped them both on to black card using Versamark Ink, then heat embossed them using silver embossing powder from WOW. I added heat embossed sentiments (using stamps from the 'Wintertime Messages' set by Hero Arts), then watercoloured the images using Cosmic Shimmers pigments. I matted the panels on to some silver mirror card, then added them to white card blanks.

Here's a closer look at both cards:

Challenges for these cards:

• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Krafty Chicks - All Occasions
• Rudolph Days - Anything Christmas Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Sparkles Forum Christmas - Christmas Flowers/Foliage (Just the 'Holly' card)

Monty with Gifts

Today's card features a stamp that I picked up from a charity shop recently...it's an old Funstamps one called 'Monty with Gifts'. I stamped it on to watercolour paper, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. The papers I used for the background are from the 'Peppermint Forest' pad by Craftwork Cards...I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

Challenges for this card:

• Always Fun - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• Creatalcious - Anything Goes (Optional Stitching)
• Rudolph Days - Anything Christmas Goes
• The Holly & the Ivy - Anything Christmas Goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Silly Bat!

I have one last Hallowe'en treat bag to share today...this one uses a stamp by Funstamps called 'Silly Bat', which I coloured using watercolour pencils. I used papers by Carta Bella (from the 'Spooky' and 'Happy Haunting' collections...distressing th edges a little, and adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The little bats and cobwebs were cut using Memory Box dies.

Challenges for this bag:

• Come & Get It - Halloween
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Creative Knockouts - Halloween
• Fussy & Fancy - So Spooky
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - All Creatures Great & Small
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

Scarlet Poppies

Today's card features a stamp that I've had for a while but not inked...it's called 'Scarlet Poppies' by Funstamps, and I think it came from a charity shop. I coloured the image using watercolour pencils, then added a simple doodled border. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Smooches' set by Paper Smooches.

Challenges for this card:

• Artistic Stamper - Floral Fantasy
• Crafting With Friends - Anything Goes
• Crafty Cardmakers - Floral Profusion
• Cute Card Thursday - CAS
• Happy Little Stampers (Watercolour) - Anything Goes (Optional Twist - Red)
• Penny Black & More - Photo Inspiration

Pile It On! Challenge - Fur

It's time for another new Pile It On! Challenge...and this week the theme is:

'Fur'

We are sponsored for this challenge by Oak Pond Creations:

I've used a stamp called 'Lady & the Tramps' by Funstamps...lots of fur on there! I coloured the dogs using watercolour pencils. The papers are really old...from the 'Ooh La La (For Him)' collection by My Mind's Eye...I doodles some simple borders using a black gel pen. The sentiment is from a little Hero Arts set, and the brads are by BasicGrey.

Challenges for this challenge:

• Pile It On! - Fur
• Cards Galore Encore - Anything Goes
• Cardz for Guyz - Let's Colour
• Crafty Calendar - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Creative Moments - Anything Goes with a Sentiment
• Fab 'N Funky - Doodle
• Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Use a Sentiment
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Make it Colourful
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the Pile It On! Challenge.

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Friendship

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

'Friendship'

We are sponsored for this challenge by:

1-2-3 Stitch!:

Prize - a $20 voucher

I picked a cute hedgie image from the 'Hugs' set...and combined it with a sentiment stamp by Funstamps. I made a one layer card, simply stamping my image on to my card blank, colouring it using watercolour pencils, and adding some mulitcoloured twine from TKMaxx.

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

• Aud Sentiments - Animals & a Sentiment
• Crafty Cardmakers - Sentiments
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Creative Card Crew - CAS
• Everybody Art - CAS
• Whimsy Inspires - Ribbon, Lace or Twine

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

Pile It On! Challenge - Flowers

We have a new Pile It On! Challenge starting today, with a nice and easy theme:

'Flowers'

Our sponsor for this challenge is Dilly Beans Digi Stamps:

Prize - 3 Dilly Beans Digi Stamps!

After rediscovering a couple of old flower stamps ('Scribble Flower' and 'Sketch Flower' by Funstamps) a couple of weeks ago, I thought I'd get them out again. I started by stamping them in Versamark, and embossing them using clear powder, before blending various Distress Inks (Scattered Straw, Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade & Festive Berries) over the top, then spritzing with water. I then cut the panel into quarters and mounted them on to my card blank using 3D foam pads.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Flowers
• Crafting at the Weekend - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - No Design Papers
• Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Just for Fun - Anything Goes
• Loves Rubber Stamps - Anything Goes
• Paper Creator - Anything Goes
• Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
• Sisterhood of Crafters - Monochrome
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the Pile It On! Challenge.

Scribbled Flowers

I spent a happy hour yesterday sorting through my stamps...re-organising them...and discovering some forgotten gems, including the flower stamps I used on today's card. The large one is 'Scribble Flower' by Anita's Stamps, and the smaller ones are by Funstamps, and are called 'Sketched Flower' and 'Scribbled Flower'. I stamped them over one half of the card blank, allowing the flowers to go off the edge, then simply coloured them using watercolour pencils, and added a Hero Arts sentiment.

Challenges for this card:

• Creative Inspirations - Bold & Bright Colours
• Krafty Hands - Floral Frenzy
• Less is More - Off the Edge
• Papercrafting Journey - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes

Pile It On! Challenge - Focus on Sentiments

This week's Pile It On! Challenge theme is:

'Focus on Sentiments'

Our sponsor for this challenge is:

Pickled Potpourri Designs:

Prize - $7 Gift Certificate!

I took an old (and very much neglected) Funstamps sentiment stamp as the starting point for my card...lightly stamping a floral background using one of my favourite stamps...'Blooming Meadows' by Hero Arts...using 'Worn Lipstick' & 'Bundled Sage' Distress Inks...and blending some 'Old Paper' over the top to soften the white background, before stamping the sentiment over the top in black.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Focus on Sentiments
• Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything Goes
• Creative Card Crew - Keep It Simple & Sweet
• One Crazy Stamper - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - We Love Stamps
• Stampavie & More - Lots of Flowers
• Stampin' for the Weekend - Flower Power
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the Pile It On! Challenge.

Lady & the Tramps!

I've used another of the new stamps I got for my birthday on today's card...it's called 'Lady & the Tramps' by Funstamps. The papers are from the 'Paper Hearts' pad by Crate Paper...I distressed the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Anytime Messages' set by Hero Arts.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Stitching
• Charisma Cardz - Stitching
• Papertake Weekly - Occasion-ally 
• Sketch & Stash - Sketch #119

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Recycle

This week's Penny Black Saturday Challenge is all about:

'Recycling'

We have a fabulous prize from the DT for this challenge:

I've recycled some corrugated card packaging on my tag...which I saved from the recycling bin ages ago...and cut into a star using a Nestie. The chicken is 'Present Pile' (of course by Penny Black)...and he was coloured using watercolour pencils. For the background, I inked a plain tag using Distress Inks (Bundled Sage, Evergreen Bough, Pine Needles, Stormy Sky & Faded Jeans), then stamped a balloon & stars background stamp (by Funstamps) in Memento 'Rich Cocoa' ink over the top. I inked around the edges of everything using 'Brushed orduroy' Distress Ink, and attached a sentiment banner (a Studio G stamp) using a staple. I added a few pieces of Card Candi, and attached a mixture of seambinding and string (recycled from an Abel & Cole Veg box!) to the top.

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

• Joanna Sheen - Happy Birthday
• Lollipop Crafts - For Him
• Oldie but a Goodie - Things with Wings (I've had this stamp since I first started stamping 5/6 years ago)
• Paper Sundaes - Things with Wings
• Simon Says Stamp & Show - Anything Goes
• Stampavie & More - For a Boy

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

Dog Tag

I know I don't usually post at night...but I've been busy working on music...and making DT stuff all day...so I thought I'd pop on and show a quick little tag I snuck in before I toddle off to bed. I started by stamping a 'Happy Birthday' background stamp by Funstamps on a blank luggage tag (from WHSimths) inked with various Distress Inks (Pumice Stone, Brushed Corduroy, Stormy Sky & Faded Jeans), which I then heat embossed with clear powder. I inked over it using the same Distress Inks, then roughed up the edges using my distressing tool. The doggy image is from the '12 Days of Christmas' set by Penny Black...I inked around the edges using more Distress Inks. The stars were cut using Nesties...then distressed, and inked...then embossed using my Sizzix/BasicGrey 'Plaid' folder.

Challenges for this tag:

• Cards for Men - Texture 
• Corrosive - Tim Holtz Products (Distress Inks)
• Crafts & Me - Embossing
• Here Come the Boys - Hobbies (Drumming)
• Sweet Stampin' - Anything but Square
• Top Tip Tuesday - Anything but a Card
• Wags 'N Whiskers - Distressing
• Whimsy Inspires - Distressing

Ok...time for bed...have to get up at 6am for school...yawn!

Daisy Chain

Having got all my DT stuff for next week done & dusted...and a couple of other 'Top Secret' projects finished too (I'd love to be able to show you...but I have to keep them 'under wraps' for now)...I've had a little play and come up with a card for a few challenges. I followed the sketch from Card Patterns, and have made a DL sized easel card, which I'm going to enter into the Penny Black Saturday & Lili of the Valley challenges...which both have the theme of 'Easel Cards' this week. I've used 'Daisy Chain Mice' (by Penny Black), and papers and die cuts from the 'Ooh La La (for Him)' collection by My Mind's Eye. The sentiment stamp is by Funstamps.

As I'm sending this card to my partner for this month's Friendship card swap on the Docrafts forum, I'm also going to enter this card into the Saturday Spotlight with Hidden Potential's 'Hey Girlfriend' challenge.

Sketch Saturday meets Charisma Cardz

I'm combining challenges again...the fab Sketch Saturday sketch and the 'Going Dotty' theme of the Charisma Cardz Challenge. I rotated the sketch to fit my 'Birthday Monkeys' stamp (by Rachelle Anne Miller for Stampavie), and was inspired by the balloons on the image to get out a background stamp (by Funstamps) that I've had for ages, but neglected. I watercoloured the background to match the monkey image, and used plain card, in co-ordinating colours for the rest of the background, using my Cuttlebug 'Spots & Dots' and 'Swiss Dots' folders for texture. The stars were cut from scraps of the same card, using Nestie dies, and then embossed with the same folders, and also the 'Tiny Bubbles' one. The ribbon is from Poppicrafts.