October Desk Calendar

As it's the first day of a new month, I'm sharing my desk calendar page for October today. Despite the unseasonably warm weather we're currently experiencing here in London, I couldn't resist getting out my Penny Black Halloween stamps, and picked a cute cat image from the 'Be Very Scared!' set. I stamped him onto a snippet of watercolour paper, coloured him using watercolour pencils, then used one of circle Nesties to cut him out. For the background, I used snippets of patterned papers from the 'Hocus Pocus' pad from Taylored Expressions...I've had this pad for years, and although it's still going strong, I no longer have any full sheets left, just lots and lots of snippets:

I distressed the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen, before matting it onto a snippet of kraft card and adding it to my desk calendar.

Challenges for this calendar:

• Allsorts - Anything Autumn
• Crafty Gals Corner - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Creative Inspirations - Hello Autumn
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes
• Inkspirational - Photo Inspiration
• Little Red Wagon - Autumn Colours
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - Autumn

Winter Village Scene

Today's card features a set of scenic border dies from the 'Contemporary Christmas' collection by Crafter's Companion that I got recently from a charity shop. I used them, along with my 'Mountain Tops' dies by Taylored Expressions, and my 'Houses on a Hill' die from Your Next Stamp, and lots of snippets of plain white card to make a wintry scene. I layered all of the elements over a piece of white card embossed using my 'Falling Snow' embossing folder from Tim Holtz/Sizzix, using some 3D foam pads to add dimension

All white cards are always tricky to photograph, but here's another view:

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Embossing
• C.R.A.F.T. - Christmas
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Rudolph Days - Anything Christmas Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

The Cat in the Hat Treat Bag

I have another Halloween treat bag to share today...featuring one of the critters from the 'Spooky!' set by Penny Black. I stamped it onto watercolour paper, coloured it using watercolour pencils, then used one of my Nesties to cut out the circle shape. The background papers are a mixture of Carta Bella 'Spooky' (the black & white striped on), Taylored Expressions 'Hocus Pocus' (the jars of goodies) and the purple one is from an unnamed pad from The Works. I distressed the edges, then added faux stitching using my CitterBee Bug and a black gel pen. I matted the image onto a scalloped circle cut from black card using another Nestie die, then matted the other layers onto more black card before adding it to the kraft bag.

Challenges for this treat bag:

• A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes
• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - Inspired by a Book/Song/Film ('The Cat in the Hat' by Dr Seuss)

Witchy Mouse Halloween Treat Bag

I have a Halloween treat bag to share today, using an image from the 'Be Very Scared' set by Penny Black. I stamped it on to watercolour paper, then coloured it using watercolour pecnils, then cut it out using one of my Nesties. For the background, I used papers from the 'Hocus Pocus' pad by Taylored Expressions...I doodled some simple borders using a white gel pen, then matted everything on to black card, and added it to a kraft bag.

Challenges for this treat bag:

• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• We Love Stamping - Moodboard

Cat in the Hat Treat Bag

Today I'm sharing my first Halloween themed project of the year...a decorated treat bag. I used a Penny Black image (from the 'Spooky!' set), stamping the kitty on to watercolour paper, then colouring him using watercolour pencils. The papers are from the 'Hocus Pocus' pad by Taylored Expressions...managed to use a couple of snippets up too. I cut the circles using my trusty Nesties, then distressed all of the edges, and added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and black and white gel pens. I added some little bats cut from a snippet of black card using a Memory Box die.

Challenges for this treat bag:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes (Optional 'Spots and Stripes')
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes (Optional 'Cute')
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Happy Little Stampers (Dies) - Anything Goes
• Krafty Chicks - All Occasions
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• My Time to Craft - Autumn Colours (I picked Oranges, Purple, Green & Black)
• Pixie's Snippet's Playground - Use Snippets
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes

Mice Treats

I have another Halloween treat bag to share today...featuring one of the critters from the 'Be Very Scared' set by Penny Black. I stamped him on to watercolour paper, coloured him using watercolour pencils, before carefully cutting him out. I used snippets of papers from the 'Hocus Pocus' pad by Taylored Expressions for the background, using my Nesties to cut the circles, and adding a couple of cobwebs cut from snippets of white card using my Memory Box 'Creepy Web' die.

Challenges for this bag:

• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes (Optional 'Trick or Treat')
• Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes
• My Time to Craft - Halloween/Fall Colours
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Spooky/Halloween
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Not a Card

PBSC January - Anything Goes (Optional 'Something New')

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
'Something New'

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

Prize - a $20 voucher!

I went with 'New Year' and am sharing the Penny Black calendar that I made for my Mum for Christmas. I buy a couple of the Paper Mill 'Create a Calendar' blanks every year to decorate for gifts...and always use Penny Black images exclusively...as I have so many! 

I make each panel A6 size...so it could easily be recycled on to a card once the calendar is finished, and keep the panels as flat as possible. I find these are also a great opportunity to use up lots of snippets of patterned papers!

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

• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - Anything Goes
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes

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

Happy Hallowe'en!

I have one last Hallowe'en treat bag to share today, featuring another of the critters from the 'Be Very Scared' set by Penny Black. I stamped him on to watercolour paper, coloured him using watercolour pencils, then cut him out using one of my circle Nesties. I used papers from the 'Hocus Pocus' pad by Taylored Expresions...distressing the edges a little, and adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

Challenges for this bag:

• Always Fun - Hallowe'en
• CCEE Stampers - Hallowe'en or Harvest
• Crafty Cardmakers - Hallowe'en
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes (Optional 'Costumes')
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Shopping Our Stash - Hallowe'en
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - Hallowe'en or Black & Orange
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

The Cat in the Hat

I have another Hallowe'en treat bag to share today...the image on this one is from the 'Spooky' set by Penny Black. I stamped it on to watercolour paper, coloured it using watercolour pencils, then cut it out using one of my oval Nesties. I used snippets of paper from the 'Hocus Pocus' pad by Tayored Expressions to make a patchwork effect background...distressing the edges a little, and adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

Challenges for this bag:

• Corrosive - Anything Goes
• Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
• Daring Cardmakers - Use Your Scraps
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets

Mice Treats

I have another Hallowe'en treat bag to share today...featuring another cute Penny Black image from the 'Be Very Scared' set. I stamped it on to watercolour paper, coloured it using watercolour pencils, then cut t out using one of my circle Nesties. I used snippets of paper from the 'Hocus Pocus' pad by Taylored Expressions for the background...distressing the edges a little before adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen.

Challenges for this card:

• As You Like It - Favourite Stitching Style (Faux...I can't sew very well, and it's so quick to draw on, and the little peirced holes make it look so realistic)
• Crafty Calendar - Autumn Colours/Hallowe'en
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes (Optional 'Hallowe'en')
• Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Hallowe'en
• Creative Moments - Anything Goes (Optional 'Spooky')
• Cute Card Thursday - Hallowe'en
• Fab 'N' Funky - Hallowe'en
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Simply Create Too - Anything Goes (Optional 'Spooky/Scary')

PBSC January - Anything Goes (Optional 'Something New')!

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
'Something New'
(New Year, New Baby, New Home, New Job, New Stash...)

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

Prize - a $20 voucher!

I went with 'New Year', and my project for this challenge is a 2019 Penny Black calendar. I buy a few of the blank 'Create a Calendars' from Paper Mill Direct to decorate and give as Christmas presents each year, and this is the one I made for my Mum. They still have some available here if you fancy making yourself one. I used a variety of Penny Black stamps and papers from lots of different manufacturers...far too many to list, but I did manage to use up lots of snippets! Here's a look at each of the months:

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

• Alphabet Challenge - S is for Stitching (my stitching is faux)
• Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - Anything Goes
• Little Red Wagon - New (New Year)
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Something New (New Year)

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