Penny Black Saturday Challenge 20

The theme for this week's Penny Black Challenge 'Bump in the Night' was a really tough one for me, as I don't have any Penny Black Halloween stamps, or even any that might be considered 'spooky'! I'm also away from home this week, and only have limited stash with me, so I had to get really creative with this one! After a quick rummage through the stamps and images I'd brought with me, I carefully stamped this little fella (from the 'Critter Party' set) masking off his rose, then added a hand-drawn broom, and a witches hat.
As I didn't have any suitable papers, I've used a combination of plain coloured cardstock (the green embossed with the 'Tiny Bubbles' embossing folder) in Halloween type colours, finished off with a piece of bright orange ribbon, and some die-cut letters to spell out a greeting.
I know that he's not exactly 'scary', and that I've had to doctor the image a bit, but hopefully this counts!

Another Happy Autumn Award!

Wow - I can't believe it, but I've just been given another Happy Autumn award by one of my new blogging buddies Caroline. Like me, she's quite new to blogging, so do pop over to her lovely blog if you've not already visited.

As I've recently passed this award on to six of my favourite bloggers, I'm going to nominate ALL of you, who take the time to visit my blog - you all brighten my day with your lovely comments...so Happy Autumn everyone!

Birthday card for my Nan

This card is for my Nan's birthday, which is not 'til next month, but I like to be organised...anyway I'm going for a visit at the weekend, and I'd much rather hand-deliver cards than entrust their safe transit to the Royal Mail! I've used one of my current favourite stamps (from the 'Critter Party' transparent set by Penny Black) for the main image, and have gone a bit 'spotty' mad with some gorgeous Flora Doodles, spotty ribbon (I think it's from Hobbycraft), and my trusty 'Swiss Dots' embossing folder. I've embossed the sentiment (stamp by Hero Arts) in copper to match the browns I've used on this card.The colour combination is a new one for me, but I rather like it...honestly it's not as bright in real life, but the weather the last couple of days has been so dull, the light's been rubbish for taking photographs!

Cheesecake Parade!

My Mum has asked me to make a card for her to give my Nan for her Birthday next month.
She had mentioned a few Penny Black stamps that she particularly liked, as well as mauve/purple colours, and she wanted it to have the word 'Mum' on it.
I chose the 'Cheesecake Parade' stamp - I don't actually own this stamp, but had an image left from a swap a while ago with my friend Samantha. I cut the letters using the Cuttlebug 'Olivia' alphabet, the sentiment stamp (which reads 'have a fabulous birthday') is by Hero Arts, and the floral backing paper is from the 'Pocket full of posies' mat stack by DCWV. I've used the 'Swiss Dots' border embossing folder along the edge of the plain cardstock, and a few small Prima flowers to finish it off.



Now I need to go and make the card from me, and put the finishing touches to my present as I'm taking them with me when I go for a visit next week...

Happy Autumn Award

I've just been given this award by the lovely Tracie...and was just the thing to brighten up this dull Sunday! Thanks Tracie!

I'd love to pass this award on to all my blogging buddies, but the deal is that I can only pass it on to six friends...so here goes:

Pauline
Lorraine
Samantha
Mand
Jo
Sharon

Happy Autumn Girls!

Sketch Saturday Challenge #21

I've stepped out of my comfort zone a little with this card, and have used a gorgeous Sugar Nellie stamped image ('Reflective') sent to me by the lovely Cathy. The papers I've used are by K&Co, and I've torn them using a tearing ruler by Fiskars, to soften the edges. I stamped some flourishes using stamps by Hero Arts ('Fantastic Flourishes') in the corners as I felt it was looking a little plain. The silk flowers are by Papermania.

Papertake Weekly Challenge meets Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge

I just love the sketch for this week's Papertake Challenge by the wonderful Katharina. I've decided to make another Christmas card with it, and have combined it with the theme for this week's Secret Crafter Challenge of 'Blue, White and a little bit of Snowflake!'

The stamp I've used is another by Penny Black 'Ice Dance', the papers are from the 'Christmas' stack by DCWV, I embossed the strip of pearlised paper with the Cuttlebug 'Snowflakes' embossing folder, and the sentiment stamp (embossed in white) is by Three Bugs in a Rug.

Penny Black Saturday Challenge 19

This week's Penny Black Challenge is to make an ATC. Now it's been ages since I made one of these, and I was initially a bit stumped by the lack of space to work with. After a quick rummage through my 'small' stamps, I decided upon this little cutie (from the 'Twelve Days of Christmas' transparent set). I've combined him with papers from the DCWV 'Christmas' stack, and a couple of Prima flowers. I stamped the sentiment using tiny alphabet stamps by Studio G.


I had thought that I'd mount this on to a card, but in keeping with the spirit of ATCs, I've decided to swap him...so if anyone would like to offer him a good home, let me know!

Friday Sketchers #23

I've just found the card I made on Saturday for this week's Friday Sketchers challenge...I'd put it 'somewhere safe' while the glitter dried, and forgot about it!

It took me ages to decide what to do with this sketch...I'm not sure why, as I really like the combination of different shapes.

I've used stamps from the 'Cupcakes' clear set by Hero Arts (topped with a button for a cherry), combined with cupcake backing papers from the 'Sweet Nothings' pack by Papermania. I've embossed the plain cardstock with my 'Swiss Dots' folder, and all of the shapes were cut using Nestabilities...what DID I do before I got my Cuttlebug???

A Couple More Quick Christmas Cards

I've been having another play with some of my Christmas stash today, and made a couple more simple Christmas cards. On the first I've used one of the stamps from the 'Christmas Critters' set by Penny Black and paper from the DCWV Christmas stack. The sentiment stamp is also by Penny Black and I cut the ovals with my new Nesties.


I used more DCWV 'Christmas Stack' papers on the second card, with a stamp by Anita's.

I'm going to need to keep making a couple a week if I'm going to get all my Christmas cards done in time!

Cupcake Craft Challenge 8

I love a good sketch, and when I came across this one on the Cupcake Craft Challenge blog this morning, I just had to give it a go. I'd already coloured this image (Woodware 'Deco Flowers') to use on my Aunt's Birthday card, so I'm going to give this card to her later this month. The backing paper is from the 'Floral Stack' by DCWV, the embossing was done using the Cuttlebug 'D'Vine Swirl' embossing folder, and the flowers are a mixture of Papermania and Flora Doodles. The strip of lace was gifted to me my the lovely Cathy .

Sketch Saturday Challenge #20

This week's sketch for the Sketch Saturday Challenge is fab...and the perfect excuse to use my new oval Nesties! I've used a Penny Black stamp ('Bedecked Antlers') for my main image, with more of the 'Rose Tinted Christmas' DCWV paper, some Cuttlebug embossed 'Snowflakes', and letters cut using the Cuttlebug 'Olivia' alphabet. I really like the simplicity of this sketch, and am sure I'll be using it again.

Happy Birthday Jo!

It's my blogging buddy Jo's Birthday today. She's been having 'puter problems, and so hasn't been online recently, so hopefully all the Birthday wishes will help cheer her up!
I've used one of my favourite Penny Black stamps (from the 'Critter Party' set) for her card, along with some DCWV 'Retro Stack' paper, and sentiment stamps by Hero Arts. Of course because it's Jo, I had to use some ribbon too!
Hope you have a fab Birthday Jo!

Penny Black Saturday Challenge 18 meets Basic Grey Challenge 6 via Cute Card Thursday!

Well, it's the weekend again, so that means craft time - yippee!!!
The theme for this week's Penny Black Challenge is 'Thanks a Bunch'. I chose to combine a couple of the stamps from the 'Critter Party' set for the main image. The paper is by Basic Grey (Phoebe 'The Presidio'), the sentiment stamp is from the 'Anytime Messages' by Hero Arts, and I've used my 'D'vine Swirls' embossing folder on some of the background cardstock. I think I must be psychic or something, as I've gone for one of the colour schemes for this week's Basic Grey Challenge (Green & Red) without realising, and also just popped over to Cute Card Thursday to find out what this week's theme is...to discover that I've got that one ('Buttons and Bows') covered too! I should really start checking out all of the challenge blogs before I get crafting!

Feeling Festive

During my marathon crafting session today I made a few more Christmas cards...I need to build up my stocks again after donating a load to Emma for the Support Our Soldiers card appeal. I've kept them really simple (and also flat for posting!).


This stamp ('Snowy' by Penny Black) is rapidly becoming one of my favourites - I think it may be featuring on rather a lot of my cards this year!. The gorgeous paper is by DCWV from the 'Rose Tinted Christmas' stack, and the sentiment stamp (also by Penny Black) is embossed in purple.









I've used (yet) another Penny Black stamp ('Deer in Skates') and more of the 'Rose Tinted Christmas' papers by DCWV.









Same layout and papers again, but this time the stamp is by Hero Arts ('Winter Pup') - I love his little hat and scarf!










Yes, it's 'Snowy' again! This time in pink, with more of the 'Rose Tinted Christmas paper. The sentiment is by Studio G - I think I paid 75p for the set last year!





I made a few more birthday cards today too, but I can't put them on here just yet...

Forever Friends

I swapped some images with one of my buddies on Docrafts earlier this week, and received a load of the new Forever Friends stamped images. To be honest, I didn't think that they'd be my kind of thing...despite my love of Penny Blacks, I'm not really into 'cute'...but I really liked working with this stamp. The backing papers are by DCWV ('Glitter Mat Stack'), and the sentiment is from a clear stamp set 'Fabulous Birthday' by Hero Arts.

Friday Sketchers #22

Since the weather's been so lousy today, I'd thought I'd spend the day crafting - I need to make soooo many birthday cards this month! I thought the sketch for this week's Friday Sketchers challenge looked interesting (and a good way of using up some scraps!), so I've given it a go. I've used a Penny Black stamp ('Jump for Joy'). I've combined it with scraps of paper from the 'Sweet Nothings' paper stack by Papermania, a sentiment stamp by Elzybels, and cardstock embossed with my Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' folder.

Sketch Saturday Challenge #19

This is the first time I've made a card for the Sketch Saturday challenge blog...I really liked the look of this sketch, so I thought I'd give it a go.
I keep finding so many challenges I want to join, but I just don't seem to able to find the time to do them all!
I've used a (yet another) Penny Black stamp, 'Bunny Friends' (I masked off part of the image before I stamped it), and have coloured it with watercolour pencils. The backing paper is from the 'Text Stack' by DCWV, and the sentiment is a peel-off sticker - I hardly ever use them anymore, but I just couldn't find an appropriate stamp in my collection. The background cardstock has been embossed with my Cuttlebug ('Swiss Dots'), and the flowers are by Prima. I'm going to use this card to send to my partner for the October friendship card swap over on the Docrafts forum.

Penny Black Saturday Challenge 17 meets Cute Card Thursday #30

I've combined the theme for this week's Cute Card Thursday challenge, of 'Christmas Animals', with the sketch for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge. The stamp I've used is from the transparent set 'Christmas Critters'...I just love those cute little mice! The patterned paper is from one of last year's packs by Dovecraft, as is the matching strip of glittery sticky ribbon, that has been wrapped around a piece of cardstock embossed with the Cuttlebug 'Snowflakes' folder. The sentiment stamp is by Three Bugs in a Rug, and the die-cut snowflakes are from my stash.