Toot the Flute!

I have a set of simple congratulations cards to share today. I made these to send out to some of my pupils with their music exam certificates, as they're leaving the school, so I won't be seeing them again. These ones are for pupils who all play the flute, so I used the Penny Black image 'Toot the Flute', stamped directly on to a kraft card blank. I added sentiments from the 'Critter Concert' set by Lawn Fawn, and coloured the images using watercolour pencils.

Here's a closer look at one:

Challenges for these cards:

• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything Goes
• Aud Sentiments - Anything Goes + Sentiment
• CCEE Stampers - Tigers (or other cats)
• Crafter's Cafe - Anything Goes
• Creatalicious - Anything Goes (Optional 'Animals')
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

Reindogs!

I have a Christmas card to share today, featuring a coupld of Penny Black pups dressed up as reindeer. The one on the left is from the 'Wintertime Cheer' set and the one on the right is an old woodblock stamp called 'Reindeer Pup'. I stamped them on to some watercolour paper, coloured them using watercolour pencils, then carefully cut them out. I made a simple background using a snippet of snowy sky paper (from the 'Christmas' pad by Craft Sensations') and snippets of white card...torn along the top edge to look like snow drifts. I cut a star from silver mirror card using one of the dies from the 'Snowy Star' set by Tim Holtz/Sizzix, added a sentiment from the 'Wintertime Messages' set by Hero Arts, then popped the 'reindogs' on using some 3D foam pads.

Challenges for this card:

• As You Like It - Favourite Pet Animal (Dogs - as a child, my family always had dogs - golden & flat coated retrievers - they're just the best!)
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Creative Knockouts - Christmas in July
• Dream Valley - Christmas in July
• Fab 'N' Funky - Christmas
• Rudolph Days - Anything Christmas Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• The Holly & the Ivy - Anything Christmas Goes
• The Male Room - Christmas in July
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

All of Us

I have a really simple one layer card to share today, featuring one of the stamps from the 'All of Us' set by Avery Elle. I picked the row of dogs, and stamped then along the bottom edge of a kraft card blank, adding one of the little signs and the birthday sentiment from the set, then coloured it all using watercolour pencils.

Challenges for this card:

• AAA Cards - Along the Edge
• My Time to Craft - No Patterned Papers
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

Time Out

Today's card features a Crafter's Companion stamp called 'Time Out' from the 'Moonbeam Meadow' collection. I stamped it on to a snippet of watercolour paper, then coloures it using watercolour pencils. For the background, I used snippets of paper from the 'Awesome Boy' pad by Recollecions/Michaels...distressing the edges a little, then adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Birthday Bears' set by Penny Black.

Challenges for this card:

• Alphabet Challenge - H is for Happy
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes (Optional 'Gone Fishing')
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday
• Sparkles Forum - Outdoor Fun

Ice Cream Mouse

Today's card features an old Stampavie stamp called 'Ice Cream Mouse...stamped on to watercolour paper, then coloured using watercolour pencils. I paired it with papers from a magazine freebie pad called 'Ice Cream Sundae'...distressing the edges, then adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

Challenges for this card:

• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything Goes
• C.R.A.F.T. - Summer
• Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
• Creative Inspirations - Summer Fun
• Everybody Art - Summer
• Little Red Wagon - Stay Cool
• Moving Along with the Times - Cool it Down
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Food & Drink
• Sweet Stampers - Summer Fun
• Use Your Stuff - Summer Fun

Make a Wish

I have another Christmas card to share today...this time featuring one of the tiny stamps from the 'Holly-Jolly' set by Penny Black, along with a sentiment from the 'Critter Party' set also by Penny Black. I stamped them directly on to a kraft card blank, then use watercolour pencils to colour the image.

Challenges for this card:

• AAA Cards - Twinchie (Optional 'Christmas in July')
• CAS on Friday - Tiny Images
• Christmas Cards All Year Round - Something Beginning with M or N (Mouse)
• Christmas Kickstart - Wooly, Fluffy or Furry
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Brightest Xmas

I have another Christmas card to share today, this time featuring a Penny Black stamp called 'Brightest Xmas'. I stamped it on to watercolour paper, then coloured it using watercolour paints, adding some Glossy Accents to the baubles. I added a  sentiment from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous, then pierced around the edges of the panel before adding it to my card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Cards Galore Encore - Anything Goes
• Christmas Craft Creations - Anything Goes
• Crafty Calendar - Anything Goes
• Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes

Embossed Pinecones

I have a couple of Christmas cards to share today...made using a couple of Woodware stamp sets ('Sketchy Pinecones' & 'Sketchy Pure Branch'). I stamped the individual stamps on to green and burgundy card using Versamark Ink, to build up the scene...heat embossing with 'Metallic Gold Rich' embossing powder from WOW as I went. I then ran my Versark inkpad around the edge of the stamped panel, heat embossing it with more of the gold, along with a sentiment from one of the sets before adding the panels to coordinating card blanks.

Here are some close-ups:

Challenges for these cards:

• A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes
• A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes
• Christmas Card Throwdown - Pinecones
• Corrosive - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes (Optional 'Christmas in July')
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Emboss It

PBSC July - Anything Goes (Optional 'Monochrome')...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
'Monochrome'

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

Prize - a $20 voucher!

The image on my card is called 'Feeding Frenzy'...Istamped it on to watercolour paper then colored it using watercolor pencils. I paired it with papers from the 'Prince Charming' pad by Recollections/Michaels. I distressed the edges a little then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is also by Penny Black, from the 'Bubbly' set.

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

• Crafter's Cafe - Layer It Up
• Creative Knockouts - Celebrations
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
• Time Out - Hungry

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

Merry Band

Today's card features a cute Penny Black image called 'Merry Band', that I stamped on to watercolour paper, then coloured using watercolour paints. I made a simple background by embossing snippets of card using my Crafts Too 'Music Notes' folder...disdtressing the edges and sanding over the reaised areas to reveal the lighter core. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Anytime Messages' set by Hero Arts.

Challenges for this card:

• AAA Birthday - Embossing Folders
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Dream Valley - All Occasions
• Happy Little Stampers (Watercolour) - Anything Goes
• Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Emboss It
• The Sisterhood of Crafters - Embossing

I want to ride my bicycle...

Today's card features a Penny Black image called 'Hedgie Delivery', which I stamped on to watercolour paper, then coloured it using watercolour paints...adding some Glossy Accents to his balloon. I paired it with papers from the 'Bright Freshness' pad by Craft Sensations...distressing the edges a little, then adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee bug and a black gel pen. The sentment stamp is also by Penny Black, from the 'Birthday Bears' set.

Challenges for this card:

• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday

Polar Pair

I have a simple Christmas card to share today, featuring an old Lili of the Valley image called 'Polar Pair'. I stmped it on to watercolour paper, then coloured it using watercolou paint. I cut around the top of the image, then added it to the bottom of a kraft card blank. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• Happy Little Stampers (Christmas) - Anything Christmas Goes
• Less is More - Christmas in July
• Little Red Wagon - Christmas
• Merry Little Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes

Crazy Dog!

Today's card features one of the Tim Holtz 'Crazy Dogs'. I stamped him on to a kraft card blank, then used snippets of papers from the 'Happy Day' pad by My Mind's Eye to paper piece him. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Woodland Animals' set by Crafter's Companion.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes (Optional 'CAS with a Sentiment')
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Creatalicious - Anything Goes
• Fab 'N' Funky - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Fun & Quirky
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

ABC Christmas Challenge - N & O are for?

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

'N is for North Pole'

&

'O is for Off to One Side'

There's a wonderful prize on offer for the lucky winner:

I was sure I had a paper pad called 'North Pole', so rummaged through all of my papers, but all that I could find was this snippet of paper from the 'Festive Chalkboard' pad by Craftwork Cards that featured a stack of signs, one of which pointed to the 'North Pole', so that's what I used. It was already trimmed to about the right size for a DL card, so I cut a piece of red glitter card to layer it on...distressing the edges a little, then simply adding it to a white card blank.

For my 'Off to One Side' card, I stamped  a selection of snowflakes (from the Creative Expressions 'Bold Snowflake', Hero Arts 'Wintertime Messages', Happy Little Stampers 'Let it Snow', Stampendous 'Delicate Snow' sets) off the edge of a kraft card blank using Versamark Ink, then heat embossed them in white. I added a sentiment from a Colorado Craft set, also embossed in white, then a touch of teal to the snowflakes using a watercolour pencil.

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

• Addicted to CAS - Christmas (Second Card Only)
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• Incy Wincy - Christmas in July
• Shopping Our Stash - Christmas in July
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Sparkles Forum Christmas - Snowflakes (Second Card Only)

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

Gifts for You!

Today's card features an 'oldie but a goodie' by Penny Black called 'Gifts for You!'. I stamped it on to watercolour paper, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. I paired it with some papers from the 'Bumblebee's Dance' by The Paper Boutique, distressing the edges a little and adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

Challenges for this card:

• A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Everybody Art - Anything Goes
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

PBSC July - Anything Goes (Optional 'Monochrome')

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
'Monochrome'

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

Prize - a $20 voucher!

I used 'Snowy' on my card, stamping him on to watercolour paper and colouring him using watercolour pencils. I gave him red accessories, and paired him with red papers from the 'Ho Ho Ho Christmas' pad by Polkadoodles and the '12 Days of Christmas' pad by Papermania. I distressed the edges a little then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and black and white gel pens.

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

• C.R.A.F.T. - Anything Goes
• Creative Knockouts - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Red, White and/or Blue
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

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

Carol Singing Cats

I have a Christmas card to share today, featuting a couple of carol singing cats from the 'Christmas Hugs' set by Penny Black. I stamped them on to watercolour paper, then coloured them using watercolour pencils. I paired them with papers from the 'Festive Chalkboard' pad by Craftwork Cards, distressing the edges a little, then adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and blank and white gel pens. The sentiment stamp is from a set by Lili of the Valley.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Use Design Papers
• As You Like It - Favourite Way to Add Stitching (Faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug to pierce the holes, then gel pens to draw in the stitches - so much quicker than actually sewing, and the pierced holes make it look quite realistic)
• Christmas with the Cuties - Christmas Cuties
• Crafter's Cafe - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Suspenseful Music

I have a simple one layer card to share today featuring a cute Penny Black stamp called 'Suspenseful Music'. I stamped it directly on to a kraft cardblank, then coloured it using watercoloure pencils. I added a sentiment from the 'Soar' set by Rachelle Anne Miller for Crafter's Companion.

Challenges for this card:

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

Happy Winter

I have a simple little Christmas card to share today, featuring one of the cute penguins from the 'Happy Winter' set by Crafter's Companion. I stamped him on to a snippet of watercolour paper, coloured him using watercolour pencils, then carefully cut him out. I made a simple background, cutting a snowy slope using one of my 'Stitched Hillside Border' dies (by Lawn Fawn) from a snippet of white card, adding a sentiment from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous.

Challenges for this card:

• AAA Cards - Sketch & Optional 'Critters'
• Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• Creative Moments - Anything Goes
• Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes
• Fab 'N' Funky - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Rudolph Days - Anything Christmas Goes
• The Holly & the Ivy - Anything Christmas Goes