Best Friends

Today's card features a cute Penny Black stamp called 'Best Friends'. I stamped it onto a piece of watercolour paper, added a sentiment using a stamp from the 'What This!' set by Anita Jeram for the Colorado Craft Company, then coloured the image using watercolour pencils. I paired it with some Autumnal coloured papers from an unbranded paper pack. I distressed the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and black and white gel pens. 

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes
• Crafty Calendar - Autumn/Halloween
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• The Sisterhood of Crafters - Fall
• We Love Stamping - Shades of Autumn

Bold Botanicals

Today's card features a floral stamp from Tonic Studios called 'Botanical Background', that I got from a charity shop at the weekend. I stamped it onto a piece of watercolour paper, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. I stamped a sentiment onto a strip of vellum using one of the stamps from the 'Paper Cut Messages' set by Simon Says Stamp in black ink, then heat-embossed it with clear embossing powder to set it. I wrapped the vellum around the floral background, then matted it onto a bright pink card and added it to a kraft card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• AAA Birthday - Big and Bold
• Allsorts - Feminine
• Beautiful Blossoms - Anything Goes
• Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday 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

PBSC October - Anything Goes (Optional 'Bright Colours')...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

'Bright Colours'

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

I used some (very old!) brightly coloured Halloween themed papers from My Mind's Eye and Bo Bunny to decorate a Halloween treat bag. I distressed all of the edges, and added faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen. The cute vampire cat is from the 'Be Very Scared' set...I stamped him onto a snippet of watercolour paper, coloured him using watercolour pencils, then used one of my circle Nesties to cut him out. I cut a matching scalloped circle mat using another Nestie die, then layered everything up onto another piece of black card, before adding it to a kraft gift bag.

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

• A Cut Above - Anything Goes (With a Die Cut)
• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• C.R.A.F.T. - Halloween
• Crafty Calendar - Autumn/Halloween
• Crafty Gals Corner - Trick or Treat
• Creative Knockouts - Halloween or Fall
• Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Daisy Chain - Autumn and/or Halloween
• Sweet Stampin' - Cute
• We Love Stamping - Anything Goes

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

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.

Count Catular Treat Bag

I have another Halloween treat bag to share today...using another of the critters from the Penny Black 'Spooky' set. I stamped him onto watercolour paper, coloured him using watercolour pencils, then used one of my circle Nesties to cut him out. For the background, I used some really, really old papers from Carta Bella, and distressed the edges a little before adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and black and white gel pens. I layered them onto a piece of black card, then added the image on top, matting it onto a scalloped circle cut from some more black card using another Nestie die, then added it all to a kraft gift bag.

Challenges for this treat bag:

• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything Goes
• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Crafty Calendar - Autumn/Halloween
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Fab 'N' Funky - Three of Something (Patterned papers)
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Use Patterned Papers

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

Mice Treats!

I have another Halloween treat bag to share today...featuring another cute Penny Black critter, from the 'Be Very Scared!' set. I stamped him onto watercolour paper, coloured him using watercolour pencils, then used one of my circle Nesties to cut him out. For the background, I used papers from the 'Boneshakin' Halloween' pad from Polkadoodles. I distressed the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. I cut a scalloped circle mat from some black card using another Nestie die, then layered everything up onto another piece of black card before adding it all to a kraft gift bag.

Challenges for this treat bag:

• Allsorts - Anything Autumn
• Fab 'N' Funky - Three of Something (Three papers)
• Little Red Wagon - Stitching
• Love Those Pretty Papers - Ghosts/Goblins/Things that go Bump in the Night
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Use Patterned Papers
• Sparkles Forum - Your Favourite Technique (Faux stitching)
• Stamps + Fun = Creativity - Halloween
• Sweet Stampin' - Autumn

Good Day Birthday!

I have a birthday card to share today, made using stamps from the 'Good Day!' set by Penny Black. I stamped them onto a piece of watercolour paper, then coloured the image using watercolour pencils, and added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. I added a piece of black card to a white card blank, then a strip of patterned paper (from the 'Let's Fly Away!' pad - magazine freebie), before adding the image on top.

Challenges for this card:

• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything Goes
• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Krafty Chicks - Birthday
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

PBSC October - Anything Goes (Optional 'Bright Colours')

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

'Bright Colours'

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

I decided to get a start on making some Halloween treat bags, and picked one of the cute images from the 'Spooky!' set. I stamped him onto watercolour paper, coloured him using watercolour pencils, then cut out the circle shape using one of my Nesties. For the background, I used some brightly coloured papers from an unnamed Halloween pad from The Works. I distressed the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee and a black gel pen. I matted the image onto a scalloped circle of black card (cut using another Nestie), then matted everything onto some black card before adding it all to a kraft treat bag.

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

• Allsorts - Anything Autumn
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Everybody Art - Add Some Purple
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - Anything Goes

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

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

Racer Boy Birthday

I have a birthday card to share today, featuring a Penny Black stamp from the 'Cheering Critters' set. I stamped it onto a piece of watercolour paper, then added a sentiment using one of the stamps from the 'What This!' set by Anita Jeram for the Colorado Craft Company. I coloured the image using watercolour pencils, then used one of my circle Nesties to cut it out. For the background, I used papers from the 'Awesome Boy' pad by recollections/Michaels (found at TKMaxx)...I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. I matted the image onto a scalloped circle of kraft card, cut using another of my Nestie dies, then layered it all up on a piece of kraft card before adding it to a white card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• AAA Birthday - Use Patterned Papers
• As You Like It - Favourite Sporting Activity (Whilst I don't participate in any sports, there are several that I enjoy watching, including cycling - I made this card while watching the very exciting Elite Men's Road Race at the World Championship at the weekend)
• Krafty Chicks - Masculine
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday Goes

 

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.

Floral Garden

Today's card features a stamp from Simon Says Stamp called 'Floral Garden'. I stamped it off the edge of a piece of watercolour paper...the stamp is huge, so this is a way of making it more useable. I added a sentiment, using a stamp from the 'Go To Words' set by Visible Image, then coloured the flowers using watercolour pencils. I distressed the edges a little, then added it to a kraft card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Beautiful Blossoms - Anything Goes
• Krafty Chicks - CAS
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Clean & Simple
• Sweet Stampin' - CAS Cards