Ain't nobody here but us chickens...

The image on today's card is 'Silly Birds with Hats' by Hambo Stamps...I've had it for absolutely ages, but only used it a couple of times. I coloured it using watercolour pencils to match the papers which are from the 'Farmhouse' and Paper Hearts' pads by Crate Paper. I distressed the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and  black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Critter Party' set by Penny Black and the Card Candi is from Craftwork Cards.

Challenges for this card:

• Creative Card Crew - Down on the Farm
• Cute Card Thursday - Things with Wings
• Dutch Dare - Birthday Wishes
• Hiding in my Craft Room - Masculine Birthday
• Inky Impressions - Animals
• Sketch Saturday - Sketch #271
• Sweet Stamps - Birthday
• Top Tip Tuesday - Initials (Hens & Hats!)

Waste Not, Want Not...

Today's cards have been made using rubbish! Well...I used the left over from these cards I posted last week. I had covered a piece of card with strips of Washi tape, and cut the tree shapes out sing a Cuttlebug die.I trimmed the strips to fit on some mini card blanks (4x4), then simply mounted them on 3D foam, and added a Lili of the Valley sentiment.

Here's a close-up:

Challenges for these cards:

• Christmas Inspirations - Christmas Trees
• Created with Love - Anything Goes
• Less is More - Washi Tape
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Dotty

Merry Christ-Moose!

I've used a much neglected stamp on today's card...it's called 'Moose' by Rachelle Anne Miller for Stampavie...I love the little squirrel decorating him with the lights! I coloured the image using watercolour pencils to match the papers (from the 'Christmas in the Country' pad by Papermania). I distressed the edges of the papers...then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The ribbon is from Hobbycraft, snowflake is a Marianne Designs die, button is from my stash, the twine is by Dovecraft, and the pearls were a birthday gift from my lovely friend Samantha.

Challenges for this card:

• ABC Challenge - No Flowers
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Cute
• Crafty Ribbons - Anything Goes with Ribbon
• Paper Playtime - Use Pearls
• Stamp with Fun - Squared
• Totally Gorjuss - Bows
• Winter Wonderland - Rudolph

Wheelbarrow Ride

I've used a Gruffie image on today's card...it's called 'Wheelbarrow Ride'...I coloured it using watercolour pencils. The paper are from the 'So Sophie' pad by My Minds Eye...I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a Black gel pen. The brads are BasicGrey and the sentiment stamp is from the 'Anytime Messages' set by Hero Arts.

Challenges for this card:

• Crazy 4 Challenges - Animals
• Creative Corner - Cute Critters
• Dutch Dare - Animal Antics
• Gem of a Challenge - Things Beginning with B (Bears & Brads)
• House Mouse & Friends - Transport
• Little Red Wagon - Layers
• Penny Black & More @ Allsorts - In the Garden

Pile It On! Challenge - Use Designer Paper

This week at Pile It On! our challenge is a nice easy one:

'Use Designer Paper'

We are sponsored for this challenge by Red Rubber Designs:

Prize - a $10 Gift Certificate for the Red Rubber Designs store!

I've used stamps from the 'Brighten Your Day' set from Red Rubber Designs on my card...colouring the images using watercolour pencils, before cutting them out. I used papers from a Heidi Grace pad to create the background...adding faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Designer Paper
• 2 Sisters - Square Cards
• Card Carfter's Circle - Bright Colours
• Challenges for Everybody - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - Stitching
• Crafty Sentiments - Colourful
• Cutie Pie - Anything Goes
• Loves Rubber Stamps - Round or Square Cards
• One Stop Craft - Spots & Dots
• Papercrafting Journey - Anything Goes
• Simply Create Too - For a Child
• Sweet Stamps - Anything Goes
• That Craft Place - Stitching

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

ABC Christmas Challenge - Q is for...

It's time for a new ABC Christmas Challenge, and this fortnight Dorte is the host and the theme is:

'Q is for Quick'

Our sponsor for this challenge is:

Shape EZ:

Prize - 2 Shape EZ Templates

I used some washi tape and dies to create my quick card...

I covered a piece of scrap white card with three different washi tapes (top one from Freckled Fawn, others from Hobbycraft), then used a die from an old Cuttlebug set (called 'Winter') to cut out the tree shapes. I simply mounted them on to kraft card blanks (these ones are quite little...4 inches square) using 3D foam pads, and added a Lili of the Valley sentiment. It was so quick to make, I made three:

The strip of card with the tree 'negatives' looks quite good too...so I've saved that for another quick project!

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

• C.R.A.F.T. - Christmas 
• Creative Inspirations - Christmas in August
• Gem of a Challenge - Punches/Die Cuts
• Totally Gorjuss - Die Cuts/Punches

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

Oldie but a Goodie Challenge - Embossing

It's time for a new Oldie but a Goodie Challenge, and this fortnight the theme is:

'Embossing'

Our sponsor for this challenge is Rick St Dennis:

I love embossing with my Cuttlebug, and I've used three of mmy oldest folders on this card...'Swiss Dots', 'Snowflakes' and a stitched effect one from the 'Just My Type' border set...which I have had since I got my Cuttlebug, which I think was five years ago! The image is a James the Bear stamp ('Present Pile') by Lili of the Valley, which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The snowflakes were cut using Marianne Designs and Cuttlebug dies.

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

• Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - Winter Animals
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - No Sentiments
• Carzy - Animals
• Ready Teddy Go - Die Cuts/Punches
• Sketch Saturday - Sketch #272 
• Stamping with the Dragon - Christmas in August 

For more inspiration from my lovelyDT buddies, please pop over to the Oldie but a Goodie Challenge.

I scream, you scream...we all scream for ice cream!

...except that I don't actually like ice cream, so I'm not sure what possessed me to make this card! Anyway, it's all very simple...I cut the cone freehand...then embossed it using my Sizzix/BasicGrey 'Plaid' folder to make it look like a waffle cone', then cut the 'scoops' of ice cream from scraps of card using a die from my Marianne Designs 'Cupcakes' set...then embossed those using my Cuttlebug 'D'Vine Swirls' folder. I added a 'flake' cut from chocolate brown card, embossed with my Cuttlebug 'Forest Branches' folder...then sprinkled some adhesive pearls on the 'scoops' to match my Hero Arts sentiment (from the 'Cupcakes' set).

Challenges for this card:

• Charisma Cardz - Ice Cream
• Chocolate, Coffee & Cards - Sweet Treats
• Fab 'N Funky - Anything that looks like Summer
• Heck of a Challenge - Summer Holidays (Although I don't associate ice cream with happy holiday memories...it was the last thing I ate before being whisked to hospital with appendicitus whilst on holiday in Cornwall aged 6!)
• Pink Gem - Die Cuts/Punches
• Sisterhood of Crafters - Oh Scrap!
• Totally Gorjuss - Die Cuts/Punches

Sihouette Flowers

I visited the Stamp Hut earlier this week, and spent some of my birthday money on a few bits'n'pieces...and I've used one of the stamps I bought on today's cards...it's called 'Silhouette Flowers' by Hero Arts:

Challenges for both cards:

• Allsorts - Use Your New Stash (The flower stamp is new)
• Aud Sentiments - Anything but a Birthday Card
• Crafty Creations - Make Two
• Pink Elephant - Orange

On the first card, I started by blending 'Wild Honey', 'Spiced Marmalade' and 'Fired Brick' Distresss Inks on a piece of white card, before stamping the flower stamp using Versamark, and embossing it with clear embossing powder. I then belnded 'Black Soot' Distress Ink over the top (cleaning any excess ink off the embossed part) to create a 'silhouette' effect. The sentiment stamp on this card is from the 'Anytime Messages' set.

Challenges for this card:

• Card Makin' Mamas - Black, White & One Other Colour
• Sweet Stampin' - Bold & Beautiful

On the second card, I blended 'Old Paper' Distresss Ink on a piece of white card, before stamping a Hero Arts 'Music' Background stamp (from the 'Serenade' collection with BasicGrey) on it in 'Pumice Stone'. I then stamped the flower stamp over the top using Versamark, and once again embossing it with clear embossing powder. This time I blended 'Spiced Marmalade' and 'Fired Brick' inks over the top. The sentiment on this card is from the 'Sending Sunshine' set by Simon Says Stamp.

Challenges for this card:

• Creative Inspirations - Monochrome
• Dream Valley - Monochrome
• Kaboodles Doodles - Music & the Arts
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Monochrome
• That Craft Place - Monochrome

Bird Watching

I've used some more new birthday goodies on today's card...this time it's the papers (which are by Craft Creations). The image I've used is a cute House Mouse stamp called 'Bird Watching'...I stamped this a couple of years ago whilst visiting my lovely bloggy friend Samantha...and it's been waiting patiently to be used since then! I inked the edges of everything using 'Faded Jeans' Distress Ink, then distressed them before adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Critter Party' set, and the Card Candi is from Craftwork Cards.

Challenges for this card:

• Card Crafter's Circle - Winged Things 
• Crafty Ribbons - Three of Something (Papers & Card Candi)
• Creative Corner - Anything Goes
• Daring Cardmakers - Colours of the Sea
• Inky Impressions - Things with Wings
• Joanna Sheen - Embossing
• One Stop Crafts - Pastel Colours
• Penny Black & More @ Allsorts - In the Garden
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday

• Totally Papercrafts - Favourite Colours (Blue/Aqua)
• Tuesday Morning Sketches - Sketch #211 (forgot the twist...oops!)

Wee with Reindeer

I've had a play with some of my other new birthday goodies...and it's the papers that are new on tooday's card...they're from the 'Christmas in the Country' pad by Papermania. The image is 'Wee with Reindeer' by Whiff of Joy...which I coloured using watercolour pencils, adding some Stitckles to the 'snowy' ground. The snowflake was cut using my Cuttlebug 'Ice Crystal' die...then coated with Glamour Dust...with a button threaded with twine in the centre. I distressed all of the edges, and added faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. I used my EK Success 'Scalloped Diamonds' punch for the border, and the 'airmail' twine is from the Ribbon Girls.

Challenges for this card:

• Bunny Zoe's - Bingo (Die Cuts - Sparkle - Stitching)
• Craft Your Passion - Twine
• Crafty Cardmakers - 1 Image, 2 Papers, 3 Embellishments (Twine, Snowflake & Button)
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Picture Inspiration
• Crafty Sentiments - Dies & Punches 
• Holly Jolly Christmas - Glitter
• Pollycraft - Buttons & Bows
• Stamp & Create - Glitter
• Sweet Stop - Sketch #223
• Winter Wonderland - Cute Christmas

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

Climbing Up

It was my birthday at the weekend...and I recieved some fab new crafty goodies which I had a little play with yesterday evening. On this card, I've used a new stamp ('Climbing Up' by Woodware) and a gorgeous butterfly die (by Joy Crafts) from my lovely bloggy buddy Pauline. I started by stamping a Hero Arts 'Music' background stamp on a piece of white card, then blended 'Stormy Sky' and 'Bundled Sage' Distress Inks over the top...blending 'Old Paper' and 'Brushed Corduroy' around the edges. I stamped the 'Climbing Up' stamp using the watercolour technique, using 'Faded Jeans', 'Chipped Saphire' and 'Forest Moss' inks. For the background, I blended 'Old Paper' and 'Brushed Corduroy' inks over white card before embossing using my Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' and Craft Concepts 'Blooming Season' folders. I cut the butterfly from card inked with 'Chipped Saphire' and 'Brushed Corduroy', and added a sentiment from the Hero Arts 'Fabulous' set.

Challenges for this card:

• Creative Craft - Tic-Tac-Toe (Green - Flowers - Distress)
• Flutterby Wednesdays - Anything with Wings
• Paper Crafting Journey - Distressed/Vintage
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Dies
• Stamping Sensations - Wings & Things with a Touch of Vintage

Pile It On! Challenge - Outdoors

This week at Pile It On!, we're challenging you to go:

'Outdoors'

Our sponsor for this challenge is Gingerloft Designs:

Prize - 3 Digi Stamps!

I've used one of my most fabourite 'outdoor-sy' stamps...'Blooming Meadows' by Hero Arts...inking the stamp using Distress Inks (Stormy Sky, Chipped Saphire, Dusty Concord, Victorian Velvet, Bundled Sage & Forest Moss). I used co-ordinating colours of card for the background, embossing them using my Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' and Craft Concepts 'Blooming Season' folders.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Outdoors
• Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything Goes
• Crafty Bloggers Network - Favourite Things (This stamp, Distress Inks, my Nesties & Cuttlebug)
• Crafty Calendar - Anything Goes
• Crazy - Anything Goes
• Fussy & Fancy - Bingo (Flower - Pearls - Blue)
• Kaboodles Doodles - Scallops
• Loves Rubber Stamps - Anything Goes
• Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
• Penny Black & More @ Allsorts - In the Garden
• Penny's Paper Crafting - Dry Embossing
• Top Tip Tuesday - Embossing
• Whimsy Inspires - Clean & Simple

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

ABC Christmas Challenge - P is for...

It's time for a brand new ABC Christmas Challenge...this fortnight Chris is the host, and the theme is:

'P is for Pick a "P"'

Put something beginning with "P" on your projects.

We have two fabulous sponsors for this challenge:

Lili of the Valley

The prize from Lili of the Valley is a £10 gift voucher to spend in their online store!

And our very own Lacey's store,

Stamp & Create:

Prize: A $25 Gift Voucher to spend at Stamp & Create!

I went with 'Penguins', 'Polkadots' and 'Parallel Lines' for my "P"s...using a couple of penguins from the 'Special Delivery - Penguins' set by Helz Cuppleditch, colouring them using watercolour pencils. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Sentiments' set by Hero Arts, and the washi tape is from Freckled Fawn.

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

• Crafty Sentiments - Animals
• One Stop Craft - Keep It Simple
• Winter Wonderland - Red, White & Kraft

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

Oldie but a Goodie Challenge - Boys

We have a brand new Oldie but a Goodie Challenge for you starting today...and the theme is:

'Boys/Men'

We are sponsored for this challenge by Robyn's Fetish:

 The prize is 5 digital products of the winner's choice from the Robyn's Fetish store.

I've used a Whipper Snapper image on my card...he's called 'Party Pup', which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The paper is from the 'Max & Whiskers' pad by BasicGrey, and the sentiment stamp is from a little Studio G set. I distressed all of the edges using 'Brushed Corduroy' Distress Ink and my distressing tool, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

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

• CCEE Stampers - Masculine Birthday
• Dutch Dare - For a Child
• Joanna Sheen- Boy's Cards
• One Crazy Stamper - Birthdays
• Penny's Paper Crafting - Stitching
• Sweet Sketch Wednesday - Sketch #217

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the Oldie but a Goodie Challenge.

Doggie Delights

I've used a Lili of the Valley image on today's card, called 'Doggie Delights'...which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The papers are from the 'Farmhouse' pad by Crate Paper...I doodled the borders using a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Cupcakes' set by Hero Arts, and the Card Candi is from Craftwork Cards.

Challenges for this card:

• Anything Goes - Coffee Break/Food
• Card Crafter's Circle - Dotty for Spots
• Creative Corner - Polkadots 
• Lili's Little Fairies - Here Come the Girls
• Ribbon Girls - Birthdays
• Sketch Saturday - Sketch #270
• Totally Papercrafts - Inspired by a Song ('If I knew you were coming, I'd have baked a cake...')

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Bright & Sunny

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: 

'Bright & Sunny'

As usual, we have some fabulous prizes on offer from our lovely sponsors:

The Ribbon Girl:

1-2-3 Stitch!:

Prize - a $20 voucher

I've used a cat from the 'Hello Friend' set on my card...and made a little scene for him using some patterned papers (the spotty blue paper is from a Heidi Grace pad, and the rest are from the 'Hippity Hoppity' pad by We R Memory Keepers). I use my Nesties for the 'sun', and my Memory Box 'Puffy Clouds' die for the clouds. I stamped the cat on to the blue paper, so that I would have to do too much fussy cutting of the kitty's fur & whiskers...and paper pieced his balloons.

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

• Charisma Cardz - Clouds
• Crafter's Cafe - Anything Goes
• Cut It Up - Celebrate Summer
• Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes
• Dream Valley - Summer Days
• Inky Chicks - Summer Colours
• Paper Playtime - Patterned Paper
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Ode to Sunshine

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