Scaredy Cat

What else could I blog today, but a Hallowe'en card??? This one uses stamps from the 'Be Very Scared' set by Penny Black...I coloured the cat using watercolour pencils, then gave his balloon a coating of Glossy Accents. I used Cuttlebug and Tim Holtz/Sizzix folders to emboss the background, and my Memory box 'Creepy Cobweb' die for the spider's web.

Challenges for this card:

• 2 Sisters - Cute & Spooky
• Craft Your Passion - Hallowe'en (The nicer side)
• Dream Valley - Hallowe'en
• Fab 'N' Funky - Hallowe'en
• Kaboodles Doodles - Hallowe'en Anything Goes 
• Little Red Wagon - Hallowe'en
• Love to Create - Hallowe'en
• Loves Rubber Stamps - Hallowe'en 
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Hallowe'en
• Stampin' for the Weekend - Something Spooky
• Stamping with the Dragon - Hallowe'en
• That Craft Place - Hallowe'en
• Totally Gorjuss - Spooky

ABC Christmas Challenge - V is for...

We have another ABC Christmas Challenge starting today...Wilma is the host, and the theme is:

 'V is for Vixen'

(Feature a Reindeer)

We are sponsored for this challenge by:

Sweet Stamps

Prize - a $10 voucher for the Sweet Stamps store!

and:

QKR Stampede:

Prize: 5 Digital Images of the winner's choice!

I've used a Penny Black reindeer called 'Deer in Skates', which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The papers are from the 'Blitzen' pad by Bo Bunny...there's even some reindeer on one of the papers. I distressed the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The snowflake was cut using my Cuttlebug 'Ice Crystal' die, the button is from my stash, and the blue twine is from Tiger.

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

• Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - For the Men
• Christmas Cards - Bows
• Crafty Catz - Spots & Stripes 
• Crazy Challenge - B is for... (Button, Bow & Blue)
• Created with Love - Anything Goes
• Shopping Our Stash - Stitching (Mine's faux) 

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

Oldie but a Goodie Challenge - Charming

We have a brand new challenge starting today over at Oldie but a Goodie, where the theme is:

 'Charming'

(Add a charm)

Our sponsor for this challenge is The Paper Nest.

I've used one of the stamps from the 'Christmas Critters' set by Penny Black, which I coloured using watercolour pencils, adding some sparkle to the 'snow' and candle flame using Stickles. The papers are all from the 'Winter Wishes' collection by Echo Park...I embossed a Hero Arts 'Music Background' stamp in white on the plainest one, then distressed the edges, and added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from a Lili of the Valley set, the twine is by Dovecraft, and the charm is from Ebay.

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

• Aud Sentiments - Christmas Sentiments
• Christmas Challenges {with sketches} - Sketch
• Corrosive - Tic-Tac-Toe (Middle Row: Patterned Paper - Image - Sentiment)
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Music
• Crazy 4 Challenges - Use your Favourite Stamp Set ('Christmas Critters' by Penny Black - I have loved this set since it first came out several years ago...mine is very well used!)
• Hiding in my Craft Room - Use a Critter
• Jingle Belles - Creatures
• Winter Wonderland - Checks

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

Witchy Mouse

I have a Hallowe'en card for you today...didn't really need to make any more, but had a couple more images that I wanted to use before the opportunity had gone for another year. This one is from the 'Be Very Scared' set, and is coloured with watercolour pencils. For the background, I used a couple of Cuttlebug embossing folders. The sentiment stamp is also by Penny Black (from the 'Spooky' set) and the cobweb is a Memory Box die.

Challenges for this card:

• CCEE Stampers - Hallowe'en
• Crafter's Cafe - Spookable
• Crafty Creations - Hallowe'en Characters
• Cute Card Thursday - Spooktacular
• Inky Impressions - Halloween or Orange & Black
• Shopping Our Stash - Hallowe'en or Orange & Black
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Hallowe'en
• Stamping Sensations - All Creatures Great & Small

 

Present Pile

I have a Christmas card to share today...I hand't made one in a few weeks, so had a little burst of Christmas crafting yesterday and got another three made. This one uses one of my favourite James the Bear stamps...'Present Pile'...which I coloured using watercolour pencils. I kept the card really simple...trying to get some more 'masculine' cards done...although there are quite a lot of layers! I used my old faithful Cuttlebug 'Snowflakes' folder for the embossing on some Core'dinations card...sanding over the top, and tearing along the bottom edge to reveal the core. I simply doodled a couple of borders, and added a Lili of the Valley sentiment. 

Challenges for this card:

• Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - For the Men
• Crafty Little Fairies - Anything Goes
• Here Come the Boys - Christmas in Brown & Cream
• Sweet Stop Sketches - Last ever sketch :0(

Fluffy Birthday

Oops...nearly forgot to blog this one! I love this adorable monster...hes called 'Fluffy' and is from Pollycraft. The papers are from the 'Party Day' pad by Crate Paper, and the sentiment stamp is from the 'Fabulous Birthday' set by Hero Arts. I doodled some simple borders using a black gel pen...and that's it.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Little Fairies - Anything Goes 
• Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes 
• Paper Crafting Journey - Anything Goes 
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday
• Sketch Saturday - Sketch
• Sweet Stampin' - Monster Birthdays

Doggie Delights

I finally had some crafting time at the weekend...it had been a fortnight since I'd last made a card and I'd almost forgotten how to do it! I've used a Lili of the Valley image called 'Doggie Delights' which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The papers are from the 'Sweet Girl' pad by Crate Paper...I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Fabulous Birthday set by Hero Arts, and the brads are by BasicGrey.

Challenges for this card:

• 4 Crafty Chicks - Lots of Layers
• Charisma Cardz - Food (Cake!)
• Lili of the Valley Monthly Challenge - Anything Goes

Pile It On! Challenge - Hallowe'en

Our challenge at Pile It On! this week is all about:

'Hallowe'en'

(Day of the Dead/Gothic)

We are sponsored for this challenge by Dilly Beans Stamps:

Prize - 3 Digi Stamps!

I've used a rather neglected stamp on my card...it's called 'Cow Emma' from C. C. Designs, which I coloured using watercolour pencils. For the background, I embossed plain black and white card using a pumpkin embossing folder from a set by Cuttlebug. The cobweb was cut using a Memory Box die, and the ribbon was from Poppicrafts and has been in my stash for absolutely ages!

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Hallowe'en/Day of the Dead/Gothic
• Bunny Zoe's - Ribbon
• Card Crafter's Circle - In the Pumpkin Patch
• Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything Goes
• Corrosive - Fancy Dress
• Crafting for All Seasons - Too Cute to Spook
• Crafter's Cafe - Cute
• Crafty Ribbons - Anything Goes with Ribbon
• Crafty Sentiments - Hallowe'en
• Crazy - Hallowe'en
• Cut It Up - Hallowe'en/Day of the Dead
• Everybody Art - Ribbon
• Gem of a Challenge - Spooky/Hallowe'en
• Hiding in my Craft Room - Colour It (Image coloured using watercolour pencils)
• Incy Wincy - Hallowe'en
• Loves Rubber Stamps - Fall Leaves or Pumpkins
• Papertake Weekly - Happy Hallowe'en Hues
• Penny Black & More @ Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafting - Anything Goes
• Pink Elephant - Photo Inspiration
• Top Tip Tuesday - Black & White with a Splash of Colour
• Totally Papercrafts - Too Cute to Spook

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

ABC Christmas Challenge - U is for...

We have a brand new ABC Christmas Challenge starting today...Fiona is the host, and the theme is:

'U is for Under the Tree'

Our sponsor for this challenge is:

Bugaboo Stamps

The prize from Bugaboo Stamps is 7 free digis!

I've made something that will go 'Under the Tree'...gift wrap for a present. I stamped snowflake stamps from the 'A Bright Tomorrow' set and a 'Let it Snow!' sentiment (all by Penny Black) on brown parcel paper...then heat embossed them using silver and black sparkle powder. Once it had cooled...I used the paper to wrap a gift, tied with a great big silver bow:

I'm also entering my gift wrap into the following challenge:

• Sparkles Christmas - Anything but a Card

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

Oldie but a Goodie Challenge - Spooky!

It's my turn to choose the theme for the Oldie but a Goodie Challenge this fortnight, and with Hallowe'en at the end of the month, I've gone for:

'Spooky!'

Our sponsor for this challenge is:

SK Digis

I've used an image from our sponsor SK Digis on my card called 'Spooked Ghost', which I coloured using watercolour pencils. For the background, I embossed some Core'Dinations 'Black Magic' card using Cuttlebug and Tim Holtz/Sizzix folders. I distressed the edges and then sanded over the surface of the card to reveal the coloured core, then added a couple of cobwebs cut using a Memory Box die.

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

• Card Makin' Mamas - Trick or Treat
• Crafty Calendar - Hallowe'en
• Crafty Catz - Hallowe'en
• Creative Inspirations - Happy Haunting
• Delightful - Distressed
• Moving Along with the Times - Spooktastic
• Paper Crafting Journey - Hallowe'en Colours
• Simply Create Too - Hallowe'en
• Stamp & Create - Fall or Hallowe'en
• Sweet Stampin' - Hallowe'en

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

Happy Birthday Rob!

It's my flatmate's 30th birthday today... so, while he's sleeping off the excesses of yesterday's celebrations, I thought I'd pop on and show you his card and the wrapping paper I made. He's bike obsessed...so that explains the theme. I created a little scene using papers from the 'Sweet Girl' and 'Party Day' pads by Crate Paper...then added lots of die cut shapes using circle Nesties, Memory Box 'Puffy Clouds', Cuttlebug 'Olivia' alphabet, and a bike by Die-Versions. The sentiment stamp on the outside is from a little Studio G set...and on the inside it reads 'Happy 30th Birthday...it's all downhill from here!'...but I forgot to take a photo of that before I sealed it in the envelope.

Challenges for this card:

• 2 Sisters - Anything Goes 
• Fussy & Fancy - One for the Boys
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday

I also stamped some bicycle wrapping paper for his gifts...using stamps from the 'Roll with It' set by Avery Elle, and Hero Arts 'Bicycles' and 'Classic Bike' sets:

I made a matching tag, and tied everything together using black and white Baker's Twine:

Challenges for the wrapping paper and tag:

• 4 Crafty Chicks - Crazy About Wheels
• Creative Corner - Anything but a Card
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Use a Rubber or Clear Stamp
• Stampin' for the Weekend - Anything Goes

Snow White

There won't be much action on my blog this week...I spent last weekend getting ahead with my DT makes for next week as I'm not going to be able to craft this coming weekend...it's my flatmate's 30th birthday on Sunday and he has got a whole load of activities planned - I think my every waking minute is accounted for! I did however, find the time to make a quick card for this week's Less is More's 'White Christmas' challenge. The snowflakes were cut using my Cuttlebug 'Ice Crystal' die, the letters were cut using dies from my Cuttlebug 'Olivia' alphabet set, and the pearls are from my stash.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Created with Love - Any Holiday (Christmas)
• Less is More - White Christmas

Pile It On! Challenge - Your Favourite Colour

This week at Pile It On! we're asking you to use:

'Your Favourite Colour'

We are sponsored for this challenge by:

Freckled Fawn

The prize is a $20 giftcard to ohdeermekit.com!

My favourite colour is blue...particularly turquoise/aqua...and I've happened to have some rolls of washi tape from Freckled Fawn in that colour. I covered some scraps of white card with strips of the washi tape, then cut out a bird shape using my 'Madeleine Bird' die from Memory Box, which I mounted on my tags using 3D foam pads. I added some faux stitching around the edges of the tags using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen, a sentiment (from the 'Fabulous Birthday' set by Hero Arts', some adhesive pearls, and ribbon.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Favourite Colour (Turquoise Blue)
• Challenges for Everybody - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Crafty Creations - Winged Things
• Crafty Ribbons - Anything Goes with Ribbon
• Creative Card Crew - Tags
• Creative Craft - Anything Goes
• Everybody Art - Stitching
• Moving Along with the Times - Anything Goes
• Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
• Penny's Papercrafting - Anything Goes

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

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Spooky!

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: 

'Spooky!' 
Show us your Penny Black Hallowe'en makes.

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 decorated a few little treat bags using some cat stamps from the 'Spooky' and 'Be Very Scared' sets:

I used the same layout for all three bags, cutting the images out using my old faithful Nesties, with an embossed background (folders by Cuttlebug & Tim Holtz/Sizzix), adding a cobweb cut using a Memory Box die, and some doodled borders. The plain little bags are from Hobbycraft.

Here are some close-ups of the individual bags:

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

• Corrosive - Cute & Creepy
• C.R.A.F.T. - Cats & Dogs
• Crafty Cardmakers - Cute & Furry
• Created with Love - Hallowe'en
• Inky Chicks - Use 2 Different Die Cuts
• Loves Rubber Stamps - Anything Goes
• Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes + Optional Extra (Hallowe'en Treat Holder)

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

ABC Christmas Challenge - T is for...

We have a brand new ABC Christmas Challenge starting today...Angela is the host, and the theme is:

'T is for Transparent'

(In other words...use something see-through on your project)

We are sponsred for this challenge by the fabulous Stamp Fairy:

Prize: $10 to spend in the Stamp Fairy store!

I made an acetate fronted card by fixing a piece of acetate on to a piece of kraft card...I sandwiched the join between two layers of kraft to cover up the tape. I stamped some snowflakes and swirls (from the 'A Bright Tomorrow' set by Penny Black) in white Stazon on the acetate, and simply added a sentiment (from the 'Merriest Wishes' set by Hero Arts) on the inside.

(Apologies for the awful photo...I found it so difficult to photograph this card!)

Here's another view:

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

• Christmas Cards - Anything Goes 
• Holly Jolly Christmas - No Patterned Paper

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

Oldie but a Goodie Challenge - Bingo!

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

 'Bingo!'

 Pick a vertical, horizontal or diagonal line, and use all of the items in that line on your project.

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 chose to use the bottom line (Embossing - Glitter - Die Cuts) and made a couple of simple Christmas cards. The reindeer are from the 'Reindeer' stamp and die set by Hero Arts & Sizzix...I stamped the reindeer on to kraft card, then gave them coloured jumpers by stamping them again on to white card using Distress Inks ('Chipped Saphire' and 'Fired Brick'), cutting them out and laying them over the top. For the background, I embossed some light blue card using my old faithful Cuttlebug 'Snowflakes' folder, and added a torn piece of white Core'dinations glitter card for the 'snow'. The sentiment stamp is from a Lili of the Valley set.

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

• 2 Sisters - Anything Goes  
• Christmas Cards - Anything Goes
• Crimbo Crackers - Embossing

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