Guest Designer - The Crazy Challenge

I have another guest designer for the Crazy Challenge today...where the theme is:

'Watercolour'

I like to watercolour on my cards in lots of different ways, so I loved this challenge...so much so, that I made two cards! I decided to do some simple stamping and embossing, then coloured the whole of eachcard by watercolouring using Distress Inks. I used several butterflies from the 'Social Butterfly' set by Penny Black, and a sentiment from the 'Big Messages' set by Paula Pascual. On the first card I stamped in black ink, then heat embossed in clear, and on the second card I used white embossing powder.

I used the same layout and ink colours on each card...but got totally different looks!

Distress Ink colours used: Scattered Straw; Wild Honey; Spiced Marmalade; Fired Brick; Festive Berries; Broken China; Salty Ocean; Faded Jeans; Stormy Sky & Chipped Sapphire.

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

• Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes
• Crafty Cardmakers - No Patterned Papers
• Crafty Catz - Golden Oldie
• Crafty Friends - Use a Sentiment
• Hiding in my Craft Room - Freestyle
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Simply Papercraft - Anything Goes

For inspiration from the fab DT, and full details of the sponsor and prize for this challenge, please pop over to the Crazy Challenge.

Blue & Silver Snowflakes

I have a couple more Christmas cards to share today...using a piece of inky card that I'd intended to use for the background on another card, but I smudged the edge! I blended various blue Distress Inks (Broken China, Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans & Chipped Sapphire) over a piece of white card, then spritzed it with a silver Cosmic Shimmer spray...it's really sparkly in real life, but I couldn't get it to show in the photographs. Then, I stamped a little snowflake (from the 'Jolly Friends' set by Penny Black) and embossed it in silver over the top. I cut the panel up, and used it to make two cards...edging the panels using a silver marker pen, adding a die cut snowflake (Memory Box 'Castle Snowflake') a silver pearl and Lili of the Valley sentiments:

Challenges for these cards:

• Addicted to CAS - Blue
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Use some Silver
• Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Less is More - Sprays/Mists
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

Bethlehem Nights

I have a simple Christmas card to share today...using a new stamp that I received for my birthday earlier this month called 'Bethlehem Nights' by Stampendous. I started by stamping the image in black, then heat embossing it using clear embossing powder. I then blended 'Pumice Stone' Distress Ink over the buildings, and 'Scattered Straw' and 'Spiced Marmalade' over the starry sky. I then cut carefully around the edge of the image, and matted it on some more white card for a simple card. This stamp is a little bit different from my usual style...but I like it...and have just picked up a dark blue pigment inkpad to have another play with it...I think that might look better than the black, so I may be back fairly soon with another card using this stamp...

Challenge for this card:

• Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Christmas Cards - Anything Goes
• Creative Knockouts - Anything Goes
• Hiding in my Craft Room - Any Holiday (Christmas)
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
• Winter Wonderland - Christmas Carols or Songs ('O Little Town of Bethlehem')

Guest Designer - Rudolph Days Challenge

I have another guest designer card to share today...this time for the Rudolph Days Challenge hosted by Maureen. I was the lucky winner of last month's challenge, and have used the fantastic Memory Box 'Merry Christmas Script' die I received as my prize on my card:

I cut the 'Merry Christmas' die from a piece of white card...then used a craft knife to create the slope (the die cuts it straight across) to create a 'snowy' scene. For the background, I stamped my Hero Arts 'Snowflake' background stamp on to a blue card blank using Versamark Ink for a subtle snowy sky, before attaching the Merry Christmas panel and a Christmas tree (cut using a Marianne Designs die). This was such a quick and simple card to make that I made two!

The idea of the Rudolph Days Challenge is simple...make a Christmas card and blog it between now and the end of the month, then link it up over on Maureen's Rudolph Days post (with a link to the challenge to help spread the word)...that's it! The fabulous prize on offer for this this months lucky winner is this memory Box die:

Doggone Sweet!

I have a set of three 'doggy' cards to share today...using a cling stamp set from Penny Black called 'Doggone Sweet'...co cute! The cards are all really simple, using the same design...I embossed the bottom portion of each card using my 'Paw Print & Bone' embossing folder by Crafts Too, then added  strip of Washi tape (a mixture of Freckled Fawn, Hobbycraft & Papermania). I coloured the dogs using watercolour pencils, then carefully cut them out, popping them up on the cards on 3D foam pads. I added a sentiment stamped inside a 'speech bubble' cut using Sizzix Thinlit die.

And all three cards together:

Challenges for these cards:

• Alphabet Challenge - No Design Papers
• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes
• Crafty Friends - CAS
• Creative Knockouts - Celebrations
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday

Pile It On! Challenge - Animals Dressed Up!

We have a new Pile It On! Challenge starting today, with a really fun theme:

'Animals Dressed Up!'

Our sponsor for this challenge is QKR Stampede:

I picked a stamp by Penny Black called 'Bee Costume!' which I coloured using watercolour pencils...adding some sparkle to his wings using a Sakura Stardust pen. I paired it with papers from the 'Breeze' pad by My Mind's Eye...I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and  black gel pen. The cute 'happy bee-day' sentiment stamp is by Stampendous, the flowers are from Poppicrafts, and are held in place using tiny BasicGrey brads.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Animals Dressed Up
• Chocolate, Coffee & Cards - Use a Sentiment
• Crafty Catz - Flowers
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Fussy & Fancy - Birthdays
• Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
• Penny Black & More - Summer Flowers
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday (Things that fly)
• Sister Act Cards - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - Spots and/or Stripes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

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

ABC Christmas Challenge - Q is for...

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

'Q is for Quantum Leap'

(Travel back in time and pick one (or some!) of the themes of this years' previous challenges)

I decided to see how many of this years' challenge themes I could combine on my card for this challenge...I managed: C for Colourful; D for Die Cuts; G for Glitter; I for I Love You; M for Magical; & P for Polkadots! The cute kitty is 'Angel Cat' by Penny Black...I coloured him using watercolour pencils, and added lots of sparkle to his wings using Stickles. The papers are from the 'Bundled Up' pad by Crate paper...I distressed the edges a little, then used my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. Th snowflake was cut using a Memory Box die...it's held in place using a American Crafts glitter brad, and I made it sparkly using a Sakura Stardust pen. The sentiment stamp is from a little set by Wild Rose Studio.

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

• ABC Challenge - P is for Pink
• Christmas Cards All Year Round - Snowflakes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Use Something Old (The stamp is several years old)
• C.R.A.F.T. - Christmas Animals 
• Holly Jolly Christmas - Snowflakes & Sparkle
• In the Pink - Anything Pink
• Papertake Weekly - Dies
• Shopping Our Stash - Layers

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

In the Dog House!

I have another 'doggy' theme card to share today...using another of the stamps from the 'Man's Best Friend' set by Penny Black. I've used him to make a masculine card...so I kept it nice and simple...embossing some blue card using my Crafts Too 'Bone & Paw Print' and Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' folders. I doodled some borders using black and white gel pens, and added a sentiment from the 'Anytime Messages' set by Hero Arts.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Your Favourite Colour (Blue!)
• Sweet Stamps - Masculine
• Sweet Sunday Sketch - Sketch #282
• That Craft Place - Blue

Guest Designer - The Crazy Challenge

I'm sharing a guest designer card for the Crazy Challenge today...where the theme is:

'Paper Piecing'

If you're a regular visitor to my blog, you'll know that this isn't a technique that I often employ...although I did do some paper piecing on this card last week...so I picked a super easy cupcake image (from the 'Cupcakes' set by Hero Arts) to use on my card! I stamped the cupcakes on to papers from the 'Yours Truly' (by Pebbles Inc) and 'Stella & Rose - Mabel' (by My Mind's Eye) pads, then carefully cut them out. I used one of my scalloped circle Nesties to cut some 'bite' marks out of the frosting of two of the cupcakes...adding a black line along the new edge using a black gel pen. I popped the cupcakes up on 3D foam pads, adding a sentiment from the same stamp set underneath each one, and some tiny adhesive pearls (from Hobbycraft) to the frosty. I used my EK Success 'Scalloped Diamonds' punch for the brown borders. 

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

• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Food and/or Drink

For more inspiration from the fab DT, and details of the sponsor and prize for this challenge, please pop over to the Crazy Challenge.

Dog - gone it!

I have another two cards to share today...I seem to be making a bit of a habit of blogging two cards at once lately! I didn't set out make these cards so similar, but once I'd cut my snippet of green card in a wavy shape for the grass on the first card...I realised that the layout would also work for the second card too...as long as I fussy cut the other dog! These cute pups were also birthday presents (from the 'Man's Best Friend' set by Penny Black, and are coloured using watercolour pencils. I used aqua blue card for the card base for a change...to save adding an additional layer...and stamped in Versamark Ink using my Hero Arts 'Magical Swirls' background stamp for the 'sky'...although you can hardly see it in the photo. I used another Hero Arts background stamp ('Zig-Zag') on the 'grass'...and also pierced some holes along the top edge using my pokey tool. I added the sentiments in little speech bubbles cut using a Sizzix Thinlit die from a snippet of white card...the 'dog-gone' one is from the same stamp set as the dogs, and the 'Yippee!' is from the 'Anytime Messages' set by Hero Arts.

Challenges for these cards:

• Crafter's Cafe - The Great Outdoors
• Crafty Friends - CAS
• Less is More - Congratulations! (Just the second card)
  
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Snippets
• Stamping Sensations - Use a Stamp & a Die

Man's Best Friend

I've been using more new stamps...I had lots of lovely new ones for my birthday earlier this week, so they should keep me going for some time! This cutie is from the 'Man's Best Friend' set by Penny Black...I coloured him using watercolour pencils. The papers are from the 'Chevrons' pad by My Minds Eye...I inked around the edges using 'Brushed Corduroy' Distress Ink, then used my distressing tool before adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Big Messages' set by Paula Pascual.

Challenges for this card:

• Fantasy Stampers - Boys Rule!
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday
• Simply Create Too - Anything Goes
• Simply Papercraft - Anything Goes
• Sister Act Cards - Anything Goes
• Stamping Sensations - Stamp & a Die

Cupcake Mouse

I've used another new stamp on today's card...this one comes from a set called 'Pic & Lili' from Artemio, which was a birthday gift from my lovely bloggy buddy Samantha. I coloured the image using watercolour pencils. The papers are from a Jennifer Ellory pad that came free with a craft magazine...I added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The balloons were cut using a die that was also a magazine freebie...I added some 'strings' to them using a black gel pen. The adhesive pearls are from Hobbycraft

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Calendar - Bingo (Pink - Die Cuts - Stitching)
• Crafty Sentiments - Sketch
• Cut It Up - Animals
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Food and/or Drink
• Stamping Sensations - Use a Stamp & a Die

Burst into Bloom

I have another pair of cards for you today...using another new stamp...this one is called 'Burst into Bloom' by Woodware. On the first card, I heat embossed it in silver, then coloured the flowers and leaves using Cosmic Shimmer pigments. I added a Hero Arts sentiment (from the 'Fabulous Birthday' set)...also heat embossed...and matted it onto some silver card.  

Challenges for this card:

• Everybody Art - Embossing
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Homegrown Summer
• Sparkle 'N Sprinkle - Anything Goes

On the second card, I stamped the flower in black directly on to my card blank, then embossed it using clear powder, before colouring it using watercolour pencils. I used the same Hero Arts sentiment stamp.

Challenges for this card:

• Creative Inspirations - Flowers
• Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes
• Penny Black & More - Summer Flowers

One Owl...Two Ways

I have a 'two for one' offer on cards for you today...using a cute Hero Arts owl stamp ('Boy Owl') that I got for my birthday earlier this week. I thought with his big eyes and spectacles, that he'd be perfect for this week's Less is More Challenge where 'The Eyes Have It!'. As it's a 'one layer card' week...I simply stamped him on to my card base, coloured him using watercolour pencils, then added a Hero Arts sentiment (from the 'Anytime Messages' set. I couldn't resist adding a coating of Glossy Accents to his glasses!

Challenges for this card:

• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Fab 'N Funky - Things with Wings
• Less is More - One Layer Card - The Eyes Have It!
• Sweet Stamps - Anything Goes

I really wanted to paper piece his outfit...wasn't sure if that was acceptable on a 'one layer card' or not...so I made another card...with lots of layers! I used papers from my Papermania 'Christmas in the Country' pad...picking a couple of checked patterns for his shirt & shorts. I distressed the edges of everything using 'Brushed Corduroy' Distress Ink and my distressing tool, before adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment is again from the Hero Arts 'Anytime Messages' set.

Challenges for this card:

• Come & Get It - Feature a Creature
• Dream Valley - Stripes or Checks
• Not Just Cards - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Shopping Our Stash - Make a Spectacle of Yourself (the papers are several years old)
• Sweet Sunday Sketch - Sketch #281
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
• Use Your Stuff - Anything Goes (The papers are several years old)

Snow Buddies

Today's card is a simple one...a couple of scraps of Penny Black 'Madison' paper, a cute Lili of the Valley image ('Snow Buddies') coloured using watercolour pencils, with some Stickles added to make the 'snow' sparkle, some faux stitching and a Lili of the Valley sentiment.

Challenges for this card:

• Christmas Cards - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Extra - Anything Goes
• Happy Little Stampers Christmas - Sparkle
• Hiding in my Craft Room - Super Scraps
• Moving Along with the Times - Snow in Summertime
• Pixie's Snippet's Playground - Snippets
• Sketch Saturday - Sketch #373
• Sweet Stampin' - Anything but Birthday

Pile It On! Challenge - Summer or Winter

We have a new Pile It On! Challenge starting today...and the theme is:

'Summer or Winter'

Our sponsor for this challenge is:

Kitty Bee Designs

Prize - Digi Image of the Winner's choice.

I went with Summer...and used a cute Penny Back image called 'Cat Nap', which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The papers are from the 'Stella & Rose - Mabel' pad by My Mind's 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.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Summer or Winter
• ABC Challenge - O is for Open
• Allsorts - Inspired by Summer
• As You Like It - Favourite Fur or Feathers (Definitely fur...I don't mind birds, but only those that can't fly!)
• Cards Galore Encore - Anything Goes
• Cheerful Sketches - Sketch
• Clear It Out - Anything Goes
• Crafting for All Seasons - Bright & Beautiful
• Creative Moments - Anything Goes (Summer Sun)
• Fussy & Fancy - Lazy Summer Days
• Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
• Sister Act Cards - Anything Goes
• Sisterhood of Crafters - Summer Heat
• Sweet Stamps - Summer

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

Cupcake Birthday

I have another card using some little 'snippets' of paper today, from my Pebbles Inc 'Yours Truly' and My Mind's Eye 'Now & Then' pads. This time I using the scraps to cut out some die cut shapes...the cupcake 's  Marianne Designs die, and the ric-rac borders and speech bubble are by Sizzix for Craft Asylum. The sentiment stamp is from the Hero Arts 'Cupcakes' set.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - Use Patterned Papers
• Crazy 4 Challenges - Happy 
• Paper Creator Crafts - Dies or Punches
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Snippets
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday

ABC Christmas Challenge - P is for...

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

'P is for Polka Dots'

Our very own Lacey is sponsoring this challenge with her Stamp & Create store:

Prize - $20 Gift Certificate!

I picked a cute Lili of the Valley stamp called 'Penguin Presents'...I liked his polka dot wrapping paper! I coloured him using watercolour pencils, then carefully cut him out. I used a mixture of Papermania and Hobbycraft washi tape accross the bottom of my card, then popped the penguin up on 3D foam pads. The sentiment is from the Hero Arts 'Very Merry Christmas' set.

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

• Crafting When We Can - Ribbon, Twine or Washi Tape
• Crafty Sentiments - Holidays
• Gem of a Challenge - Animals or Birds
• Holly Jolly Christmas - Feathered Friends
• Sparkles Forum Christmas - No Designer Papers

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