ABC Christmas Challenge - T is for...

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

'T is for Transport'

We are sponsored for this challenge by Sweet Stamps:

Prize - $10 Gift Certificate!

I went with a snowboard for my form of transport, because nothing says Christmas more than a snowboarding chicken...right??!! The image is 'Snowboard Ride' by Penny Black...I coloured him using watercolour pencils, then carefully cut him out. I created a little mountain scene for him to snowboard through using my 'Stitched Hillside' border dies by Lawn Fawn, Simon Says Stamp 'Falling Snow' background stamp (heat embossed in white), and a couple of trees cut using dies from the 'Reindeer' set by Hero Arts/Sizzix cut from 'Merry Little Christmas' papers by My Mind's Eye. The sentiment is from the 'Christmas with Barkley' set by Crafter's Companion.

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

• Christmas Cards - Anything Goes
• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Cute Card Thursday - Wings
• Inky Impressions - Dots & Stripes (On the Trees)
• Sweet Stampin' - Non-white Base
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

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

Present Pile

I have another Christmas card to share today...featuring cute little James the Bear by Lili of the Valley...this stamp is called 'Present Pile'. I coloured him using watercolour pencils to match the 'Bundled Up' paper by Crate Paper. I distressed all of the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment is from the 'Scribbly Trees' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous, and the adhesive pearls are from Hobbycrft.

Challenges for this card:

• Aud Sentiments - Christmas
• Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes
• Dream Valley - Recipe (Patterned Paper-Pink-Stitching)
• Papertake Weekly - Christmas
• Rudolph Days - Anything Christmas
• Simply Papercraft - Anything Goes
• Stamping Sensations - Sew Special

Henry Mouse

I have a super simple card to share today...featuring Henry Mouse (from Whiff of Joy) holding a massive cupcake! I stamped a sentiment from my new 'Handwritten Sentiment Borders' set Simon Says Stamp, and some strips of washi tape (I think they're a mixture of Papermania & Hobbycraft) as a background, then popped my watercoloured Henry up on 3D foam pads.

Challenges for this card:

• As You Like It - Sweet or Savoury (Sweet for me...I love baking cakes)
• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Creative Inspirations - Something Sweet
• Creative Corner - Party Time
• Fab 'N Funky - Cute Critters
• Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
• Shopping Our Stash - Show Us your Smile
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - No Designer Papers
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Wireless Birds!

This theme of this week's Less is More Challenge had me scratching my head...and after a rummage through my stamps...I had a 'light bulb' moment when I saw this Penny Black 'Par Avion' stamp! With a little bit of careful masking, some doodling, a computer generated sentiment (and a bit of lateral thinking!), this is what I came up with:

I covered up the 'wire' that the chickens were standing on before inking up the stamp...then added a couple of hand drawn telegraph poles...minus the wires...then printed a sentiment along the bottom. This card would be perfect for my Dad! Ha ha!

Challenges for this card:

• Alphabet Challenge - Pelicans, peacocks or Other Birds 
• Creative Inspirations - Your Favourite Occasion (Christmas!)
• Less is More - Technology
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Bows and/or Christmas
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Use a Stamp

Pile It On! Challenge - Colour Combo

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

'Colour Combo'

Our sponsor for this challenge is Digital Delights:

I picked some papers in appropriate shades from the 'Chevrons' pad by My Mind's Eye, and coloured a cute doggie image from the 'Man's Best Friend' set by Penny Black to match. I doodled some simple borders around everything using a black gel pen, added a sentiment from the same stamp set, and some BasicGrey brads...kept it simple as it's a rather masculine card.

Here arethe challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Colour Combo
• 4 Crafty Chicks - Circles
• As You Like It - Favourite Die (My circle Nesties, they were the first shape I bought, and definitely my most used as I find it impossible to cut perfect circles using scissors!)
• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Crafting for All Seasons - Layer it Up!
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Gem of a Challenge - Boys, Boys, Boys!
• Hiding in my Craft Room - Freestyle
• Papertake Weekly - Animal Magic
• Penny Black & More - Anything Goes
• Not Just Cards - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Die Crazy
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

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

ABC Christmas Challenge - S is for...

We have a new ABC Christmas Challenge starting today...Lols is hosting and the theme is:

'S is for Silent'

(No sentiments or text)

We are sponsored for this challenge by Freckled Fawn:

Prize $15 Gift Certificate!

I used some new goodies to create a little scene on my card...the snowy background is 'Falling Snow' by Simon Says Stamp heat embossed in white on blue card...the snowy hills were cut using my 'Stitched Hillside' border dies, and the cute animals are from the 'Furry Friends' set also by Simon Says Stamp.

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

• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Moving Along with the Times - Cute Animals
• Papertake Weekly- Animal Magic
• Sweet Stampin' - Make a Scene
• Through the Craft Room - Anything Goes

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

Scribbly Christmas Trees

I was the winner of a Simon Says Stamp Challenge a few weeks ago...which meant I was the lucky recipient of a shopping spree at their fabulous store! I decided to limit myself to items either exclusive to Simon Says Stamp or not available/easy to get hold of over here. One of the items I picked was a new Tim Holtz set of Christmas stamps for Stampers Anonymous called 'Scribbly Christmas'...I'm a sucker for Christmas trees! I haven't had a lot of crafting time since I received them, but found a little time to play yesterday and made a quick set of teeny tiny cards. I used A7 kraft card blanks (from Hobbycraft), stamping the trees and matching sentiments directly on to them...adding a little colour using some watercolour pencils.

Challenges for these cards:

• 12 Months of Christmas - Christmas Trees
• Alphabet Challenge - One Layer
• Christmas Cards - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas - Festive Trees or Greenery
• Creative Knockouts - CAS
• Simply Create Too - Early Holiday Wishes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Use a Stamp
• Sparkles Forum Christmas - O Christmas Tree

Not Quite Midnight in Bethlehem!

I have another Christmas card to share today...although it didn't turn out quite how I'd imagined! I used this 'Bethlehem Nights' stamp (by Stampendous) a few weeks ago stamped and embossed in black on this card...just to test it out, but what I really wanted was a dark midnight blue inkpad as I thought that the black was too harsh. Anyway, I went on a hunt for a suitable inkpad, and picked up a dark blue pigment one in Hobbycraft. In the packaging in looked really dark...almost black...but as you can see...it's not exactly 'midnight' blue!

I thought I'd turn it into a card anyway (one more for the Christmas box!) and after I'd heat embossed it using clear embossing powder, coloured the houses using 'Pumice Stone' Distress Ink, and the stars using a gold marker pen. I matted it on to  piece of navy card that I had stamped and heat embossed my Hero Arts 'Magical' background stamp in gold on...colouring the edges of both layers using the gold marker pen again.

So...I'm still on the lookout for a really dark blue pigment inkpad - do any of you have any suggestions???

Challenges for this card:

• Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes
• Crafting When We Can - Anything Goes
• Crafty Friends - B is for (Blue & Bethlehem)
• Simply Papercraft - Anything Goes
• Sparkle 'N Sprinkle - Anything Goes with Glitter/Embossing Powder

Rudolph!

Another Christmas card from me today...using another of the stamps from the 'Christmas Outdoors' set by Penny Black. I stamped it directly on to my card base, then coloured it using watercolour pencils, then added some sparkle to the icy ground using a Wink of Stella pen. The snippet of paper is from the 'Your's Truly' pad by Pebbles Inc, the sentiment stamp is from a Lili of the Valley set, and the little adhesive pearls are from Hobbycraft.

Challenges for this card:

• Aud Sentiments - Anything Goes Plus a Sentiment
• Clear It Out - Anything Goes
• C.R.A.F.T. - Christmas
• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Happy Little Stampers CAS - Colouring
• Penny Black & More - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Snippets
• Sweet Stamps - Anything Goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Polar Couple

I have another Christmas card to share today...using a cute polar bear stamp from the 'Christmas Outdoors' set by Penny Black. I coloured the image using watercolour pencils...adding some sparkle to the icy ground using a Wink of Stella pen. The papers are from the 'Bundled Up' pad by Crate Paper...I distressed the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment is from a set by Lili of the Valley, and the adhesive pearls are from Hobbycraft.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Lots of Layers
• As You Like It - Favourite Layout (I use this layout...or a variation on it...lots...it's a great way to use lots of different papers!)
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Extra - Anything Goes
• Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - Penguins or Polar Bears
• Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - Anything Goes
• Creative Card Crew - Christmas
• Love to Scrap - At least Two Patterned Papers
• Penny Black & More - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Make it Colourful
• Stamping Sensations - Sew Special

Guest Designer - Cheerful Sketches

I have another guest designer card to share today...this time for the Cheerful Sketches Challenge.

Here's the sketch to use this month:

There are lots of fabulous sponsors for this month's challenge, including Marianne Designs, Di's Digis, Hobbyshoppie, Bugaboo Stamps and My Besties.

I've used an image from Bugaboo Stamps called 'Clyde Get Well', 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 flowers are a mixture of Papermania and Prima, and the brads are BasicGrey.

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

• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Make it Colourful
• Stamping Sensations - Sew Special

For more inspiration from the fab DT and some other guest designers, please pop over to the Cheerful Sketches Challenge.

Pile It On! Challenge - Fur

It's time for another new Pile It On! Challenge...and this week the theme is:

'Fur'

We are sponsored for this challenge by Oak Pond Creations:

I've used a stamp called 'Lady & the Tramps' by Funstamps...lots of fur on there! I coloured the dogs using watercolour pencils. The papers are really old...from the 'Ooh La La (For Him)' collection by My Mind's Eye...I doodles some simple borders using a black gel pen. The sentiment is from a little Hero Arts set, and the brads are by BasicGrey.

Challenges for this challenge:

• Pile It On! - Fur
• Cards Galore Encore - Anything Goes
• Cardz for Guyz - Let's Colour
• Crafty Calendar - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Creative Moments - Anything Goes with a Sentiment
• Fab 'N Funky - Doodle
• Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Use a Sentiment
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Make it Colourful
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

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

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Three or More Patterned Papers

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:

'Three or More Patterned Papers'

We are sponsored for this challenge by:

1-2-3 Stitch!:

Prize - a $20 voucher

I love patterned papers...in fact I have what might be deemed an unhealthy amount of paper pads in my collection! I picked papers from my 'Wildflower' pad by My Mind's Eye to cover a notebook (bought from Hobbycraft ages ago in a sale). I inked the edges using 'Pumice Stone' Distress Ink, then distressed them a little before adding faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. I added the entire 'Doggone Sweet' stamp set (including sentiment) to the front...I coloured the cute dogs using watercolour pencils.

 I covered the front and back of the notebook, and managed to use eight different papers in total!

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

• Clear it Out - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Papers - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stamps - Anything but a Card

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

Party Pup!

I have another 'spritzed' card to share today...inspired by the 'Trio of Colours' challenge over at Simon Says Stamp (Mondays). I picked three colours of Distress Ink to make my background - Salty Ocean, Seedless Preserves & Evergreen Bough. I dampened a piece of white card, then painted a stripe of each colour across it...allowing the colours to run into each other a little. Once it was dry, I spritzed each of the colours over the top, then trimmed it down. I added a cute Whipper Snapper dog image...'Party Pup'...which I coloured using watercolour pencils and the same Distress Ink colours, then fussy cut. I matted it on to white and then black card...to look like a Polaroid photo...and added a sentiment from a little Studio G set.

Challenges for this card:

• Less is More - Sprays/Mists
• Little Red Wagon - Clean & Simple
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Trio of Colours (Salty Ocean, Seedless Preserves & Evergreen Bough)
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Make it Colourful

One more thing before I go....first day back at school tomorrow...and lots do do! Despite what my blogoversary counter thingy says...today is my blog's 7th birthday! I shall be organising a little candy to celebrate...so keep your eyes peeled!

ABC Christmas Challenge - R is for...

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

'R is for...well, you choose...anything beginning with R!'

Our sponsor for this challenge is The East Wind:

Prize - Three Digital Images!

I combined a few 'R's on my card...Red, Reindeer, Ribbon & Robins. The image is 'Santa' by Lili of the Valley, which I coloured using watercolour pencils...adding some sparkle to the snow using a Wink of Stella clear pen. The papers are from the 'Maddison' pad by Penny Black...I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The snowflakes were cut using Marianne Designs dies...and were also given a coating of Wink of Stella sparkles...and the ribbon is from Hobbycraft.

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

• Addicted to Stamps - Die Cuts
• Christmas Cards - Anything Goes
• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Cute Card Thursday - Monochrome
• Incy Wincy - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Stampavie & More - Bows
• Sketch Saturday - Pick a Previous Sketch (I used #300)

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