ABC Christmas Challenge - R is for...

It's time for another fun ABC Christmas Challenge...Samantha is the host, and the theme is:

'R is for Rip It'

(Include something ripped/torn on your project)

We are sponsored for this challenge by Digi Stamp Boutique:

Prize - £10 Gift Certificate!

I used ripped strips of pastel coloured card to make some simple Christmas tree shapes...layering the strips on a piece of triangular scrap of card ...allowing the bottom piece to hang over the edge. I decorated the tree with some adhesive pearls, then attached it to my card above a simple stamped sentiment (from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous).

It was so quick to do...I made a couple more!

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

• Christmas Cards - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Use a Sentiment
• Holly Jolly Christmas - Non-traditional Colours
• Rudolph Days - Anything Christmas
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

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

Old MacDonald Had a Farm...

I have a little set of 'thank you' cards to share today, featuring some farm animal stamps from a set by Kanban. I coloured them using watercolour pencils, then cut them out, and mounted them on to my cards using 3D foam pads on top of a simple background of snippets of paper from the 'Yours Truly' pad by Pebbles Inc. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Anytime Messages' set by Hero Arts.

We have, a pig:

...a cow:

...and a sheep:

Challenges for these cards:

• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Simply Papercraft - Anything Goes
• Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes
• The Pencil Cases - Anything Goes

Balloon Trios

I have a trio of balloon-y cards to share today...featuring a set of dies by Die-namics (called 'Party Balloons').

I started by 'smooshing' Distress Inks on to pieces of watercolour paper...colours used: Blues (Broken China, Mermaid Lagoon, Peacock Feathers & Cracked Pistacio); Oranges (Wild Honey, Scattered Straw, Spiced Marmalade & Fired Brick); and Purples (Seedless Preserves, Picked Raspberry, Wilted Violet & Blueprint Sketch). I added a couple of layers of ink (drying in between each application) then splattered with some water droplets and removing with a paper towel to lighten the colour. I cut one of each of the balloon shapes from each colour to give me enough balloons for three cards. I stamped the 'Happy Birthday' sentiment from the 'Handwritten Borders' set by Simon Says Stamp for the string of the centre balloon on each card, then doodled strings for the other two using a black gel pen. I also doodled some 'string' around the bottom of each of the balloons, then added them to my cards...popping the middle one up using 3D foam pads.

Challenges for these cards:

• Allsorts - Use At Least Two Dies
• Amusing - Anything Goes
• CAS on Sunday - Balloons
• Card Mania - Let's Party
• Crafting When We Can - Dies and/or Punches

Froggy Cheats

I have a couple of really quick cards to share today. Inspired by this week's 'Stickers' challenge over at Less is More, I hunted out an old sheet of Penny Black Stickeroos called 'Pond-side Celebrations'. I stuck the frog stickers on to some scraps of white card, then carefully cut around them, then mounted them on to my cards using 3D foam. I found some washi tapes in co-ordinating colours, and simply added a few strips behind the images, and stamped sentiments from the 'Anytime Messages' set by Hero Arts.

Challenges for these cards:

• As You Like It - Favourite Shaped Card Base (Tent-folded A6...I used to be all about square cards, but I've come back to this size/shape of card (which I used lots when I first started card-making) recently...I think I find the 'white space' less intimidating on this shape when I make CAS cards!)
• Less is More - Stickers/Sticky Labels/Peel Offs
• Little Red Wagon - Happy Birthday
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Fuzzy Bear

I have a Christmas card to share today...featuring an old (but new to me) PSX stamp that doesn't appear to have a name...but features  'fuzzy bear'. I coloured him using watercolour pencils to match the colours in the 'Bundled Up' papers (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 a Pollycraft set for C. C. Designs.

Challenges for this card:

• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Cute or Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Creative Inspirations - Christmas in August
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Pile It On! Challenge - Die Cut Embellishments

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

'Die Cut Embellishments'

Our sponsor this month is Dr Digi's House of Stamps:

Prize - 2 digis of the winner's choice!

The image on my card is a Whipper Snapper stamp called 'Honey Bunny'...which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The papers are from the 'Happy Day' 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. I used a lovely new die from a JustRite set called 'Stitched Ovals & Vines' that my lovely bloggy buddy Samantha sent to me for my birthday last week for my die cut embellishments...cutting the swirls from snippets of card, and adding them underneath a couple of flowers (from the long since closed Poppicrafts) all held in place using a BasicGrey brad. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Anytime Messages' set by Hero Arts.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Die Cut Embellishments
• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes (Optional Birthdays)
• Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Crazy Challenge - Birthday Card
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Sparkles Forum - Lots of Layers
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

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

PBSC August - Your Favourite Technique...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:

'Your Favourite Technique'

As usual, we are sponsored by the awesome 1-2-3 Stitch:

Prize - a $20 voucher!

I've cheated a little bit...and am using two of my favourite techniques...'Ink Smooshing' (a fairly recent discovery) and 'Faux Stitching' (a long time love). I started by 'smooshing' Distress Inks on to a piece of watercolour paper (colours used: Lucky Clover, Cracked Pistachio, Mermaid Lagoon, Broken China, Salty Ocean & Blueprint Sketch). I built up a couple of layers...drying with my heat gun before adding the second. I stamped snowflakes from the 'A Bright Tomorrow' set in Versamark Ink, then heat embossed them in WOW 'Metallic Silver Sparkle' powder. I cut the panel in two, then matted them on to silver mirror card...adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a silver gel pen. I added sentiments (from a Pollycraft set for C. C. Designs) also heat embossed in sparkly silver.

A couple of close-ups:

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

• C.R.A.F.T. - Christmas
• Creative Moments - Anything Goes
• Fab 'N Funky - Anything Goes
• Moving Along with the Times - CAS
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes

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

ABC Christmas Challenge - Q is for...

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

'Q is for Quick Layout'

Our sponsor for this challenge is Fred She Said:

Prize - $10 Gift Certificate!

I've used a large Woodware stamp called 'Christmas Trees'...and my layout is so quick that I made two cards. On the first one, I heat embossed the image in WOW 'Metallic Gold Sparkle' powder on black card, then coloured the trees using metallic gel pens. I simply matted the panel on to some gold mirror card, then added one of the sentiments from the stamp set (also heat embossed in sparkly gold).

On my second card, I heat embossed the image in white on watercolour paper, then 'smooshed' Distress Inks over the top...I added a couple of layers, drying in between with my heat gun. Colours used: Lucky Clover, Cracked Pistachio, Mermaid Lagoon, Broken China, Salty Ocean & Blueprint Sketch. I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen.

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

• Crimbo Crackers - Blue Christmas (Just the second card)
• Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
• Sunday Stamps - Shades of Blue
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

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

Balloon Kitty

I'm sneaking on before bed to share a little birthday card...featuring a Penny Black cat from the 'Bubbly' set, which I coloured using watercolour pencils. I used a couple of my Lawn Fawn 'Stitched Hillside' border dies to cut the curved sections at the bottom...then used various embossing folders (Cuttlebug 'Charles', Sizzix 'Plaid' & 'Chevron Texture') to add some texture. The clouds were cut using my Memory Box 'Puffy Clouds' die, and the sentiment is from the 'Anytime Messages' set by Hero Arts.

Challenges for this card:

• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Crazy Challenge - Birthday Card
• Critters & Creatures Linky Party 
• Happy Little Stampers (Dies) - Anything Goes
• My Time to Craft - Embossing

Tulips in a Vase

I have an ultra CAS card to share today...featuring a Woodware stamp called (rather unimaginatively!) 'Tulips in a Vase'. I stamped the image using Versamark Ink on to a snippet of watercolour paper, then heat embossed it in white. I watercoloured it using Distress Inks (colours used: Stormy Sky, Broken China, Picked Raspberry, Seedless Preserves, Wilted Violet, Mowed Law, Lucky Clover & Peeled Paint). I simply added the watercoloured panel to the card blank using 3D foam pads...I thought about adding a sentiment, but couldn't decide where to put it, so left well alone!

Challenges for this card:

• Amusing - Anything Goes
• Great Impressions - Anything Goes
• Let's Colour Linky Party - Anything Goes
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Skating Snowmen

I have a Christmas card to share today featuring another new stamp...'Skating Snowmen' by Woodware...which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The papers are from the 'Bundled Up' pad by Crate paper...I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my trusty CutterBee Bug* and a black gel pen.

Challenges for this card:

• Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - Snow People
• Crafty Boots - Use a  Stamp
• Creative Knockouts - Sew It Up
• Cutie Pie - Work, Rest or Play
• Inkspirational - Use Patterned Paper
• The Pencil Cases - Anything Goes

* CutterBee Bugs (by EK Success):

Love these simple little perforating tools...they really help to make my faux stitching look 'real'!

Sun-kissed

If you're thinking that today's card looks a little familiar, then you'd be right...I made the smooshed ink background at the same time as my PBSC DT card for this month's challenge (which you can see here)...and also heat embossed in white over the top. The Distress Ink colours I used for the background were: Picked Raspberry, Wild Honey, Cracked Pistachio & Mermaid Lagoon...this was the second piece of watercolour paper, so the colours are not as intense, as I'd added some more water to the inks. I used a new (to me) Penny Black flower stamp called 'Sun-kissed'...and stamped it using Versamark Ink, then heat embossed it in white. The sentiment stamp is also heat embossed in white...it's from the 'Fabulous Birthday' set by Hero Arts. I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen.

Challenges for this card:

• C.R.A.F.T. - Anything Goes
• Crafter's Cafe - Flowers
• Penny Black & More - Anything Goes with a Stamp
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes
• Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes
• WOW - Flowers & Heat Embossing

Little Snowy

I have a Christmas card to share today...featuring a mini version of Penny Black's 'Snowy' from the 'Jolly Friends' set. I extended the snowy ground on the image using a black gel pen, then coloured him using watercolour pencils and carefully cut him out. I snowy paper behind him was a freebie with a magazine quite some time ago...I stamped a sentiment (from a Pollycraft for C. C. Designs) and doodled a simple border using a black gel pen.

Challenges for this card:

• Christmas Cards - Photo Inspiration
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas
• Happy Little Stampers (Christmas) - Snowflakes
• Merry Monday - Christmas in Summer
• Penny Black & More - Anything Goes with a Stamp
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Vroom, vroom!

I have a masculine card to share today...featuring a racing driving doggy from the 'Hello Friends' set by Penny Black. I coloured him using watercolour pencils...then cut him out using one of my circle Nesties. The papers are from the Recollections 'Prince Charming' pad...I added a sentiment (from the 'Fabulous Birthday' set by Hero Arts) and some simple doodled borders using a black gel pen.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Spots & Stripes
• Cardz for Guyz - Transport
• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Penny Black & More - Anything Goes with a Stamp
• Sketch Saturday - Sketch #424

Pile It On! Challenge - Make Your Own Background

We have another fun Pile It On! Challenge starting today...and the theme is:

'Make Your Own Background'

Our sponsor this month is Paper Sweeties:

Prize - a $25 Gift Certificate to the Paper Sweeties store!

I made my background by 'smooshing ' Distress Inks on to watercolour paper. Blues for the sky: Tumbled Glass, Salty Ocean, Broken China, Stormy Sky & Faded Jeans. Greens for the grass: Lucky Clover, Mowed Lawn, Cracked Pistachio & Evergreen Bough. I added a couple of layers...drying with my heat gun before adding the second layer, then splattering with a little water. I used my Lawn Fawn 'Stitched Hillside' border dies to cut the grass, then added a cute little mouse ('Daisy' by Whipper Snapper Stamps), which I coloured using watercolour pencils, then carefully cut out. The clouds were cut using my Memory Box 'Puffy Clouds' dies, and the sentiment stamp is from the 'Anytime Messages' set by Hero Arts.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Make Your Own Background
• Animal Friends - Summer
• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes
• Incy Wincy - Anything Goes
• Love to Scrap - Two of Something (Clouds)
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Celebrate
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

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

PBSC August - Your Favourite Technique!

It's the first Saturday of the month, so that means it's time for a new Penny Black Saturday Challenge...the theme this month is:

'Your Favourite Technique'

As usual, we are sponsored by the awesome 1-2-3 Stitch:

Prize - a $20 voucher!

I've cheated a little bit...and am using two of my favourite techniques...'Ink Smooshing' (a fairly recent discovery) and 'Faux Stitching' (a long time love). I started by 'smooshing' Distress Inks on to a piece of watercolour paper (colours used: Picked Raspberry, Wild Honey, Cracked Pistachio & Mermaid Lagoon). I built up a couple of layers...drying with my heat gun before adding the second...then splattered it with some water...allowing the droplets to sit for a few minutes before patting off with a paper towel. I finished the background, by stamping a Hero Arts 'Music' background stamp in 'Pumice Stone' Distress Ink..I removed some of the ink before stamping. I stamped butterflies (and a dragonfly!) from the Penny Black 'Social Butterfly' set and a sentiment from the 'Fabulous Birthday' set by Hero Arts in Versamark Ink, then heat embossed them in white. I distressed the edges a little, then added my faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen.

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

• Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Artistic Stamper - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Celebrate
• Sparkle & Sprinkle - Anything Goes with Loose Glitter/Embossing Powder

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

We Three Kings...

I have another Christmas card to share today...featuring the 'We Three Kings' stamp by Penny Black. I found this stamped and embossed image in my image box...already partly coloured using (I think) metallic markers (by Dovecraft?)...I added some gold to their beards using a Cosmic Shimmer pigment mixed with water, then matted it on to some gold mirror card. I simply stamped the matching sentiment stamp along the bottom.

Challenges for this card:

• Creative Moments - Anything Goes
• Crimbo Crackers - Anything Goes
• Jingle Belles - Three of Something (Kings)
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Winter Wonderland - Gold or Silver