Birthday Dog in Blue

I have one more 'Birthday Dog' card to share today...this time I used him on a more masculine card. The papers are from the 'Recollections - Prince Charming' pad by Michaels (found at TKMaxx)...I doodled dome simple borders around the edges using a black gel pen, and the sentiment stamp is from the 'Big Messages' set by Paula Pascual.

Challenges for this card:

• Come & Get It - Creations for Males
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Crazy Challenge - We Love Animals
• Creative Moments (Optional Masculine)
• Penny Black & More - Your Favourite Stamp ('Birthday Dog' by Penny Black)
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

Birthday Dog with Washi

I have another 'Birthday Dog' card to share today...this time a more CAS number featuring some fun washi tape (from Dovecraft & Freckled Fawn). I coloured the image using watercolour pencils, then doodled a simple border using a black gel pen...adding a couple of strips of washi tape bunting. I placed a couple of strips of the stripey washi tape on to my kraft card blank, then popped the image panel on top using 3D foam tape. The sentiment is from the 'Anytime Messages' set by Hero Arts...I didn't centre it very well, so added the exclamation marks using a black gel pen to even it out.

Challenges for this card:

• CAS on Sunday - Critters
• Corrosive - Anything Goes
• Heartful Stamping - Anything Goes
• Little Miss Muffet - Anything Goes
• Penny Black & More - Favourite Stamp ('Birthday Dog' by Penny Black...he was one of the first PB stamps I bought, is probably my most used, and remains a firm favourite) 
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Ribbon Girls - Use Any Image
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

Birthday Dog...Pretty in Pastels

This is the first of three cards I made last weekend featuring my favourite stamp...'Birthday Dog' by Penny Black. Usually he ends up on masculine cards...but this time I thought I'd pair him with some pretty pastel papers (from the 'Happy Day' pad by My Mind's Eye. I distressed all of the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment is from a little set by Wild Rose Studio, and the adhesive pearls are from Hobbycraft.

Challenges for this card:

• Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Aud Sentiments - Animals & a Sentiment
• Cheerful Sketches - Sketch
• Penny Black & More - Favourite Stamp ('Birthday Dog' by Penny Black...he was one of the first PB stamps I bought, is probably my most used, and remains a firm favourite) 
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

Traditional Christmas

Today's cards feature a set of Woodware stamps that I picked up in a charity shop last week called 'Traditional Christmas'. I coloured the little images suing watercolour pencils, then carefully cut them all out, and mounted them on to my card blanks using 3D foam pads. I stamped a holly border (from the same set) along the bottom...adding a little bit of colour to the leaves and berries, and a sentiment (from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous.

Challenges for these cards:

• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Goes
• Fab 'N' Funky - Christmas
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
• Winter Wonderland - Anything Christmas Goes

Need Your Eyes Testing?!

I have a quick & simple card to share today inspired by this week's Less is More's 'Alphabet' themed challenge. I printed a panel inspired by one of the sight tests at the opticians...spelling out 'Thankyou' in decreasing sizes of lettering, then simply matted it on to some scraps of kraft and black card.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Creatalicious - Anything Goes
• Less is More - Alphabet
• Little Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets

Pile It On! Challenge - Monsters or Fairies

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

'Monsters and/or Fairies'

We are sponsored for this challenge by Pink Gem:

Prize - Two Digi Images or Card Topper Kits of the winner's choice!

I'm not really one for 'Fairies', so I went the 'Monster' option and used an old Pollycraft image called 'Spike', which I coloured using watercolour pencils, then carefully cut him out. For the background, I used a mixture of papers...the green one if from the 'Simply Stated' pad by Recollections/Michaels, and the others are from the 'Stella & Rose - Mabel' pad by My Mind's Eye. I embossed a circle of kraft card using a Cuttlebug folder rather oddly called 'Charles' (!), then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiments are from the 'Anytime Messages' set by Hero Arts.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! Challenge - Monsters and/or Fairies
• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Alphabet Challenge - Y for You Choose
• Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes
• Creative Moments - Anything Goes
• Creative Playground - Anything Goes
• Inspiration Destination - Anything Goes
• Moving Along with the Times - For a Man
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Use Your Favourite Tool (CutterBee Bug)

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

PBSC February - Try Something New...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:

'Try Something New'

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

Prize - a $20 voucher!

This time, I tried a new (to me) technique...Distress Resist...Jennifer McGuire has a fab blog post & video demonstrating this technique here. I stamped a few background stamps on to plain white card (Hero Arts 'Zig Zag' & 'Magical' and a paw print one from Hobbycraft) using Versamark Ink, then blended Distress Inks (Broken China, Chipped Sapphire, Lucky Clover, Pine Needles & Gathered Twigs) over the top. You get a much softer effect than emboss resist...I really like it, so I'll be using the technique again. I used my Distress Resist pieces to make a background for one of the pups from the 'Man's Best Friend' set. I added a circle embossed using my 'Bone & Paw Prints' folder by Crafts Too, and a sentiment (from the Hero Arts 'Anytime Messages' set). I inked around all of the edges with some more 'Gathered Twigs' Distress Ink, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

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

• Crafty Sentiments - Your Favourite Combo (Penny Black stamps & Distress Inks)
• Cute Card Thursday - No Patterned Paper
• Little Red Wagon - Season of Love (My 'Go To' brand is Penny Black...thy were my first crafting love & I have over 1000 posts on my blog using their stamps!)
• Moving Along with the Times - For a Man

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

Happy Cow!

I have a quick little CAS card to share today...featuring a happy little chap from Hambo Stamps called 'Happy Cow', which I coloured using watercolour pencils, then fussy cut out. I added a couple of strips of Woodware washi tape to my card blank, a Hero Arts sentiment (from the 'Anytime Messages' set, and then my cow popped up on 3D foam pads.

Challenges for this card:

• Cardz for Guyz - No Patterned Papers
• Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - Masculine

Gift Wrapped

Today's card features some more of the My Mind's Eye '29th Street Market' papers that I re-discovered a couple of weeks ago. I paired them with an adorable Lili of the Valley image called 'Gift Wrapped' that I coloured using watercolour pencils. I distressed all of the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. I added a little sentiment (from a Wild Rose Studio set) and some Prima flowers, held in place using a BasicGrey brad.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Hearts and/or Flowers
• Alphabet Challenge - X Marks the Spot (Spots or Dots)
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes (Use Three Design Papers)
• Creative Knockouts - Flower Power
• Ribbon Girls - Anything Goes Cards
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Use Your Favourite Tool (CutterBee Bug for making holes for faux stitching)
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Cute
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

You Put a Song in my Heart!

Today's card was inspired by the 'Opposites Attract' theme at Less is More this week. My immediate thought was 'cats & dogs'...as I have lots of lovely stamps that would fit the bill, but I'm away from home at the moment with a limited selection of stash...so had to improvise a little! I rummaged though my Penny Black sets and found a cat and a dog that would work, and I could stamp so they were sort of looking at each other! The cat is from the 'Jazzy Cats' set, and the dog is from the 'Wintertime Cheer' set...he's actually supposed to be wearing a set of antlers, but I masked those off before stamping, then drew in the top of his head. I added a sentiment (also from the 'Jazzy Cats' set), then coloured them using watercolour pencils. I do love how bewildered this pup looks at the cat's behaviour!

Challenges for this card:

• Addicted to CAS - Pets
• Cardz 4 Guyz - Love You
• Cutie Pie - Simply Love
• Less is More - One Layer Card + Opposites Attract
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Cute

Winter Wonderland...This Way!

I had planned to post a different card today...but decided that this one is much more appropriate to today's weather! I used a Lili of the Valley stamped image that I received as part of a blog challenge prize called 'Sledging Buddies'. I coloured it using watercolour pencils...extending the line of snow to reach right across my card, then fussy cut it out. I used a piece of watercolour paper for the background, that I'd smooshed with shades of blue Distress Ink, and stamped and heat embossed my Simon Says 'Falling Snow' background stamp in 'Sparkling Snow' embossing powder by WOW. I stamped a sentiment from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous onto a piece of kraft card...then deciding that it looked like a sign, cut another strip of kraft to act as the post.

Challenges for this card:

• Animal Friends - No Design Papers
• Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - Anything Christmas Goes
• Christmas with the Cuties - Christmas Carols or Songs (Winter Wonderland)
• Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes (Optional Cute)
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Creates & Makes - Anything Goes (Optional Winter Blues)
• Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Jingle Belles - Let it Snow
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Cute
• Stamping Sensations - Animal Magic

Guest Designer - Crimbo Crackers

I'm sharing another Guest Designer card today for Crimbo Crackers...where the theme is:

'Shaker Cards'

I don't make many shaker cards...I usually find them really fiddly, and end up with glitter/sequins everywhere! I cut three Christmas tree shaped apertures in a panel of white card using a die from the 'Reindeer' stamp and die set by Hero Arts & Sizzix, then added a piece of acetate behind the windows. I used a piece of green Halloween paper behind the apertures (from the 'Boo to You!' collection by My Mind's Eye), adding some sparkly confetti, and a simple doodled border.

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

• Inky Chicks - CAS
• Merry Monday - CAS
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

For more inspiration, and to enter the challenge, pop over to Crimbo Crackers - thanks for having me Ruth!

Holly Crown

I have a Christmas card to share today...using some more snippets of My Mind's Eye '29th Street Market' papers that rediscovered at the weekend. I loved these papers...and at one time had loads of them, but that was several years ago now (they've long been discontinued) and now I have just a few snippets left. I paired them with a cute Penny Black cat (from the 'Christmas Critters' set) to make a Christmas card. I distressed all of the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. I cut some holly leaves from some snippets of dark green card using one of the dies from the Tim Holtz 'Holiday Greens, Mini' set for Sizzix, then added them behind the image. The little adhesive pearls are from Hobbycraft.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Extra - Anything Christmas Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - Anything Goes
• Crazy 4 Challenges - Animals
• Happy Little Stampers (Christmas) - Anything Goes (With optional Holly)
• Pixie's Snippet's Playground - Use Snippets
• Stamping Sensations - Animal Magic

The Same...But Different...

I have a couple of almost matching cards to share today using the Stampendous 'Pen Pattern Butterflies' stamp set and Distress Inks. I stamped the butterflies on to watercolour paper using Versamark Ink, then heat embossed them using clear embossing powder.

On the first card, I was inspired by the colour challenge at Less is More this week...and picked Yellow, Orange & Red from the colour chart. I blended 'Wild Honey', Spiced Marmalade' & 'Fired Brick' Distress Inks over the top in an ombre effect, then splattered it with a little water...removing it with a paper towel to add a little texture. I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen. The sentiment is from a set by Hero Arts.

Challenges for this card:

• Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Crafty Girls Creations - Anything Goes
• Gem of a Challenge - Add a Butterfly
• Less is More - Colour Wheel (I picked Yellow-Orange-Red)
• Stamping Sensations - Animal Magic

On the second card, I used the colour combination from the CAS on Sunday Challenge...which included some gorgeous shades of blue. This time I targeted specific areas with my Distress Inks...using 'Faded Jeans', 'Stormy Sky', 'Mermaid Lagoon' & 'Chipped Sapphire'. Once again I distressed the edges, added a little faux stitching and a Hero Arts sentiment.

Challenges for this card:

• CAS on Sunday - Colour Theme
• Cards Galore Encore - Anything Goes
• Happy Little Stampers (CAS) - Blue
• Inspiration Destination - Anything Goes
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes

Pile It On! Challenge - Hearts on Fire

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

'Hearts on Fire'

(Hearts, Fire or Red/Orange Colour Scheme)

We are sponsored for this challenge by Pink Gem:

Prize - Two Digi Images or Card Topper Kits of the winner's choice!

I chose to use hearts...and picked a cute Lili of the Valley bear image ('James - Big Heart') that I received as part of a prize ages ago. I coloured him using watercolour pencils, then cut him out using one of my circle Nesties. I used a couple of pieces of My Mind's Eye papers from really old collections...the patterned one is from the 'Ooh La-La - for Her' collection, and the plain pink one is from the '29th Street Market' collection...I embossed it using my Sizzix 'Candy Hearts' folder. I sanded over the embossing, then distressed all of the edges and added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiments are from the 'Smooches' set by Paper Smooches.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Hearts on Fire
• Addicted to Stamps - Love
• Catch the Bug - Anything Goes
• Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes
• Crafty Calendar - Love is in the Air
• Crafty Cardmakers - Love, Love Love
• Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
• Creative Corner - Pink
• Creative Moments - Anything Goes
• Cute Card Thursday - Be My Valentine
• In the Pink - With Love
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Love
• Simply Create Too - Love
• Sweet Stampin' - Love is in the Air

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

PBSC February - Try Something New

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:

'Try Something New'
(Try a new technique...or maybe use some new craft supplies)

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

Prize - a $20 voucher!

I used some papers from a new pad...I got them for Christmas, but while I'm happy to ink up new stamps right away...I struggle to make that first cut into a new paper pad! The pad is from The Works..and is simply called 'Pretty Pastels':

I paired the papers with 'Bun Bun'...which I coloured using watercolour pencils. I distressed all of the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Big Messages' set by Paula Pascual, the flowers are from Poppicrafts, and the brad is by BasicGrey.

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

• Creative Knockouts - Birthday Wishes
• Heartful Stamping - Anything Goes
• One Crazy Stamper - Birthdays
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Pets Corner

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

ABC Christmas Challenge - February 2017...C & D are for?

We have another fun ABC Christmas Challenge starting today...Wilma is the host, and this month we have two themes for you to use:

'C is for Creature'

AND

'D is for Dimension'

We have two awesome sponsors for this challenge:

All Dressed Up

Prize - 2 free digis of the winner's choice!

AND

Sweet Stamp Store

Prize - $10 Gift Certificate!

Wait...there's more! There's also a fab prize bundle donated by Wilma:

I made a card for each of the two themes...on my 'C' card I featured a cute Hedgie & Robin as my creatures ('Wishes for Kisses' by Penny Black). I coloured the image using watercolour pencils, then simply added some faux stitching along the top and bottom using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. I added a snippet of patterned paper (from the 'Special Delivery' pad by Helz Cuppleditch) behind the image and a sentiment from a set by Lili of the Valley.

On my 'D' card I used a Poppy Stamps die called 'Abundant' gifts to cut lots of little presents from scraps of brightly coloured card, then mounted the assembled gifts on to my card blanks using 3D foam pads. Again I added sentiments from the same Lili of the Valley set.

You can see the dimension a little better on this close-up:

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

• Addicted to Stamps - Baby it's Cold Outside (Just the fist card)
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas
• Creative Inspirations - Cute Critters (Just the first card)
• Hiding in my Craft Room - Any Holiday (Christmas)
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Stampavie & More - Animals (Just the first card)
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

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