Santa Stop Here!

I have another Christmas card to share today, featuring an adorable Lili of the Valley James the Bear stamp called 'Santa Stop Here!'. I coloured the image using watercolour pencils, to match the blue & brown shades in the 'Prince Charming' papers (by Recollections/Michaels), then inked around all of the edges using 'Old Paper' and 'Brushed Corduroy' Distress Inks. I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. There's a touch of sparkle on the snowy ground, made with some Stickles glitter glue.

Challenges for this card:

• Christmas with the Cuties - Snuggly Bears
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Everybody Art - Anything Goes
• Fab 'N Funky - Christmas
• Hiding in my Craft Room - Any Holiday (Christmas)
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
• Winter Wonderland - Hats & Scarves

Skating Fun

I have a Christmas card to share today, featuring a Lili of the Valley stamp that I've had for several years (and used), but only mounted onto cling foam yesterday! It's called 'Skating Fun', and I coloured it using watercolour pencils, adding some sparkle to the icy ground and falling snow with some Stickles. I used a few snippets of patterned paper (from the 'Christmas Cheer' pad by Lily Bee Design) matted on to a snippet of red card for a simple background. I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bugs and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is also by Lili of the Valley.

Challenges for this card:

• Addicted to Stamps - Animals
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Goes
• Creatalicious - Anything Goes
• Creative Playground - Anything Goes
• Fab 'N Funky - Let's Get Sporty
• Heartful Stamping - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Little Critters
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Furry Friends
• Sparkles Forum - Four (or more) Legs

Scarlet Poppies

Today's card features a stamp that I've had for a while but not inked...it's called 'Scarlet Poppies' by Funstamps, and I think it came from a charity shop. I coloured the image using watercolour pencils, then added a simple doodled border. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Smooches' set by Paper Smooches.

Challenges for this card:

• Artistic Stamper - Floral Fantasy
• Crafting With Friends - Anything Goes
• Crafty Cardmakers - Floral Profusion
• Cute Card Thursday - CAS
• Happy Little Stampers (Watercolour) - Anything Goes (Optional Twist - Red)
• Penny Black & More - Photo Inspiration

Penguin Presents

I have a Christmas card to share today...featuring a cute little penguin from Lili of the Valley, which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The spotty paper is from the 'Maddison' pad by Penny Black...I added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is also by Lili of the Valley.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Crimbo Crackers - Anything Goes
• Dream Valley - Things with Wings
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Rudolph Days - Anything Christmas
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
• Winter Wonderland - Favourite Christmas Colour Combination (Turquoise & Red)

Guest Designer - Addicted to Stamps

Today I'm sharing a Guest Designer card for the Addicted to Stamps blog. I was the lucky winner of the a Scrapbook Stamps Society Challenge last month, and have used one of the stamps I received as my prize on my card...it's called 'Tootsie Paints a Flower'. I coloured her using watercolour pencils, to match the papers from the 'Stella & Rose - Mabel' 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 set by Lili of the Valley, the flowers are by Prima, and are held in place using some BasicGrey brads.

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

• Crafty Calendar - Flowers
• Crazy Challenge - Birthday
• Cute Card Thursday - Brads
• Simply Create Too - Use a Digi Stamp
• Stamps + Fun = Creativity - Brads

Pile It On! Challenge May - Animals and/or Spring Garden

It's the third Sunday of the month, so we more inspiration for this month's Pile It On! Challenge, as well as a bonus theme. This month's main theme is:

'Animals'

and we have a bonus theme of:

'Spring Garden'

Which you can use as an alternative, or combine for this month's challenge!

Our sponsor for this challenge is Kitty Bee Designs:

I've used a cute Whipper Snapper Designs stamp called 'Sweet Sniffs of Spring'...just perfect for combined both of this month's themes! I coloured it using watercolour pencils, then doodled a simple border using a black gel pen. The papers are from pads by We R Memory Keepers ('72 & Sunny' and 'Hippity Hoppity')...I doodled match borders around those too. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Anytime Messages' set by Hero Arts, and I added a button from my stash tied on with some multicoloured twine.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Animals and/or Spring Garden
• Addicted to Stamps - Brads and/or Buttons
• Allsorts - Happy Birthday
• Card Mania - Life is Colourful
• Corrosive - Anything Goes
• Crafting When We Can - Bright & Colourful
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes (More than two layers)
• Crafty Friends - Summer Colours
• Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Creative Moments - Anything Goes
• Deep Ocean - Furry or Feathered Friends
• Inspiration Destination - Anything Goes
• Little Miss Muffet - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Ribbon Girls - Use Any Image
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes (Topping - Animals)

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

PBSC May - Wedding, Anniversary & All Things Love...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:

'Wedding, Anniversary & All Things Love!'

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

Prize - a $20 voucher!

It's my parents Ruby Wedding Anniversary (40 years) in a few days time...so this is the card I made for them (Mum if you're reading this...please look away...don't scroll down!). I picked some cute hedgies from the 'Every Which Way' set...colouring them using watercolour pencils. I used one of my Lawn Fawn 'Stitched Hillside Border' dies to cut a curve long the top, and added a Lili of the Valley sentiment, and some numbers cut using my Cuttlebug 'Olivia' alphabet. I added a couple of snippets of paper (from the 'Paper Hearts' pad by Crate Paper) to the top and bottom of my card blank, then mounted the image panel over the top on some 3D foam.

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

• Aud Sentiments - Anything Goes & a Sentiment
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets

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

Guest Designer - C.R.A.F.T. Challenge

Today, I'm sharing a guest designer card for the C.R.A.F.T. Challenge...where the theme this week is:

'Christmas'

The sponsor for this challenge is Pink Gem Designs:

Prize - 2 Single Digi Images or 2 Card Topper Kits of the winner's choice!

If you're a regular visitor to my blog, you'll know that I love making Christmas cards, so I really enjoyed this challenge! I had a dig around in the bottom of my image box, and found this cute Pink Gem Christmas image, that I think is called 'Winter Milly'. I think that she may have been discontinued though as I can't find her in the Pink Gem catalogue. I coloured her using watercolour pencils, then added some sparkle to the snow using Stickles. The papers are from the 'Christmas Cheer' pad by Lily Bee Designs...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 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous.

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

• Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - Anything Christmas
• Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes
• Happy Little Stampers (Christmas) - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - A Touch of Sparkle

For more inspiration from the lovely Design Team, please pop over to the C.R.A.F.T. Challenge.

Dream a Dream

Today's card features another 'oldie but a goodie' from Penny Black called 'Dream a Dream', which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The spotty paper is from the 'Now & Then' pad by My Mind's Eye...I distressed the edges a little, then added some fax stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is also by Penny Black...from the 'Critter Party' set.

Challenges for this card:

• Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes (Optional Twist - CAS)
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Pastel Colours
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Going Dotty
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Welcome Party!

I have a simple one layer Christmas card to share today...featuring a cute Penny Black image called 'Welcome Party'. I coloured the image using watercolour pencils, added a simple border and a sentiment (from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous).

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Extra - Anything Goes
• Heartful Stamping - Animals
• Less is More - One Layer Card with Spots & Stripes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - It's a Frame Up

Rainin' Daisies

I have a simple little card to share today, featuring an 'oldie but a goodie' from Penny Black called 'Rainin' Daisies', which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The papers are from the 'So Sophie' 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 sentiment is from a set that came free with a craft magazine.

Challenges for this card:

• As You Like It - Your favourite Die (Mine are my circle shaped Nesties...they cut a perfect circle so much quicker & neater than I could!)
• Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
• Creates & Makes - Sketch
• Give a Crafter a Cookie - Photo Inspiration
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes

Moo'd Swing

Today's card was inspired by the 'Yellow & Grey' colour challenge over at Less is More. It's not a colour combination I use much, but I found the perfect piece of paper in my 'Breeze' pad (by My Mind's Eye). I stamped the cow (called 'Moo'd Swing' by Whipper Snapper stamps) directly on to my card blank (I love the expression on her face!), and coloured her using watercolour pencils. I cut a curve at the bottom of the piece of paper using one of my 'Stitched Hillside Border' dies, then added it over the top. The sentiment stamp is from a set that came free with a craft magazine.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Crafty Girls Creations - Anything Goes
• Less is More - Yellow & Grey
• One Crazy Stamper - Anything Goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Pile It On! Challenge May - Animals

It's the first Sunday of the month, so that means we have a brand new fun challenge starting over at Pile It On! Our theme for this month is:

'Animals'

Our sponsor for this challenge is Kitty Bee Designs:

I picked a cute piano playing cat image from the 'Jazzy Cats' set by Penny Black, and coloured it using watercolour pencils. I thought I'd give the card a more masculine feel, and picked papers from the 'Awesome Boy' pad by Recollections/Michaels. I added a sentiment from the 'Big Messages' set by Paula Pascual, and some simple doodled borders using a black gel pen.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Animals
• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything Goes
• A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes
• A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes
• Allsorts - Music
• Cards Galore Encore - Anything Goes
• Crafty Animals - Anything Goes
• Crafty Awesomeness - Anything Goes
• Crafty Friends - Cute
• Inspiration Destination - Masculine
• My Time to Craft - Masculine
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Scrapbook Stamp Society - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - Cats and/or Dogs
• The Male Room - Many Legs

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

PBSC May - Wedding, Anniversary & All Things Love!

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:

'Wedding, Anniversary & All Things Love'

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

Prize - a $20 voucher!

The image I used was sent to me in a swap, and I'm not exactly sure what it's called...but after googling, I think it might be 'Lots of Love'...if anyone reading this knows for sure, please let me know! I coloured it using watercolour pencils to match the colours of the Crate Paper 'Paper Hearts' papers. 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 'Sending Sunshine' set by Simon Says Stamp.

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

• Come & Get It - Make it Square
• Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - Anything Goes
• Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes
• Fussy & Fancy - Anything Goes
• Little Miss Muffet - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - A Hint of Pink

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

ABC Christmas Challenge - May 2017...J & K are for?

We have a fun new ABC Christmas Challenge starting today...Samantha is the host, and this month we have two themes for you to choose from....or combine!

'J is for Jingle Bells'

and 

'K is for Keep it Simple'

Our sponsor for this challenge is Digi Stamp Boutique:

Prize - £10 Gift Voucher!

There's also a bonus prize from our lovely Samantha...but you'll have to pop over to the ABC Christmas Challenge to find out what it is.

I made a project for each of the two themes...for the 'J is for Jingle Bells' I hunted out a load of little silver bells, and threaded them on to some jewellery wire to make a little Christmas tree ornament...adding some silver ribbon to hang it with. It looks massive in the photo below, but it's actually about 3 inches across.

For my 'K is for Keep It Simple' project, I made a one layer card using a stamp from the 'Joy to the World' stamp set by Penny Black. I coloured the image suing watercolour pencils, added a sentiment (from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous), and doodled a simple border.

Challenges for these items:

• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes (No DP)
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Deep Ocean - Anything Goes
• Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

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

Plane Trail Birthday

Today's card is an ultra simple birthday card for an aeroplane enthusiast! I stamped the plane (from the 'Patch a Flight' set by Woodware) on to a DL kraft card blank, and then again on to a snippet of map print paper (from the 'Now & Then' pad by My Mind's Eye) so that I could paper piece it. I stamped the sentiment (from the 'Handwritten Borders' set by Simon Says Stamp) to look like the plane had written it in the sky.

The recipient is from Portugal, but has lived in London for almost 15 years...I managed to fit the plane on to a snippet with both the UK & Portugal on:

Challenges for this card:

• Crafting When We Can - Clean & Simple
• Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes
• Incy Wincy - Clean & Simple
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes