Dream a Dream

Today's card is a rather simple one...using an oldie but a goodie from Penny Black called 'Dream a Dream', which I coloured using watercolour pencils. I embossed a snippet of pink paper from the 'Vintage Charm' pad by My Mind's Eye using my 'Blooming Season' folder by Craft Concepts, and matted it and the image on to some green card. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Big Messages' set by Paula Pascual.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Deep Ocean - Cute & Cuddly
• Less is More - Dry Embossing
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets

Big Butterflies

I have another couple of cards using my (fairly) new 'Big Butterfly' stamp by Stampendous to share today. I couldn't decide whether I wanted to use a white or a kraft card base...so I made one of each! I started by stamping a music background stamp (by Hero Arts/BasicGrey) in 'Old Paper' (on the white) and 'Pumice Stone' (on the kraft) Distress Inks. I then stamped the butterfly over the top, using Versamark Ink, before heat embossing them using embossing glitters from WOW...I used 'Vintage Amethyst' on the white, and 'Vintage Peacock' on the kraft. Finally, I added a sentiment using a stamp from the 'Fabulous Birthday' set by Hero Arts.

Here are a couple of close-ups:

Challenges for these cards:

• Allsorts - Something Beginning with B (Butterfly)
• As You Like It - Favourite Way to Add a Sentiment (I like to stamp mine directly on the card base...this has definitely become less stressful since I got my Tim Holtz stamp platform!)
• Clean & Simple on Friday - One Layer Wonder
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes (Birthdays)
• Dream Valley - Things with Wings
• Heartful Stamping - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Make Your Own Background
• Stamps +Fun = Creativity - Glitter
• Sweet Stampers - Things with Wings

Driving Home for Christmas

I have a Christmas card to share today...featuring a cute little hedgie stamp from the 'Joy to the World' set by Penny Black. I coloured the image using watercolour pencils, then carefully cut around the top. I made a simple background using a 'falling sky' die (from the 'Winter Wonderland' set by Tim Holtz for Sizzix)...although I tried to make it look more like a starry sky by placing a piece of gold mirror card behind it. The sentiment stamp is from a set by Lili of the Valley.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Goes (Use some gold)
• Cut It Up - Anything Goes
• Cute Card Thursday - Cute Critters
• Everybody Art - Cars/Motorcycles/For a Man
• Fab 'N' Funky - Christmas
• Little Miss Muffet - Anything Goes
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes

Pastel Perfect Petals

I have  trio of simple cards to share today...featuring the 'Perfect Petals' stamp (by Woodware) that I used last week on this card. This time I went for calmer pastel colours, stamping the flowers using Versamark Ink, then heat embossed it using white embossing powder. I did the same with the sentiment stamp from the same set, then doodled a simple border using a white gel pen. I added a touch of co-ordinating colour to the flowers using Distress Inks...'Stormy Sky' on the blue, 'Dusty Concord' on the purple and 'Cracked Pistachio' on the green.

Here are some close-ups:

Challenges for these cards:

• Craftaholics R Us - Anything Goes
• Gem of a Challenge - Spring Flowers
• Little Miss Muffet - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Stamping Sensations - Flowers

Spring Bunny & Daffs

I have a 'spring-y' card to share today...I'm trying to make up for the cold, drizzly & windy weather we've had today! The image is 'Spring Bunny & Daff's by Lili of the Valley...which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The papers are from the 'Indie Chic - Nutmeg' 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 stamp is from the 'Anytime Messages' set by Hero Arts.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Spring
• Cute Card Thursday - One Word Sentiment
• Heartful Stamping - Anything Goes
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Pile It On! Challenge - 3D Embellishments and/or Stickers or Washi Tape

It's the third Sunday of the month, so that means we have some more inspiration and an additional theme for this month's Pile It On! Challenge where the themes are:

'3D Embellishments'

and/or

'Stickers or Washi Tape'

Our sponsor for this challenge is Freckled Fawn

Prize - $15 Gift Certificate!

I picked a few rolls of washi tape from my collection, and coloured a Penny Black image ('Skating Snowy') to match the red and turquoise. I added a strip of each of the washi tapes (from Hobbycraft & Dovecraft...I think) across my card blank, then the image over the top...having pierced a few holes in each corner. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - 3D Embellishments and/or Stickers or Washi Tape
• Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - Anything Goes
• Corrosive - Anything Goes
• Crafty Girls Creations - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Goes
• Happy Little Stampers (Christmas) - Anything Goes
• One Crazy Stamper - Anything Goes
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Sparkles Forum Christmas - Outdoor Fun
• The Male Room - Sport/Winter Olympics
• Winter Wonderland - Anything Goes

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

PBSC February - Anything Goes (Or Use Some Scraps)...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:

'Anything Goes'
or
'Use Some Scraps'

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

Prize - a $20 voucher!

I used some scraps of papers to decorate a notebook (from Hobbycraft) to give to my Mum for Mother's Day next month. The papers are from the 'Indie Chic - Nutmeg' pad by My Mind's Eye, and the 'Recollections - Charming' pad by Michaels...I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. I stamped the 'Birthday Bears' and Bear Blank 1' on to a scrap of white card...the kind of strip you get when you trim an A4 piece of card down to make a square card...then coloured them using watercolour pencils. I carefully cut them out, added some handwritten lettering, then added them to the front of the notebook. 

I decorate the back to match...but in a mirror image:

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

• 4 Crafty Chicks - Lots of Layers
• Crafty Animals - Anything Goes
• Inspiration Destination - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Take Note

Reindog

I have a simple little Christmas card to share today...featuring a cute puppy stamp from the 'Wintertime Cheer' set by Penny Black. I coloured him using watercolour pencils, then cut him out using one of my circle Nesties. I added a strip of paper from the 'Bundled Up' pad by Crete Paper to one half of my card black, and stamped a sentiment (from a set by Pollycraft for C C Designs) on the bottom of the other half. I doodled some simple borders using a black gel pen, then added the image.

Challenges for this card:

• Creative Knockouts - Anything Goes
• Crimbo Crackers - Anything Goes
• Jingle Belles - A Colouring We Will Go
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Add a Die Cut
• Sparkles Forum - Clean & Simple

Perfect Petals

I used a new stamp...'Perfect Petals' by Woodware...on today's card. I stamped it around the edges of a piece of watercolour paper, then created a sentiment using my 'Graffiti' alphabet set by Paper Smooches. I coloured the flowers using watercolour pencils, then distressed the edges of the panel a little, before matting it on to some bright pink card.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Add Flowers
• Stamping Sensations - Anything with Flowers
• Sweet Stampin' - Girly
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Golden Wedding Anniversary

I have a golden wedding anniversary card to share today. I started by stamping a Tim Holtz background stamp (called 'Wallpaper') in Versamark Ink, then heat embossed it using 'Metallic Gold Sparkle' embossing glitter from WOW. I trimmed it down to a square, then matted it on to a piece of gold mirror card. I cut a couple of hearts from some more mirror card using my Cuttlebug 'Concentric Hearts' die, then embossed the solid one using a Craft Concepts embossing folder called 'Budding Vine'. I added them to the background using 3D foam pads. I heat embossed a sentiment (from the Lili of the Valley 'Block Sentiments' set) in matching gold, then matted it on to more gold mirror card, and added it popped up on some 3D foam pads.

I always find it difficult to show the sparkle of these gorgeous embossing glitters...but this photo gives you some idea of how pretty and glittery it is:

Challenges for this card:

• AAA Cards - All you need is Love
• Addicted to Stamps - Have a Heart
• Allsorts - Love is in the Air
• CAS on Friday - Use a Die
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes (Love is in the Air)
• Crafty Friends - Love is in the Air
• Crazy 4 Challenges - Love/Appreciation
• Creative Inspirations - Love is in the Air
• Cute Card Thursday - Love
• Happy Little Stampers (Dies) - Anything Goes
• Love to Scrap - I Love You
• My Time to Craft - Love is all we Need
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - It Must be Love
• Stamps + Fun = Creativity - Hearts
• That's Crafty - I Heart You

To Cake Moment

I have a birthday card to share today...featuring a cute Penny Black hedgehog stamp called 'To Cake Moment' which I coloured using watercolour pencils. I used papers from the 'Paper Hearts' pad by Crate Paper...distressing the edges a little and 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:

• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything Goes
• Crafting with an Attitude - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - Anything Goes
• Creative Knockouts - Birthday Wishes
• Heartful Stamping - Anything Goes
• Simply Papercraft - Anything Goes

All Creatures

I have another Christmas card to share today...this one features a cute Penny Black stamp called 'All Creatures', which I coloured using watercolour pencils. I paired it with papers from the 'I Believe' 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 stamp is from a set by Lili of the Valley.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Crafty Calendar - 2 or More Layers
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Goes (Optional Cute)
• Dream Valley - Use 3 Patterned Papers
• Heartful Stamping - Anything Goes
• Little Miss Muffet - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes

ABC Christmas Challenge - C & D are for?

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

'C is for Clean & Simple'

and

'D is for Distress'

Our sponsor this month is Lawn Fawn

Prize - $25 Gift Certificate for Lawn Fawn!

On my 'C is for clean & simple' card, I used a Hero Arts stamp called 'Snowy Winter Nights' heat embossing it using 'Silent Night' embossing glitter by WOW. I simply combined it with a sentiment from a set by Lili of the Valley.

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

• Addicted to Stamps - Baby it's Cold Outside
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Goes (Optional Quick & Easy)
• Crimbo Crackers - Anything Goes
• Incy Wincy - Clean & Simple
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

On my 'D is for Distress' card, I started by smooshing Distress Inks (Cracked Pistachio, Mermaid Lagoon, Peacock Feathers, Salty Ocean & Stormy Sky) on to some watercolour paper. I then stamped and heat embossed some snowflakes (from the 'Delicate Snowflakes' set by Stampendous) using white embossing powder. I distressed the edges a little, and matted it on to some teal card. I stamped and heat embossed a sentiment (from a set by Lili of the Valley) on to a piece of vellum, tearing the edges and added it over the top.

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

• Crafty Cardmakers - Get Inking
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Inspiration Destination - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampers - Winter/Snow
• Sweet Stampin' - Anything but Birthday

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

You put a song in my heart!

Today's card was inspired by the 'music' theme of this fortnight's Less is More challenge. I dug out my Penny Black 'Jazzy Cats' stamp set, and picked this singing kitty. I stamped him on to some white card, then added a line to 'ground' him and a sentiment stamp from the same set, then coloured him using watercolour pencils before carefully cutting around the top. I created the background by smooshing Distress Inks (Picked Raspberry, Tattered Rose, Fired Brick & Festive Berries) on to some watercolour paper, then embossed it with hearts using an embossing folder by Sizzix. I sanded over the raised parts to reveal some of the white core. I placed it behind the cat, then matted it on to some black card.

Challenges for this card:

• Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes (Optional Valentine's)
• Gem of a Challenge - Have a Heart
• Happy Little Stampers (CAS) - Hearts
• Less is More - Music
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Love is in the Air

Pile It On! Challenge - 3D Embellishments

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

'3D Embellishments'

Our sponsor for this challenge is Freckled Fawn

Prize - $15 Gift Certificate!

I'm not really one for adding 3D elements to my cards...I much prefer to keep things simple...and flat for cheap postage! So, although I've added some 3D lettering to my card it's still very simple and almost flat. I found some Bazzill Bare Basics chipboard letters, gave them a generous coating of Versamark Ink and some 'Turkish Nights' embossing glitter from WOW...it's a really pretty mix of pink & gold. I was going to use some backing paper behind the letters, but decided it was too much, so settled for a piece of maroon coloured card instead.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - 3D Embellishments
• A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes
• A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes
• Cards Galore - Anything Goes
• Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes
• Creatalicious - Anything Goes (Optional Love)
• Moving Along with the Times - Love
• Shopping Our Stash - Valentine's
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

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

PBSC February - Anything Goes (Or Use Some Scraps)

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

'Anything Goes'
or
'Use Some Scraps'

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

Prize - a $20 voucher!

I picked an 'oldie but a goodie' to use on my card...it's called 'Present Pile', and I coloured it using watercolour pencils. I had a rummage around my paper pads to find one with lots of snippets...and was drawn to the fun bright colours of this one...'Happy Day' 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 stamp is from the 'Anytime Messages' set by Hero Arts.

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

• As You Like It - Favourite Way to Add Stitching (Definitely 'faux', and I love using my CutterBee Bugs to pierce holes to make it look more realistic)
• Pixie's Snippet's Playground - Use Snippets
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, including all of our wonderful new DT members, please pop over to the Penny Black Saturday Challenge.

Silhouette Flowers

Today's card was a bit of an experiment...I recently got lots of lovely new embossing glitters from WOW (some as part of a challenge prize, and  couple for Christmas), so I thought I'd try to create an ombre effect with some of them. I picked a stamp by Hero Arts called 'Silhouette Flowers', and stamped it using Versamark Ink, then sprinkled the embossing glitters over the ink in sections, beginning with 'Metallic Gold Sparkle' at the top, followed by 'Fool's Gold', 'Turkish Nights' and finally 'Ho, Ho, Ho' at the bottom to create a sort of sunset' behind the flowers. I then heat set it all using my heat gun, then trimmed down the panel and distressed the edges a little. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Handwritten Borders' set by Simon Says Stamp...I only inked up the word part of the stamp.

Challenges for this card:

• Addicted to CAS - Ombre
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Creative Knockouts - Flower Power
• Heartful Stamping - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes