Snow Family

Today's card features another charity shop find...it's called 'Snowmen' by Wild Rose Studio. I stamped it directly on to my card blank, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. I added a couple of Lili of the Valley sentiments to make a simple one layer card.

Challenges for this card:

• Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Crazy Dogs!

I have a Tim Holtz 'Crazy Dogs' card to share today...I find it difficult to choose just one or two dogs from this set, so always end up using all of them! I usually make a set of cards, but this time I squeezed them all on to one card! I started by stamping three of the dogs on to a large piece of watercolour paper, adding a sentiment (from the 'Everyday Sentiments' set by Happy Little Stampers). I stamped the other dogs on to snippets of watercolour paper, then cut them out using the matching 'Crazy Dogs' dies. I coloured all of the the dogs using watercolour pencils, then added the die cut dogs to the main panel using 3D foam pads. I distressed the edges of the panel a little, then added it to an A5 card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• 4 Crafty Chicks - Masculine Birthday (This is for Mum to give to my Dad)
• AAA Cards - Birthdays
• As You Like It - Flora or Fauna (I do love flowers...but can't resist a cute animal stamp (or 6!) and always have lots of fun colouring them!)
• Heartful Stamping - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Masculine (This is for Mum to give to my Dad)
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - More than One Stamp

House Mouse & Friends Challenge - Guest Designer

I'm back with another guest designer card for the House Mouse & Friends Challenge today.

The fortnightly challenges are always 'Anything Goes'...but if you want more of a challenge, there's an optional theme, which this time is:

'Use Dies'

I recently picked up a couple of Joanna Sheen House Mouse stamps sets in a charity shop...they were new and hadn't even been trimmed and mounted on to foam - what a lucky find! I've used one of the stamps from the 'Birthdays - Cake' set on this card...a little Googling, revealed that this stamp individually is called 'Eat Your Cake & Nap Too'! I coloured it using watercoour pencils, then added a sentiment from the 'Big Messages' set by Paula Pascual. The papers are from the 'Happy Day' pad by My Mind's Eye...I used one of my Lawn Fawn 'Stitched Hillside' border dies to cut the curve in the larger pieces, and a little triangle die (from a  'Speech Bubbles' die set by Craft Asylum/Sizzix) to make the bunting. I distressed all of the edges, the added faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

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

• Creative Knockouts - Furry Friends
• Gem of a Challenge - Three of Something (Three flags in the bunting)
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets (I used some really teeny snippets for the bunting)
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes (Optional Patterned Paper)

For more inspiration from the awesome design team, please pop over to the House Mouse & Friends Challenge.

Have a Hoot at Christmas

I have a simple little Christmas card to share today featuring a stamp I picked up in a charity shop...it's by Joanna Sheen. I coloured 'Hoot' using watercolour pencils, then cut him out using one of my circle Nesties. I embossed a piece of green card using a Tim Holtz/Sizzix embossing folder, then distressed all of the edges a little. The sentiment stamp came in the set with 'Hoot'.

Challenges for this card:

• Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - Anything Goes
• Crafty Cardmakers - Things with Wings
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes (Optional Christmas)
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Goes
• Crimbo Crackers - Anything Goes
• Fab 'N' Funky - Christmas
• Merry Monday - Add Candy Canes, Cookies or Sweets
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Rudolph Days - Anything Christmas

Cupcake Mice

I have a simple little birthday card today that features one of the stamps from the 'Critter Party' set by Penny Black. I coloured the image using watercolour pencils, then added the sentiment from the set underneath and cut it out using one of my circle Nesties. I paired it with a snippet of paper from the 'Here is Happy' pad by My Mind's Eye. I distressed all of the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Happy Birthday
• Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes
• CAS on Friday - Birthday
• Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Heartful Stamping - Anything Goes
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Winter Wonderland Whiteout

I have an 'all white' Christmas card to share today...featuring some new Christmas tree dies by Happy Little Stampers, and lots of snippets of white card. I made a snowy background by embossing some plain white card using my Sizzix/Tim Holtz 'Snowfall' embossing folder, then cut a curve using one of my Lawn Fawn 'Stitched Hillside' border dies. I stamped the sentiment (from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous) on to the curved section, then added the trees. I distressed the top and bottom edges a little, then added it to my card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Crimbo Crackers - Anything Goes
• Happy Little Stampers (Christmas) - Anything Goes
• Happy Little Stampers (Dies) - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Inspired by a Song (Winter Wonderland)
• Winter Wonderland - Christmas in the Snow

Pile It On! Challenge - Sports or Hobbies and/or Make Us Laugh!

It's time for some more inspiration for this month's Pile It On! Challenge...where the theme's are:

'Sports or Hobbies'
and/or
'Make Us Laugh'

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

Prize - 2 images of the winner's choice!

I used a cute bear image called 'Gone Fishing' from the 'Mulberry Wood' collection by Crafter's Companion...stamping it directly on to my card blank, to make a simple one layer card. I coloured it using watercolour pencils, then added a Hero Arts sentiment (from the 'Sentiments' set).

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Sports/Hobbies and /or Make Us Laugh
• Cardz for Guyz - Men's Hobbies
• Corrosive - Anything Goes
• Craftaholics R Us - Anything Goes
• Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Crafty Friends - B is for ? (Bear)
• Creative Moments - Anything Goes
• Cute Card Thursday - Great Outdoors
• Gem of a Challenge - It's a Man's World
• Happy Little Stampers (CAS) - One Layer
• Inspiration Destination - Anything Goes
• Little Miss Muffet - Anything Goes
• Little Red Wagon - Animals in or on Water
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - Bunnies or Bears

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

PBSC May - Anything Goes (Or Use Your Favourite PB Stamp)...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 Your Favourite Penny Black Stamp'

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

Prize - a $20 voucher!

I couldn't resist using my favourite PB stamp again...'Birthday Dog'! This time I used more masculine colours, colouring him using watercolour pencils to match the shades in the 'Prairie Hill' papers by Pink Paislee. 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 'Big Messages' set by Paula Pascual, and I used Nesties to cut the circles and scalloped circles.

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

• Always Happy Birthday - Anything Birthday
• Cut It Up - Cats or Dogs
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Give a Crafter a Cookie - Photo Inspiration
• Heartful Stamping - Anything Goes
• Penny Black & More - Anything Goes
• Stamps + Fun = Creativity - Animals
• Sweet Stampers - Birthdays
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

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

Big Butterflies

I've been meaning to play along with Darnell's Twofer Challenge since it started at the beginning of the year...but I keep on getting too distracted by my other stash to make two different cards using the same stamp/die to enter! Anyway, this month's 'Butterfly' prompt drew me in, so I've got a couple of cards made using my Indiglo Blu 'Big Butterfly' stamp to share today.

On the first card, I heat embossed the butterfly on vellum using white embossing powder, then carefully cut it out. I made a simple background from a piece of paper (from the 'Paper Hearts' pad by Crate Paper), distressing the edges before adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. I added a sentiment (from the 'Big Messages' set by Paula Pascual, then matted it on to a piece of grey card. I added the butterfly off centre, then trimmed it to meet the edge of the card. 

I used one of my favourite techniques on the second card...watercolour stamping. I used several shades of blue Distress Inks...Chipped Sapphire, Broken China, Salty Ocean & Tumbled Glass...inking the same butterfly stamp, then spritzing it with water before stamping it on to watercolour paper. I added a sentiment (from the 'Everyday Sentiments' set), then trimmed the panel down to fit a DL card blank. Once again, I distressed the edges and added some faux stitching.

Challenges for these cards:

• Allsorts - In the Pink (Just the first card) 
• As You Like It - Favourite Pink or Blue (Although I've made one of here in the post...it's the blue one that's most 'me'...I love all shades of blue)
• Fussy & Fancy - Blues (Just the second card)
• Happy Little Stampers (Watercolour) - Anything Goes (Just the second card)
• Stamping Sensations - Close to Nature
• Twofer - Butterflies

Guest Designer - House Mouse & Friends Challenge

I'm back with another guest designer card for the House Mouse & Friends Challenge today.

The fortnightly challenges are always 'Anything Goes'...but if you want more of a challenge, there's an optional theme, which this time is:

'Flower Power'

I used 'Bird Watching', which I coloured using watercolour pencils. I paired it with papers from the 'Isabelle' pad by First Edition. I distressed the edges a little, matted all of the layers on to some pink card, then added a sentiment (from the 'Big Messages' set by Paula Pascual).

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

• Crafty Animals - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - Anything Goes
• Cute Card Thursday - Flowers
• Fab 'N' Funky - Garden/Outdoors
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Stamping Sensations - Close to Nature

For more inspiration from the awesome DT, please pop over to the House Mouse & Friends Challenge.

Madeleine Bird

I have a simple little card to share today, inspired by this fortnight's Less is More colour combination of 'Yellow, Blue & Grey'. I started by choosing a couple of papers from my My Mind's Eye 'Breeze' pad, and used them to cut my 'Madeleine Bird' die (by Memory Box). I thought that the little birdie would look sweet against a blue sky background, so stamped one of my Simon Says Stamp 'Handwritten Border' sentiment stamps on to a blue card blank, then perched him on the 'wire' using 3D foam pads.

Challenges for this card:

• Craftaholics R Us - Blue
• Crafty Calendar - Things with Wings
• Happy Little Stampers (Dies) - Anything Goes
• Incy Wincy - Things the Fly
• Less is More - Yellow, Blue & Grey

Puppy Treats

I have another Penny Black card to share today...featuring a couple of the pups from the new 'Good Times!' set. I coloured them using watercolour pencils to match the papers from the 'Floral Blue' pad by My Minds 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 'Big Messages' set by Paula Pascual.

Challenges for this card:

• Animal Friends - Stitches
• Aud Sentiment - Cute & a Sentiment
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
• Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
• Penny Black & More - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - For the Boys
• That's Crafty - A Stitch in Time
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Labour of Love

I have a really simple card to share today using an image that was sent to me in a swap years ago. It's called 'Labour of Lave' by Penny Black which I coloured using watercolour pencils. It's stamped on to pearlised card, which didn't quite match the white card I use for my card bases, so I decided to go with a pale blue one. I matted the image on to some pink card, distressing the edges a little.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Cardmakers - No Design Paper
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes (Optional Flowers)
• Heartful Stamping - Anything Goes
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Penny Black & More - Anything Goes
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Animal Magic
• Stamping Sensations - Close to Nature
• Sweet Stampin' - Flowers

Pile It On! Challenge - Sports or Hobbies

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

'Sports or Hobbies'

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

Prize - 2 images of the winner's choice!

I picked a cute Penny Black image called 'Hedgie Delivery', which I coloured using watercolour pencils. I went for a really simple design, adding a little sentiment (from the 'Party Critters' set, also by Penny Black) and some pierced holes as a border.

Here are the challenges I've pile on:

• Pile It On! - Sports/Hobbies
• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything Goes
• Cards Galore Encore - Anything Goes
• Catch the Bug - Anything Goes
• Crafting with an Attitude - Anything Goes
• Crafty Friends - Animals
• Crafty Girls Creations - Anything Goes
• Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes
• Little Miss Muffet - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Animal Magic

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

PBSC May - Anything Goes (Or Use Your Favourite PB Stamp)

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 Your Favourite Penny Black Stamp'

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

Prize - a $20 voucher!

My all time favourite Penny Black stamp is also one of the first ones I bought, long before I started blogging...it's 'Birthday Dog'! I'm not sure how long exactly I've had him, but definitely more than ten years...and he's still one of my most used stamps. I coloured him using watercolour pencils, then fussy cut him out. I made a simple background by adding a couple of strips of washi tape (by Dovecraft), and a Hero Arts sentiment (from the 'Anytime Messages' set), then added 'Birthday Dog' popped up on some 3D foam pads.

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

• Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes
• As You Like It - Favourite Animal (Dog - we had lots of dogs as I was growing up, and I have a soft spot for Penny Black ones too)
• Creative Inspirations - Clean & Simple or Fussy & Fancy
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Animal Magic
• Use Your Stuff - Free Week

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

ABC Christmas Challenge - J & K are for?

It's the first Wednesday of the month, so that means that we have a fun new ABC Christmas Challenge starting today! Dorte is the host, and we have two themes:

'J is for Joy'

&

'K is for Keep it Simple'

Our sponsors this month are:

Crafty Ribbons

Prize - £10 Gift Voucher!

and

Digi Stamp Boutique

Prize - £10 Gift Voucher!

And...there's also a bonus surprise prize from Dorte!

I made two cards that fit both of the themes...I used stamps from an unbranded set that I picked up in a charity shop. I heat embossed them on kraft...using white for the sentiments, and 'Vintage Jade' (by WOW) for the wreath. I coloured in the holly leaves and berries using Sakura Stardust pens. I distressed the edges a little, then matted the panels on to some white card, then on to kraft card blanks.

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

• A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes
• A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - 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.