Christmas Robins

Today's card features a couple of recent charity shop finds...a cute Wild Rose Studio stamp called 'Christmas Robins' and some papers from a pad by Craftwork Cards called 'Festive Chalkboard'. I coloured the image using watercolour pencils, then added a Lili of Valley sentiment, before distressing all of the edges, and adding faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and black and white gel pens.

Challenges for this card:

• Christmas with the Cuties - Something Beginning with B (Birds)
• Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Crimbo Crackers - Anything Christmas Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampers - Stitched (my stitching is faux)

Guest Designer - Through the Craft Room Door Challenge

A couple of weeks ago I was asked to be a guest designer for the Through the Craft Room Door Challenge, and today I'm sharing my card for their new challenge, which starts today. As always, the theme of the challenge is:

'Anything Goes'

Their sponsor this week is STAMPlorations

I used a STAMPlorations freebie image on my card called 'Framed Holly & Pine Cones' (you can find it here). I printed it on to watercolour paper, then watercoloured it using Distress Inks. It looks fairly simple, but it took a lot of colours: Old Paper (Background), Evergreen Bough, Pine Needles & Forest Moss (Pine Branches), Mowed Lawn, Lucky Clover & Forest Moss (Holly Leaves), Festive Berries & Aged Mahogany (Berries), Tea Dye, Brushed Corduroy & Gathered Twigs (Pine Cones). Once coloured, I trimmed the panel down, lightly distressed the edges a little, then added it to a kraft card blank.

For more inspiration from the design team, please pop over to the Through the Craft Room Door Challenge.

Snowy Stars Twofer

I'm sneaking in under the wire into this month's Twofer Challenge, where the theme is 'Stars'...I picked up a new (to me) die set...called 'Snowy Stars' (by Tim Holtz for Sizzix) this week in a lovely little Aladdin's cave of a craft shop, and couldn't resist! I used it to make a birthday card and a Christmas card.

For the birthday card I used the large circular die on a piece of navy card, then backed it with some yellow so that the stars would 'shine' through. I used it as a background for my 'Cat on the Moon' stamp by Penny Black...I coloured the image using watercolour pencils, then carefully cut it out. I added a star cut using one of the single star dies from the same set, and heat embossed a sentiment made up of stamps from the 'Wish Upon a Star' set by Lawn Fawn.

For the Christmas card, I cut the same circular die into a piece of paper from the 'Mystery Marbles' pad by Craft Sensations. I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen. I added a die cut sentiment ('Folk Merry Christmas' by Poppy Stamps), then added the panel to a white card blank.

Challenges for these cards:

• Aud Sentiments - Bingo + a Sentiment (Die Cut - Pencils - Favourite Colour (Blue)) (First Card Only)
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Goes (Second Card Only)
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - No Stamps Allowed (Second Card Only)
• Twofer - Stars (Birthday & Christmas)

Doodled Flowers

I have a Mother's Day card to share today...this one is for my Mum to give to her Mum...she's 99 and her eyesight is not so good, so I went for nice bright colours with an 'easy to read' sentiment. The stamps are all by Happy Little Stampers (from the 'Doodled Flowers' and 'Everyday Sentiments' set). I stamped on to watercolour paper, coloured the flowers using watercolour pencils, then distressed the edges a little, before matting the panel on to a piece of kraft card to act as a buffer between the not-so-white watercolour paper and my white card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Spring is Springing
• Happy Little Stampers (Watercolour) - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Stamping Sensations - All Things Bright & Beautiful

Sparkly Snowflakes

I have a Christmas card to share today...inspired by the 'All that Glitters' challenge over at Jingle Belles. I picked three different embossing glitters (by WOW) Metallic Silver Sparkle, Metallic Gold Sparkle & Fool's Gold and a piece of navy card, then stamped and embossed my Stampendous 'Delicate Snowflakes' along with a sentiment (from the 'Letter It Christmas' set by Ranger).

Challenges for this card:

• Crafter's Cafe - Embossing
• Dream Valley - Sparkle & Shine
• Fab 'N' Funky - Christmas
• Jingle Belles - All that Glitters

Toot the Flute!

I have an ultra simple card to share today...I couldn't resist using one of my Penny Black 'Jazzy Cats' stamps for 'One Corner (Optional Music)' themed challenge over at AAA Cards. I had hoped to add a 'Just a note' sentiment, but I'm away from home with limited stash and hadn't brought a set with that one in (and didn't trust myself to hand write it!), so added a little 'for you' from the 'Cheerful Critters' set (also by Penny Black). The image is coloured using watercolour pencils.

Challenges for this card:

• AAA Cards - One Corner (Optional Music)
• Corrosive - Anything Goes
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Everybody Art - Animals
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - Love Your Pet
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Pile It On! Challenge - Pretty in Pink and/or Feelin' Blue

I'm back with some more inspiration for this month's Pile It On! Challenge where the themes are:

'Pretty in Pink'
and/or
'Feelin' Blue'

We are sponsored for this challenge by All Dressed Up

Prize - 2 Digi Stamps of the Winner's Choice!

I went blue this time...it's my favourite colour...and decided to make a Christmas card. I picked a Penny Black chicken image called 'Snowboard Ride', which I coloured using watercolour pencils. I added in a slope for him to snowboard down, then carefully cut around the top of the image. I added a snippet of snowy sky paper (from the 'Mystery Marbles' pad by Craft Sensations) behind him, them matted it all on to a snippet of navy card. 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! - Pretty in Pink and/or Feelin' Blue
• A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes
• Crafting with an Attitude - Anything Goes
• Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes (Optional Keep It Simple)
• Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Goes
• Cute Card Thursday - Wings 
• Cutie Pie - One for the Boys
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes
• Love to Scrap - Anything Goes (Optional 'Monochrome')
• Penny Black & More - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Sparkles Forum - Include an Animal
• Stamps + Creativity = Fun - Your Favourite Colour (Blue)

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

PBSC February - Anything Goes (Optional 'Flowers')...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
'Flowers'

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

Prize - a $20 voucher!

Inspired by the Spring-like weather we've had for the last couple of days, I used a cute kitty image with a huge bouquet of daffodils called 'The Bestest' on my card...coloured using watercolour pencils. As it's a fairly large image, I simply paired it with a piece of flowery paper (from the 'Farmhouse' pad by Crate Paper), distressing the edges a little, adding a sentiment (from the 'Doodled Flowers' set by Happy Little Stampers).

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

• Crafty Sentiments - Flowers
• Penny Black & More - Anything Goes
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday
• Stamping Sensations - All Things Bright & Beautiful

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

Tattered Christmas Trio

I have a trio of simple Christmas cards to share today...using a few of the stamps from the Tim Holtz 'Tattered Christmas' set (for Stampers Anonymous) and their matching dies (which I picked up in the post-Christmas sale at Simon Says Stamp). I coloured and cut these a few weeks ago, but couldn't decide what to do with them, so simply stamped a matching sentiment (from the same stamp set) on to my kraft card blanks, then added some strips of gold washi tape along the top and bottom before popping the die cut images on with some 3D foam pads.

Some close-ups of the cards:

Challenges for these cards:

• As You Like It - Favourite Birthday or Christmas (Christmas -  as they're the type of card I send most of...I love to Christmas craft all year round)
• Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - Anything Christmas Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• Crimbo Crackers - Anything Christmas Goes
• Happy Little Stampers (Dies) - Anything Goes with Dies
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• The Holly & the Ivy - Anything Christmas Goes

Cake Nibbler

Today's card features a cute Happy Hopper image called 'Cake Nibbler'...so cute! I coloured him using watercolour pencils, then cut him out using one of my circle Nesties. I added a few strips of candle covered washi tape (from a set from Poundland) to my card blank, a sentiment (from the 'Doodled Flowers' set by Happy Little Stampers), then popped the image on top using 3D foam pads.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Daring Cardmakers - So Many Candles
• House Mouse & Friends - Anything Goes
• Little Red Wagon - Hello Sweetie!
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Pandora

I have a simple Valentine's card to share today...featuring an adorable Whipper Snapper Designs image called 'Pandora', which I coloured using watercolour pencils. For the background, I added strips of heart covered washi tape (which I think came from Freckled Fawn) to a snippet of plain white card.

Challenges for this card:

• Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes (Optional Love)
• Catch the Bug - Love is in the Air
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes (Hearts & Flowers)
• Crazy 4 Challenges - Valentine's
• Creative Inspirations - With Love
• Dream Valley - Love & Kisses
• Fab 'N' Funky - Hearts & Flowers
• Moo Mania - Love is in the Air
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Add Some Red
• Sweet Stampin' - Valentine's

Party Time

I have a simple little birthday card to share today inspired by the 'Navy & Yellow' colour combination of Less is More's 8th Birthday Challenge. The hedgie is from the 'Cheerful Critters' set by Penny Black...I coloured him using watercolour pencils. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Big Messages' set by Paula Pascual.

Challenges for this card:

• Creative Knockouts - Birthday Wishes
• Less is More - Navy & Yellow
• Penny Black & More - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday Goes

ABC Christmas Challenge - C & D are for?

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

'C is for Candy'

&

'D is for Decorations'

There are a couple of prizes on offer for two lucky winners:

Having gone with a candy cane die cut on one of my projects for last month's challenge, I had a rummage through my stamped images for something different, and found this one by Whiff of Joy...which I think is called 'Henry Mouse & Friend - Candy Cane'. I coloured it using watercolour pencils, then added a sentiment (from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous) underneath. I distressed the edges a little, added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen, then matted in on to some coordinating red card.

I have quite a collection of stamps of decorations, and with decorations as part of the image, and picked this adorable Lili of the Valley one (called 'Trim the Tree') as I haven't used it in years! Again, I coloured the image using watercolour pencils...adding a touch of gold to the stars with a Sakura stardust pen. I paired the image with some My Mind's Eye papers (from the 'Countdown to Christmas' pad), distressing the edges and adding some faux stitching.

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

• Always Fun - Anything Goes
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - Anything Goes (Second card only)
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Happy Little Stampers (Christmas) - Anything Goes (Optional Stars)
• Inkspirational - Sweet Things (First card only)
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Merry Little Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• Simon says Stamp (Mondays) - Add Some Red (First card only)
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Through the Craftroom Door - Anything Goes
• Winter Wonderland - Anything Christmas Goes

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

Thank You Di!

If you're a regular visitor to my blog, you'll know that I have a problem...I'm addicted to pretty paper! I can't resist it...I find it in the most unexpected places...and even though if I never bought any more, I probably have enough to keep me going for ever! But that doesn't stop me from saving every last little snippet...I just can't bear to throw away even the smallest of scraps...saving them because...well...you just never know when it'll come in handy! 

So, you can imagine my delight when I stumbled across a challenge (back in 2011!) dedicated to using those snippets! It was originally started by Jules, and I played along regularly...not that I ever managed to make a dent in my mountain of snippets! Jules handed the keys on to Di a year later, and she's been keeping the snippets playground shipshape ever since, and although it took me a little while to find the way in, I've been a regular there too for the last four or so years (although the snippet mountain continues to grow!). I been lucky enough to win a few times, been thrilled to be a guest designer, and even had a couple of projects showcased, so when the lovely Darnell said she was organising a blog hop for playground regulars to say a big 'THANK YOU!' to Di for all of her hard work and generosity of the years...I just had to take part!

So, in honour of this special occasion, I rummaged through my paper pads to find the most depleted one...and came up with this one 'Happy Day' by My Mind's Eye:

As you can see, there are no whole pieces left inside, just lots of snippets of all shapes and sizes.

I used lots of the thinnest snippets to make a background, sticking them on to a large-ish snippet of plain white card, then trimming down the panel to fir an A6 tent fold card blank. I stamped my Penny Black hedgie (called 'Buzz in the Air') on to a snippet of white card, then coloured him using watercolour pencils, and cut him out using one of my Nesties. I added some faux stitching around the edge of the snippets panel using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen, and stamped a sentiment (from the 'Anytime Messages' set by Hero Arts) along the bottom.

So, along with Darnell's linky party for Di, I am going to link up this card into  this fortnight's Pixie's Snippets Playground Challenge. Right, now it's time to mingle...

Pile It On! Challenge - Pretty in Pink

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

'Pretty in Pink'

We are sponsored for this challenge by All Dressed Up

Prize - 2 Digi Stamps of the Winner's Choice!

Pink is really not my colour, but I found a snippet of very pink watercolour paper left over from making this card last year. I made it by smooshing Distress Inks (Tattered Rose, Picked Raspberry, Fired Brick & Festive Berries) on to the paper a couple of times, drying in between layers. I embossed it using a folder from Craft Asylum/Sizzix, then cut out a circle using one of my Nesties. I lightly sanded over the hearts to reveal some of the white core of the paper, and used it as a background for this cute kitty. He's by Penny Black (of course!), and is from the 'Every Which Way' set...I coloured him using watercolour pencils, then carefully cut him out. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Sending Sunshine' set by Simon Says Stamp.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Pretty in Pink
• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything Goes
• A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes
• A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes
• Allsorts - Love
• Artistic Stamper - Heart It!
• Card Mania - Love is in the Air
• Cards Galore Encore - Anything Goes
• Catch the Bug - Anything Goes
• Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes
• Creatalicious - Anything Goes (Optional Hearts)
• Cut It Up - Hearts
• Cute Card Thursday - Valentine's
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes
• My Time to Craft - Love
• Penny Black & More - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Love is in the Air
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Simply Create Too - Anything Goes (Optional Hearts)

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

PBSC February - Anything Goes (Optional 'Flowers')

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
'Flowers'

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

Prize - a $20 voucher!

I have lots of Penny Black stamps that feature flowers in one way or another...but this sweet little mousey image jumped out at me...it's called 'Daisy Chain Mice', and I coloured it using watercolour pencils. I paired it with paper from the 'Farmhouse' pad by Crate Paper...distressing the edges a little, then adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

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

• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Creative Knockouts - Flower Power
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

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