Friendship

Today's card features a cute Penny Black dog stamp called 'Friendship'. I stamped it directly on to a kraft card blank, added a sentiment using stamps from the 'Birthday Buddies' set by Paper Smooches, then coloured the image using watercolour pencils.

Challenges for this card:

• Addicted to CAS - Masculine
• Alphabet Challenge - M is for Masculine
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - Transport

Thank You Tags

Today, I'm sharing a set of tags that a friend of mine asked me to make. She is organising a party for her Mother-in-law's 90th birthday, and wanted some personalised tags to put on the goody bags for attendees to take home. The bags they're going on, are kraft brown, with a sprinkling of gold starts, and after a little bit of back and forth with prototype designs, we settled on a pearlised gold tag layered over a kraft tag (both cut using a stitched border tag die). On the gold tags, I stamped a 'Thank You' sentiment (using a stamp from the 'Heartfelt Messages' set by Hero Arts) in black ink, then heat embossed it using clear embossing powder (to stop it from smudging), then used one of the dies from the 'Snowy Stars' set by Tim Holtz/Sizzix to cut out the star shape. On the kraft tags, is a simple printed 'Thank You' message. I made 30 of each in total...so had a little production line going, and although my friend is going to assemble them with some sparkly gold twine, I did one just to demonstrate.

Although I don't have any of the actual gift bags they'll be going on, here it is being modelled on a plain kraft bag.

Challenges for these tags:

• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Krafty Chicks - All Occasions
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Stamps + Fun = Creativity - Tags

Christmas Pup

I have a Christmas card to share today, featuring one of the critters from the 'Christmas Hats' set by Anita Jeram for the Colorado Craft Company. I stamped him on to watercolour paper, extended the 'snowy ground' using a black gel pen, then coloured him using watercolour pencils. I added a sentiment, usina a stamp from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymoous, then carefully cut around the top edge. For the background, I embossed a piece of watercolour effect paper, from the 'Mystery Marbles' pad by Craft Sensations using a 3D embossing folder from the 'Glittering Snowflakes' collection by Crafter's Companion. I lightly sanded over the raised areas to reveal some of the white core, then layered it behind the image. I matted it all on to some navy card, then added it to the card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Cardz for Guys - Embossing
• Christmas Kickstart - Embossing Folders
• Christmas with the Cuties - Feature a Creature
• Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Inkspirational - Headwear
• Rudolph Days - Anything Christmas Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

Glittering Flowing Flowers N Leaves

Today's card features a Hero Arts background stamp called 'Flowing Flowers N Leaves'. I stamped it on to black card using Versamark Ink, then heat embossed it using a couple of different WOW embossing glitters (Magical Mauve & Emerald City). I trimmed it into a square, then matted it on to some gold mirror card, before adding it to a white card blank. The sentiment is an old woodmounted stamp...also by Hero Arts...I heat embossed it using gold embossing powder, then matted it on to some more gold mirror card, before adding it to the card.

Challenges for this card:

• AAA Birthday - Background Focus
• Beautiful Blossoms - Anything Floral Goes
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Creative Knockouts - Embossing Delight
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Make Your Own Background

PBSC September - Anything Goes (Optional 'Anything but Square')...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

'Anything but Square'

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

Prize - a $20 voucher!

I made a diamond fold card this time. The shape always reminds me of a Christmas cracker, so I picked a cute kitty stamp from the 'Joy to the World' set, stamping him on to a snippet of watercolour paper, colouring him using watercolour pencils, then carefully cutting him out. I used snippets of Christmas tree covered paper, from the 'Wonderful Winter' pad by My Mind's Eye, to decorate the sides, then cut a circle of the same paper, using one of my Nesties, matting it on to some more green card, cut into a scalloped circle using another of my Nesties. Finally, I added the cute kitty on top, popped up on some 3D foam pads.

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

• As You Like It - Favourite Die (My circle Nesties...I've had them for since before I started my blog (in 2008!) and they're my most used dies...I'd never be able to cut such a neat circle without them!)
• C.R.A.F.T. - Christmas
• Crafty Gals Corner - Anything Goes
• Elliebelle's Crafty Wednesday - Anything Goes
• Merry Little Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• The Male Room - Fun Folds

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

Fishing!

Today's card features a Penny Black stamp called 'Fishing!'. I stamped it on to watercolour paper, added a sentiment using stamps from the 'Birthday Buddies' set by Paper Smooches, then coloured the image using watercolour pencils. For the background, I used snippets of papers from the 'Prince Charming' pad by Michaels (found at TKMaxx), distressing the edges and adding faux stitching my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen, then matting them on to some kraft card. I added the image on top, then placed it all on to a white card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes (Optional 'Something Fishy')
• Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes
• Fab 'N' Funky - Birthday or Anniversary
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Little Red Wagon - Sew What?
• Love Those Pretty Papers - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes

Suspenseful Music

Today's card features a cute Penny Black stamp called 'Suspenseful Music'. I stamped it directly on to a kraft card blank, then added a sentiment from the 'Hedgie Harmony' set...also by Penny Black. I coloured the image using watercolour pencils.

Challenges for this card:

• Addicted to CAS - Just a Note
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes
• Incy Wincy - CAS
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Four-legged Friends
• Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes (Optional 'Animal Magic')

Bauble Balance

I have a Christmas card to share today...featuring a cute little elf stamp from Penny Black called 'Bauble Balance'. I stamped it on to watercolour paper, along with the matching sentiment, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. As the image is fairly large, I used a single piece of patterned paper from the 'Silver Bells' pad by Kaisercraft...distressing the edges and adding faux stitching. Once assembled, I added a generous coating of  'Diamond' Stickles to the elf's baubles to match the ones on the paper behind.

Challenges for this card:

• Christmas with the Cuties - Elves/Gnomes/Fairies
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Jingle Belles - Ho Ha Ha!
• Krafty Chicks - Christmas
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Stamp It
• Stamps + Fun = Creativity - Anything Goes
• We Love Stamping - Anything Goes (Optional 'Hand Coloured Images')

Guest Designer - Seize the Birthday Challenge

Today, I'm excited to share that I'm a Surprise Party Guest at the Seize the Birthday Challenge!

If you're new to their challenges, they have an optional 'Topping' theme, which this fortnight is:

But, if the 'Topping' isn't sparking those creative juices, there's always the option to enter an 'Anything Goes' Birthday card!

When I made my card, I was away from home with limited stash...and without anything suitably stripey! I put my thinking cap on, and decided to try making my own stripes using Distress Inks on watercolour paper. I used masking tape to mask a strip on the watercolour paper, then painted stripes of Distress Ink in varying thickness down the page. Once dry, I removed the masking tape, added a stamped sentiment, using a stamp from the 'Signature Greetings' set by Memory Box, then distressed the edges a little. I picked an image from the 'Cheerful Critters' set by Penny Black...stamping it on to watercolour paper, and colouring it using a mixture of watercolour pencils, and the same Distress Inks I used for the stripes. I carefully cut out the image, then added it on top of the striped panel using 3D foam pads before adding it to a kraft card blank.

For more inspiration, from the fabulous design team, please pop over to the Seize the Birthday Challenge. Thanks for inviting me to your party!

ABC Christmas Challenge - S & T are for?

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

'S is for Stencils'

&

'T is for Traditional Christmas Colours'

The prize for the lucky winner is these Avery Elle dies:

I don't often use stencils, so don't have that many, but I do have a lovely snowflake one (from Creative Expressions), that was the starting point for my card. I picked a piece of lilac watercolour effect paper (from the 'Mystery Marbles' pad by Craft Sensations), and blended a white pigment ink over the stencil. The stencil is DL sized, so I had to do it in two stages to cover the whole piece of paper...then, as it didn't show up as clearly as I'd hoped, I sprinkled some 'Diamond White' embossing powder (from WOW) over the top, then set it using my heat gun. I used a Creative Expression die to cut the sentiment...cutting a couple from white snippets, and layering them up with one cut from purple mirror card over the top. I matted the snowflake panel on to some more of the purple mirror card, then added it to a white card blank.

Another angle:

For my 'Traditional Christmas Colours' card, I picked a Woodware Christmas tree stamp, that I got for my birthday. I stamped it on to black card, along with one of the sentiments from the same Woodware set, then heat embossed it all in gold. I used Cosmic Shimmers mica pigments mixed with a little water to watercolour the tree in traditional red and green, then matted the gold panel on to some gold mirror card before adding it to a card blank.

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

• Allsorts - Anything Goes (First card only)
• Christmas Cards All Year Round - Trees and/or Barns (Second card only)
• Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Stamp It
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Stamp It

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

Have a Tweet Day

Today's card features one of the cute bird stamps from 'The Tweets' set by Funky Fossil. I stamped it directly on to a card blank, along with one of the sentiments from the set, then coloured the birds using watercolour pencils.

Challenges for this card:

• Addicted to CAS - Pun
• As You Like It - Layers or Not (Despite by fairly substantial patterned paper collection, I find myself making more one layer cards at the moment...nice & cheap to post!)
• CAS on Friday - Feathered Friends
• Creative Knockouts - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Stamp It
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Stamp It
• Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes (Optional 'Animal Magic')

PBSC September - Anything Goes (Optional 'Anything but Square')

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

'Anything but Square'

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

Prize - a $20 voucher!

I decided to make a little rocker card...so inked up one of the little snowmen from the 'Snow Much Fun' set by Penny Black, stamping him on to watercolour paper. I coloured him using watercolour pencils, then used one of my circle Nesties to cit it out, before fussy cutting around the top of the image. I matted it on to a circe of snowflake paper from the 'Glittering Snowflakes' pad by Crafter's Companion, then on to some silver mirror card..scalloped shape cut using another Nestie die. To make the rocker part, I used a saucer as a template for the larger circle...cutting it from white card, then used that to cut a slightly smaller semicircle from another piece of paper from the same pad, and added that on top. I folded it in half to make the card blank, then added the snowman on top using some 3D foam pads.

I did manage to capture a short video of him rocking...the idea was that he'd look almost like he's doing a cartwheel! Ha Ha!

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

• C.R.A.F.T. - Christmas
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Peace on Earth Christmas - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Stamp It!
• The Holly & the Ivy - Anything Christmas Goes
• We Love Stamping - Anything Goes (Optional 'Hand Coloured Image')

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

Flowing Flowers N Leaves

I have a pair of cards to share today, made using a Hero Arts background stamp called 'Flowing Flowers N Leaves' that I picked up in a charity shop recently. For both cards, I stamped it on to smooth white card using Versamark Ink (inking and stamping a couple of times to make sure I got a really good impression), then heat embossed it using clear embossing powder. For the first card, I picked a trio of 'sunset' coloured Distress Inks...Picked Raspberry, Spiced Marmalade & Mustard Seed, and blended them over the top of the embossed background. Once dry, I gently wiped it with a paper towel to remove any ink from the embossing. So as to leave as much of the background uncovered as possible, I stamped a sentiment (using a stamp from the 'Floral Garden' stamp set by Simon Says Stamp) on to a snippet of black card using a white pigment ink, heat embossed it in white, then added it using 3D foam pads. I matted the floral panel on to some more black card before adding it to a white card blank.

I had intended that the second card would 'match' the first, albeit with a different trio of Distress Inks, but I really liked the subtle peaceful effect of the clear embossing on the white card, so decided to leave it alone. I trimmed it down to a square, then added a simple sentiment...using a stamp from the 'Go To Words' set by Visible Image and 'Metallic Silver' embossing powder from WOW...over the centre. I gently distressed the edges of everything, then added it to a white card blank.

Challenges for these cards:

• AAA Cards - Anything CAS (Optional 'Sympathy or Get Well') (Second card)
• Dream Valley - Anything Goes (First card)
• Everybody Art - Anything Goes (Second card)
• Krafty Chicks - Stamps (First card)
• Little Red Wagon - Sympathy (Second card)
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Stamp It (First card)

Dog-gone!

Today's card features one of the pups from the 'What This!' set by Anita Jeram for the Colorado Craft Company. I stamped him on to watercolour paper, coloured him using watercolour pencils, then cut him out. For the background, I picked a piece of watercolour effect paper from the 'Pastel Watercolours' pad from The Works...distressing the edges a little, and adding a sentiment (stsmp from the 'Man's Best Friend' set by Penny Black) before popping the pup on top using 3D foam pads.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes (Optional 'Add a Sentiment')
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes (Optional 'Animal Magic')
• We Love Stamping - Anything Goes (Optional 'Hand Coloured Image')

September Desk Calendar

As it's the first day of a brand new month, I'm sharing my desk calendar page for September. I used a stamp from the Penny Black 'Jazzy Cats' set...to represent the start of a new school year this month (my day job is as a music teacher, teaching flute/clarinet/saxophone/recorder)...stamping it on to a snippet of watercolour paper, and colouring it using watercolour pencils before cutting out the circle shape using one of my Nesties. For the background I used snippets of paper from the 'Fresh Florals' pad by Craft Sensations...distressing the edges, and adding faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

Challenges for this calendar:

• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything Goes
• Alphabet Challenge - K is for Kittens
• Crafty Animals - Anything Goes
• Moving Along with the Times - Not a Card
• Pixie's Snippet's Playground - Use Snippets
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes