ABC Christmas Challenge - L & M are for?

We have another fun ABC Christmas Challenge starting today...I'm the host, and we have two themes this month:

'L is for Little'

&

'M is for Masking'

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

For my 'L is for Little' card...I used a 4 inch square card blank...and an old Hero Arts stamp called 'Winter Pup'. I coloured him using watercolour pencils, then carefully cut him out. I used a snippet of tartan paper (from the 'Chalkboard Christmas' pad by Craftwork Cards) as a background...with some faux stitching...and popped the pup on top using 3D foam pads.

I combined several Penny Black critter stamps for my 'M is for Masking' card...the mice in the parcel are from the 'Christmas Hugs' set, the other two mice are from the 'Jolly Friends' set, and the robin is from the 'Wintertime Cheer' set. I coloured them using watercolour pencils to match the pastel shades of the paper from the 'Peppermint Forest' pad by Craftwork Cards. I added some faux stitching, and a sentiment (from a set by Pollycraft for C. C. Designs).

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

• CAS Christmas - Gifts (Just the second card)
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• Crimbo Crackers - Anything Christmas Goes
• Happy Little Stampers (Christmas) - Anything Christmas Goes
• Holly & the Ivy - Anything Christmas Goes
• Merry Little Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• My Time to Craft - Use Kraft (Just the first card)
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - 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.

Present Pile

Another day...another Christmas card! This one also features a Lili of the Valley image, but it's a James the Bear one this time called 'Present Pile'. I coloured him using watercolour pencils, then cut him out using one of my Nesties. For the background, I used a snippet of card left over from making this card...I made it using a Simon Says Stamp background stamp (called 'Mod Trees') stamped in a  white pigment ink, then heat embossed in white on kraft card. I distressed all of the edges, then added some faux stitches using black and white gel pens. The sentiment (from a set by Pollycraft for C. C. Designs) is also heat embossed.

Challenges for this card:

• C.R.A.F.T. - Anything Goes
• Moving Along with the Times - Add a Sentiment
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

PBSC December - Anything Goes (Optional 'Winter or Christmas')!

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
'Winter or Christmas'

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

Prize - a $20 voucher!

I went with the optional 'Winter or Christmas' theme...I'm not sure if I need to make any more Christmas cards, but I just can't help myself! I couldn't remember the last time that I inked up 'Snowy', so I thought that it was time that he came out to play...I coloured him using watercolour pencils, then carefully cut him out. I paper pieced his hat and scarf using a snippet of patchwork effect paper from the 'Special Delivery' pad by Helz Cuppleditch. I used another paper from the same pad for the pink snowy background. I doodled a simple border using a black gel pen, and added a sentiment (from a set by C C Designs).

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

• 4 Crafty Chicks - Anything Goes
• As You Like It - Rubber or Digi Stamps? (Definitely rubber...you get instant satisfaction from stamping with a rubber stamp...you can position the stamp wherever you want, and it's so easy to do a technique like paper piecing when you use rubber)
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes (Optional 'Too Cute')
• Fussy & Fancy - Winter or Christmas
• Jingle Belles - Taking Back December
• Little Miss Muffet - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - Snowmen

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

ABC Christmas Challenge - W & X are for?

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

'W is for Wishes'

&

'X is for Xmas'

Our sponsor for this challenge is Fred She Said:

Prize - $10 Gift Certificate!

There's also a little prize from Sharon:

An adorable LOTV rubber stamp!

I made a card for each of the two themes...but kept used the same clean and simple design on both. I used Penny Black images, coloured using watercolour pencils, carefully cut out and mounted on my card blanks using 3D foam pads. On my 'W is for Wishes' card, the image is called 'Monkey See, Monkey Do' and the sentiment is from a set by Pollycraft for C. C. Designs.

On my 'X is for Xmas' card, the image is called 'Bedecked Antlers', and the sentiment stamp is from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous...I altered it slightly by masking off the 'Christ' part of the word 'Christmas', and drawing in an 'X' to replace it.

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

• Happy Little Stampers (Christmas) - Anything Goes (Optional CAS) 
• Less is More - Dimension
• Penny Black Inc - Holiday Cards
• Penny Black & More - Make Someone Smile (Who wouldn't smile at a cow with decorated antlers!?)
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, and for all the details of our Design Team Call, please pop over to the ABC Christmas Challenge.

ABC Christmas Challenge - H & I are for?

We have a fun new ABC Christmas Challenge starting today...Lols is the host, and the themes for this month are:

'H is for Hats'

&

'I is for Ice'

Our sponsor for this challenge is All Dressed Up:

Prize - 2 Digi Stamps of the winner's choice!

There's also an awesome bonus prize for one lucky winner from Lols...a $25/£20 gift certificate to a store of the winner's choice!

Looking through my stamp collection, I discovered that I had quite a lot of Christmas stamps featuring hats...but just had to go with 'Snowy' (by Penny Black). I coloured him using watercolour pencils, then paper pieced his hat and scarf using snippets of paper from the 'Recollections - Prince Charming' pad by Michaels (found at TK Maxx). I used some more of the papers for the background...distressing the edges a little, then adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from a set by Pollycraft for C C Designs.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Crimbo Crackers - Anything Goes

Coming up with an image for 'Ice' was also fairly easy...I do have a few 'ice skating' images, but thought that little Lili of the Valley penguin on his iceberg (called 'Ice Christmas') would be perfect! I coloured him using watercolour pencils, and added a sentiment (from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous). I simply distressed the edges a little then matted it on to a couple of pieces of co-ordinating card.

Challenges for this card:

• Sparkles Forum Christmas - Feature a Creature
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
• Winter Wonderland - Animals

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

Bunny Friends

I have one last Easter treat bag to share today. I used a couple of the bunnies from the 'Bunny Friends' stamp by Penny Black...I love using parts of the larger image (there are five bunnies in total). I coloured the image using watercolour pencils, then cut it out using one of my circle Nesties. The papers are from the 'Recollections - Charming' pad from Michaels (found at TKMaxx). 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 'Egg-cellent Easter Wishes' set by Amy R/C C Designs.

Challenges for this treat bag:

• Aud Sentiments - Easter or Spring Sentiment
• Crafty Cardmakers - Bunnies, Chicks or Eggs
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes 
• Deep Ocean - Easter or Spring
• Fab 'N Funky - Easter
• Little Red Wagon - Hipptiy Hoppity
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

Totally Excited!

I have another Easter treat bag to share today...this one features a Penny Black chicken stamp called 'Totally Excited', which I coloured using watercolour pencils. I added a sentiment from the 'Egg-cellent Easter Sentiments' set by Amy R/C C Designs, then cut it out using one of my circle Nesties. The papers are from the 'Indie Chic - Nutmeg' pad...I distressed the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

Challenges for this treat bag:

• C.R.A.F.T. - Spring/Easter
• Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes (Easter)
• Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Creative Moments - Anything Goes (Spring)
• Cute Card Thursday - Spring/Easter
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - Easter

Bunny with Chicks

I have another Easter treat bag to share today...this one features a Lili of the Valley image called 'Bunny with Chicks', which I coloured using watercolour pencils. I used papers from the 'Hippity Hoppity' pad by We R Memory Keepers...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 a set by Pollycraft for C C Designs.

Challenges for this treat bag:

• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Dream Valley - Spring Colours
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Shopping Our Stash - Easter
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Easter Inspired
• That's Crafty - Spring

Pile It On! Challenge - Circles and/or Squares

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

'Circles'
and/or
'Squares'

Our sponsor for this challenge is Bugaboo Stamps:

Prize - 5 Digi Stamps of the Winner's Choice!

I combined the themes to make an Easter treat bag, cutting squares and circles from patterned papers (from the 'Happy Day' pad by My Mind's Eye), and layering them up. The image is called 'Hello World' by Penny Black...I coloured it using watercolour pencils, added a sentiment (from a set by Pollycraft for C C Designs), then cut it out using one of my circle Nesties. I distressed all of the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Circles and/or Squares
• Corrosive - Anything Goes
• Daring Cardmakers - Watch the Birdie
• Gem of a Challenge - Easter Time
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Shopping Our Stash - Put a Bird on it
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Easter/Spring
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Easter Inspired
• Sparkles Forum - Spring is in the Air
• Sweet Stampers - Spring/Easter

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

PBSC March - Anything Goes (Or 'Easter/Chocolate Brown')

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
'Easter/Chocolate Brown'

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

Prize - a $20 voucher!

I made another Easter treat bag...this time using 'Spring Chick', which I coloured using watercolour pencils. I picked papers from the 'Hippity Hoppity' pad by We R Memory Keepers...distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from a set by Pollycraft for C. C. Designs.

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

• As You Like It - Favourite Easter Character (Definitely the Easter bunny...well, he is the one with all the chocolate!)
• Creative Knockouts - Spring is on the Way!
• Cutie Pie - Spring Cuties
• Moving Along with the Times - Easter
• My Time to Craft - Easter/Spring
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Easter/Spring
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Easter Inspired

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

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

PBSC December - Winter or Christmas...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:

'Winter or Christmas'

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

Prize - a $20 voucher!

I used 'What a Snow!' to make a Christmas card for my Mum to give to her Mum. It's quite a large stamp, so I made an A5 sized card. The papers are from the 'Wonderful Winter' and 'Countdown to Christmas' pads 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. I coloured the image using watercolour pencils, then added some sparkle using some Stickles. I cut a couple of snowflakes using dies from  set by Tim Holtz for Sizzix...then added some glitter to those too before layering them up. The Christmas sentiment is from a set by Pollycraft for C C Designs, and the 'Mum' stamp is by Clearly Besotted.

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

• Addicted to Stamps - Season's Greetings
• Animal Friends - Anything Goes
• Artistic Stamper - Christmas
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Crafty Animals - Anything Goes
• Creative Inspirations - Winter/Christmas
• Cutie Pie - Stars and/or Snowflakes
• Daring Cardmakers - Cards: The Special Ones
• Heartful Stamping - Anything Goes
• One Crazy Stamper - Christmas/Winter
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Christmas/Winter Holidays
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Stitch It
• Sparkles Forum Christmas - Snowmen

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

Bun Buns

I have one last Easter treat bag to share today...this one features 'Bun Buns' by Penny Black...coloured in shades of chocolate brown using watercolour pencils. The papers are from the 'Recollections - Charming' by  Michaels (found at TK Maxx). 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 'Egg-cellent Easter Sentiments' set by Amy R?C C Designs.

Challenges for this bag:

• Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Crafty Calendar - Spring or April Showers
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Penny Black & More - Spring
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Hip Hop

PBSC April - Spring or Easter...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:

'Spring or Easter'

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

Prize - a $20 voucher!

I decorated another Easter treat bag...this time using more masculine colours. The image is a portion of the 'Bunny Friends' stamp...I love using just part of this stamp - it's a really easy to use just one, two or three of the bunnies. The papers are from the 'Recollection - Charming' by Michaels (found at TK Maxx)...I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching sing my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Egg-cellent Easter Sentiments' set by Amy R?C C Designs.

I'm also entering this treat bag into the following challenges:

• Cardz for Guyz - Animal Antics
• Crafting When We Can - Animals
• Deep Ocean - Easter
• Little Red Wagon - Happy Easter
• Penny Black & More - All Things Spring
• Simon says Stamp (Mondays) - Hip Hop

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

Bunny Wannabe

I have another Easter treat bag to share today...featuring a cute Whipper Snapper image called 'Bunny Wannabe' that I coloured using watercolour pencils. I used papers from the  'Now & Then' pad by My Mind's Eye...distresing the edges a little, then adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Egg-cellent Easter Sentiments' set by Amy R/C C Designs.

Challenge for this bag:

• Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes (Easter)
• Crazy Challenge - Spring is Coming
• Creates & Makes - Anything Goes (Springtime)
• Creative Moments - Anything Goes (Easter)
• Cutie Pie - Bunnies & Chicks
• Everybody Art - Anything but a Card
• One Crazy Stamper - Spring
• Scrapbook Stamp Society - Anything Goes (Easter)
• Stamps + Fun = Creativity - Spring or Easter

Guest Designer - Pixie's Snippets Playground

I was thrilled to be asked by the lovely Di to guest design for Pixie's Snippets Playground Challenge this week! I have a mountain of snippets...which despite my best efforts, seems to get bigger the more I craft...so this is one of my favourite challenges to play along with!

For my project, I decorated an Easter treat bag and used lots of snippets from my 'Now & Then' paper pad by My Mind's Eye. I used some of those long thin snippets you get when you cut a full sheet down to make a background, and a really teeny tiny snippet for some paper piecing. I distressed all of the edges of the papers, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The image is 'Spring Chick' by Penny Black...I coloured it using watercolour pencils, then paper pieced the egg shell...adding a little shading with a pencil. The sentiment is from the 'Egg-cellent Easter Sentiments' set by Amy R/C. C. Designs...I stamped & matted that on snippets too. I added a mixture of co-ordinating paper flowers (by Prima, papermania & Poppicrafts), held in place with BasicGrey brads.

I'm also entering this treat bag into the following challenges:

• Alphabet Challenge - B is for Bunnies
• Animal Friends - Sping/Easter
• Come & Get It - In the Garden
• Creatalicious - Anything Goes (Add Flowers)
• Little Red Wagon - Egg-cellent
• Penny Black & More - Spring

For more snippets inspiration...pop over to Di's blog where she'll be sharing her picks from the last Pixie's Snippets Playground challenge.

PBSC April - Spring or Easter

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:

'Spring or Easter'

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

Prize - a $20 voucher!

I decorated an Easter treat bag...using 'Hello World' by Penny Black, and papers from the 'Happy Day' 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 the 'Egg-cellent Easter Sentiments' set by Amy R/C C Designs.

I'm also entering this treat bag into the following challenges:

• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Creative Knockouts - Anything Goes
• My Time to Craft - Woodland Animals or Easter
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Things with Wings
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

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

Easter Hares

I have another Easter treat bag to share today...this one features a Happy Hopper image called 'Easter Hares'...I love their little egg costumes! I coloured the image using watercolour pencils to match the We R Memory Keepers 'Hippity Hoppity' papers. I distressed the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Egg-cellent Easter Sentiments' set by Amy R/C C Designs.

Challenges for this treat bag:

• Addicted to Stamps - Easter
• Allsorts - Anything but a Card
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Easter
• Creative Moments - Anything Goes (Spring Colours)
• Heartful Stamping - Spring
• House Mouse & Friends - Spring
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Ribbon Girls - Use Any Image
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Layer It Up
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes