ABC Christmas challenge - P, Q & R are for?

It's the second Wednesday of a new month, so that means it's time for a new ABC Christmas Challenge...I'm the host, and the themes are:

'P is for Penguins'

'Q is for Quartet' (Four of Something)

&

'R is for Rectangles'

The prize for the lucky winner is this Sheena Douglas 'Baubles Baby' festive embossing folder:

For my 'P is for Penguins' card, I used an old Lili of the Valley stamp called 'Penguin Pals'. I stamped it onto a piece of watercolour paper, added a sentiment from the 'It's Penguinning' set by Crafter's Companion, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. I used papers from the 'Peppermint Forest' pad from Craftwork Cards for the background...I distressed the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug.

For my 'Q is for Quartet' card, I combined four robin stamps from Penny Black sets - 'Christmas Hugs', 'Snow Much Fun' and 'Jolly Friends'. I stamped them onto a piece of watercolour paper, used a black fine liner to draw draw the 'ground', then coloured them using watercolour pencils. I added a sentiment using one of the stamps from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous, then distressed the edges a little before adding it to a kraft card blank.

For my 'R is for Rectangles' card, I started by stamping one of the images from the Penny Black 'Candlelight' set onto a rectangle of black card using Versamark ink, then I heat embossed it using metallic gold embossing powder from WOW. I added a sentiment using one of the stamps from the Funky Fossil 'Festive Phrases' set, embossing that in gold to match, then I watercoloured the image using Cosmic Shimmers watercolours. I matted the panel onto a rectangle of gold mirror card, before adding it to a DL card blank.

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

• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything Goes (Second card only)
• Allsorts - Anything Goes (Third card only)
• Christmas Cards All Year Round - P & Q (P is for Penguins) (First card only)
• I Spy With My Little Eye - Something with Wings (Second card only)
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes (First card only)
• Sparkles Forum Christmas - Clean & Simple (Third card only)

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

Outline Snowflakes

Today's card features a Simon Says Stamp background stamp called 'Outline Snowflakes'. I stamped it onto a piece of black card using Versamark ink, then heat embossed it using metallic silver embossing powder from WOW, the coloured it using Cosmic Shimmers watercolours. I heat embossed a sentiment, using a stamp from the 'Festive Phrases' set from Funky Fossil, on some more black card, then used one of my Circle Nesties to cut it out. I cut a mat from some silver mirror card using the matching scalloped circle die, then added it onto the background, matting that onto some more silver mirror card before adding it to a white card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• C.R.A.F.T. - Christmas
• Cut It Up - Emboss It
• Rudolph Days - Anything Christmas Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Make Your Own Background
• We Love Stamping - Anything Goes

Floral Garden

Today's card features a lovely stamp from Simon Says Stamp called 'Floral Garden'. I stamped it, and a sentiment using a stamp from the 'Go To Words' set by Visible Image, onto smooth white card using Versamark ink, then heat embossed it all using metallic gold embossing powder from WOW. The floral stamp is huge - there's quite a large portion below the section shown on my card. I coloured the image using a mixture of mica pigments and Cosmic Shimmers watercolour paints. I distressed the edges a little before adding it to a card blank.

It's super shiny - this is what it looks like when the light hits it:

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - In the Garden
• Creative Knockouts - Embossing Delight
• Seize the Birthday - Make a Spring Garden
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Bright & Cheerful
• Stamping Sensations - Inspired by Nature

ABC Christmas Challenge - E, F & G are for?

It's the second Wednesday of a new month, so that means it's time for a new ABC Christmas Challenge...Carol is the host, and the themes are:

'E is for Elves'

'F is for Foliage'

&

'G is for Gems'

The prize for the lucky winner is these two stamp sets:

For my 'E is for Elves' card, I used a sweet Penny Black stamp called 'Bauble Balance'. I stamped it, along with the matching sentiment from the set, onto watercolour paper, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. I distressed the edges a little, then added it to a kraft card blank.

For my 'F is for Foliage' card, I started by stamping a lovely background stamp by Julie Hickey called 'Holly Jolly Christmas' onto a snippet of black card using Versamark ink, then heat embossed it using metallic gold embossing powder from WOW. I stamped and heat embossed a sentiment, from the 'Festive Phrases' set by Funky Fossil, in gold, on another snippet of black card to match, then coloured all of the leaves and berries using Cosmic Shimmers mica pigments mixed with a little water. I distressed the edges, then layered the sentiment on top, before adding it to a white card blank.

For my 'G is for Gems' card, I went all out with the bling! I used a Woodware stamp called 'Trio of Trees', stamping it onto some smooth white card, then coloured it using watercolour pencils (although I didn't use any water). I added a sentiment, using a stamp from the 'Wintertime Messages' set by Hero Arts, then carefully placed adhesive gems onto the trees - there were little 'circles' representing trim or lights strung around each tree. I matted it onto some green card, then added it to a white card blank.

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

• Allsorts - Anything Goes (Second card only)
• Aud Sentiments - Glitter/Bling and/or St. Patrick's Green + Sentiment (Third card only)
• Christmas Cards All Year Round - E & F are for (Elf & Foliage - First & Second cards only)
• Fab 'N' Funky - Shades of Green (Third card only)
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes (Second card only)
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes (First card only)
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - A Bit O'Green (Third card only)
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Make It Cute (First card only)

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

Poppy Border

Today's card features a stamp that my Mum found in a charity shop, called 'Poppy Border' by Stamps by Chloe. I stamped it onto smooth white card using Versamark ink, then heat embossed it using 'Metallic Gold' embossing powder from WOW. I added a sentiment, using a stamp from the 'Go To Words' set by Visible Image, embossing that in gold to match. I coloured the poppies using a red Cosmic Shimmers pigment mixed with a little water, then matted the panel onto some gold mirror card, distressing the edges a little, before adding it to a white card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Embossing
• Beautiful Blossoms - Anything Goes
• Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Creative Moments - Feminine
• Moving Along with the Times - Floral
• Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes
• We Love Stamping - Anything Goes

Christmas Candlelight

I have a Christmas card to share today, made using one of the stamps from the Penny Black 'Candlelight' set that I got for Christmas. I stamped it onto a snippet of black card using Versamark ink, along with a sentiment using a stamp from an old Lili of the Valley set, then heat embossed them using metallic gold embossing powder from WOW. I coloured the image using Cosmic Shimmers watercolour paints, then matted it onto a snippet of gold mirror card before adding it to a white card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• C.R.A.F.T. - Christmas/First Christmas
• Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Jingle Belles - Something Old, Something New (Old - sentiment stamp, New - bauble stamp)
• Little Red Wagon - Keep It Simple
• Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Stamping Sensations - Something Beginning with B (Branch & Bauble)

Butterfly Thank You

Today's card features a lovely Stamps by Chloe butterfly stamp called 'Butterfly Cascade' that I got for Christmas. I stamped it onto smooth white card using Versamark ink, along with a sentiment using a  stamp from the 'Big Messages' set by Paula Pascual, then heat embossed them using 'Metallic Silver' embossing powder form WOW. I coloured the butterflies using a mixture of Cosmic Shimmers watercolour paints, and Cosmic Shimmers pigments mixed with a little water, then matted it onto some silver mirror card before adding it to a white card blank.

Here's another angle that shows the shimmer a little better:

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Aud Sentiments - Anything Goes + a Sentiment
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Something New (The butterfly stamp is new)
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Something New (The butterfly stamp is new)
• Stamping Sensations - Something Beginning with 'B' (Butterflies)
• We Love Stamping - Something New (The butterfly stamp is new)

Favourite Five Cards 2025

As has become traditional on New Year's Eve, I'm sharing my favourite five cards of this year. As I look back through my blog posts, I always find it interesting to see if any themes have emerged in my cardmaking over the course of the year. Whilst there are still plenty of cute critter cards, I used more die cuts this year, and my cards have become increasingly clean and simple.

All of the photos are linked to the original blog post, so please click through for more information.

My first card is from February, and features (unusually for me) die cuts as the main focus. I love the modern shape of these floral dies...and they're great for using up little snippets of card & paper!

My second card is from May, and features several things that I love (and usually make it onto at least one of my favourite cards each year) - Distress inks, gold embossing and the big butterfly stamp!

My next card is actually a bookmark...I'm an avid reader, and always like to have plenty of bookmarks handy...and they're a great way to use up offcuts of card! This one features a favourite floral stamp, and Cosmic Shimmers that I've used many times this year.

Of course, there's a Penny Black image amongst my favourites, and the next card, from August, features a 'new to me' stamp called 'Surprise!' I also love the colour in these floral papers.

My final card is from November, and although I've made a lot of one layer cards this year, I love the effect the added layer gives on this CAS card.

I'm going to link up this post over at Ellie's I Spy With My Little Eye - Favourite Creations of the Year.

I posted my Favourite Five Christmas Cards here last week, if you'd like to take a look.

Finally, thanks to everyone who has visited and taken the time to comment on my blog this year - I wish you all the very best for the New Year!

Bauble Branch

Today's card features stamps from a new Penny Black set called 'Candlelight' that I received for Christmas. I stamped the image and sentiment onto some black card, using Versamark ink, then heat embossed them with 'Metallic Gold' embossing powder from WOW. I coloured the image using a mixture of Cosmic Shimmers watercolour paints and mica pigments (mixed with a little water). I matted the panel onto some gold mirror card, then added it to a DL card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Peace on Earth Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Sparkle & Shine
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Add a Sentiment
• Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes
• We Love Stamping - Anything Goes

Favourite Five Christmas Cards 2025

Today, as has become traditional, I'm sharing my favourite five Christmas cards of the year. I made slightly more cards this year - 88, compared to 81 last year. Each photo is linked to the original blog post, so if you would like any more details, please click through.

The first card is from February, and uses a 'new to me' time (the lovely large Penny Black 'Joy' die) that I've used several times this year. I particularly like using the central aperture for a scene/sentiment.

Penny Black critters continue to be my most used stamps, and this chicken, used on this card from March, always makes me smile!

I made several cards using this technique on black card - I love the way the mica pigments show up when used as a watercolour paint, this card from August also makes use of one of my many charity shop crafty finds this year!

Coming a close second to the Penny Black critters, are the Anita Jeram animal stamps, like the bunny stamp used on this card from October. I also love making embossed backgrounds, and used a layout similar to this on many cards this year.

My final card is a recent one from earlier this month, and again features some Penny Black critters, and lots of lovely papers!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Poinsettia Panel

Today's card features part of a prize that I won recently over at the Allsorts Challenge...a lovely sentiment die by Tonic Studios. I started by stamping my 'Poinsettia Panel' stamp (from Stamps by Chloe) onto some black card using Versamark ink, then heat embossed it using metallic gold embossing powder from WOW, then watercoloured it using Cosmic Shimmers mica pigments mixed with a little water. I cut the sentiment from a snippet of gold mirror card, then layered it over the stamped and coloured panel. I matted it all onto some more gold mirror card before adding it to a white card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• As You Like It - Gold, Silver or Glitter (I love using gold on Christmas cards (especially on a dark background) to give a really luxurious feel)
• Flower Challenge - Christmas Florals
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Use Dies
• Sparkles Forum Christmas - Poinsettia
• We Love Stamping - Red & Green

Expressive Poppies

Today's card features a poppy stamp from Penny Black called 'Expressive'. I stamped it onto black card using Versamark ink, then heat embossed it using 'Metallic Gold' embossing powder form WOW. I added a sentiment, using a stamp from the 'Sketched Flowers' set by Simon Says Stamp, embossing it in gold to match, then painted the flowers using Cosmic Shimmers mica pigments mixed with a little water. I matted it onto some gold mirror card, then added it to a white card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Fab 'N' Funky - Clean & Simple
• Just Us Girls - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Thinking of You
• Sweet Stampin' - Red for Remembrance

ABC Christmas Challenge - U & V are for?

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

'U is for Uncluttered (CAS)'

&

'V is for Vertical'

This is the prize for the lucky winner:

For my 'Uncluttered' card, I picked a cute House Mouse image from an old Joanna Sheen set called 'Christmas Opening Presents'. I stamped it onto a piece of smooth white card, along with a sentiment using a stamp from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. I matted it onto some red card, distressing the edges, then added it to a white card blank.

For my 'Vertical' card, I used a Christmas tree stamp from a Woodware set called 'Trimming the Tree'. I stamped it onto a DL card blank, using Versamark ink, then heat embossed it using 'Metallic Silver' embossing powder from WOW. I watercoloured it using Cosmic Shimmers pigments mixed with a little water.

It's really shiny in real life, which means it's a pain to get a decent photo of...but here's another angle:

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

• Allsorts - Woodland Critters (First card only)
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes (Second card only)
• House Mouse & Friends - Anything Goes (Optional 'Food') (First card only)
• Sparkles Forum Christmas - Non-traditional Christmas Colours (Second card only)
• Sweet Stampin' - Feature a Sentiment (First card only)

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

Noel

Today's card features an unbranded wooden Christmas stamp that I picked up from a charity shop a couple of weeks ago. I stamped it onto a snippet of black card using Versamark ink, then heat embossed it using gold metallic embossing powder from WOW. I watercoloured the image using Cosmic Shimmers pigments mixed with water, then matted it onto some gold mirror card before adding it to a white card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Jingle Belles - Gold
• Krafty Chicks - Christmas
• Peace on Earth Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• Sparkles Forum Christmas - Holly

Holly Spray

I have another Christmas card to share today...this one features a Woodware stamp called 'Holly Spray'. I stamped it onto a snippet of black card, along with a sentiment using a stamp from another Woodware set called 'Robin Stack', using Versamark ink, then heat embossed it in gold. I used Cosmic Shimmers pigments mixed with a little water to watercolour the image, then matted it onto some gold mirror card before adding it to a white card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes
• Allsorts - Something Beginning with B (Berries)
• C.R.A.F.T. - Christmas
• Crafts Galore Emcore - Anything Goes