Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Cats & Dogs

It's the first Saturday of the month...so that means it's time for a new Penny Black Saturday Challenge...and this month the theme is:

'Cats & Dogs' 

As usual, we have some fabulous prizes on offer from our lovely sponsors:

The Ribbon Girl:

1-2-3 Stitch!:

Prize - a $20 voucher

I've used a stamp from the 'Joy to the World' set to make a Christmas card. I coloured the image using watercolour pencils...adding some sparkle to the snow using Stickles. The papers are from an old and much neglected pad by My Mind's Eye called 'Wonderful Winter'...I used my EK Success 'Scalloped Diamonds' punch for the border under the snowmen paper. The sentiment stamp is by Cuddly Buddly, and the twine is from the Ribbon Girl.

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

• Christmas Cards - Favourite Colouring Medium (Watercolour pencils)
• Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - It's Cold Outside
• Crafting for All Seasons - Dies & Punches
• Cutie Pie - Dies & Punches
• One Crazy Stamper - Anything Goes
• Top Tip Tuesday - Cute

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

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Love & Kisses

This week's Penny Black Saturday Challenge is all about:

'Love & Kisses'

 Our sponsor for this challenge is:

and the prize is a $20 voucher to spend in their online store! 

I've used an image from the 'Every Which Way' set on my card...and papers from the 'Adore' collection by My Mind's Eye. I distressed the edges a little, then added faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen. The sentiment stamp is by Cuddly Buddly.

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

• Anything Goes - Bingo (Animals - Distressing (My choice) - Stitching)
• Creative Inspirations - Lots of Love
• Crafty Ann's - Love is in the Air
• Fab 'n' Funky - Love is in the Air
• For Fun - Love
• Little Miss Muffet - Valentine's or Love
• Prairie Fairy - Sweetheart
• Stamp & Create - Valentine's or Love
• Sunday Sketch & Stamp - Sketch

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies...including the wonderful Ali, who rejoins us after a little break...please pop over to the Penny Black Saturday Challenge.

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Food or Drink

Please scroll down for my Penny Black Saturday Challenge DT post

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This week it's Francesca's turn to set the theme for the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge, and she has chosen:

'Food or Drink'

We are sponsorred for this challenge by The Stamping Boutique

The prize is 3 digis of the winner's choice from the Stamping Boutique.

I've used a Penny Black stamp in my card...it's called 'Cupcake Glory'...and doesn't he look pleased with himself! I coloured it using watercolour pencils to match the soft pastel colours of the Dovecraft 'Tea House' papers (a Christmas present)...I added faux stitching around all the edges, but it doesn't show up too well in the photo. The sentiment is a Cuddly Buddly stamp.

 

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please visit the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge.

Ice Cream Sundae

I don't actually like ice cream, but I do like this cute little mouse (he's 'Mouse Holding Ice Cream' by Tina Wenke for Stampavie)...and to my shame, I think I've only used him once since I won him last year. I coloured him using watercolour pencils, and added Glossy Accents to the cherry on top, and the glass sundae dish. The summery coloured papers are from the 'Hippity Hoppity' pad by We R Memory Keepers, and the sentiment stamp is by Cuddly Buddly.

Challenges for this card:

• Card Positioning Systems - Sketch
• Simon Says Stamp - Let's Get Fruity (There is a cherry on top, and a banana underneath all that icecream! lol)
• Spoon Full of Sugar - Here Comes Summer
• Totally Papercrafts - Summer

ABC Christmas Challenge - K is for...

It's time for a new ABC Christmas Challenge, and this time it's Lacey's turn to host. The theme for the challenge is:

'K is for Kids & Kraft'

With an optional extra to make a giftcard/holder.

We have not one, but two fabulous sponsors for this challenge:

Digital Delights

Winner will receive 3 digital stamps of their choice.

and

Karen's doodles

Winner will receive 3 digital stamps of their choice.

Ok, so on to my card...I made an ordinary card, but if you fancy trying a giftcard/holder, Lacey has made a fabulous tutorial showing how she made her project, which you can find on the ABC Christmas Challenge blog. The adorable image I used is 'Stuck up the chimney Santa' by Digital Delights, which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The papers are both by DCWV, from the 'Christmas Wishes' and 'Christmas' stacks. I distressed the edges a little (using my scissors again, as I still can't find my distressing tool!), then added faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen. The sentiment stamp is by Cuddly Buddly.

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

• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Scallops
• Crafty Sentiments - Kid's Cards
• Creative Inspirations (Wednesdays) - Christmas in May
• My Time To Craft - Use a Die Cut
• Sunday Sketch & Stamp - Sketch
• Wags N' Whiskers - Circles

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, and our fabulous Guest Designers, and of course for Lacey's fabulous tutorial, please visit the ABC Christmas Challenge.

ABC Christmas Challenge - J is for...

This week, it's my turn to host the ABC Christmas Challenge, where the theme is:

'J is for Joy Fold Card'

Our sponsor for this challenge is:

The prize is a $15 voucher to spend in the Simon Says Stamp store.

To help you with this challenge, I have prepared a tutorial on how I made my card.

So, what exactly is a 'Joy Fold' card???

Basically, as you can hopefully see from my card above, it's a card that has two interlocking flaps...one smaller than the other...that opens to reveal a hidden message or image.

I'm going to show you below how I made my card. I'm by no means an expert at this type of card...though I have made a couple before...and this is not the only way to do it, but it gives you the basic principles.

To start with, cut your card blank in whatever shape & size you like - mine measures 5.75 inches square - then cut the front flap in half:

Then, cut the smaller flap - again this can be whatever shape & size you like - mine is 4x8 inches, then folded in half:

The photo below shows how the two pieces will fit together...notice how they open in opposite directions:

The smaller one will be stuck underneath the shorter flap on the main card, so that they overlap:

Now for the fun part...decorate the pieces however you like - here's the main card:

And the smaller flap:

Remember...it needs to open the 'wrong' way:

Then, stick the pieces together:

All that's left to now, is to add something to hold the front flap closed...I've added a sentiment cut out with Nesties...you only want it to overlap by a small amount - you still need to be able to open it!:

To make it easy to open (and close again), I mounted it on to thick foam pads:

Here's the finished card:

And open:

I hope you found this helpful...we're all looking forward to seeing you try this card fold!

Materials used on my card:

Image Stamps - Penny Black 'Christmas Critters' & 'Holly-Jolly' sets (coloured using watercolour pencils)

Papers - My Mind's Eye 'Wonderful Winter'

Nestabilities - Scalloped & Classic Circles dies

Sentiment Stamp - Cuddly Buddly

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

• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Photo Inspiration (I've used the Red & Green colours)
• Lollipop Crafts - More than One Fold
• My Time to Craft - Scallops
• Papertake Weekly - Punches & Dies (I've used several different Nesties)
• Sunday Sketch & Stamp - Sketch
• Winter Wonderland - Colours of Christmas (I've gone traditional with Red & Green)

For more inspiration my my lovely DT buddies, and our three fabulous Guest Designers, please visit the ABC Christmas Challenge.

Birthday Embrace

In complete contast to yesterday's ultra simple one layer cards, I've used loads of layers and papers on this one. The adorable image is 'Embrace' by Penny Black, which I coloured with watercolour pencils to match the 'Quite Contrary' papers by My Mind's Eye. I added a Cuddly Buddly sentiment, a couple of paper flowers, some organza ribbon, and used my EK Success 'Scalloped Diamonds' punch on the strip across the middle.

This is actually an easel card...I used more of the MME papers on the bottom part, and a sentiment from the CCSR set by Papermania, leaving room to write my message...here's a view from the side:

Challenges for this card:

• Sweet Stop - Sketch
• Crafty Ann's - Birthday Cards
• Crafty Sentiments - Birthdays
• Dutch Dare - Who's Who in the Zoo
• Penny Black Saturday - More than one fold
• Wags'n Whiskers - More than one fold

Present Pile!

Christmas cards...two days in a row...what's wrong with me??? Anyway, I couldn't resist inking up this little cutie...he's called 'Present Pile' by Lili of the Valley, and I coloured him with watercolour pencils. I've used the 'coffee & cream' colour combo from Simon Says Stamp...although the swirly Bo Bunny Paper (from the 'Tis the Season' collection ) is a little dark...well I do like my coffee black! ;0)
The sentiment is a Cuddly Buddly stamp, and the snowflakes were all cut using a Cuttlebug die. I distressed the edges using my distressing tool, and then added lots of adhesive pearls.

Challenges for this card:

• Everybody Art - Sketch
• Lili of the Valley - Circles
• Simon Says Stamp - Coffee & Cream
• Winter Wonderland - Animals

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Sweet Treats

It's my turn to set the theme of the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge this week, and I have chosen:

'Sweet Treats'

(In other words, something yummy on your card)

Our new DT members join us next week, but unfotunately one of them has been unable to join us...which means that we were able to invite ANDIE to join our little team!

Also, as this is the last week of the month, it's your last chance to be included in the draw for 5 digi's of your choice from our sponsor:

The Stamping Boutique

We also have wonderful news about the Secret Crafter store...Wendy's shop was voted runner-up in the Best Independent Craft Shop in the Midlands in the Aceville Awards - Congratulations Wendy! 

Also, she will soon be stocking the fabulous range of Clarity stamps, and a new electronic die cutting machine called the ECraft...you can find them alongside all the other lovely goodies Wendy stocks at the Secret Crafter.

I've used an adorable House Mouse stamp called 'Birthday Cupcake' on my card, which I coloured using watercolour pencils, before adding a generous frosting of 'Crystal' Stickles (available here at the Secret Crafter) to the icing. The pink spotty paper is from the 'Quite Contrary' pad by My Mind's Eye, and I used an embossing folder, covered in sweeties, from a Hallowe'en set by Cuttlebug on brown card, then sanded the surface to reveal the white core, using my EK Success 'Scalloped Diamond' punch along the bottom. The sentiment is a Cuddly Buddly stamp, and I cut it out using my Nesties (available here at the Secret Crafter). I distressed all of the edges with inks, and my distressing tool, adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen, and a few adhesive pearls in the corners (available here at the Secret Crafter).

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

• Inspirational Card Sketches - Sketch (without the optional easel card)
• Anything Goes - Distressing
• Cupcake Craft - Cake 'n' Ice Cream (I don't like ice cream, so just went with the cake ;0))
• Crafty Ann's - Birthday card
• Ribbon Girls - Pink, Brown & Cream
• Wags 'n' Whiskers - Punches

For more inspiration, please check out the fabulous cards by my lovely Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge DT buddies.

My Favourite Colour!

Another Christmas card from me today...but at least it's not white! Inspired by the Lili of the Valley Challenge, I've used my favourite colours - aqua, teal & turquoise. The image is 'Presents for Two' (of course by Lili of the Valley), and I coloured it with watercolour pencils, then added some 'Crystal Ice' Stickles to the fur trim on his hat. The papers are a mixture of My Mind's Eye ('Countdown to Christmas') and We R Memory Keepers ('Hippity Hoppity'). The ribbon is recycled from a Liz Earle Christmas gift package, and the sentiment is a Cuddly Buddly stamp.

Challenges for this card:

• Sketchy Thursday - Sketch
• Digi Doodles - Anything Goes
• Dutch Dare - Sparkle/Glitter/Bling (It doesn't show up very well in the photo, but there's glitter on his hat, and the swirly paper is all sparkly too)
• Lili of the Valley - My favourite colours (aqua/teal/turquoise)
• My Time to Craft - Hats

House Mouse Birthday

I've got a bright & cheerful card to share today...using a House Mouse stamp I received for my birthday last year from my lovely bloggy buddy Lols. It's an unmounted stamp from the 'Balloon' set...and Lols tells me it's called 'Pop-ular Fun'. As it's quite large, I kept the layout really simple. The papers are from the 'Hippity Hoppity' Scrapbook pad by We R Memory Keepers, the sentiment is a Cuddly Buddly stamp, and I added a few pieces of Craftwork Cards card candy.

Challenges for this card:

• Card Makin' Mamas - Happy Birthday
• CES - Spots & Stripes
• For Fun - Happy Birthday
• Fuzzy Wuzzy - Birthday Wishes
• House Mouse & Friends - Favourite Stamp (I only have 2 HM stamps...and I love them both...but I adore the mischeivous expression on the face of the mouse holding the pin on this one!)
• If the Shoe Fits...Scrap It! - Happy Birthday
• One Stop Craft - Birthday
• Stamp Something - Something Funky (I've used funky colours)

ABC Christmas Challenge - D is for...

This week's ABC Christmas Challenge is hosted by Delphine, and the theme is:

'D is for Double Trouble'

This is what you need to do:
use a  digi image, AND 2 different papers & 2 types of embellishments.

Our fabulous sponsor this week is Digital Delights

And here is what you could win...

Ok, so on to my card. The DT were given some Digital Delights images to play with, but I decided to use one that I already had called 'Snowball the Snowman' (sorry, I tried to link him, but it tells me he doesn't exist on their website at the moment, which is odd, 'cos he was definitely there last week!). I coloured him with watercolour pencils to match the red and green of the two My Mind's Eye 'Wonderful Winter' glitter papers. My two types of embellishments are the spotty ribbon and adhesive sparkly gems. For a touch more sparkle, I added some Stickles in 'Ice Crystal' to the snow under the snowman, and finally a Cuddly Buddly sentiment stamp.

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

• Sweet Sunday Sketch - Sketch 104
• Papertake Weekly - Glitz
• Totally Stampalicious - Bling, Glitter or Glitz

For more inspiration, please check out the fabulous cards by my lovely ABC Christmas Challenge DT buddies.

Cuttlebug Spot - Gate-fold Cards

This week's Cuttlebug Spot Challenge theme is:

'Gate-fold Cards'

I've used two adorable Lili of the Valley bear stamps on my card: 'Busy baking' (on the outside); and 'I baked a cake' (on the inside). I used my Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' folder for the embossing, to echo the dots on the little bear's dress, and the sentiment is a Cuddly Buddly stamp. I distressed all of the edges with inks, and my distressing tool.

Here's the inside:

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

• Creative Inspirations (Sundays) - Distressing
• Delightful - Punches/Dies (I used my Nesties)
• Fussy & Fancy - Sweet Treats
• Stamptacular Sunday - Lovin' from the oven

For more inspiration please check out the fabulous cards by my lovely Cuttlebug Spot DT buddies.