Bringing Gifts

Today's card features stamps from a Woodware set called 'Bringing Gifts' that I won a little while ago over at the Snippets Playground. I stamped them onto a piece of marble effect paper from a pad from The Range using Versamark ink, then heat embossed them all using metallic gold embossing powder from WOW. I inked around the edges of the paper using 'Dusty Concord' and 'Chipped Sapphire' Distress Inks, then matted it onto some gold mirror card, distressing all of the edges, before adding it to an A5 white card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Jingle Belles - We Three Kings (I know that my three of a kind didn't need to actually be 'Kings' , but I couldn't resist!)
• Just Us Girls - Emboss
• Krafty Chicks - Christmas
• Merry Little Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes

Moose & Bear

I have a couple of Christmas cards to share today, made using die sets by Elizabeth Craft Designs, that I picked up in a charity shop yesterday. I used snippets of kraft and white card to cut the pieces of both animals, with tiny bits of grey and black card for eyes, paws, ears and nose), then inked around the edges using Distress Inks ('Brushed Corduroy' and 'Gathered Twigs' for the Moose, and 'Hickory Smoke' for the Polar Bear) to add some definition. I embossed squares of kraft and white card for simple backgrounds using embossing folders from Couture Creations (for the Christmas trees behind the Moose), and Sizzix (for the snowflakes behind the polar bear). I stamped sentiments (using a stamp from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz) onto snippets of kraft and white card, then distressed all of the edges before assembling.

Here's a better look at the two cards:

Challenges for these cards:

• Allsorts - Embossing (Second card only)
• Can You Handle the Pressure? - Die Cuts
• Cardz for Guys - Monochrome (First card only)
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Fab 'N' Funky - Dies & Punches
• Peace on Earth - Anything Christmas Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets (First card only)

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!

Jingle Bells

I have another Christmas card to share today...this one is inspired by the Banner over at the Jingle Belles Challenge, which looks like this:

I started by stamping a large 'Jingle Bells' sentiment (using a stamp from a Colorado Craft Company set) in the centre of a piece of aqua coloured card, using a white pigment ink, then heat embossed it using 'Diamond White' embossing glitter from WOW. I then stamped snowflakes around the edges using stamps from the 'Snowflake Edges' set by Simon Says Stamp using 'Speckled Egg' Distress Ink. Once dry, I stamped some more of the snowflakes over the top using white pigment ink, and embossing them with more 'Diamond White' embossing glitter. I distressed the edges, then matted it onto some teal card before adding it to a white card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• 52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Stamps
• Allsorts - Focal Sentiment
• C.R.A.F.T. - Christmas
• Creative Knockouts - Snow Much Fun
• Creative Moments - Add Some Sparkle
• Everybody Art - Glitter
• Fab 'N' Funky - Glitter
• Jingle Belles - Banner Inspired
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

PBSC November - Anything Goes (Optional 'Music')...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

'Music'

We're currently without a sponsor, so this challenge is just for fun.

For my card, I used an unbranded music background stamp, and inked up a portion of it using 'Pumice Stone' Distress Ink, then stamped it onto some smooth white card. Once dry, I stamped one of the butterflies from the 'Social Butterfly' set over the top using 'Uncharted Mariner' Distress Ink, then heat embossed it with a little 'Vintage Peacock' embossing glitter from WOW. I added a sentiment using a stamp from the 'Go To Words' set, matted it onto a piece of teal card, distressing all of the edges before adding it to a card blank.

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

• A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes (Optional 'Thank You')
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Thank You
• The Sisterhood of Crafters - Thanks

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

Merry & Bright

I have another Christmas card to share today...made using a large sentiment from a Colorado Craft Company set that I got recently from a charity shop. I stamped it onto watercolour paper using Versamark ink, then heat embossed it using 'Metallic Gold' embossing powder from WOW. I stamped some foliage and berries around the edge using stamps from the 'Sketchy Pure Branch' set by Woodware Stamps, and Distress Inks...'Rustic Wilderness' for the greenery, and 'Festive Berries' for the berries. I matted it onto some red card before adding it to a DL card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Christmas
• C.R.A.F.T. - Christmas
• Creative Knockouts - Time to be Merry
• Krafty Chicks - Christmas
• Merry Little Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes

Together

Today's card features a lovely Penny Black floral stamp called 'Together'. I inked it up using Distress Inks ('Uncharted Marine', 'Dusty Concord' and 'Rustic Wilderness'), spritzed it with a little water, then stamped it onto watercolour paper. I added a sentiment using one of the stamps from the 'Sketched Flowers' set by Simon Says Stamp, then distressed the edges a little before adding it to a kraft card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Beautiful Blossoms - Anything Goes
• Creatalicious - Anything Goes
• Elliebelle's Crafty Wednesday - Anything Goes
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Clean & Simple

Blooming Meadow

Today's card features an old Hero Arts stamp called 'Blooming Meadow'. I inked it by mixing Distress Inks (Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Festive Berries, Picked Raspberry, Wilted Violet, Blueprint Sketch and Mowed Lawn) with a little water, and painting them onto the stamp. I stamped it onto watercolour paper, added a sentiment using a stamp from the 'Go To Words' set by Visible Image, then distressed the edges a little before adding it to a kraft card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Pretty Flowers
• Beautiful Blossoms - Anything Goes
• Inkspirational - Birthday
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Stamping Sensations - Summer Flowers

Joyful Snowflakes

I have a Christmas card to share today. I started by stamping my Simon Says Stamp 'Outline Snowflakes' background stamp onto watercolour paper using Versamark ink, then heat embossed it using white embossing powder. I wet the whole paper with some clean water, then loosely painted the background using 'Picked Raspberry', 'Wilted Violet' and 'Salty Ocean' Distress Inks, allowing the colours to blend. Once dry, I trimmed it into a square, and distressed the edges a little before adding it to a white card blank. I cut a sentiment using a Penny Black die called simply 'Joy' from a snippet of white card, and a couple of snowflakes using dies from the Tim Holtz/Sizzix 'Paper Snowflakes - Mini' set, then added those to the background.

Challenges for this card:

• Aud Sentiments - Tags and/or Christmas in July + Sentiment
• Crafty Gals Corner - _____________ in July (Christmas)
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Creative Moments - Use a Die Cut
• Krafty Chicks - Christmas
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Embossing
• We Love Stamping - Anything Goes

Twiggy Trees

Today's card features some Woodware Christmas tree stamps - 'Mini Tall Twiggy Tree' and 'Mini Wide Twiggy Tree'. I inked them with some bright shades of Distress Ink (Wilted Violet, Twisted Citron & Picked Raspberry), and stamped them onto a DL white linen card blank. I added a sentiment using one of the stamps from the 'Very Merry Christmas' set by Hero Arts...inking it with 'Blueprint Sketch' Distress Ink.

Challenges for this card:

• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Peace on Earth Christmas - Photo Inspiration
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• The Holly & the Ivy - Anything Christmas Goes
• We Love Stamping - Nature

Sketched Flowers

Today's card features one of my favourite floral stamps called 'Sketched Flowers' by Simon Says Stamp. I stamped it onto watercolour paper, along with a sentiment using a Hero Arts stamp that I found in a charity shop at the weekend. I watercoloured the image using lots of Distress Inks (Mustard Seed, Shaded Lilac, Wilted Violet, Chipped Sapphire, Tumbled Glass, Festive Berries, Picked Raspberry, Pine Needles, Evergreen Bough & Cracked Pistachio), then distressed the edges a little before adding it to a kraft card blank.

Challenges for this catrd: 

• Addicted to CAS - Birthday
• C.R.A.F.T. - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Little Red Wagon - Flowers
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Bright & Cheerful

Guest Designer - I Spy With My Little Eye Challenge

Today, I'm excited to be sharing a Guest Designer card for Ellie's 'I Spy With My Little Eye Challenge', where the theme for this month's challenge is:

'I Spy With My Little Eye...At Least One Butterfly'

I have a number of butterfly stamps, and picked my 'Big Butterfly' stamp by Stampendous, and a set of stamps from Papermania's 'Urban Stamps' range simply called 'Butterflies' to use for my card. I stamped them onto watercolour paper using Versamark ink, then heat embossed them using metallic gold embossing powder from WOW. I added a sentiment using a stamp from the 'Signature Greetings' set by Memory Box, heat embossing it in gold to match. I used (quite a lot of ) Distress Inks to watercolour the butterflies (Mustard Seed, Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade, Crackling Campfire, Festive Berries, Dusty Concord, Chipped Sapphire, Broken China, Peacock Feathers, Cracked Pistachio, Salvaged Patina & Gathered Twigs), then splattered it with a little gold mica pigment (from a Cosmic Shimmers set) mixed with water. Once dry, I matted it onto some gold mirror card, distressing the edges, before adding it to a white card blank.

It's always tricky to capture the shine in a photo, but the gold is really pretty in real life:

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

• AAA Birthday - Anything Birthday Goes
• AAA Cards - Birthday
• Aud Sentiments - Watercolouring + a Sentiment
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Things with Wings
• Stamping Sensations - Feminine

For more inspiration from Ellie and Pauline, please pop over to Ellie's 'I Spy With My Little Eye' Challenge.

 

PBSC May - Anything Goes (Optional 'Monochrome')

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

'Monochrome'

We are currently without a sponsor, so this challenge is just for fun.

I picked my favourite colour...blue...and a lovely floral stamp called 'Together'. I inked up the stamp using a few shades of blue Distress Inks (Faded Jeans, Stormy Sky & Chipped Sapphire), then spritzed it with a little water before stamping it onto watercolour paper. I added a sentiment (using a stamp form the 'Go To Words' set by Visible Image) in blue ink, then splattered some of the same blue Distress Inks over the top. Once dry, I matted it onto some navy card, distressing the edges, before adding it to a white card blank.

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

• Fab 'N' Funky - Use Your Favourite Colours
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

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

Snowflake Edges

I have a simple one layer Christmas card to share today, made using one of the stamps from the 'Snowflake Edges' set by Simon Says Stamp. I stamped it along the folded edge of a smooth white card blank using Versamark ink, then heat embossed it using white embossing powder. I blended 'Broken China' Distress Ink over the top of the embossed area, then once dry added a stamped sentiment using one of the stamps from the 'Festive Phrases' set by Funky Fossil.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Gals Corner - Fill in the Blank 'Snow.....' (Snowflakes)
• Little Red Wagon - A is for Anything Goes
• Merry Little Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• Peace on Earth Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• The Sisterhood of Crafters - Snowflakes
• We Love Stamping - Anything Goes (Optional 'CAS')

ABC Christmas Challenge - W & X are for?

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

'W is for Watercolour'

&

'X is for Xylophone'

(Photo Inspiration!)

The prize for the lucky winner is this gift certificate:

For my 'W is for Watercolour' card, I used stamps from a Woodware set called 'Sketchy Pure Branch'. I inked the two branch stamps using three shades of green Distress Inks (Evergreen Bough, Pine Needles & Forest Moss), spritzed then with a little water, then stamped each several times on to watercolour paper, inking again each time before stamping. I then spritzed it all with some more water, and allowed the inks to bleed into each other to create a watercolour effect. Once dry, I mixed gold and red Cosmic Shimmers mica pigments with water, then splattered those over the branches, and added a die cut sentiment...cut from a snippet of gold mirror card using a Creative Expressions die. I matted the watercolour panel on to some more gold mirror card...distresssing the edges a little before adding it to a card blank.

For my 'X is for Xylophone card, I took inspiration from the bear shape, and picked a Little of the Valley stamp called 'James the Bear - Little Star'. I stamped him on to a snippet of watercolour paper, coloured him using watercolour pencils, then carefully cut him out. For the background, I took inspiration from the multicoloured bars on the glockenspiel, and picked a piece of watercolour effect paper from the 'Pastel Watercolours' pad from The Works. I embossed it using the 'Jolly Christmas' embossing folder by Couture Creations, then matted it on to a snippet of black card before adding it to a card blank. I stamped a sentiment (from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous) on to a teeny snippet of black card using white pigment ink, then added that and James the Bear on to the background using 3D foam pads.

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

• Allsorts - Anything Goes (Optional 'Christmas' - First card only)
• Aud Sentiments - Glitter and/or Christmas & a Sentiment (First card only)
• Crafty Calendar - Anything Goes (Second card only)
• Elliebelle's Crafty Wednesday - Anything Goes (First card only)
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes (Second card only)
• Incy Wincy - Anything Goes (Optional 'Christmas Card with Handmade Background' - Second card only)
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets (Second card only)
• We Love Stamping - Anything Goes (Optional 'Christmas' - First card only)

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

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!

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)