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

We have another fun ABC Christmas Challenge starting today...Chrissy is the host, and we have three awesome themes this month, which you can choose between, or combine:

'P is for People',
'Q is for Quick'

&

'R is for Red'

(Just don't forget the Christmas theme!)

Our sponsor for this challenge is Lawn Fawn:

Prize - a Stamp Set & 6x6 Paper Pad of the winner's choice!

I made a card for each of the three themes...the first one features 'People' in the 'Skating' stamp by Rachelle Anne Miller for Stampavie, which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The papers are from the 'Bundled Up' pad by Crate Paper...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 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous.

Challenges for this card:

• Shopping Our Stash - Countdown to Christmas
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

For my 'Quick' card, I coloured an image I'd stamped a while ago...it's called 'Caroling Chicks' by Stamping Bella. I coloured it using watercoloure pencils, trimmed it down to the width of my card base, then cut the top of the image using one of my Lawn Fawn 'Stitched Hillside' border dies. The sentiment came in the same stamp set.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Extra - Anything Goes
• Hiding in my Craft Room - Freestyle (Christmas in July)

For my 'Red' card, I picked an old Whiff of Joy stamp that I think is called 'Henry & Friend - Candy Cane'. Again, I coloured the image using watercolour pencils, and added another sentiment from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set. I matted it on to a piece of kraft card...having cut a scalloped border using my 'Scalloped Diamonds' punch by EK Success, then mounted it onto a red card base.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Food and/or Drink
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

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

Pile It On! Challenge - Fabric, Lace or Ribbon

We have a new Pile It On! Challenge starting today...and the theme is:

'Fabric, Lace or Ribbon'

We are sponsored for this challenge by My Besties:

Prize - 3 Images from the October Prize Pack!

I picked ribbon to use on my card, and paired it with a cute Lili of the Valley image (called 'Penguin Presents'), which I coloured using watercolour pencils, and some My Mind's Eye papers (from the 'Now & Then' pad). I distressed the edges of the papers, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The snowflake was cut using a Memory Box die ('New Castle Snowflake'), and is held in place using an American Crafts glitter brad. The spotty ribbon is also by American Crafts, and the adhesive pearls are from Hobbycraft.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Fabric, Lace or Ribbon
• 4 Crafty Chicks - Pearls
• As You Like It - Monochrome or Colour (Colour for me...pastels, brights...I love them all!)
• C.R.A.F.T. - Christmas
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes
• Crafty Ribbons - Christmas Dies
• Creative Card Crew - Ribbon
• Creative Moments - Anything Goes with Spots and/or Stripes
• Fab & Funky - Make It Square
• Hiding in my Craft Room - Favourite Cutting Tool (My Cuttlebug!)
• Love to Scrap - Ribbon or Lace
• Sparkles Forum - Pearls and/or Lace
• The Sisterhood of Crafters - Dies & Punches

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

PS - if you like making Christmas cards, you may be interested in the DT Call that's just started over at the ABC Christmas Challenge.

ABC Christmas Challenge - R is for...

It's time for a new ABC Christmas Challenge...Dorte is the host, and the theme is:

'R is for...well, you choose...anything beginning with R!'

Our sponsor for this challenge is The East Wind:

Prize - Three Digital Images!

I combined a few 'R's on my card...Red, Reindeer, Ribbon & Robins. The image is 'Santa' by Lili of the Valley, which I coloured using watercolour pencils...adding some sparkle to the snow using a Wink of Stella clear pen. The papers are from the 'Maddison' pad by Penny Black...I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The snowflakes were cut using Marianne Designs dies...and were also given a coating of Wink of Stella sparkles...and the ribbon is from Hobbycraft.

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

• Addicted to Stamps - Die Cuts
• Christmas Cards - Anything Goes
• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Cute Card Thursday - Monochrome
• Incy Wincy - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Stampavie & More - Bows
• Sketch Saturday - Pick a Previous Sketch (I used #300)

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

Guest Designer - The Crazy Challenge

I'm sharing a guest designer card for the Crazy Challenge today...where the theme is:

'Paper Piecing'

If you're a regular visitor to my blog, you'll know that this isn't a technique that I often employ...although I did do some paper piecing on this card last week...so I picked a super easy cupcake image (from the 'Cupcakes' set by Hero Arts) to use on my card! I stamped the cupcakes on to papers from the 'Yours Truly' (by Pebbles Inc) and 'Stella & Rose - Mabel' (by My Mind's Eye) pads, then carefully cut them out. I used one of my scalloped circle Nesties to cut some 'bite' marks out of the frosting of two of the cupcakes...adding a black line along the new edge using a black gel pen. I popped the cupcakes up on 3D foam pads, adding a sentiment from the same stamp set underneath each one, and some tiny adhesive pearls (from Hobbycraft) to the frosty. I used my EK Success 'Scalloped Diamonds' punch for the brown borders. 

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

• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Food and/or Drink

For more inspiration from the fab DT, and details of the sponsor and prize for this challenge, please pop over to the Crazy Challenge.

Snowy & Sparkly

Have a Christmas card to share today...using some old favourite Cuttlebug products. The large snowflake was cut using my 'Ice Crystal' die, and the smaller ones using a die from the 'Winter' set. I added a pearl to their centres and coated them with Stickles glitter glue. I used my 'Swiss Dots' folder to emboss the background, and the sentiment stamp is from a Lili of the Valley set. I used my EK Success 'Scalloped Diamonds' punch for the diagonal border...I added little pearls on each of the cut out diamonds.

Challenges for this card:

• Chocolate, Coffee & Cards - Pearls
• Corrosive - Leave a Little Sparkle
• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Crafty Creations - Embossing
• Everybody Art - Snowflakes in Summer
• Incy Wincy - Anything Goes
• Jingle Belles - Cardstock
• Sweet Sunday Sketch - Sketch #274

ABC Christmas Challenge - E is for...

We have a new ABC Christmas Challenge starting today...Wilma is the host, and the theme is:

'E is for Edging Punches or Dies'

We are sponsored for this challenge by Wild Rose Studio

Prize - Christmas Tree die:

I only have one edge punch...'Scalloped Diamonds' by EK Success...so that's what I used...simply combining it with a cute Penny Black stamp ('Coming your way!' - which I coloured using watercolour pencils, and some brightly coloured card. I added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen, a Lili of the Valley sentiment and some adhesive pearls.

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

• Christmas Cards All Year Round - Cute Critters
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - Dies/Punches
• Holly Jolly Christmas - Punches & Dies
• Jingle Belles - Vibrant Colours
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

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

Through The Craft Room Door Challenge - Guest Designer

A few weeks ago I was picked as the lucky winner of a challenge over at the Through the Craft Room Door Challenge, and as part of my prize was asked to join them as a guest designer for one of their challenges...so today I'm doing just that. All of their challenges are:

'Anything Goes'

(so no excuse not to join in!)

They are sponsored this week by Pickled Potpourri Designs

I was sent some images from Pickled Potpourri to use...and picked 'Grand Botanical' for my card, printing the images in a couple of different sizes and colouring them using watercolour pencils. I fussy cut the images out, and mounted them on to my card using 3D foam pads. For the background, I embossed plain white card using my Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' and 'Perfect Paisley' folders...edging it using co-ordinating yellow & green card. For th scalloped edging I used my EK Success 'Scalloped Diamonds' punch, the sentiment is a Hero Arts stamp, and the yellow gems are from a My Mind's Eye 'Wild Asparagus' pack.

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

• Creative Knockouts - Spots & Dots
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Add a Little Texture
• Sweet Stampin' - Spring Flowers

For more inspiration from the lovely design team, please pop over to the Through the Craft Room Door Challenge.

Pile It On! Challenge - Sketch

We have a new Pile It On! Challenge starting today...and this week we have a sketch for you to work with:

Our sponsor for this challenge is All Dressed Up:

Prize - 2 Digital Images of the winner's choice!

I've used an old favourite stamp of mine, called 'Blooming Meadows' by Hero Arts...I pained Distress Inks directly on to the stamp, then spritzed it with water before stamping...one of my favourite techniques to use with flower stamps. For the background, I embossed plain white card using my Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' and Craft Concepts 'Blooming Season' embossing folders...I inked the edges a little using 'Old Paper' Distress Ink, and then distressed them a little using my distressing tool. The sentiment stamp is also Hero Arts (from the 'Sentiments' set), I used my EK Success 'Scalloped Diamonds' punch for the edging, and the adhesive pearls are from Hobbycraft. 

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Sketch
• Addicted to Stamps - Embossing
• Bunny Zoe's - For the Girls
• Crafting for All Seasons - Dies/Punches
• Crafty Catz - For a Special Lady
• Crazy - For Mum
• Creative Moments - Anything Goes
• Cute Card Thursday - Floral Delight
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Add a Little Texture
• Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - Spring Flowers
• Top Tip Tuesday - Rubber Stamps Only

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

ABC Christmas Challenge - R is for...

We have a new ABC Christmas Challenge starting today, and the theme is:

'R is for Red Poinsettias'

Our sponsor for this challenge is Meljen's Designs:

Prize - 4 images of the winner's choice!

I found a poinsettia border stamp in a set by Hobbycraft called 'Falalalala', which I stamped a couple of times either side of a Penny Black sentiment, then simply coloured the images using watercolour pencils, then added a red border cut using my EK Success 'Scalloped Diamonds' border punch.

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

• Allsorts - Early Christmas Makes
• Aud Sentiments - Anything, but Birthday
• Christmas Cards - Anything Goes
• Completely Christmas - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Extra - Anything Christmas
• Daring Cardmakers - Clean & Simple

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

Nellie the Elephant...

It was my birthday at the weekend...and I was lucky to receive a few new crafty goodies to play with...and I've used one of my new stamps on today's card...it's a Rachelle Anne Miller stamp called 'Sorry I forgot' (by Crafter's Companion). I coloured the image using watercolour pencils to match the 'Blue Floral' papers (by My Mind's Eye). I distressed the edges of everything a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The flowers are a mixture of Prima, Wild Orchid Crafts, Poppicrafts and Papermaina, and are held in place using BasicGrey brads. I used my E K Success 'Scalloped Diamonds' punch for the border, and the sentiment stamp is from the 'Wonderful' set by Penny Black.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafter's Cafe - Lots of Layers
• Crafty Creations - Flower Power
• Crafty Girls - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Delightful - Anything Goes
• Hiding in my Craft Room - Blogiversary #4 Freestyle
• Love to Create - Inspired by a Song/Movie/Book (Song - 'Nellie the Elephant')
• Penny's Paper Crafting - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Scratched Up
• Squirrel & the Fox - Anything Goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Crafty Little Fairies Challenge - Cute & Cuddly

We have a brand new Crafty Little Fairies Challenge starting today...with a nice & easy theme of:

'Cute & Cuddly'

As usual we have some wonderful sponsors:

Ribbon Girl

Handy Hippo

Marianne Desgins

Hobbycutz

Crafty Ribbons

I picked a cute & cuddly Penny Black bear stamp called 'Fly with me'...which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The papers are from the 'Blue Floral' pad by My Mind's Eye...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 'Cupcakes' set by Hero Arts, the brads are BasicGrey, and I used my E K Success 'Scalloped Dimaonds' punch for the border along the bottom.

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

• Corrosive - Birthdays
• Crafting for All Seasons - Feature a Creature
• Crafty Sentiments - Add a Sentiment
• Cutie Pie - Teddy Bear Picnic
• Loves Rubber Stamps - Anything Goes (Twist - Stripes)
• Penny Black & More @ Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Shopping Our Stash - Splish Splash (Watercolour pencils)
• Sketch Saturday - Sketch #321
• Squirrel & the Fox - Inspired by a Movie or Song ('Let's go fly a kite!' from Mary Poppins)
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the Crafty Little Fairies Challenge.

ABC Christmas Challenge - O is for...

We have a new ABC Christmas Challenge starting today...Annette is the host, and the theme is:

'O is for Obscured'

Think hidden messages, secret compartments or masking

Our sponsor for this challenge is:

Bugaboo Stamps

Prize - 7 Digital Stamps!

I 'obscured' part of a tree stamp using the masking technique...I stamped 'Snowy' (by Penny Black) first...then masked him off before stamping the Hero Arts tree over the top, so that it would look like Snowy was standing in front of it. I coloured the image using watercolour pencils, then added some sparkle using Stickles. The papers are from the 'Wonderful Winter' pad (by My Mind's Eye)...I doodle the borders using a black gel pen. I cut the snowflake from glitter card using my Cuttlebug 'Ice Crystal' die, and added a gemstone brad (from Craft Obsessions) to it's centre. The scalloped border was cut using my EK Success 'Scalloped Diamonds' punch.

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

• Clear It Out - Christmas in July & Glittery, Sparkly Things
• Corrosive - Christmas in July
• C.R.A.F.T. - Christmas
• Craft Your Passion - Christmas in July
• Crafty Sentiments - Hand Coloured Image
• Hiding in my Craft Room - Christmas in July
• Penny Black & More @ Allsorts - Dies & Punches
• Sparkles Monthly - Christmas in July
• Stamping Boutique - Christmas in July

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

Celebration Chicken!

It's my Dad's birthday in a couple of weeks' time, so I thought I'd make his birthday card while I'm visiting my parents so that I could leave it here. He has a bit of a thing about chickens...so I inked up my much neglected 'Celebration Chicken' stamp (by Whipper Snapper) to go on his card...which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The papers are a mixture of Studio Calico 'Here & There' and Crate Paper 'Party Day'...I inked around the edges using 'Brushed Corduroy' Distress Ink, before adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. I used my EK Success 'Scalloped Diamonds' punch for the edge of the border, the star was cut using one of my Nesties, and the sentiment stamp is from the 'Anytime Messages' set by Hero Arts.

Challenges for this card:

• Animal Friends - Birthday
• Corrosive - Anything Goes
• Hiding in my Craft Room - Boys
• Love to Create - Cute with Punches & Dies
• Paper Crafting Journey - For that Special Man
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday
• Simply Create Too - Father's Day/For a Man 
• Sketch Saturday - Sketch #311
• Wags 'N Whiskers - For the Boys

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.

Favourite Five Cards of 2013

Happy New Year! 

I hope that 2014 treats you all well! :0)

I thought I'd start this year by playing along with the lovely Debby, and show you my favourite five cards of last year:

Most of them seem to be CAS in style...I made plenty of non-CAS cards too...but it was the CAS ones that leapt out at me as I went through last year's cards. As with my Favourite Christmas Cards, I've linked all of the photos to the original blog posts so that you can click through for all the info should you want.

The first one uses one of my favourite Penny Black stamps ('Bunny Friends')...I cut them out of their flower pots on this one...I love that this stamp is so versatile!

I had lots of fun making the second of my choices...I don't like ice cream, but this card still appeals to me!

The next card was also a bit of an experiment...and I love how it turned out!

My final CAS card is similar to one of my favourite Christmas cards...love the watercolour effect background...it's a Christmas stamp ('Snow Dust') but I masked off the snow before stamping.

And I had to include a non-CAS cute card somewhere in the mix...this one is quite recent (from last week in fact!)...but I just love this cute chappie...and the bright colours.

I'm sneaking in a cheeky sixth creation...I think that this nappy cake that I made for a friend is my favourite thing I've made this year...it was a labour of love, but it was worth it as my friend loved it so much that she didn't dismantle it for a couple of months after her daughter was born!