New Stash!

I got some lovely new stash for my birthday on Tuesday...and usually new papers and embellies are just for looking at...but, I managed to bring myself to actually use some of it yesterday...a new record for me! lol
The adorable House Mouse stamp was a gift from my ABC Christmas DT buddy Lols...thank you...I love it! And I also used some of the new paper I got from my parents (it's from the 'Wild Asparagus' collection by My Mind's Eye). I followed the sketch from Sketch Saturday, which I rotated to fit my image better. I inked and distressed the edges of everything and added a sentiment from the 'Sending Sunshine' set by Simon Says Stamp.

I'm also going to enter this card into a few other challenges:

• Everybody Art - 'Check It Out'
• Stamptacular Sunday - 'Snips and Snails, and Puppy Dog Tails'
• Your Next Stamp - 'Birthdays'

Ducklings on Parade

Unsurprisingly there are quite a few 'Easter' themed challenges around this week...now I don't send many Easter cards and I've already made a couple...so I've combined them on this card: Everybody Art; Our Creative Corner; Stampin' for the Weekend; and Stamp with Fun. I followed the sketch from Create4Fun, as it was just perfect for the shape of my 'Hedgie & Ducklings' image (by Penny Black)...and because of the little ducklings, I'm also entering this card into the Daring Cardmakers' 'Tweetie Pie' challenge. The papers are all BasicGrey, from the 'Porcelain' and 'Sugared' pads, and the sentiment stamp is by Hero Arts.

Ruffles

I received this adorable Helz Cuppleditch stamp ('Ruffles A Present for You' by Stampavie) in the post yesterday...as part of my Christmas present from Wendy (aka The Secret Crafter)...and I couldn't resist getting him inky straight away. I followed the sketch from the Allsorts Challenge...just getting my card done in time...and obviously, I went with the 'New' option...which is also what Cute Card Thursday are asking for this week. I coloured him using the My Time to Craft Challenge colour combo of 'Blue & Brown', which is one of my favourites...so I'm also entering this card for the Everybody Art Challenge which asks us to use our 'Favourite Colour Combination'. The papers are by Prima Marketing, the sentiment stamp is by Hero Arts (from the 'Anytime Messages' set), and I embossed the light blue paper using my Cuttlebug 'Spots & Dots' folder.


Right, I'm off to see if I have to go to school today...and if so what time...they're supposed to announce it on the school's website at 7am...

Ice Skating Henry

Well, after a busy weekend, trying to get my DT stuff for the next couple of weeks sorted out, and putting the finishing touches to my Nan's 90th Birthday presents and wrapping...as it's her birthday this Sunday, and I'm heading home for the weekend for the party...so no crafting for me...I have managed to squeeze in another card that fits the themes of a few challenges.
I used my new 'Ice Skating Henry Mouse' image (kindly sent to me by my lovely friend Samantha)...which is perfect for the 'New or Neglected' challenge of the Creative Inspirations Challenge. I followed the sketch from Inspirational Card Sketches and used the colour combination of 'Blue, Silver & White' of Colour Create. The Everybody Art Challenge wanted to see 'Distressing', so I used my distressing tool and inks to distress the edges of the papers, and the Cupcake Craft Challenge has the theme of 'Snow Much Fun' this week...so I used my Cuttlebug 'Snowflakes' folder, and 'Ice Crystal' and 'Snowflakes' dies to cut out a few snowflakes.

Christmas Bunnies

I told you that you'd be seeing this Lili of the Valley stamp again soon...it's just so adorable! I followed the Sketch Saturday Challenge sketch, but had to rotate it to fit it the image. I'm also entering this card for the Stampavie & More 'Christmas' challenge, and the Everybody Art 'Shapes/Punches' challenge. The papers are 'Figgy Pudding' by BasicGrey, the sentiment stamp is by Three Bugs in a Rug, the ribbon is from Poppicrafts, and the snowflakes were cut using a Cuttlebug die.

Snow Ride

I cracked on with my Christmas cards at the weekend...inspired by some fab sketch challenges...this one uses the sketch from the Everybody Art Challenge...nice and simple for a quick card. The image is from the 'Holly-Jolly' set by Penny Black...and it looks like the hedgie is making light work of dragging that snowman up hill! lol The papers are by BasicGrey ('Figgy Pudding'), and the sentiment stamp is also by Penny Black.

Shabby Dandelion

I haven't joined in with the Just Christmas & Birthday Cards Challenge for a while...but I fell for their sketch this week, so I just had to have a play. I've made a lot of Christmas cards lately...and there are a lot of birthdays coming up next month, so I've used it to make a birthday card this time. The image is from the 'Daisy & Dandelion Birthday' set...I think it's Dandelion, but it doesn't say on the packaging. I used my favourite papers...'29th Street Market' by My Mind's Eye...apologies to my regular visitors...I know I use them a lot...but this time I have an excuse...the Stamp Something Challenge is asking us to use our favourite colours or papers this week...so I just had to! I've also gone a bit 'Shabby'...roughing up the edges with some ink and my distressing tool...so I'm also entering this card for this week's Everybody Art Challenge. I made the 'lollipop' flowers using my Nesties, added some faux-stitching around the edges of the papers, and the sentiment is a Hero Arts stamp.

Rainin' Daisies

The Everbody Art Challenge is celebrating it's first anniversary this week with a fabulous sketch. I've used it to make a 'Friendship' card to send to my swap partner over on the Docrafts forum...which also fits the themes for a couple of other challenges: the 'Friendship' challenge of Creative Inspirations; the 'Animal Somethings' of the Stamp Something Challenge; and the 'Cute & Cuddly' theme of the One Stop Craft Challenge. The image is 'Rainin' Daisies' (by Penny Black), which I've watercoloured to match these yummy '29th Street Market' papers by My Mind's Eye. The sentiment stamp is by Whiff of Joy, the flowers are from Poppicrafts, the pearl brads are by Papermania, and the ribbon, card candy, and adhesive glass squares are from my stash.

Celebration Chicken!

After a couple of days of no crafting...I just had to get my fingers inky...and have made a quick card. I followed Carol's Sketch Fun sketch for the layout, flipping it, as it suited my image better this way around. I used 'Celebration Chicken' (by Whipper Snapper) as my image...colouring him to match the Fancy Pants Designs papers ('True'). I added some buttons in place of the scalloped border, and the sentiment is from the 'Cupcakes' set by Hero Arts. I'm also entering this card for a few other challenges: Stamp Something's 'Winged Things' challenge; Everybody Art Challenge's 'Spots & Stripes' challenge; and the Pink Elephant's 'Animals' challenge.

Summer Blossom

With all of the glorious weather we've been having lately, it's not surprising that a lot of the challenges are celebrating 'Summer' at the moment, so once again I'm combining quite a few on this card: Cupcake Craft, A Spoon Full of Sugar and Everybody Art with their 'Summer/Summertime' themes; the fab sketch (by my lovely friend Cathy) of the Dutch Dare Challenge; and the 'Favourite Colour Combo' challenge of the Pink Elephant.
I've interpreted the 'Summer' theme by using bright summery colours and flowers. My image is the lovely Annie ('Blossom' by Leanne Ellis for Sugar Nellie), coloured with watercoloured pencils to match the gorgeous K&Co papers ('Amy Butler' and 'Classic K - Margo'). The flowers are a mixture of Poppicrafts and Hobbycraft, the sentiment was cut using the 'Olivia' alphabet, and the ribbon is also from Poppicrafts.

This card is going to my partner for this month's friendship swap on the Docrafts forum, where there was no theme, but I thought that a bright summery card was in order this month!

Buddy's Birthday Challenge

The lovely Buddy has hijacked his Mum Kath's blog to set us a Birthday Challenge...to make him a Birthday card to help him celebrate his 3rd Birthday (21st in doggy years) on Tuesday...how could I resist those big brown eyes?!

I picked out a Penny Black stamped image ('Circus Act')...which is just perfect for a doggy birthday...watercoloured it, then carefully cut it out (nearly cut off an ear! lol). I decided to use a triangle card blank (from Lakeland) that I've had for ages, but never got around to using, and covered the panels with paper by Prima Marketing. I cut a smaller triangle of the same paper, and stamped some 'muddy paw prints' using a Hero Arts stamp (from the 'I love my dog' set) on the plain blue reverse side of the same paper. The tower of dogs is mounted using 3D foam, and I added a few Nestie stars in co-ordinating colours.

Here's a view of the whole card:


This is the front panel:


I added more stars to the sides, and on one side a number 3 cut using the Cuttlebug 'Olivia' alphabet:


And on the other, I've personalised it with Buddy's name (also cut using the 'Olivia' alphabet):



I'm also entering this card for the Dutch Dare 'Triangle Card' challenge, and the Everybody Art Challenge to make 'A Card for a Male'.

Hope you don't get in too much trouble for this Buddy...and enjoy your birthday on Tuesday!

Happy Bee-Day!

I'm combining four challenges on this card: the fab Sketch Saturday sketch; the Penny Black Saturday Challenge theme of 'Embossing'; Allsorts Challenge's 'Wings' theme; and the Everybody Art Challenge to make a 'Birthday Card'. The image is 'Bee Costume' by Penny Black...coloured with watercolour pencils, then I added 'Kaleidoscope' embossing powder to all of the wings. The patterned paper (just seen behind the image) is from the 'Pocket Full of Posies' stack by DCWV, and the sentiment stamp is by Stampendous. I embossed the yellow background card with the Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' folder, and added a few brads from Poppicrafts.

It's all about Friendship...

There was a bit of a twist to this month's friendship swap on the Docrafts forum...Carol had made a sketch for us to follow, with the added challenge of using at least two of the colours on the sketch, on our cards. Now, as you all know, I love a good sketch...and this one is fab...thanks Carol! I used shades of blue and green...slightly softer than the ones on the sketch!...with papers by BasicGrey (from the 'Two Scoops' pad). My image is 'Rainin' Daisies' by Penny Black, the sentiment and swirl stamps are by Whiff of Joy, the flowers are from Poppicrafts, and the pearls are from my stash. I'm also entering this card for a couple of challenges: the Everybody Art Challenge (where the theme is 'Friends & Family'); and the Whiff of Joy Challenge (where the theme this week is 'Friendship')...although the main image is by Penny Black, I did use Whiff of Joy sentiment and swirl stamps...I hope that counts.

Happy Birthday Pauline!

My lovely blogging buddy Pauline is celebrating her birthday today...so of course I've made her a card. I followed the sketch from the Stampavie & More Challenge...when did they change the name and let us use any stamps??? I've used a Penny Black stamp ('Gifts for you!') as it was through our shared love of PBs that I first met Pauline, on the DoCrafts forum. I decoupaged the flower head...you may be able to see it better if you click the photo for a larger view. I used BasicGrey papers ('Blush') in shades of pink and green, as it's one of her favourite colour combos, embossing the pink one with my 'Spots & Dots' folder. The flowers are from Poppicrafts, the pearl brads are Papermania, the sentiment is by Stampendous, and I used a couple of pieces of Craftwork Cards 'card candy'. I'm also entering this card for the Everybody Art Challenge, where the theme is 'Animals', and the Secret Crafter Challenge which has the theme of 'Flowers' this week.


Hope you're having a fabulous birthday Pauline!

Penny Black Production Line...

I have a fab group of crafting buddies, united by our love of Penny Black stamps, and for Easter I've made them each a little card...of course featuring a Penny Black stamp! As there were 15 to make, I kept them quite simple...using the same layout and colour scheme for each. As there are several challenges with an Easter theme at the moment, I'm going to enter these for: the Penny Black Saturday Challenge; the Creative Card Crew Challenge; the Stamp Something Challenge; the Our Creative Corner Challenge; and the Everybody Art Challenge.


I used the largest scalloped circle Nestie to make the card blank (using thinner card than normal, as it needed to cut through two layers at once), the next layer was embossed with the Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' folder, then topped with the image matted on to another scalloped circle. I've used three different pastel colours of card, in various different combinations, for a little variation.
I don't have any specific Easter stamps, but have a couple of Penny Blacks with bunnies and chickens on, so have used those. Here are a couple of close ups of the two different images:

This image is a section of the 'Bunny Friends' stamp (I masked off three of the bunnies before stamping, as there just wasn't room for them on the card! lol

This image is called 'Totally Excited'...I love the look on the chicken's face!

Hopefully, I've not spoiled the surprise...and that you've received your cards today...but you never know with Royal Mail! lol