Birthday Fishes

Today's card features a trio of fishes by Hambo Stamps that I coloured using watercolour pencils, then carefully cut out. I used a piece of watercolour paper that I had had 'smooshed' with several blue Distress Inks left over from making this Christmas card for the watery background...adding a sentiment (from the 'Birthday Buddies' set by Paper Smooches) before popping the fish on using 3D foam pads.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Pile It On! Challenge - Fantasy

It's the first Sunday of the month, so that means that we have a fun new Pile It On! Challenge starting today...and the theme this month is:

'Fantasy'

Our sponsor for this challenge is Sasayaki Glitter Digital Stamps

Prize - a digi image of the winner's choice

I'm decidedly lacking in 'fantasy' images...but did find this Hambo Stamps monster in my image box...he's called 'Monster Sax'. I coloured him using watercolour pencils, then carefully cut him out. I added a couple of pieces of musical washi tape (from Freckled Fawn) on to my card blank, then used some snippets of 'Awesome Boy' papers (by Recollections/Michaels) to create a background for the monster. I distressed the edges a little, then adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Fabulous Birthday' set by Hero Arts.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Fantasy
• Craftaholics R Us - Anything Goes
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
• Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Gem of a Challenge - Birthday Cards
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• The Male Room - Anything Goes

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

Silly Birds!

Today's card was inspired by the 'Rainbow' challenge over at AAA Cards...and by this double rainbow that I could see from my craft room window:

I picked an image from Hambo Stamps called 'Silly Birds', and coloured them using watercolour pencils. I kept the layout of the card really simple...adding the image to a piece of kraft card stamped with a sentiment (from a set by Lili of the Valley), with some rainbow twine (from TKMaxx) wrapped around it, mounting the panel on to my card blank using 3D foam.

Challenges for this card:

• AAA Cards - Rainbow
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes (Party Time)
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Daring Cardmakers - String Theory
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Pile It On! Challenge - Humour/Puns

We have another fun new Pile It On! Challenge starting today and the theme is:

'Humour/Puns'

Our sponsor this month is Dr Digi's House of Stamps:

Prize - 2 Digi Stamps of the Winner's Choice!

I used a cute set of fish stamps from Hambo called 'Fish Trio'...coloured them using watercolour pencils, then carefully cut them out. I made a simple 'ocean' background from a few snippets of blue card...torn along the top to look like waves. I stamped the 'birthday' part of a Hero Arts sentiment stamp (from the 'Anytime Messages' set) along the top, then added the word 'fishes' using a black gel pen...it looks much lighter in the photo, but in real life there's no difference in colour. I popped the fishes on top using some 3D foam pads.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Humour
• Cards Galore Encore - Anything Goes
• Catch the Bug - Anything Goes
• Crafter's Cafe - CAS
• Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes
• Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
• Crafty Girls Creations - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - No Designer Paper

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

Happy Cow!

I have a quick little CAS card to share today...featuring a happy little chap from Hambo Stamps called 'Happy Cow', which I coloured using watercolour pencils, then fussy cut out. I added a couple of strips of Woodware washi tape to my card blank, a Hero Arts sentiment (from the 'Anytime Messages' set, and then my cow popped up on 3D foam pads.

Challenges for this card:

• Cardz for Guyz - No Patterned Papers
• Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - Masculine

Floating by...

Today's card is for the birthday of a friend. My starting point was wanting to feature some balloons...I'm not sure how it ended up with a floating pig! The pig is a digi stamp from Hambo...I coloured him using watercolour pencils, then fussy cut him out (removing the balloon and flowers from the image). I created the background scene using simple coloured card and my Lawn Fawn 'Stitched Hillside' border dies, and my Memory Box 'Puffy Clouds' dies. I cut the balloons using my Die-namics 'Party Balloons' dies, added some numbers cut using my Cuttlebug 'Olivia' alphabet dies, then tied them around the pig using some rainbow twine. I popped them all up using 3D foam pads, then added a little mouse (from the Penny Black 'Hello Friend' set & coloured using watercolour pencils) and a sentiment from the 'Anytime Messages' set by  Hero Arts.

Challenges for this card:

• 4 Crafty Chicks - Anything Goes
• Crafting for All Seasons - Dies/Punches
• Creative Knockouts - Outdoor Fun
• Creative Playground - Birthday
• Let's Colour Linky Party - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Simply Create Too - Be Funny
• Sunday Stamps - Rainbows/Rainbow Colours

Pile It On! Challenge - On or By the Water

We have a new Pile It On! Challenge starting today....with a theme of:

'On or By the Water'

We are sponsored for this challenge by Craftin' Desert Divas

Prize - Stamp set of winner's choice (US only)

 I went for fish...not exactly on or by the water....more on it now I come to think about it! Ha ha! The images are from Hambo Stamps (called 'Fish Trio')...I coloured them using watercolour pencils, then cut them out and mounted them on to my card blank using 3D foam pads. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Anytime Messages' set by Hero Arts...I masked of the 'W' of 'Wishing' before I inked it, then replaced it with a 'F'.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - On/By the Water
• Animal Friends - On or At the Water
• Card Mania - Anything Goes
• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Stamping Sensations - Feature a Creature
• The Sisterhood of Crafters - Birthdays
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
• Wags 'N Whiskers - Birthdays

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

Ain't nobody here but us chickens...

The image on today's card is 'Silly Birds with Hats' by Hambo Stamps...I've had it for absolutely ages, but only used it a couple of times. I coloured it using watercolour pencils to match the papers which are from the 'Farmhouse' and Paper Hearts' pads by Crate Paper. I distressed the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and  black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Critter Party' set by Penny Black and the Card Candi is from Craftwork Cards.

Challenges for this card:

• Creative Card Crew - Down on the Farm
• Cute Card Thursday - Things with Wings
• Dutch Dare - Birthday Wishes
• Hiding in my Craft Room - Masculine Birthday
• Inky Impressions - Animals
• Sketch Saturday - Sketch #271
• Sweet Stamps - Birthday
• Top Tip Tuesday - Initials (Hens & Hats!)

Pile It On! Challenge - Anything Goes

This week at Pile It On! our challenge theme is an easy peasy one:

'Anything Goes!'

That's right, make anything you like...but don't forget to pile on the challenges!

Our sponsor for this challenge is Hambo Stamps:

Prize - 5 digis from Hambo Stamps!

The image I've used is 'Bird Pants' by Hambo Stamps...which I coloured using watercolour pencils. For the background, I embossed plain blue and brown card using my Cuttlebug 'Spots & Dots' and Sizzix/BasicGrey 'Plaid' folders. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Anytime Messages' set by Hero Arts.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Anything Goes
• Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything Goes
• Chocolate, Coffee & Cards - Animals
• Crafter's Cafe - Anything Goes
• Crafts & Me - Anything Goes
• Creative Craft - Blue & Brown
• Inky Impressions - Birthdays
• Papercrafting Journey - Punches Dies
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Celebrate
• Sketch Saturday - Sketch #269
• Stamp with Fun - Celebrate

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

Bird Pants

Today I have the gift tag I've made to go with my brother's birthday card...I've used an image from Hambo Stamps called 'Bird Pants', which I coloured using watercolour pencils. I simply added some strips of washi tape (from Feckled Fawn), and a sentiment from a little Studio G set.

Challenges for this tag:

• Crafty Ribbons  - No Designer Paper
• Crafty Sentiments - Use a Sentiment
• No Matter Which - Things with Wings
• Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp - Things with Wings

Clownin' Around

I've used an image on today's card that I haven't used in absolutely ages...it's called 'Clown Gifts' by Hambo Stamps. I won a gift certificate for Freckled Fawn a little while ago...and my package of washi tape arrived this week, so I used a few different designs as a background for the clown. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Anytime Messages' set by Hero Arts.

Challenges for this card:

• Aud Sentiments - For a Guy
• Celebrate the Occasion - Clownin' Around
• Critter - Washi Tape 
• Moving Along with the Times - Inspired by a Song or Movie (Song - 'Send in the Clowns')
• Sketch Saturday - Sketch 
• Stampavie & More - For a Boy 
• That Craft Place - For a Child
• Totally Papercrafts - Get Krafty

Cheese-Cake!

I have a birthday card to show you today, using another digi image from Hambo stamps called 'Mouse Chef', which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The papers are from the 'Marjolaine' pad by BasicGrey...I ddodled the borders using a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Sending Sunshine' set by Simon Says Stamp.

 

Challenges for this card: 

• Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes
• Delightful - One for the Boys
• Sweet Stampin' - Males

 

Spring Bunnies

I have another Easter gift bag to show you today...this time I've used a digi from Hambo Stamps called 'Spring Bunnies', and papers from the 'Kioshi' pad by BasicGrey. I distressed the edges a little, then added faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and aa black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is by Hero Arts.

Challenges for this bag:

• Allsorts - Springtime
• BasicGrey - Spring is in the Air (I used 'Kioshi' papers)
• Crafty Catz - All Stitched Up (My stitching is faux)
• Cute Card Thursday - Spring Fever
• Fab 'n' Funky - Cute & Cuddly
• One Stop Craft - Spring
• Papercrafting Journey - Anything but a Card
• Penny's Paper Crafting - Stitching
• Squirrel & the Fox - Autumn or Spring (Spring!) 
• Sweet Sketch Wednesday - Sketch 

 

Pile It On! Challenge - St. Patrick's Day and/or Shades of Green

This week's Pile It On! Challenge theme is:

'St. Patrick's Day and/or Shades of Green'

Our sponsor for this challenge is:

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

I've used a digi image from Hambo Stamps on my card...he's called 'Monster Sax'...coloured using watercolour pencils. The papers are all BasicGrey...from the 'Marjolaine' and 'Boxer' pads. I distressed all of the edges using 'Pumice Stone' Distress Ink, and my distressing tool...then added faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The stars were cut using my Nesties, and the sentiment stamp is by Studio G.

Here are the challenges I've Piled On:

• Pile It On! - Shades of Green/St Patrick's Day
• Birthday Sundaes - Green Birthday
• C.R.A.F.T. - Inspired by a Song ('Monster' by Automatic)
• Crafty Calendar - Spring Clean (I've had some of these papers for years! lol)
• Digi Stamps 4 Joy - Mainly Green
• Do You Stack Up? - Go Green
• Inky Impressions - Use Green
• Just Some Lines - Spring Clean (I've had this image, and both paper pads for well over a year)
• Love to Create - Monochrome
• Phindy's Place - Green
• Prairie Fairy - Distress It
• Raise the Bar - Go Green
• Sweet Stampin' - Layers
• Totally Papercrafts - My Favourite Things (Distressing, Embossing, BG papers, Nesties)  

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

Pile It On! Challenge - Just Because

This week at the Pile It On! Challenge, we're asking you to make a card:

'Just Because'

Our sponsor for this challenge is Stamp n Doodle:

The prize for the lucky winner is two Stamp n Doodle images of their choice!

Now, my card's a little bit silly...I found this Hambo 'Floating Pig' image in my box...I printed it out absolutely ages ago...and I thought he'd make someone smile...so I coloured him using watercolour pencils to match the bright and cheerful 'Hippity Hoppity' papers by We R Memory Keepers. I distressed all of the edges, matted the papers on to kraft card, then added faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen. The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts, the brads are BasicGrey, and the buttons (threaded with twine from the Ribbon Girls) are from my stash. I coated the piggy's balloon with some Glossy Accents, then added a sentiment done on computer...I couldn't resist! lol

Here are the challenges I've Piled On!:

• Pile It On! - Just Because
• CES - Check it out!
• Craft Your Days Away - Distressing
• Crazy4Challenges - Layer it on!
• Critter - 3 Embellishments (can't tell from the DT cards if this is three in total, or three different kinds...I went with flowers, brads & buttons...sorry if I've got it wrong!)
• Digi Doodles - Anything Goes
• For Fun - Farm Animals
• My Time to Craft - Favourite Embellishment (Flowers)
• One Stop Craft - Stitching
• Papertake Weekly - Happy Highlights (Glossy Accents on the balloon)
• Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - Animals

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

2012 Calendar

*Sorry...this post is rather picture heavy!*

It's become a kind of tradition, that every year I decorate some of the Papermill Shop's blank calendars to give as Christmas presents...this year, I made three...this is the one I gave to my Mum.

I kept each page very simple, mounting each one on to kraft card (cut to 6x4 so they can be recycled into cards once the calendar is finished), distressing the edges and adding faux stitching to unite all the different makes of papers, and brands of stamps used. I'll try to list the 'ingredients' under each month.

Image: 'Cat on the Moon' (Penny Black)

Papers: 'Papa' (Fancy Pants)

Tools: 'Lacey Scalloped Circles'; 'Stars' Nestabilities

Image: 'Bunnies - In Love' (Lili of the Valley)

Papers: 'Adore' (My Mind's Eye)

Tools: 'Concentric Hearts' die (Cuttlebug)

Image: 'Pinky Joy' (Penny Black)

Papers: 'Hello Luscious' (BasicGrey)

Tools: 'Circle' Nestabilites 

Flowers: Wild Orchid Crafts

Brads: BasicGrey

Image: 'Spring Bunnies' (Hambo Digi Staamps)

Papers & Die Cut: 'Hippity Hoppity' (We R Memory Keepers)

Tools: 'Circle' Nestabilities; 'Wild Honey' Distress Ink

Image: from the 'Hugs' set (Penny Black)

Papers: 'Penny Lane' (My Mind's Eye)

Tools: 'Circles' Nestabilities

Flowers: Wild Orchid Crafts

Brad: BasicGrey

Image: 'In the Shed' (Lili of the Valley)

Papers & Die Cut: '72 & Sunny' (We R Memory Keepers)

Image: 'Good Game' (Penny Black)

Papers & Die Cut: '72 & Sunny' (We R Memory Keepers)

Ribbon: Hobbycraft

Image: 'Toot the Flute' (Penny Black)

Background Stamp: 'Music' (Hero Arts)

Paper: 'Wild Asparagus' (My Mind's Eye)

Tools: 'Old Paper' & 'Brushed Corduroy' Distress Inks

Image: 'Clive Cockran' (Toodles & Binks)

Papers & Die Cuts: '72 & Sunny' (We R Memory Keepers)

Tools: 'Circles' Nestabilities

Image: from the 'Be Very Scared' set (Penny Black)

Tools: Spider's Web folder (Tim Holtz); Sweets folder (Cuttlebug); 'Lacey Circles' Nestabilities

Image: 'Circus Act' (Whipper Snapper)

Papers: 'True' (Fancy Pants)

Tools: 'Stars' Nestabilities

Image: 'Welcome Party' (Penny Black)

Papers: 'Countdown to Christmas' (My Mind's Eye)

Tools: Tree Die (Marianne Designs)

See...I warned you there was a lot of photos! Don't worry...I'm not going to show you the other two...they're not the smae as this one...different images, and papers...but very similar.

Challenges for this calendar:

• Die Cut Dreams - Calendar
• Dutch Dare - My Favourite Things (Penny Black stamps, My Mind's Eye, BasicGrey & We R Memory Keepers papers, Nesties, distressing, faux stitching, embossing...just about everything! lol)