Pile It On! Challenge - Beverages and/or Food

I'm back with some more inspiration for this month's Pile It On! Challenge where the themes are:

'Beverages'
and/or
'Food'

Our sponsor for this challenge is Bugaboo Stamps:

Prize - 4 Digi Stamps of the Winner's Choice!

I went with the 'Food' option this time, making a birthday card featuring a House Mouse stamp called 'Birthday Cupcake' which I coloured using watercolour pencils. I added some little adhesive pearl 'sprinkles' to the frosting, and a Hero Arts sentiment (from the 'Anytime Messages' set). The papers are snippets from the 'Tea House' pad by Dovecraft...I distressed all of the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Beverages and/or Food
• Allsorts - Happy Birthday
• Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Pastel Colours
• Everybody Art - Lace or Pearls
• House Mouse & Friends - Anything Goes
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Penny Black & More - Feminine or Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Stitches

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

House Mouse Hurray!

I was the lucky winner of a House Mouse stamp set on a blog hop for the House Mouse & Friends Challenge a few weeks ago...so when my prize arrived at the weekend (thanks Lols!), I couldn't resist inking it up right away. I picked this wee mouse to use first...just look how much fun he's having with those ribbons! I stamped on to kraft card, added a sentiment from the same stamp set, then coloured the image using watercolour pencils...but didn't add any water. I picked some papers from the 'Let's Celebrate' pad from Poundland to go with it...and added some faux stitching to everything using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

Challenges for this card:

• House Mouse & Friends - Anything Goes (Optional Stripes and/or Dots)
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
• Use Your Stuff - Stitching

Cake Nibbler

Today's card features a cute Happy Hopper image called 'Cake Nibbler'...so cute! I coloured him using watercolour pencils, then cut him out using one of my circle Nesties. I added a few strips of candle covered washi tape (from a set from Poundland) to my card blank, a sentiment (from the 'Doodled Flowers' set by Happy Little Stampers), then popped the image on top using 3D foam pads.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Daring Cardmakers - So Many Candles
• House Mouse & Friends - Anything Goes
• Little Red Wagon - Hello Sweetie!
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Pile It On! Challenge - Shaped Cards and/or Add a Charm

It's the third Sunday of the month, so that means it's time for some more inspiration, and an additional theme for this month's Pile It On! Challenge:

'Shaped Cards'
and/or
'Add a Charm'

Our sponsor this month is Crafty Sentiments

Prize - 3 Digis of the winner's choice!

I made a cute little circle card this time, cut using the largest of my scalloped circle Nestie dies...making sure to leave one of the edges outside of the die so it would hold together. I cut a smaller circle from a piece of green card, distressed the edge, added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen, then embossed it using a folder by Couture Creations called 'Jolly Christmas'. The pup is from the 'Wintertime Cheer' set by Penny Black...I coloured him using watercolour pencils, then carefully cut him out, adding him to my card using 3D foam pads. The sentiment stamp is from a House Mouse set called 'Sleepy Stocking'.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Shaped Cards and/or Add a Charm
• 52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Pick a 2017 Challenge (I picked Embossed Impression from August 2017)
• Aud Sentiments - Anything Goes and a Sentiment
• Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - Anything Christmas Goes
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Celebrate
• Fab 'N' Funky - Cute Christmas
• Fussy & Fancy - Christmas or New Year
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes
• Little Miss Muffet - Anything Goes
• Penny Black & More - Traditional Christmas Colours
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Warm Winter Wishes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Christmas
• Sweet Stampers - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - Anything Christmas

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

House Mouse & Friends Challenge - Guest Designer

I'm back with my final guest designer card for the House Mouse & Friends Challenge today.

The fortnightly challenges are always 'Anything Goes'...but if you want more of a challenge, there's an optional theme, which this time is:

'Back to School'

I've still got a few weeks left of term before we break up for the summer holiday, so I couldn't quite bring myself to make something for the 'Back to School' theme...so I went with the 'Anything Goes' option, and made a Christmas card...those I can face at any time of year! I used an image from the 'Sleepy Stocking' set of House Mouse stamps by Joanna Sheen...this was a lucky charity shop find. I coloured it using watercolour pencils in traditional Christmassy colours to match the papers...which came free with a craft magazine a couple of years ago. I distressed all of the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

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

• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Goes
• Crimbo Crackers - Anything Goes
• Rudolph Days - Anything Christmas
• Winter Wonderland - Square Cards

For more inspiration from the awesome design team, please pop over to the House Mouse & Friends Challenge.

House Mouse & Friends Challenge - Guest Designer

I'm back with another guest designer card for the House Mouse & Friends Challenge today.

The fortnightly challenges are always 'Anything Goes'...but if you want more of a challenge, there's an optional theme, which this time is:

'Birthdays'

I used an image called 'Balloon Trio', which I coloured using watercolour pencils. I paired it with papers from the 'My Girl' pad by American Crafts. I added a sentiment (from the 'Anytime Messages' set by Hero Arts), and some simple doodling using a black gel pen.

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

• Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Creative Knockouts - Anything Goes
• Heartful Stamping - Anything Goes
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes

For more inspiration from the awesome design team, please pop over to the House Mouse & Friends Challenge.

ABC Christmas Challenge - L & M are for?

It's the first Wednesday of the month, so that means that we have a fun new ABC Christmas Challenge starting today! I'm the host, and we have two themes:

'L is for Love'

&

'M is for Mice'

Our sponsor this month is Wild Rose Studio:

One lucky entrant will win a Festive Florals 6x6 Paper Pad and a Teddy Baubles Clear Stamp!

There's also a little prize from me too...a Lili of the Valley Christmas stamp:

I made a card for each of the two themes...although both cards feature mice. They're from a set of House Mouse stamps by Joanna Sheen called 'Feathered Hugs' that I picked up in a charity shop recently. On my 'L is for Love' card I used the image called 'Hugging Bird', which I coloured using watercolour pencils. I paired it with papers from a My Mind's Eye pad called 'Floral - Blue'...not Christmassy, but the colours matched! I distressed all of the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from a set by Lili of the Valley.

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

• Creatalicious - Anything Goes
• Heartful Stamping - Anything Goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

On my 'M is for Mice' card, I used an image called 'Swiss Ribbon', which I again coloured using watercolour pencils. This time I used papers from 'The Candy Cane' flowers and paper pad by Craftwork Cards (another charity shop find!), adding distressing and faux stitching as on the first card. The sentiment stamp I used on this one is from a set by Pollycraft for C. C. Designs.

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

• Christmas with the Cuties - Festive Furry Friends
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - Presents

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

House Mouse & Friends Challenge - Guest Designer

I'm back with another guest designer card for the House Mouse & Friends Challenge today.

The fortnightly challenges are always 'Anything Goes'...but if you want more of a challenge, there's an optional theme, which this time is:

'Use Dies'

I recently picked up a couple of Joanna Sheen House Mouse stamps sets in a charity shop...they were new and hadn't even been trimmed and mounted on to foam - what a lucky find! I've used one of the stamps from the 'Birthdays - Cake' set on this card...a little Googling, revealed that this stamp individually is called 'Eat Your Cake & Nap Too'! I coloured it using watercoour pencils, then added a sentiment from the 'Big Messages' set by Paula Pascual. The papers are from the 'Happy Day' pad by My Mind's Eye...I used one of my Lawn Fawn 'Stitched Hillside' border dies to cut the curve in the larger pieces, and a little triangle die (from a  'Speech Bubbles' die set by Craft Asylum/Sizzix) to make the bunting. I distressed all of the edges, the added faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

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

• Creative Knockouts - Furry Friends
• Gem of a Challenge - Three of Something (Three flags in the bunting)
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets (I used some really teeny snippets for the bunting)
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes (Optional Patterned Paper)

For more inspiration from the awesome design team, please pop over to the House Mouse & Friends Challenge.

Guest Designer - House Mouse & Friends Challenge

I'm back with another guest designer card for the House Mouse & Friends Challenge today.

The fortnightly challenges are always 'Anything Goes'...but if you want more of a challenge, there's an optional theme, which this time is:

'Flower Power'

I used 'Bird Watching', which I coloured using watercolour pencils. I paired it with papers from the 'Isabelle' pad by First Edition. I distressed the edges a little, matted all of the layers on to some pink card, then added a sentiment (from the 'Big Messages' set by Paula Pascual).

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

• Crafty Animals - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - Anything Goes
• Cute Card Thursday - Flowers
• Fab 'N' Funky - Garden/Outdoors
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Stamping Sensations - Close to Nature

For more inspiration from the awesome DT, please pop over to the House Mouse & Friends Challenge.

House Mouse & Friends Challenge - Guest Designer

I'm back with another guest designer card for the House Mouse & Friends Challenge today.

The fortnightly challenges are always 'Anything Goes'...but if you want more of a challenge, there's an optional theme, which this time is:

'Be Square!'

I picked a sweet little Christmas stamp called 'Mistletoe Moment', which I coloured using watercolour pencils, and made a square card...trimming the image int a square, and using square snippets of papers (from the 'Christmas Cheer' pad by Lily Bee Designs) for the background. I distressed all of the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. 

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

• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Goes
• Crimbo Crackers - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Rudolph Days - Anything Christmas
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

For more inspiration from the awesome design team, please pop over to the House Mouse & Friends Challenge.

House Mouse & Friends Challenge - Guest Designer

I'm back with another guest designer card for the House Mouse & Friends Challenge today.

The fortnightly challenges are always 'Anything Goes'...but if you want more of a challenge, there's an optional theme, which this time is:

'Let's Eat!'

I found a couple of 'foodie' stamps in my House Mouse collection...'Birthday Cupcake' & 'Cake Nibbler', and I decided to use them both to make a card and gift tag for my Mum's birthday.

For the card, I used the large 'Birthday Cupcake' image...colouring it using watercolour pencils, thn adding a generous coating of Stickles to the cupcake frosting. I paired it with papers from the 'Happy Day' pad by My Mind's Eye...adding a sentiment (from the 'Cupcakes' set by Hero Arts) and doodling some simple borders using a black gel pen.

For the gift tag, I stamped 'Cake Nibbler' on to a small kraft tag, then coloured him using watercolour pencils...although I didn't use any water this time. I added the same sentiment as on the card, then attached to tag to my gift using some multicoloured twine (from TK Maxx).

Challenges for these items:

• Crafty Sentiments - Only for Girls
• Creative Knockouts - Lots of Layers (Just the card)
• Daring Cardmakers - Animal Antics
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes (Optional Vibrant Colours)

Oh...and I also made her a birthday cake...salted caramel...yummy!

For more inspiration from the awesome design team, please pop over to the House Mouse & Friends Challenge.

House Mouse & Friends Challenge - Guest Designer

I was the lucky winner of a House Mouse & Friends Challenge last month, and as well as a super cute Happy Hopper stamp, part of my prize was a guest designer stint with the challenge!

The fortnightly challenges are always 'Anything Goes'...but if you want more of a challenge, there's an optional theme, which this time is:

'Multiple Images'

I couldn't resist using the Happy Hopper stamp I'd won on my card...he's called 'Great Catch'...and I coloured him using watercolour pencils. I paired him with some papers from the 'Recollections - Awesome Boy' pad by Michaels (found at TK Maxx). I distressed all of the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Big Massages' set by Paula Pascual.

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

• Creative Knockouts - Outside Fun
• Naughty or Nice - Pick An Old Challenge (I chose #5 - For the men)
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

For more inspiration from the fabulous design team, please pop over to the House Mouse & Friends Challenge.

Easter Hares

I have an Easter treat bag to share today...featuring a cute Happy Hoppers image called 'Easter Hares'. I coloured the image sing watercolour pencils and added a sentiment (by Penny Black). I used snippets of spotty papers from the 'Hippity Hoppity' pad by We R Memory Keepers to make a simple patchwork background...I need to keep some of these treat bags fairly masculine. I distressed all of the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

Challenges for this treat bag:

• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Easter
• House Mouse & Friends - Anything Goes or Bunnies
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Easter or Spring

ABC Christmas Challenge - June 2017...L & M are for?

We have another fun ABC Christmas Challenge starting today. Dorte is the host this month, and there are two themes to choose from, or combine:

'L is for Love'

and

'M is for More than One'

Our sponsor for this challenge is Wild Orchid Crafts:

Prize - £10 Gift Certificate!

There is also a mystery prize from Dorte for one lucky entrant!

For the 'L is for Love' theme, I picked a cute House Mouse image called 'Mistletoe Moment', which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The papers are from the 'Christmas Cheer' pad by Lily Bee Designs, and 'Happy Day' pad by My Mind's Eye...I distressed the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from a set by Lili of the Valley, and the adhesive pearls are from Hobbycraft.

For the 'M is for More than One' theme, I picked a Penny Black stamp called 'Carolers'...featuring 'more than one' caroling chickens! Again, I used watercolour pencils to colour the image...this time adding a sentiment from the 'Caroling Chicks' set by Stamping Bella. I also used 'more than one' paper (all from the 'Christmas Cheer' pad by Lily Bee Design), once again adding a little distressing and some faux stitching.

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

• Alphabet Challenge - F is for Feathered Friends (Second card)
• Animal Friends - Animals with Wings (Second card)
• Artistic Stamper - Winged Things (Second Card)
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Heartful Stamping - Colouring Fun & a Stamp
• House Mouse & Friends - Think Pink/Anything Goes (First card)
• Inky Chicks - Use Three Patterned Papers (Second card)
• My Time to Craft - Down on the Farm (Second card)

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

Mistletoe Moment

I have another Christmas card to share today...this one features a cute House Mouse stamp called 'Mistletoe Moment' that I found in a charity shop a few weeks ago. I was visiting my parents when I made this card, and didn't have any Christmas papers with me, so used a Sizzix holly print folder to emboss some kraft card for the background. The sentiment stamp is from a set by Lili of the Valley, and the sparkly brad is by American Crafts.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Embossing
• Christmas with the Cuties - Add some Holly
• Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Crimbo Crackers - Kraft Card
• Fab 'N' Funky - Christmas
• Gem of a Challenge - Embossing
• House Mouse & Friends - Flowers or Anything Goes
• Jingle Belles - My True Love Gave to Me
• Merry Monday - Use Kraft
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Sketch Saturday - Pick a Sketch (I used #459)