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.

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.

Mmmm...Cupcakes!

I know I used this image recently...but when I saw the photo inspiration for this fortnight's House Mouse & Friends Challenge...I just had to use it again! I water coloured the image, and added some glitter glue to the cupcake frosting...although it doesn't show up very well in the photo. The papers are from the freebie 'Quite Contrary' pad by My Mind's Eye, and the sentiment stamp is by Cuddly Buddly. I followed the sketch from the Sweet Stop, and am also going to enter this card into the Crafty Cardmakers 'Birthday' challenge, and Creative Friday's 'Cupcake/Muffin' challenge.

Birthday Cupcake

I was so excited when I won Lol's House Mouse candy a few weeks ago...I love the images...and have received some in swaps and RAKs, but this would be my first House Mouse stamp! So, I thought that the first card I make with it, should be for the House Mouse & Friends Challenge, where the theme this fortnight is 'Vintage'. The stamp I got is called 'Birthday Cupcake'...perhaps not the best image to use for this thene, but I inked and distressed the edges to try and create an aged look. The papers are all from the '29th Street Market' collection by My Mind's Eye, and I made some 'lolipop' flowers using my Nesties.

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

• Sweet Sketch Wednesday - Sketch
• Craftalicious - Make Your Own Flowers
• Creative Craft - Animal Antics
• My Time to Craft - 'Let's Eat Cake' OR 'Drink Up'
• Pink Elephant - 'Something Yummy!'
• Stamp Something - Photo Inspiration

Ready, Set, Go!

I've combined the Sketch Saturday sketch, and the 'Distressing' theme of the House Mouse & Friends Challenge on this card. The image is called 'Ready, Set, Go!'...and I watercoloured it to match the My Mind's Eye 'Ooh La La (for Him)' papers. I distressed all of the edges with inks and my distressing tool, and added some ribbon and large brads from Poppicrafts and a Tim Holtz adage ticket in place of the sentiment.

An Apple a Day...

I've had this adorable Happy Hopper image ('An Apple a Day') in my image box for absolutely ages...in fact I have quite a few...but I've always been a bit scared of colouring them...so I thought I be brave, and have a go at the House Mouse & Friends Challenge, which is a sketch. I've combined him with some My Mind's Eye papers, from the 'Bloom & Grow' pad, and some Craftwork Cards 'Card Candy'.


I'm also going to enter this card for the Cupcake Craft's 'Food & Drink', the One Stop Craft's 'Feeling Fruity', and Pile it On's 'Animal-riffic' challenges.

The girls over at the Stamptacular Sunday Challenge are having a 'Build-a-card' blog hop today to celebrate their first birthday...there's lots of fabby candy on offer...so why not pop over and join in the fun.