Jonquil Two Ways

I have a couple of cards to share today that feature a Penny Black brushstroke stamp called 'Jonquil'. I used a couple of different techniques with Distress Inks to stamp and colour the images.

On the first card, I stamped the image on to watercolour paper using a 'no line' ink from Ink on 3, then watercoloured over the top using 'Mustard Seed', 'Spiced Marmalade', 'Mowed Lawn' and 'Rustic Wilderness' Distress Inks. I added a sentiment (from the 'Go To Words' set by Visible Image), then distressed the edges a little and adding faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen, before adding the panel to a kraft card blank.

On the second card, I used the watercolour stamping technique, applying the inks directly to the stamp, and misting with a little water before stamping on to watercolour paper. I kept the layout the same as on the first card, just changing up the sentiment.

Challenges for these cards:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• CAS on Friday - Flowers
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Inkspirational - Stitching
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

My Favourite Cards of 2020

Today I'm sharing my favourite five cards of the year...for more details of any of the projects, click on the photo to go to the original post.

Succulents

This first card was one of my first makes of the year, and features gifts I received last Christmas...it was alos my first attempt at no line colouring.

Sketched Flowers

This is similar to one of last year's favourite cards, but with a different layout & in a different colourway. This stamp is still a favourite, and I love how the colours of the flowers stand out against the burgundy background.

Big Butterfly

This stamp has featured of previous years favourite lists, but I still love it! I love the way the watercoloured rainbow background looks behind it on this card.

Cheesecake Parade

I of course had to pick some Penny Black critters...and I'm choosing this card to remind myself to use more washi tape on my cards!

Spooky

I had a lot of fun making this card. I don't usually send Halloween cards, but as I wasn't going to be able to hand deliver my usual treat boxes this year, I made a couple of cards to send instead. 

Thanks to all of my lovely blog visitors this year - I've loved reading all your comments, they're very much appreciated!

Wishing you all a Happy & Healthy New Year!

Vintage Rose

Today's card features another new (to me) stamp called 'Vintage Rose' by Creative Expressions. I stamped it on to watercolour paper using Ink on 3's 'Fadeout/No Line Colouring' ink pad, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. I added a sentment from the 'Go To Words' set by Visible Image, heat embossing it using metallic gold embossing powder by WOW, then distressed the edges a little before adding the panel to a kraft card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• As You Like It - Favourite Colour with Pink (Green - I'm not really a 'pink' kind of person, but I do like it paired with green on floral images)
• Creatalicious - Anything Goes
• My Time to Craft - Clean & Simple
• Penny Black & More - Say it with Flowers
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Beautiful Botanicals

Happy Mother's Day

Today I'm sharing my Mother's Day card. I used one of my current favourite stamps...'Sketched Flowers' by Simon Says Stamp', which I stamped on to watercolour paper using 'No line ink' from Ink on 3. I coloured the image using watercolour pencils, then added a heat embossed sentiment using WOW 'Metallic Rich Gold' embossing powder and stamps from the 'Everyday Messages' set by Happy Little Stampers. I distressed the edges a little, then added the panel to a kraft card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Friends - Ladies/Girls
• Creative Inspirations - Pretty Pastels
• Daring Cardmakers - Floral Focus
• My Time to Craft - Off the Edge
• Sweet Stampin' - Mothering Sunday

Top Hat Snowman

I have a simple Christmas card to share today...made using an old Lili of the Valley image ('Top Hat Snowman') that I rediscovered in my stash when I sorted through my stamps last month. I simply stamped the image on to a square of watercolour paper along with a Lili of the Valley sentiment, coloured the image using watercolou pencils, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen before adding the panel to a card blank using 3D foam pads.

Challenges for this card:

• A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes
• Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - CAS
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Goes (Optional 'No Patterned Paper')
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes
• Happy Little Stampers (Christmas) - Anything Goes
• Inkspirational - Animals
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• The Holly & the Ivy - Anything Christmas Goes

PBSC January - Anything Goes (Optional 'Something New')...More Inspiration!

It's the third Saturday of the month, so that means it's time for some more inspiration for this month's Penny Black Saturday Challenge...where the theme is:

'Anything Goes'
or
'Something New'
(New Year, New Baby, New Home, New Job, New Stash...)

As usual, we are sponsored by the awesome 1-2-3 Stitch:

Prize - a $20 voucher!

I used some more new stash...a cute little succulent stamp from the 'Happy Together' set, along with some 'No Line Colouring' Ink by Ink on 3, that I got for Christmas. I stamped the image using the no line ink on to watercolour paper, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. I added a sentiment using another stamp in the set, then distressed the edges a little before adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

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

• As You Like It - Anything Goes
• Crafty Cardmakers - Anything Goes
• Creative Inspirations - Something New or Something Old (The stamps & ink are new)
• Daring Cardmakers - Something New (The stamps & ink are new)
• Dream Valley - Something New (The stamps & ink are new)
• My Time to Craft - New Stash (The stamps & ink are new)

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the Penny Black Saturday Challenge.

Happy Together

Today's cards feature a couple of stamps from a Penny Black set that I got for Christmas called 'Happy Together'. I stamped them on to watercolour paper using another Christmas present...a 'No Line Colouring' ink pad by a brand called Ink on 3...then coloured them using watercolour pencils. This was my first attempt...and I really like the effect, but definitely need more practice! I added a sentiment (from the same stamp set), then distressed the edges a little and added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

Challenges for these cards:

• Alphabet Challenge - T is for Try Something New (No line colouring)
• Allsorts - Soft Pastels
• As You Like It - Thank You
• Crafty Friends - Something New (New Stamps & New Technique)
• Crazy 4 Challenges - Something New or New Technique (I did both!)
• Happy Little Stampers (Watercolour) - Anything Goes
• Moving Along with the Times - All Things New (New Stamps & New Technique)
• Penny Black & More - Make It Feminine
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Somehting New (New Stamps & New Technique)
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Fun with Florals
• Sweet Stampin' - New Stash (New Stamps)

ABC Christmas Challenge - A & B are for?

Happy New Year!

Over at the ABC Christmas Challenge, we're starting our eleventh (!) trip through the alphabet...I'm the host, and the themes for this month are:

'A is for Anything Christmas Goes'

and

'B is for Bingo'

(Pick three elements in a row, column or diagonal)

I have a card for each of the two themes...and used new (to me) stamps on both. My 'A is for Anything Christmas Goes' card features a huge Christmas tree stamp by Indigo Blu called 'Baroque Christmas Tree'. I had an attempt at 'shadow stamping', and started by stamping it on to kraft card using Versafine 'Smoky Gray' ink, then moved the card along slightly and stamped it again using Versamark Ink, and heat embossed it using white. I matted it on to a layer of white card, distressed the edges a little, and then on to a kraft card blank adding a few adhesive pearls in the corners.

My 'B is for Bingo' card uses stamps from a set that I think came free with a magazine at some point...I went for the central column on the bingo board (Coloured Image - Christmas Sentiment - CAS), colouring the tree using watercolour pencils...adding some sparkle to the baubles and bows using liquid pixiedust. The sentiment came in the same stamp set, and I added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

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

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• Moo Mania - Triangles (Just the first card)

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