November Desk Calendar

As it's the first day of a brand new month, I'm sharing my desk calendar page for November. I picked a cute little mouse image from the 'Bubbly' set by Penny Black and stamped him onto a snippet of watercolour paper. I coloured him using watercolour pencils, then used one of my Nesties to cut out the circle shape. For the background, I used some snippets of papers from the 'Shine Like the Stars' pad from The Works...I distressed the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. I matted it all onto a snippet of kraft card, then added it to my calendar blank.

Challenges for this calendar:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Alphabet Challenge - N is for Nocturnal Animals
• Crafty Gals Corner - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

Guest Designer - 52 Christmas Card Throwdown!

Today, I'm excited to be sharing a Guest Designer card for the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown Challenge, where the theme is:

I started by cutting out three large circles from snippets of white card using one of my Nestie dies. I embossed the first one, using a Sizzix embossing folder called 'Snowfall'. I used a Clearly Besotted die called 'Tree Landscape' to cut one of the circles, and one of the 'Scenic Border' dies from the Contemporary Christmas collection by Crafter's Companion to cut the other. I added a sentiment to the layer with the houses, using a stamp from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous, heat embossing it using metallic silver embossing powder. I distressed the edges of the circles, then layered them up, before matting them onto a scalloped circle, cut from another snippet of white card. I added a square of white card (with distressed edges) to a card blank, then popped the circle scene on top using 3D foam pads.

For more inspiration from the fabulous DT, please pop over to the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown.

PBSC October - Anything Goes (Optional 'Bright Colours')...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

'Bright Colours'

We're currently without a sponsor, so this challenge is just for fun.

I used some (very old!) brightly coloured Halloween themed papers from My Mind's Eye and Bo Bunny to decorate a Halloween treat bag. I distressed all of the edges, and added faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen. The cute vampire cat is from the 'Be Very Scared' set...I stamped him onto a snippet of watercolour paper, coloured him using watercolour pencils, then used one of my circle Nesties to cut him out. I cut a matching scalloped circle mat using another Nestie die, then layered everything up onto another piece of black card, before adding it to a kraft gift bag.

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

• A Cut Above - Anything Goes (With a Die Cut)
• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• C.R.A.F.T. - Halloween
• Crafty Calendar - Autumn/Halloween
• Crafty Gals Corner - Trick or Treat
• Creative Knockouts - Halloween or Fall
• Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Daisy Chain - Autumn and/or Halloween
• Sweet Stampin' - Cute
• We Love Stamping - Anything Goes

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

Count Catular Treat Bag

I have another Halloween treat bag to share today...using another of the critters from the Penny Black 'Spooky' set. I stamped him onto watercolour paper, coloured him using watercolour pencils, then used one of my circle Nesties to cut him out. For the background, I used some really, really old papers from Carta Bella, and distressed the edges a little before adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and black and white gel pens. I layered them onto a piece of black card, then added the image on top, matting it onto a scalloped circle cut from some more black card using another Nestie die, then added it all to a kraft gift bag.

Challenges for this treat bag:

• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything Goes
• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Crafty Calendar - Autumn/Halloween
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Fab 'N' Funky - Three of Something (Patterned papers)
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Use Patterned Papers

Mice Treats!

I have another Halloween treat bag to share today...featuring another cute Penny Black critter, from the 'Be Very Scared!' set. I stamped him onto watercolour paper, coloured him using watercolour pencils, then used one of my circle Nesties to cut him out. For the background, I used papers from the 'Boneshakin' Halloween' pad from Polkadoodles. I distressed the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. I cut a scalloped circle mat from some black card using another Nestie die, then layered everything up onto another piece of black card before adding it all to a kraft gift bag.

Challenges for this treat bag:

• Allsorts - Anything Autumn
• Fab 'N' Funky - Three of Something (Three papers)
• Little Red Wagon - Stitching
• Love Those Pretty Papers - Ghosts/Goblins/Things that go Bump in the Night
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Use Patterned Papers
• Sparkles Forum - Your Favourite Technique (Faux stitching)
• Stamps + Fun = Creativity - Halloween
• Sweet Stampin' - Autumn

PBSC October - Anything Goes (Optional 'Bright Colours')

It's the first Saturday of the month, so that means it's time for a new Penny Black Saturday Challenge...where the theme is:

'Anything Goes'

or

'Bright Colours'

We are currently without a sponsor, so this challenge is just for fun.

I decided to get a start on making some Halloween treat bags, and picked one of the cute images from the 'Spooky!' set. I stamped him onto watercolour paper, coloured him using watercolour pencils, then cut out the circle shape using one of my Nesties. For the background, I used some brightly coloured papers from an unnamed Halloween pad from The Works. I distressed the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee and a black gel pen. I matted the image onto a scalloped circle of black card (cut using another Nestie), then matted everything onto some black card before adding it all to a kraft treat bag.

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

• Allsorts - Anything Autumn
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Everybody Art - Add Some Purple
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - Anything Goes

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

October Desk Calendar

As it's the first day of a new month, I'm sharing my desk calendar page for October today. Despite the unseasonably warm weather we're currently experiencing here in London, I couldn't resist getting out my Penny Black Halloween stamps, and picked a cute cat image from the 'Be Very Scared!' set. I stamped him onto a snippet of watercolour paper, coloured him using watercolour pencils, then used one of circle Nesties to cut him out. For the background, I used snippets of patterned papers from the 'Hocus Pocus' pad from Taylored Expressions...I've had this pad for years, and although it's still going strong, I no longer have any full sheets left, just lots and lots of snippets:

I distressed the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen, before matting it onto a snippet of kraft card and adding it to my desk calendar.

Challenges for this calendar:

• Allsorts - Anything Autumn
• Crafty Gals Corner - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Creative Inspirations - Hello Autumn
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes
• Inkspirational - Photo Inspiration
• Little Red Wagon - Autumn Colours
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - Autumn

Racer Boy Birthday

I have a birthday card to share today, featuring a Penny Black stamp from the 'Cheering Critters' set. I stamped it onto a piece of watercolour paper, then added a sentiment using one of the stamps from the 'What This!' set by Anita Jeram for the Colorado Craft Company. I coloured the image using watercolour pencils, then used one of my circle Nesties to cut it out. For the background, I used papers from the 'Awesome Boy' pad by recollections/Michaels (found at TKMaxx)...I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. I matted the image onto a scalloped circle of kraft card, cut using another of my Nestie dies, then layered it all up on a piece of kraft card before adding it to a white card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• AAA Birthday - Use Patterned Papers
• As You Like It - Favourite Sporting Activity (Whilst I don't participate in any sports, there are several that I enjoy watching, including cycling - I made this card while watching the very exciting Elite Men's Road Race at the World Championship at the weekend)
• Krafty Chicks - Masculine
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday Goes

 

Bundled Snowmen

I have another Christmas card to share today, featuring a cute snowman stamp from the 'Bundled Snowman' set by Penny Black. I stamped it onto a piece of watercolour paper, coloured it using watercolour pencils, then used one of my circle Nesties to cut out the circle shape. I added a sentiment using a stamp from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous, then matted it onto a pink scalloped circle (cut using another Nestie die). For the background, I used snowflake covered papers...the blue one is from the 'Let it Snow' pad by Art Studio, and the pink one is from the 'Snowscapes' pad from Woodware...I distressed the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen. I matted it all onto some more pink card, before adding it to a white card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
• Peace on Earth Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• Rudolph Days - Anything Christmas Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Christmas in September
• We Love Stamping - Anything Goes

September Desk Calendar

As it's the first day of a new month, I'm sharing my desk calendar page for September. This means 'back to school' for me (I'm a music teacher), so I picked a cute Penny Black hedgie stamp called 'Scooting Along'... who, with his balloon removed, looks like he could be on his way to school with his satchel slung over his shoulder! I stamped him (minus his balloon) onto a snippet of watercolour paper, coloured him using watercolour pencils, then cut it out using one of my circle Nesties. For the background, I used snippets of patterned papers from the 'Awesome Boy' pad from Recollections/Michaels (found at TKMaxx). I distressed the edges, then added faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen, then matted it onto a snippet of kraft card before adding it to the calendar.

Challenges for this calendar:

• Allsorts - All Creatures Great & Small
• As You Like It - Favourite Wild Animal (Hedgehog - I went with a cute (and non-scary!) animal - I'd be happy to welcome them into my garden, although I think they're probably put off by our urban foxes!)
• Crafty Gals Corner - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - Use a Die Cut

August Desk Calendar

Today, I'm sharing my desk calendar page for August. As it's my birthday month, I picked a cute image from the Penny Black 'Good Times' set of two celebrating pups. I stamped it onto a snippet of watercolour paper, coloured it using watercolour pencils, then cut it out using one of my oval Nesties. For the background, I used snippets of papers from the 'My Girl' pad by American Crafts...I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

Challenges for this calendar:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Krafty Chicks - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - Stripes or Chevrons

Outline Snowflakes

Today's card features a Simon Says Stamp background stamp called 'Outline Snowflakes'. I stamped it onto a piece of black card using Versamark ink, then heat embossed it using metallic silver embossing powder from WOW, the coloured it using Cosmic Shimmers watercolours. I heat embossed a sentiment, using a stamp from the 'Festive Phrases' set from Funky Fossil, on some more black card, then used one of my Circle Nesties to cut it out. I cut a mat from some silver mirror card using the matching scalloped circle die, then added it onto the background, matting that onto some more silver mirror card before adding it to a white card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• C.R.A.F.T. - Christmas
• Cut It Up - Emboss It
• Rudolph Days - Anything Christmas Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Make Your Own Background
• We Love Stamping - Anything Goes

July - Desk Calendar

Today, I'm sharing my Penny Black desk calendar for July. I'm a music teacher, and July for me means holidays (albeit not for another couple of weeks!), so I picked a cute pup driving off on a road trip from the 'Hello Friend' set. I stamped him onto a snippet of watercolour paper, coloured him using watercolour pencils, then used one of my oval Nesties to cut him out. For the background, I used snippets of papers from the 'Fresh Florals' pad by Craft Sensations...I distressed the edges a little, then added faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

Challenges for this calendar:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• As You Like It - Favourite Non-Card Project (My desk calendar...I decorate a couple of the Papermill's A4 sized calendars for Christmas gifts each year, and I'm always sad to give them away, so when they started making the little desk sized ones, I started making one for myself each year, decorating it month by month, to keep on my craft desk)
• Inkspirational - Leftovers
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes

Contented

Today's card features a cute Penny Black dog stamp called 'Contented'. I stamped him onto watercolour paper, then coloured him using watercolour pencils. I added a sentiment, using one of the stamps from the 'Birthday Wishing' set by Anita Jeram for the Colorado Craft Company, then used Nesties to cut out the circle shapes. For the background, I embossed a piece of green card using a Crafts Too embossing folder called 'Bone & Paw Print'. I distressed the edges a little, then matted it onto kraft card before adding it to a white card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Can You Handle the Pressure - Optional 'Boys to Men'
• Cardz 4 Guys - Use an Embossing Folder
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Masculine
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Add a Sentiment
• Sweet Stampin' - Something for the Boys

Friendship

Today's card features a Penny Black stamp called 'Friendship'. I stamped it onto watercolour paper, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. I stamped a sentiment, using one of the sentiments from the 'What This!' set by Anita Jeram for the Colorado Craft Company, onto a snippet of white card, then used Nesties to cut the circle shapes, and scalloped mats from navy card. The papers are from the 'Prince Charming' pad by Recollections/Michaels (found at TKMaxx)...I distressed the edges, added the image and sentiment, then matted it all onto some more navy card before adding it to a white card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• AAA Birthday - For Boys
• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Alphabet Challenge - C is for Circles
• Aud Sentiments - Monochrome and/or Birthdays + Sentiment
• Creative Moments - Masculine
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Masculine
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Masculine
• Sweet Stampin' - Something for the Boys
• The Male Room - The Outdoors
• We Love Stamping - Sports & Hobbies

 

May Desk Calendar

Today, I'm sharing my Penny Black desk calendar page for May. I picked one of the frogs from my long neglected 'Toadily Happy' set, stamped it onto watercolour paper, coloured it using watercolour pencils, then used one of my Nesties to cut out the circle shape. For the background, I used snippets of papers from the 'Here + There' pad by Studio Calico...distressing the edges, and adding faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. I matted it onto a snippet of kraft card before adding it to the calendar.

Challenges for this calendar:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
• Neglected Stuff - Anything Goes (The frog stamp was last used in 2020!)
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Make it Colourful
• We Love Stamping - All Creatures Great & Small

PBSC May - Anything Goes (Optional 'Your Favourite PB Stamp')

It's the first Saturday of the month, so that means it's time for a new Penny Black Saturday Challenge...where the theme is:

'Anything Goes'

or

'Your Favourite Penny Black Stamp'

We are currently without a sponsor, so this challenge is just for fun.

My all time favourite Penny Black stamp, is also one of the first ones I bought, 'Birthday Dog'. I stamped him onto watercolour paper, then coloured him using watercolour pencils. I added a sentiment using stamps from the 'Birthday Buddies' set by Paper Smooches, then used one of my Nesties to cut the circle shape. I paired it with snippets of papers from the 'Prince Charming' pad by Recollections/Michaels (found at TKMaxx), and 

'Refreshing Basics' pad from The Works...distressing the edges and adding faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. I used another Nestie die to cut the scalloped mat from a snippet of kraft card, then layered everything up on a kraft card blank.

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

• Everybody Art - Happy Birthday
• Krafty Chicks - Colour an Image
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Four-legged Friends
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

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

PBSC April - Anything Goes (Optional 'Pastel Colours)

It's the first Saturday of the month, so that means it's time for a new Penny Black Saturday Challenge...where the theme is:

'Anything Goes'

or

'Pastel Colours'

We are currently without a sponsor, so this challenge is just for fun.

I made a set of tags to put on some Easter treat boxes. The stamps used were: 'Totally Excited! (the chicken); 'Butterflies & Ewe' (the sheep); 'Hello World' (the two chicks); and the goose is from the 'Twelve Days of Christmas' set. I stamped them all onto snippets of watercolour paper, coloured them using watercolour pencils, then cut out the circle shapes using one of my Nestie dies.  I distressed the edges a little, then added them to mats cut from snippets of pastel coloured card using one of my scalloped circle Nestie dies, sandwiching some Baker's twine in between.

For the boxes, I used sheets of 12x12 papers from a pad by Premium Stacks called 'Baby Boy', and my We R Memory Keepers punchboard. Once assembled, I tied up the boxes with more Baker's twine, then added the tags:

I'm also entering these tags & boxes into the following challenges:

• Creative Inspirations - Easter/Spring
• Just Us Girls - Dies + Spring/Easter
• Moving Along with the Times - Anything Spring
• Sweet Stampin' - Spring or Easter

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

April Desk Calendar

As it's the first day of the month, I'm sharing my desk calendar page for April. I went with an Easter theme, and used one of the stamps from the 'Twelve Days of Christmas' set by Penny Black...this cutie represents 'Six Geese a-laying'. I stamped it onto a snippet of watercolour paper, coloured it using watercolour pencils, then cut out the circle shape using one of my Nesties. For the background, I used a couple of snippets of paper from the 'Hippity Hoppity' pad by We R Memory Keepers...I've had this pad since 2011, and it's still going strong! I distressed all of the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

Challenges for this calendar:

• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Creative Knockouts - Spring
• Fab 'N' Funky - Easter/Spring
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Sparkles Forum - Springtime

PBSC March - Anything Goes (Optional 'Four-legged Friends')

It's the first Saturday of the month, so that means it's time for a new Penny Black Saturday Challenge...where the theme is:

'Anything Goes'

or

'Four-legged Friends'

We are currently without a sponsor, so this challenge is just for fun.

I picked a cute puppy image from the 'Good Times!' set, and stamped it onto a piece of watercolour paper. I added a sentiment, using a stamp from the 'What This!' set by Anita Jeram for the Colorado Craft Company, coloured it using watercolour pencils, then used one of my circle Nesties to cut it out. For the background, I used papers from the 'Happy Colours' pad from The Works...I distressed the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. I matted it all onto some orange card, cutting a matching scalloped mat for the image using another Nestie die, then added it to a white card blank.

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

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Cheerful Sketches - Sketch
• Creative Inspirations - Cute Critters
• Creative Knockouts - Birthday Wishes
• Krafty Chicks - Birthday
• Little Red Wagon - Include an Animal
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Make it Cute

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