ABC Christmas Challenge - X is for...

It's time for another fun ABC Christmas Challenge...this time Lisa is the host, and the theme is:

'X is for Criss-Cross'

Simply make an 'X' shape somehow on your project

Our sponsor for this challenge is Fred She Said:

Prize - $10 Gift Certificate!

I went for a patterned paper from a freebie set by Raspberry Road that has a 'criss-cross' checked pattern...and used it to paper piece 'Snowy' by Penny Black. I stamped him directly on to my card blank, then coloured him lightly using watercolour pencils. The sentiment is from the 'Very Merry Christmas' set by Hero Arts.

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

• Amusing - Anything Goes
• Cardz 4 Guyz - Snowmen
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes (Twist - Use Red)
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Cute or Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Crimbo Crackers - Anything Goes
• Inkspirational - Chill
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Penny Black & More - Anything Christmas
• The Pencil Cases - Anything Goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

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

Nordic Reindeer

I have a simple Christmas card to share today...using a Die'sire reindeer die from Crafter's Companion. I cut him out of a snippet of kraft card, then inked around the edges using 'Brushed Corduroy' Distress Ink to add a little definition. The checked paper is a snippet from a pad by Raspberry Road that came free with a craft magazine...I distressed the edges then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous, and I think the ribbon was from Hobbycraft.

Challenges for this card:

• Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - Christmas Die Cuts
• C.R.A.F.T. - Christmas
• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Cute or Anything Goes
• Happy Little Stampers (Dies) - Anything Goes
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Challenge - Use Snippets
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - CAS
• That's Crafty - Christmas in September
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Pile It On! Challenge - It Moves Me!

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

'It Moves Me!'

(Feature a mode of transport)

Our sponsor for this month is Bugaboo Stamps:

Prize - 7 Digi Stamps of the Winner's Choice!

I went with a bicycle as my form of transport, and picked this cute Penny Black stamp called 'Hedgie Delivery', which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The papers are from a pad by Raspberry Road that came free with a craft magazine ages ago...I distressed the edges then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Critter Party' set, also by Penny Black.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - It Moves Me
• 4 Crafty Chicks - Sew Cute
• Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes
• C.R.A.F.T. - Animals
• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
• Crafty Friends - Inspired by a Song ('Bicycle Race' by Queen)
• Daring Cardmakers - On Your Travels
• Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Use Patterned Paper
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

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

Penny Black Calendar 2

I have another of the Paper Mill Shop's 'Create a Calendars' to show you today. It's quite similar to the one I shared last week...using lotsmore Penny Black stamps, and some of my favourite papers. Again, I kept everything really simple, just using papers..no embellishments, as I didn't want them to end up too bulky (or heavy!)...I won't list all the different stamps & papers used, but if you're a regular visitor to my blog, you'll recognise my favourites! :0)

Challenges for this calendar:

• Crafty Sentiments - New Beginnings
• Crafting When We Can - Anything but a Card
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Something New (New Year!)
• Sweet Stamps - Something New (New Year!)

Penny Black Calendar 1

Every year, I decorate a few of the Paper Mill Shop's 'Create a Calendars' to give as Christmas presents...usually using lots of Penny Black stamps. I managed to photograph two of them before I gave them away...and am sharing the first one today. I kept everything really simple, just using papers..no embellishments, as I didn't want them to end up too bulky (or heavy!)...I won't list all the different stamps & papers used, but if you're a regular visitor to my blog, you'll recognise my favourites! :0)

Challenges for this calendar:

• Addicted to Stamps - Anything Goes
• Allsorts - Last Minute Gifts
• Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - Anything Goes
• Little Red Wagon - Happy New Year
• Shopping Our Stash - Three or More Patterned Papers
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

Oldie but a Goodie Challenge - New Beginnings

We have a new Oldie but a Goodie Challenge starting today...the theme is:

'New Beginnings'

Our lovely Francesca is providing the prize...I don't have a photo yet, so will add it later

 I'm celebrating the beginning of the 'New Year' by showing you another one of the calendars I decorated for a Christmas gift...it's become a kind of tradition that I make a few of these for Christmas gifts (you can see the one I made for my Mum here).I get the blank calendars from the Paper Mill Shop (if you fancy making one of these for yourself...they're now half price):

I used all Penny Black stamps...but the papers are a real mixture (American Crafts, BasicGrey, Crate Paper, First Edition, My Mind's Eye, Penny Black, Pink Paislee, CRaft Creations, Raspberry Road & We R Memory Keepers!)...I distressed the edges a little, then added faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a gel pen:

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

• Corrosive - New Beginnings 
• Cut It Up - New Year (I used my Nesties to out most of the images)
• Simply Create Too - Anything Goes
• Totally Papercrafts - New Beginnings

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the Oldie but a Goodie Challenge.
 

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - New

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

'New!' 
(New Year...New Home...New Job...New Stash)

As usual, we have some fabulous prizes on offer from our lovely sponsors:

The Ribbon Girl:

1-2-3 Stitch!:

Prize - a $20 voucher

I went with 'New Year' and am showing you the calendar that I decorated for my Mum...it's become a kind of tradition that I make a few of these for Christmas gifts...I get the blank calendars from the Paper Mill Shop (if you fancy making one of these for yourself...they're now half price):

Of course I used all Penny Black stamps...but the papers are a real mixture (American Crafts, Crate Paper, First Edition, My Mind's Eye, Penny Black, Pink Paislee, Raspberry Road & We R Memory Keepers!):

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

• Crafting When We Can - Countdown or Calendar
• Crazy Challenge - Happy New Year

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