Rasie the Bar - Guest Bar-Tender!

I'm a guest 'Bar-Tender' over at Raise the Bar this week...and where the theme of their new challenge is:

'Time to Feast'

I have quite a lot of stamps with food on...mainly cakes & cupcakes...and picked this adorable House Mouse one (called 'Birthday Cupcake')...although I think it looks like they've already feasted! lol I coloured it using watercolour pencils, then added lots of Stickles to the icing. The papers are from the 'Hopscotch' pad by BasicGrey...I embossed the plain brown one using my Craft Concepts 'Cupcakes' folder. I distressed everything with ink and my distressing tool...and added a few chocolate coloured pearls and a big bow.

You can find lots more foodie inspiration from the fabulous design team over at Raise the Bar...thanks for having me this week girls!

Mix 'n' Match Trees

Today's card is so simple, it doesn't really require much explanation...but just in case you want to know what I used...the papers are all BasicGrey: 'Hello Luscious'; 'Max & Whiskers'; 'Figgy Pudding'; 'Archaic'; and 'Eskimo Kisses'...the tree dies are from the Hero Arts/Sizzix 'Reindeer' stamp/die combo set...and the sentiment stamp is from the 'Bubbly Tree' set by Woodware.

Challenges for this card:

• BasicGrey - Mix & Match (Paper from 5 BasicGrey collections: 'Hello Luscious'; 'Max & Whiskers'; 'Figgy Pudding'; 'Archaic'; & 'Eskimo Kisses'.
• Crafts & Me - Simples

ABC Christmas Challenge - W is for...

I'm back today with another card for our current ABC Christmas Challenge, where the theme is:

'W is for Winter Sports'

(Think skiing, skating, sledging etc)

We have two fabulous sponsors for this challenge:

The prize from Simon Says Stamp is a $15 voucher to spend in their wonderful store!

And from the Stamp Fairy...3 digital images of the winner's choice!

I chose skating as my winter sport last week...and have gone with skiing this time using an adorable Stamp Fairy image called 'Barry Winter - Skis'. I coloured him using watercolour pencils, then added some Stickles to the snow and snowflakes. For the background, I embossed some Core'Dinations card using my Cuttlebug 'Snowflakes' folder, sanding over the raised areas, and distressing the edges a little.

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

• Crafty Catz - Use a Digi
• Crafty Creations - Kraft, White & One other colour (Mine's my favourite colour...blue)
• Lollipop Crafts - Embossing and no DP
• Paper Sundaes - Use a Digi
• Pink Elephant - Embossing
• Stamp Fairy - Glitter
• Sunday Sketch & Stamp - Sketch

The Cuttlebug Spot - Gobble, Gobble, Gobble!

There's a brand new challenge starting over at the Cuttlebug Spot today...where our theme (in honour of Thanksgiving in the US later this month) is:

'Gobble, Gobble, Gobble'

That's right...we want you to show us your turkeys!

Now...I will admit that I was totally stumped by this one...being British, and not having any stamps of turkeys...I have quite a few of chickens...and was temped to try and dress one of those up as a turkey...but after a quick Google, I stumbled across this tutorial on Jenna's blog for making a turkey using punches and dies...here's the result:

I used a mixture of plain and scalloped circle Nesties for the head, body and tail...adding freehand cut pieces for his beak, waddle and feet...and used a small single hole punch to make his eyea and eyelids. Once I'd layered up his tail,  I folded part of it back, so that he could stand up. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with him...but he's quite sweet! lol

I'm also entering this into the following challenges:

• Hooked on Craft - Something Punched
• If the Shoe Fits - Try Something New (Punch Art...and I've never made a turkey before! lol)
• Squiggles & Giggles - Anything but a Card

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

Puss in Boots

I've used another of the Sugar Nellie stamps I won on today's card...this one's called 'Puss in Boots'. For the background, I embossed some Core'Dinations card using my trusty Cuttlebug 'Snowflakes' folder...sanding over the raised areas to reveal the contrasting core. The snowflake was cut using my Cuttlebug 'Ice Crystal' die, and the ribbon and button are from my stash.

Challenges for this card:

• Christmas Cards - Holly or Wreaths
• Christmas Stampin' - Never seen ink (I only got this stamp last Friday!)
• Sketch & Stash - Sketch (My new stash is the stamp) 
• Sweet Stampin' - Use Gingham
• Totally Gorjuss - Christmas Traditions (Putting the stockings out for Santa)

Cute & Cuddly

I was lucky to be chosen as the winner of a challenge over at Fab 'N' Funky a couple of weeks ago...and the fabulous prize was my choice of four Sugar Nellie stamps...how wonderful is that?! Well, my stamps arrived on Friday, and I mounted them all on to EZMount yesterday so that I could get stamping! :0)
On today's card, I've used 'Cute & Cuddly'...just look at those squidgy tummies! I coloured the image using watercolour pencils with a pink glossy balloon (I usually tend to make baby boy cards as I much prefer blue & green to pink! lol), then added a stamped sentiment from the CCSR set by Papermania.

 

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Sentiments - Baby
• Little Red Wagon - Congratulations
• Scrapbook Sisters - Baby

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Spots & Stripes

Please scroll down for my Penny Black Saturday Challenge DT post

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It's my turn to set the theme of the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge this week, and the theme I have chosen is:

'Spots & Stripes'

I picked some bright and sparkly spotty & stripey papers from my 'Countdown to Christmas' pad by My Mind's Eye. The adorable bear is 'Little Star' by Lili of the Valley...I coloured him using watercolour pencils, then added some Glamour Dust to his star. The snowflakes were cut using Marianne Designs Creatables and Cuttlebug dies...then coated with more Glamour Dust...and I used my EK Success 'Scalloped Diamonds' punch for the edge along the strip across the middle.

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

• C.R.A.F.T. - Cute
• Crimbo Crackers - Sparkle
• Digital Delights - Snowflakes
• Dutch Dare - Punch Time
• Lili of the Valley - Creature Comforts
• Papertake Weekly - First Christmas Card of the Year (well...actually this is my 116th! lol)  
• Simply Create - Bears

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please visit the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge.

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Gold & Presents

It's Saturday...so that means it's time for a new Penny Black Saturday Challenge! We're continuing with our festive themed challenges, and this week we want to see your Christmas projects featuring:

'Gold & Presents'

Our sponsor for this challenge is:

and the prize is a $20 voucher to spend in their online store!

I searched through my PB stamps for the one with most presents on...which turned out to be 'Coming you way'...just look at that sleigh full of goodies! The glittery papers are from the 'Wonderful Winter' pad by My Mind's Eye...and I matted everything on to gold mirror card...had to dig very deep into my stash for that, as it' not something I use very often. I added a few gold adhesive pearls, and a big bow to finish.

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

• 2 Sisters - Anything Goes
• Christmas Inspirations - Bows
• Penny Black & More @ Allsorts - All Creatures Great & Small 
• Wags 'n Whiskers - Christmas 

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

Poppy Fields

With today being Armistice Day, I just had to use my Sugar Nellie 'Poppy Fields' stamp. I coloured her using watercolour pencils, then cut her out using my Nesties. I decided to keep the card mainly white...to let the red of her dress and the poppies stand out. I embossed plain white card using my Cuttlebug 'Victoria' and 'Flower Fantasy' folders...distressing the edges a little for definition. I cut the flowers from some scraps of My Mind's Eye '29th Street Market' paper using my 'Tattered Florals' die, and added a sentiment from the 'Sending Sunshine' set by Simon Says Stamp.

Challenges for this card:

• Creative Card Crew - Thankful
• Cute Card Thursday - Red for Rememberance
• Fab 'n' Funky - White
• Papercrafting Journey - Embossing
• Simon Says Stamp - Photo Inspiration
• Sugar Bowl - Sketch

More Reindeer Fun

This is the other card I made last weekend using my new Hero Arts/Sizzix 'Reindeer' stamp & die combo..it's very similar to the first, but I thought I'd give this prancing fella a bit more space to run around on a DL card! I stamped the trees using 'Forest Moss' and made a blue jumper for the reindeer using 'Faded Jeans' Distress Inks. For the sky, I blended 'Tumbled Glass' and 'Faded Jeans'...stamping some of the snowflakes that came in the set over the top. For the snow, I tore I piece of white card, adding Glamour Dust along the torn edge.

Challenges for this card:

• Cards for Men - Christmas
• Paper Sundaes - Rectangle
• Sir Stampalot - Blue & Green 
• Top Tip Tuesday - Anything Christmas Goes

ABC Christmas Challenge - W is for...

It's time for a brand new ABC Christmas Challenge...and this time Samantha is our host. The theme of the challenge is:

'W is for Winter Sports'

(Think skiing, skating, sledging etc)

We have two fabulous sponsors for this challenge:

The prize from Simon Says Stamp is a $15 voucher to spend in their wonderful store!

And from the Stamp Fairy...3 digital images of the winner's choice!

I went with skating for my winter sport...and chose this adorable Rachelle Anne Miller stamp from Stampavie called (rather appropriately) 'Skating'. I coloured it using watercolour pencils, then added some sparkle to the ice using a Sakura Stardust pen. The glittery papers are from the 'Wonderful Winter' pad by My Mind's Eye. The snowflake is a Marianne Designs Creatables die coated with lots of Glamour Dust, and I used my EK Success 'Scalloped Diamonds' punch for the border along the bottom of the image.

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

• Christmas Cards - Sketch
• Crafty Calendar - Winter Wardrobe
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Bright Colours & Sparkle
• Delightful - Sparkly Christmas
• Winter Wonderland - Sparkle

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, and some of the Stamp Fairy girls, please pop over to the ABC Christmas Challenge.

Firey Flowers

Shock horror...it's a non-Christmas card today! But don't worry...I have four coming your way later this week! lol I used the acrylic block technique on this card...inking it up with 'Fired Brick', 'Spiced Marmalade' and 'Wild Honey' Distress Inks. I then stamped 'Agapanthus Clusters' (by Stampendous) over the top in black Versafine. The sentiment is a Hero Arts stamp.

Challenges for this card:

• Creative Craft - Minimalistic
• Less is More - Red & Orange
• Raise the Bar - No Embellishments
• Totally Stampalicious - Anything Goes

Reindeer Fun

I've seen this new Hero Arts & Sizzix stamp & die combo set ('Reindeer') pop up on a few blogs recently...and it just happened to fall into my basket whilst having a crafty shop last week...so I just had to have a play with it at the weekend...this is the first of two cards I made. I stamped the trees in 'Forest Moss' and an extra reindeer in 'Fired Brick' Distress Inks, so that I could give him a red jumper. The dies were really easy to line up...and it's so much easier than cutting out by hand...I'm always worried I'm going to cut off a leg or something! I made the background using 'Tumbled Glass' and 'Faded Jeans', stamping some of the snowflakes from the set in the 'sky'. For the snow I tore a piece of white card, adding Glamour Dust along the top.

Challenges for this card:

• Dream Valley - Anything Goes
• Gem of a Challenge - Cold & Frosty

Pile It On! Challenge - Thanksgiving or Give Thanks

This week at Pile It On! our challenge theme is:

'Thanksgiving or Give Thanks'

We are sponsored for this challenge by Karen's Doodles (will update with prize info later).

As we don't celebrate Thanksgiving here in the UK, I've made a thank you card, using an adorable Lili of the Valley bear called 'Big Bouquet'. The papers are from the BasicGrey 'Hello Luscious' pad...I distressed the edges a little before adding faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen. The sentiment stamp is by Penny Black, the flowers were cut using my Tim Holtz 'Tattered Florals' die, and the brads are also by BasicGrey.

Here are the challenges I've Piled On:

• Pile It On! - Thanksgiving or Give Thanks
• BasicGrey - Anything Goes (I've used papers & brads from the 'Hello Luscious' range)
• Charisma Cardz - Cutesy
• Crafty Ann's - Floral Frenzy
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Friday Sketch - Sketch
• Fussy & Fancy - Thankful & Sentiments
• Stampavie & More - Anything Goes
• Totally Papercrafts - Stitch It!

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

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Flowers, Ribbon & Lace

Please scroll down for my Penny Black Saturday Challenge DT post

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We're welcoming the rest of our new DT members today at the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge...where it's Francesca's turn to choose the theme, which is:

'Flowers, Ribbon & Lace'

I stamped my flowers ('Agapanthus Clusters' by Stampendous) using the watercolour technique with 'Faded Jeans', 'Chipped Saphire' and 'Forest Moss' Distress Inks...then blended over the top with 'Old Paper'. For the embossed panels, I blended the same inks on white card before running them through my Cuttlebug with my 'Kassie's Brocade' and 'Victoria' folders. I sanded over the surface to reveal the white core The lace is from Wild Orchid Crafts, and the seambinding ribbon is from the Ribbon Girls.

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

• Top Tip Tuesday - Make your own backgrounds (I used Distress Inks and embossing folders to make mine)
• Truly Scrumptious - Bingo (I went for a diagonal line of Lace-Flowers-Ribbon)

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please visit the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge.

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Silver & Snow/Snowflakes

Phew! It's finally the weekend! lol Which means it's Penny Black Saturday Challenge time...yippee! This month, we've gone all festive, and will be having a different Christmas theme each week...this week, we want to see your projects using:

'Silver & Snow/Snowflakes'

There are lots of lovely prizes up for grabs for our two fabulous sponsors:

From Penny Black Inc:

and from The Ribbon Girl:

Ok...so onto my card...I've used another new stamp...I chose it as part of my prize from Handy Hippo that I won on Creative Inspirations...and is called 'Holly & Globe'. I heat embossed it in silver...I used to use this technique all the time when I first started stamping...and had forgotten how effective it can be...not to mention quick! For the background, I used my Cuttlebug 'Snowflakes' folder on plain white card...think this is my most used folder! I cut the snowflakes using Marianne Designs and Cuttlebug dies, adding silver pearls to their centres. The silver ribbon was a sales purchase at a garden centre after last Christmas...but this is the first time I've used it.

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

• Crimbo Crackers - Anything Goes
• Digi Doodles - Wintry

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

In a Nutshell

I've used another prize on today's card...I won Kat's candy a couple of weeks ago...which was an adorable House Mouse stamp called 'Ina Nutshell'...so cute! And when the package arrived , there was also lots of lovely buttons and ribbons...and a gorgeous Craftwork Cards paper pad called 'Vintage Roses'...I've used some of that on this card too! Thanks Kat...I'm going to have lots of fun with those goodies! :0)
Anyway, I stamped the image in grey ink...just trying it out for a softer look...then coloured it using watercolour pencils. I distressed the edges of the papers, then added faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen.

Challenges for this card:

• CES - New Beginnings 
• Incy Wincy - Dots & Stripes 
• Pollycraft - Anything Goes
• Squiggles & Giggles - Go Dotty
• Sweet Stampin' - Anything Goes

Winter Blues

More Christmas cards today...I had a little winning streak a couple of weeks ago...and have used one of the stamps I got with my Handy Hippo prize from Creative Inspirations on these cards. It's called 'Snow Swirl' by Stampendous. I got out my heatgun and embossing powders...not something I've done a lot of recently...but you will be seeing more on Saturday...with the other stamp I got for my prize. I made two cards...one with the stamp embossed in white, and one in silver. I then blended a couple of Distress Inks over the top, then stamped the snow swirl again around the edges.

I did the silver one first...but went a bit dark with my blending...so the swirls around the edge don't show up too well..I forgot they'd dry lighter...oops!

So...I kept the inking lighter on the white one...

Challenges for these cards:

• Corrosive - With a Flourish 
• Crafter's Companion - Let it Snow
• Lollipop Crafts - Anything Goes
• One Stitch at a Time - Christmas
• Winter Wonderland - Clean & Simple