Par Avion

I have a simple one layer Christmas card to share today. I used an old favourite Penny Black stamp called 'Par Avion', and stamped it on to a kraft card blank. I coloured the image using watercolour pencils, then added a sentiment from the 'Many Blessings' set by Hero Arts.

Challenges for this card:

• As You Like It - Favourite Non-treaditional Christmas Animal (Chickens, specifically the cute & funny Penny Black chickens - you can't help but smile)
• CAS on Friday - Greeting Card
• C.R.A.F.T. - Christmas
• Krafty Chicks - All Occasions
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes
• Sparkles Forum Christmas - Things with Wings

Holly Spray

I have a Christmas card to share today, made using a fabulous holly stamp from Woodware called 'Holly Spray'. I started by stamping the sentiment (from the 'Festive Phrases' set by Funky Fossil) in the centre of a piece of watercolour paper, using Versamark Ink, then heat embossed it in gold. I then stamped the holly around the edges, again embossing it in gold. I used some pearlescent watercolour paints (from The Works) to watercolour the leaves and berries, then matted it on to some gold mirror card...distressing the edges a little.

The paints are so shimmery:

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes (Optional 'Trees/Leaves')
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• Creatalicious - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Happy Little Stampers (Watercolour) - Anything Goes
• Just Us Girls - Red, Green & Gold
• The Sisterhood of Crafters - Anything Christmas or Winter

Cheesecake Parade

I have a super simple one layer card to share today...made using a couple of Penny Black stamps...'Cheesecake Parade', and the 'Micey Nice' sentiment. I stamped them on to a kraft card blank, then coloured the image using watercolour pencils.

Challenges for this card:

• Addicted to CAS - Present
• Krafty Chicks - CAS
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Seize the Birthday - Optional 'Many of Something' (Mice!)
• Sweet Stampin' - Birthdays

PBSC November - Anything Goes (Optional 'Embellish It')...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

'Embellish It'

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

Prize - a $20 voucher!

This time, I used lots of little pearls as my embellishment. The image is 'Let It Snow'...I stamped it on to watercolour paper (minus the icy puddle beneath the mouse's feet), doodled a line for the snowy ground using a black gel pen, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. I carefully cut around the top of the image, then layered it over the top of a 'smooshed' Distress Ink background (colours used: Broken China, Mermaid Lagoon, Uncharted Mariner & Chipped Sapphire). I added a heat embossed sentiment (from the 'Festive Phrases' set by Funnky Fossil), then lots and lots of little adhesive pearl 'snowflakes'.

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

• Crafty Calendar - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes (Optional 'Christmas')
• Creative Knockouts - Anything Goes
• Cutie Pie - Four-legged Friends
• Fab 'N' Funky - Christmas Animals
• Happy Little Stampers (Christmas) - Anything Christmas Goes

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

Sparkly Baubles

I have a simple Christmas card to share today...this one features another charity shop find...the stamp, called 'Sparkly Baubles' by Woodware. I stamped it on to navy card using Versamark Ink, then heat embossed it using 'Platinum Sparkle' embossing glitter from WOW. I matted the panel on to some sparkly glitter card, then on to a navy card blank.

It's super sparkly in real life...which of course makes it difficul to photograph!

Challenges for this card:

• Corrosive - Anything Goes
• Dream Valley - Anything Goes
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Love to Scrap - Anything Goes

Archie & Pals

I'm back with a Christmas card today, that features another stamp that was a recent charity shop find...it's by Hobby Art, and is called 'Archie & Pals'. I stamped it on to watercolour paper, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. I doodled a simple border, then added a sentiment (from the 'Winter's Blessing' set by Crafter's Companion) before distressing the edges and matting on to some red card.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• Creative Knockouts - Christmas Delight
• Krafty Chicks - Christmas
• Jingle Belles - Funny Ho Ho!
• Little Red Wagon - Winter
• Stamping Sensations - Christmas Celebrations
• Use Your Stuff - Winter/Snow
• We Love Stamping - Christmas

New Home

I'm taking a break from Christmas cards to share a 'New Home' card today. I used a Woodware punch to punch out seven little houses from snippets of brightly coloured card, then arranged them along the bottom of a kraft card blank to make a rainbow 'street'...popping them up on 3D foam pads. The sentiment is from an old Lili of the Valley set.

Challenges for this card:

• AAA Cards - Along the Edge & Rainbows
• C.R.A.F.T. - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes
• Less is More - Colour Wheel (Two or More Colours)
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets

Before the Snow

I have another Christmas card to share today...that combines a couple of Penny Black Christmas tree stamps. The larger one is called 'Before the Snow' and I stamped it twice, inking it with a mixture of 'Fosrest Moss', 'Pine Needles' and 'Rustic Wilderness' Distress Inks, then spritzing with water before stamping on to watercolour paper. I then did the same with the smaller tree...which is from a little set called 'Wonder Collection'. I added a sentiment from the same stamp set, then distressed the edges a little before adding the panel to a kraft card blank. I finished by adding a selection of red and white adhesive pearls to the trees...can't decide if they look more light baubles or lights?

Challenges for this card:

• Christmas Kickstart - Trees, Trees, Trees
• Merry Little Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Stamps + Fun = Creativity - Wood and/or Trees
• Sweet Stampers - Christmas
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

ABC Christmas Challenge - W & X are for?

It's the second Wednesday of a new month, so that means it's time for a new ABC Christmas Challenge! Marie is the host, and the themes are:

'W is for White'

&

'X is for Xtra Special'

There is a surprise gift from Marie on offer for the lucky winner:

For my 'White' card, I used lots of snippets of white card, and an assortment of dies and embossing folders to create a wintry scene. I used a Tim Holtz/Sizzix embossing folder called 'Falling Snow' for the background, then layered panels cut using my Clearly Besotted 'Tree Landscape', and Lawn Fawn 'Stitched Hillside Border' dies over the top...lightly distressing the edges to add a little definition. I added a couple of deer cut using my Tim Holtz 'Winter Wonderland' dies, and a large star using a die from another Tim Holtz set called 'Snowy Stars'. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Winter Blessings' set by Crafter's Companion...I stamped it using Versamark Ink, then heat embossed it in silver.


For my 'Xtra Special' card, I combined glittery and shiny gold papers from a pad from Poundland (I think) with a swirly Christmas tree stamp from a set by Hero Arts called 'Merriest Wishes', and a sentiment stamp from the 'Wonder Collection' set by Penny Black, heat embossed in gold on kraft. I added a few adhesive gold pearls and some gold edged ribbon (that I think came from Crafty Ribbons).

I'm also entering these cards into the following challenges:
Allsorts - Sparkle & Shine (Second card only)
Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
Creative Knockouts - Lots of Layers
Dream Valley - Dies or Punches (First card only)
Happy Little Stampers (Dies) - Anything Goes (First card only)
Stamping Sensations - Christmas Celebrations
We Love Stamping - Christmas
For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the ABC Christmas Challenge.

Poinsettia Bauble

Today's card features another charity shop find. I have no idea of the brand of the bauble stamp, as it was not in it's original packaging, but is unmounted grey rubber, and if anyone recognises it, please let me know in the comments what it is! ***Edit - Thanks so much to Lynn for letting me know that it's by Creative Expressions...and is called 'Mini Floret Bauble'.*** I stamped it on to black card using Versamark Ink, then drew a 'thread' for it to hang from using my Versamark pen, before heat embossing it all using 'Metallic Gold' embossing powder from WOW. I used a couple of Cosmic Shimmers mica pigments to add some colour to the flowers and leaves, and a simple sentiment (from the 'Many Blessings' set by Hero Arts), also heat embossed in gold. I matted the embossed panel on to some gold mirror card before adding it to a white card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Friends - Christmas
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• Krafty Chicks - Stamp Act
• Stamping Sensations - Christmas Celebrations
• The Holly & the Ivy - Anything Christmas Goes
• We Love Stamping - Christmas

PBSC November - Anything Goes (Optional 'Embellish It')

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

'Embellish It'

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

Prize - a $20 voucher!

I picked one of the cute puppy images from the 'Good Times' set...stamping them directly on to a kraft card blank, along with one of the sentiments from the set. I coloured them using watercolour pencils, then added a big bow made from some rainbow striped ribbon.

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

• CCEE Stampers - Dogs
• Happy Little Stampers (Birthday) - Anything Goes
• My Time to Craft - Critters

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

November Desk Calendar

Today I'm sharing my desk calendar page for November. I used a cute pup image from the Penny Black 'Good Times' set, stamped on to watercolour paper, coloured using watercolour pencils, then cut into a circle shape using one of my Nesties. I paired him with snippets of papers from the Dovecraft 'Tea House' pad...distressing the edges a little and adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

Challenges for this calendar:

• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything Goes
• A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes
• Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - Anything Goes

Happy Halloween!

Today I'm sharing my final Halloween treat bag of the spooky season...they have all been delivered, so I hope that the recipients are tucking into their treats! This one features one of the critters from the Penny Black 'Be Very Scared' set. I stamped him on to watercolour paper, coloured him using watercolour pencils, then used my Nesties to cut out the circles. I paired him with papers from the 'Hocus Pocus' pad by Taylored Expressions...I've had these for years, but they're finally nearing the end...I used the last full sheet on this project, and a couple of snippets...distressing the edges, adding faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and black and white gel pens, before matting on to snippets of bright green card.

Challenges for this treat bag:

• Allsorts - Let's Celebrate - Any Special Occasion
• C.R.A.F.T. - Halloween
• Cut It Up - Halloween
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets (Optional 'Halloween')
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - Halloween
• Use Your Stuff - Halloween

Birthday Wishing

Today's card features another of this week's charity shop finds...it wasn't in the original packaging, but I recognised the adorable Anita Jeram (for the Colorado Craft Company) illustrations, so couldn't resist this set, called 'Birthday Wishing'. I stamped the bunny and the little guinea pig/hamster (not sure which he is?!) directly on to a kraft card blank, along with one of the sentiments from the set, then coloured them using watercolour pencils.

Challenges for this card:

• AAA Birthday - A Favourite Technique (Colouring on kraft)
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes (Optional 'Kraft')
• Krafty Chicks - All Occasions
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

 

Winter Penguin

Today's card features another of this week's charity shop finds...it's an old wood mounted Hero Arts stamp called 'Winter Penguin'. I stamped him on to watercolour paper, then coloured him using watercolour pencils. I added a sentiment from the 'Winter Blessings' set by Crafter's Companion, then matted the image on to a snippet of turquoise card, distressing the edges a little, before adding it to a card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• As You Like It - Favourite Christmas Image or Animal (Penguins...I have quite the collection of penguin stamps, and picked up two more in charity shops this week...I can't help it, they always look so happy!)
• CASology - Cozy
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Jingle Belles - Feature a Creature
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

Winter Village

Today's card features a Christmas stamp that I picked up in a charity shop yesterday. I was intrigued, as I'd not seen it before, and it described itself as a 3D stamp, and is called 'Winter Village' by Spellbinders. I inked it up with 'Chipped Sapphire' Distress Ink and stamped it directly on to a white card blank...not really the right type of ink to use, as it didn't give me a very crisp image, but I'm away from home, and that's what I have with me.  Anyway, it still does give a 3D effect, but I shall have to try again with some more inks when I get home. I simply added a sentiment from the 'Winter Blessings' set by Crafter's Companion.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• Happy Little Stampers (Christmas) - Anything Christmas Goes
• Rudolph Days - Anything Christmas Goes
• The Holly & the Ivy - Anything Christmas Goes

Sketched Flowers

I have a birthday card to share today, made using stamps from the 'Sketched Flowers' set by Simon Says Stamp. I stamped the flowers and one of the sentiments from the set on to watercolour paper using Versamark Ink, then heat embossed them using 'Metallic Gold Rich' embossing powder from WOW. I watercoloured the flowers using Cosmic Shimmers pigments mixed with a little water, and once dry, splattered some of the gold pigment over the top.

It's always so difficult to photograph shimmery/sparkly things, but here's a photo from another angle:

Challenges for this card:

• Flower Challenge - Add a Sentiment
• Krafty Chicks - CAS
• Happy Little Stampers (Birthday) - Anything Goes
• Happy Little Stampers (Watercolour) - Anything Goes
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday Goes

 

Mice Treats

I have another Halloween treat bag to share today...featuring another spooky Penny Black critter, this time from the 'Be Very Scared' set. I stamped him on to watercolour paper, coloured him using watercolour pencils, then used one of my Nesties to cut the circle shape. The papers are from the 'Raven' pad by Glitz...I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and black and white gel pens.

Challenges for this treat bag:

• Creative Inspirations - Autumn or Halloween
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Halloween/Spooky
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Spooky
• Sweet Stampers - Autumn or Halloween

Embossed Thanks

I have a set of simple embossed thank you cards that I've made to give as a gift to share today. I picked sheets of watercolour effect papers from the 'Watercolour Feelings' pad from The Works, and 'Mystery Marbles' pad by Craft Sensations, and embossed them using Cuttlebug, Craft Concepts and Couture Creations embossing folders. I lightly distressed the edges, added a simple die cut sentiment (cut using one of my Cuttlebug 'Olivia' alphabet dies, from snippets of white card), then added the embossed panels to some A6 card blanks. I made two of each colour & embossed design, so there are twelve in total:

Challenges for these cards:

• Allsorts - Add a Sentiment
• Corrosive - Anything Goes
• Daring Cardmakers - Make Your Own Background
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets