ABC Christmas Challenge - E is for...

We have a new ABC Christmas Challenge starting today...Wilma is the host, and the theme is:

'E is for Edging Punches or Dies'

We are sponsored for this challenge by Wild Rose Studio

Prize - Christmas Tree die:

I only have one edge punch...'Scalloped Diamonds' by EK Success...so that's what I used...simply combining it with a cute Penny Black stamp ('Coming your way!' - which I coloured using watercolour pencils, and some brightly coloured card. I added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen, a Lili of the Valley sentiment and some adhesive pearls.

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

• Christmas Cards All Year Round - Cute Critters
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - Dies/Punches
• Holly Jolly Christmas - Punches & Dies
• Jingle Belles - Vibrant Colours
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

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

Xmas Pilgrims

I'm going to apologise now...my next three cards will be Christmas ones...not sure what's got into me! This one uses a Penny Black stamp called 'Xmas Pilgrims'...so cute! I coloured the image using watercolour pencils, distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from a Lili of the Valley set.

Challenges for this card:

• Addicted to CAS - Distress
• Christmas Cards All Year Round - Cute Critters
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Extra - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Clean & Simple
• Gem of a Challenge - Clean & Simple
• Hiding in my Craft Room - Any Holiday
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

Par Avion

I have a super simple Christmas card to share today...using a Penny Back stamp called 'Par Avion'...and a sentiment from a Crafter's Companion 'Christmas with Barkley' stamp set called 'Purr-fect Christmas'. I stamped the chickens directly on to my kraft base, and coloured them using watercolour pencils.

Challenges for this card:

• Christmas Cards - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Feature a Creature
• Less is More - Wings - I couldn't resist featuring chickens either! ;0)
• Wags 'N Whiskers - Use Kraft
• Winter Wonderland - Kraft

Inky Impressions Challenge - Guest Designer

I'm back with another guest designer card...this time for the Inky Impressions Challenge...where the theme this week is:

'One Layer Cards'

I picked a cute image called 'Easter Bunny Monkey', which I printed directly on to my card blank, then simply coloured using watercolour pencils, adding a Hero Arts sentiment...that's it!

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

• Aud Sentiments - Spring or Easter sentiments
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Clean & Simple
• Pink Elephant - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - No Rules

For more inspiration from the fabulous DT, please pop over to the Inky Impressions Challenge.

Through The Craft Room Door Challenge - Guest Designer

A few weeks ago I was picked as the lucky winner of a challenge over at the Through the Craft Room Door Challenge, and as part of my prize was asked to join them as a guest designer for one of their challenges...so today I'm doing just that. All of their challenges are:

'Anything Goes'

(so no excuse not to join in!)

They are sponsored this week by Pickled Potpourri Designs

I was sent some images from Pickled Potpourri to use...and picked 'Grand Botanical' for my card, printing the images in a couple of different sizes and colouring them using watercolour pencils. I fussy cut the images out, and mounted them on to my card using 3D foam pads. For the background, I embossed plain white card using my Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' and 'Perfect Paisley' folders...edging it using co-ordinating yellow & green card. For th scalloped edging I used my EK Success 'Scalloped Diamonds' punch, the sentiment is a Hero Arts stamp, and the yellow gems are from a My Mind's Eye 'Wild Asparagus' pack.

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

• Creative Knockouts - Spots & Dots
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Add a Little Texture
• Sweet Stampin' - Spring Flowers

For more inspiration from the lovely design team, please pop over to the Through the Craft Room Door Challenge.

Pile It On! Challenge - Sketch

We have a new Pile It On! Challenge starting today...and this week we have a sketch for you to work with:

Our sponsor for this challenge is All Dressed Up:

Prize - 2 Digital Images of the winner's choice!

I've used an old favourite stamp of mine, called 'Blooming Meadows' by Hero Arts...I pained Distress Inks directly on to the stamp, then spritzed it with water before stamping...one of my favourite techniques to use with flower stamps. For the background, I embossed plain white card using my Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' and Craft Concepts 'Blooming Season' embossing folders...I inked the edges a little using 'Old Paper' Distress Ink, and then distressed them a little using my distressing tool. The sentiment stamp is also Hero Arts (from the 'Sentiments' set), I used my EK Success 'Scalloped Diamonds' punch for the edging, and the adhesive pearls are from Hobbycraft. 

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Sketch
• Addicted to Stamps - Embossing
• Bunny Zoe's - For the Girls
• Crafting for All Seasons - Dies/Punches
• Crafty Catz - For a Special Lady
• Crazy - For Mum
• Creative Moments - Anything Goes
• Cute Card Thursday - Floral Delight
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Add a Little Texture
• Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - Spring Flowers
• Top Tip Tuesday - Rubber Stamps Only

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

Curly Christmas

I have a card using another new stamp today...this one is called 'Curly Christmas' by Woodware, and was a Christmas gift that I'm just getting round to trying. I stamped it directly on to my card blank, adding one of the smaller words from the set above, then simply added some colour to the lettering using watercolour pencils...the gold stars were coloured using a Cosmic Shimmer pigment.

Challenges for this card:

• Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - Only Words
• Crafter's Cafe - One Layer Card & Use Red
• C.R.A.F.T. - Clean & Simple
• Whimsy Inspires - Use a Sentiment

ABC Christmas Challenge - D is for...

We have a new ABC Christmas Challenge starting today...Samantha is the host, and the theme is:

'D is for Die Cuts'

We are sponsored for this challenge by All Dressed Up:

Prize - 2 Digi Images!

I used to dies to create my card...a tree by Marianne Designs, and a reindeer by Die'sires from Crafter's Companion. I created a forest using the trees, adding the reindeer to make it look like he was peeking out from behind one of them. I embossed the background with my 'Swiss Dots' folder...to look like a snowy sky...and simply tore strips of card for the snowy ground. I couldn't resist adding a little red pearl for Rudolph's nose!

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

• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Incy Wincy - White with a Splash of Colour
• My Craft Creations - 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.

Monster Birthday!

I have a birthday card to share today...using a monster digi from Bugaboo Stamps, which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The papers are from the 'Cut & Paste - Charm' pad by My Mind's Eye...I doodled some borders around the edges, and added a little sentiment from a Studio G set.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Catz - For the Boys
• Creative Card Crew - Birthday with a Sentiment
• Pink Elephant - Birthday
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday (Optional Topping of Arrows)
• Sparkles Forum - One for the Boys
• Sweet Stamps - Happy Birthday
• Sweet Sunday Sketch - Sketch #256
• Winter Wonderland - For a Child

Hello World!

I have an Easter treat bag to show you today...using a cute little Penny Black stamp called 'Hello World!' that I received for Christmas.

The pretty spring-y coloured papers are from the 'Party Girl' pad by American Crafts....I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is also by Penny Black, the plain bag was from Hobbycraft, as are the little pastel coloured pearls.

Challenges for this treat bag:

• Allsorts - Any Occasion other than Birthday
• Crafting When We Can - Stitching
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Penny Black & More - Anything Goes
• Sketch Saturday - Sketch #348
• Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - Inspired by a Song (The Birdie Song - ha ha!)

Washi Tape Christmas

I have more Christmas cards to share today...this time using washi tape and some dies:

On the first card I combined Papermania washi tape with a die cut reindeer ('Elegant Reindeer' from Die'sires by Crafter's Companion), adding a Lili of the Valley sentiment stamp and a little red pearl for his nose.

On the second card, I used washi tapes from Papermania, Hobbycraft and Freckled Fawn, and snowflakes cut using Memory Box and Cuttlebug dies...again adding a Lili of the Valley sentiment stamp, and some adhesive gems to the centres of the snowflakes.

Challenges for these cards:

• Allsorts - Any Occasion other than Birthday
• Christmas Cards All Year Round - Red & White (Just the second card)
• Clear It Out - Red & Red Embellishments
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Love or Hearts or Red
• Crafty Sentiments - Use Some Red
• Jingle Belles - Washi Tape
• Little Red Wagon - Washi Tape
• Simply Create Too - Anything Goes

Peace, Love & Joy Penguins

I have a Christmas card to share today...using a cute digi image from Bugaboo Stamps called 'Peace, Love & Joy Penguins', which I coloured using watercolour pencils. I kept the rest of the card really simple, embossing some plain white card with snowflakes using a Sixxiz folder, adding some doodled borders, and some snowflakes cut using a Marianne Designs die.

Challenges for this card:

• As You Like It - CAS or Fussy (Definitely CAS...especially for Christmas cards - makes them cheaper to post!)
• Catch the Bug - Anything Goes
• Christmas Cards - White on White
• Completely Christmas - Add a Snowflake
• Corrosive - A Splash of Colour
• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafting - Embossing
• Sinon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - All Creatures Great & Small
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
• Winter Wonderland - KISS

Valentine's in Pink & Grey

Today's card was inspired by the 'pink & grey' colour combination of this weeks' Less is More challenge. I'm not really a 'pink' person, but I thought that the colours would suit a Valentine's card. I picked some papers from the 'Paper Hearts' pad by Crate Paper, and cut some hearts using my Cuttlebug 'Concentric Hearts die. I distressed the edges of the papers, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Sentiments' set by Hero Art, stamped in Memento 'London Fog' ink.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Love is all Around
• Crafty Cardmakers - Love, Love, Love
• Creative Knockouts - Hearts
• Less Is More - Pink & Grey
• Pink Elephant - Be My Valentine

Mouse Balloons

I have a birthday card to share today...using a cute digi image from Bugaboo Stamps called 'Mouse - Balloons', which I coloured using watercolour pencils. I used a mixture of papers from the 'Party Day' pad by Crate Paper and the 'Here & There' pad by Studio Calico...adding some simple doodled borders using a black gel pen. I added a Simon Says Stamp sentiment (from the 'Sending Sunshine' set) and some die cut stars cut from some corrugated cardboard packaging.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - Birthdays
• Incy Wincy - Use a Punch or Die Cut
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - All Things Bright & Beautiful

Pile It On! Challenge - Add a Bow

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

'Add a Bow'

Our sponsor this week is Paper Sweeties:

Prize - $20 Gift Certificate!

The image on my card is 'Boo Boo Bear' by Whipper Snapper...so cute! I coloured him using watercolour pencils, and used papers from the 'Paper Hearts' pad by Crate Paper...distressing the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Big Messages' set by Paul Pascual, the pearls are from Hobbycraft, and the Baker's twine is from the Ribbon Girls.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Add a Bow
• 4 Crafty Chicks - Hand Coloured Images
• Bunny Zoe's - Hearts
• Cards Galore Encore - Use a Stamp or Digi
• Crafty Calendar - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Hearts
• Creative Moments - Anything Goes
• Moving Along with the Times - Pastels
• Simply Create Too - Valentine's Day or Use Hearts
• Sweet Stampin' - Add a Heart
• That's Crafty - Animal Magic

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

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Hearts

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:

'Hearts'

We are sponsored for this challenge by:

1-2-3 Stitch!:

Prize - a $20 voucher

I used some sweet hedgehogs from the 'Every Which Way' set...stamping them directly on to my card blank, then colouring them using watercolour pencils. I added a strip of heart washi tape underneath the hedgies' feet, and a Hero Arts sentiment (from the 'Sentiments' set).

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

• 2 Cute Ink - Valentine's
• Addicted to CAS - Hugs & Kisses
• Animal Friends - Hedgehogs
• Aud Sentiments - Valentine's/Love Sentiments
• Chocolate, Coffee & Cards - Love is in the Air
• Crafting for All Seasons - Have a Heart
• Crafty Creations - Owls, Hearts or Love
• Crafty Sentiments - Hearts
• Crazy Challenge - Love
• Creative Inspirations - Love is in the Air
• Cute Card Thursday - Crazy in Love
• Dream Valley - Valentine's
• Fab 'N Funky - Hearts and/or Flowers
• Fussy & Fancy - Love
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - H is for...Hearts
• Simply Create Too - Hearts
• Stamp & Create - Love
• Sweet Stamps - Love is in the Air
• Without Words - Je 't'aime

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

ABC Christmas Challenge - C is for...

We have another new ABC Christmas Challenge starting today...Bettina is the host...and the theme is:

'C is for Colourful'

Our sponsor for this challenge is Meljen's Designs:

Prize - 4 images of the winner's choice!

I used some brightly coloured papers from a couple of My Mind's Eye pads ('Ooh La La' & 'Merry Little Christmas')...and combined them with a cute Penny Black image (from the 'Christmas Outdoors' set) which I coloured using watercolour pencils. I distressed the edges of the papers a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

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

• Clear It Out - Anything Goes
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Extra - Anything Goes
• Gem of a Challenge - Lots of Layers
• Loves Rubber Stamps - Anything Goes
• My Craft Creations - Anything Goes
• Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
• Penny Black & More - Anything Goes
• Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
• Winter Wonderland - Lots of Layers

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

Little Bird

I have a couple of simple cards to share today...using my Memory Box 'Madeleine Bird' die...and a mixture of My Mind's Eye papers (from the 'Blue Floral', 'So Sophie' and 'Chevrons' pads). I added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen, a sentiment from the 'Sending Sunshine' set by Simon Says Stamp, and a few adhesive pearls.

Challenges for these cards:

• Crafting for All Seasons - Things with Wings
• Crafty Catz - Stitching
• Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - Anything Goes
• Fussy & Fancy - Things with Wings
• Hiding in my Craft Room - Freestyle
• That Craft Place - Anything Goes

Candy Winners!

Good morning! I'm here to announce the lucky winners of my candy.

I used Random.Org to select the winners:

 Congratulations Dorte - you've won the Christmassy Candy!

Congartulations Sher - you've won the everyday candy!

Please email me with your postal addresses so that I can get your prizes in the post to you.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to enter!