Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - Use an Un-inked Stamp

Our theme for you this week over at Christmas Stampin' All Year Long is:

 'Use an Un-inked Stamp'

(or one that's not seen any ink in a while)

The winner of this challenge will get to guest design for one of next month's challenges!

I'm usually quite good at inking up new stamps...they don't tend to sit around for long before I use them (papers on the other hand...), but as I was looking through my Christmas stamps, I found a sweet little Hero Arts set called 'Enjoy the Season' that I'd bought in the post-Christmas sales and (to my shame) never used! I stamped the tree in black, then 'coloured' the branches using 'Soft Gold' Cosmic Shimmer pigment, then mounted them on to my cards (to make up for not having used the stamp, I made three cards!) matted with some gold mirror card. These cards are quite dinky...4 inches square - a great size, as you can cut 3 from an A4 sheet of card, and perfect for 'production line' Christmas crafting!

(Click the photo to get a better view)

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

• 2 Sisters - Christmas in July (No Red or Green)
• Hooked On Craft - Christmas in July
• Less is More - Gold
• Lollipop Crafts - Christmas in July

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to Christmas Stampin' All Year Long.

ABC Christmas Challenge - N is for...

It's time for a new ABC Christmas Challenge...Wilma is our host, and the theme is:

'N is for Not a Card'

We have two wonderful sponsors for this challenge:

Prize - a $20 gift certificate to spend at the Simon Says Stamp Store!

and

Prize - a $10 gift certifiacte for the Stamp Fairy Shop!

I've made a tag...I always seem to forget about making these until the last minute, so thought I'd get at least one done ahead of time! The image is 'Barry Winter 1' from the Stamp Fairy...which I coloured using watercolour pencils...than added lots of Stickles to his hat and the snow. The spotty paper is from the 'Coundown to Christmas' pad by My Mind's Eye - I distressed the edges a little, then added faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. I layered it over a piece of red card edes with my EK Success 'Scalloped Dimaonds' punch. The ribbons and twine are from Hobbycraft and the Ribbon Girls.

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

• Crafty Sentiments - Christmas in July
• Crazy Challenge - Christmas in July
• Squirrel & the Fox - Christmas in July
• Stampin' for the Weekend - Tags 

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies and some fabulous guest designers, please pop over to the ABC Christmas Challenge.

Oldie but a Goodie Challenge - Flower Power

It's time for a new challenge over at Oldie but a Goodie, and this time our theme is:

 'Flower Power'

Our sponsor for this challenge is:

Bugaboo Stamps

and the fabulous prize:

I've used an adorable Bugaboo Stamps image called 'Theodore Flowers', which I coloured using watercolour pencils.  My 'old' items are the papers I've used...they're from the '72 & Sunny' pad by We R Memory Keepers...I can't remember how long exactly I've had them, but it's definitely over a year...and they're still going strong! As they're so busy and bright, I didn't add any embellishments, just some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

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

• Charisma Cardz - Sketch 
• Incy Wincy - Summertime

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

Pile It On! Challenge - It's a Shore Thing

The theme of this week's Pile It On! Challenge is:

'It's a Shore Thing'

Think beaches, river banks etc...

Our sponsor for this challenge is Some Odd Girl

The prize is 3 digis if the winner's choice from Some Odd Girl

The image I've used is 'Deckchair Dreaming' by Lili of the Valley, which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The papers are from the 'Hippity Hoppity' and '72 & Sunny' pads by We R Memory Keepers...Ilayered them up to create a beach scene...tearing the edges of the blue paper to look like waves in the sea. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Sending Sunshine' set by Simon Says Stamp.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - It's a Shore Thing
• Card Crafter's Circle - Summer Holiday
• Card Makin' Mamas - Rubber
• Crafty Calendar - Fun in the Sun
• Crafty Catz - Spots
• Crafty Sentiments - Summertime
• Everybody Art - Dots
• Forever Friends (Monthly) - Summer Holidays
• Great Impressions - Show Us Your Best Colouring
• Lili's Little Fairies - Anything Goes
• Little Red Wagon - Life's a Beach
• Papercrafting Journey - Summer
• Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
• Simply Create Too - Summer/Vacation
• Totally Papercrafts - Here Comes Summer
• Whimsy Inspires - Anything Goes

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

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Pastel Colours

**If you're looking for my Penny Black Saturday Challenge blog hop post, please scroll down**

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This week's Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge theme has been chosen by Wendy...and she'd like to see:

'Pastel Colours'

We have two fabulous sponsors for this challenge:

Prize from Crafter's Companion - £10 gift voucher!

and

Prize from DigiDarla Designs - 5 digis of the winner's choice!

I've used 'Henry Celebrating Mouse'...thought it was about time I gave him an inking. I coloured him using watercolour pencils, then added some sparkle to the cupcake frosting with some Stickles. The pastel coloured papers are from the 'Tea House' pad by Dovecraft, and the co-ordinating cupcake ribbon is also by Dovecraft, but from the 'Tea Party' collection. I added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen...the sentiment stampis from the 'Sending Sunshine' set by Simon Says Stamp.

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

• Critter - Sparkle
• PaperPlay - Happy Birthday

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

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Blog Hop

~News Flash~

Starting today, the Penny Black Saturday Challenge is going monthly! There'll still be lots of fun challenge themes...and fabulous prizes...but you'll now have more time to play along.

To celebrate, we're having a blog-hop with our first monthly challenge...so there's lots of wonderful prizes on offer from our regular sponsors, some fabulous guest designers, as well as on some of the DT blogs too!

The theme of this month's challenge is:

'Summertime...and the living is easy'

I've used an old favourite stamp of mine...'Dream a Dream'...which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The sparkly papers are from the 'Isabelle' pad by First Edition. The pleated ribbon is from the Ribbon Reel, and the gorgeous flower embellishments and pearls were in the candy I won from Carissa a few weeks ago.

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

• Shopping Our Stash - Triple Threat (Ribbon, Flowers & Pearls)
• Stampavie & More - Lots of Flowers
• Sweet Sunday Sketch - Sketch #162 

 I have a mystery candy on offer for those of you who enter the challenge this month...so if you fancy winning a little surprise parcel, add a link to your PBSC entry to the linky below.

Ok...so now it's time for you to hop on board the PBSC Blog Hop bus...next stop...Jacqui!

If you get lost...you can find the directions, as well as all of the details of the prizes from our amazing sponsors over on the Penny Black Saturday Challenge.

Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - Use Vellum

I know you don't ususally see me on Fridays, but I have a DT card to show you today...for the Christmas Stampin' All Year Long Challenge, where I'm one of the new DT members :0)

The theme of the challenge this week, is to use:

'Vellum'

And of course include some stampin'

There's no sponsor this week, but there's a parcel of 6x6 papers waiting for the lucky winnner.

I don't often use vellum...but bought some a few months ago after seeing several cards where the sentiment had been stamped on to vellum, then wrapped around the card, thinking I'd try it...so here goes. I picked an elegant, swirly Penny Black sentiment stamp, and stamped and heat embossed it on to the vellum. The paper is from the 'Countdown to Christmas' pad by My Mind's Eye, and the snowflakes were cut from card and vellum using Cuttlebug and Marianne Designs dies, and held in place with a glittery American Crafts brad.

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the Christmas Stampin' All Year Long Challenge.

ABC Christmas Challenge - M is for...

I have another project for our current ABC Christmas Challenge today, where the theme is:

'M is for Make a Gift'

(Make a papercraft, or other handmade item, or even giftwrap)

Our fabulous sponsor is: 

Our very own Lacey, with her awesome Stamp & Create store!

 The prize is a whopping $25 gift certificate - wowee!

This time, I've made a bracelet, and a little gift tag:

I cut the tag using a Sizzix die...the cute little mouse is from the 'Holly-Jolly' set by Penny Black, and the sentiment is by Lili of the Valley. The bracelet is another wrap style one...I love making these...the beads are mainly navy blue faceted glass with a few ribbed silver ones thrown in at random. Here's a close-up:

I'm also entering these items into the following challenges:

• CCEE Stampers - Tag
• Crazy4Challenges - Tag 
• Hiding in my Craft Room - Anything Goes

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

Monochrome Lucky Dip

As a complete contrast to yesterday's bright & colourful card, I have something a lot more subdued today, inspired by the blog header over at Less is More. I used a Heros Arts stamp for the background...stamping it in 'Old Paper' Distress Ink, then stamped a swirly flower from a set by My Paper World in black Versafine over the top. I used a mixture of 'Old Paper', 'Pumice Stone' and 'Brushed Corduroy' to colour in the flowers, then blended more 'Old Paper' around the edges. The sentiment stamp is also by Hero Arts.

Challenges for this card:

• Just Some Lines - Clean & Simple
• Less is More - Inspired by the LIM Blog Header

Transported

I have a bright and cheerful card to share today...using a Penny Black image that was sent to me ages ago (sorry, but I can't remember who from) called 'Transported'. I coloured it using watercolour pencils, then added Glossy Accents to the balloons. The papers are by We R Memory Keepers, from the '72 & Sunny' and 'Hippity Hoppity' pads, and the sentiment stamp is from the 'Anytime Messages set by Hero Arts.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafts & Me - Birthdays
• Do You Stack Up - Blue Skies & Clouds
• Forever Friends - Happy Bear-day
• Ready Teddy Go - Up, Up & Away

Candy Winner!

Thank you so much to everyone that took the time to enter my little candy give-away...and welcome to my new followers - I hope you'll enjoy visiting my blog :0)

Anyway, I won't keep you in suspense any longer...I plumbed the numbers in to Random.Org...and this is who was picked as the lucky winner:

That's you Lorraine!

Congratulations! Please email me with your complete snail mail address, and I'll get it in the post to you asap.

100,000 Hits Mini Candy :0)

This post's a sticky until the candy ends...so please scroll down for new cards :0)

Ok...I've got myself organised now, and have some candy for you, to celebrate reaching 100,000 hits on my little blog. I chose these items when it was lovely and sunny and warm here in the UK...unfortunately the nice weather didn't last...but hopefully, these summery items can help bring it back!

If you fancy winning these goodies, all you need to do is pop the photo and a link to this post in the sidebar on your blog, then leave your name with the linky below.
I'm willing to post worldwide, so everyone's welcome to join in.
The linky will close at 9pm BST next Saturday (30th June), and I'll announce the lucky winner the following day. 

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Christmas in June

This week at the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge our theme is:

'Christmas in June'

 Well, it's never too early to get making those cards!

We have no sponsor this week, but our lovely Wendy...aka the Secret Crafter...has put together a yummy parcel of crafty goodies for the lucky winner! 

I've used an adorable Lili of the Valley bear on my card...sssh...don't tell on me, but it's one of the pre-coloured die cuts...I did add some Stickles to his tinsel and baubles though! The papers are from the 'I Believe' pad by My Mind's Eye...I distressed all of the edges, then added faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen. The sparkly red brads are by American Crafts.

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

• Charisma Cardz - Anything Goes
• Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Lili's Little Fairies - A Little Bit Distressed
• Little Miss Muffet - Sparkle

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

PS - I have candy on offer at the moment...click here to find out more...be quick though - it closes tonight at 9pm BST.

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Hot Metal

This week's Penny Black Saturday Challenge theme is:

 'Hot Metal'

Use something metallic on your projects.

We have a new sponsor this week:

The prize is a £10 voucher to J & C Creations!

My card is something a little bit different for me...it's for my Uncle's 80th birthday next week, and my Dad asked for a card to send to him...the brief was 'not cute'! I used a couple of Penny Black background stamps ('Paisley Swirls' & 'Circular Design')...stamping them in Versamark on to a couple of different shades of blue card, then brushed 'Soft Gold' Cosmic Shimmer mica pigment over the top. I cut the stars out using Nesties, then layered them up. For the 'metal' element on my card, I cut the numbers (using my Cuttlebug 'Olivia' alphabet) from a sheet of gold coloured metal.

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

• Crafty Catz - Show Us Your Metal
• Crop Stop - Are You Feeling Blue
• Here Come the Boys - Metal and/or Embossing
• Love to Create - Anything Goes
• Scrapbook Sisters - Anything Goes 
• Sisterhood of Crafters - Stars

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

PS - I have candy on offer at the moment...click here to find out more - be quick though...it closes tonight at 9pm BST.

ABC Christmas Challenge - M is for...

It's time for a new ABC Christmas Challenge, and this time Kelly is our host, with a theme of:

'M is for Make a Gift'

Make a hand-crafted item to give as a Christmas gift, or the wrapping for the gift itself.

Our fabulous sponsor is: 

Our very own Lacey, with her awesome Stamp & Create store!

 The prize is a whopping $25 gift certificate - wowee!

She has a sale on at the moment...so head over and grab yourself a bargain!

I've decorated some fridge magnets that I bought ages ago from Hobbycraft...they're meant for photos, but I got a little inky instead, and then made them each a little gift tag to use when I wrap them. For the magnets, I cut a piece of plain white card to fit the plastic outer, then inked over each one with a different combination of Distress Inks (Blue: Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans & Chipped Saphire; Green: Tumbled Glass, Evergreen Bough & Pine Needles; Purple: Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord & Chipped Saphire). I stamped a different floral stamp on each one (L-R: 'Agapanthus Clusters' by Stampendous; 'Blooming Meadows' by Hero Arts; and 'Irises' by Penny Black) in Versamark ink, then brushed 'Soft Gold' Cosmic Shimmer mica pigment over the top. For the tags, I used the same technique using a Hero Arts snowflake stamp and a bronze pigment, on just the plain kraft tag.

Here's a close-up of the magnets (as they're plastic, and really shiny, it wasn't easy to get  a decent photo):

And of the little tags:

I'm also entering these into the following challenges:

• Hotshot Crafts - Distress Inks (Magnets only)
• Incy Wincy - Anything Goes

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

PS - I have candy on offer at the moment...click here to find out more.

Cuttlebug Spot Challenge - Lace

This is my second post of the day...please scroll down for my Oldie but a Goodie Challenge DT post

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Today sees the last Cuttlebug Spot Challenge before our summer break...and this fortnight we want you to use:

'Lace'

Simples :0)

I've used an old Penny Black stamp called 'Gifts for You!' on my card...which I coloured using watercolour pencils. For the background I embossed some purple card using my Cuttlebug 'Kassie's Brocade' folder, then added my lace (from Hobbycraft) over aa piece of green card. To keep it simple, I just added a few adhesive pearls in the top corners.

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

• Lollipop Crafts - Flowers in Bloom  
• Ribbon Girls - Colour Combo (Pink, Purple & Green)

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

PS - I have candy on offer at the moment...click here to find out more.