ABC Christmas Challenge - P is for...

We have another fun ABC Christmas Challenge starting today...Lisa is the host, and the theme is:

'P is for Paper Piecing'

We are sponsored for this challenge by Sami Stamps:

Prize - $12 Gift Certificate!

I chose to paper piece the hat and scarf of 'Snowy' (by Penny Black). I stamped him directly on to my card blank, and coloured him using watercolour pencils, then paper pieced his clothes with some snippets of paper from the 'Special Delivery' pad by Helz Cuppledich - I loved the patchwork effect! I added some shading to the paper using watercolour pencils, and some sparkle to the snowy ground with some Stickles. The sentiment stamp is by Pollycraft for C. C. Designs.

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

• Cards Galore Encore - Use a Stamp or Digi
• Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Extra - Anything Goes
• Hiding in my Craft Room - Christmas Freestyle
• Holly Jolly Christmas - Sparkle
• Pixie's Snippet's Playground - Use Snippets

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

Gentlest Kiss

I have a birthday card to share today, featuring a cute Penny Black image called 'Gentlest Kiss', which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The paper are from the 'Happy Day' pad by My Mind's Eye...I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The brads are by BasicGrey, and the sentiment is from the 'Big Messages' set by Paula Pascual.

Challenges for this card:

• 4 Crafty Chicks - Favourite Designer Paper Comany (My Mind's Eye)
• As You Like It - Favourite Papers (My Mind's Eye - I'm a paper-a-holic and have papers from lots of different brands, but MME are my favourite as there's something for every style, from bright, cheerful and modern, to traditional & vintage)
• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Crafty Friends - Favourite Embellishment (Brads)
• Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Fussy & Fancy - A Walk in the Garden
• Incy Wincy - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Sparkling Snowflakes

I have another Christmas card to share today...this one features lots of Cuttlebug products and is all white...even the stamped sentiment! I embossed a piece of card using my Cuttlebug 'Snowflakes' folder, then cut the bottom using one of my Lawn Fawn 'Stitched Hillside' border dies. I cut the snowflakes from glittery funky foam using Cuttlebug dies, and added some sequins (from Clearly Besotted) to the centres of some of the embossed snowflakes. The sentiment is from the 'Merriest Wishes' set from Hero Arts and is heat embossed in 'Sparkling Snow' powder from WOW...you can barely make it out in the photo, but I'm happy to tell you that it's much more visable in real life!

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - A Touch of Sparkle
• Less is More - Something Tactile
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Add Some Texture
• Sisterhood of Crafters - White on White
• Winter Wonderland - Embossed Background

Snow Dust

I have a Christmas card to share today...featuring a Penny Black stamp called 'Snow Dust'. I stamped the image using Versamark Ink on to a panel of watercolour paper 'smooshed' with Distress Inks (Salty Ocean, Broken China, Mermaid Lagoon & Chipped Sapphire), then heat embossed it using 'Sparkling Snow' embossing powder by WOW...you can just about make make out some sparkle on the photo, but the effect is really pretty in real life. I blended a little more 'Chipped Sapphire' ink around the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen. I added a sentiment (stamped and embossed using the same powder) from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous, then matted it on to some Chipped Sapphire cardstock.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas
• Fab 'N Funky - Christmas
• Little Red Wagon - Christmas in July
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Stampavie & More - Blue
• Sweet Stampin' - Christmas in July

Floral Bargains!

I have a couple of ultra quick and simple cards to share today...using a couple of flower stamps that I found in a charity shop...they have a good selection of craft supplies, and all of the wood-mounted rubber stamps were reduced to 50p! These two ('Tulip Trio' and 'Zinnia Trio') are by Hero Arts from a set that I have discovered is called 'Flower Prints'...I did have a rummage but couldn't find the other two stamps that complete the set. I simply stamped the images a few times along the bottom of my card blanks, coloured them using watercolour pencils, then added a sentiment (from the 'Handwritten Borders' set by Simon Says Stamp).

'Zinnia Trio':

'Tulip Trio':

Challenges for these cards:

• Alphabet Challenge - K is for Kindness (just the Zinnia card)
• Bunny Zoe's - Summer Florals
• CAS on Sunday - Thank You (just the Zinnia card)
• Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Simply Papercraft - Anything Goes

Birthday Beagle

I have another birthday card to share today...featuring a Whipper Snapper image called 'Birthday Beagle', which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The papers are from the Recollections 'Prince Charming' pad (it's a Michael's brand, but I often find them at TK Maxx). I doodled a simple border using a black gel pen, and added a sentiment (from the 'Sanford the Birthday Boy Stuffie' set by Stamping Bella).

Challenges for this card:

• Creative Knockouts - Anything Goes
• Daring Cardmakers - Doodle, Doodle, Do!
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

Ice Cream Mouse!

I have a more seasonally appropriate card to share today...must be the reason the weather has turned and we now have rain...ha ha! The image is 'Mouse holding ice cream' by Tina Wenke for Stampavie...I coloured it using watercolour pencils, then added some Stickles to the chocolate sauces on some of the ice creams, and Glossy Accents on the cherry and glass sundae dish. The summery papers are from the 'Happy Day' pad by My Mind's Eye...I distressed the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bugs and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamps are from the 'Cupcakes' set by Hero Arts.

Challenges for this card:

• ABC Challenge - Lots of Layers
• As You Like It - Favourite Trademark Style (Cute with pretty papers & faux stitching...just love the interest patterned papers give without having to add bulky embellishments!)
• Crafty Cardmakers - Summer
• Crazy Challenge - Summer Fun
• Everybody Art - Summer
• Shopping Our Stash - Stitching
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Stamps + Fun = Creativity - Holidays/Travel/Summer

Penguin Presents

It's another Christmas card today I'm afraid..but this simple looking little card took me so long to make (I had a couple of accidents along the way...) that I wanted to blog it before anything else went wrong! The cute little penguin is called 'Penguin Presents' by Lili of the Valley...I coloured him using watercolour pencils then fussy cut him out. I had originally intended to use him on my shaker card, but once I had got this far, I realised that he was too big for the largest aperture that I could cut using a die...and my two attempts at cutting a square aperture using a craft knife ended up wonky and in the bin...so it was back to the drawing board! I saved him, and thought that I'd make a quick card using another piece of 'smooshed' watercolour paper (Distress Inks used: Salty Ocean, Broken China, Mermaid Lagoon & Chipped Sapphire). So, I heat embossed my Simon Says Stamp 'Falling Snow' stamp in WOW 'Sparkling Snow' embossing powder, and simply added my penguin on top, after stamping my sentiment (from the Tim Holtz 'Scribbly Christmas' set for Stampers Anonymous) on the bottom of the snowy ground that he was standing on. Then, once I had assembled the card I managed to drop my black Versamark inkpad on the white 'snow' section at the bottom of the card as I was tidying up...so off came the penguin...I cut off the ground that he was standing on which was originally part of the stamped image...and I cut  new piece using one of my Lawn Fawn 'Stitched Hillside Border' dies...stamping the sentiment as before...this time keeping the inkpad well away from the card! As I went to reassemble the card, I discovered more black ink on the snowy background, but I managed to cover most of the splodge with the penguin...although I can see not entirely now I look at the photo! Anyway, I decided to cut my losses and photograph the card quickly before I could do any more damage!

Challenges for this card:

• Christmas Cards - Anything Goes
• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Animals
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Use a Sentiment
• Rudolph Days - Anything Christmas
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Things with Wings
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Pile It On! Challenge - Shaker Element

It's time for a fun new Pile It On! Challenge...this fortnight the theme is:

'Include a Shaker Element'

Our sponsor this month is Paper Sweeties:

Prize - a $25 Gift Certificate to the Paper Sweeties store!

I picked a cute Penny Black stamp called 'Wishes for Kisses' to use on my card...colouring the image using watercolour pencils. To create my shaker element, I cut an aperture in a piece of white card using the largest of my circle Nesties, then taped a piece of acetate behind it. I attached some 3D foam tape all around the edges, making sure that there weren't any gaps, then placed a mixture of sequins and beads (from Clearly Besotted...the mix I used is called 'Crystal') in the centre. I glued a few sequins to my coloured image...so that there would still be some 'falling snow' when the card in stood up...then attached the image panel behind the aperture sealing all of the sequin mix in place. I then mounted this all on to my card blank.

Here's what it looks like once shaken up:

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Shaker Element
• C.R.A.F.T. - Christmas
• Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes
• Cute Card Thursday - In the Round
• Gem of a Challenge - Animals
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Christmas in July
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Things with Wings
• Simply Create Too - Lots of Sparkle
• Sweet Stampin' - Outdoors

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

Snowboard Ride!

I'm sorry...I have another Christmas card to share today...I think I must be trying to cool myself down! I made another 'smooshed' background made using Distress Inks (Broken China, Salty Ocean, Mermaid Lagoon & Chipped Sapphire) on watercolour paper...then stamped my SImon Says Stamp 'Falling Snow' background stamp in Versamark, and heat embossed it using WOW 'Sparkling Snow' embossing powder. I used various dies (Clearly Besotted 'Tree Landscape' and Lawn Fawn 'Stitched Hillside Borders') to create a snowy mountain scene, then added a sentiment from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous. The chicken is of course a Penny Black stamp...he's called 'Snowboard Ride'...I coloured him using watercolour pencils, then fussy cut him out and popped him up on some 3D foam pads.

Challenges for this card:

• Animal Friends - Dies and/or Punches
• Aud Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Cardz for Guyz - Make Us Smile
• C.R.A.F.T. - Christmas in July
• Crafty Calendar - Punches and/or Dies
• Crafty Friends - Use Your Dies
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Cute or Anything Goes
• Creative Moments - Anything Goes
• Happy Little Stampers (Dies) - Anything Goes
• Fussy & Fancy - Christmas in July
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Christmas in July
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Things with Wings
• That's Crafty - Birds of a Feather
• Winter Wonderland - Use Your Dies/Punches

ABC Christmas Challenge - O is for...

We have another fun ABC Christmas Challenge starting today...Lols is the host, and the theme is:

'O is for Overlay'

(Use an acetate or vellum overlay that can be seen through, or even a paper layer that can be lifted to reveal something hidden!)

Our sponsor for this challenge is All Dressed Up:

Prize - 2 Digis of the winner's choice!

I decided to go for a vellum overlay, and tore a strip to stamp and heat emboss my sentiment on (from the 'Merriest Wishes' set by Hero Arts. I made the background panel by 'smooshing' various shades of blue Distress Inks on to some watercolour paper (Chipped Sapphire, Salty Ocean, Broken China & Mermaid Lagoon)...I did this in a couple of layers, allowing the first to dry before adding the second. I then spritzed some water over the surface, allowed it to sit there for a few seconds, then blotted it off, removing some of the colour. I stamped the snowflakes (a Hero Arts stamp) in Versamark Ink, then heat embossed them using 'Sparkly Snow' WOW embossing powder...it's beautifully sparkly in real life, but rather annoyingly I can never get it to show up in photographs!

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

• Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Cute Card Thursday - Embossing
• Dream Valley - Christmas in July
• Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
• Sparkle 'N' Sprinkle - Anything Goes with Loose Glitter or Embossing Powder
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
• WOW - Heat Embossing/Use WOW Products

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

O' Christmas Tree

I have a trio of Christmas cards to share today, inspired by the 'Repetition' theme of this week's Less is More challenge. I started by 'smooshing' Distress Inks in shades of green (Cracked Pistachio, Evergreen Bough, Mowed Lawn & Lucky Clover) on to a piece of watercolour paper...adding a couple of layers, allowing to dry between each one. I then used a simple tree die from Clearly Besotted (called 'Modern Christmas') to cut the tree shapes, doodled some decorations using a black gel pen, and added some gold using a Cosmic Shimmer pigment mixed with water. I mounted the trees on to my card blanks using 3D foam pads, then added  sentiment (from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous).

It was such a quick card to make, that I made three:

Challenges for these cards:

• Cardz for Guyz - Christmas in July
• Cut it Up - Anything Goes
• Less is More - Repetition
• My Time to Craft - Christmas in July
• Sparkles Forum - Christmas in July

PBSC July - One Layer Cards...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:

'One Layer Cards'

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

Prize - a $20 voucher!

This time I picked one of my largest Penny Black stamps '...to you!' which conveniently has the sentiment built in! I simply stamped the image directly on to my card blank and coloured it using watercolour pencils. 

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

• CCEE Stampers - Cow Appreciation Day!
• Crafter's Cafe - Clean & Simple
• Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Fab 'N Funky - Add a Sentiment
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Flora and/or Fauna
• Simply Papercraft - Anything Goes
• Sisterhood of Crafters - Animals
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

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

Wish Upon a Star

I have a Christmas card to share today...using one of the stamps from the 'Holly Jolly' set by Penny Black, which I coloured using watercolour pencils...adding some sparkle to the stars and snowy ground using a Wink of Stella pen. The washi tape is from WHSmith (I think!), and the sentiment stamp is from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stamper Anonymous.

Challenges for this card:

• Crimbo Crackers - Anything Goes
• Holly Jolly Christmas - Inspired by a Song ('O' Christmas Tree)
• Little Red Wagon - You're a Star
• Love to Scrap - Stars
• Winter Wonderland - Christmas Trees/Make It Cute

Sorry this is late!

I have a card inspired by Less is More's 'Time' challenge to share today. I was the lucky winner of one of Pixie's Snippets Playground challenges a couple of weeks ago, and my fabulous prize of three sets of Paper Smooches sentiments stamps was sitting on my desk...and I thought that these ones from the 'Apologies' set would be perfect for the 'Time' theme. Being a one layer card week, I stamped the two sentiment stamps directly on to my card blank, then added a cute Penny Black dog image (from the 'Man's Best Friend' set) rushing along the bottom! I coloured the image using watercolour pencils, then doodled some grass using a black gel pen.

Challenges for this card:

• Corrosive - Nature or Animals
• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Less is More - One Layer Card & Time
• Moving Along with the Times - No Designer Paper
• Naughty or Nice - Anything Goes

Pile It On! Challenge - Your Favourite Colours

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

'Your Favourite Colours'

Our sponsor for this month is Bugaboo Stamps:

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

I've used a Bugaboo Stamps image on my card called 'Monster Birthday - Cake' which I coloured using watercolour pencils in shades of turquoise & blue...my favourite colours.  You can't really see in the photo, but I added some sparkle to the balloon and the icing on his cake using a Wink of Stella pen. The paper is from the 'Indie Chic - Nutmeg' pad by My Mind's Eye...I distressed the edges then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Anytime Messages' set by Hero Arts.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Your Favourite Colours (Turquoise/Blue)
• Allsorts - For the Boys
• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippet's Playground - Use Snippets
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

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

Party Cat

I have another quite simple card to ahre today featuring a kitty from the 'Bubbly' set by Penny Black...which I coloured using watercolour pencils. I added some snippets of paper from the 'Awesome Boy' pad by Michaels behind my image...I distressed the edges then added some faux stitching. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Handwritten Borders' set by Simon Says Stamp.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Creations - Clean & Simple
• Creative Knockouts - Animal Antics
• Fab 'N Funky - Two or More Designer Papers
• Penny Black & More - Anything Goes with a Stamp
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday

ABC Christmas Challenge - N is for...

We have another fun ABC Christmas Challenge starting today...I'm the host and the theme is:

'N is for No Rules!'

(In other words...Anything Goes!)

We are sponsored for this challenge by Bugaboo Stamps:

Prize - 7 Digis of the winner's choice!

I've used a old Whiff of Joy image on my card called 'Wee & Reindeer' which after a brief search back through through my blog posts, I discovered I hadn't used since August 2013! So it was about time that it saw some ink! I coloured the image using watercolour pencils and combined it with papers from the 'Tea House' pad by Dovecraft, and 'Bundled Up' pad by Crate Paper. I distressed all of the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The little sentiment stamp is from a set by Lili of the Valley.

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

• Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Christmas Cards - Anything Goes
• Come & Get It - Christmas in July
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Vintage or Anything Goes
• Craft Hazelnut's Christmas Extra - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - Anything Goes
• Crimbo Crackers - Anything Goes
• Hiding in my Craft Room - Christmas Colours
• Inky Chicks - Christmas in Summer
• One Crazy Stamper - Christmas in July
• Penny Black & More - Anything Goes with a Stamp
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Simply Create Too - Christmas in July
• Sparkles Forum Christmas - Snowflakes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

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

In a Flap!

I have a quick little CAS card to share today...featuring a cute Penny Black chicken stamp called 'Totally Excited'. I coloured him using watercolour pencils, then carefully cut him out. I matted a piece of yellow My Mind's Eye 'Breeze' paper on to some orange card to match the colours on the chicken...adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Sending Sunshine' set by Simon Says Stamp.

Challenges for this card:

• Addicted to CAS - Fly
• Catch the Bug - Anything Goes
• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Crafter's Cafe - Things with Wings
• Penny Black & More - Anything Goes with a Stamp
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Stamps + Fun = Creativity - Anything Goes

PBSC July - One Layer Cards

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

'One Layer Cards'

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

Prize - a $20 voucher!

I combined images from q few different transparent sets to create a little scene on my card...'Bubbly', 'Micey Day', 'Jolly Friends', 'Wonderful'. I coloured all of the critters using watercolour pencils, then doodled some grassy patches to help blend it all together. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Anytime Messages' set by Hero Arts.

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

• As You Like It - Favourite Colouring Medium (Watercolour pencils - they're just so quick & easy to use...really potable too...I can colour anywhere!)
• Artistic Stamper - All Things Bright & Beautiful (All Creatures Great & Small!)
• Cards Galore Encore - Anything Goes
• Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes
• Creatalicious - Anything Goes (Optional CAS)
• Creative Corner - Cute & Cuddly
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Simply Papercraft - Anything Goes

Just one more thing before I go...I have the winner of my Blog Hop candy to announce:

Winner: Ellie's Creaties!

Congratulations Elly! Please email me with your postal address to claim your prize!

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, and to see if you the lucky winner of any of the other blog hop prizes, please pop over to the Penny Black Saturday Challenge.