Blooming Meadow

Today's card features an old Hero Arts stamp called 'Blooming Meadow'. I inked it by mixing Distress Inks (Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Festive Berries, Picked Raspberry, Wilted Violet, Blueprint Sketch and Mowed Lawn) with a little water, and painting them onto the stamp. I stamped it onto watercolour paper, added a sentiment using a stamp from the 'Go To Words' set by Visible Image, then distressed the edges a little before adding it to a kraft card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Pretty Flowers
• Beautiful Blossoms - Anything Goes
• Inkspirational - Birthday
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Stamping Sensations - Summer Flowers

Candy Cane Bartles

Today's card features a cute little pup stamp from Purple Onion called 'Bartles'. I stamped him onto a snippet of watercolour paper, added a sentiment from the 'Santa's Sweets' set by Penny Black, then coloured him using watercolour pencils. For the background, I used papers from the 'Jolly Santa' pad from The Works, distressing the edges a little and adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

Challenges for this card:

• 52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Critters
• A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes
• Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Creative Inspirations - Stars and/or Stripes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Stitch It
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Cute Critters

PBSC July - Anything Goes (Optional 'On or In the Water')...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

'On or In the Water'

We're currently without a sponsor, so this challenge is just for fun.

The image I used on my card is called 'Friendship'. I stamped it onto a snippet of watercolour paper, coloured it using watercolour pencils, then carefully cut it out. I made a simple background from a snippet of watercolour effect paper from the 'Mystery Marbles' pad by Craft Sensations for the sky, and a couple of snippets from the 'Pastel Watercolours' pad from The Works for the sea...tearing the top edges to look like the breaking waves. I layered it onto a snippet of teal card, then added it to an A5 card blank. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Anytime Messages' set by Hero Arts.

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

• AAA Birthday - Summer Birthday
• Cardz for Guys - Summer Holidays
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes
• Moving Along with the Times - Masculine
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Cute Critters
• Sparkles Forum - Summer Days
• We Love Stamping - Sun, Sea & Sand

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

Furry Christmas

I have another Christmas card to share today, featuring stamps from the 'Gift Exchange' set by Anita Jeram for the Colorado Craft Company. I stamped them directly onto a white card blank, then added a sentiment using one of the stamps from another Anita Jeram set called 'Furry Christmas'. I coloured them using watercolour pencils, then added a snippet of spotty paper along the edge of the card, cutting the curve using one of my 'Stitched Hillside' border stamps (from Lawn Fawn), then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

Challenges for this card:

• Addicted to CAS - Christmas
• CAS on Friday - Christmas in July
• Krafty Chicks - CAS
• Little Red Wagon - Cats (& other pets)
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Stitch It
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Cute Critters
• The Male Room - Dogs and/or Cats
• The Sisterhood of Crafters - Stripes and/or Dots

Joyful Snowflakes

I have a Christmas card to share today. I started by stamping my Simon Says Stamp 'Outline Snowflakes' background stamp onto watercolour paper using Versamark ink, then heat embossed it using white embossing powder. I wet the whole paper with some clean water, then loosely painted the background using 'Picked Raspberry', 'Wilted Violet' and 'Salty Ocean' Distress Inks, allowing the colours to blend. Once dry, I trimmed it into a square, and distressed the edges a little before adding it to a white card blank. I cut a sentiment using a Penny Black die called simply 'Joy' from a snippet of white card, and a couple of snowflakes using dies from the Tim Holtz/Sizzix 'Paper Snowflakes - Mini' set, then added those to the background.

Challenges for this card:

• Aud Sentiments - Tags and/or Christmas in July + Sentiment
• Crafty Gals Corner - _____________ in July (Christmas)
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Creative Moments - Use a Die Cut
• Krafty Chicks - Christmas
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Embossing
• We Love Stamping - Anything Goes

Sketched Flowers Bookmark

I have a bookmark to share today...made from a snippet of kraft card left over from making a square card blank from an A4 sheet of card. I trimmed it down a little, then stamped a music background stamp from Hero Arts onto it using 'Smokey Gray' Versafine ink. I then stamped my Simon Says Stamp 'Sketched Flowers' stamp over the top using Versamark ink, then heat embossed it using metallic gold embossing powder from WOW. I added stamped sentiment using one of the stamps from the 'Sending Sunshine' set (also by Simon Says Stamp), embossing it in gold to match, then coloured the flowers using metallic watercolour paints in shades of pink and purple.

It's wonderfully shiny, but that makes it tricky to photograph, but here's another angle that shows the colours a little better:

Challenges for this bookmark:

• As You Like It - Favourite Non-Card Project (I often give books as gifts, and always like to make a bookmark to go with it)
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Fun with Paint
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Emboss It
• Stamping Sensations - Summer Flowers

Birthday Balloons!

Today's card features a trio of Penny Black hedgies with balloons. The one with the party hat is from the 'Cheerful Critters' set, and the other two are old wood block stamps that I picked up in charity shops...'Ballooning!' and 'Bouncing with Joy'. I stamped them all onto a piece of watercolour paper, along with a sentiment from the 'What This!' set by the Coloraado Craft Company, then coloured them using watercolour pencils. For the background, I used papers from the 'Happy Colours' pad from The Works...distressing the edges, and adding faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. 

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - For a Child
• Crafty Catz - Child's Birthday
• Love Those Pretty Papers - Birthday
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday

ABC Christmas Challenge - N & O are for?

We have a fun new ABC Christmas Challenge starting today...I'm the host, and the themes are:

'N is for Non-Christmas Stash'

&

'O is for One Layer Cards'

This is the prize for the lucky winner:

For my 'N is for Non'Christmas Stash' card, I picked one of the cats from the 'Jazzy Cats' set by Penny Black. I stamped him onto a snippet watercolour paper, added a sentiment from the 'Joy to the World' set (also by Penny Black). I used one of my circle Nesties to cut him out, and cut a matching scalloped circle mat from a snippet of kraft card. The papers are also from 'Non-Christmas' pads, but in Christmassy colours...the light green and red stripey papers are snippets from the 'Party Day' pad by Crate Paper, and the dark green snippet is from the 'Fresh Florals' pad by Craft Sensations. I distressed the edges a little, then added faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and white gel pen.

For my 'O is for One Layer Card' card, I used a Penny Black chicken stamp called 'Carolers'. I stamped it directly onto a kraft card blank, added a sentiment using one of the stamps from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous, then coloured the image using watercolour pencils.

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

• Christmas Kickstart - Spots, Dots & Circles (First card only)
• Inkspirational - Three of a Kind (Second card only)
• Peace on Earth Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes (Second card only)
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets (First card only)
• Sweet Stampin' - Christmas in July (Second card only)

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

Burst into Bloom Thank You

I have a simple 'Thank You' card to share today. The floral stamp is called 'Burst into Bloom' by Woodware Stamps. I stamped it onto a piece of smooth white card, along with a sentiment stamp from the 'Brushstroke Expressions' set by My Favorite Things, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. I matted it onto a piece of pink card, distressing the edges a little, before adding it to a white card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Addicted to CAS - Thank You
• CAS on Friday - Botanical
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Sending Flowers
• Stamping Sensations - Summer Flowers

PBSC July - Anything Goes (Optional 'On or In the Water')

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

'On or In the Water'

We are currently without a sponsor, so this challenge is just for fun.

I have a few 'watery' stamps in my Penny Black collection, and picked 'Fish Are Jumpin'' to use on my card. I stamped it onto watercolour paper, added a sentiment using stamps from the 'Birthday Buddies' set by Paper Smooches, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. The background paper is from the 'Fresh Florals' pad by Craft Sensations...I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and black and white gel pens.

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

• Krafty Chicks - Birthday
• Little Red Wagon - Bold/Bright Colours
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday Goes
• Stamps + Fun = Creativity - In the Water

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

Par Avion

I have a Christmas card to share today...featuring a cute Penny Black chicken stamp called 'Par Avion'. I stamped it directly onto a kraft DL card blank, along with a sentiment from an old Lili of the Valley set, then coloured it using watercolour pencils.

Challenges for this card:

• Alphabet Challenge - F is for Feathers
• Creative Knockouts - Christmas in July
• Fab 'N' Funky - Christmas in July
• Merry Little Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes

July Desk Calendar

As it's the first of the month, I'm sharing my desk calendar page for July. The image is from the 'Cheering Critters' set by Penny Black...I stamped him onto a snippet of watercolour paper, coloured him using watercolour pencils, then carefully cut him out. For the background, I used snippets of patterned paper from three diffferent pads...the 'cloudy sky' is from the 'Cut & Paste - Charm' pad by My Mind's Eye, the checked yellow 'cornfield' is from an unnamed pad from The Works, and the spotty grey 'tarmac' is from the 'Breeze' pad also by My Mind's Eye. I distressed the edges a little before matting it onto a snippet of kraft card and adding it to my calendar.

Challenges for this calendar:

• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything Goes
• Crafty Animals - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

Santa Paws!

Today's card features one of the critters from the 'Christmas Hats' set by Anita Jeram for the Colorado Craft Company. I stamped him onto watercolour paper, coloured him using watercolour pencils, then carefully cut him out. I embossed a piece of watercolour effect paper (from the 'Mystery Marbles' pad by Craft Sensations) using a snowflake embossing folder from Crafter's Companion, then sanded over the raised areas to reveal some of the white core. I stamped a sentiment (from the 'Furry Christmas' set also by Anita Jeram for the Colorado Craft Company) onto a snippet of white hammer card, then tore along the top edge, and layered it over the embossed background. I matted it onto some red card, then added the pup on top using 3D foam pads.

Challenges for this card:

• Can You Handle the Pressure - Anything Goes (Optional 'Cats and/or Dogs')
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Elliebelle's Crafty Wednesday - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

Watercolour Snowflakes

I have a Christmas card to share today...made using a lovely snowflake stamp from the 'Snowflake Edges' set by Simon Says Stamp. I stamped it onto a snippet of watercolour effect paper from the 'Happy Watercolours' pad from The Works using Versamark ink, then heat embossed it in white. I tore around the edge of the snowflake image, then added it to a white linen card blank. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Winter Blessings' set by Crafter's Companion.

Challenges for this card:

• AAA Cards - Anything CAS Goes
• C.R.A.F.T. - Christmas
• Crafter's Cafe - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Everybody Art - Christmas in June
• Rudolph Days - Anything Christmas Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

Surf's Up!

Today's card is a Summer-themed card, but made using a Christmas stamp called 'Snowboard Ride' by Penny Black. He usually wears a Santa hat, so I masked that off before I inked the stamp, stamped it onto watercolour paper. I drew on the top of his head using a black gel pen, before carefully cutting him out. For the 'sea', I took a piece of blue watercolour effect paper (from the 'Happy Watercolours' pad from The Works) and trimmed it to the width of my card base, then tore it a couple of times to create the white 'surf', then layered them up at the bottom of the card blank. I added a stamped sentiment (using a stamp from the 'Anytime Messages' set by Hero Arts), then placed my snowboarding surfing chicken on the waves.

Challenges for this card:

• Addicted to CAS - Water
• Allsorts - Seaside
• Creative Knockouts - Summer Fun
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Vacation
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Stamps + Fun = Creativity - Kraft
• The Sisterhood of Crafters - Fun in the Sun

Ice Cream Cone

Today's card was inspired by the recent hot weather and features an ice cream cone made from lots of little snippets of card. I cut the 'cone' freehand from a snippet of kraft card, then embossed it using a Sizzix/BasicGrey 'Plaid' embossing folder to make it look like a waffle cone. I cut the 'scoops' of ice cream from snippets of different coloured card using one of the dies from a set of cupcake dies by Marianne Designs, then embossed them using my Cuttlebug 'D'Vine Swirls' folder. I used 3D foam pads to attach it all to a DL card blank...using thicker pads in the centre of each piece to give it some dimension. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Anytime Messages' set by Hero Arts.

Challenges for this card:

• CAS on Friday - Summer
• Can You Handle the Pressure - Anything Goes
• Krafty Chicks - CAS
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Little Red Wagon - Embossing
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets

PBSC June - 'Anything Goes' (Optional 'Stitching')...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

'Stitching'

We're currently without a sponsor, so this challenge is just for fun.

I picked one of the images from the 'Snow Much Fun' set to use on my card. I stamped it onto watercolour paper, along with a sentiment using a stamp from an old Lili of the Valley set, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. For the background, I used papers from the 'Back to Basics Christmas' pad by Dovecraft. I distressed the edges, then added faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

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

• Creatalicious - Anything Goes
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes

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

Twiggy Trees

Today's card features some Woodware Christmas tree stamps - 'Mini Tall Twiggy Tree' and 'Mini Wide Twiggy Tree'. I inked them with some bright shades of Distress Ink (Wilted Violet, Twisted Citron & Picked Raspberry), and stamped them onto a DL white linen card blank. I added a sentiment using one of the stamps from the 'Very Merry Christmas' set by Hero Arts...inking it with 'Blueprint Sketch' Distress Ink.

Challenges for this card:

• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Peace on Earth Christmas - Photo Inspiration
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• The Holly & the Ivy - Anything Christmas Goes
• We Love Stamping - Nature

Dotty Flowers

Today's card features flowers from a set of Woodware stamps called 'Dotty Flowers'. I stamped them directly onto a kraft card blank using Versamark ink, then heat embossed them using metallic gold embossing powder from WOW. I added a sentiment embossed in gold to match using one of the stamps from the 'Signature Greetings' set by Memory Box.

Challenges for this card:

• Alphabet Challenge - E is for Embossing
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Fur, Feathers & Flowers
• The Flower Challenge - Add Embossing
• We Love Stamping - Nature

Expressive Poppies

Today's card features a Penny Black stamp called 'Expressive'. I stamped it slightly off the edge of a piece of watercolour paper, then coloured the flowers using watercolour pencils. I added a sentiment using one of the stamps from the 'Sketched Flowers' set by Simon Says Stamp, then lightly distressed the edges before adding it to kraft card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• As You Like It - Sentiment or Not? (Whilst it's handy to have some cards without sentiments stashed away just in case, I feel that most of the time a card doesn't look 'finished' without one)
• Beautiful Blossoms - Anything Goes
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Fur, Feathers & Flowers
• We Love Stamping - Nature

Jolly Snowman

Today's card features a cute Penny Blac stamp called 'Jolly Snowman'. I stamped it onto watercolour paper, along with a sentiment from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. For the background, I used papers from the 'Back to Basics Christmas' pad by Dovecraft...distressing the edges, then adding faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

Challenges for this card:

• Christmas Cards All Year Round - Inspired by 'Frosty the Snowman'
• C.R.A.F.T. - Cute
• Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes
• Creatalicious - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Krafty Chicks - Christmas