Pile It On! Challenge - Vintage/Retro and/or Warm Wishes

It's time for some more inspiration for this month's Pile It On! Challenge...where the theme's are:

'Vintage or Retro'

and/or

'Warm Wishes'

Our sponsor this month is Pickled Potpourri:

Prize - $7 Store Coupon!

I went with the 'Warm Wishes' option, and used an old Lili of the Valley die cut image from the 'Christmas Cuties' set. I paired it with a mixture of papers by Sandylion & BasicGrey (from the 'Figgy Pudding' collection). I distressed all of the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from a set by Lili of the Valley.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Vintage/Retro and/or Warm Wishes
• Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Cards Galore Encore - Anything Goes
• Crafter's Cafe - Lots of Layers
• Crafting with an Attitude - Anything Goes
• Crafty Girls Creations - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Christmas in July
• Crimbo Crackers - Anything Goes
• Jingle Belles - Lots of Layers
• Little Miss Muffet - Anything Goes
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes

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

Ice Christmas

I have a simple little Christmas card to share today...featuring a cute Lili of the Valley penguin stamp called 'Ice Christmas'. I coloured the image using watercolour pencils, then carefully cut around the top. I added a snippet of snowflake paper behind him (by Sandylion) for the background, and a sentiment from a set by Lili of the Valley.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Things with Wings
• Christmas with the Cuties - Christmas Animals
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Crazy Challenge - Add an Animal
• Heartful Stamping - Anything Goes
• Merry Monday - Penguins
• Rudolph Days - Anything Christmas
• Sweet Stampin' - Cute & Cuddly
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Little Miss Muffet Customer Appreciation Day

I have something a little different to share today...I was a winner over at Little Miss Muffet Stamps Challenge a little while ago, and was asked to take part in their Customer Appreciation Day Celebrations. Well, that day is today!

There are lots of new images in the Little Miss Muffet Stamps Shop....with free gifts and stamps too! 

I've made a card using a cute Claribella image called 'Clarabella Says'...with a space for you to add any sentiment you like. In order to make the image the main feature of the card, I printed Claribella a couple of times...flipping her to make a mirror image. I used a piece of flowery paper (by Sandylion) for a simple background...I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. I coloured the images using watercolour pencils to match the colours in the paper, and added a little sentiment to each of Calribella's signs (from a set by Wild Rose Studio).

For more sample projects, and all of the information on the exciting Customer Appreciation Day offers...please pop over the Little Miss Muffet Shop.

Pile It On! Challenge - Any Holiday or Celebration

We have a fun new Pile It On! Challenge starting today...this one is a special challenge running for four weeks, so there's plenty of time to play along! We have a super simple theme too:

'Any Holiday or Celebration'

Our sponsor for this month is Bugaboo Stamps:

Prize - 7 Digi Stamps of the Winners Choice!

I used a Bugaboo Stamp image called 'Snowball Penguins' which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The papers are by Sandylion...they're really old (I think I've had them since before I started blogging!), and I have no idea what the name of the collection they're from might be called. I inked the edges of everything using 'Pumice Stone' Distress Ink, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Joy to the World' set by Penny Black. I did add a load of sparkle to the snowballs using a WInk of Stella pen...but I couldn't get it to show up in the photo.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Any Holiday/Celebration (Christmas)
• 52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Pick a 2016 Challenge (October - Christmas Critters)
• Animal Friends - Anything Goes
• Card Mania - Anything Goes
• Cardz for Guyz - Christmas Animals
• C.R.A.F.T. - Winter
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Extra - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - Anything Goes
• Creative Moments - Anything Goes
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Christmas
• The Male Room - Christmas
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Simply Papercraft - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - Animals

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

In the Snow

I've used another of the images I stamped when I visited Kaz last month on today's card...this cutie is 'James the Bear - In the Snow' by Lili of the Valley. The paper is by Sandylion, and was a charity shop find by my Mum...if you're a charity shopper, you might like to know that there's still time to join me (and some of my crafty friends) in showing your support by joining in with our Goodwill blog hop which ends tonight...all you need to do is comment on each stop to be in with a chance of winning one of the fabulous prizes...there's some candy along the way too (including on my blog)...the hop starts here. Ok, I used my Cuttlebug 'Snowflakes' folder on white card (just seen behind the bear), added a couple of snowflakes cut using Marianne Designs and Cuttlebug dies, ribbon from my stash, and a few pieces of Card Candi. I distressed all of the edges with ink and my distressing tool, and added some faux stitching to the patterened paper using my CutterBee bug and a white gel pen.

Challenges for this card:

• Bah! Humbug! - Snowflakes
• Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - Stitching
• Crafty Calendar - Teddy Bears
• Craft Your Days Away - White plus one other colour (I chose teal)
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Distressing
• Sweet Sketch Wednesday - Sketch

Bear & Robin

Before I get on to today's card...I have a little bit of news for you. If you're a regular visitor to my blog, you were probably expecting to see my DT card for the ABC Challenge today...but the 'S for Sparkle' challenge was my last with the lovely ABC girls...I'm moving on to pastures new. As you may have seen, I became a permanent member of the Just Cute Bears Challenge DT last weekend, after a stint as a guest designer...and I've joined another challenge DT too...I can't tell you which one yet (it's a secret!) but all will be revealed at the weekend...

I've got a Christmas card for you today...using the sketch from Cute Card Thursday. The image is 'Bear & Robin' by Gillian Roberts for Stampavie, the papers are by Sandylion, the sentiment is a Cuddly Buddly stamp, and the snowflakes were all cut using Cuttlebug dies. I'm also going to enter this card into the Winter Wonderland Challenge...where 'Anything Goes' this week to celebrate their relaunch on Fridays.

Christmas Bunnies

I don't know what's wrong with me...we've had lots of lovely warm sunny weather...and I'm uploading my third Christmas card of the week! lol This one uses the Winter Wonderland sketch with the additional challenge to 'Add a Bunny'...'cos it's Easter...in fact I've added two with this adorable Lili of the Valley stamp ('Christmas Bunnies in Stocking'). I'm also going to enter this card into My Time to Craft's 'On the Spot' challenge...the spotty paper I've used is by Sandylion. The sentiment stamp is by Cuddly Buddly, and the ribbon is from Poppicrafts.

Wee and Stocking

Katharina is having a Guest Design Team Call for Whiff of Joy stamps...so I thought I'd have a go, and make a card using the recipe of '1 cardstock, 2 design papers, 1 button, 1 ribbon'. I thought I'd combine it with the current Whiff of Joy Challenge...which is to make an easel card. I used the sketch from Totally Papercrafts for the layout. I've used 'Wee with Stocking' to make a Christmas card with papers by Sandylion. The snowflakes were cut using Cuttlebug dies, and they've been coated with Glamour Dust....although it doesn't show up very well in the photo. The sentiment stamp is by Paper Makeup, and the ribbon and button are from Poppicrafts.


I'll be back on Wednesday with another Christmas card...as it will be time for the next ABC Christmas Challenge. There's still time for you to get your entries in for the current challenge...'F is for Frosty'...if you haven't already done so, to be in with a chance of winning the $15 shopping spree at Simon Says Stamp!

Triple Challenge Charity Card

I know I'm cutting it fine, but I just had to make a card for the Dutch Dare 'Post Pals' challenge....I've managed to combine it with a couple of other challenges too: the Stampavie Challenge, and the Roses on Paper Challenge, which both asked for flowers...so I've given them flowers on my image ('Garden Bears' by Rachelle Anne Miller), flowers on my paper (by Sandylion), and some paper flowers too (all from Poppicrafts). The sentiment is from the Clare Curd Signature Range set (by Papermania), and I couldn't resist a few pieces of card candy (by Craftwork Cards).

ABC Challenge - R is for...

Phew, after last week's tricky challenge, we've got something a little simpler for you on the ABC Challenge...'R is for Roses'...so we'd like to see lots of lovely roses on your projects.

The prize for the random winner of this week's challenge is some Forever Friends goodies:

(Three packs of decoupaged stickers, and a pack of embossed cards blanks.)

I used blue and white paper roses (from Hobbycraft), as a border along the bottom of my card. The image is 'Confirmand Melinda' (by Whiff of Joy), the paper is by Sandylion, and I used the Cuttlebug 'Textile' folder on a piece of Core'dinations whitewashed card, which I then sanded to reveal the core colour.


For more inspiration, make sure you check out the 'blooming marvelous' creations by the other DT members.

Friday Sketchers meets Papertake Weekly

I think I must be inspired by the lovely sunny weather we keep having at the moment...I seem to have a thing for bright colours at the moment! I loved all the angles of the different layers in this week's Friday Sketchers Challenge, so just had to have a go. I've also used animals on my card (which makes a change! lol) so I'm also entering this for the 'Animal Antics' themed Papertake Weekly Challenge. I've used part of the 'Bunny Friends' stamp by Penny Black as my main image, with papers by Sandylion and K&Co...and I've inked around all of the edges with pink to add definition. The flowers are all from Poppicrafts.

Just Christmas & Birthday Cards meets the One Stop Craft Challenge

I've made a Birthday card using this week's Just Christmas & Birthday Card Challenge sketch. I usually make square cards, but have used a lovely Penny Black image ('Daisy Chain'), sent to me by my lovely friend Carol on a DL card. The backing papers are by Sandy Lion, and I've torn the one across the centre, so I'm also entering this card for the One Stop Craft Challenge where the theme is 'Torn' this week. I've used some tiny Prima flowers, held on with teeny brads from Poppicrafts in the corners, a sentiment from the CCSR set by Papermania.

Whiff of Joy Challenge #25

The Whiff of Joy candy I won from Camilla arrived...and it's gorgeous...I couldn't resist having a play straight away! I've used the sketch for this week's Whiff of Joy Challenge to make this card. I've combined the two stamps ('Confirmand Melinda' and 'Cat with bow')...positioning the two images so it looks like she's stroking the cats head! lol The papers are by Sandylion, the lace is from Hobbycraft and I used the Cuttlebug 'D'Vine Swirls' folder to emboss the background.

I couldn't decide on a sentiment, so I used some flowers (from Poppicrafts) and used one of the fab pearl brads (that were also in the candy from Camilla) to hold them in place.

Three Challenges in One...

The three challenges I've combined on this card are: Papertake Weekly (the sketch); Penny Black Saturday ('Spring'); and A Spoon Full of Sugar ('Easter')...could have added a few more too, as there seem to be loads of 'Spring' and 'Easter' themes this week...but I'd better leave myself something to do tomorrow! lol
The image is part of the 'Bunny Friends' stamp, the papers are by Sandylion, the pink card was embossed using the 'D'Vine Swirls' folder; and the sentiment is a stamp by Hero Arts (words stamped separately).


Can you tell I like my new Nesties? ;0)

Penny Black Saturday Challenge 37

The theme for this week's Penny Black Saturday Challenge is 'Get Well Soon', and I'm sure that at this time of year, we probably all know someone who's feeling a little under the weather. Stealing an idea from a couple of my favourite bloggers, Jo and Tara, I've used a Christmas stamp ('Xmouse Ornament!') for my image, masking off the snowflake before I stamped it, then adding a couple of Prima flowers in it's place. The paper is by Sandylion, the sentiment stamp is by Personal Impressions, and the lace is from Hobbycraft. I ran the blue panel through the Cuttlebug, with the 'Perfect Paisley' folder, then rubbed over the surface with my Versamark pad to highlight the detail, and then added a few adhesive pearls to the corners to finish it off.

Sketch Saturday #39

I've used this week's Sketch Saturday sketch to make a quick image wallet. I've kept it really simple as I needed to get the swaps in the post today...just made it in time!
I've used a Penny Black image - 'Gifts for you' and the paper is by Sandylion. I've used some yellow grosgrain ribbon to make some tabs behind the image, and the flowers (which match the paper much better in real life) are from Poppicrafts.

Just Christmas & Birthday Cards Challenge - Sketch #14

So far I'm managing to stick to making a Christmas card every week...not sure how long that's going to last though! There's a lovely sketch to follow this week - perfect for quick cards. I've rotated it, and used it on the horizontal for both of my cards, to fit the shape of the stamps I wanted to use.
On the birthday card I've used 'Bunny Friends' by Penny Black, papers by Sandylion, flowers from Poppicrafts and the sentiment stamp (in the centre of the flowers) is from a clear set called 'Fabulous Birthday' by Hero Arts.

I've also used a Penny Black stamp on the Christmas card - 'Par Avion' a bargain in the New Year sales. The papers are by Pebbles Inc, and the sentiment stamp is by Three Bugs in a Rug.

One Stop Craft Challenge #9

The theme of the current challenge is '3 is the magic number'...and they'd like to see things in groups of 3 on our cards. I've used 3 paper flowers layered up (from Poppicrafts) and 3 different patterned papers (by Sandylion and Papermania). I've used one of the stamps from my lovely new clear set of Penny Blacks ('Hugs') as my main image, and the sentiment is from a set by Studio G.