Happy Little Stampers December 2021 CAS Challenge

Hi guys

The December challenges at Happy Little Stampers are now rolling out and today it's the turn of the CAS challenge.

Before I get to the challenge details, I have some news.  Sadly, after almost six and a half years, I've made the difficult decision to step down from the Design Team.  Special thanks go to Kylie for being an absolute diamond, a wonderful friend and a brilliant boss lady.  I don't know how you've put up with me for so long!  I've had the pleasure of attending two of her amazing HLS Craft Retreats here in the UK and, if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have had the opportunity of finally meeting some of my friends from the crafting community.  And of course, thank you to my fellow teamies from the HLS family and participants over the years, you've all been so amazing and supportive.  I've had a blast but I need to step away from Design Team commitments and deadlines for a while, to just give me some time to enjoy my hobby and use my stash without any restrictions.

Ok, let's see what the December challenge is asking for, here's the cue card...

While rummaging through my stash I found a stamp set from Clearly Besotted called Christmas Characters, perfect for this one...

I stamped the little elf in black ink and then coloured him using a blend of Zig markers and water.  I used Strathmore Bristol cardstock for this as it takes water really well.  I then die cut the image with a pierced square die, and another slightly larger cut from red cardstock.  These were layered up onto the card base and I finished with a sentiment, from another Clearly Besotted set.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Christmas Characters, Little Elves (sentiment)
• Dies: MFT Die-namics - Pierced Square Stax
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black; Versafine Clair - Nocturne
• Coloured with Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers
• Cardstock: Strathmore Bristol Smooth (for image); other cardstock from stash

Thanks so much for looking, I'm grateful for every visitor.  All the Happy Little Stampers challenges (some still to start) will remain open for entries until the end of the month, so plenty of time to play along.

Happy Little Stampers November 2021 CAS Challenge

Hi there

The November challenges at Happy Little Stampers are launching this week and today is the turn of the monthly CAS challenge.  Here's the cue card...

I just had to use this fabulous stamp set from Katzelkraft...

I chose this kitty and coloured him in the colours of my dear Elmo who I lost a few years ago.  He was so naughty but also very cute (didn't he know it!) and got away with absolutely everything, just by giving me 'the look'!

On a die cut panel I stamped the kitty and coloured him with Copics.  The thought bubble is a stencil which I gently inked through with Distress Ink and the sentiment is from another set which I stamped in black.  To finish, I added some gloss to his eyes.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Katzelkraft - Les Chats Russes; Gerda Steiner - Moody Unicorns (sentiment)
• Stencil: Clearly Besotted - Comic Cuts
• Die: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Double Stitched Rectangles
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Versafine Clair - Nocturne; Distress Ink - Hickory Smoke
• Coloured with Copics
• Accents: Glossy Accents

Challenge entries:

STAMPlorations - November CAS Challenge - Anything Goes with option of Neutrals Only

And just so you can see what I mean, here's the little man himself.  

Thanks so much for popping by.  As always, the HLS challenge links will remain open until the end of the month.

Happy Little Stampers October 2021 CAS Challenge

Good evening!

For the October CAS challenge at Happy Little Stampers we want to see your One Layer cards...

I revisited a favourite layout for my DT card and, due to the change in the season I chose an autumnal theme...

I positioned a strip of low tack stencil tape across the top third of the card and added a gentle ink blend fading it out.  With the mask still in place I then stamped the various leaf images in autumnal colours.  To finish, the tape was removed and the sentiment stamped in brown.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Autumn Flowers, Scrumptious Sentiments
• Ink: Distress Ink - Aged Mahogany, Peeled Paint; Altenew - Sea Forest, Moss, Caramel Toffee, Mangrove Root, Espresso

As always, the HLS challenge links remain open until the end of the month so there's plenty of time to enter, and also lots of inspiration from my teamies over on the challenge blog

Happy Little Stampers September 2021 CAS Challenge

Hi there

This month's CAS challenge at Happy Little Stampers is now live.  Here's the cue card...

Here's my DT card for this one...

I began by lightly blending some Distress Oxide on my card base and then blending some more through a wildflowers stencil.  I adhered three die cuts to continue the wild flower theme.  Next I used the two dragonfly dies and cut these from textured metallic card, layered them up and adhered the body only.  The card was finished with a sentiment stamped in black.

Materials used:

• Ink: Distress Oxide - Salvaged Patina, Spun Sugar; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Stencil: Tim Holtz - from Mini Stencil Set 10
• Dies: Simply Graphic - various stem dies; Clearly Besotted - Dragonfly Dies
• Stamp: Clearly Besotted - Mini Messages

Thanks so much stopping by, as always the challenge link will remain open until the end of the month.

Happy Little Stampers August 2021 CAS Challenge

Good evening

Going into a brand new month means a flurry of new challenges at Happy Little Stampers.  Here's the cue card for the August CAS challenge, which is just starting now...

I went super simple on my DT card for this one but I love this balloon base die and I've not used it for a while, here it is...

I used the balloon base die to cut a piece of aqua cardstock.  Before adhering to the upper part of my card base I blended from the edges with Speckled Egg Distress Ink, just to give the impression of some shadow.  I wanted some contrast so I die cut the tie and string from some bright pink cardstock and adhered these.  And to finish I stamped the sentiment, slightly curved to follow the shape of the balloon.

Materials used:

• Dies: MFT Die-namics - Blueprints 26
• Cardstock from stash
• Ink: Distress Ink - Speckled Egg; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Stamp: Clearly Besotted - Simple Script

As with all the HLS challenges, the link will remain open until the end of August.  Thanks for visiting :)

Happy Little Stampers July 2021 CAS Challenge

Hi there

Where on earth is this year going, I can't believe we're halfway though 2021 already!

It's new CAS Challenge day at Happy Little Stampers and we have a fun one for you for this month, here's the cue card...

Rather than use this as a theme, for my Design Team card I chose to use citrus colours as my inspiration.  I love how fresh this looks...

Apart from the sentiment, this card is made up entirely from die cuts.  To begin, I die cut the scalloped rectangle, before topping this with layered up die cut hibiscus flowers and leaves cut from orange, yellow and green cardstock.  The sentiment was simply stamped alongside before adhering the panel flat to the card base.

Materials used:

• Dies: Newton's Nook - Hibiscus Die Set; Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Scalloped Rectangles
• Stamp: Clearly Besotted - Mini Messages
• Ink: Versafine - Onyx Black

Challenge entries:

AAA Birthday - Challenge #26 - Flowers

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #408 - Birthdays

Thanks so much for popping by.  If you need some Citrus and Zing inspiration there's plenty over at the Happy Little Stampers Challenge page so why not take a look.  And the challenge, as always, will remain open until the end of the month.

Happy Little Stampers June 2021 CAS Challenge

Hi there

The CAS Challenge for June is now live over at Happy Little Stampers and we have a fun theme for you this time...

For my Design Team card I chose a stamp I've had in my stash for a long time.  I've only used it once before, many years ago, so it was about time I inked it up again...

Pretty simple execution for this one.  The upper panel was die cut with a scalloped rectangle.  I then stamped the main image and coloured it with Copics.  I found a co-ordinating sentiment stamp from another set and stamped this in black, adhered the panel to the card base and then there was just one thing left to do....add sparkle to the shoes of course!

Materials used:

• Stamps: Stamping Bella - Uptown Girl Reilly Loves to Relax; Reverse Confetti - Clink
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Die: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Scalloped Rectangles
• Coloured with Copics
• Accents: Spectrum Noir Shimmer Pen - Clear 

Thanks so much for taking a look.  The challenge link will remain open until the end of the month so there's plenty of time to join in.

Happy Little Stampers May 2021 CAS Challenge

Good evening

Tonight I'm here to announce the new CAS challenge for May over at Happy Little Stampers.  Here's the theme we want to see on your clean and simple cards this month...

I'll admit, I had very little in my stash that I could use for this challenge....note to self, stop buying floral stamp sets!  Anyhow, this cute little bears stamp was one I purchased some time ago, when Lili of the Valley were selling off all their rubber stamps.  I believe they only sell digi images now.

This was pretty easy to create.  I stamped the image and then coloured it with Copics.  I'm still learning with my markers but getting there slowly and I'm quite pleased with how this one turned out.  I added a strip of patterned paper to the bottom of my card base then trimmed the image panel down and adhered it flat.  Then to finish I stamped the sentiment, this one from a very old Clearly Besotted set.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Lili of the Valley - Football Bears; Clearly Besotted - Going Places
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Coloured with Copics
• Patterned paper from stash

Challenge entries:

Seize the Birthday - Challenge #213 - Furry Friends

Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #404 - Any Occasion

STAMPlorations - May CAS Challenge

NBUS - Challenge #26 - first inking of these bears

Thanks for taking a look.  As with all the HLS challenges, the links will remain open until the end of the month so there's plenty of time to join us.

Happy Little Stampers April 2021 CAS Challenge

Hi there

At Happy Little Stampers it's time for the April CAS Challenge.  Here's the cue card...

I thought I was going to struggle with this brief as I don't have much in my stash which would fit, but I Googled 'things with flames' and there's actually more to choose from than you first think.  I chose a rocket for my card...

On a die cut panel I masked off below the top third and stamped the foreground and the rocket.  I then made masks for these.  I ink blended very lightly with a neutral tone where I wanted the planet and then die cut a small circle mask and placed this over the inking.  I then ink blended the background sky using pink, purple and blue.  The masks were removed and I coloured the images with Copics.  I stamped and heat embossed the sentiment in white and die cut this with a fishtail flag die.  To finish, I added some stars using a white pigment pen and then adhered the panel to my card base.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Out of this World
• Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Distress Ink - Pumice Stone; Distress Oxide - Picked Raspberry, Wilted Violet, Blueprint Sketch; VersaMark
• Coloured with Copics
• Embossing Powder: Brutus Monroe - Alabaster White
• Dies: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Double Stitched Rectanges; MFT Die-namics - Fishtail Flag Stax
• Accents: White pen - Sakura Gelly Roll 10

This challenge will run until the end of the month.

Thanks so much for taking a look, I'll be back tomorrow morning with details of the next challenge at Less is More.

Happy Little Stampers - March 2021 CAS Challenge

Hi there

We're just into a new month so that means a flourish of new challenges over at Happy New Stampers, and today it's the turn of the CAS challenge.  Here's the March cue card...

I chose a stamp set that's been in my stash for many years and it's still one of my favourites...an oldie but goodie...

I die cut a faux stitched rectangle and separately stamped the stems and dandelion clocks from the set.  I chose to use a small sentiment which I stamped alongside a stem to preserve even more white space.  Before adhering the panel on foam I added a gentle blend of blue ink to the card base, fading it out in the centre.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Dandelion Dreams, Tiny Type
• Ink: Altenew - Forest Glades, Wisteria, Pink Diamond, Arctic; Distress Ink - Tumbled Glass; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Die: Create a Smile - Cool cuts Double Stitched Rectangles

You can find more inspiration from my teamies over at the main challenge blog so follow the link, here.  And as always, the HLS challenges will remain open until the end of the month.

Happy Little Stampers February 2021 CAS Challenge

Hi there

It's a fresh new month and therefore we have a a bunch of fresh new challenges over at Happy Little Stampers.  Here is the cue card for the CAS challenge which is kicking off right now...

I decided to go super CAS for this card, just a simple 'love you'...

I began by die cutting the 'love' from a piece of cardstock which I had already ink blended with a gradient of pink and red Distress Ink.  I then die cut a heart from some black textured card stock and stamped and heat embossed the 'you' in white.  I adhered the die cut to the heart and placed it on my card base.  Now, I love simple cards more than any other kind but this one did look like it needed a little something else.  So I just added some ink splatters mainly towards the bottom right corner using a mix of Distress Ink and water flicked off a small brush.  To finish I popped the heart up on 3D foam.

Materials used:

• Dies: Lil' Inker Designs - Doodled Love Word Die; Xcut - Nesting Hearts
• Stamp: Uniko - You Are...Sentiments Outlined
• Ink: Distress Ink - Picked Raspberry, Candied Apple;VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Brutus Monroe - Alabaster White

Challenge entries:

Moving Along with the Times - Challenge #127 - Valentines/Love

NBUS - Challenge #23 - first use of the 'love' die purchased in Lil' Inker Designs closing down sale last year

As with all the HLS challenges, the linky will remain open until the end of the month.  I hope you can join us.

Happy Little Stampers January 2021 CAS Challenge

Good evening

After a six month break, the Happy Little Stampers challenges are up and running again.  That time has absolutely flown by!  And today it's the turn of the CAS challenge, so here's this month's cue card...

After so many festive makes it was lovely to make something with a completely different theme...

This was a pretty simple make.  I die cut the upper panel and the rest is purely stamped, absolutely no masking involved.  The little flower I added on the flamingo was an outline image so I just coloured that in with a Copic marker.  The panel was adhered on a panel of fun foam.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Let's Flamingo, Flag It, Simply Succulent (flower)
• Die: Create a Smile - Cool Cuts Double Stitched Rectangles
• Ink: Altenew - Cotton Candy, Coral Berry, Ultraviolet, Caribbean Sky, Moss, Dark Chocolate, Volcano Lake; Memento - Tuxedo Black

As with all the Happy Little Stampers challenges, the linky will remain open until the end of the month so there's plenty of time to play along.

Happy Little Stampers June 2020 CAS Challenge

Hi there

The CAS Challenge at Happy Little Stampers is just starting. 

I'll get straight to it with the cue card...

I chose a really simple one layer design for this one...

This was so easy to create.  I masked off around one of the balloon shapes in the stencil and repeatedly ink blended it, adding light and shade while trying to retain the transparency of real balloons.  Then just finished with a simple black sentiment.  Perfect for lots of occasions.

Materials used:

• Stencil: MFT - Big Balloons
• Ink: Distress Ink - Twisted Citron, Worn Lipstick, Wilted Violet, Salty Ocean; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Sentiment: Lili of the Valley - It's Time to Party

Challenge entries:

STAMPlorations - June Stencil Challenge - Anything Goes

My Time To Craft - Challenge #433 - Use a Stencil

Time Out - Challenge #162 - Free

If you pop over to the main challenge blog you'll see a note from Kylie, our 'boss' at Happy Little Stampers.  She works so hard behind the scenes running lots of different challenge blogs and has decided to take a well-earned break for six months.  So the break will start after the June challenges finish, at the end of the month.