Merry Christmas Everyone!

Just popping in to share a Christmas card that's been sitting in my unshared stash for quite a while.

All our Christmas festivities are over and we are sitting quietly reflecting on the day we've shared with family and friends. The dogs got left at home and as I type one of them is curled up in my lap, relieved that I came back:)

I used some patterned paper from an Australian Artist (Jocelyn Proust), a die from Uniquely Creative

and sadly I can't remember which stamp I used for the sentiment.

One of the Wreath die-cuts was gold embossed to match the sentiment.

Die: Uniquely Creative Eucalyptus Wreath

I'm sharing my card at the following challenges:-

                                                ABC Christmas Challenge - Y is for Your Choice

THE HOLLY & IVY CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE (Anything Goes)

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog! I love to read your comments:)

                                            

60th Birthday Card

 Hi there Crafty Friends! It's Christmas Eve and it's very stormy, so not the usual warm and sunny Christmas here in Australia.  We're sitting in front of a sparkly tree watching re-runs of cozy Christmas specials on TV. 

In the meantime, I have a non-Christmas card to share for The Flower Challenge.

I made this card ages ago, but forgot to share and I thought it would be perfect for the current theme at TFC.  

I used a stamp and co-ordinating stencil from Pinkfresh Studio. 

                                Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog! I love to read your comments:)

                                                                

PENNY BLACK SATURDAY CHALLENGE DEC Reminder

  It's the 3rd Saturday of the month, so it's time to remind you about  Penny Black Saturday Challenge.  This month our theme is 'ANYTHING GOES' or Optional: 'CHRISTMAS'.

I was gifted this old, wood-mount stamp from a friend who was de-stashing.

Jenny actually gave me 3 Christmas stamps knowing I'm on the PBSC DT and I really love using and displaying at Christmas:)

Stamp: Penny Black Royal Mail

Coloured with Copics

The prize for this challenge is provided by our generous sponsor

Prize - $20 voucher!

If you'd like to be considered for a guest designer spot for a future challenge, please add 'GDT' after your name on the link-up...and remember to check back to see if you've been chosen!

 You can see more inspiration from our talented Guest DT  Kimberley  and the rest of the team at our blog. 

I hope you have the opportunity to join in our challenge.

                               Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog! I love to read your comments:)

                                                                

THE CARD CONCEPT #202 Christmas Cheer

 Hi there Crafty Friends! It's time for the last challenge of 2023 for The Card Concept.

We've made some changes for the challenge, the main one being that it's now monthly instead of every 2 weeks. You can check out the details here.

I used products from various companies, which I often forget to do. 

The Embossing Folder is from Stampin Up (I used the debossed side).

The trees are from Winnie & Walter, who are sadly no longer around.

The sentiment stamp is a very oldie from Hero Arts.

I was inspired by the photo and colours to make a Clean & Layered Card. I loved the modern and stylised look of the photo.

Remember, an inspiration photo is exactly that- a starting point for inspiration. Will it be the colours, the overall theme, the texture, the actual items and/or something else that will inspire your card? 

I hope you'll visit The Card Concept Challenge Blog to see what the rest of the team has created and will be inspired to play along in the challenge with us. 

Choose a design style (or combine styles), create a card, and in your blog post, let us know what inspired you from the photo, what style and/or styles you chose and don't forget to display our inspiration photo and link back to our challenge :-)

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog! I love to read your comments:)

ALTENEW INSPIRATION CHALLENGE (YEAR IN REVIEW)

Hi Crafty Friends! It's the end of the year, so Altenew is reflecting on all the challenges of 2023. We can can make a card inspired by any of this years challenges.

 Since it's the Festive Season I chose the April Inspiration as the colours are perfect for a Christmas card.

This is definitely my favourite Poinsettia Stamp. For a change I decided to use Patterned Paper and Paper Piece. It definitely has a different look.

Stamp: Altenew Festive Poinsettia

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog! I love to read your comments:)

TIME OUT CHALLENGE #253 (Last Challenge for 2023)

 Hi there Crafty Friends! The countdown is on and this is the last challenge for Time Out in 2023. We challenge you to be SPARKLY ✨! That should be easy!

I used a super cute stamp from Stamping Bella - Tiny Townie Pamela the Poinsettia. I water-coloured the image with Inktense Pencils and Karin Markers. Then I added lots of SPARKLE✨ with Nuvo Glitter Gloss Pen.  The background paper also has glitter and I added a sprinkle of Sequins to finish. 

Our Sponsor is PICKET FENCE STUDIO with a generous $25 gift voucher for our winner, chosen by our DT! 

We welcome Heather from Handmade by Heather, the winner of Time Out #250, as our Guest Designer. 

You can see her card and lots more from our DT at the Time Out Challenge blog

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog! I love to read your comments:)

PENNY BLACK SATURDAY CHALLENGE DEC'23

 Hi there. This year seems to have really flown and I can't believe it's December! It's also the first Saturday of the month, which means it's time for a new Penny Black Saturday Challenge. 

 This month our theme is...

                                        'ANYTHING GOES' or Optional: 'CHRISTMAS'.

I recently purchased this cute stamp from Penny Black  called Sweet Sledder.

I coloured the image with Derwent Inktense Pencils and Karin Markers.

I also used Penny Black Stitched Nested Frames.

The prize for this challenge is provided by our generous sponsor

Prize - $20 voucher!

If you'd like to be considered for a guest designer spot for a future challenge, please add 'GDT' after your name on the link-up...and remember to check back to see if you've been chosen!

 We have the very talented Kimberley Weiner of Weinerhoneymooners, joining us as Guest Designer this month. You can see Kimberley's gorgeous card and more from our fab DT at  our blog. I hope you have the opportunity to join in our challenge.

                               Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog! I love to read your comments:)

                                                                

Time Out Challenge #252 Winter/Holiday & DT Call

 Hi there Crafty Friends! Can you believe it's only a month till Christmas - it sure does creep up on you! So here is another Holiday card and it's Winter-y too!

I've used our Sponsor's die - Birch Press Pinpoint Snowflake and also a Memory Box Snowflake die to create my card. I coloured the Pinpoint Snowflake with Watercolour Paint and added some shimmer paste over it for extra shine. 

Our Sponsor is Birch Press with a generous $20 gift voucher for our winner, chosen by our DT! Thank you so much Birch Press  for sponsoring our challenge. 

We also have a Design Team call for one person. You can join the DT Call by making a card for this challenge and adding letters DT after your name to the linky. 

We welcome J.K. Elliot of Live.Craft.Repeat. and winner of Time Out #249, as our Guest Designer. You can also find her on Instagram.

You can see her card and lots more from our DT at the Time Out Challenge blog

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog! I love to read your comments:)

Getting in the Holiday Spirit

 Hello there Crafty Friends! I've hardly made any Christmas cards this year and I'm not feeling at all excited about the coming Festive Season, so I think it's time to get in the spirit! 

This card is from my stash of 'previously made but not shared' cards...

This is one of my old favourite Penny Black Christmas stamps.

I'm sharing at the following Challenges:-

STAMPING SENSATIONS
Theme: Christmas

ALLSORTS
🎄Christmas Time ⛄️ 

So now I need to put on some music, watch some Christmas Hallmark movies and get in the mood for creating!

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog! I love to read your comments:)

Penny Black Saturday Challenge Nov '23 Reminder

  It's the 3rd Saturday of the month, so we have more inspiration for you at the Penny Black Saturday Challenge.  The challenge this month is...

'Anything Goes'
or

'GLITTER/GLITZ'

This beautiful Cling stamp from Penny Black is called Golden.

I stamped the image with gold ink and embossed with a sparkly gold powder.

I used mostly Karin Markers for the colouring.

You can see more inspiration from our  DT  at our blog. I hope you have the opportunity to join in our challenge.

The prize for this challenge is provided by our generous sponsor:

Prize - $20 voucher!

If you'd like to be considered for a guest designer spot for a future challenge, please add 'GDT' after your name on the link-up...and remember to check back to see if you've been chosen!

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog! I love to read your comments:)

Yellow Roses

 Hi there Crafty Friends!

Over this last weekend I spent some time practising with the Altenew Watercolor Coloring Book. I used various mediums and colours. Here is a completed card inspired by this month's theme at The Flower Challenge...

I used a mix of Altenew Watercolour paints, Inktense Watercolor Pencils and Zig Markers. 

The sentiment die is from Simon Says Stamp. 

                                     Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog! I love to read your comments:)

                                                                

Time Out Challenge #251Inspired by a Photo

 Welcome back Crafty Friends. It's time for a new Time Out Challenge and this week we want you to be inspired by a photo.

The photo prompt in this challenge is also the prize - a handmade bag, made by our old Teamie Kim Heggins. Kim not only makes beautiful cards, she is also very handy with needle and thread! Check out her other beautiful creations at Running Stitch Designs.

The fabric in Kim's bag reminded me of some pretty Design Paper in my stash, so I was inspired to make this Christmas Card.

I cut the panel of pp and inked the edges for definition. 

Next I die cut the Christmas Tree and stamped the sentiment and snowflakes to match the paper. 

As mentioned above, our sponsor for this challenge is one of our very own designers, Kim, at RunningStitchDesign! 

This challenge prize is open to only US residents, thank you for understanding.

Can't wait to see how you are inspired by thee gorgeous floral bag. 

You can see more inspiration from our  fabulous DT at the TIME OUT CHALLENGES blog. 

I hope you have the opportunity to join in our challenge.

                        Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog! I love to read your comments:)

                                                                

THE CARD CONCEPT #201 Fall Leaves

 Hi there Crafty Friends. I'm back playing with the team at The Card Concept. It's been a while, because they had their Summer Break and then I went on a 6 week trip to Europe. 

We've made some changes for the challenge, the main one being that it's now monthly instead of every 2 weeks. You can check out the details here.

I used various leaf stamps and Distress Inks, with water, to create this layered collage, which was literally 

inspired by the photo inspiration. I think you could still call my card's style  'Clean & Layered'. The sentiment has been stamped with DI Seedless Preserves. 

Remember, an inspiration photo is exactly that- a starting point for inspiration. Will it be the colours, the overall theme, the texture, the actual items and/or something else that will inspire your card? 

I hope you'll visit The Card Concept Challenge Blog to see what the rest of the team has created and will be inspired to play along in the challenge with us. 

Choose a design style (or combine styles), create a card, and in your blog post, let us know what inspired you from the photo, what style and/or styles you chose and don't forget to display our inspiration photo and link back to our challenge :-)

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog! I love to read your comments:)

                                            

 

ALTENEW INSPIRATION CHALLENGE

                                                  

Welcome friends! 

I made a few cards today inspired by the Altenew Inspiration Challenge and using a new 'to me' stamp set - 'Wild Flora' - which has 3 gorgeous floral images. I made 3 cards with this daisy image. 

This one is a Shaker Card, although it's quite subtle because I've used a dark background - it's a shimmery purple card.

I also used an Altenew Hotfoil Plate and black foil for the sentiment.

My next card uses partial background stamping, Embossing Folder and fancy word die for the sentiment... 

and I had some inky fun with my last card using Karin Markers and Nuvo Shimmer Powders...

So which one is your favourite?  

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog! I love to read your comments:)