Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday - December Challenge (and Still Looking for a Few More "Year in Review" Co-Hosts)

Hello and happy December! How did that happen so quickly!!??

Welcome to the December theme of my Crafty Wednesday challenge right here on my blog! I'm so glad you decided to stop by to check out the new theme and hopefully you'll join in too! Many thanks to all of you who joined in last month! There were lots of fabulous creations, you can find my top picks at the end of the post. 

And a little reminder first: There is still time to sign up for the "Year in Review" blog hop starting on December 29th (where we will share a post featuring our own favorites of 2021). 

All details can be found here. I am still looking for a few more to join in the fun! 

This Month's Theme:

For the month of December I selected the optional theme of.....................

Baby, it's cold outside.

Remember, the theme is optional for your inspiration, but you may link up any of your crafty makes for a chance to be featured in the top 3! It is also not limited to cards only, you may share any of your crafty creations! 

And here is my card:

I used some oldies but goodies on this card. 

I started out by flicking some masking fluid onto the Bristol Vellum card front. I let this dry completely before moving to the next step. 

When dry I heat embossed the line of trees (retired - PSX F-1550) using Iced Spruce Distress Oxide ink and clear embossing powder. I cut a paper mask following the line of trees so I could link up the sky. I used Antique Linen, Victorian Velvet, Blueprint Sketch  and a little bit of Chipped Sapphire Distress inks/oxides.

Related Products You May Like:

 

With another paper mask in place, I inked up a snow bank using Speckled Egg ink. After all the inking was complete I rubbed off the masking fluid with a paper towel. 

The image from the Penny Black clear set Holly Jolly has been stamped on a separate piece of Bristol Vellum paper, using Versafine Onyx ink and colored with some of the same Distress inks I used for inking up the sky. 

The sentiment is from the Penny Black set Holiday Snippets, stamped using Chipped Sapphire ink. A little Frosted Lace stickles on the snow finishes off the card. 

This post may include some affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links. As always, this is at no cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting this blog!

Linking up here:

Challenges:

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - PB stamps // Paper Minutes - Trees // Cutie Pie Challenge - Cute // Double Trouble Challenges - Anything Goes with Thing 3 Twist Option (I used snowflakes but mine are made with masking fluid) // Make My Monday - Cute Christmas // Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenges - Animals // Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Sparkle // Stamps & Fun = Creativity - Snowflakes // International Art & Soul - Winter // Crazy 4 Challenges - Something you can ride on // Crafty Catz - AG // Jingle Belles - A Blog Header Christmas // 

Last Month's Top Picks

I will continue to add my favorites to the dedicated Pinterest board, but going forward I will once again showcase the top pick's creations with links to their individual blogs, which will be removed at the start of each new month's challenge to remain in compliance with GDPR.


Selecting just three is never easy but something that needs to be done and here they are from last month's theme of Dies/Punches or Anything Goes. They are listed in order of entry.  

                     

Donna

(Such beautiful watercoloring!)

   Bernadette

(What a fun interactive card!)

the inside:

Aimeslee

(Gorgeous non- traditional colors!)

Congratulations ladies, well deserved recognition! Your Top Pick logo is below, feel free to post it to your own blogs!

A few things to remember:

• You may follow the theme or anything crafty goes.

• You may combine with any other challenges.

• You may use any brand of stamps/digis/products (no company restriction).
• No more than 3 entries per person please - no worries if you end up with more.
• Please do include a link back here to my blog in your blog post.

Blossoms and a Butterfly Across the Miles

Hello and welcome! 

Hard to believe Thanksgiving Day has come and gone, if you celebrated I hope you had a nice and relaxing holiday with your loved ones. My turkey turned out wonderful once again, I always complain about dealing with the big bird but I'm always excited about it nonetheless :-) I've been using the turkey sized Reynolds oven bags for many years now, they work wonderfully for me! 

But I don't want you to get hungry while here, so lets get to the topic of this post, which is the new theme at Allsorts challenge! Our theme for this week is "Use a Hand Stamped or Digital Image". As always we'd love for you to join us for a chance to win. This week we have 2 prizes, winner's choice of 3 digital stamps by Ruth Hamilton Design and our second prize is a set of 2 Bee Crafty border stamps. 

And here is my card:

The inked paper came from my box of "not yet used" backgrounds. It had been inked with a mix of Distress inks, then I stamped Stampin Up's retired French Script onto the background here and there. 

The flowers are from Penny Black's set Delicate Florals, stamped and heat embossed using Versamark ink and white embossing powder.

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The butterfly is part of Penny Black's collage type stamp Gathering Together, but I only used the butterfly from the stamp. It's been fussy cut and then inked with distress inks. 

Finally, the sentiment is from the Penny Black set Eloquence stamped with Chipped Sapphire Distress ink. 

Thanks so much for visiting!

This post may include some affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links. As always, this is at no cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting this blog!

I'm linking up here:

Penny Black Saturday - use PB Stamps // Krafty Chicks - Occasions // 

Dare to Share 

Clara and the Nutcracker Card

Hello and welcome! 

It's Saturday again and that means a new theme starts at Allsorts challenge. Our theme this time around is "For the Girls". So anything feminine goes. Our prizes are a beautiful Tattered Lace die and a wonderful Woodware stamp set, so there will be two winners! Hope you can join us this week!

The image (Mo Manning - Clara) has been colored with my Faber Castell Polychromos pencils then fussy cut. I made the background using the Circle Explosion stencil and Antique Linen Distress ink, and I also inked up the bottom portion for a floor using a sheet of printer paper as a mask for a straight line. The red patterned paper was a perfect match for the Nutcracker to bring in some more red, then I added a strip of brushed gold card stock to the right side. Some gold cord (options) completes the card.

The sentiment is an oldie from Whimsy Stamps and long retired, stamped using Versafine Onyx ink.  It's been stamped using Versafine Onyx ink. 

And here are this week's prizes - a Tattered Lace die and Woodware stamp set. 

Thanks so much for visiting!

                          Ad: Scrapbook.com Pre- Black Friday Sale Going on Now!

This post may include some affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links. As always, this is at no cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting this blog!

I'm linking up here:

Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge - AG with Mo's image // Colour Crazy Challenge - Coloring // Just Add Ink - Legs // As You Like It Challenge  - Dies or Stencils and why (definitely stencils for me, they are quick to grab and add something extra to the card, but I really dislike messing with dies, too much work although I do like the look of added die cuts.) // Aud Sentiments Challenge - Add a sentiment // C.R.A.F.T. - For Children // Paper Shelter - Say Something // Simon Says Stamp - Make Your Own Background // Crafty Sentiment Designs - AG // Digi Choosday Challenge - AG // Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - AG with Patterned Papers // Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenges - AG // 

Always Anything Goes and Linky Parties:

Taylor Made Cards 4 U // Crafter's Castle // 613 Avenue Create opt. twist watercolor // Crafty Creations // Creative Moments // Lemon Shortbread // Through The Craft Room Door // The Corrosive Challenges // A Bit More Time to Craft // A Perfect Time To Craft // Classic Design  Challenge * // Crafts Galore Encore // DL.Art Linky Challenge // Love to Craft // QKR Stampede // The Creative Crafters // World Wide Open Design Team Challenge // 

Dare to Share // Inspire Me Monday //  Link Up Potpourri //  Random-osity Good, Random, Fun // You're The Star Blog Hop Link Party @Stonecottage Adventures // Anything Goes with Your Hosts @ My Random Musings // Jenerally Informed The Happy Now  Thursday Favorite Things // Little Things Thursday // Encouraging Heart and Home @ Slices of Life

Clean and Simple Card with PB Snowy Perch and Some Stenciling

Hello and welcome!

It's time for some midmonth inspiration at Stamping Sensations, still plenty of time to join us if you haven't already or maybe you'd like to enter a second or third creation for more chances to win our wonderful prize. Our theme is simply "Christmas" and the lucky winner will receive a gift certificate to be Creative.

This post may include some affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links. As always, this is at no cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting this blog!

I wanted to use a bird themed image for my card today and decided on "Snowy Perch" by Penny Black.

On the stamp this bird is surrounded by lots of greenery which is nice, but I wanted the bird to be more of a focal point. Tried several ways of stamping it but in the end I decided to simply fussy cut the bird sitting on the log and not use the rest of the image. I can tell you I am still not really happy with this card, but got to a point where I had to be done. Please tell me I am not the only one who has these issues!!!

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So after many attempts to make this card work, I finally used a simple stenciled background (using Penny Black's Hypnotic stencil and Tumbled Glass Distress ink), blue inked "snow" using the same ink on the bottom portion and then I used the Penny Black background stamp Christmas Story. 

The sentiment is from the PB set Season's Gifts, stamped in Walnut Stain Distress ink. And I added a few die cut snowflakes to finish off the card. 

Another unplanned optical illusion on the photo above with the two snowflakes by the sentiment to appear inside the card and not on top. LOL. 

                               Ad: Scrapbook.com Pre- Black Friday Sale Going on Now!

PS: Many thanks to those of you who signed up to join in the Year in Review hop where we will share our favorites of 2021. Any papercrafter is welcome to join in as long as you have a blog. The hop will be from December 29th for a week and participants will schedule and link up their own posts at any time during this week then visit the other participant's year in review posts. It's for fun only with no prizes, just sharing our favorites with other paper crafters and something fun to look at at the end of the year when many papercraft challenges are taking breaks over the holidays and all Christmas festivities are behind us. I always find this a great time to look back at what I've created over the year and pick some favorites.

Linking up here:

Challenges:

Inspiration Station: Inspired by "Wood" Photo above // We Love Stamping - Christmas //  Colouring in Scrapland - Christmas in Unconventional Colors // Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenges - AG // Penny Black Saturday Challenge - PB Stamps // Dragonfly Dreams - Christmas/Winter //  Aud Sentiments Challenge - Christmas // Krafty Chicks - Christmas // 

Always Anything Goes and Linky Parties:

Taylor Made Cards 4 U // Crafter's Castle // 613 Avenue Create opt. twist watercolor // Crafty Creations // Creative Moments // Lemon Shortbread // Through The Craft Room Door // The Corrosive Challenges // A Bit More Time to Craft // A Perfect Time To Craft // Classic Design  Challenge * // Crafts Galore Encore // DL.Art Linky Challenge // Love to Craft // QKR Stampede // The Creative Crafters // World Wide Open Design Team Challenge // 

Dare to Share // Inspire Me Monday //  Link Up Potpourri // Thursday Favorite Things // Little Things Thursday // Encouraging Heart and Home @ Slices of Life

Holly Jolly Christmas with Another New Penny Black Stamps

Hello and welcome!

Another week has flown by and it's time already for a new theme at Allsorts challenge! This week Wendy is hosting and she picked "Christmas" as her theme, so anything Christmas goes and hope you'll join us for a chance to win! We have Ruth Hamilton Design giving away 3 digis of winner's choice and a second prize of a package of crafty goodies.

I used the new Penny Black set  Christmas Cycling again (you can see my other card made with another stamp from the set here.)

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Other than the fussy cutting, this card came together really quickly. I flicked some masking fluid onto the white cardstock, then I inked up the sky with Tumbled Glass Distress Oxide after the masking fluid was completely dry.

The image has been stamped with Versafine Onyx ink and colored with Distress inks and Zig Clean Color makers before fussy cutting. 

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I added a few colored rhinestones to the tree and a tiny white "pompom" to the hat. The sentiment is from the Penny Black slapstick set Holly Jolly and I added a few die cut snowflakes to finish it off, and some Frosted Lace Stickles glitter for some sparkle.

This post may include some affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links. As always, this is at no cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting this blog!

Papercrafter's Year in Review Hop:

Still time to add your blog link to the "Year in Review" hop planned for the last Wednesday of December and into January. I'm looking for around 5-15 bloggers who would like to be part of this. It's for fun only to share our favorite creations of the year. 

Also sharing with these challenges:

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - use PB Stamps // We Love Stamping - Christmas // Crafty Catz - Sparkle // Aud Sentiments Challenge - Christmas // Craft Rocket Challenges - Winter and Snow // Krafty Chicks - Christmas // ABC Christmas - Whimsical // Little Red Wagon - For the boys 

Always AG and Link Parties: 

Taylor Made Cards 4 U // Crafter's Castle // 613 Avenue Create opt. twist watercolor // Crafty Creations // Creative Moments // Lemon Shortbread // Through The Craft Room Door // The Corrosive Challenges // A Bit More Time to Craft // A Perfect Time To Craft // Classic Design  Challenge * // Crafts Galore Encore // DL.Art Linky Challenge // Love to Craft // QKR Stampede // The Creative Crafters // World Wide Open Design Team Challenge // 

Dare to Share //  Sunday Showcase (first Sunday) // Inspire Me Monday //  Link Up Potpourri  // Hello Monday // Random-osity Good, Random, Fun // You're The Star Blog Hop Link Party @Stonecottage Adventures // Anything Goes with Your Hosts @ My Random Musings // Jenerally Informed The Happy Now // Shelbee on the Edge Spread the Kindness //  Effortlessly Sophisticated // Wonderful Wednesday // Classy Flamingos // Thursday Favorite Things // Little Things Thursday // Encouraging Heart and Home @ Slices of Life 

Three Jolly Mice and a Christmas Tree

Hello and welcome!

It's the first Sunday of the month and that means there is a new challenge starting today at Stamping Sensations! Our theme for the month is "Anything Christmas". Looking forward to seeing your wonderful Christmas creations on the challenge blog! We have a prize from Be Creative to give away and hopefully you'll get a chance to play along with us!

And this is what I made:

This stamp is another one from the set Gather Around  by Penny Black.  (You can see my cat card made from the same set here). It's back in stock at Scrapbook.com and also available from an Amazon seller. 

I stamped on Bristol Vellum paper using Versafine Onyx ink then colored with Distress inks and Zig Clean Color markers. 

I used Penny Black's Christmas Story background stamp on the background and bottom border for some added interest and distressed the edges. 

The postage stamp sentiment is an oldie from Whimsy Stamps and I used the matching postage die to cut it out (these are both retired and no longer available.)

The patterned paper is from my stash. Thought it matched the brown mice well enough so that's why I chose it. I tied some natural jute twine around the card front before adhering to the base. The little die cut star (or is it a snowflake??) was left over on my desk from another project, thought it was the perfect finishing touch so I added it. Stickles glitter was applied to the ornaments, star and bow on the tree stand.  

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Thanks so much for visiting!

This post may include some affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links. As always, this is at no cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting this blog!

I'm linking up here:

Penny Black Saturday Challenge  - use PB products // We Love Stamping - Christmas // Alphabet Challenge - P for Patterned Paper // Colour Crazy Challenge - Coloring // Crafty Catz - AG // Jingle Belles - Ornaments // Winter Wonderland - For a Child // Aud Sentiments Challenge - Christmas // Krafty Chicks - Stamp Act // ABC Christmas - W for Whimsical // Fab n Funky - Christmas // Paper Shelter - Christmas // Crafty Sentiment Designs  - AG // Unicorn Challenge - Christmas // Critter Crazy Challenges - Critters // Bastel-Traum - Christmas // Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - Patterned Papers // Creatalicious Challenges - AG opt. Stars // Digi Doodle Studios Challenge Blog - Christmas // Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog - Christmas // A Place To Start - Craft a Favorite Memory (helping decorate the Christmas tree with my older siblings is always such  happy memory) // Colouring in Scrapland - AG // Incy Wincy Designs - Creatures // Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Holiday Occasion // A Gem of a Challenge - AG // Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Christmas // Just Us Girls - Word Week: Merry

Always AG and Link Parties: 

Taylor Made Cards 4 U // Crafter's Castle // 613 Avenue Create opt. twist watercolor // Crafty Creations // Creative Moments // Lemon Shortbread // Through The Craft Room Door // The Corrosive Challenges // A Bit More Time to Craft // A Perfect Time To Craft // Classic Design  Challenge * // Crafts Galore Encore // DL.Art Linky Challenge // Love to Craft // QKR Stampede // The Creative Crafters // World Wide Open Design Team Challenge // 

Dare to Share //  Sunday Showcase (first Sunday) // Inspire Me Monday //  Link Up Potpourri  // Hello Monday // Random-osity Good, Random, Fun // You're The Star Blog Hop Link Party @Stonecottage Adventures // Anything Goes with Your Hosts @ My Random Musings // Jenerally Informed The Happy Now // Shelbee on the Edge Spread the Kindness //  Effortlessly Sophisticated // Wonderful Wednesday // Classy Flamingos // Thursday Favorite Things // Little Things Thursday // Encouraging Heart and Home @ Slices of Life 

A Cute Christmas Card for a Boy with a New Penny Black Stamp

Hello and welcome! 

A  new theme starts today at Allsorts challenge and this week it's Tracy's turn to host. She picked the theme of "From Boys to Men" and as always we hope you'll join us and share your new crafty makes with us for a chance to be entered into the prize drawing! We have two prizes this week, a digi prize of winner's choice  from Ruth Hamilton Designs as well as a prize of 2 stamps from Craft Stash.

It's another Christmas card from me, I just recently got this cute stamp set - Christmas Cycling from Penny Black's newest release and I think this set is perfect for masculine Christmas cards, in fact, I think this particular stamp works well for birthday cards too especially for fall or winter themed birthday cards :)

This is my first PB set featuring this dog, I think I heard Jill Foster of Penny Black refer to him as Buster, but please do let me know if I am wrong! I think he's so cute!! And I love the other large stamp from the set even more!!

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I stamped the image using Versafine Onyx ink on Bristol Vellum paper then colored with my Zig Clean Color markers and some diluted Distress inks. I want to note that I think Candied Apples Distress ink is a perfect red for masculine cards. All others I find are always too bright or tend to have a hint of pink. 

Before assembling my card, I ran the white plain card front through my Big Shot machine using the large Wonky Stitches die by Avery Elle. Then I followed this week's sketch from the My Favorite Things Sketch Challenge. 

To make the paper strips I used a Tim Holtz stencil from  this Stampers Anonymous set and Scattered Straw Distress ink, cut into strips and adhered to the card. 

The image has been fussy cut using my Cutterbee scissors and I used foam tape to adhere to the card. Once again I used the adorable sentiment set Dear Santa. And the small Christmas tree is part of the set Christmas Cycling. 

Most embellishments in my stash tend to be a bit feminine but I think a few staples work well to add a little more interest to a masculine themed card. But maybe I should have skipped the Wonky Stitches die...

I forgot to mention, before adhering the image I flicked some diluted ink onto the background using my Tim Holtz splatter brush. 

Many of the items I used are available from Amazon so here is a handy list for those of you interested. Remember, these and some of the links above are affiliate links meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links, as always this is at no additional cost to you.

 

Year in Review Hop Sign Up Reminder:

PS: I wanted to share the linkup again for my Year in Review Hop I am hoping to host in the last week of the year (starting December 29th). I hope there is enough interest. Maybe 5- 15 or 20 bloggers. The linky is open until the end of the month, but I may close it early or extend the sign up period. 

Quick Details:

• Create a blog post featuring YOUR OWN favorite creations of 2021 to be posted on your blogs starting on Wednesday December 29th. This is when the linky tool will be open.
• I will provide the html code for the linky tool to each person signing up. Please include this in your post on your own blogs and all participants will link up their posts using this linky tool directly on  their blogs. 
• You must have a blog to participate - new bloggers are welcome!
• The linky tool will remain open for 1 week. Your blog followers are welcome to link up their own "Year in Review" post during that time period (even if they haven't signed up as participants).
• This will be a blog hop, so please plan on visiting and commenting on each participant's "Year in Review 2021 posts". 
• This sign up is for any papercrafter with a blog (from anywhere in the world). You don't have to have a papercraft only blog - as long as you have some favorite handmade cards/papercrafts to share in your review post you are welcome to sign up!

Thanks so much for visiting!

I'm linking up here:

Challenges:

My Favorite Things - Sketch (see above) // Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Use PB Stamps // River of Creativity - The Gift - Hope it's ok that I didn't make  gift but instead my image includes lots of gifts // ABC Christmas - W for Whimsical // Creative Moments - AG // Fab n Funky - Christmas // Paper Shelter - Christmas // Unicorn Challenge - Christmas // Critter Crazy Challenges - Critters // Bastel-Traum - Christmas // Christmas Crafts All Year Round - Starting with U, V or W (Wonky Stitches) // Creatalicious Challenges - AG // Digi Doodle Studios Challenge Blog - Christmas or Winter // Happy Little Stampers - Lovable Pets // Happy Little Stampers Stencils - AG w/Stencils // Let's Craft & Create Challenge - AG // Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog - Christmas // Pearly Sparkles Challenge - Christmas // Sparkles Forum Christmas // The Crafting Challenge - Stitching real of faux // Incy Wincy Designs - Creatures // 

Always AG and Link Parties: 

Taylor Made Cards 4 U // Crafter's Castle // 613 Avenue Create opt. twist watercolor // Crafty Creations // Creative Moments // Lemon Shortbread // Through The Craft Room Door // The Corrosive Challenges // A Bit More Time to Craft // A Perfect Time To Craft // Classic Design  Challenge * // Crafts Galore Encore // DL.Art Linky Challenge // Love to Craft // QKR Stampede // The Creative Crafters // World Wide Open Design Team Challenge // 

Dare to Share //  Sunday Showcase (first Sunday) // Inspire Me Monday //  Link Up Potpourri  // Hello Monday // Random-osity Good, Random, Fun // You're The Star Blog Hop Link Party @Stonecottage Adventures // Anything Goes with Your Hosts @ My Random Musings // Jenerally Informed The Happy Now // Shelbee on the Edge Spread the Kindness //  Effortlessly Sophisticated // Wonderful Wednesday // Classy Flamingos // Thursday Favorite Things // Little Things Thursday // Encouraging Heart and Home @ Slices of Life