September Card Chain Challenge Reveal

Today is reveal day at the Card Chain Challenge and  I joined in the fun again :) This time my card went to Hilary in the UK and so glad it arrived just in time! Mail delivery unfortunately isn't as fast as it once was.

Our wonderful hosts Gail and Jo came up with some fun challenge options and this time I chose the theme option of Cute and Funny along with technique option of Stencils.

I thought this little mouse was super cute and find the sentiment a little funny too. I'm not sure if Hilary is a coffee lover but I figured if not then it can be re-used and sent on to someone in her life who is :)

The stamp set is another one by Colorado Craft Company illustrated by Anita Jeram (Coffee House - sadly retired and I believe the full line of Anita Jeram stamps has been discontinued). I used a polka dots along with a stripes stencil and thought the background paper found in my stash coordinated really well with the image panel. Sentiment is part of the same stamp set and I tied a bow of jute twine around the card. Image was stamped with Versafine Onyx ink and colored with Faber Castell Polychromos pencils. 

I am linking up with these challenges:

• C.R.A.F.T. - AG Option
• Crazy is our fame - STENCILS are our game! - Stencils
• FarmQuest Home Challenge Blog - Anything Home Related goes (my home must have coffee!!)
• First Cup Challenges - AG coffee, tea or other drink 
• Simon Says Stamp - AG
• Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - More than one stencil
• The Male Room - Dots and Stripes
• The Paper Funday - AG
• Word Art Wednesday - AG

I received this gorgeous card from Pia in Norway, thank you so much dear Pia!

If you have been thinking about joining in the fun at the Card Chain Challenge then you are in luck as the linky tool for this month is still open for a few more days! Super fun way to receive some happy mail, all you have to do is make a card and send it to the person you sign up after so they receive it (hopefully) before the month is over. You can read all the details here.

Each Season Brings Its Own Delights: Four Seasons October

October has arrived and that means it's time for a new challenge at the Four Seasons challenge blog. We're of course still in full autumn mode with another optional moodboard for your inspiration. The challenge runs until October 25th evening US time and hope to see you there!!

And here is what I made:

The star of the card is the cute Pipspell from Lavinia Stamps. I masked off the Christmas lantern and instead stamped a Pixie Lantern in its place as Pipspell is taking a walk in the pumpkin patch on this card. I used Tracy Evans' stamp set Myriad of Designs for the pumpkins, ivy leaves and blackbirds. The sentiment is also from Tracy Evans, part of the set Framed Delights. The dark green ink pad smeared a little bit on the left side when I stamped the ivy leaves so I decided to use Lavinia Stamps Texture 2 along part of the sides and the bottom so it looks intentional and not like a smudge.

For the background I used a circle to mask off a moon shape and also used a flourish type stencil for some interest on the background. (That was all done before stamping the images.) The edges were distressed with scissors before adhering to a brown card base.

Below is our wonderful moodboard. As you can see I was mainly inspired by the bottom right image of pumpkins and the lantern was why I chose Pipspell with a lantern :) You can also see some leaves  around the pumpkins if you look really close at that image. I did originally want to add a fence but that didn't work out as I wanted to so I left it off.

Another view is below:

I am sharing with these challenges:

• Ally's Angels - AG
• A Perfect Time To Craft - AG
• Crafting Happiness Challenges - AG
• Crafts Galore Encore - AG
• Crafty Animals - Animals
• Crafty Catz - AG
• Crafty Gals Corner - AG
• Creative Fingers - AG
• Creative Moments - Autumn Colors
• Critter Crazy Challenges - Critters
• DL.Art Linky Challenge - AG
• Dream Factory - Autumn Colors
• Heart's Quest Lovable Quotables Challenges Blog - Quotes (this one is by Tracy Evans)
• Simon Says Stamp - AG
• Stamps & Fun = Creativity - Text Stamp
• Stencil Fun - Stencils
• Sweet Stampin - Autumn
• The Paper Funday - AG
• Word Art Wednesday - AG

That's a lot of challenges but always fun to join in when possible 😊

Have a wonderful day and Happy October!!

Autumn Time at Allsorts Challenge

Hello everyone, it's already time for a new theme at Allsorts challenge and this time Christine is hosting. Her optional theme is "Anything Autumn" and there is always the Anything Goes option too. We have Penny Black prizes for 2 winners coming from Buddly Crafts who are the UK's largest supplier of Penny Black stamps and of course lots of other great brands.

For my card I used Hedgy Truffles 4255J, unfortunately it appears to be sold out at Buddly Crafts. I stamped with Memento Tuxedo ink so I could use my copic markers for a first layer of coloring. Then I used my Faber Castell Polychromos pencils for additional coloring.

The image panel was cut out with Penny Black's Posted Die then I used Faded Jeans Distress ink and a blending tool along the edges and sky. Patterned paper is from my stash. I used Penny Black's Burlap Edge die behind the image panel. The sentiment (from an old Stampin Up set) was cut out using a tiny tag die from Whimsy Stamps (old). Attached to the burlap die cut with jute twine and I added a die cut butterfly (using Penny Black's Flight of Fancy die set) with a glue dot. Foam dots were used to adhere the image panel to the card front.

Another view:

Linking up with these challenges:

• A Cut Above - Die Cut Challenge Blog - Use Die Cuts
• Ally's Angels - AG
• Classic Design Challenge - Autumn Colors
• Craft Rocket Challenges - Use Dies
• Crafty Animals - Animals
• Creative Moments - Autumn Colors
• Critter Crazy Challenges - Critters
• Dream Factory - Fall Colors and Mushrooms
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - AG
• Neglected Stuff Challenge - My neglected stuff is this sweet hedgehog stamp. I don't think I've ever used it before but had it for quite some time. Could not find a post on my blog using it! 
• Penny Black Saturday - use PB Stamps with option of dies
• The Paper Funday - AG
• We Love Stamping - Trees and Leaves or AG (a few leaves on my card :)

The challenge is open for 2 weeks so plenty of time to join us! 

Thanks so much for visiting and hope you're having a wonderful weekend! It's cloudy here but no rain so that means I need to tackle the job of re-painting the front door! I'd rather be crafting or gardening but this project is overdue!!

I Spy With My Little Eye ..................... Added Text (Background Text or Sentiment) Challenge No. 41

Hello everyone and welcome to a new "I spy with my little eye" challenge taking place right here on my blog. Pauline and I are back with a new theme and we hope you'll join in the fun. We had some wonderful entries for the last challenge so be sure to scroll down to see who made the Top 2, both invited to join us in the next challenge.

This time it was Pauline's turn to select a theme and it is:

I spy with my little eye..........

Added Text (Background Text or Sentiment)

Lot of options here, could be as simple as a short sentiment, large quote or text stamping on the background. We can't wait to see what you'll share with us! The linky tool is at the end of this post!

My card (Ellie)

I purchased this stamp by Crafty Individuals from eBay almost a year ago, really love it but somehow there were always other stamps to reach for so this is my first time ever using it. This particular stamp is called Fowl Collage. 

I stamped with Versafine Clair brown ink and used my Faber Castell Polychromos pencils for coloring. The background paper is from my stash, had it for a long time and would have no idea what brand it is. I added some jute twine and a bow and a die cut flower as an embellishment. The edges were distressed for a vintage/rustic feel. 

 

I plan to share the above card here:

• FarmQuest General Store Challenge - Farm or Country
• Paper Rock Scissors - Papers and/or Scissors (I used both)
• The Paper Funday - AG
• Triple B - Birds, Blooms or Butterflies
• We Love Stamping - AG option

Pauline's Card

Such a beautiful design! Please visit Pauline's blog to find out how she made this card.


We're so excited to have a guest designer joining us for this challenge and that is Diane of Nellie's Nest. Thanks so much, Diane!!

Diane's Card

Such a fun card with that adorable owl! Please visit Diane's blog to find out how she made this card.

Top Picks from Challenges No. 40

We had some wonderful entries for last month's "Sunflower or the Color Yellow" challenge, thank you all so much for sharing your creativity with us! Selecting Top Picks is never easy but we finally managed and here they are in the order of entry:

No. 5 Majda  (Ellie's Pick)

No. 35 Rosi (Pauline's Pick)

Congratulations to both of you on your well deserved recognition! Your Top Pick logo is below.

Remember, you are both invited to join us as guest designers for challenge no. 41 starting Wednesday September 16th. If you would like to be a guest designer please message me (Ellie) at ellibellescorner at gmail dot com so I can give you all the details. Of course this is totally optional as we all are busy in one way or another and it might just not work out for you but we thought it would be something fun to offer the top picks :) 

To play along in the new challenge please use the linky tool below.

A few things to remember:

(Complete list of guidelines and copyright info can be found here.)

• You may share up to 5 different projects 
• You may combine with as many other challenges as you like to.
• A short mention of products used whenever possible is expected, especially the focal point.
• It is the creator's responsibility to follow copyright laws.
• Please include a link back to this blog.
• Back-linking to a recent project is allowed.
• Linkup closes on Sunday, October 18th at 11:59pm CST