Allsorts Challenge 469: Insects

Hello and happy Saturday!! I hope it's a nice and sunny one for you! Summer break started this week already and I suppose the timing is perfect for the summery weather we're having. Lots of rain though yesterday but it's supposed to be in the 90's these next few days again I think. Soooo many gnats this year that it's hard to enjoy the outdoors. I tried using pure vanilla extract and it worked well, but not sure I like smelling like a sugar cookie with extra vanilla :)

This week at Allsorts challenge Tracy Mouse is our host and she chose the theme of Insects, so any bugs, butterflies, bees etc.

My card was really quick to make, I created the messy background with Walnut Stain and Mustard Seed Distress inks, stamped 3 rows of butterflies using Stampin Up's set Kindness Matters, which I've had for a while and I am sure it is now retired (you can probably find it on ebay if you're interested in this set). I then used another retired stamp by Stampin Up (French Script) and finished off with the sentiment from Penny Black's set Snippets. Framed with Early Espresso card stock (a Stampin Up color) and the card base is by Neenah (classic linen texture) in Solar White. I really need to replace my black versafine onyx ink pad ...

As you can see on the close up below, I added a few small sticky back pearls to the large butterflies.

This week at Allsorts challenge we are giving away a fabulous stamp set to one lucky winner:

A4 Rare Earth Stamp Sheet,

so hopefully you'll find some time to play along with us!

I am also linking my card up here:

Stamploration - Winged Things

Always Fun Challenges - Anything Goes

Crafty Cardmakers - 2 weeks, 15max, Things with Wings 

Make My Monday- Hint of Summer to Come (my color combo makes me think of summer flowers)

Crafty Calendar - Things with Wings

Crafty Friends Challenge - the letter "B" (Butterflies, Brown)

Sisterhood of the Snarky Stampers  max10  -I is for Inky 

Simon Says Wednesday - Weekly - Use More than one Stamp (I used set Kindness Matters and a script Background stamp)

As You Like It Challenge 2Weeks - Flora or Fauna and why (it's both for me! Without "fauna" -in my case the butterflies - there would not be any "flora" and vice versa, so I can't choose and I love both!)

Aud Sentiments Challenge - Summer and a Sentiment

Thanks so much for visiting!!

This post contains affiliate links, this means I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!

Happy Birthday Allsorts Challenge

Good morning! This week is a special week at Allsorts challenge as we are celebrating 9 years of challenges! We have a lot of wonderful prizes lined up, 9 of them including a store voucher from Craft Obsessions, so hopefully you can join us this week.

Our theme is "Happy Birthday" of course :)

I think this little hedgehog is ready for the party with his party hat and party horn. The image is a stickeroo from Penny Black, perfect for a quick card. Of course in my case I decided to fussy cut the image which I stuck to white card stock first. 

The top striped border was done using a stencil by Echo Park - Fashionista Collection: Glamour Stripes and Black Soot Distress ink. The patterned paper is from my box of scraps and the sentiment is from Tim Holtz' Quotations sticker set. White card stock is Neenah Linen textured 80lb. My old stampin up paper piercing tool kit was used to paper pierce. I finished off the card by tying some May Arts Burlap Twine  around the card. 

I followed the sketch from Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge :

And I am also playing along  here:
Crazy for CAS -  Circles
Simon Says Stamp Monday -Stencil It (the striped border is stenciled)
Shopping Our Stash - For the Kids
Simon Says Wednesday -  Stencil It
Aud Sentiments Challenge - Cute and a Sentiment 
Crafty Catz -  Anything Goes with "So Cute"!
CAS on Friday – Birthday Cards 
Send a Smile for Kids - Anything for kids 

Thanks so much for stopping by, have a fabulous weekend!!

This post contains affiliate links, this means I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!

Penny Black and More Midmonth

We have arrived at the halfway point at Penny Black and More challenge, so today I am sharing my second card for the challenge where our theme this month is simply Anything Goes. The usual rules apply: focal point has to be a physical stamp, meaning no digi stamps or die cuts as focal, the only exception are Penny Black stickeroos. Some great prizes are up for grabs so don't miss your chance to be entered into the drawing!

I used another one of Penny Black's newer stamp sets: Happy Together, currently available in my Etsy shop. I've  recently  used the other stamps from this set, if you missed those cards and would like to see them you can find them HERE and HERE. A beautiful floral set perfect for CAS cards I think!

I stamped the image  using my TONIC Stamp Platform and Memento Tuxedo black ink on Copic Xpress It blending card. I used Copic markers for coloring (YG11, YG17, B000, B02). The striped paper is from my stash, light blue card stock is by Stampin Up. I know the butterfly is at an odd place, but right after I was done coloring I got an ink smudge in that spot and didn't want to throw the whole card away because of it. So I remembered the saying: there are no mistakes only opportunities to embellish (or something similar :) and decided to just add a butterfly (which is part of the stamp set). 

This post contains affiliate links, this means I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support! 

I am also entering the following challenges:

Try Stamping On Tuesdays :Tic Tac Toe

Stripes, Blue & Green

Incy Wincy Designs - Things that Fly

Pause Dream Enjoy - ATGoes this week

Crafty Calendar - Things with Wings

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Favorite PB stamp or ATGoes

AAA -  Inspired by Nature 

heARTful Stamping Challenge -  Anything Goes + a Stamp

Stamping Sensations -  Close to Nature
Craftaholics R Us - Anything Goes
Crafty Creations - , Always Anything Goes 
Inspiration Destination - Always Anything Goes 
The Crafty Addicts - Anything Goes

That's all for today, thank you so much for visiting and don't forget to stop by the challenge blog to see what the rest of the team made and to link up your creation! 

Mimi's Bike Ride for Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday - Midmonth

Happy Wednesday!

Did you get a chance yet to join in my current Crafty Wednesday challenge? If not then you still have plenty of time, and don't forget you may enter up to 3 times. This month it's all about girls and ladies. I have moved the linky tool to the end of this post, so simply scroll down to link up.

We are halfway through the month of May already and luckily I found some time to make a mid-month card for the challenge.

Let's Play // Sprinkles and Smiles // Zig Clean Color Markers // Wink of Stella 

I used one of the stamps from Penny Black's new set "Let's Play" which is currently available HERE in my Etsy shop. 

I heat embossed the image using versafine onyx ink and clear embossing powder on Bristol Vellum paper and I used my Zig Clean Color Markers for coloring. Wink of Stella glitter was applied to the bow and the balloons but it's never showing up well in photos. I kept the card CAS to keep the focus on the cute image. I framed with polka dotted patterned paper from my stash.

The sentiment is from the set Sprinkles and Smiles also by Penny Black and also heat embossed. A few "candy dots" finish off this card. The card base is Neenah Linen textured 80lb card stock. 

This post contains affiliate links, this means I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support! 

I am also entering the card here:
The colors were inspired by these cupcakes from:
Cupcake Inspirations

Aud Sentiments Challenge - Cute and a Sentiment 
Alphabet Challenge - D for Dots
CAS on Friday –  Cute Stamps  
Sweet Stampers - Too Cute
Crafty Sentiment Designs  - Pastel Colors
Dragonfly Dreams - Here Come the Girls
Crafty Catz -So Cute

And I found several "Anything Goes" themes as well:
Penny Black Saturday Challenge - ATGoes with Penny Black
heARTful Stamping Challenge - Anything Goes 
Creates and Makes  - Anything GoesLemon Shortbread - Always Anything Goes 

Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
Colour Crazy Challenge - Anything Goes
Creative Fingers -Anything Goes
QKR Stampede – Anything Goes
Simply Papercraft - Anything Goes
Crafting With An Attitude - Anything Goes
A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes
Happy Little Stampers - Anything Goes + option: CAS
LeAnn’s World 101 - Anything Goes
Love to Craft - Anything Goes

As a reminder, this months' Crafty Wednesday winner will receive a $5 gift certificate to Mo Manning's shop (sponsored by me). To play along and be entered into the drawing simply use the linky tool below and please remember:

• You must follow the theme
• Enter up to 3 projects per challenge
• You may combine with any other challenges
• Most of all *have fun*

Please note: by joining this challenge you grant the blog owner permission to post your first name, blog link and artwork you linked up here on this blog, should you be the selected winner/top pick of a challenge. Do not enter the linky tool if you do not agree to these terms. 

Also remember: this is a public blog, meaning any papercraft you link up or any comments left on this blog will be visible and clickable by third parties. The blog owner is not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without permission. 

ETA: In order to comply with the new GDPR regulations, I have decided that all winners and top picks will be selected from non-EU entrants. It is my believe that if I post someone else's creation on my blog as a top pick, it should receive proper credit by linking to the top pick's blog (because isn't that why we share our creations in blog land), but because I do not want to break any regulations, I am no longer able to link to individual blogs from the EU. Thank you for understanding. 

Pink Magnolia

It's Saturday already, and that means we have a new theme for you at Allsorts challenge. Susan is our host this week and she selected the theme of "In the Pink". Our prize this week is a Gift Certificate to Stamp Addicts. Come join us for a chance to win!

The Unfolding // Zig Clean Color Markers // Tonic Stamp Platform // May Arts Natural Burlap twine // Victorian Velvet Ink // Memento Tuxedo Ink

I decided to ink up a pretty Magnolia stamp by Penny Black - The Unfolding  - using my Zig Clean Color Markers. While I do think these brush markers work just fine for this technique, I prefer the Distress markers because it's easier to color directly onto the stamp with a felt tipped marker than a brush tip (in my opinion). But my pink distress marker ran out of ink so that's why I used the Zig brush marker. I used an old Stampin Up script stamp on the background with Victorian Velvet Distress ink and also inked the edges with this ink before distressing. The little sentiment is from a retired stamp set by Whimsy Stamps and no longer available. Designer papers are from my stash and I finished off with some May Arts Natural Burlap twine and a button.

A close up below...

I am entering my card to the following challenges:
Stamping Sensations  - Close to Nature
Cute Card Thursday - Flowers
Always Fun Challenges - For a Female,
 Stinkin' Inkers - April Showers bring May Flowers, 
Fab 'n' Funky - Garden or Outdoors (my Magnolia tree is currently blooming in my garden- the few buds the squirrels didn't steal!!), 
Double D Challenges - May Flowers
Craft Rocket Challenges- Use Embellishments (button and twine)
Pattie's Creations - - Flowers
Di's Digis Designs  For Mom or Special Lady 
Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Favorite PB stamp or ATGoes
Dare 2B Artzy Challenges -  - Dreaming of Flowers
Crafting By Designs -  Mother's Day
Pause Dream Enjoy - ATGoes this week
A Bit More Time to Craft  - Anything Goes
A Perfect Time To Craft - Always Anything Goes
Crafty Girls Creations Challenge - Always Anything Goes
Delicious Doodles Challenge - Flowers
Love to Craft  - Anything Goes
Crafty Creations -  Always Anything Goes 
The Crafty Addicts - Anything Goes
Catch The Bug  - Say it with Flowers

And here it is again with a little peek inside...I simply stamped off the image again on other white paper without re-inking which makes a softer colored impression, perfect for inside the card.

By the way, next week Allsorts challenge is celebrating 9 years of challenges! We will have several wonderful prizes for you to win next week......mark your calendars so you don't forget! Maybe you want to place the logo below on your side bar for an extra reminder :)

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I have some info about Papercrafters' Linky Party that I have hosted here on my blog over the last few months. Unfortunately it has been causing some confusion (I think I have too much going on in just one day), and I decided to put in on hold for now until I can get more organized (maybe move it to a different day would help?). In the mean time I am still holding my monthly "themed" challenge  - Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday - and I hope some of you will join me there :)

I do have a top pick to announce from last week's entries...as always it is hard to choose but had to be done! My top pick was.....................

AJ 

What an amazing card! Loving the fancy fold, the image is gorgeous and so beautifully colored! And what a perfect sentiment too!

Congratulations AJ!! Your top pick badge is below, feel free to post it to your own blog if you like to!

Thanks so much for visiting! I hope you have a wonderful weekend. It's been a very warm week here and today we're expecting some storms...hope they won't be too severe.

This post contains affiliate links, this means I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support! 

Birds and Blossoms

It's the first Sunday of the month, that means it's the start of a new theme at Penny Black and More challenge. We're making it super easy for everyone... our theme is "Anything Goes" this month. Just remember to follow our simple guidelines to be entered into the prize drawings, most importantly the focal point of the creation has to be a physical stamp (no digi) and this can be from any company. This month we're having prizes by Penny Black, Crafts U Love and Rare Earth Stamps, meaning lots of prizes to win!! I hope you'll come join us!

For my card today I used a stamp from the set "Enjoy Life" and stamped with the Tonic Stamp Platform, then heat embossed and colored with Zig Clean Color on Bristol Vellum Paper . A circle die was used to cut out a parcial circle. The designer paper is by Stampin Up (retired), sentiment is by Whimsy Stamps (also retired). I used some pink card stock by SU to frame the image panel. The card base is Neenah Linen Textured 80lb card stock. Scallops were done with a punch by Stampin Up. Finished off this simple card with some Burlap Jute Twine.

I am also playing along here:

Crafty Friends Challenge - Animals 

Crafty Calendar  Things with Wings

City Crafter Challenge - Birds

Simon Says Wednesday - Animal Magic

Sisterhood of Crafters - Leaves 

Art Impressions Stamp Challenge - Winged Things 

CCEE Stampers - May Flowers

Cute Card Thursday  - Anything Goes this week

Crafty Catz -  Anything Goes with opt. Twist of Flowers

Kitty Bee Designs -  Forest Friends  (do birds count? Many do live in forests.) 

Pattie's Creations - Flowers

Catch The Bug - Anything Goes this week

Penny Black Saturday Challenge- Favorite PB stamp or ATGoes

Sweet Stampin -Flowers

This post contains affiliate links, this means I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!

Thanks so much for visiting! Enjoy the rest of your Sunday and hope you'll have a good week! I'll be back again on Saturday! I'm planning on working a little bit ahead on cards this coming week, but we'll see how that goes! I need to get some garden work done too...Busy times!!!