Allsorts Challenge 538: From Boys to Men

I was made aware that I need to post this disclosure before any affiliate links vs. at the end of my posts, so in the future you will see this message first, in order to be in compliance with the regulations:

Please note: This post includes some affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links, at no cost to you! Thank you so much for your support!


Hello and welcome! I have a card to share today. A new theme started at Allsorts challenge. Tracy's turn this week and she picked the the theme of "From Boys to Men". Hope you can join us for your chance to win a great prize by by Craft Stash.

I took my inspiration from the tag featured on the backside of the Penny Black Tall Tree die package. I'm not sure if the artist creating that sample used the same inks as I did, but I used DistressOxide Inks in Cracked Pistachio, Evergreen Bough and Blueprint Sketch applied with a mini ink blending tool. I spritzt some water onto the background with a paint brush for a fun reaction with the ink. I forgot to add a mask for the moon, so instead I added a die cut circle and then stamped the birds from the Hero Arts set Layering Sky and Sea in Versafine Clair Nocturne ink. By the way, this stamp set is also available in a combination with dies, if you like matching dies with your stamps.

The trees from this beautiful die set were die cut using black card stock and my manual die cutting machine, then adhered to the card with scortape. I use black card stock for layering only, and the package I picked up from Joann's Craft Store works perfectly for this. I think it's a 80# layering weight. The white part was die cut with a die from Whimsy Stamps. I've had this die set for many years and it may be retired now, but there are plenty of Similar Options available. 

Tip: If you don't have a die cutting machine, you can also simply cut this shape out by hand. You just won't have the faux stitching but it's not needed. Plus you could always add some doodling around the edge for a fun effect in place of the faux stitching. 

Sale Ends 9/29

The Happy Birthday sentiment is part of the Penny Black Set Happy Critters. I thought the font worked well for a masculine card. It's been stamped with Versafine Clair Nocturne ink. The card base is a heavy weight white card stock.  

Penny Black Tall Trees Die Set // Hero Arts set Layering Sand and Sea // Penny Black Happy Critters // Sizzix Big Shot Die Cutting Machine // Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink // Distress Oxide: Cracked Pistachio, Evergreen Bough, Blueprint Sketch // Mini Ink Blending Tool // Whimsy Stamps Stitched Border Die (retired) - Similar Options (I like this Hillside Borders Die Set) 

Related Products:

I'm sharing my card with these challenges:

Cut It Up - Into the Woods // Pattie's Creations - Things that Fly (the birds are stamped) // As You Like It Challenge - Favorite Style (I like CAS style because I like to keep the focus on one area of the card for an uncluttered look, plus CAS cards are always easier to mail) // Aud Sentiments Challenge - Use a Sentiment // Creative Moments - Masculine // Cardz 4 Guyz - Trees and/or Leaves // Everybody-Art-Challenge - Dies 

Anything Goes:

Crafty Catz // Creative Fingers // QKR Stampede // Simply Create Too // Crafting With An Attitude // Crafting By Designs // Crafty Creations // Simon Says Stamp  // Word Art Wednesdays // Lemon Shortbread // Through The Craft Room Door // Tuesday Throwdown // Get Creative Challenges  // Path of Positivity 

Thank you so much for stopping  by! Be sure to visit the Allsorts challenge team for some wonderful inspiration from the rest of the team.

Btw, you can also find me here:

Pinterest // Instagram // Facebook

I've linked the products used today to Amazon for those of you interested. These (and some of the links above) are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links, but at no cost to you. As always thank you for your support.

Allsorts Challenge 538: Leaves and Trees

ETA: I was made aware that I need to post this disclosure before any affiliate links vs. at the end of my posts, so in the future you will see this message first:

Please note: This post includes some affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links, at no cost to you! Thank you so much for your support!


It's Saturday again and that means it's time for a new theme at Allsorts challenge. Mervi is hosting this week and she picked the theme of "Trees and Leaves". We're still enjoying summer weather but with the squirrels running around busy gathering acorns. They do love to sit up on the oak tree and throw them down at us and the cats. So funny!! Still a few weeks until our trees will turn color but what a perfect theme for this time of the year!

For this challenge I decided to make an art journal page. I'm actually hoping (and planning) on making more of these, maybe once a month to fill an art journal. I love all kinds of poems and inspirational quotes and I think some of them will be a perfect inspiration for art journal pages. Today's inspirational quote is by F. Scott Fitzgerald from The Great Gatsby.

Traditionally when art journaling I think you're "supposed to" work directly in a book, but there are really no rules when it comes to art, so I decided do make single pages and then add them to an art journal. Since I plan on stamping in mine vs. drawing (I cannot draw!!), working this way is easier for me. Mine will be a 9x6 inches journal. I also read somewhere that some art journal creators carefullly take out pages from ring bound journals then put them back in when complete.

For this page I started with a 9x6 piece of Canson Mixed Media paper. (My paper pad is larger, I used a paper cutter to cut to this size.) Same process as a card... I added a circle mask made with a circle  die for the moon (or sun) and began applying the distress inks with a  blending tool  ...I used Antique Linen, Victorian Velvet, Seedless Preserves, Faded Jeans,  and Blueprint Sketch inks. I go from light to dark, and may repeat this process.


For the grass portion I tore some copy paper to use as a mask and inked up with Peeled Paint distress ink. Before I removed the circle mask, I added some rays around it using Tim Holtz Rays Stencil and Antique Linen ink for a subtle design. While I had my stencils out I also decided to add some clock stencil designs (TCW Stencil) to the background. The words you see stamped with blue ink are from the retired Stampin Up set Natural Beauty.

The tree I used is an old silhouette stamp (Spotted Winter) by Penny Black. While this specific stamp is no longer available, I do really like this tree stamp from Penny Black. I also think this tree stamp by Deep Red would work well for this technique.

I first inked it up the tree with Tea Dye distress ink, then using waterbased markers (I used distress markers)  I added more color to the trees. I do this by simply tapping the marker held sideways onto the inked tree. Some of the trees I stamped with huffing onto the stamp first to re-activate the ink, and at other times I lightly spritzed with water for a messy watercolored look. I did have to re-ink/re-color the stamp a couple of times for this page. The birds are from the Hero Arts set Layering Sea and Sky, stamped with Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink.

On the grass portion I used another stencil (Circle Explosion by TCW), some were inked with distress inks in Mustard Seed and Rusty Hinge, and then I also used modeling paste for a little bit of a texture. The modeling paste is white, and I sponged a little bit of seedless preserves ink over it once it dried. The printed quote was cut apart and attached to the page with double sided tape and I used a black Micron pen around the words to make them stand out. I also used some Faber Castell Gelatos on the grass area and around the words. A quick inking around the edges using Blueprint Sketch ink finishes off the page. When I was happy with the end result, I used a foam brush to apply a coat of matte Mod Podge over the completed piece.

Penny Black Tree - retired, similar option, similar option // Hero Arts Layering Sea and Sky //  Stampin Up Natural Beauty // Distress Inks: Antique Linen , Victorian Velvet, Seedless Preserves, Faded Jeans, Blueprint Sketch, Peeled Paint, Tea Dye // Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink //  Distress Markers // Rays Stencil // Circle Explosion Stencil  // Clock Stencil // Modeling Paste // Mod Podge // Foam Brush // Mini Ink Blending Tool // Faber Castell Gelatos // Black Micron Pen // Canson Mixed Media Paper

Thanks so much for stopping by! This challenge runs until next Friday .... hope you can join us for your chance to win a beautiful die set by Tattered Lace.

I'm linking up with these challenge blogs:

Path of Positivity - Anything Positive // Art-Journal-Journey - Polka Dots, Patterns, Plaids or Stripes // We Love 2 Create  - Anything Mixed Media // C.R.A.F.T. - Autumn // Crafty Gals Corner - Fall Colors // Creative Moments - Fall Colors // Moo-Mania & More - Autumn Glory // Crafty Sentiment Designs - Fall Colors // Unicorn Challenge - Fall // Always Fun Challenges - Fall Colors // Life in a Snapshot - Everything Autumn // Crazy 4 Challenges - Include Dots // Penny Black Saturday Challenge  - PB Stamps (Tree Stamp: Spotted winter by PennyBlack)

Anything Goes:

Creative Fingers // Aud Sentiments Challenge // Crafting With An Attitude // Crafting By Designs // Through The Craft Room Door // Stamps & Fun = Creativity // LeAnn’s World 101 // Not Just Cards // Crafter's Castle 

Some affiliate links were used in this post, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links, at no additional cost to you. Thanks so much for your support!

Autumn Hedgehogs

Hello and welcome! It's time already for our midmonth share for the Penny Black and More September challenge where our theme is "Animals". Plenty of time still left to join us if you  haven't already, and we always welcome up to 3 entries for more chances to win. We do have some fantastic prizes to give away, so hopefully you'll decide to play along!

This cute hedgehog stamp I've had for several years has been neglected on my shelf, so I decided it was time to ink it up. I stamped with Versafine Clair Nocturne ink on Bristol Vellum paper, then heat embossed with black embossing powder. The image has then been colored with distress inks (I've listed and linked each color closer to the end of this post) from an ink pad, diluted with water and I used my Zig Detailer brush for coloring.  The small leaves are from the retired Stampin Up set Petite Patterns, retired but available on ebay. They were stamped around the image using Peeled Paint Distress ink. Sentiment is from the Penny Black set Sweet Wishes stamped with Versafine Clair Nocturne ink.

Related Products:

I was playing with the thought of framing the card with the same pattern paper I used with the jute twine, but in the end I decided to just keep the focus on the cute image and not add a pattern paper frame. The little paper strip has been added with a glue dot and staples. The card base is a 110 lb heavyweight cardstock. 

Penny Black Hedgey Gift  // Penny Black Sweet Wishes // Stampin Up Petite Patterns // Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink // Black Embossing Powder // Heating Tool //  Distress Inks: Tattered Rose, Spun Sugar, Black Soot, Candied Apple, Peeled Paint, Antique Linen, Vintage Photo, Rusty Hinge, Mustard Seed, Seedless Preserves // Zig Detailer Brush // Bristol Vellum Paper // Pattern Paper Strip from Stash // Natural Jute Twine

My card fits these great challenges so entering here:

Dream Valley Challenges - Autumn Colors // Retro Rubber Challenge - Autumn Colors // Cardz 4 Galz - Fall // Brown Sugar - Anything Goes // Penny Black Saturday Challenge - PB opt. of something neglected // Send a Smile for Kids - Fall or Halloween For Kids

Thanks so much for taking the time to visit my blog today. 

Some affiliate links were used in this post, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links, at no additional cost to you. Thanks so much for your support!

Allsorts Challenge 537: Anything Goes

It's Saturday again, that means time for a  new theme at Allsorts challenge. Brenda's turn to host and she's keeping it simple this week with Anything Goes. Hope you'll decide to share a new creation with us for your chance to win a fabulous stamp set by Rare Earth.

I decided to make  a CAS card using an old stamp by PSX. Isn't this a gorgeous stamp!!!  While this stamp is probably over 20 years old, I purchased my on ebay a few years ago, and this was only my second time using it. 

I stamped with Versafine Clair Nocturne ink and heat embossed with black embossing powder. Coloring was done with distress ink pads and a Zig Detailer brush by pressing the corner of an ink pad onto a clear block and then diluting the ink with the detailer brush.  I used Seedess Preservers, Crushed Olive, Mowed Lawn, Antique Linen and Vintage Photo for coloring this image. The "canvas" texture you see on the background was done with an old Stampin Up background stamp. The "Happy Birthday" is from a retired set by MFT. This set by Altenew is a similar style and also comes in a Spanish version. I tied a bow with some gold cord to finish off this simple card.

Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink // Black Embossing Powder // Clear Acrylic Block // Distress Inks: Seedless Preserves, Mowed Lawn, Crushed Olive, Antique Linen, Vintage Photo // Zig Detailer Brush // Bristol Vellum Paper // Wine Themed Stamp // Background Stamp // MFT Label Sentiments - Similar Option // Gold Cord

Related Products:

Sharing with these challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday - Stamp It // Sisterhood of Crafters - Embossing (I heat embossed the image) // Colour Crazy Challenge  - Coloring // 

Anything Goes:

Brown Sugar // Creative Fingers // QKR Stampede // Crafting With An Attitude // Arty Divas

Thanks so much for visiting!! 

Some affiliate links were used in this post, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links, at no additional cost to you. Thanks so much for your support!

Allsorts Challenge 536: Fall Colors

Hello and welcome! It's time for a new theme at Allsorts challenge. Helene is our host this week and she picked the theme of ...........

Fall Colors. 

Hope you can join us for your chance to win! This week our prize comes from JMC Designs . 

This beautiful sunflower stamp is a retired stamp by PSX and most likely only available in used condition. Otherwise you may be able to find some  pretty sunflower stamps by Stampendeous.

Related Products:

To make my card I heat embossed the image using Versafine Clair Nocturne ink and black embossing powder on Bristol Vellum paper. Then I watercolored the image using distress ink pads (I simply pressed the ink pad onto a clear stamping block and picked up each color with a zig detailer waterbrush. I did brush some clean water over the flower before adding color, this makes the watercoloring easier. I used Barn Door, Rusty Hinge, Carved Pumpkin, Mustard Seed, Peeled Paint, Brushed Corduroy and very diluted Black Soot to color the flower. The purplish background was done with Seedless Preserves ink and I flicked some black soot and Seedless preserve ink onto the background for a few spatters. The sentiment is from the Penny Black set Friendship, stamped with Versafine Clair Nocturne ink and adhered to the card with glue dots. Natural jute twine finishes off the card.

Sunflower Stamp (may be in used condition) or see these  Similar Options // Penny Black Friendship //  Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink // Black Embossing Powder // Distress Inks: Barn Door // Rusty Hinge // Carved Pumpkin // Mustard Seed // Peeled Paint // Brushed Corduroy // Black Soot // Seedless Preserves // Bristol Vellum Paper // Natural Jute Twine 

I am also sharing my card  here:

 Simon Says Wednesday - Stamp It // Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes // Stamping Sensations - Anything With Flowers 

The Flower Challenge - Anything Goes

Thanks so much for stopping by, hope you  have a wonderful weekend!!

Some affiliate links were used in this post, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links, at no additional cost to you. Thanks so much for your support!

Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday: September Challenge

Hello and welcome to the September Crafty Wednesday Challenge right  here on my blog! I'm so happy you decided to check out this month's theme and hope you'll decide to join in! Be sure to scroll down to see if you were last month's winner or one of my top picks, and THANK YOU to those of you playing along last month. It was great visiting your blogs and seeing your gorgeous creations!

This Month's Theme

Something Beginning with "B" 

Lots of choices here...birds, bees, butterflies, baby, blue, boy, birthday, banner, border, binoculars, bicycle, barnyard and I am sure there are many more! I can't wait to see what you come up with! Be sure to let me know in your post what your "B" is especially if it's not too obvious.

I went with Blue, Birds and Beaks.

For my card I decided to ink up the Penny Black stamp The Sweetest Sound using Distress Markers, spritzed lightly with water then stamped on to Bristol Vellum Paper using my Tonic Stamp Platform. I used Distress Markers in Faded Jeans, Seedless Preserves, Crushed Olive, Rusty Hinge and Worn Lipstick to color the image directly on the rubber. The card was then inked with Bundled Sage Distress Oxide, Wilted Violet Distress Oxide and Faded Jeans Distress Ink. (I don't have this color in the Oxide formulation, but luckily you can mix and match the formulations.)

Related Products:

Next I created some ink puddles by pressing Wilted Violet and Faded Jeans ink onto a clear stamping block, added water and with a paint brush I flicked each color onto the background for a fun effect. The Sentiment from the Penny Black set Happy Wishes was stamped using Versafine Clair Nocturne ink.

The music notes were stamped with Faded Jeans ink using and old rubber background stamp. This clear stamp by Echo Park is similar.  I only wanted a few parts of the music notes showing, and since it is an unmounted rubber stamp, I inked only a portion of it and was able to bend the stamp and sort of "roll" it onto the card where I wanted the music notes stamped. Finally I wiped the Wilted Violet inkpad across the edges for more depth before adhering to the white card base. 

Penny Black The Sweetest Sound // Penny Black Happy Wishes // Distress Markers // Distress Inks and Oxides: Faded Jeans, Wilted Violet, Bundled Sage // Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink // Bristol Vellum Paper // Tonic Stamp Platform // Music Sheet Stamp - Similar Option

I'm linking up here:
 Create With Joy - Week 398 //

Below are the products I've used as found on Amazon for those of you interested. These and some of the links above are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you buy something through the links, at no additional cost to you. As always, thanks so much for your support. 

This Month's Prize

For the ease of things I am continuing to offer the winner a $6 Gift Certificate to either Mo's Digital Pencil Shop, Tiddly Inks or Bugaboo. I am not affiliated with any of these companies and the prize will be supplied by me. 

Last Month's Winner

Chriss R. 

Congratulations Chriss! You won a digi gift certificate from either Mo's Digital Pencil, Tiddly Inks or Buggaboo Stamps. Please message me with your choice by September 18th at ellibellescorner at gmail dot com to claim your prize. 

Now onto my top picks, there weren't too many entries but surely some beauties and it's never easy to select just three. But I did manage and here they are in order of entry:

No. 6 Vicky

No. 10 Jan R

No. 21 Nana Connie

Congrats to all of you, your top pick logo is below. Feel free to post it to your own blogs!

To be in compliance with GDPR no links have been posted, but you can take a look at these wonderful entries HERE in last month's linky. 

To play along in the September challenge simply use the linky tool below. The usual rules apply:

• Enter up to 3 times with a new project.
• You may combine with any other challenges.
• You may use any brand of stamps/digis (no company restriction).
• Be sure to add a link back here to my blog.