Pinned Post


Please click HERE to join in "Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday" challenge.


Please click HERE to join in "I Spy With My Little Eye" challenge.


Oct 28, 2024

Papercrafters Year in Review 2024 - End of Year Blog Hop Sign Up

Happy Monday!

It's that time of the year again, time to sign up for the "Papercrafters Years in Review" blog hop. (I am actually posting this a bit later than last year.) 

I have written a Year in Review post for many years and just a few years ago I decided to make it a yearly blog hop so others can join in the fun and we can all visit each others "Favorites of the Year" post. I would love to have you take part in this hop as co-hosts. 



When: Monday, December 30th - Sunday, January 5th


Details:

  • Create a blog post featuring YOUR OWN favorite creations of 2024 to be scheduled on your blogs for Monday December 30th 9am CST (3pm UK time)
  • You may choose to feature a top 5, top 10, favorite of each month, favorite Christmas makes, etc... it is up to you in which way you want to feature your favorites.
  • I will provide the html code for the linky tool to each person signing up as a co-host. It would be great if you included this in your post on your own blogs but not neccessary as long as you post a list of each participant.
  • You may invite your blog followers to link up their own favorites during hop week should they decided to create their own "year in review" posts. The linky tool will be open for one week starting December 30th.
  • You must have a blog to participate.
  • This will be a blog hop, so please plan on visiting and commenting on each participant's "Year in Review 2024" post when time allows during "hop week".
  • This sign up is for any papercrafter with a blog. You don't have to have a papercraft only blog - as long as you have some favorite handmade cards, scrapbook pages, etc. to share in your review post you are welcome to sign up. 
  • Optional: You are welcome to offer a small prize to a winner selected from those who commented on your post (including other co-hosts) but that is totally up to you and it is absolutely not needed to offer a prize in order to be a co-host. 
  • The blog hop will run for one week (December 30th - January 5th)
  • If at all possible, please have a permalink for your year in review post by mid-December when I contact everyone to confirm participation (around the 15th). This year I plan to add all co-hosts' year in review posts to the linky tool so you don't have to do that step when the hop goes live.
  • You don't have to complete your post, as long as you give your post a title and schedule the posting date, you will be able to access the permalink, then complete it closer to hop date. 
  • To get an idea of how this blog hop works you can click here to see last year's hop.

I will close the sign-up linky tool on December 12th (may close sooner if I feel that enough people have signed up before that date), then I will message everyone with the hop list by December 18th so everyone will have plenty of time to prepare their posts even before Christmas should you want to work ahead on it.

This linky tool is for the blog hop sign up.

Oct 26, 2024

Something Cute or Cuddly for Allsorts Challenge

Hello and welcome! It's Saturday again and that means it's the start of a new theme at Allsorts challenge. This week we'd love to see something "Cute or Cuddly" and of course there is the Anything Goes option too. You may enter up to 3 times for more chances to win. This week we're giving away a House Mouse stamp and a Oakley and Friends stamp set. 

I decided to make a cute Christmas card with some new to me products by Penny Black which I couldn't resist to from a recent sale I came across.


The stamp set that this puppy is part of is called Christmas Fun and the sentiment die is from the die set Ornamental Branch. On the background I used the background stamp Christmas Story, also by Penny Black. The edges were inked with Antique Linen, Tea Dye and Vintage Photo ink and I did some watercoloring around the bottom to ground the image. I now have my sewing machine at an "easier to get to" spot (no longer hidden away in a closet!!!) so I sewed the edges. Thought it would be a nice touch for this vintage-y card. The sentiment die cut was cut out twice to add a dark green layer under the red.

Related Products:


Patterned paper is from another paper pack I purchased from Hobby Lobby a couple of years ago. I used a white Sakura gel pen for some highlights.

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 plan ot share with these challenges:

Oct 19, 2024

Die Cuts and Pretty Papers

Hello and welcome! It's time already for a new theme at Allsorts challenge and this week Sarah is hosting. Her optional theme is "Pretty Papers" and then there is the Anything Goes option if using patterened papers isn't your thing. Our prize this week comes from  AALL and Create. Hope you can join us for a chance to win.

Here is what I made:

While this card is a bit different from my current usual style(s) I really love how it turned out. I even dusted off my sewing machine to add some stitching around the edges, something I haven't done in ages but always loved. If you have followed my blog for a long time then you might remember that many of my cards used to include stitching (once upon a time).

The patterned paper is from a paper pack I purchased at Hobby Lobby a couple of years ago (Old World Winter pack). I stitched around the card before adding the die cuts. The trees and "Merry" are one die by Penny Black (Merry). Cut out with white cardstock then inked with Iced Spruce Distress Oxide ink. 


Related Products:


The snowflakes are from the Penny Black die set Dancing Snowflakes. A few sticky rhinestones finish off the card. I do wish I had added a small pink snowflake in the center of the large one for a little bit of an unexpected color, but too late now. Maybe I will try it before mailing it off :)

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!


Related Products:


Challenges I plan to share with:



Oct 16, 2024

I Spy With My Little Eye .......... The Colors of the Season (Challenge No. 20)

Hello and welcome to a new I Spy With My Little Eye challenge taking place right here on my blog. We (Pauline and I) are back with a new theme and hope you will join in the fun! We had some wonderful entries last month, many thanks to all who joined us. As always you can scroll down to see who made the top 2, both invited to join us as guest designers for the next challenge.

This time around it's my turn (Ellie) to host and the theme I selected is.............


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

"The Colors of the Season".


Choose one or more seasonal colors. By the way, if you live in the southern hemisphere you are welcome to use the colors of your current season. Just let us know in your post that is where you are located. We can't wait to see what you'll come up with this time around. The linky tool is at the end of this post.

Here is what we created to inspire you:

Ellie (my card)
Details right below the card.


I created an inky card using Penny Black stamp Garden Fragrance as the focal point and colored with Distress inks (Faded Jeans, Rusty Hinge, Vintage Photo, Evergreen Bough). I used colored pencils on the tiniest leaves and berries, as well as a shading. A Tim Holtz stencil was used on the Vase for a little interest, I used the "negative" part of the stencil by inking it, spritzing with water and pressed down for a print. I created a smooshed background and stamped MFT Happy Birthday background stamp (may be retired). The blackbirds weren't part of the original idea but after I ran my Black Soot ink pad along the edges after distressing them, you can guess I got some smudges onto the card so these birds came to the rescue. They are from the set Blackbird by Aall and Create. I used a black Posca pen for a few splatters. 

Related Products:

I plan to share my card here:


A beautiful and magical creation from Pauline using such gorgeous shades of autumn colors. Please visit her blog to find out how she made this card.



We have no guest designers this time so lets get straight to the Top Picks from the last challenge:


Top Picks for Challenge no. 19


Many thanks once again to everyone who joined us in the last challenge where we looking for Something Magical. Our Top picks are below.

Remember, Top Picks are invited to join us in the next challenge if you like to. That would be for challenge no. 21 starting Wednesday November 20th ! Of course it's not a requirement but we would love to have you both as guests!!


No. 21 Gerrina (Pauline's Pick)

No. 25 Helen (Ellie's Pick)


Congratulations to both of you!! Your top pick logo is below to display on your own blogs if you like to.


You are both invited to join us as guest designers (optional of course!) for challenge no. 21 starting on Wednesday November 20th . If you are interested in taking part, please message me (Ellie) at ellibellescorner at gmail dot com so I can give you all the details for our upcoming theme.


Related Products:

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.
  • New: While you are free to link up your creations using pre-colored digital art (AI generated, digital pre-colored toppers, clipart, digital papers etc.), they will be excluded from top picks. 
  • Please include a link back to this blog.
  • Backlinking to a recent project is allowed.

Oct 12, 2024

Magic, Myths and Legends at Allsorts Challenge

Hello and welcome! It's my turn this week to host at Allsorts challenge and hope everyone joins in the fun for a chance to win! The theme this week is Anything Goes or the option of Magical, Myths or Legends. We'd love to see all your new crafty makes up to 3 per entrants. As always, all those following our rules will be entered into the prize drawing and will be considered for the top 5. Speaking of prizes, this week we have Lavinia Stamps, three wonderful stamps from their collection.


Here is what I made using stamps from Lavinia  - Dancing Till Dawn, Secret Night and Fern Leaf. 

I started out by stamping the fairies using Versafine Onyx ink. Next I used a circle diecut as a mask and with an ink applicator tool I sponged Faded Jeans, Chipped Sapphire and Black Soot. Then I used a torn paper mask and inked the bottom with Wild Honey and Spiced Marmalade.

I recently purchased this set of Posca pens which includes black, white, silver and gold and I thought this magical card could use some golden splatter. On a recent card I used golden acrylic paint but I like this golden ink from the Posca pen much more as there is more of a metallic sheen to it.


Related Products:


I distressed the edges for some added interrest and added Stickles glitter to the fairy wings. Then mounted onto black card stock and then a white base. 

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!


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Scrapbook.com Coupons Page

>>>>>>>>>Fall in to Autumn Sale plus Free Gift at Scrapbook.com/Ad

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



I plan to share with these challenges:



Oct 5, 2024

Autumn Foliage

Hello and welcome! It's time already for a new theme at Allsorts challenge and Lynn is our host this week. For her optional theme she chose "Falling Leaves" and there is always the Anything Goes option if the theme isn't for you. We have 2 fabulous stamp set from AALL and Create to give away  this week so hopefully you can join us for a chance to win. 

I am happy to have both of our prize sets in my stash and I thought it was the perfect opportunity to ink up one of the sets for this week's challenge.


The main stamp set I used is AALL and Create Foliage #496. This set, as well as the other A&C sets I used today, have been retired by Aall and Create but they are still available through several retailers. 

The background was done using Distress inks/Oxides Seedless Preserves, Carved Pumpkin, Rusty Hinge and gold acrylic paint. Background stamping was all done with stamps from the set Foliage besides the tiny hearts which are from the AAll and Create set Define Love #938. As I was trying to decide how to create this card I was looking through some previously die cut pieced in my stash and found the wreath die cut (Penny Black Birds on a Wreath). This is a Christmas specific die including baubles and birds but I cut them all off and think it works just perfectly for a fall themed card this way. I then decided to stamp the black bird from AAll and Create set Friendship Florals #648. The frame was also found in my box of previously cut out dies, Penny Black's Frame Die set. The large leaf on the front from the set Foliage was fussy cut and inked with Seedless Preseves Distress ink. I used foam tape to add to the leave as well as the sentiment to the card. I flicked a little more of the gold acrylic paint onto the card, then distressed the edges. As I usually like the contrast of white, I added my card base onto white card stock which I also distressed and then onto a purple base. 


Related Products:



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 plan to share with these challenges:


Oct 2, 2024

Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday - October Challenge

Happy Wednesday and welcome to the October edition of Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday challenge taking place right here on my blog. There were some fabulous entries last month, many thanks to everyone who joined in. It's always so nice to see what you've been creating! Be sure to scroll down to the end of this post to see the top picks with a twist.

As most of you know, the theme is now always ....



Anything Goes


and instead of a challenge theme there will be a "Top Pick Twist", meaning I will select a twist from all of the entries for the Top 3. Nobody will know what the twist will be (not even me) until the end of the challenge. So do link up all of your crafty makes, your entry might be the one inspiring the Top Pick twist :)

And here is what I made:

My husband and I recently celebrated our 26ths wedding anniversary and I made this cute card for him which is my card share for this month's Crafty Wednesday challenge. I love how this turned out :)

These sweet mice are by Penny Black - Love Tails, an older wood mounted stamp but a newer purchase for me and first time using it. I stamped with Memento Tuxedo ink and colored with Copic markes. On the top I used Penny Black's Hypnotic stencil and Bundled Sage Distress Oxide ink.  I then used two die cuts - Penny Black's Heart String die and a retired Whimsy Stamps Stitched Border die (the stitched part has been covered up by the heart string die). "Happy Anniversary" is from a MFT mini sentiment set (Itty Bitty Basics). I used Stampin Up's Cherry red paper which appears really dark in the photo (it's a pretty shade of deep red in real life) and then a caramel brown (also Stampin Up) for the card base. The sentiment "Smile Dream Love" on the bottom is from the Penny Black set Dream Love Sentiments.


Related Products:


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 plan to share with these challenges:


Top Picks with aTwist - September


As always there was such a great variety of themes represented and selecting just three following a twist is never easy. But I finally managed and the twist from the September challenge is............ Feathered Friends, meaning each one of my top picks is featuring something with feathers.

They are listed in the order of entry:




No. 48 Helen F.


Congratulations to each one of you!! Well deserved recognition! Your Top Pick logo is below, feel free to post it to your own blogs if you like to :)

I will continue to pin the top picks to the dedicated Pinterest board, but will also include photo and link back to the original blogs/sites here. These will be removed at the start of the new challenge to stay in compliance with GDPR.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


To join in this month's challenge please use the linky tool below. The linky tool closes on the last Wednesday of next month at midnight so you have until Wednesday October 30th to join in.

A few things to remember:
  • You may combine with any other challenges.
  • You may use any brand of stamps/digis/dies/papers (no company restriction as long as copyright laws are followed).
  • A short description of products used is expected, most importantly the source of focal point.
  • This linkup is for sharing handmade projects of any kind not limited to papercrafts.
  • Please try to limit to 3 entries per month - it's ok if you end up with more than 3 but I may not be able to visit your entries after the 3rd.
  • Please do include a link back here to my blog in your blog post.
  • Backlinking to a recent post IS allowed.
You can read more about the Guidelines/Copyright info here.

Oct 1, 2024

A Little Fall Gnome - Four Seasons October Challenge

October arrived already and that means a new challenge starts today at the Four Seasons challenge blog. As always there is a mood board to inspire but it is optional to use as "Anything Fall Goes". 

Here is our optional mood board for October:



I actually have two cards to share today both using the same stamp set. I wasn't too thrilled with my first card and kept thinking I'd re-do it. But I didn't actually get time until yesterday so on the Four Seasons challenge blog you will only see the second card from this post.


First up is my second try using the stamp set Fall Gnomes by Spellbinders which I recently won in a challenge. How cute is this little guy!! The set includes  2 gnomes and other fall themed things, this one is the smaller gnome. Leaves and sentiment are all part of the set.


I started by creating a background using Brushos powders on the top and Distress ink (Peeled Paint) on the bottom portion. After this was dry I stamped the leaves directly on to the background using Memento ink then colored with Copic markers. The gnome was stamped on a scrap piece using the same ink and also colored with Copics. Then fussy cut. The sentiment was stamped directly onto the card front using Versafine Onyx ink.I thought the gnome needed some grounding so I inked a small snippet of cardstock with the same Peeled Paint ink using the "Direct to Paper" method so it is very saturated and appears to be almost black. I usually like to have some white on my projects so I matted the card front onto white cardstock then textured kraft cardstock for the base. 

Related Products: 




Entering the above card to these challenges:

And below was my first attempt at using the set, the card that you might have noticed at the Four Seasons challenge blog. No idea where I went wrong but it just doesn't feel like a "me" card. Maybe too colorful and too much going on.... and I wish I had inked the hill with a darker shade of green. I sort of wanted to re-create this exact card a bit differently but then had the idea of using just an inky background instead.
 

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 made a background for him using the negative of a circle die cut and added clouds using a MFT cloud stencil. Then inked the sky with Blueprint Sketch ink and used one of Lavinia Stamps' Hills mask for grounding. More leaves were stamped on the foreground. The sunflower was added because one of the leaves didn't stamp fully. I thought the card needed something else so I used die cut clouds (Memory Box die set) and added glitter to finish it off. 


I am entering these challenges with the card above:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(click to see what's on sale)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------