Allsorts Challenge 544: Make Your Own Flowers

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! 

Today's card was made for our new theme at Allsorts challenge where Helene picked the theme of: "Make your own flowers." Hope you can join us and play along for a chance to win a beautiful stamp set by Buddly Crafts.

It's been a while since I added handmade flowers to cards, as I usually use stamps for flowers. But I still have all my dies and punches and for my flowers today I used a layered flower die set from My Favorite Things and my Big Shot manual die cutting machine to cut them out. I've had this die set for a very long time and it's no longer available, but there surely are several other beautiful flower die sets still available for purchase. This set by Spellbinders is similar and the flowers can be layered or use by themselves. I used the back end of a paint brush to curl each of the flower petals before layering and adhering to the card with glue dots.  

Related Products:

I made the stencilled background with Tim Holtz's Flourish Stencil and used Mowed Lawn Distress Ink and an ink blending tool.  The stripes on the left side were done with a stripes stencil and Black Soot Distress ink. The paper for the flowers is old from my stash and I have no idea who the maker is. The sentiment is from the Penny Black set Friendship stamped with Versafine Clair Nocturne ink. 

The cardfront is Bristol Vellum Paper, framed with green card stock by Stampin up. For the card base I used heavyweight 110lb cardstock I picked up from Michael's. 

Similar Flower Die Set //  Tim Holtz Flourish Stencil // Classic Stripes Stencil //  Ink Blending Tool // Black Soot Distress Ink // Mowed Lawn Distress Ink // Penny Black Friendship Sentiment Set // Versafine Clair Nocturne ink // Stickyback Pearls // Bristol Vellum Paper // Mini Glue Dots // Big Shot Manual Die Cutting Machine

Thanks so much for stopping by! Hope to see your entry at the challenge blog!

I've linked to the products I used as found on Amazon for those of you interested. Remember these are affiliate links meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links, this is at no cost to you. 

I'm linking my card up with these blogs:

Aud Sentiments Challenge // Crafting By Designs // Creative Moments // Simon Says Stamp // Lemon Shortbread // Through The Craft Room Door // Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenges // Inspire me Mondays

Thanks so much for stopping by! Hope to see your entry at the challenge blog!

Btw, you can also find me here:

Pinterest // Instagram // Facebook

You can also use the "follow by email" function on the blog's sidebar to receive a notification when a new post goes live. 

Below I've linked to the products I used as found on Amazon for those of you interested. Remember these are affiliate links meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links, this is at no cost to you. 

Allsorts Challenge 543: Make Your Own Background

This is not a sponsored post, however it 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! 

Good morning! It's time for a new theme at Allsorts challenge, this week Lynn is hosting and her theme for this week is: Make Your Own Background - No Designer Papers! Hope you can join us for a chance to win! We're having a great prize this week by Crafty Devils.

This card was super simple to make and can be recreated for any occasion. 

I used Penny Black's Hypnotic stencil and Distress Oxide inks in Blueprint Sketch, Cracked Pistachio and Tumbled Glass on Bristol Vellum paper (not to be confused with the milky translucent vellum paper). Next I stamped the music notes border (retired stamp - similar, I'd also like this stamp set as an option),  using Tumbled Glass ink, added some ink around the edges and finally heat embossed the sentiment using Versafine Clair Nocturne ink and ultra fine clear embossing powder. A few sticky rhinestones finish off this card. The sentiment is from a new to me Penny Black sentiment set (Eloquence) I recently got from Amazon.  I used heavy weight white cardstock by Recollections for the card base.



        >>>Michaels Sale Alert: Take 25% off your entire online order, or order online and pick up in store. This also applies to sales prices. Use code SPOOKY25W. Valid online through Saturday Oct. 26th.

Penny Black Hypnotic Stencil // Penny Black Eloquence // Music Sheet Background Stamp (Retired - Similar, also like this set as an option)  Distress Inks: Tumbled Glass, Cracked Pistachio, Blueprint Sketch // Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink // Clear Embossing Powder // Sticky Rhinestones // Ranger Blending Tool // 110lb Heavy Weight White Card Stock // Bristol Vellum Paper

I'm also joining these great challenges:

Just Add Ink - Add a Technique (Stenciling) // Cardz 4 Galz - Something beginning with S - Stencil Design // Artistic Stampers - Music // Crafty Sentiment Designs - Use a Sentiment // Path of Positivity - Something Positive (opt. Courage)

STAMPlorations - Stencils // Inspire Me Monday 

 


Thank you so much for visiting!! Hope to see you over at the challenge blog!

Gold and/or Silver for Allsorts Challenge

This is not a sponsored post, however it 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 thank you so much for visiting! It's time for a new theme at Allsorts challenge. I'm hosting this week and picked the theme of: Gold and/or Silver.

You can add a lot or a little gold or silver, the choice is yours, you can also use both, gold and silver!
Our prize this week is a wonderful A4 sized stamp set  from  Rare Earth. Hope you will join us for your chance to win!


I made two cards for this challenge using a super old stamp set and a very new stamp set.

First up is my card using an ancient Stampin Up set - Old Fashioned Christmas - to make by card. This stamp set is long retired, but there are several sets available on eBay. This listing is for a brand new never used set.

I started out by  heat embossing the tree using Versafine Clair Nocturne ink and ultra fine clear embossing powder. The Santa Claus image has been heat embossed on a separate bristol vellum paper (not to be confused with the thin milky white vellum). Everything was colored with Distress inks. Santa has been fussy cut. 

With a piece of washi tape in place I stencilled the "floor" using a striped stencil. I didn't mask the gifts under the tree, I just was really carefull not to get any ink onto them. Next placed the washi tape over the "floor" and inked a design using Penny Black's Oscillations stencil onto the "wall". Again, I was just being careful around the tree and didn't mask it. Santa Claus has been adhered to the the card with pop up tape. The sentiment is also part of this set. I wiped my Versamark ink pad across the edges and sprinkled gold embossing powder over them, then heat embossed. 

Stampin Up Old Fashioned Christmas // Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink // Ultra Fine Clear Embossing Powder // Distress Inks for Coloring // Classy Stripes Stencil // Penny Black Oscillations Stencil // Versamark Ink // Gold Embossing Powder // Bristol Vellum Paper // Foam Tape

Related Products:

>>>Sale Alert: Take an extra 10% off the Clearance Prices at Scrapbook. com! Ends October 21st Midnight MST.

My second card was done with a brand new stamp set from the Hero Arts October release. I am no longer subcribed to their kits, this month's kit has been tempting but instead I decided to get this gorgeous set and also the matching die set. I fell in love with these cats (no surprise there!) and think it will work well for occasions other than Christmas if other sentiments were used and by leaving out the Christmas tree.

You can purchase this cute stamp set directly from Hero Arts along with the matching die set, and it's also available at Scrapbook. com.

Everything was stamped on Bristol Vellum Paper, colored with Distress Inks and then I used my Big Shot machine and the matching dies to cut out each stamped image. The tree was heat embossed using Versamark Ink and Silver Embossing Powder. After cutting it out I inked it with Evergreen Bough Distres Oxide Ink. All other stamping was done with Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink and heat embossed with Ultra Fine Clear Embossing Powder. 

The floor was done using Penny Black's Floor Die  and inked with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. Some of the images were adhered with dimensional foam tape and I added a clear button with gold cord to finish off this card. 

Hero Arts Meowy Christmas and Matching Frame Dies // Penny Black Floor Die Set // Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink // Versamark Ink // Clear Embossing Powder // Silver Embossing Powder // Distress Inks and Oxides: Abandoned Coral, Evergreen Bough, Rusty Hinge, Black Soot, Walnut Stain, Vintage Photo // Sakura Glitter Pen Clear // Big Shot Die Manual Die Cutting Machine // Bristol Vellum Paper

And that is all for today. Thank you so much for visiting! Have a great weekend!

Also sharing my card with these challenges:

The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up - Sensational Santa (1st card) // Little Red Wagon - Teddy Bears or Work Related (1st card - lots of teddy bears part of my image, plus Santa at work :-) // Crimbo Crackers - Anything Christmas // The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge  - Christmas // Addicted to Stamps and More - Holiday // Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - Anything Goes Christmas // Cute N' Crafty Christmas - Christmas // Colour Crazy Challenge - Coloring // Winter Wonderland - Merry and Bright (2nd card) // Fab n Funky - Feature a Creature (2nd card) // Moo-Mania & More - Die Cuts (2nd Card) // Crafty Animals - Animals (2nd card) // Happy Little Stampers - Christmas // Happy Little Stampers - Dies // Lost Coast Designs - Pets (2nd card) // Tinker- Dream - Favorite Animal (Cats!) // Cutie Pie Challenge - Cute (2nd card)

Anything Goes:

Brown Sugar //  Crafting With An Attitude // Creative Fingers // Jo's Scrap Shack //QKR Stampede // Lemon Shortbread // Crafting By Designs // Crafty Creations  // Happy Craft Challenge // LeAnn’s World 101// The Creative Crafters

Inspire me Monday

Allsorts Challenge 541: Spots and/or Stripes

This is not a sponsored post, however it 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!  

I'm back today with a new card for the new theme at Allsorts challenge. Kath is our host and she picked the theme of: Spots and/or Stripes. Two of my favorite patterns so I incorporated them both on my card. Our wonderful prize this week comes from Craft Stash.

I've been neglecting my Penny Black critter stamps for way too long and decided to ink up this cutie from the Penny Black set Birthday Critters. After the mouse was stamped and heat embossed (I used Versafine Clair Nocturne ink and Clear Embossing Powder) I masked the edges with washi tape. I also made masks out of post it note to cover up the embossed mouse and balloons before inking up the rectangle using Tumbed Glass Distress Oxide. An old Stampin Up cloud and stars stencil was used to add a an impression of clouds. You don't need a stencil for this, you can simply cut out a cloud shape by hand and use as stencil. The image was colored with various Distress inks (not Oxides) and a Zig Detailer brush. Sentiment is from the Penny Black set Sweet Wishes stamped with Versafine Clair ink. I added the paper strips from my stash and green ribbon. A clear Wink of Stella glitter brush was used to add some sparkles. The bee is from another Penny Black Critter set. 

Penny Black Birthday Critters // Penny Black Sweet Wishes // Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink // Clear Embossing Powder // Tumbed Glass Distress Oxide Ink // Distress Inks for Coloring // Zig Detailer Brush // Bristol Vellum Paper // Wink of Stella Clear Glitter Brush // Ribbon and Pattern Paper Scraps from Stash

Related Products:

Free Shipping on orders of $60 or more at Scrapbook. com within the U.S. Or save $6 on International Shipping. Expires October 14th at midnight MST.

I'm sharing with these challenges:

Double Trouble - Masking // Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes // Penny Black Saturday Challenge - PB stamps // Send a Smile for Kids - Celebrations or Anything for Kids // Dare 2B Artzy Challenges - Cute Animals // 
Inspire me Mondays

Thank you so much for visiting!! Have a fantastic weekend. 

Btw, you can also find me here:

Pinterest // Instagram // Facebook

Allsorts Challenge 539: Use Ribbon

This is not a sponsored post, however 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 thanks so much for stopping by! A new theme starts today at Allsorts challenge. Wendy is hosting and she picked the theme of Ribbon. We have a really wonderful prize with an assortment of ribbon by Crafty Ribbons to give away to one lucky winner. Hope you can join us for your chance to win!

My card was fairly simple to make...I started out by inking the Penny Black Stamp Spontaneous Joy with Candied Apples and Barn Door Distress Markers along with Crushed Olive for the stems and leaves. I very lightly spritzed with water before stamping. My Tonic Stamp Platform was used for stamping. It's so helpful with these types of stamps! 

Next I added some stencilling using this Flourish Stencil  and  Antique Linen Distress Ink then stamped some music notes with an old Hero Arts musical background stamp and Versafine Clair Nocturne  Ink. 

The mini sentiment from the Penny Black set Snippets was repeatedly stamped with the same black ink on a thin strip of card stock, glued to the card, then I attached the grosgrain ribbon by Stampin Up, which I've had forever and this color is long retired. My card base is a 110 heavyweight card stock from Michaels. 

Penny Black Spontaneous Joy // Penny Black Snippets // Hero Arts Music Background - Similar Option // Versafine Clair Nocturne  Ink // Antique Linen Distress Ink // Barn Door Distress Marker // Candied Apples Distress Marker // Crushed Olive Distress Marker // Tonic Stamp Platform // Flourish Stencil // Bristol Vellum Paper // 110 lb Heavyweight Cardstock

Related Products:

I'm sharing with these challenges:

Mod Squad Challenge- Back to Nature // Crafty Catz - Ribbon, Bows or Flowers // 

Anything Goes:

Cute Card Thursday // Brown Sugar // Penny Black Saturday Challenge // Creative Fingers //QKR Stampede // Crafting With An Attitude // Crafting By Designs // Crafty Creations // Creative Moments // A Perfect Time To Craft // Double Trouble Challenges

Thanks so much for stopping by!! I have another card already to share tomorrow, hope you visit again soon!

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!