Allsorts Challenge 546: Christmas Flowers

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Hello and thanks so much for visiting! It's time for a new theme already at Allsorts challenge. Mervi is hosting and she would like to see "Christmas Flowers". Hope you can play along with us for a chance to win our prize, this week we have a prize by The Paperbox . 

I don't have a lot to choose from when it comes to Christmas flowers, I only have an old Stampin Up wheel I used last year when we had a similar challenge. But I did find this vintage themed pattern paper in my stash and decided to use it along with a cute stamp from Penny Black from the set Deck the Halls.

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I heat embossed the image using my usual Versafine Clair Nocturne ink and clear embossing powder then watercolored with regular distress ink pads (not the oxides). The edges were inked with Old Paper Distress ink and I distressed the edges with a distressing tool, but this can be done by running the blade of a pair of scissors along the edge, then mounted onto a scallop circle diecut (Nestabilities Die). I distressed this scallop circle as well.  

The background was stamped with Penny Black' background stamp Christmas Story  using Old Paper ink again, and I also distressed these edges. The sentiment from the Penny Black set Holiday Snippets was stamped and heat embossed using the same Versafine ink and embossing powder again and I tied a bow using gold cord to finish it off. The card base is one of Stampin Up's brown papers, I no longer keep track of their colors so I have no idea what this color is actually called (I now sort them by color themes instead of actual name of the colors - much easier since they tend to retire and bring new colors all the time. It was too hard for me to keep up with them all.)

A little closeup below...it's hard to tell but I added a little bit of golden glitter to the poinsettia flower centers. Meant to add crystal effects to the red berries to make them shiny but it's all dried up so I used a Sakura Stardust glitter pen on them. 

Penny Black Deck the Halls // Penny Black Holiday Snippets // Penny Black Christmas Story // Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink // Old Paper Distress Ink // Clear Embossing Powder // Various Distress Inks for Coloring (not the Oxides) // Paper Distresser // Nestabilities Scallop Circle Die Set // Bristol Vellum Paper // Sakura Stardust Glitter Pen //  Stampin Up Card Stock for the Base. 

Also sharing with these blogs:

Colour Crazy Challenge - Coloring // Winter Wonderland - Holly/Ivy // As You Like It Challenge - Favorite Cute or Traditional (I really like both equally, today's card is "cute" with traditional colors. Coloring cute images just makes me happy.) // C.R.A.F.T. - Christmas // Cute Card Thursday - Festive // Lavinia World Challenges - Traditional Stamps // Little Red Wagon - More than 2 words // Paper Shelter - Christmas // Sisterhood of Crafters - Forest Animals // Stinkin' Inkers - Dies/Punches // Unicorn Challenge  - Christmas // Cutie Pie Challenge - Animals // Get Creative Challenges - Holiday // Incy Wincy Designs - Animals // Path of Positivity - Something Positive // Dragonfly Dreams - Christmas // Addicted to Stamps - Traditional Stamps // Stamping Sensations  - Traditional Christmas Colors // Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Penny Black Stamps

Anything Goes:

Brown Sugar // Crafty Catz  // Jo's Scrap Shack // QKR Stampede // Crafting With An Attitude // Crafting By Designs // Crafty Creations // Creative Moments // Crafty Sentiment Designs // Lemon Shortbread // 

Below are some of the products I used on Amazon for those of you interested. Remember they are affiliate links meaning I may earn a small commission if you buy something from the links, but as always at no cost to you. 

Hope you enjoy your weekend! And as always thank you so much for visiting!!

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. I do share papercrafts in addition to my fashion over forty posts, so keep in mind that you would receive a notification for both types of posts.

Penny Black and More - November

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

It's the first Sunday of the month, that means it's time for a new challenge at Penny Black and More. Christmas is getting closer and so for this month we could like to see Christmas Cards and All Things Christmas. Several wonderful prizes are up for grabs so hopefully you'll find some time to join us. The challenge runs until the end of the month so there is definitely plenty of time!

If you're not into making your own Christmas cards, you can also make gift tags, gift wrap or anything else, as long as your focal point of interest includes rubber or clear stamping your creation is good to go!

I created a background using a circle die cut to mask the moon and some torn printer paper for the hills along with  Broken China Distress Oxide ink. The die cut trees were done with Penny Black's Beneath the Birches die set slightly inked with Pumice Stone Distress Oxide. 

The cute critter is from Penny Black's stamp set Holly Jolly Critters. It's just a set of 2 stamps - a row of 4 critters and a sentiment. I used only one of the critters from the row, heat embossed using Versafine Clair Ink and clear embossing powder, colored with Distress Inks and then fussy cut using my Cutterbee scissors. I used a Sakura Stardust glitter pen on the star, scarf and head gear to make them sparkle.


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The sentiment from my favorite Penny Black Christmas sentiment Set Season's Gifts was also heat embossed right over the moon. I used a kraft paper background for my card front, then 110lb heavyweight card stock from Michaels. 

 Penny Black Holly Jolly Critters // Penny Black Season's Gifts // Penny Black Beneath the Birches Die Set // Distress Inks for Coloring (I think Vintage Photo, Mowed Lawn and Worn Lipstick all diluted and colored with  a Zig Detailer) // Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink // Ultra Fine Clear Embossing Powder //  Tumbled Glass Distress Oxide for the Background Scene // Pumice Stone Distress Oxide for Inking the Die Cut Trees // Circle Die Cut for Moom Mask - similar die set // Sakura Stardust Glitter Pen //  Bristol Vellum Paper //  Heavyweight 110lb Cardstock

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Also sharing with these challenges:
 Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Penny Black Stamps //Cutie Pie Challenge - Cute // Die Cuttin' Divas  - Die Cuts // Simon Says Wednesday - Anything Goes // Cute Card Thursday - Holidays // Crafty Friends Challenge - Anything Goes // Send a Smile for Kids - Holidays for Kids // 2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Critters // A Perfect Time To Craft - Anything Goes // Country View Crafts' Challenge - hand stamped // Crafty Animals - Animals // Creative Sketchy Girls - Christmas // Dies R Us Challenge  - Trees or Leaves // Fabrika Fantasy - Winter // Happy Little Stampers - Christmas // Happy Little Stampers - Dies // Love to Craft - Anything Goes // Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog - Christmas // Pearly Sparkles Challenge - Christmas // The Creative Crafters - Anything Goes // Crafty Catz - Snow // Jingle Belles - Animals // Art Impressions Stamp Challenge - Holiday Cards //


Thanks so much for visiting! Hope to see your entry at the challenge blog for your chance to win one of the wonderful prizes by Penny Black and Crafts U Love!

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

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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

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.

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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!

Penny Black and More - September Challenge

Good morning! Hard to believe it's already September!!! Today is also the start of a new theme at Penny Black and More challenge and this month it's all about Animals! Hope you can join us. The challenge runs until the end of the month so there is plenty of time. Great prizes are up for grabs again, this time  from Penny Black and Clever Cut. 

September means the beginning of the fall season so I decided to use fall colors on my card and I feel like foxes are more present in the fall too, so that's the animal I am featuring on today's card. 

It's been a while since I used the cute stamp set Smile All Day by Penny Black. I started out by masking the moon with a circle die cut, then inked up the background with Antique Linen, Victorian Velvet, Faded Jeans and Seedless Preserves distress inks (in that order). Then I used a hand cut mask for the hill and inked with Peeled Paint distress ink to create a hill. Removed all masks and then stamped the fox with butterfly image. 

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The fox has been stamped again on Bristol Vellum paper with Versafine Clair Nocturne ink and heat embossed so I could watercolor. I used Rusted Hinge distress ink for some simple watercoloring, then fussy cut the fox. Before I added him to the card, I used the grass stamp from the Penny Black set Enjoy Life on the  background stamped with Peeled Paint distress ink, then  he's been added to the card with pop up tape. The sentiment is from the Penny Black set Friendship, also stamped with Versafine Clair  ink and heat embossed with ultra fine clear embossing powder. I thought the card needed something extra so I found this sheer purple polka dotted ribbon in my ribbon scraps purchased from Joann's years ago, and added it to the card. The purple card stock is Stampin Up's Perfect Plum - I am not sure if this is a current color, it's been a while since I placed a Stampin Up order - and the card base is a heavy weight white card stock. 

Penny Black Smile All Day // Penny Black Friendship // Penny Black Enjoy Life // Distress Inks: Antique Linen, Victorian Velvet, Faded Jeans, Seedless Preserves // Peeled Paint,  Rusty Hinge //  Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink // Bristol Vellum Paper // Pop Up Tape // Ribbon from Joann // Hero Arts Ultra Fine Embossing Powder Clear // Tonic Stamp Platform

My card fits these challenges so I am linking up here:
Double Trouble - include something round (does my masked moon count?) // Mod Squad Challenge - Fall // Moving along with the Times - Things with Wings // Crafty Friends Challenge  - Embellishments (Ribbon) // 

Anything Goes:
Simon Says Wednesday  

Thanks so much for taking the time out of your day to visit my blog!

Amazon shopping links are below. 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 additional cost to you. As always, thank you for support. 

Penny Black and More Challenge - Midmonth Reminder

Today I am sharing my mid month reminder card for our August theme at Penny Black and More challenge. This month it's all about cards for boys or men. Still plenty of time to join us if you haven't already! As always we have some fantastic prizes go give away so I hope you won't miss your chance to be entered into the drawing. Remember you may use any brand, as long as the focal point of your card is hand stamped.

I've used one of my newer stamp sets by Penny Black - Birthday Critters - along with Penny Black's Wood Floors die and the sentiment is from the Penny Black set Sweet Wishes.


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The animals were stamped on Bristol Vellum paper using Versafine Clair Nocturne ink and heat embossed with Hero Arts Ultra Fine clear embossing powder. I used the distress ink pads for watercoloring by simply pressing the inkpad onto a clear stamping block and then picking up the color with a zig detailer waterbrush. I did wet the image with clean water before adding color so it is easier to work with. Images were fussy cut using Cutterbee detail paper scissors. 

I used white card stock for the wooden floor/trim and inked the floor with distress ink. The pattern paper is from a paper pack by The Paper Studio found at Hobby Lobby. I thought this pattern was perfect for a birthday card as they remind me of streamers. Sentiment was cut out and attached to the card with a staple that I tied some navy grosgrain ribbon to. The animals were adhered with pop up tape and the image panel was then framed onto a Faded Jeans distress inked card stock before mounting it onto a white card base.

Penny Black Birthday Critters // Penny Black Sweet Wishes // Penny Black Wood Floors // Bristol Vellum Paper // Distress Inks: Rusty Hinge (cat & cake), Black Soot - very diluted (mouse), Candied Apple (party hat & candles), Faded Jeans (happy birthday banner, cake platter and frosting, Worn Lipstick (ears and cheeks) // Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink // Hero Arts Ultra Fine Embossing Powder // Tonic Stamp Platform // The Paper Studio Pattern Paper // Stampin Up Grossgrain Ribbon

I'm linking up with these challenges:

Dream Valley Challenges - Handcolored Image // 2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Critters // A2Z Scrapbooking Linky Party - Birthday // Crafty Animals - Animals // Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - Pattern Papers // Happy Little Stampers - Use Dies (I used a wood floor die) // Lost Coast Designs - Wood // Pearly Sparkles Challenge -Beginning with "B" (Blue Birthday Banner) // Sweet Stampers - Dies // Aud Sentiments Challenge - Animals // DL ART Thankful Thursday Challenge  - Birthday // Krafty Chicks - Masculine // The Male Room - Birthday // Paper Shelter - Dies // Ike's World - H is for Hats // AAA Birthday - For the Boys

Anything Goes Themes:

Colour Crazy Challenge // Brown Sugar // Love to Craft // Morgan's ArtWorld Open Challenge f // Not Just Cards f // The Creative Crafters // Craft Rocket Challenges  

Thanks so much for taking the time out of your day to visit my blog. 

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

Allsorts Challenge 522/523: Sun, Moon and/or Stars or Something for Baby

It's time for a new theme at Allsorts challenge and this time it's my turn to host :-) Hope you will join in. I picked the theme of Sun, Moon and/ or Stars, or  Something for Baby.  So many baby stamps with moons and stars out there too, maybe you can even combine the themes :-) We're giving away a crafting CD rom with Holly Pond Hill images. Hope you can join us. The challenge runs for two weeks so you will have plenty of time.

It's been a long time since I last used this cute stamp by Penny Black - Cat on the Moon. Isn't this kitty adorable!! This is an older wood mounted stamp but I did find it still available at Joann's Crafts and Fabrics online shop.


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My card was quick to make. I simply inked the background using Distress Oxides (Tumbled Glass, Blueprint Sketch, Faded Jeans and Wilted Violet). It's hard to see but I used Stamper's Anonymous Speckles stencil on the background and a wet ink applicator which took off some of the color. Household bleach might have been a better option but I didn't have any in my craft room and didn't want to go clear to the basement to get it :-)

The cat has been stamped twice, once on this inked card stock and again on a scrap piece of Bristol Vellum card stock and heat embossed so I could watercolor. I used Zig Clean Color Real Brush Pens for coloring.  It's been then fussy cut and adhered to the card with dimensionals. I really hadn't planned on adding the pattern paper but I accidentally trimmed too much off of the image panel and I wanted to make an A2 sized card, so I decided to add a polka dotted frame. This is from a sticky back paper pack but I have no idea what the brand is. Stamping was all done with Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink. I used a Wink of Stella clear glitter brush to add sparkles to the moon and stars.

Penny Black Cat on the Moon // Penny Black So Very Much // Distress Oxides: Tumbled Glass, Blueprint Sketch // Faded Jeans // Wilted Violet // Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink // Stampers Anonymous Speckles Stencil // Bristol Vellum Paper // Zig Clean Color Real Brush Pens // Wink of Stella Clear Glitter Brush

I'm sharing with these challenges:

 Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Anything Goes // TIME OUT Challenges - Relaxation (stargazing) // Brown Sugar - Anything Goes // Crafty Calendar - Anything Goes // Send a Smile for Kids - Anything Goes for Kids //  Dare 2B Artzy Challenges - Anything Goes // Aud Sentiments Challenge - Animals and Sentiment // 2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Critters // Artistic Stampers  - Use Rubber Stamps // Crafty Animals - Animals // Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - Pattern Paper // 

Thank you 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 528: Clean and Simple

Good morning and thank you for visiting! I am back from my blogging break and vacation. Had a good time spent with family. Besides hanging out here at home for a few days we also took a trip to the Carolinas  together to spend some time in Myrtle Beach and this time we also visited the Biltmore Estate. But vacation time ended too quickly!!


This is me with the "Biltmore House" in the background. I'm sure many of my European visitors see this type of architecture often, but it is very rare here in the States to see a French Rennaisaunce type building and we had so much fun visiting the castle, hiked the trails and enjoyed the beautiful gardens. They also offered free wine tasting but we skipped that part....maybe next time :)

The sunrises were "not to miss"! (Yes I love to get up early while on vacation!)

Of course I couldn't go to Myrtle Beach without visiting Brookgreen Gardens! It was as beautiful and magical as last time we visited!

On the way home we took a detour through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and walked up to Clingman's Dome observation tower to take in the views of the Smoky Mountains. Storm clouds were forming so we didn't get to see as far as you can on some days. But still some amazing views!

But now on to my card ..... a new theme started at Allsorts challenge, this week Tracy is hosting and she picked the theme of "Clean and Simple". Hope you can join us for a chance to win. This week we have a great prize by Sizzix!

I think Penny Black stamps are perfect for CAS cards - with the beautifully detailed stamps there really isn't much more a card needs.

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I simply stamped the image (Asking the Flowers by Penny Black - this stamp is really old and I couldn't find a link to it anywhere) on watercolor paper using Versafine Clair Nocturne ink and colored  with my Zig Clean Color markers. I added a little bit of glitter to the flowers with a clear Wink of Stella. The sentiment was also stamped with Versafine Clair Nocturne ink and is from the Penny Black set Friendship. A cross stitch border stamp was used around the image, this stamp came from a retired stitched borders stamp set by Whimsy Stamps, and is no longer available. Adhered to a white card base by Hero Arts (Dove White 100lb). 

Btw. the little bee is not actually part of the main image stamp, it comes from one of Penny Black's clear cute critter sets.

Penny Black Asking the Flowers - retired, possibly available on ebay // Penny Black Friendship // Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink // Zig Clean Color Markers // Wink of Stella Clear Glitter Brush // Canson Watercolor Paper // Whimsy Stamps Stitched Border - No Longer Available - Similar Option // Hero Arts Dove White 100lb Card Stock

Challenges entered:

Crafty Sentiment Designs - Add a Sentiment // Stamping Sensations - Earth Laughs in Flowers // Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Use PB stamps // 2 Crafty Critter Crazies  - Critters // Crafty Animals - Animals // Creative Craft Cottage Challenges - Summer // 

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

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