A Pacman Themed Birthday Card for Allsorts Challenge - Celebrating 700 Challenges

Hello and welcome!

It's surely been a busy week in blog land with the cat lovers hop going on. I've only managed  to make 2 cards but that's better than 1 which I did last year. Maybe I'll sneak in some crafting time later today and join in one more time before the hop ends... But I don't usually get time to craft on Saturdays so we shall see...

There is another special occasion happening right now in blog land and that is  Allsorts' challenge 700th challenge! What an accomplishment! Huge congrats to our team leader Brenda for running the challenge so successfully over the many years! Of course we are celebrating with several fabulous prizes which you can see at the end of the post. Hopefully you will join in with us for your chance to win!

For my Celebration themed card I decided to make a "Pacman" type card, it's definitely not my typical card style but I think the recipient is going to love it and that's all that matters!

There are several Pacman card ideas on Pinterest and my card was inspired by a mix of several ideas with a different design and stamps. 

The cupcakes are part of a Penny Black sentiment set. They were stamped in different colors and fussy cut. The large cupcake is from Whimsy Stamps (Meljens Designs) but no longer available. Colored it with Copic markers and fussy cut. The yellow Pacman face was cut with a circle die and I cut a small triangle out of it, then added tiny googly eyes. "Happy" and "Birthday" are from a CTMH set I found at a thrift store and "Game On" is from a retired Whimsy Stamps sentiment set. 

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I added stardust stickles glitter for some sparkle on the cupcakes/candle. 

As promised, here are our prizes for the week - remember to have to join in at Allsorts challenge following our Celebration theme for a chance to win!

Prize 1: A mixed media bundle

Prize 2: Dies from Highlight Crafts

Prizes 3 & 4 (this lot will be split into two prizes)

Thanks so much for visiting!

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!

PS: If you would like to join in this year's Year in Review hop with your own favorites, please visit this link or click the logo below to find out more. I'd love for you to participate!

Challenges I will link up to:

• Krafty Chicks - Any Occasion
• Simon Says Stamp - AG

These challenges below are Always Anything Goes so will try to link up here as well:

Crafty Catz // Creative Fingers // The Paper Funday // Word Art Wednesdays // A Perfect Time To Craft // Ally's Angels // Arty Divas // Classic Design  Challenge // Crafts Galore Encore // Creatalicious Challenges (opt. themes?) // DL.Art Linky Challenge // LeAnn’s World 101 // Let's Craft & Create Challenge // QKR Stampede // The Creative Crafters // World Wide Open Design Team Challenge // Through The Craft Room Door // A Place To Start // Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenges (exc. 5th Monday) // Path of Positivity // 613 Avenue Create // Lil Patch of Crafty Friends // The Corrosive Challenges // We Love 2 Create (creative/mixed media) // A Gem of a Challenge // Taylor Made Cards 4 U

And link parties:

  Inspire Me Monday // Random-osity Good, Random, Fun // You're The Star Blog Hop Link Party @Stonecottage Adventures // Anything Goes with Your Hosts @ My Random Musings // Jenerally Informed The Happy Now // Spread the Kindness Linkup @ Shelbee on the Edge // Wonderful Wednesday // Thursday Favorite Things // Little Things Thursday // Encouraging Heart and Home @ Slices of Life //  Funtastic Friday //   Link Up On The Edge

A Masculine Birthday Card with Penny Black Critters

Hello and welcome! Today is the start of a new theme at Allsorts challenge, we're starting the year off with an open theme, so Anything Goes and I am this week's host. I'd love for you all to join in and share your new crafty creations with us for a chance to win a gorgeous stamp!

This post includes 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 your support!

I had a somewhat inky background lying around on my desk and thought it was perfect for a masculine birthday card using some cute critters by Penny Black stamped directly onto the background. 

The animals (from the Penny Black set Happy Critters) were stamped using Versafine Onyx ink and colored with my Faber Castell Polychromos pencils. The wall textures were done with a Brick Wall stamp and if you look closely you might notice a bit of a clock on the top left side. This was done with a TCW Clock Stencil.

The "Happy Birthday" sentiment came from the same set. I think this simple font is perfect for masculine cards. The small sentiment "time to celebrate" is part of an old Stampin Up stamp set.

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Before adhering to patterned paper, I inked the edges using  Blueprint Sketch ink. The patterned paper has been in my stash for a while like most of my patterned papers and I don't know who the maker is. I added a couple of staples to the larger sentiment before adhering to the card base. 

Stamps:Penny Black Happy Critters // Penny Black Brick Wall // Stampin Up Retired (small sentiment)

Inks: Versafine Onyx // Blueprint Sketch Distress Ink // Wild Honey Distress Ink (?)

Tools: TCW Clock Stencil // Faber Castell Polychromos // Stapler // Blending Tool 

Papers: Bristol Vellum // Patterned Paper from Stash // 110 lb Cardstock for Base

I'm linking up here:

Anything Goes:

Colour Crazy Challenge // Pattie's Creations // A Bit More Time to Craft // A Perfect Time To Craft // Classic Design  Challenge // Cute Card Thursday // Crafty Creations // Mod Squad // Crafty Sentiment Designs // Everybody-Art-Challenge // Lemon Shortbread // Through The Craft Room Door // A Gem of a Challenge // Catch The Bug // Crafter's Castle

Themes:

2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Critters //  Crafting Happiness Challenges - Celebration // Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Celebrate // Crafty Calendar - Make it Cute // Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Use Penny Black Stamps or Something New

Masculine Hedgehogs for Allsorts Challenge

I'm back today with a card for Allsorts challenge, a new theme starts today. Once again the theme runs for two weeks over summer. This week it's Tracy's turn to host and she chose the theme of Masculine. Hope you'll decide to join us for your chance to win a beautiful tree stamp !

Please note: some affiliate links are used in this post (below), meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links, but as always this is at no extra cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting this blog.

I decided to make a "cute" style masculine card. I thought these cute hedgies working on a crossword puzzle were perfect for the occasion, especially for those men/boys who enjoy doing crossword puzzles.

This cute stamp is one of Penny Black's older wood mounted stamps (Hedge Word) but it's new to me. I found it on Etsy a couple of months ago and this is my first time using it. Unfortunately I didn't see it anywhere at the moment but it does pop up on ebay or etsy on occasion.

I kept my card mostly clean and simple. Stamped the image using Memento Tuxedo ink onto square card stock, then stamped the hedgehogs again on a scrap card stock piece. The hedgies were colored using Copic markers and then fussy cut using my Cutterbee scissors. 

The wood floor was die cut using Penny Black's Floor Die, (mine came from Scrapbook.com but it appears to be out of stock), then inked with Weathered Wood Distress ink and a blending tool. I use the blending tool by Ranger, but these are on my wishlist as I've heard great reviews for smooth blending due to the domed foam applicators.

I didn't want to leave the "wall" completely white, so I used TCW Mini Tile Texture stencil for some interest with the same Weathered Wood ink.

The hedgehogs were adhered with foam tape to make them pop up. The card base is one of Stampin up retired blues. (I miss their old colors!!)

Since the cute stamp I used is no longer available, I'm linking to some other cute hedgehog and critter stamps:

Thanks so much for visiting!!


I'm linking up with these blogs:

2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Critters // Always Fun Challenges - Stencils // Artsystamper Challenge - Birthday // Get Creative Challenges - Birthday // Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Use PB Stamps //
Always Anything Goes Card Challenges:
A Bit More Time to Craft // A Perfect Time To Craft // Crafts Galore Encore // Classic Design Challenge // DL.Art Linky Challenge // Not Just Cards (F) // Lemon Shortbread // Through The Craft Room Door // Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenges // Lil Patch of Crafty Friends // The Corrosive Challenges // Creative Fingers // QKR Stampede // Crafting With An Attitude // Brown Sugar (?) // Craft-Dee BowZ
Linky Parties:  
Artsy Fartsy // Thinking out Loud Thursday // Little Things Thursday // Thursday Favorite Things // Slices of Life (Encouraging Hearts and Home) // Creative Compulsions // Fridays at the Fire Station // Friday favorites //High Five for Friday // Friendship Friday // Funtastic Fridays // A Morning Cup of Joe // On the Edge // Friday Favorites // Best of the Month-- (first Friday/ month)
Party In Your Pj's // Tuesday Turn About // Wonderful Wednesday // Classy Flamingos // Welcome Wednesdays // Dare to Share // Inspire Me Mondays // Little Cottage Linkup // Love Your Creativity // Handmade Monday // Anything Goes with your Hosts (Mondays) // Craftastic Monday // Beautifully Made // The Happy Now // Hearth and Soul (starts Monday night)

Dots, Stripes and/or Gingham for Allsorts Challenge

I am back today with my card for our new theme at Allsorts challenge. Mervi is hosting this week and she chose theme of "Gingham, Stripes or Dots". Some of my favorite patterns and they are always a nice addition on cards. Hope you can join us this week!


Please note, this post does 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. Thanks so much for your support.

This cute image is one from Penny Black (No. 4137K), and old wood mounted stamp, unfortunately I cannot find a link to it anywhere at the moment - not even eBay. Just some simple pencil coloring done here using Faber Castell Polychromos pencils.

The banner is from the Penny Black set Let's Go Wild stamped with one of the blue Distress inks (I didn't pay attention which one I had so I can't tell you for sure what color it was) and the sentiments are from the Penny Black set Snippets. I brushed some clear Wink of Stella glitter over the balloons, flowers and party hat to make them sparkle. The striped paper border came from and old Stampin Up stamp kit (Paper Pumpkin). 

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I can't believe the glitter is actually visible this time, not always easy to capture on camera.

Penny Black 4137K (retired and no longer available) // Penny Black Let's Go Wild // Penny Black Snippets // Versafine Ink // Faber Castell Polychromos Pencils // Blue Distress Ink // 

Thanks so much for visiting! Hope to see you joining us at Allsorts challenge this week!

I'm linking up with these blogs:

Crafty Catz  - Spots or Stripes // Cute Card Thursday - Critters // Sweet Stampers - Animals // WaterCooler Wednesday - Masculine // Double D Challenges - Something beginning with M (Mice) //Path of Positivity - Furry Friends // The Happy Now Link Up

Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday - February Challenge

Hello and welcome to another Crafty Wednesday challenge, right here on my blog. I'm so glad you decided to check out the February theme and maybe you'll join in too! It was great seeing so many of you playing along last month showing your new goodies or old favorites, it was fun visiting your blogs and seeing all your creativity. Be sure to scroll down to the end of this post to see if you were last month's winner or one of my top picks! 

This Month's Theme:

So for this month I picked a nice and easy one..........

Add A Sentiment.

This can be any type of sentiment, quote or verse. As always, the linky tool is at the end of this post along with the simple guidelines.

I used a cute stamp from Penny Black's set Birthday Critters, heat embossed my usual way using Versafine Clair Nocturne ink and Ultra Fine Embossing Powder on Bristol Vellum paper, then colored with Copic markers and cut out using a Circle Nestabilities Die and my manual Big Shot  die cutting machine.

These pattern papers are from my stash, I've had them forever and I'm in the process of trying to use up more papers again. (It was my new year's resolution for 2019 but I've not done well, so I am trying again this year.)

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The sentiment "Make a Wish" is part of the Penny Black set Sweet Wishes, a favorite set for whimsical birthday cards. I added staples for some interest and ribbon, which I really need to use up more of as well.

A close up below...As you can see I used a clear Wink of Stella glitter brush on the Happy Birthday banner and party hat. The sparkles on the designer paper were already part of it. I think the flowery paper is from a paper pack by DCWV.

Penny Black Birthday Critters // Penny Black Sweet Wishes //   Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink // Clear Embossing Powder // Copic Markers // Circle Nestabilities Die Set // Big Shot Manual Die Cutting Machine // Wink of Stella Clear Glitter Brush // Bristol Vellum Paper // Pattern Papers from Stash // Grossgrain Ribbon From Stash // Handheld Stapler

Below I've linked to Amazon for those of you interested. Affiliate links are used in this post, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase through the links, as always at no cost to you. 

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 or Bugaboo. I am not affiliated with these companies and the prize will be supplied by me. 

Last Month's Winner & Top Picks:

Thank you all again for joining in last month! Random.org was used to select the winner and the lucky number is........................

Jackie C.
from Get The JC Look

Congratulations, you won a $6 gift certificate to either Mo's Digital Pencils Shop or Bugaboo Stamps. Please email me with your choice of gift certificate at ellibellescorner at gmail dot com by February 19th to claim your prize.

Last Month's Top Picks

It's never easy to select just three but it has to be done and here they are in order of entry:

No. 20 Kt Fit Kitty

No. 39 Raga

No. 47 Vicki R.

Congratulations! Your top pick logo is below, feel free to post it to your own blogs if you like to!

In order to be in compliance with GDPR I am not posting links to the winner or top picks, but you can see these beautiful creations by visiting last month's linky tool and looking for the entry numbers.

To play along in this month's 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

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.


Related Products:

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 502: Milestones with Numbers

Good morning, it's time for a new theme at Allsorts challenge. Kath's turn this week and she wants to see Milestones with Numbers. Hope you can come join us for a chance to win a great prize!

Penny Black Furry Flight // Penny Black Birthday Critters // Penny Black Sweet Wishes // Versafine Onyx Ink // Tonic Stamp Platform // Clear Embossing Powder // Zig Clean Color Markers // Wink of Stella Clear Glitter Brush // Stampin Up Number Set - retired 

In this image the little mouse is hanging on a kite, but I thought 3 balloons would be more appropriate for a 3 year old's birthday card, so I used one of the stamps from the Penny Black set Birthday Critters to add balloons to the image, and I simply masked off the kite. 

All stamping (image, sentiments and numbers) was heat embossed using Versafine Onyx ink and Clear Embossing Powder. I cut masks out of post it notes to cover all the animals and balloons so I could color/ ink up the background. I used Zig Clean Color  markers for the grass and image, and the sky was inked with Blueprint Sketch distress oxide. Wink of Stella Clear Glitter was added to the balloons to make them sparkle and I added a die cut star (retired die by Whimsy Stamps) to the sentiment. 

The sentiments are both from the Penny Black set Sweet Wishes, this set is a few years old, but so perfect for kids birthday cards! The number 3 is a stamp from an old Stampin Up Number set.

This week's Allsorts prize: 

I am sharing my card with these challenges:

International Art & Soul  -Cats and/ or Dogs

Cards in Envy - All About Numbers

Double Trouble  - Mittens, Kittens or Something Warm and Fuzzy

Pile It On - Land Animals

Die Cuttin' Divas - Glitter or Foil 

Sisterhood of Crafters - Make it Sparkle

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Use Penny Black Stamps

Send a Smile for Kids -Kids cards

2 Sisters On The Blog - Numbers 

Crafty Catz - Birthdays

2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Critters

Daisy Chain Challenges - Add some Sparkle

Anything Goes themes:

Simply Create Too 

Colour Crazy Challenge

QKR Stampede 

A Bit More Time to Craft 

A Perfect Time To Craft 

Crafty Animals

Happy Craft Challenge 

Love to Craft 

Thanks so much for visiting!! Hope you have a fantastic weekend! 

Please note, affiliate links have been used. This means I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through my links, at no additional cost to you. Thank you so much for your support!