You are the Bestest for Penny Black and More

Happy Sunday!

Hard to believe March has already arrived! Time flies! Hope it warms up soon too! Our water pipes actually froze two nights ago, luckily hubby was home and knew what to do :-)

First Sunday of the month  also means it's time for a new challenge at Penny Black and More. And what's more fitting for the month of March than

Blossoms and Bows?

I hope you'll join as. We have some fantastic prizes to give away again, and you can enter up to 3 times! Don't forget you don't have to use a Penny Black stamp, all we ask is that you  main focal point has been hand stamped (no digi) but you can use any stamp company. 

For today's card I used one of my -new to me- stamps "You are the Bestest".

I stamped the image using versafine onyx ink, and colored with Grumbacher Deluxe watercolors. 

Some of you probably saw this on my Instagram, as I like to share things there as I create them (unless it is something for an upcoming release and the image has to be kept secret).

I am not great at watercoloring, but can't get better if I don't practice :-) Kind of wish I made the sky a deeper blue. 

The sketch is kept simple, to keep the focus on the cute stamp. I embellished with some twine and a couple glittered butterflies. 

Products used:

You are the Bestest (by Penny Black avail. in my Etsy Shop)

Sentiment from older Penny Black clear set

fabriano watercolor paper, 

110lb recollections card stock, SU card stock and designer paper

MS butterfly punch, SU border punch

twine, glitter

Grumbacher deluxe watercolor paints

PS: I wasn't 100 % happy with my coloring here, so I redid this card using copic markers, yesterday. But it was already dark outside when I was done, so I will be updating this post later in the day today.

Ok, as promised here is the re-done card, using copic markers instead of the watercolors :-)
I think I like this version better, what do you think??

I would also love to play along here:

Brown Sugar – Anything Goes
Sister Act Card Challenge -  Anything Goes
DRS Designs - All Ears (include ears)
Scrap & Craft Challenge - Birthday
Simon Says Stamp -  Anything Goes 

Wonderful Wednesdays -  Always Anything Goes
Creative Card Crew  - Birthday with Sentiment

Deep Ocean Challenge -Our Furry Friends 

Party Time Tuesdays - Anything Goes 
  PDE Linky Party  - Animals

Thanks for visiting!!

Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday - March Challenge

Happy Wednesday and welcome to this month's Crafty Wednesday Challenge right here on my blog! So happy you decided to check out this month's theme and hopefully you'll decide to join in!

It was wonderful seeing so many of you playing along last month, I have to admit I ran behind with commenting but finally managed to visit everyone and can tell you, choosing favorites was not easy!!  Be sure to scroll down to see if you were the prize winner (randomly selected) or one of my top picks.

This Month's Theme:

For the month of March I selected the theme of ...............

Spring is in the Air

This means anything spring themed - spring colors, spring themed images, spring flowers, spring scenes, etc! As always you may use any brand of stamps and share up to 3 different creations. 

Please note, this post includes affiliate links. 

For my spring themed card I used a cute cat with daffodil stamp from Penny Black - You are the Bestest. I can't seem to find a current shopping link to this stamp, but it could possibly show up on eBay at some point - as I type this there are none! Stamped on xpress it blending card using Memento Tuxedo ink and then colored with copic markers. I kept the card in a CAS style so it's easy to mail with just a regular postage stamp. 

Shop Spring Themed Products:

The sentiment is from the Penny Black stamp Sweet Smiles, I thought it was a perfect match for this smiling cat. If you're familiar with Penny Black stamps, then I'm sure you'll recognize the cute bee as one of their images as well. This one is part of the set Loads of Love. I used Avery Elle's Wonky Stitches frame die and inked the edges using Mustard Seed distress ink. A mask was placed over the image and I stenciled the rays using a Stamper's Anonymous stencil  over the card. If I could go back I'd probably not do that as I think it looked better without them. 

Penny Black You're The Bestest (currently not available but may show up on eBay  // Penny Black Loads of Love // Penny Black Sweet Smiles // Memento Tuxedo Ink // Xpress It Blending Card // Copic Markers // Penny Black // Avery Elle Wonky Stitches Die Set // Mustard Seed Distress Ink // Ink Blending Tool // Stampers Anonymous Rays Stencil // Stamp Platform // White Heavyweight Cardstock // Wink of Stella Clear Glitter Brush

Below I've linked to some of the products as found on Amazon. As mentioned above, the main image is unfortunately sold out, but it could show up on eBay at some point (or maybe Etsy). Please remember, these are affliliate  links meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links, but at no cost to you. Thanks so much for your support. 

This Month's Prize

For the ease of things I am continuing to offer the winner a $6 Gift Certificate to either Mo's Digital Pencil Shop 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........................

Bunny

Congratulations Bunny, please email me by March 18th with your choice of digi prize at ellibellescorner at gmail dot com. 

Selecting just 3 top picks is never an easy task but something that has to be done and here they are listed in the order of entry:

No. 8 Lynne R.

No. 58 Carole Anne
No. 77 Nancy 

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

Allsorts 508: Spring Flowers

Please click HERE if you are visiting for Ellibelle's Crafty Challenge.


Hello and Welcome! Are you ready for some spring flowers??!! I know I am and at this week's Allsorts challenge it is just what we want to see - Spring Flowers - picked by our wonderful Wendy, who is hosting this week.

How I love this stamp!! It's an older slapstick stamp by Penny Black - You are the Bestest - and unfortunately I cannot find a link to it anywhere. It must have been discontinued.

I stamped it using Versafine Claire Nocturne Ink on Neenah 80lb card stock and then colored with my Faber Castell Polychromos pencils. I colored using the "burnishing" technique, but the question does come up occasionally if these pencils work with the "Gamsol Magic" technique, and the answer is yes. It's what I used to do, in fact I used simple baby oil for a healthier choice, and blending stumps. Works beautifully, but I am trying to get better at the burnishing technique so it's the way I am using these pencils at the moment. 

The sentiment is from the Penny Black set Sweet Wishes also stamped using Versafine Claire Nocturne Ink. I used a simple sketch, added some striped designer paper (retired from Stampin Up) to the bottom portion and tied some parrot green jute twine around the card. Green enamel dots were added as embellishments and I brushed some wink of stella glitter over the daffodils and white flowers. The yellow card frame is Daffodil Delight color by Stampin Up and the white base is Neenah 110lb. 

Penny Black You are the Bestest (no longer available) //  Penny Black Sweet Wishes // Versafine Claire Nocturne Ink // Faber Castell Polychromos pencils // Wink of Stella Glitter Brush Clear // Neenah 110lb Card Stock // May Arts Parrot Green Twine

I am entering my card with these challenges:

Double Trouble - Tic Tac Toe (I used the middle row: Sentiment, Stamp and Glitter, glitter is on all the flowers but hard to see)

Crafty Sentiment Designs  -  Spring Is Springing

Mod Squad Challenge - Clear or Rubber Stamps (I used rubber image an clear sentiment stamps)

Cute Card Thursday - Buttons or Enamel Dots

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Penny Black Stamps & Flowers

Addicted to Stamps -Anything But Squares

Stamping Sensations - All things Bright and Beautiful
Addicted to Stamps and More - CAS
Inkspirational - Use Your Stash

I hope to see some of you over at the Allsorts challenge blog. Our prize this week is a spring themed die/ embossing folder set by Sizzix, and remember you may enter up to 3 times for more chances to win!


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!

Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday - April Challenge

Hello and welcome to a new Crafty Wednesday challenge here on my blog! Before I get to the new theme, I wanted to thank you all for joining in last month, it was great seeing over 50 entries for the very first challenge and I hope you will all join in again this month. Be sure to scroll down to the end of this post to find out who the lucky winner from last month's entries was.

For the month of April the theme is............

Say it with flowers.

This means you have to use flowers and you have to use a sentiment. The flowers or sentiment do not have to be the focal point, but they do have to be easily visible on your project, they could be part of the papers, a stamp, die cut or other embellishments. I can't wait to see what you all come up with ... it's been so chilly over here and I know I am ready to see some flowers!!!!

I am sharing two cards today because I couldn't decide if I wanted to make a cute or non-cute card, so I made one of each. 

Blossom Branch // Sprinkles and Smiles // Distress Markers // Bristol Vellum //

Tonic Stamp Platform // Memento Tuxedo Ink

The stamp platform came in really handy for this card using the new Penny Black slapstick stamp. (Stamp is available brand new in my Etsy shop if you're interested!) I used a mix of distress inks for coloring directly onto the stamp then spritzed with water before stamping to create a little bit of a watercolor look. An old stampin up script stamp was then used on the background for a little more interested, I used light blue ink for the script. The sentiment is from the Penny Black set Sprinkles and Smiles . Embellished with a butterfly and tiny pearls, colored card stocks are both by Stampin Up, but I think both are retired colors. 

Also sharing this card with these challenges: 

Always Fun Challenges - Happy Birthday 

Get Creative Challenges -  No Pattern Paper

Incy Wincy Designs  - Nature and all of its Beauty 

Star Stampz Challenge - Throw on the Flowers 

Crafty Catz -  Anything Goes this week

A Gem of a Challenge - Female Birthday with a Sentiment 

Simon Says Wednesday - Happy Birthday

And below is my second card...

The stamp I used is by Penny Black - You're the Bestest but apparently it must have been retired because I can't find it in anywhere online to link to - not even ebay so I linked something similar with Amazon below!) 

I heat embossed the image on Bristol Vellum card stock using my Tonic Stamp Platform again and Versafine onyx ink with clear embossing powder. Zig Clean Color real brush pens were used for coloring with a . (Mid Gray, Light Carmine, Yellow, Bright Yellow, Light Green, (very diluted: Blue). These are all part of the set I linked above or available at Blick Art Materials as singles. 

Sentiment is from the Penny Black set Sweet Wishes, another set currently available in my Etsy shop. The pretty border above the sentiment is from a set by Victorine Originals - Borders and Plaids II . A little butterfly with pearls finishes off this simple card. 

I am also sharing the second card here:

Use Your Stuff - Spring

Retro Rubber Challenge - Anything Goes (I've had the cat stamp for at least 2 years but stamp design is probably at least 5 years old)

Sisterhood of Crafters - Spring Flowers

Fussy and Fancy - Spring Flowers 

Pause Dream Enjoy - Color it

Colouring in Scrapland - Anything Spring Goes

House That Stamps Built - All Creatures Great and Small

Sweet Stampin - Bingo (Sentiment, Flower, Cute)

The colors for this card were inspired by the current Mood Board from the

 Sum More Fun challenge:

Do check out this fun challenge blog for mood board inspiration. I just recently discovered it and won their challenge last time (lucky me!), and their mood boards are so much fun to be inspired by!

This post contains affiliate links, this means I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links, at no additional cost to you.

This month the prize is the stamp set below...

A winner will be chosen by random.org.

And now it is finally time to announce last month's winner. Again- thank you all that decided to play along! The winning number was...............

That is Julie from Muddy Paws & Inky Fingers. 

Congratulations Julie, please email me at ellibelle_blog at yahoo dot com to claim your prize by midnight April 18th. 

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To play along in the new challenge simply use the linky tool below. 

A few things to remember:

You must follow the theme.

You must leave a link back here.

You may enter up to 3 times.

You may combine with other challenges.

Most of all have fun!

Please note: This is a public blog and by joining in the linky party/challenge you agree to have your first name, blog link  & papercraft you shared posted here on this blog, should you be selected as the top pick/winner. If you do not agree to this, please do not join in the challenge. Also, remember that any comments/linked cards left on this blog will be visible by third parties as this blog is public.

(This was posted to be in compliance with the new GDPR laws that will soon be effective in the EU, which will also apply to blogs located in the US if blog visitors reside in the EU.)

Bunches of Daffodils Especially for You

Hello and welcome!

Time surely flies, hard to believe it's the 18th of March already, and that means it's time for some more inspiration at Stamping Sensations! The challenge runs until the end of the month so plenty of time still to join us for our "Stamp Something for Spring" theme to be entered into the prize drawing. Remember you may enter up to 3 times with a different creation for more chances to win. 

And here is what I made using a Penny Black cutie.

Unfortunately this stamp is hard to find now, maybe occasionally on eBay or Etsy. It's called "You are the Bestest". I love it but feel like most of my cards made with this stamp turn out similar. In fact, I just did a search on my blog for this stamp, and each time I ended up coloring the cat gray!! (It does remind me a lot of my fluffy gray Fussy.) At least I don't think I've used a stencil with it before... Next time I will have to remember to make the cat a "ginger" like my Thomas :-)

It's been stamped onto Bristol Vellum paper using Versafine Onyx ink and then colored with Zig Clean Color brush pens and a Zig Detailer watercolor brush. A TCW stencil was used on the background with distress inks and matching the hexagons on the stencil I cut out the bee using a hexagon die I had for a long time  from Whimsy Stamps and no longer available but there may be some options here. A stripes stencil was used to make some striped paperand I adhered this before adding the bee and sentiment. A Wink of Stella glitter brush was used on the bee's wings for a touch of sparkle.

Related Products:

If you'd like to join us for our spring theme, feel free to use the spring mood board below or simply create something stamped for spring.

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!

I will be linking up here:

We Love Stamping - Spring //The Four Seasons Challenge - Spring // Craft Rocket Challenges - Animals // TIME OUT Challenges -Cute // Critter Crazy Challenges - Critters // Crafty Gals Corner - Flowers // Fab n Funky - Hand colored // Crafty Gals Corner - Flowers // Simon Says Stamp - Favorite Things (Cat Stamps, Stencils)

CAS12 Best Buddies

Hello and happy Monday! I hope you are having a good start of the week.
I decided today to do a CAS challenge over on SCS. The challenge is to use ribbon scraps. I sure have lots of those. The image is Bestest Buddies , a new one from the Digital Stamp Oasis. I already had it colored in, so this card didn't take long to make. Matted with pacific point and gp white, then adhered to a piece of 5.25 square of pacific point. I added the pumpkin pie ribbon scraps and secured on the back with tape. Sentiment was printed on the computer and punched out with the word window punch, layered on a pumpkin pie punchout. Did paper piercing around the edge and finished off by adding the old olive buttons with scraps of silver cord.
Thanks so much for visiting my blog today, be sure to check back tomorrow for my sample for the new digital tuesday challenge hosted by Amy. (There is also going to be a new sponsor with some awesome digi-stamps for you to win!!)

A Year in Review - 2015

  As I mentioned yesterday, today I am sharing my favorites of 2015. It was really hard to narrow it down but I managed somehow, so here they are, starting with the beginning of 2015. If you'd like to read more about each card simply click on the card title to get to the original post.

Share a Hug

 

Mixed Media Bookmarks

 

 

 Pocket Card with Tag

 

 

Lamb Hugs Just For You

 

 You're the Bestest

  

 Skunk with Rose

 

 You Make Me Smile

Pretty Flowers

 

  

 Wishing You...

 

 

Inspired by Heather

 

Card Front as Wall Decor

Woodland Christmas

 

Finally my favorite place I visited this past year:

Rocky Mountains National Park.

It's been a while...

Wishing you all a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Designer Spotlight - Mandy S.

It's Wednesday and that means time for another featured Digital Stamp Oasis designer here on my blog.

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Please meet Mandy S.


from

Just keep swimming


"Hi, my name is Mandy Schneider. I am a mother of two. One girl, Chiyanne age 17 and one boy, Cordell age 11 1/2...I am also a wife of a fire Captain.
I started stamping about 1yr 1/2 ago..I just discovered that it was ok to make 6x6 cards and off I went. I feel I have more creative freedom with bigger cards so for the most part my cards on my blog will be 6x6. I have been scrapbooking for about 11years now and have just started to learn how to digi scrap and I'm loving it so far. I have just started selling Tastefully Simple and that will hopefully make me enough money to be able to buy more RUBBA! lol! priorities I say lol.... I love to quilt, read and blurph.... I am also thankful to Ellie for choosing me to represent Digital Stamp Oasis...I hope you like my cards and blog... have a great day!!! Mandy S." http://tmcc4.blogspot.com


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And here are some of Mandy's wonderful creations using images by the Digital Stamp Oasis.


A most adorable school-themed card using
"A day at school"




A super sweet card using the image
"Susie squirrel with dandelions"



A wonderful masculine card using the image
"Bestest Buddies"


Be sure to check out her wonderful blog with lots more adorable cards and a quilt she posted a couple of weeks ago - you HAVE to see it, it's so so beautiful!

Have a great day everyone!!