Sunflower

Happy Friday :-)

I came across the theme of "Sunflowers" at CAS Watercolor challenge, and since I LOVE sunflowers I decided to play along!

Penny Black Grateful // Penny Black Snippets // Avery Elle Wonky Stitches Dies // Mustard Seed Ink // Mowed Lawn Ink // Wild Honey Ink

This card was super easy to make. I used the "splash" watercolor technique. I just stamped the ink onto my craft mat, spritzed with enough water to make it runny, then splashed the paper (I used Bristol Vellum paper) onto the distress ink. When the first ink was dry, I repeated this process with the other 2 inks I used. The hardest part is waiting on each ink to dry.  If my instructions confused you, check out this short video by Loll to see how easy this technique is.  

Once all the inks were dry, I used my Versafine Onyx ink pad to stamp the sunflower from Penny Black's set Grateful. The sentiment is from Penny Black's set Snippets. It's a clear set so I was able to curve the sentiment when placing onto my clear block to stamp onto the banner. The banner and wonky stitches dies are both from the set Wonky Stitches by Avery Elle.

I used dimensionals to adhere the inked piece onto Neenah Linen textured card stock. Embellished with a button and some May Arts jute twine. 

I am linking up with these challenges:

CAS Watercolor - Sunflowers

Die Cuttin' Divas - Anything Goes this week

Pause Dream Enjoy - Stitched Dies

Simon Says Wednesday - Make your own Background

Craft Rocket Challenges  - Anything Goes this week

Cute Card Thursday- Anything Goes this week

We Love 2 Create  - Anything Creative Goes 

Pattie's Creations - ATGoes this month

Sum More Fun - Moodboard

Ok, and I really also wanted to join in the Daring Cardmakers challenge with an elemental challenge this week. They are asking to use 3 elements from the picture below. I thought it would be easy for me to join this one, but then realized that the color combination would count as one element. So here are my 3 elements: (1) Water - I used for the splash technique, (2) Yellow and Green for my colors, the natural product (3) wicker in this photo, inspired my use of natural jute twine, they are both made from plants.

And that would be all for today, thanks so much for visiting!! I will be back again on Sunday!

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.

Sparkly Flower Trio

I came across a fun sketch at Hand Stamped Sentiments challenge blog and decided to play along this week!

For my card I used an older stamp by Magenta. I have no idea how old this stamp is ...I could not find a link anywhere for it and there is unfortunately no stamp name on the wood block other than the company. I did find it as part of a stamp lot sold on ebay here.

I stamped on Copic Xpress It blending card and used my copic markers for coloring the blooms. Stickles glitter glue was applied ot the flower centers to make them sparkle. The sentiment is from the Penny Black set Friendship stamped with Memento Tuxedo ink. Embellished with a little butterfly done with an old Martha Stewart punch and some sticky rhinestones finish off the card. The card base is Stampin Up's Wisteria Wonder. I also did some paper piercing along the paper strip.

Challenges:

The sketch was inspired by 

Hand Stamped Sentiments:

Crafty Catz - Anything Goes opt. something yellow

Crafting By Designs- August Anything Goes

Crafty Creations- Always Anything Goes  

Creative Moments- Always Anything Goes 

Crafty Sentiment Designs -  Anything Goes

Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes

Stamps & Fun = Creativity -  Anything Goes

Sweet Stampin - Clean & Simple

Crafting-With-Friends- Anything Goes 

QKR Stampede – Anything Goes
Aud Sentiments Challenge 2Weeks - For the Girls
Cute Card Thursday Weekly - Anything Goes
Through the Purple Haze - CAS

Thanks so much for visiting!!

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.

Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday - August Challenge

It is hard to believe August is here...just a few short weeks and school will start again here in our area. Summer always seems to end so fast!!

It's the first Wednesday of the month, that means it is time for a new theme for my Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday challenge and I hope many of you will join in again!

This month I set the theme of

Feature a Creature!

Many options here with so many cute animals stamps available, and don't forget this also includes fairies and other magical creatures.



I am sharing two cards today...

Snowy Perch // Brush Pines // Wink of Stella // Zig Clean Color Markers // Bristol Vellum //

  Neenah Linen 80lb

The image Snowy Perch by Penny Black has been heat embossed on Bristol Vellum paper then colored using my Zig Clean Color Markers. The sentiment is from the Penny Black set Brush Pines also heat embossed. It's hard to see in the photo, but I used a clear Wink of Stella glitter brush to add some sparkles to the card. I framed the image panel with one of Stampin Up's green card stocks..I think Wild Wasabi. the card base is Neenah Linen 80lb. I love to use this slightly textured card stock for card bases!

Also sharing my card here:
ABC Christmas Challenge - P for Plain, Q for Quote or R for Robin or Rabbit
(I am going with R for Robin and also P for Plain)
Make My Monday - Colored Image 
City Crafter Challenge - CAS Christmas
Paper Shelter Challenge - Anything Goes 

C.R.A.F.T.  -  Christmas

Sweet Stampin - CAS

Dragonfly Journeys -  Christmas in July
A Snowflakes Promise - Anything Goes

Crafty Gals Corner - Christmas in July 

The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes 
Hiding in my Craft Room - Any Holiday
Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - Anything Goes Christmas

Featuring more creatures on my second card :)

U R the Gift // Sweet Wishes // Zig Clean Color Markers // Bristol Vellum // Neenah Linen 80lb


Again heat embossed and colored with my Zig Clean Color markers. The image is from Penny Black's set U R the Gift and the sentiment from the Penny Black set Sweet Wishes. I don't like  using black embossing powder, so when I heat emboss I usually go with my Versafine Onyx ink pad. This ink stays wet long enough to sprinkle some clear embossing powder over it and heat emboss.
The butterfly was done with an old Martha Stewart punch and I added a couple of sticky pearls to the butterfly's body. Framed with papers from my stash and then mounted onto Neenah Linen 80lb.

Also sharing this card here:
Sunny Day Crafting -  Any Animals
Cute Card Thursday  - Too Cute
Di's Digis Designs - Use Stash Items (patterned paper, sticky pearls)
Crafting from the Heart -  Anything Goes
Crafty Sentiment Designs -  Anything Goes
Die Cuttin' Divas  - Anything Goes (circle die cut used and trimmed)
Crafting By Designs - Anything Goes

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. Thank you for your support! 

This month's prize is this lot of three Christmas stamps, so the winner will have plenty of time to put them to use :)

And now it's time to announce last month's winner... 

That would be Janis in ID.

Congratulations Janis, you won last month's challenge prize of the cute Mermaid stamp! Please email me at ellibelle_blog at yahoo dot com by August 15th to claim your prize! 

To play along in this month's challenge simply link your creation below using the linky tool. You have until August 31st (11:59pm) to join in!

A few things to remember:

• You must follow the theme
• Enter up to 3 projects per challenge
• You may combine with any other challenges
• Please be sure to include a link back here in your blog post

Please remember: this is a public blog, meaning any papercraft you link up or any comments left on this blog will be visible and clickable by third parties. The blog owner is not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without permission. 

Allsorts 278/279: Tags (and Christmas in July)

Today is the start of a new challenge at Allsorts ... this week it's Susan's turn to host and she picked the theme of "Tags". This can be an actual tag by itself (like a gift tag) or a tag as part of the card. I am not sure why, but I did struggle a little bit with this theme. I am blaming the weather for it, but maybe it's just me overthinking :)

I did end up with a couple of extra creations while trying to make something for this challenge and decided to share all 3 of them in today's post as I wanted to join in Simon Says Christmas in July Blog Hop and Challenge.

So this is what I finally came up with for Allsorts "Tags" challenge. 

Loads of Love // Sprinkles and Smiles // Copic Markers 

I stamped the image using Memento Tuxedo ink on Copic Xpress It blending card then colored with my copic markers. The image has been fussy cut using my Cutterbee scissors by EK Success. The tag was die cut using an old Whimsy Stamps stitched die set (now retired).

The cute image is part of the set Loads of Love by Penny Black (currently available in my Etsy shop with free US shipping) and the sentiment is from the Penny Black set Sprinkles and Smiles. I added some May Arts jute twine in parrot green to the tag. The dotted paper is from my stash. The green background paper has a "watercolor" type design on it, it was part of a set by Basic Grey that I've had forever. I did stencil some swirls over the paper using Stampers Anoymous "Flourish" layering stencil to add a little more interest to that corner of the card. Framed with Stampin Up's Espresso card stock then added to a  Neenah linen textured card base. 

Also sharing this card here:
AuroraWings Challenge - Anything Goes this week
Make My Monday - Colored Image 
Paper Shelter Challenge - Anything Goes 
Simon Says Wednesday - Anything Goes this week
Sunny Day Crafting - Any Animals
Cardz 4 Galz - Food and/or Drink
Crafty Catz -  Anything Goes
Little Miss Muffet Challenges - Always Anything Goes
Crafting By Designs -  Anything Goes
Crafty Creations -  Always Anything Goes 
The Crafty Addicts - Anything Goes/Optional Pets

Next up is a Christmas card I also ended up making (my first one of the year). I made this one to join in Simon Says Stamp Monday Christmas in July Blog Hop

Cones and Berries // Brush Pines // Christmas Story Background Stamp

The Penny Black set Cones and Berries stamp has been inked using distress markers and a Zig Clean Color Marker (mid gray) and stamped on Bristol Vellum paper with the help of my Tonic Stamp platform.

 By the way, if you've been thinking about purchasing the Tonic Stamp Platform, you may want to do it soon, as there was an announcement that production will be discontinued and then no longer available for purchase in the US and Canada.

The words on the background were done using Penny Black's Christmas Story  background stamp and Antique Linen distress ink. Using some diluted marker ink and a waterbrush, I flicked some ink onto the background. Edges were inked using antique linen ink and an ink applicator. I finished off the card with a red gingham ribbon scrap and May Arts natural jute twine.
The sentiment is from the set Brush Pines, stamped using Walnut Stain distress ink.

Also sharing my Christmas card here:

Simon Says Stamp Monday- Christmas in July Blog Hop
Fab 'n' Funky - Christmas in July
Mod Squad Challenge- Christmas In July
Aud Sentiments Challenge - Christmas In July & Sentiment)
Dragonfly Journeys -  Christmas in July 
We Love 2 Create - Anything Creative/Mixed Media Goes *
C.R.A.F.T.  Christmas 
Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - Anything Goes Christmas
Crafty Gals Corner - Christmas in July 
Creative Moments -  Always Anything Goes
That's Crafty! Challenge- Close to Nature

And then finally this was my first attempt at a "tag" creation for Allsorts. As you can guess I wasn't completely happy with it so I ended up with the first card in this post using a tag. But I decided it's still ok to share on my blog :)

Crystal Drops //  Christmas Story Background Stamp // Brush Pines

I started out stamping the Penny Black Christmas Story Background Stamp on the tag using Antique Linen distress ink. The wood mounted Penny Black stamp Crystal Drops was then inked using distress markers and stamped directly over the words. My Crop-A-Dile  was used to set the eyelet and I tied some May Arts natural jute twine through it. More of the red gingham ribbon and jute twine finish off the tag. Oh, and the sentiment is once again from Penny Black's set  Brush Pines. To and From are from Penny Black's set Holiday Snippets.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and don't forget our Allsorts challenge is once again running for two weeks to allow everyone a little extra time during the Summer season. This time our prize is a store voucher by Lost Coast Designs. Hope you can join us :)

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. Thank you for your support! 

Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday and Penny Black and More Reminder

Happy Wednesday! I am sharing a super quick and simple card today, made for the Penny Black and More July challenge reminder and it also fits this month's "Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday" challenge so this card serves as a reminder for that challenge as well. (Simply scroll down to enter the Crafty Wednesday challenge, but do click here if you would like to join in at Penny Black and More challenge).

At Penny Black and More our theme this month is "Things with Wings". Several prizes to be won over there, hopefully you can find some time to join us if you haven't already!

As mentioned my card was super quick to make. I simply stamped the Penny Black image "Butterfly Suite" onto Neenah 80lb card stock using  Memento Tuxedo ink. Then I used some old solid circle stamps (The Shape of Things and Little Shapes - both long retired by Stampin Up) to highlight the butterflies and Hydrangea of the stamp using Distress Inks Tumbled Glass and Mustard Seed (this one stamped off twice before inking over the butterflies). I finished off the card by tying some gingham ribbon before adhering to a light blue card base. Oh, and the sentiment is from Penny Black's sentiment set Sprinkles and Smiles.

I found some fun challenges to join:

AuroraWings Challenge - Anything Goes this week

Paper Shelter Challenge - Ribbon, Lace or Twine

Stamping Sensations -  In my Garden

Moo-Mania & More -  Butterflies 
That's Crafty! Challenge - Close to Nature
Country View Crafts' Challenge - In the Summer Garden
Simply Create Too - M - No Patterned Papers
Penny Black Saturday Challenge  Anything Goes
Crafty Catz - Think Summertime

Craftaholics R Us - Anything Goes
Crafting By Designs -  Anything Goes

If you are here to join in at my Crafty Wednesday challenge, simply use the linky tool below...one of the lucky entrants will win a cute Penny Black "Mimi" stamp (as seen here in the original July Crafty Wednesday post).  

My theme at Crafty Wednesday is "Summertime is Here" which means any summer activities, summer flowers, butterflies, summer festivals ... so anything that relates to Summer. 

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. Thank you for your support! 

Please remember: this is a public blog, meaning any papercraft you link up or any comments left on this blog will be visible and clickable by third parties. The blog owner is not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without permission. 

Allsorts Challenge: Flowers All Over

Hello everyone, it's time already for a new theme at Allsorts challenge. For the following few weeks our challenges will run for 2 weeks but we'll be back to weekly postings mid- August.

 Mervi is our host this time and she would like to see "Flowers Allover". Our prize this week comes from  Swedish House Crafts, hopefully you'll find some time to join in! Don't forget you have two weeks to link up :)

Bejeweled // Dance Sing Love //  Distress markers

I completed this card before I left for vacation last month, I was hoping to be able to make another one (not completely  happy with this card) but I haven't had time to make cards for challenges yet since I returned so this one will have to do. I think I will re-work it and add some ribbon where the two papers meet...I think that will pretty it up a bit. 

This card was simple to make, I just inked up Penny Black's brushstroke stamp Bejeweled using a Distress marker, then stamped the wood mounted Penny Black sentiment "Dance Sing Love" directly over the flowers. By the way, if you're interested, this stamp is currently available brand new in my Etsy shop and it ships for free within the US. 

The designer papers are from my stash by a pack I picked up at a local craft store. 

Happy crafting!!

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. Thank you for your support!