this taylored expressions’ big grumpy sentiment sums up how I feel about this year.
the sentiment is one of several freebies to download; this is my favourite. I fussy cut the printed sentiment to add to the stamped grumpy that was painted with twinkling H2Os on Arches hot press watercolour paper. I die cut a card base with a fold on the top between the ears so it can stand up. I added the confetti with fine tip markers – very therapeutic.
thanks for popping by.
this is the card that I made a set of eight for my daughter to send to her fellow animal lovers for the holidays.
I have to thank Keeway for this design; I loved her card but i made mine a bit smaller so i could just focus on bunnies. the sky was sponged and the bunnies were painted with twinkling H2Os on Arches hot press watercolour paper, fussy cut and popped on foam tape.
thanks for popping by.
I did it! this is my last tag, day 11, for Ellen Hutson’s Twelve Tags of Christmas 2020 Challenge.
December 11 – Deck the Halls with Kelly Griglione. Kelly wanted to see one of two choices and I chose: 1) be inspired by the title of the song and “deck” out your tags with pine branches, holly, berries, etc.
I cut the Sizzix/Tim Holtz Mixed Media Christmas holly die from Kraft card stock that was stamped with the Penny Black Christmas words background. I layered the negative cut piece over another piece of kraft, sponged the hollyhocks with distress inks, shaped the leaves, and inlaid the images. I added stickles to just the tops of the berries, sponged the edges and sprayed all over with Imagine gold sheer shimmer spray. it’s finished off with a gold ribbon through the hanger, again from the Ellen Hutson shaker globe die set.
so much inspiration, as always, but I ran out of time to make any more for the fun challenge.
thanks for popping by.
day 12 of of Ellen Hutson’s Twelve Tags of Christmas 2020 Challenge.
December 12 – 12 Days of Christmas with Julie Ebersole. Julie’s tags inspired me with her foiling technique; yay, I can foil! I watched the video and learned what I’ve been doing wrong. I painted this tiny bird for a partridge in a pear tree from the mama elephant holidays bitties set with twinkling H2Os on Arches hot press watercolour paper, die cut matte gold foil card stock with a lawn fawn winter tiny tags ornament die and foiled the berries with red foil.
thanks for popping by.
this is my tag for day 12 of of Ellen Hutson’s Twelve Tags of Christmas 2020 Challenge.
December 12 – 12 Days of Christmas with Julie Ebersole. Julie’s tags inspired me with her clean and simple design, along with the lyrics three French hens. I I started bypass paining the background with twinkling H2Os on Arches hot press watercolour paper, then the birds and then the bias binding with the same paints. i used stickles on the pom poms and added a mama elephant sentiment from the mini merry messages stamp set.
thanks for popping by.
day 10 of Ellen Hutson’s Twelve Tags of Christmas 2020 Challenge.
December 10 – Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer with Adelina Starace. I was inspired by the lyrics, ‘But as for me and grandpa we believe.’ I painted this mama elephant reindeer with twinkling H2Os on Arches hot press watercolour paper, fussy cut and attached it to a brown plaid piece of paper that was die cut with a mama elephant scallop trio tag. I added stickles to the hat and glossy accents to the nose and jingle bell.
thanks for popping by.
my second tag for Day 9 of Ellen Hutson’s Twelve Tags of Christmas 2020 Challenge.
December 9 – Holly Jolly Christmas with Carly Tee Minner. Carly’s bold ‘holly jolly’ tag inspired me, along with the lyrics, to create this second tag featuring a Burl Ives snowman with Rudolph; one of my favourite Christmas shows. The images are Inkadinkado, painted with twinkling H2Os on Arches hot press watercolour paper. I used a mama elephant sentiment on a tag and finished with a green ribbon.
thanks for popping by.
my tag for Day 9 of Ellen Hutson’s Twelve Tags of Christmas 2020 Challenge.
December 9 – Holly Jolly Christmas with Carly Tee Minner. Carly’s bold ‘holly jolly’ tag reinforced the lyrics already staying in my head: ‘say hello to friends you know and everyone one you meet.’
so I used the mama elephant hello die, layered to make it look like snow on the top edge, added a Penny Black sticker (retired) and I used the same green card stock to cut the hanger, once again from the Ellen Hutson snow globe die. I finished it off with some Lawn Fawn hemp.
thanks for popping by.
well it’s a good thing the deadline for the tags is December 16. I’m up to Day 8 of Ellen Hutson’s Twelve Tags of Christmas 2020 Challenge.
December 8 – We Wish You a Merry Christmas with Emily Mydlowski. I was inspired by the figgy pudding lyrics, and Ardyth’s tag colours and how the snowmen popped against the background. I painted the Clearly Besotted penguin with twinkling H2Os on Arches hot press watercolour paper, fussy cut, and attached it to the front of the mama elephant framed tags union square die. I stamped the inside with a Darcie’s sentiment.
thanks for popping by.
I’m up to Day 7 of Ellen Hutson’s Twelve Tags of Christmas 2020 Challenge
December 7 – A Marshmallow World with Heather Meeson. I love the red and white striped snowman hat and scarf on Heather’s tag and that’s what inspired me. I used the Inky Antics marshmallow friends image, painted with twinkling H2Os on Arches hot press watercolour paper and added glossy accents to the straw and red stripes – not exactly arthritis friendly so it’s a bit wobbly. to finish it off, I fussy cut, and attached it to some doodlebug paper on foam tape and added a green bow. the sentiment is from the same set.
thanks for popping by.
this is my tag for Day 4 of the Ellen Hutson’s Twelve Tags of Christmas 2020 Challenge.
December 4 – Sleigh Ride with Lisa Spangler. I love Lisa’s sleigh with an adorable bunny and how mr. bunny helped during her painting session so I was inspired to add some bunnies to my tag.
I masked off the upper portion of the tag to sponge the background with distress inks; the bottom snow bank was die cut. snowflakes were stamped with hero arts white ink and I added stickles to the edges of the snow banks. I painted the images with twinkling H2Os on Arches hot press watercolour paper, die cut with coordinating dies and popped them all on foam tape. I added glossy accents to the sleigh trim and stickles to teddy’s hat and finished it off with a sentiment.
I’m also playing along with the LAWN FAWNATICS CHALLENGE 90 – COLOR INSPIRATION: i used the colours on the images.
Lawn Fawn supplies used:
Snow Cool snowflakes stamp
Oh What Fun sleigh
Smooth Sailing bunny and coordinating dies
Tiny Tag Sayings ‘merry wishes’
Stitched Simple Wavy Borders die
Silver Sparkle hemp cord
thanks for popping by.
my tag for day 6 of Ellen Hutson’s Twelve Tags of Christmas 2020 Challenge.
December 6 – Home for the Holidays with Michele Ferguson. Michelle created a cozy cabin scene and I was ready to use a cabin but the current situation influenced my thoughts – people may not be home for the holidays and may have to spend it wherever they are. This little mouse is cozy in a walnut shell so that’s where my creativity took me. I painted with twinkling H2Os on Arches hot press watercolour paper and matted with Ellen Hutson essential circles and the hanger from the EH shaker globe die set.
thanks for popping by.
I’m up to day 5 of Ellen Hutson’s Twelve Tags of Christmas 2020 Challenge.
December 5 – White Christmas with Jessica Frost-Ballas. Lisa’s tag inspired me with her polar bear and northern lights. I have all the Daniel Smith paints Lisa used and I was looking forward to trying her technique to create a sky; I love painting skies. But, all my attempts with DS paints and Arches cold press watercolour paper were trashed. My conclusion is that I am too used to painting on Arches hot press watercolour paper and using Twinkling H2Os that have very different characteristics, not to mention my painting style is controlled. While it was fun trying Lisa’s technique, in the end I used my usual twinks and cold press w/c paper to get the result I was ok with.
I painted the memory box wood bear stamp with twinkling H2Os on Arches hot press watercolour paper, fussy cut and popped it on foam tape; it was sprayed all over with imagine sheer shimmer spray clear that doesn’t show.
thanks for popping by.
I’m up to day 3 of Ellen Hutson’s Twelve Tags of Christmas 2020 Challenge.
December 3 – Here Comes Santa Claus with Therese Calvird. Therese inspired me to use black card stock for the houses instead of my usual white. I used a portion of the mama elephant hilly neighbourhood die and attached sponged yellow card stock behind. I sponged the shadows and sky and added a mama elephant Santa.
thanks for popping by.
I’m trying to catch up on Ellen Hutson’s Twelve Tags of Christmas 2020 Challenge.
December 2 – The Little Drummer Boy with Ardyth Percy-Robb. Ardyth’s tag is whimsical with a gingerbread playing the drum. nothing similar in my stash although I did create a whimsical tag for the phrase, ‘the ox and lamb kept time.’ this mama elephant lamb looked like he would enjoy a beat; plus, I attached a mini wobble to see him in action. I painted with twinkling H2Os on Arches hot press watercolour paper and cut with coordinating dies. I used a sunny studio tag die that includes a die to add a border and the reinforcement; I thought the red glitter was festive.
thanks for popping by.
I’m playing along with Ellen Hutson’s Twelve Tags of Christmas 2020 Challenge for the seventh year; this year’s tags are based on the designers’ favourite holiday songs.
December 1 – Silver Bells with Sandy Allnock. Sandy used the Ellen Hutson Shaker Globe and airbrushed a purple sky with buildings in the front of the scene. I used the same die but die cut silver card stock and sponged distress inks for the sky: chipped sapphire and dusty concord. I added snowflakes with a white pen. I used a portion of houses from Elizabeth craft designs die, sponged with chipped sapphire distress ink and added stickles to the rooftops. the windows were cut separately and then I painted shadows on them with twinkling H2Os and a size 0000 watercolour paint brush before adding shine with a clear glaze pen. I added stickles on the snow bank and added two layers of a silver peel off sticker sentiment. finally, I added a white sheer ribbon with a silver thread edge.
thanks for popping by.
after creating multi-step cards, it was quite relaxing to just sit and colour this little cutie!
this one layer card features one of the cute Clearly Besotted penguins from the Christmas Plushies clear stamp set; I coloured with prismacolour coloured pencils.
I was inspired by these challenges:
Less Is More must be CAS– #433 – Festive One Layer Card
ABC Christmas, – Your Favorite Things/Z for Sleeping – colouring and creating cards with cute critters
thanks for popping by.
this is my design team card for the last Rudolph Days Challenge of 2020; hopefully you have a nice stash of cards ready to go if you’ve been playing along.
I made a heart easel card featuring these adorable penguins from the Evelin T Designs ‘fun in the snow‘ clear stamp set. I painted with twinkling H2Os on Arches hot press watercolour paper, fussy cut and popped them on foam tape.I sponged the background, splattered with gesso and then added some white dots with a white marker.
I sponged this heart with distress inks too, then heat embossed the sentiment and stacked about eight hearts; to finish it off, I added stickles to the edge and the hat.
on to the gnomes.
while I was commenting for the September Rudolph Days Challenge, I found Carol’s sweet card featuring the Simon Says Stamp lil gnome die; it was the first time I saw him and had to have him.
I thought it would make a quick and easy card but I’ve only got one done so far – all the bits and pieces take a bit of time to assemble. I used the Ellen Hutson tree die over blue card stock that was splattered with white paint and popped the gnome on foam tape.
remember it’s anything goes at Maureen’s Rudolph Days Challenge for a chance to win a fabulous prize; you have until the end of the month to play along.
thanks for popping by.
I made a second card for the Reverse Confetti NOVEMBER STOCK YOUR STASH holiday/winter theme.
just like the previous card, I painted the Reverse Confetti lantern stamp with twinkling H2Os on Arches hot press watercolour paper, cutting everything with the coordinating dies. I attached clear acetate behind the lantern and popped it all on foam tape. I stamped one of the sentiments in the set with versa clair rain forest ink and added a shimmer green card stock border.
thanks for popping by.
I’m playing along with the Reverse Confetti NOVEMBER STOCK YOUR STASH holiday/winter theme.
I am so glad I ordered the Reverse Confetti lantern stamp and die set released in September; they’re perfect for an A2 card. I painted with twinkling H2Os on Arches hot press watercolour paper, cut with the coordinating dies and fussy cut an extra two poinsettias for dimension. the centre dots are a gold metallic marker. I attached clear acetate behind the lantern and popped it all on foam tape. I stamped one of the sentiments in the set with versa clair rain forest ink and added a shimmer green card stock border.
thanks for popping by.
I was asked to make a holiday card for someone who loves sloths; luckily, Clearly Besotted released this sweet clear stamp set full of holidays sloths, eat snooze and be merry.
I wanted to create a cozy indoor spot for this sweet sloth. I painted the images with twinkling H2Os on Arches hot press watercolour paper, fussy cut and popped them on foam tape; the base is a separate stacked image in the same set that I cut apart. I used the Penny Black wood floors die with white card stock and some Penny Black festive and frosty paper for the wall. to finish it off, I added stickles to the tree and speech bubble.
I’m playing along with these challenges:
Simon Says Stamp – Christmas
Cardz 4 Galz #135 Cute Christmas
November’s NBUS #20 never before played along and never used this sweet sloth stamp set
thanks for popping by.
I created this card for the current Impression Obsession Challenge – You’re a hoot! (owls and birds)!
I cut the IO house (DIE009-Z on sale 50% off)) from Kraft paper and made the woodgrain by brushing on distress inks: brushed corduroy, walnut stain, dusty concord and black soot. I stamped the IO sentiment, ‘A Little Birdie‘ (CL194 on sale 50% off), on a die cut Kraft circle, added the cheering up sentiment from the same set and sponged the edges with the same distress ink colours; then it was attached with foam tape. I added a die cut IO bird (DIE003-A) that I painted with dusty concord and wild honey distress inks.
I placed the house die over the left edge for a side fold card and I stamped the IO sentiment ‘some birdy‘ (A5418 ) on the inside along with the IO hugs (DIE516-A), sponged with dusty concord and black soot distress inks.
I’m also playing along with these challenges:
Simon Says Stamp – Thinking of You Wednesday Challenge
Dream Valley Challenges #236 DIE AND/OR PUNCHES + DT Call
thanks for popping by.
just one more late halloween card and then I need to start my Christmas cards.
this cute mouse is an image in the Penny Black ‘stack o’ lanterns’ stamp set, painted with twinkling H2Os on Arches hot press watercolour paper. I’m playing along with the Penny Black Saturday Challenge October challenge of Anything Goes + optional: Too Cute To Spook.
thanks for popping by.
My physio for my jaw seems to be reducing my creative time, but I’d like to share a late halloween card.
this adorable hedgie is an image in the Penny Black ‘bewitched’ stamp set, painted with twinkling H2Os on Arches hot press watercolour paper. I’m playing along with the Penny Black Saturday Challenge October challenge of Anything Goes + optional: Too Cute To Spook.
thanks for popping by.
Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Canadians and it’s World Arthritis Day which I’m celebrating by sewing a Japanese Knot Bag for my daughter.
this easy to follow tutorial was perfect for some of my leftover face mask fabrics and I’m very pleased with the end result. now I think I need one for myself; I just started physio for my jaw so I’ll use it to throw into my walker basket just to carry my phone and a few items.
I’m playing along with the As You Like It Challenge Favourite Non-Card Project (& Why). I recently rediscovered my love of sewing after a very long time away from it due to my RA and surgeries; I’m especially enjoying projects I’ve never tried before just because I love a good challenge.
thanks for popping by.
this is about the only time of year that I’m inspired to use a warmer palette for my cards; it’s another one for the Impression Obsession Challenge theme – Autumn Colours, although I did add some cooler colours.
I painted this sweet Impression Obsession scarecrow cling stamp (E11122) and sky with twinkling H2Os and sennelier watercolour paints on Arches hot press watercolour paper. I popped the image on foam tape, attached it to designer paper and finished it off with the Impression Obsession hello from the DIE688-B hello summer die.
thanks for popping by.
I had so much fun creating my monster smiles card that I made another one for the current Impression Obsession Challenge theme – Autumn Colours.
I painted an images from the Impression Obsession Monster Mash (CL886) clear stamp set with watercolour paints on Arches hot press watercolour paper and fussy cut it to pop on foam tape. i used the ‘sending’ from the IO Wishes stamp set (MC657) and used the IO DIE158-H ALPHABET to create the smiles. I decorated my handmade envelope by stamping the spider web (IO CL336 When Life) seven times along the bottom edge; two spiders from the same set fit nicely in the space.
thanks for popping by.
I created another card for the current Impression Obsession Challenge theme – Autumn Colours.
I painted one of the images from the Impression Obsession Monster Mash (CL886) clear stamp set with watercolour paints on Arches hot press watercolour paper and fussy cut it to pop on foam tape. i used the ‘sending’ from the IO Wishes stamp set (MC657) and used the IO DIE158-H ALPHABET to create the smiles. I think this is the first time I’ve ever decorated an envelope made with my WRMK envelope punch board: the spider web (IO CL336 When Life) was stamped seven times along the bottom edge and two spiders from the same set fit nicely in the space.
thanks for popping by.
I was inspired to create this card for the current Impression Obsession Challenge theme – Autumn Colours.
I used the first IO stamp I bought, Winter Trees (CL98), to create this card. The stamp was sponged with distress inks: mustard seed, spiced marmalade and barn door and stamped on Bristol smooth paper. I used the same inks to create a mat and finished the card with a sentiment from the IO More Basic Greetings set (CL549).
I’m also sharing this card at CAS on Friday AUTUMN.
thanks for popping by.
it’s time for me to share my design team creation for this month’s Rudolph Days Challenge, hosted By Maureen, where you have until the end of the month to play along for a chance for a lovely prize; the detailed list of all the rules are posted on maureen’s blog.
I used an everyday penny black stencil, petite blossom, that I thought would pass for holiday greenery; I stencilled hickory smoke distress ink onto white card stock and used a strip of red glitter paper to accent the die cut sentiment. for the second card I spritzed the stencil and pressed watercolour paper onto it to get the opposite look.
Update: Creative Expressions sentiment die and Wendy Vecchi – Make Art – Stay-tion – 7 Inch for stencil use.
thanks for popping by.
I’ve got a QAE (quick and easy) card to share today; I needed a thank you card in a hurry.
I used the Penny Black thank you so very much die to cut from a scrap of paper and attached it to the butterfly paper. I love when the words are connected so I don’t have to worry about aligning everything.
I’m submitting this to Simon Says Stamp – No Stamps.
thanks for popping by.
The transition from the Penny Black And More Challenge to the We Love Chocolate Baroque Challenge was more complex than I anticipated so I decided to step away. I create for me, for fun. But when I do create for others I appreciate it when my contributions are welcomed and I feel valued as an artist.
thanks for popping by.
For the past 8 years I’ve enjoyed designing for the Penny Black And More Challenge but the challenge has ended and is moving in a new direction with a new sponsor.
I have a sweet card featuring some adorable WPlus9 bees and bears.
I painted with twinkling H2Os on Arches hot press watercolour paper, sponged the sky and grass with distress inks and added stickles to the wings. I fussy cut the bear on the ground and popped it on foam tape.
thanks for popping by.
I’ve been extremely busy lately so it felt great to create something, especially with fabric for a change. long before I started card making I sewed but after my severe RA diagnosis and surgeries I gave it up. but I missed it. so, I traded my decades old manual sewing machine for a computerized one – what a difference; I can sew again.
I started out with making face masks and have moved on to small projects just as a refresher and to learn to use my new machine. these ‘itty bitty boxy bags’ were fun to make and I’ll definitely be making more; I followed this video tutorial.
of course I had to make a sunscreen lip balm holder and I challenged myself to sew with cork; I followed these instructions.
thanks for popping by.
this is my mid month design team card for the ‘say it with flowers’ theme at the Penny Black And More Challenge that runs until September 2 so there’s still plenty of time to play along.
I painted this penny black floral image, unfolding, with twinkling H2Os on Arches hot press watercolour paper and spritzed all over with a gold shimmer spray before matting it with a thin frame and then onto matte gold card stock.
Remember, we are a stamping challenge so the focal point has to use a hand stamped image, any company’s, to be eligible for a prize from our sponsors Penny Black and Stamp Addicts. Also, the Design Team will be voting for their favourite entries using a Penny Black image. The winner will be announced in this months winners post and be invited to feature in our October challenge telling us a bit about themselves, why they love Penny Black stamps and showcasing a creation using one.
I’m submitting this to The Flower Challenge #47 Add Sparkle (shimmer spray).
thanks for popping by.
