A Christmas Carol

September 6, 2016 linda14 Comments

i’m starting to make more christmas cards because in three months they’ll need to be mailed out and i’ll be extra busy this year getting ready for my christmas present – a new knee.

i watercoloured these cute christmas carollers and poinsettias with twinkling H2Os, added stickles for the snow and used some festive christmas paper; the leaves were coloured with some metallic rub on paints.

i’m playing along with these challenges:

Jingle Belles: music
Marianne Design Divas challenge 8: anything goes with 3 marianne design products (marianne design christmas carols stamp, poinsettia die, daisy & leaves die, christmas wishes paper bloc)
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: stamp it
Simon Says Stamp Work It Wednesday for August 2016: use stamps
Great Impressions: anything goes
Sunny Day Challenge 13: anything goes
thanks for popping by.

Just A Note

September 4, 2016September 8, 2016 linda8 Comments

it’s the first sunday of september and we’ve got a new theme at the penny black and more challenge blog; this month we’d like you to add a sentiment to your stamped focal point.

i watercoloured this cute bunny from the penny black ‘garden friends’ clear stamp set and used two penny black sentiments: thank you from the salutations set and just a note from the tiny wishes set; i used a stitched MFT die-namics die to frame everything.

i hope you’ll come and play along – remember, you can use any company’s stamp for your focal point, just no digis please; a future guest designer will be selected from those who use a PB image and as always, there are some fabulous prizes to be won from: Penny Black, Sizzix, Sam, Marianne.

visit the blog for some fabulous creations by my teamies. thanks for popping by.

Pumpkin Patch

September 1, 2016February 17, 2018 linda7 Comments

it’s the first of september already, which will hopefully bring cooler temps soon and at the House of Cards Challenge we have a new theme: this month we’d like you to

Add a Bird and/or Colours

i watercoloured this high hopes pumpkin patch stamp with twinkling H2Os; i love that it is so detailed and has so much to colour. i matted the image and adhered it to kraft cardstock, trying to match the colours in the inspiration photo.

i hope you’ll come and play along with this very easy theme! different groups of design team members will have their creative cards showcased on the challenge blog every five days, so check back for a variety of styles and inspiration.

i’d like to submit this card to the simon says work it wednesday august challenge to use a stamp.

thanks for popping by.

Fueling My Inspiration

August 30, 2016 linda4 Comments

i had just enough time to play along with the taylored expressions share joy challenge 50 and this one was a real challenge but i’m happy with the results.

i wasn’t sure i’d be able to find papers that coordinated with each other but once i finally made my selection, the card came together quickly. this card is off to my brother for his birthday, who is an avid formula 1 fan. i’m keeping my fingers crossed that he’ll get it in time given the canada post negotiations. i die cut the TE little bits balloons, watercoloured with twinkling H2Os, added some yellow hemp cord and popped them on with foam tape.

thanks for popping by.

Bring On The Cake!

August 29, 2016 linda2 Comments

i’m playing along for the first time with the ellen hutson Essentials by Ellen August Pin-Sights Challenge to be inspired by this photo:

my inspiration came from the bright pink and yellow flowers in the vase next to the two glass bottles with the out of focus background. i used four stamps from the WISH BIG stamp set to create this tall thin card, painting the sky and image with twinkling H2Os. finally, i matted it with some plaid memory box paper. thanks for popping by.

Designing For Rudolph Days Challenge

August 25, 2016August 25, 2016 linda12 Comments

as you know, i love making christmas cards year round so i was excited to be invited to design for scrappymo’s rudolph days challenge to create holiday cards on the 25th of every month.

i watercoloured this cute inky antics image with twinkling H2Os, added glossy accents to the ornaments and white flocking to the pom pom; to finish it off, i layered the wplus9 die cut merry sentiment.

the challenge runs until the last day of the month; visit scrappymo’s blog to view the rest of the team’s inspiring cards and the challenge rules.

thanks for popping by.

Red All Over

August 23, 2016 linda7 Comments

i made this very quick and easy card for two christmas challenges and my stash.

the current jingle belles’ prompt is rudolph the red nosed reindeer, with the emphasis on red, predominantly red.

the ABC christmas challenge is Q for Quick layout.

i cut a 12 x 12 sheet of magenta poinsettia paper to make a set of cards but i only got one made so far. i usually spend hours watercolouring an image so whenever i make a quick and easy card, i feel like i cheated so i added a bit of shading with a colour pencil and then i added yellow stickles to the centres. i stamped the penny black sentiment with versafine crimson red ink and it was done.

thanks for popping by.

Cracking Me Up

August 22, 2016 linda2 Comments

i’m playing along with the taylored expressions’ share joy challenge 49: a sketch and colour combination.

i created this card for my husband; as a person with a disability, i rely on him for a lot of help. lately, i’ve been dealing with extra health issues and he always knows when i need a laugh. i used two different blue distress inks to paint the sky and i used twinkling H2Os and albrecht durer water pencils to watercolour the cute image from the easter doodles stamp set, no link found.

thanks for popping by.

Pretty Peridot Leaves

August 19, 2016August 30, 2016 linda6 Comments

i was inspired by Magenta Designer Mariëtte and her stencilling with gesso technique on this card so i played with stencils today – something different for me.

i watercoloured the memory box die cut leaves with ‘pretty peridot’ twinkling H2Os. after the gesso dried, which didn’t take long because of the small design, i painted yellow twinkling H2Os onto the cold press watercolour paper, then sponged dried marigold distress ink on top, splattered with both pretty peridot twinks and some water. to finish it off, i sponged shabby shutters distress ink through the diamond stencil.

i’d like to submit this card to these challenges:

Memory Box Challenge #15- Yellow Challenge
Simon Says Stamp: Work it Wednesday July 2016! use august birthstone peridot
4CC #312 – LEAVES

thanks for popping by.

Cuddly Mice

August 18, 2016August 18, 2016 linda9 Comments

i’m popping in just to remind you that you still have plenty of time to play along with us at the penny black and more challenge blog for the ‘anything goes with a stamp’ theme.

as usual, i watercoloured these sweet mice (30-020 hugs!) with twinkling H2Os, added stickles to the flower centre and painted the die cut sentiment (51-036 wishes) .

i hope you’ll join us and remember, you can use any company’s stamp for your focal point, just no digis please; a future guest designer will be selected from those who use a PB image and as always, there are some fabulous prizes to be won from: Penny Black, Crafts U Love, Crafty Ribbons, Stix.

visit the blog for some fabulous creations by my teamies.

i’d like to submit this to these challenges:
simon says stamp: Work it Wednesday July 2016! use august birthstone peridot

thanks for popping by.

Trick Or Treat

August 17, 2016August 17, 2016 linda8 Comments

i know it’s a bit early for halloween, but i can’t wait wait for the cooler fall weather and colours so i thought i’d create some fall cards only to discover i have more halloween stamps than actual ‘fall’ ones so that’s what i used.

for this clean and simple card, i watercoloured this cute penny black cat with twinkling H2Os, stamped the cobwebs and the sentiment and added yellow stickles to the dots and stars on his hat.

i’d like to submit this card to these challenges:
Critters and Creatures – Always Anything Goes with a Critter/Creature
One Crazy Stamper – Fall/Halloween
Cutie Pie Challenge – Cute + Work Rest Or Play

thanks for popping by.

Grumpy Penguin

August 15, 2016August 25, 2016 linda3 Comments

i enjoy making christmas cards year round but i usually make cards for my family at the last minute. thanks to the share joy challenges i’ve been playing along with, i’ll be ready with cards featuring funny little grumpy characters.

i chose the clean and simple challenge this time and watercoloured the sky and this little guy with two watercolour paints: sennelier and twinkling H2Os and used stickles on the star and for snow. thanks for popping by.

Grumpy Fox

August 9, 2016August 25, 2016 linda4 Comments

i’m having fun with these little taylored expressions holiday grumplings; they’re so funny and i love the sentiments in the set. i created this card for my husband using the share joy challenge 47 sketch:

SJC47

i watercoloured with twinkling H2Os, added glossy accents to the jingle bell and flower soft on the ground; the red dots are hologram peel offs.

thanks for popping by.

Wild Rose

August 8, 2016 linda13 Comments

i ordered this beautiful Magenta Wild Rose stamp when it was released this spring but it’s been waiting for me to watercolour; being the caregiver of a family member and my own health issues has meant i create when i can and i really appreciate when i get to do so.

i enjoyed losing myself in watercolouring with twinkling H2Os and matted the image since i didn’t feel like it needed anything else; clean and simple.

i’d like to enter this card into these challenges:

Simon Says: Fabulous Florals
Paper Creator – Keep It Simple
Just Add Ink #323…. Just Add F
Just Us Girls #355 – Word Week; watercolouring
Screen Shot 2016-07-09 at 2.58.55 PM thanks for popping by.

Hello Bunnies!

August 7, 2016August 7, 2016 linda9 Comments

it’s the first sunday of a new month and we’ve got another very easy theme for you this month at the penny black and more challenge blog; it’s anything goes! but of course that means the usual rules apply – your focal point must be a hand stamped image from any company.

i watercoloured this adorable penny black bunny image with twinkling H2Os, added flower soft to the tail and stickles to the flower centres.

visit the blog for some inspiration by my teamies. thanks for popping by.

Freezin’ Season

August 1, 2016 linda10 Comments

with record high temps and humidity, i wouldn’t mind if it snowed right now to cool everything down; i think just colouring a winter card helped.

this is the inspiration photo for the taylored expressions share joy challenge 46.

i used the fruit colours and this holiday grumplings snowman that i chose with the $20.00 gift certificate i won in april. i watercoloured with twinkling H2Os, added stickles to the ground, glossy accents on his buttons and flower soft on his hat.

i’m also submitting this card to the jingle belles’ prompt since it was one of stephanie’s cards (ingenious inkling) that made me laugh when she used this grumpy guy. my three of something: i used red and white stripes on the image and two borders.

thanks for popping by.

House of Cards August – Bookmark It

August 1, 2016August 1, 2016 linda8 Comments

it’s hard to believe that it’s the first of august already! it’s time for a new theme at the house of cards challenge blog and we’ve got an inspiration photo for you so you can choose to use either Twine and/or the Colours:

i was inspired to use some of the colours and twine to create this bookmark for my daughter, who is continuing her university studies. the avery elle die set also comes with some smaller bookmarks so i used one of those and the coordinating cute owl stamp to create these bookmarks; all were coloured with coloured pencils.

i hope you’ll come and play along! different groups of design team members will have their creative cards showcased on the challenge blog every five days, so check back for a variety of styles and inspiration.

thanks for popping by.

Skywriting

July 25, 2016 linda6 Comments

i’m playing along with the taylored expressions’ share joy challenge 45: a sketch and/or colours that are just so pretty!

i’m a cloud watcher and i love painting skies; this one was painted with my twinkling H2Os and i used all the inspiration colours – the orange is in the flower centres on the flip flops.

thanks for popping by.

Colour Wheel Snail

July 24, 2016July 24, 2016 linda5 Comments

i’m playing along with Lawnscaping Challenge #134: Rainbow Inspired Colours:

i always have my colour wheel nearby so that was my inspiration for the rainbow coloured snail from the lawn fawn gleeful gardens set; a bit of artistic license because i added gold. fussy cutting is something i don’t do very often due to my RA, but i cut this little cutie out and painted everything with twinkling H2Os and albrecht durer watercolour pencils. the sentiment and banners are from the lawn fawn birthday tags set.

i’d also like to submit this to simon says work it wednesday challenge: wafer thin dies.

thanks for popping by.

Birthday Prezzie

July 19, 2016July 19, 2016 linda3 Comments

this little taylored expression present die is so cute that i created another birthday card with it; i used the taylored expressions’ share joy challenge 44: a sketch and clean and simple theme.

i painted the prezzie with twinkling H2Os, added stickles to the dots and bow and popped it on foam tape; i used the sketch on the tag which was then attached to the card and the little flower from the little bits flip flop die fit nicely inside.

thanks for popping by.

Penny Black And More Mid July

July 18, 2016July 17, 2016 linda6 Comments

i made another masculine card for this month’s penny black and more challenge; this month’s theme is quite an easy one – it’s anything goes with a stamp so you still have plenty of time to join us!

i watercoloured this sweet teddy image from the penny black clear stamp set ‘a bear of all trades’ 30-108 with twinkling H2Os.

visit the blog for some fabulous creations by the rest of the team. thanks for popping by.

Simply Hello

July 17, 2016July 17, 2016 linda2 Comments

i’m playing along with the My Favorite Things Sketch Challenge 289:

i love my new MFT hello die; i’m working on creating a set of cards with it and i thought it would work perfectly with this week’s sketch. i attached the purple glitter die cut to a piece of watercolour paper that i scored, splattered and distressed with twinkling H2Os; the two butterflies were punched from coordinating paper. thanks for popping by.

Ombre Christmas Card

July 10, 2016July 24, 2016 linda10 Comments

the current prompt at the jingle belles is Ombre Colors of Christmas and this beautiful inspiration photo:

i started off by painting ombre die cut presents, but decided they were better suited to a birthday card, so that’s what it ended up as. i experimented with a few colour combinations and my twinkling H2Os until i was happy with my choices for a christmas card. as usual, i used my twinks on this penny black die that i inlaid against the snowflake embossed background.

i’d also like to submit this to:
ABC Christmas Challenge where the theme is ‘N is for No Rules!’
Simon Says work it wednesday challenge: wafer thin dies.

thanks for popping by.

Presents For You

July 4, 2016July 24, 2016 linda12 Comments

since caring for a family member, i’ve not had much time to create, other than scheduled posts, so i had fun making this birthday card for my daughter. i’m playing along with the taylored expressions’ share joy challenge 42:

i painted these cute taylored expressions present die cuts with twinkling H2Os, added stickles to the dots, cut the bows with glitter paper, added pretty pink posh gold stars, popped them on foam tape and finished it off with a splattered background.

i’d also like to submit this to simon says work it wednesday challenge: wafer thin dies.

thanks for popping by.

Penny Black And More July

July 3, 2016July 3, 2016 linda9 Comments

it’s the first sunday of a new month so it’s time for a new theme at the penny black and more challenge blog; we have an easy one for you – anything goes with a stamp.

i watercoloured this sweet teddy image from the penny black clear stamp set ‘a bear of all trades’ 30-108 with twinkling H2Os.

visit the blog for some fabulous creations by the rest of the team. thanks for popping by.

House of Cards July 2016

July 1, 2016June 26, 2016 linda14 Comments

i’m happy to announce that House Of Cards challenge blog owner mynn has invited me back to the design team for another 6 month term. along with some other returning members, there are some new ones so you’ll have plenty of inspiration!

this month we have a very summery inspiration photo for you:

Fruit/Drink image and/or Colours

0716 FruitColors

i sponged distress inks onto a pre-embossed sheet of paper, added the white dots around the scrolls, added more colour to the butterflies with coloured pencils, attached the MFT Die-namics Hello There and used permanent markers to colour some clear hologram dot stickers green.

i hope you’ll come and play along! different groups will have their creative cards showcased on the challenge blog every five days, so check back for a variety of styles by the rest of the design team.

thanks for popping by.

MFT Camp Create Day 5

June 23, 2016June 26, 2016 linda3 Comments

it’s very rare for me to post so often, but i managed to make it to day 5 of the my favorite things camp create challenge – the best kind of camping: staying indoors and creating.

the theme for the last day is Camp Create – Spectacular Shakers. it was a good learning experience since i don’t make shaker cards very often; i should’ve used more colourful seed beads against a white background instead of mostly clear sequins against the purple, which barely shows. i used the MFT Die-namics Hello There and it was a fun card to make and i have another card for my stash. thanks for popping by.

MFT Camp Create Day 4

June 23, 2016 linda1 Comment

this was a fun card to make that came together very quickly for day 4 of the my favorite things Camp Create – Delightful Die Cutting challenge.

copyright linda @ snailzpace.wordpress.com MFTcamp2016dies.jpg i used negative and positive die cuts through some designer paper: the MFT Die-namics Upsy-Daisy and the Die-namics Hello There. thanks for popping by.

MFT Camp Create Day 3

June 23, 2016 linda3 Comments

this is my favourite camp challenge because i love watercolouring images and backgrounds; it’s so relaxing.

i used another of the cute images from the MFT Snuggle Bunnies clear stamp set to create this card for day 3 of the my favorite things Camp Create – Wonderful Watercolor challenge. as of this writing, this adorable stamp set is out of stock, but you can sign up for email notification when it’s back in.

as usual, i watercoloured the background and images with twinkling H2Os and, since i was short on time, kept the card simple. thanks for popping by.

MFT Camp Create Day 2

June 22, 2016 linda4 Comments

i made this card for day 2 of the my favorite things: Camp Create – Sensational Sliders or use an action wobble, which is what i used – they’re so much fun.

since i can never have enough bunny images, i watercoloured one of the cute bunnies from the MFT Snuggle Bunnies clear stamp set and the sky with my twinkling H2Os and i used the Die-namics Blueprints 9 to create this tag; of course i added white flocking for the tail. thanks for popping by.

MFT Camp Create Day 1

June 22, 2016 linda2 Comments

i’m a slow card maker, usually because i love losing myself during the painting of images, but i also love time sensitive challenges that force me to create cards more quickly.

i made this notecard for the my favorite things day 1 challenge: Camp Create – Glitzy Glitter. i die cut the flower and leaves from Die-namics Blueprints 12 with double sided paper, covered them in loose glitter and popped it on foam tape. a fun and messy card. thanks for popping by.

In Loving Memory

June 18, 2016 linda7 Comments

it’s so hard to believe it was seven years ago that my son passed away; it feels like yesterday and at times i feel like i’m stuck in a time warp, resisting the passage of time but knowing i have no control over it. the impact of grief might change over time, but it’s forever and i wish more people would understand that.

my son had a special fondness for elephants so i watercoloured the wplus 9 bubble talk stamp with twinkling H2Os and die cut and popped it on top of a background i created with dylusions ink spray and twinkling H2Os. the hearts were die cut, also painted with twinks and covered in glossy accents with a few extra bubbles added. i used black wow! embossing powder on the sentiment, masking part of it from the wplus9 ‘unforgettable‘ set. finally, i finished it off with polka dot washi tape.

thanks for popping by.

Summer Birthday

June 6, 2016 linda4 Comments

i need a card for a friend who is celebrating a birthday next month so i used the sketch and some of the colours from the taylored expressions’ share joy challenge #38:

i used these cute taylored expressions flip flop dies, the sentiment from the easter doodles stamp set and of course some yellow stickles on the flowers. thanks for popping by.

Penny Black And More June 2016 – Flower Power

June 5, 2016May 28, 2016 linda12 Comments

it’s the first sunday of a new month so it’s time for a new theme at the penny black and more challenge blog; this month, it’s flower power.

i watercoloured this penny black ‘centrepiece’ cling stamp with twinkling H2Os, added some yellow stickles to the centres and finished it off with the penny black dots & swirls die cut border. As always, we have some fabulous prizes from some generous sponsors: Penny Black, Sizzix, Stamp Addicts, Crafty Ribbons.

i hope you’ll come and play along – remember, you can use any company’s stamp for your focal point, just no digis please; a future guest designer will be selected from those who use a PB image.

visit the blog for some fabulous creations by my teamies. thanks for popping by.

Absolutely Fabulous

June 4, 2016 linda2 Comments

i wanted to send a thank you card to one of the exceptional nurses who cared for me during my recent hospital stay so i used the My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge – Sketch 283:

i flipped it horizontally so i could use some new MFT dies and it came together quickly: the arch from Die-namics Blueprints 16 and the new absolutely fabulous die-namics. the pretty pink paper is from memory box and i added some die cut stars. thanks for popping by. #mftstamps