You're the Bestest!

I recently spotted that this month's We love Stamping challenge theme is "Stamp of the Moment", and that was what inspired today's card using this adorable Penny Black kitty stamp called "you're the Bestest!". 

So why is this my stamp of the moment?? Well there are three reasons ... he is one of my all time favourite Penny Black stamps as there is something just so joyful about him; secondly he is obviously perfect for spring and Easter cards right now; and thirdly (and critically) ... last week I thought I had lost him!!! I was looking for him to make an Easter card and couldn't find him anywhere - I turned out every box of wooden stamps I've got, and no joy! Only later did I realise my mistake, which is doubtless due to the fact  I only came back to crafting last summer so haven't inked up this little guy for a long time ... I have him not as a traditional wood mounted stamp but as a cling ... and I found him nestling in one of my boxes of unmounted stamps completely by chance! How happy was I?? So I just had to ink him up and here is the result.

I stamped my image and coloured with Promarkers and Flexmarkers, then softened the sky by dabbing with rubbing alcohol and a cotton bud. I die cut my image using a stitched square, and sponged Distress Oxide ink round the edges.  I layered up some gingham paper that I had edged with some faux stitching using my pokey tool and a black fine liner, with some green and yellow card, then decorated with jute and green ribbons. I matted my image panel onto the gingham paper then finished off by decorating with a stamped sentiment,  die cut and punched butterflies and a trio of sparkly gems.

The large butterfly is very sparkly and the small butterflies are gold mirror card which looks very dark in the main photo ... here is an angled pic.

Stamps: Penny Black "You're the Bestest!"; sentiment - unknown;

Media: Promarkers and Flexmarkers; Tim Holtz Distress Oxide ink (Mowed Lawn);

Tools: Magnolia Doohickey Butterfly Dreams die; X-Cut small butterflies punch; stitched square die from Amazon;

Paper, ribbons and gems from my stash.

Challenges I would like to enter: 

Country View Challenges (April) - Spring Is Coming (3rd entry)

Double D Challenge- Easter

Dragonfly Dreams (April) - Spring/Easter

Elliebelle's Crafty Wednesday (April) - Animals of Any Kind

Passion For Markers #635 - Animal Magic

Penny Black Saturday Challenge (April) - Anything Goes option Easter (3rd entry)

Simon Says (Monday) - Easter/Spring (2nd entry)

Stamping Sensations (April) - I Love …

(Penny Black stamps, spring, daffodils)

 Try It on Tuesday - Spring Colours (2nd entry) - TOP 5

We love Stamping (April) - Stamp of the Moment

It's been a pretty busy crafty week with posts coming along like buses ... I'll be back tomorrow with my card for the new Allsorts challenge.

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,