Penny Black Saturday #162 - Penny Black-Ground

Yippee, Saturday's here, and time for another Penny Black Saturday Challenge. I'm hoping that things are finally settling down for me after the distractions of the past few weeks, and I'm raring to go with a card for this week's theme. Thanks to everyone who entered last week's challenge - don't forget to check the main challenge blog to see if you have won.

This week our theme is

Penny Black-ground

... which is a not very subtle pun lol, to ask you to use your PB stamps for your background as well as your main image. There are lots of options for this and the DT have come up with some brilliant examples.

Our prize this week is a guest DT spot on the PBSC for September - woo hoo!!

So if you would like to join our happy band during that time, you know what you have to do ... just ensure you submit a new piece of work for the challenge, uisng a PB image, large sentiment or stickeroo as its main focus, and also following the theme.

This is what I did for this week.

I decided to go for a shabby chic look so that I could do a bit of background stamping onto a distressed background. First I cut a deckle edged square of paper, and distressed it with Tim Holtz distress inks in "Antique Linen" and "Vintage Photo". Then I stamped my main flower image (Penny  Black "Quite Dandy" (3623K)) off-centre using "Peeled Paint" and "Tumbled Glass". I stamped a few background lines in "Vintage Photo" using a stamp from the transparent set "Salutations", and overstamped with tiny dragonflies from the same set. 

My sentiment is PB "friends matter" (4073F), stamped in a blend of "Tumbled Glass" and "Faded Jeans". I finished my background stamping with some random dotty areas using Penny Black "fantasy" (3880K). Finally I assembled the card by tying some loopy trim from my stash, decorating with die-cut sparkly butterflies and pearls from my stash, and mounting onto crackle distress gold card.

I actually managed to use FIVE separate PB stamps on this card - think that's pretty good going lol!

Challenges:

Simon Says Stamp and Show - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

PaperPlay #30 - In the Garden

By The Cute & Girly (July) - Things With Wings

Crafty Cardmakers #50 - Flutterbies

Cupcake #152 - Shabby Sparkle

Hope you will join us this week - have a great weekend!

Oldie But A Goodie - Ribbon and Lace

Good morning everyone - hope it is sunny where you are ... we had a lovely day here yesterday :-)  It's time for another Oldie But A Goodie Challenge - thanks so much to everyone who entered our Anything Goes challenge last time - fab projects as always !

This fortnight we have a theme I'm sure you'll love - I definitely didn't need any encouragement to get going with this one! It is

Ribbon and lace

Ooh! my favourites (along with flowers, pearls etc... etc... lol!!)

This fortnight we are sponsored by Poppy's Cabin - do be sure to check the main blog for further details and all the other ladies' gorgeous ribbony and lacy samples :-) And just a reminder ... in order to be eligible for the prize you should link to a new piece of work that features a stamped image (NO digis please) that is at least 6 months old ... that's why we're called An Oldie But A Goodie ;-)

When I got to thinking about my DT card for this challenge I decided to ink up a stamp which is both old in terms of initial release (1996!!) and also old in terms of the physical stamp in my hand ... but it is new to me. My local craft shop sells a few second hand stamps, and I spotted this pre-loved (but very well cared for as there was hardly a mark on it) vintage Penny Black stamp .... and they were asking £2 for it - that's got to be one of the best crafty bargains I've ever had!! I also got some new summery papers by Prima so I couldn't wait to get started ... the final element of inspiration was this week's Sketch Saturday sketch, which had perfect elements to incorporate as ribbon and lace.  I felt this created a really fresh summery feel, especially when I piled on the flowers :-) Here's the result .... I'm actually rather pelased wtih this one for once :-)

I also noticed that there are a number of stitchy challenges around right now ... and as the image itself has a bit of stitching on it I thought I'd get down to a bit of faux stitching as well (I don't do real stitching lol!!) Unfortunately it doesn't show up too well (my pink marker was running out!!) so here's a closeup just to prove it is there (along with the distressed paper edges)  ...

Recipe:

Main image: Penny Black "A Gift of Flowers" (586K) coloured with Promarkers and Copics;

Sentiment: LotV sentiment circles;

Papers: Prima "Sparkling Spring";

Supplies: flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts and Crafts4U2Do; lace from Crafts4u2Do; ribbons and pearls from my stash;

Tools: pokey tool used to make faux stitching; Tim Holtz distressing tool used to rough up the paper edges.

Challenges:

Sketch Saturday #163 - sketch

Simon Says - A Stitch in Time

Simon Says Stamp and Show - Stitching

One Stop Craft Challenge #139 - Summertime

Totally Gorjuss #88 - Summertime

Crazy 4 Challenges #95 - Summer

Pile It On #28 - Favourite Technique

(colouring with Promarkers)

Penny Black Challenge - Favourite Distressing Technique

(distressing paper edges with TH distressing tool)

CES #44 - Recipe: 1 image, 2 ribbons, lace or twine + 3 DP's

Cute Card Thursday #172 - Lace

Penny Black at Allsorts (July) - Flower Power (2nd entry)

Charisma #27 - All About Flowers

Creative Craft - Pretty Blossoms

Crafty Pad #129 - Lots of Texture

Kaboodle #75 - Use Those Scissors

(my vintage image wasn't a perfect rectangle so I cut it out by hand rather than with a  paper cutter)

Craft your Passion #66 - Just For You

ABC - Y is for Yesterday

Cupcake #150 - Your Favourite Challenge

(wow I could choose so many ... but howzabout 1. Flowers, 11. Vintage, 36. Summer, 61. Going Girly, 69. Flower Power, 103. Lace, 138. Lots of Layers ... all great themes in my opinion :-)  )

Hope you can join in the challenge this fortnight - look forward to seeing your creations.

Oldie But A Goodie #21 - Where In The World?

Hi there, and welcome to another Oldie But A Goodie challenge. Thanks so much to everyone who entered our Lots of Layers challenge - there were some fabulous entries. Don't forget to check the main challenge blog to see if you have won the prize.

Before we get on to this fortnight's challenge we have a bit of news ... we have a new DT member joining us, so hope you will give a big welcome to Sara  :-)

This time it is Laurie's turn to pick the challenge theme, and she has chosen

Where in The World?

We would like to see something associated with a particular country ... maybe the colours of a flag, holidays, national flowers etc ... you can interpret this however you like, but in order to be eligible for our prize you should submit a new piece of work that uses a stamped image (no digis please) which is at least six months old ... that's why we're called An Oldie But A Goodie :-)

Laurie has also donated the prize for this challenge ... it is this yummy Oriental selection.

Hope you will have a look around the other DT ladies' fab cards and see if you can guess where in the world they are trying to represent .... I have stayed right here in England with English roses.

Recipe:

Main image; Elusive Images "Script Rose", heat embossed with detail gold, coloured with Promarkers and highlighted with Twinkling H2O's; matting distressed with "Victorian Velvet" distress ink;

Sentiment: Elusive Images;

Papers: Andrea James "Pampered Pets";

Supplies: pink and ivory roses and lace from Crafts4U2Do; green roses from Wild Orchid Crafts; pearls from my stash;

Tools: deckle edge blade used on image matting and papers; Leone Em "Ash Family" leaf punch.

And here's a closeup of my delicious new flowers which are mostly from Crafts4u2Do.

Challenges:

Simon Says Stamp and Show - Distressed / torn edges

Kaboodle #71 - Floral Showcase

Totally Gorjuss #84 - Flower Power

Stamp With Fun #115 - Pearls and Flowers

Shabby Tea Room #66 - Pink Lemondade

(Pink + green + neutral + flowers, with the following gorgeous inspiration picture)

Totally Papercrafts #70 - Summer

Scrapbook Sisters #39 - English Country Garden

CES #40 - Saturday Night At The Movies

(The Name of the Rose)

Crafty Pad #125 - Just Because You Can

Thanks for stopping by :-)

Penny Black Saturday #151 – Clean and Simple

Good morning everyone and welcome to this week’s Penny Black Saturday Challenge. Thanks very much to everyone who entered last week’s Distressing Challenge – hope you all managed to post your entries being as Mr Blogger was being so naughty yesterday!  As always, don’t forget to check back on the main challenge blog to see if you have won either of last week’s fabulous prizes.

Well I’m off to Port Sunlight craft fair today, so i hope that by the time you read this i will already be well in the swing and my credit card will be all a-quiver … hope I find a few good bargains ;-)

Don’t forget that you still have until midnight tonight (Saturday May 14th) to enter my blog candy here – hope you’ll give it a look!

Anyhow on to this week’s challenge, and we are plugging into a theme which is very much the latest trend and all the rage in blogland at the moment – yes, we would like to see your cards that are

Clean and Simple

As always you can interpret this to your heart’s desire, so long as you submit a new project that features a Penny Black image, large sentiment or stickeroo as its main focus.

This week we have another fab prize for you … a $20 online store voucher from our regular sponsor 1-2-3 Stitch :-)

My fellow teamies have produced some stunning cards to inspire you – here is my effort for this week.

Recipe:
Main image: Penny Black “Radiant” (2950K) coloured with Marvey brushstroke markers and spritzed with water;
Sentiment: Penny Black transparent set “Salutations”;
Paper: Docrafts “Pampered Pets” collection;
Supplies: Papermania shimmer dots; dragonfly brad from my stash;
Tools: Martha Stewart “woodland bough” edge punch.

Challenges:
Penny Black Inc. Challenge – Tall Cards
Crafts and Me #34 - Punches
Top Tip Tuesday #33 – Flower Frenzy
Creative Card Crew – May Flowers
MAWTT #98 – 2 B’s (brushstroke stamping, brad)
Crafty Creations #118 – Anything Goes
Stamp Something – Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp and Show – Anything Goes

Hope you can join in this week.

Penny Black Saturday #149 – Milestones

Good morning everyone – welcome to yet another long Bank holiday weekend, and it’s time for another Penny Black Saturday Challenge.

Thanks as always to everyone who entered last week’s Happily Ever After Challenge – there were some truly adorable and romantic entries. Don’t forget to check the main challenge blog to see if you have won last week’s prize.

This week the DT have very kindly allowed me to pick the theme in honour of the fact that I have a milestone birthday coming up this next week .. I am going to be 50 (yikes, when did that happen ???). So in honour of this momentous (!) occasion, this week’s theme is

Milestones

Now you could interpret this in many ways to celebrate any of life’s milestones, eg. special birthday, wedding, engagement, birth, retirement, graduation … the list of possibilities is almost endless!

Please just remember that in order to be eligible for this week’s prize you need to submit a new piece of work, with a Penny Black image, large sentiment or stickeroo as its main focus.

And talking of prizes … this week’s prize is a 15% off lifetime discount voucher form our regular sponsor, Dick at PB Stamps

Lovely!!

The other ladies on the DT have produced a fabulous selection of cards so please do check them out – here is mine for this week.

 

Recipe:
Main image: Penny Black “Unwrapped” (3693H), coloured with Promarkers;
Sentiment: computer generated;
Papers: Craft Creations (gingham) and Deja Views (alphabet);
Supplies: ribbon, lace and buttons from stash (inc. white button recycled from an old shirt);
Tools: large scalloped square nestabilities; number 1 die cut using Cuttlebug “Hippie Chick” alphabet set.

Challenges:

Papertake Weekly – Sketch #55

 

The Ribbon Girl #7 – Red, White and Blue
Crafty Cardmakers #44 – A Royal Wedding (Red, White and Blue)
Fab ‘n’ Funky #70 – Red, White and Blue
Penny Black Challenge – Bold and Bright
Top Tip Tuesday #31 – Squares
Stamptacular #108 – Pile It On (at least 5 layers)
Craft Your Passion #55 - Layers
Creative Craft – Recycling ( white button from shirt)
Simon Says Stamp and Show – Some Buttons
Simon Says – Anything Goes
Sparkles #10 – Anything Goes 
Make it Monday #34 – Anything Goes
Moving Along With The Times #96 – Anything Goes

That’s it for today … I’m off out tonight for a birthday meal with my husband so I’d better start getting ready in good time :-)

Have a great weekend.

LIM – OMG!

Last week I bottled out of the Less is More challenge, ‘cos none of my sentiment stamps seemed to fit and I’m no good at generating fancy ones on the computer … so this week I just had to face my demons. But acetate ?? ACETATE??

Initially I thought I needn’t concern myself with this challenge, as I was under the impression I didn’t have any of the pesky material … but then it occurred to me that actually I once bought a pack to make a shaker card with (and what a disaster that was … the quicker we draw a veil over that little episode the better!!)

Anyhow there was nothing else for it but to get stuck in! Now I don’t go much on apertures and I don’t have many inks that can stamp onto acetate, so to my mind there was only one way to  go …  I made the most of the space on the inside of the card, and produced an acetate front cover with only a sentiment stamped on it … voila! I also used this as an opportunity to have a go with a Tim Holtz distressing technique as per his video tutorial here ... so that I could also enter this card for the Simon Says Stamp and Show challenge.

Recipe:
Main image: various stamps from Unity set “Insightful Meadows” stamped onto a wet distressed background using Peeled Paint, Scattered Straw, Tumbled Glass and Faded Jeans distress inks;
Sentiment: same set as above;
Tools: Martha Stewart “scalloped dots” edge punch.

And here’s a pic of the card open – just to prove I did actually use acetate on the front lol!!  I have to admit I had several goes before I was (vaguely) satisfied … so please Chrissie and Mandi don’t ask us to use acetate again, as I’ve not got much left now lol!!

Challenges:
Less Is More #11 – Acetate
Simon Says Stamp and Show – A Lord Tim of Holtz Technique
Pile It on #16 – Smells Like Rubber
Incy Wincy #90 – Bright and Bold
Top Tip Tuesday #30 – Open Challenge

Phew … mission accomplished! Think I need to lie down now!! 

I Followed a tutorial …

Whilst posting a distressed card to the Simon Says Stamp and Show blog for the first time the other day, I happened to notice a thumbnail of a gorgeous card by Nona. I visited her blog and really admired the card .. . the stamp she used had caught my eye as I bought the same set a couple of weeks ago, and also I loved the techniques she used. I saw she had followed a tutorial by Shari … so I went and had a look-see.

Having seen the tutorial I just had to have a go myself … I have recently bought a small number of distress inks, and am also loving the soft wildflower style of stamping right now.

The following card is my interpretation of the tutorial – I have followed the basics but have used a different script stamp (ie the one I have in my stash  lol!) and also changed the flower stamp for a Penny Black brushstroke stamp so that I could enter it for the Penny Black blog challenge :-) Instead of a linen background stamp as used in the tutorial I used a set of distress aged marks, and stamped them both onto the image and the base card to give an aged look. This is a bit of a new direction for me but I’m liking the change.

Recipe:
Main image: Penny Black “Quite Dandy” inked and misted with distress inks in Tumbled Glass, Peeled Paint and Walnut Stain; matting distressed with Tim Holtz distressing tool;
Background stamping: Crafty Creations script stamp embossed with white detail powder: “Butterfly kisses” random markings stamped with antique Linen distress ink;
Sentiment: Penny Black transparent set “Salutations”;
Supplies: ribbon and pearls from my stash.

Challenges:
Simon Says Stamp and Show – Distressing (2nd entry)
Truly Scrumptious #55 - Vintage
Penny Black Blog Challenge – Flowers (use a floral stamp)
Crafters Companion #11 – Aqua and Brown
Crafts & Me #30 – Ribbon
Totally Stampalicious – Anything Goes

Hope you like it :-). I’m not sure about the card blank, and have already thought of some very subtle brown and aqua paper I have which I would use next time, but I’m quite pleased with this stamping technique for my first attempt.

Right … now this is my first ever Windows Live Writer post … looks perfect in the preview window … so here goes, fingers crossed!!