Christmas Card Challenge # 33 - Color.

Welcome to a new Christmas Card Challenge!

 

We have colors for you this week!

 

 

In detail:

 

This is my card:

 

I reached for my Pennyblack stamps and chose this sweet couple of friends.

While looking for a wood shape for another project, I found a set of mini tags and I decided to stamp the sentiment on one of them. I love how it turned out!

The image is colored with Copics and glitter.

 

As usual, have a look here on our challenge blog to see the amazing work of my teamies and to see if you're a winner from last week!

 

I'd like to enter the following challenges:

ABC Christmas Challenge: N is for No Rules (Anything Goes)

Crimbo Crackers Challenge # 111: Anything Goes

Fussy and Fancy Challenge # 168: Christmas in July

Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge # 286: Anything Goes

Sparkles Chistmas Challenge # 55: Snowflakes

 



Christmas Card Challenge # 10 - Photo Inspiration.

Welcome to a new Christmas Card Challenge!

 

This week we have a magical photo to inspire you:

 

 

Santa's sleigh!

In detail:

 

I did this:

 

I reached for my Pennyblack stamps for I remembered there was one with Santa and his sleigh.

I then added a starry paper from my stash and a circle punch for the moon.

 

It's simple but I really love it!

 

Check our challenge blog to see all the fab cards from the DT and to see if you're a winner from last week!

 

I'd like to enter the following challenges:

Merry Monday Challenge # 190: Santa

Simply Papercraft Challenge # 22: Anything Goes

Southern Girls Challenge: Anything Goes

Stamping Sensations February Challenge: Anything Goes

The ABC Challenge: A is for Animal

 

This card is for sale. If you don't find it in my Etsy shop, please contact me and I'll be pleased to list it for you.



Christmas Cards Challenge # 36 - Anything Goes.

It's Anything Goes again here at Christmas Cards Challenges!

 

 

This is my card:

 

I chose a Pennyblack hedgehog as main image and neutrals as background colors.

Pennyblack hedgehogs are a favourite of mine and I've had this for a long time so I'm happy to see it come to life in a card!

 

If you need more inspiration, have a look here on the challenge blog or you can head directly to our DT main blogs: 



                       Alanna    Carol    Donna     Gail    Heather     Jessica     JoAnn     Margo     Marsha     Monica     Shirley Anne     Tenia

Christmas Card Challenge # 31 - Color Inspiration.

We have COLORS for you this week here at Christmas Card Challenges!

 

 

In detail:

 

And this is my creation:

 

I had these lovely black tags from Toga and I thought they were perfect for this little dog from Pennyblack (one of my first rubber stamps!!).

I used just a couple of greys for the dog and added holly Leaves to make it more Christmassy.

I love them!

 

If you want to play with us, we can't wait to see what you create with these unusual colors!

And if you're in search for inspiration, have a look here at our challenge blog: our DT has made amazing cards this week!

  



                       Alanna    Carol    Donna     Gail    Heather     Jessica     JoAnn     Margo     Marsha     Monica     Shirley Anne     Tenia

Cupcake Inspirations Challenge # 300 - Card # 2.

Good morning!

Here I am with my second card for Cupcake Inspirations Celebrations, this time for the Confetti Inspiration Challenge:

 

 

This is my card:

 

 

I loved the idea of adding confettis so I added tiny pearls on the cupcakes, sequins all around the card and liquid pearl dots near the hedgehog.

Again, I managed to use a stamp I've had in my stash for a looong while, I have a crush on Pennyblack's hedgehogs!

 

I hope to have time to make the last card for these celebrations!

 

I'd like to enter the following challenges:

Cupcake Inspirations Challenge # 300: Confetti

 



Christmas Card Challenge # 9 - Color Challenge.

This week we have a wonderful color challenge for you at Christmas Card Challenges:

 

 

Holiday Hues of greens and blues with a touch of light brown:

 

which I used in this card:

 

I've had this Pennyblack stamp for ages, their hedgehogs are my fav characters, and I'm so happy to see it in one of my cards!

The stamp is colored with Copics and the background paper is from Wild Rose Studio.

 

If you played with us last week, check our blog here to see if your project has been chosen as winner or Top 3 and, of course, take a moment to see the fabulous cards from the DT!

 

You can see them here too:



                       Alanna    Carol    Donna     Gail    Heather     Jessica     JoAnn     Lisa  
                                     Margo     Marsha     Monica     Shirley Anne     Tenia

I'd like to enter the following challenges:

Completely Christmas Challenge # 48: Anything Goes + Make a Square or Rectangular Card

CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra for February: Anything Goes

Fab'n'Funky Challenge # 244: Christmas

Robyn's Fetish Challenge # 249: Anything Goes

Through The Craftroom Door Challenge Jan. 27 - Feb. 02: Anything Goes

Christmas Card Challenge # 14 - Use Heat Embossing

Good morning!

Sunday means Christmas Card Challenges and we have a new theme for you this week: you must use Heat Embossing.

I've tried many times to make something using heat embossing but I understand it's not my technique.

Maybe the fault is of my embossing powder or of my heat embosser but I never like the results.

This is the reason why I've made a little card for this week challenge:

I embossed this little hedgehog from Penny Black (one of my first stamps!) with black powder and colored with Copics.

I must say that this time I love my heat embossed card!

Have a look here at my teamies creations:

Alanna

Anne C

Heather

Jenn

Jovita

Karen

Margo

I'd like to enter my card into the following challenges.
CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra for March: Anything Goes
Festive Friday Challenge # 26: Inspiration Photo

Christmas Card Challenge # 5 - Anything Goes!

Good morning!

Are you ready for a new Christmas Card Challenge even if Christmas is over?

Well, this week it's super easy: Anything Goes!

This is my card:

This is one of my fav stamps from Pennyblack and I already used it in the past. This year I've sold all the cards I had ready featuring these lovely caroling mice so I decided it was time to make new ones for next year.

I colored them with watercolor pencils and chose a lilac-pink pattern, inspired by a request I had several months ago from one of my lovely customers.

Here's what my teamies have made to inspire you:

Alanna

Anne C

Heather

Jenn

Jovita

Karen

Margo

Monica

I wish you all the best for a wonderful 2014!
I've great news to share soon, stay tuned!

Wishes...

Have you ever wished upon a star?

I have.

And sometimes my wish has come true... even when it was not a perfect wish and it would have been better not to wish...

Anyway, for this week's challenge at Christmas Card Challenges we have to use background stamps and I wished I had more... well, I wished I had at least one.

In fact, it seems that among my tons of stamps there's not a background stamp so I had to create one.

I made this card:

The tiny star stamp is from a set by The Alley Way Stamps while the sweet mouse is from PennyBlack. I stamped the stars with white ink on a metallic card I found in my stash and simply added the mouse stamp colored with Copics.

My fellow DT members have probably more inspiring background stamps to use in their cards so have a look at all their amazing creations:

Alanna

Anne C

Anne J

Heather

Jenn

Jovita

Karen

Margo

Sabrina

 

That's all for this Sunday! See you next week!

Snowflakes in July!

Here I am ready with another card for Christmas Card Challenges!

Blogger still has problems but I've found out a way to write a post without losing it, it's enough I don't leave the page!

This week the theme is: SNOWFLAKES!

I love snowflakes in my Christmas cards and in general, it's a shape I adore. I still remember a lovely snowflake pendant with diamonds I saw in St. Moritz 14 years ago... it was so sparkly... I don't have a passion for jewellery and I couldn't afford it, but it was sooo beautiful....

Well, let's gor back to less expensive snowflakes... This is my card:

I found a set of tiny and small snowflakes stamps I bought last year at Muji during the sale and I started stamping them with silver ink on the front of the card.

The image is from PennyBlack, colored with Copics in traditional Christmas colors. It's one of my favourite ever!

Then I added two snowflakes punched from a glittered cardstock from DCVW.

Have a look at all the fabulous creations from the other DT member of Christmas Card Challenges: I'm always amazed to see all their cards and projects!

Alanna

Anne C

Anne J

Heather

Jenn

Jovita

Karen

Margo

Sabrina

There's a Mouse in my Stocking!

I've had a bunch of these little mice from Pennyblack stamped and colored for more than one year, maybe tow years. but I didn't manage to make the right card with them.

A few weeks ago I found some little kraft cards and, inspired by ABC Christmas Challenge this week (M is for Mouse) I made a card in no time!

This one:

I've found the perfect paper from the Christmas Village paper pad from First Edition and, with a few extras, the card was finished!

Isn't he cute?

I think I'll do a couple more!

This card is for the following challenges:
ABC Christmas Challenge: M for men or Mice
Holly Jolly Christmas Challenge: Use Something New (the card)
CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra for July: Anything Goes

and

CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge # 131: All Wrapped Up!
(Thanks Hazel!)

172 days to Christmas and... I've lost the count of my new Christmas cards....!



An Unusual Color Combo

I'm definitely behind schedule with my Christmas cards but I want to use all the stamps I bought earlier this year... well, maybe not every single one...

Today, I'm showing you a card I've made with a stamp from Penny Black that I fell in love with some time ago and finally managed to buy.

Aren't they lovely?

It seems that another favorite of mine for Christmas are critters, and this cute trio is so sweet I couldn't miss it!

For a change from pinks and traditional Christmas colors, this time I've tried with an unusual color combo: kraft and glitter.

If I were asked before this card, I would have answered that no, no, it doesn't work! But I've tried and I'm quite surprised with the result.

I think that these kraft colors are perfect for the critters and that a touch of glitter and sparkle is perfect for Christmas!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Penny Black Saturday December Challenge: Glitter and Sparkle

Stampavie and More Challenge # 183: Christmas

Simon Says Stamp Challenge: What's your Favorite

Penny Black & More @ Allsorts December Challenge: It's Your Choice

Pennyblack Saturday Challenge # 205

Today I've managed to plan some new cards and finish one:

While browsing my challenge list the other day I decided to enter Pennyblack Saturday Challenge # 205: the theme is Red, White & Blue! and it was perfect for what I had in mind.

I love Pennyblack stamps, especially hedgehogs and mice, and when I saw this stamp set early this year, I thought I had to have it!

I wanted a crisp and clean look on my card and this light blue is just perfect!

The striped paper is from Pink Petticoat and I was lucky enough to find a matching ribbon in my stash!

Well, that's all for today. I'll be back soon with a new project for another challenge I'm so exvited about!



I'm Baaack!

Yes... I know I probably said the same thing back in July but now I should definitely be back on track.

School is starting on Monday, some rain is coming to refresh us a bit, leaves are turning yellow and days are shorter.

So sad summer is over! Although I do love fall I'm sad this wonderful period of the year is over. Although I love the house when it's all silence, I'll miss my daughter's company and chat. Although I love routine, I'll miss these long summer days when you have to invent the day everyday.

And I absolutely don't like cold and adore this wonderfully hot days! I'll miss each of them!

This morning I woke up quite early and I didn't want to spend too much time on my computer so I decided it was time to go back into challenges.

I was a bit tired of challenges, maybe because last spring I tried to enter as many as possible, so happy with the ideas and themes they gave for my cards. I had a list, I checked my favourites everyday... it was a real job!

This morning I decided to check a couple of them and to use a stamp among those I had already colored during the summer.

Then, I made a card. It turned out quite easily and I'm ready to take part in two challenges.

Here's my card:

I chose this lovely Pennyblack stamp which I colored a while ago with my watercolor pencils. I just added some glitter here and there. Then I decided to use some paper leftovers from my stash: the floral glittered paper is from DCWV, the dotted one... well, I don't remember.

It's a fresh spring card... not the ordinary fall/Halloween/Xmas card I use to make in this time of the year.

I will enter it here:

Pennyblack Saturday Challenge # 168: the theme is Delicious, something yummy on our creations! And these cherries are sooo yummy!

And

Cute Card Thursday # 182 where Anything Goes!

I'll also try to list cards on my Etsy Shop once I've linked them to the Challenges so those of you who are interested will find them immediately!

Pretty in Pink.

I'm definitely a Pretty in Pink girl.

Nor that I wear constantly pink or girly things, but I do love them! I like pretty girly things, pink is probably my favorite color and I adore making girly cards.

My pink nature is more visible in summer, when I can use floral blouses and bags, candy colored shirts and dresses. I love floral curtains, bedlinen and tablecloth.

I have pretty pink and girly accessories around me in my studio especially boxes: boxes covered with pretty pink papers, glass jars full of pretty buttons, old glasses full of ribbons, pictures. And what is not yet pink and girly is there waiting to be turned pink and girly... or maybe shabby. I'm also a pretty shabby chic nature but I think that the two can get along quite well.

Anyway, when I read the theme in this week's PennyBlack Challenge I was delighted: it says "Pretty in Pink"!! Luckily enough, I had a lovely hedgehog dancing already colored from several projects I made last year and so I only needed to add some details, some glitter and make a totally new - and pink - card.

Here's my card:

My daughter is a little dancer and everytime I see a stamp or digi with ballet as theme I can't help thinking about her!

Is It Christmas Yet?

Last week I finally discovered that was I hoped for really existed...

I was wondering why there were no Christmas-themed Challenges all year around, so that I had an excuse to  make Christmas cards (I love Christmas, you know it) even in February, March, April...

And last week I finally discovered there was one: a two-weeks challenge! Perfect! I could make a card every two weeks and I'll end up to have a good stash for the shop and - hopefully - for friends and family too!

So I made this card:

I painted this lovely Pennyblack stamp with my watercolor pencils and kept the design simple because the theme of the ABC Christmas Challenge was "C is for Clean and Simple". The light greens and creams give me an idea of fresh and clean, but also a bit of snow and winter.
They also gave a sketch to follow:

With my surprise, I discovered some more Christmas-themed challenges but I added just one to my list: it's Jingle Belles. A part from the lovely name, they state the following:

OUR MISSION: to make a new christmas card each & every week of 2011, thus avoiding holiday mayhem. won't you JOIN US?!

Couldn't I say no???

This Challenge runs weekly so hopefully I should be able to make at least 6 Christmas card/month and this isn't too bad...

This week they ask for "No Red" and luckily enough I have an absolutely no-red card ready to enter it!

I'm also planning to have a secret drawer somewhere in my studio were I'll hide the cards until the next Holiday Season, so that I don't see them everyday and I'll still be surprised when I see them!

Let's Go Yellow!

As I anticipated yesterday, I have a new card to show you today: it's a Valentine card again but I decided to make it yellow!

The theme at the Pennyblack Saturday Challenge this week is: "Love is..." and finish the phrase. I wanted to make a card for my husband for our anniversary and I loved this stamp from Pennyblack so I stamped two, with the idea to make two identical cards, one for him and one for the Challenge and the shop. The only difference is in the sentiment, for I wrote Happy Anniversary (in Italian of course) in my husband's.

So, here's the card:

This time I started by painting the stamp and I wanted a bright color for the umbrella, so I chose yellow and from this starting point the card took its shape.

I used glitter for the snow and for the ribbons and dots in the gifts.

With my husband in mind I finished the phrase with "YOU"...

This card is perfect for a couple of other lovely Challenges:
The first is Sir Stampalot Challenge where the theme is "All Creatures Great and Small"

The second is A Spoonfull of Sugar Challenge where the theme is "Let's See Some Love"

My daughter approved, what do you think?

Penny Black Saturday Challenge...Week 127

ALL MY FAVOURITE THINGS

Good Morning!

Yesterday I finished a card for this week Penny Black Saturday Challenge.

I chose this lovely piggy stamp with flowers colored with watercolor pencils and mounted on a yellow card.

It's not the first time I've made a card with this stamp but I usually worked with pinks while this time I wanted to change and go for a more fresh and "spring" look. I stubbornly wanted that big dark red flower so for a while I thought about my decision but I finally decided I wanted it (actually I wanted two but they were far too big for the card and I didn't have a smaller one of the same deep red).

I also dotted the card with white paint... I love dots as much as glitter!

There are really ALL MY FAVOURITE THINGS: glitter, dots, a tender stamp and pastel colors.

Again, sorry for the dark photo but it's raining cats and dogs this morning and it's really dark...

Well, the card will be avavilable in my shop sooner or later, in the meantime let me have your comments!