Chastise Chooseday with Penny Black

I set a challenge last month to chastise myself to choose something from my stash, have a play and post it every Tuesday in July.  Today I chose this adorable Penny Black kitty, coloured with my Copics for our friend next door who was just awarded a 1st Class Honours Degree in Photography from Bournemouth Uni.   ConGRADulations Poppy!

The cat on this "Snap Shot Rubber Stamp 4319j" actually comes with a bird on its head but I masked off the stamp before I inked it up and drew a little mortar board hat instead.  

I am entering my card into Penny Black Saturday Challenge where I have opted for the Anything Goes theme rather than food and drink.  I am also entering Penny Black and More where they want to see summer colours.  I've simply used a bright zingy green as my focus colour with a splash of turquoise which hopefully meet the challenge requirements.  These are very much my choice of summer colours for my clothes.   My dies are Spellbinders Borderabilities curves.

Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge - Christmas in July with Little Elf Tippi

The teamies have come up with some absolutely fabulous inspiration at Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge where our July challenge is "Christmas in July" or Anything goes with a Mo Manning image.    I have used Little Elf Tippi, the latest of Mo's new gorgeous images.

Papers are Pebbles Inc "Home for Christmas" and I additionally used My Favourite Things - Wonky Stitched Square STAX Die-namics and Cheery Lynn Christmas Lights Swag.   I coloured this cutie with my Copics and a couple of Promarkers and glazed all of the little bulbs (which incidentally are separate from the strand to which they are attached!).  The tag dies are Papertrey Ink.

I am cheekily entering my card into the Stars and Stripes challenge over at Simon Says Stamp.  There are stripes (albeit dotty ones) on my aqua design papers and a star on Tippi's overalls.  I am entering the challenges for "Anything Goes" at both Cute Card Thursday and Creative Inspirations.  I am additionally entering my card into the "Anything Goes with the option of non-traditional colours" theme at Christmas at Sweet Stampin'.  I used to be on the DT  at this fun challenge (Hello Ladies) and in fact it was I who coined the name CASSettes for the DT members.  It will be fun to join in as a participant this month with my first Christmas card of the year!

One for the Guys on my own personal Chastise Chooseday

Last week I set myself a task to post a card every Tuesday under the banner

CHASTISE CHOOSEDAY

using any products I already own.  The idea was to challenge myself to use a greater variety of my stash but I love Maurie Manning's images so much I thought I would use one of hers.   You still have till 0900 GMT 3 July to enter Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge which this month has the option of One for the Guys/Boys so I thought I would combine my Tuesday challenge with Mo's using Dwarf 5 which I have coloured in Copics using only my greys and a tiny bit of red.    I love him!   There is a whole set of dwarves and I want to use them all.

I have used Poppy Stamps "Happy Birthday Banner Flags" and some Glitz "Black & White" papers with some Card Candy and I really like how this card turned out. 
I am entering my card into the following challenges
Sketch Saturday 570, where I was a DT member for four years, using Debra's fun Sketch number 332 as my inspiration;  


Cute Card Thursday 588 where the challenge is birthdays; and
The Male Room Challenge 114 for multiple layers

It's Chastise Chooseday with Hobby Art

I own mountains of craft supplies and I berate myself on a regular basis for not using them. So as a little experiment, I am going to set myself a personal challenge to actually USE SOME OF MY SUPPLIES.  I know it's an iconoclastic approach for many crafters, I am not alone in collecting supplies that don't see the light of day. 

So starting today and 

continuing each TUESDAY in July, I am going to

CHASTISE MYSELF TO CHOOSE IMAGES AND CRAFT SUPPLIES 

from my existing stash and post a card on my blog under the banner of 

CHASTISE CHOOSEDAY CHALLENGE

Today is Jenny Mayes of Hobby Art's birthday.  Happy Birthday Jenny!  I own several Hobby Art stamp sets and have always found them to be great quality and very versatile. Jenny is a regular on craft TV. She and her team offer workshops in Surrey and often provide "make and take" demos at craft shows.  This is a card I stamped at one of those craft demos and coloured at home using Zig Clean Color Real Brush watercolour pens also purchased from Jenny.  The stamps are from Lisa's Collection and include Journal Scribble and Journal Bold

As I am shamelessly trying to boost my readership, I am going to enter my card into Challenge 99 at Make My Monday which is "Begins With the Letter B".  I think my beautiful blooms qualify. I'm also entering my card into the Fusion Challenge which has an inspiration photo of a hippie style brightly coloured VW camper van and also a very simple sketch - rectangular version of my card today. 

I challenge you to chastise yourselves into using some of your stash to create a card for Tuesday (Chooseday) next week!

One for the (Adventure) Guys

We still all have plenty of time to enter Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge which is always "Anything Goes with a Mo Manning image" but this month has the added option of "One for the guys/boys". 
I have used one of Mo's lovely older images called Adventure Guy, coloured in Copics and mounted on a photograph from my own camera.  My best mate Julie Baker took the scenic photo.  I know this because I am actually in the original behind this little chap who I merged on top .    I have additionally added real map pages to Adventure Guy's map of the recipient's neighbourhood.  I love to personalise my cards!


My Adventure Guy probably has too many clothes on for a summer vacation hike but we have had such awful weather here in England.  Finally, just in time for yesterday's summer solstice, we have some sunshine and warmth but it pays to be cautious!
I am entering my card into the challenges for "Dawn's Masculine Anything Goes Challenge" at Watercooler Wednesdays (where I was a winner last week - thank you), Simon Says Stamp "Travel/ Vacation", and "Summer" from Cute Card Thursday and Sweet Stampin'. 

One for the Guys - Mr-Fixit

My niece's husband is in lighting.    He works on big stage productions all over the world designing and assembling lighting gantries (at least I think that's what he does) and he has a specialism in the design and build of laser lights shows.  Mo's Mr Fixit seemed the perfect choice for his birthday card this year.  If you like him, buy him now as he is in the retiring section of Mo's Digital Pencil and he is an absolute bargain.   A curly haired version is also available!

I gave Mr Fixit (aka Laser Man) a printed T Shirt, coloured him with Copics and teamed him with papers from American Crafts Studio Calico Heyday and Doodlebug Take Note.
The challenge at Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge is Anything Goes with a Mo image with the option of one for the Guys.  Come and play for a chance to win one of Mo's great images.

I'm entering my card in the challenges at
Sweet Stampin' - Fathers or Special Men; and
Watercooler Wednesday - All About Occasions

One for the (Lil' Hockey) Guys

I am in my final few weeks as a Guest Designer at Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge where the optional theme this month is "One for the Guys/Boys".   This is a card I made for my cousin's husband's 70th birthday.  He happens to be a Detroit Red Wings fan and I chose Mo's Lil' Hockey Guy, coloured with Copics, and added the Red Wings logo to his shirt.

This image is likely to be retiring soon so grab it while you can.  If you need any more incentive, Mo has a sale on this week too!

Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge for June is "One for the Guys"

It's June and it's time for a new challenge over at Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge.   You can enter with any new project as long as it showcases one of Mo Manning's fabulous images; rubber or digital, and the optional theme is "One for the Guys".     I coloured Paul Typing with Copics and teamed him up with some Theresa Collins  "He Said" papers.    My image is cut using a Simon Says Stamp Stitched Rectangle die and is accompanied by a Tim Holtz ticket stamped with a Papertrey Ink "birthday".  I added some little rivets for a bit of colour-coordinated masculine embellishment.
June is my last month as a Guest Designer on Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge.  I have enjoyed it soooooo much!

Another one For the Girls

You still have plenty of time to play along with Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge making anything with a Mo Manning image or following this month's optional theme of "For the Girls".   Here I have combined some lovely Simple Stories Vintage Bliss papers and Papertrey Ink Happy Birthday die cuts with Cara Chatting.

One for the girls and especially for our mothers!

I am soooooo enjoying an opportunity to colour up Mo Manning's fabulous images for Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge where this month's optional theme is to make "One for the Girls".   This is  something I made for my Mother.  The little wooden tag which reads "birth" could be flipped over out of sight and the "Happy Day" sentiment worked a long time after her birthday celebrations had finished.   
Sadly, my lovely Mum is no longer with us but she is always in my thoughts and as I never published this when I made it, I thought I would post it here now in time for Mother's Day in the USA.
I used Amanita, coloured with Copics, on an MDF Stand up Fence by Anna Marie Designs which I crackle glazed and embellished with lots of lovely garden-themed goodies from my stash.   
It's been a long time since I entered any challenges but I looked up some of my old favourites and I'm going to enter at Stamping Sensations where the theme is "In an English Country Garden" and Simon Says Stamp where the theme is "For a Special Lady".

"One For the Girls" with Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge

It is my second month as a Guest Designer for Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge and I am SOOOOO enjoying playing along with the uber talented design team.  We have a new challenge starting today and you can play along too.   This month's optional theme is to make something "For the Girls" but it's always also "Anything Goes" at Mo's as long as you use one of Mo Manning's fabulous images.  You can find her digital images in the store here or you can use one of her many rubber stamps.
I opted for less-is-more styling on my card today, using Tillie, coloured with Copics.  This cutie comes full length but I only used her top half in the hope of showcasing her beautiful curly hair! 

I used Spellbinder's Borderabilities Curved Dies S5-180 A2 to cut the My Mind's Eye "The Sweetest Thing - Tangerine" design paper.
Have a great week and May the 4th be with you.

Mo Manning is into Spring and Anything Goes

You still have until 1 May to enter the April Challenge at Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge where the theme is "Spring" or Anything Goes.  Don't forget to use a Mo Manning image.  I used "Sheep" - one of Mo's older images and one that is perfect for Spring.  I've seen a number of fields of sheep this past week including baby lambs.

I coloured my image with Copics having first printed it onto one of my own photographs of the sky.  I am forever taking photos of skies!
The leaves are cut using a Tim Holtz leaf die.
Also on my card are a Magnolia stone wall and a Sizzix Hero Arts (657782) bicycle stamp and die combo.  The sentiments are by Stamposaurus I think and cut using a tiny Stampin' Up punch.

It's Spring - time for a little nest building!

The weather here in the South of England is fabulous!  Such a rare treat for Easter.   Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge is still up and running with the optional theme of "Spring" or you can make anything you like as long as you use a Mo Manning image.   Spring is definitely in the air and the birdies in my garden are busily nest building giving me a perfect opportunity to showcase this card using Basic Grey Papers and Mo's lovely image called "New Nest" which comes with two new home sentiments!    I coloured my image with Copics and used Spellbinder's Borderabilities Curved Dies S5-180 A2 to cut the design paper.

Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge is Back with a Spring theme

I am absolutely determined to do more card making and what better reason could there be than joining in with Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge where it's always "Anything Goes" with the option this month of "Spring".

I used Mo's super fun "Feed the Soul" image, coloured in Copics and layered up with some coordinating  design papers.  What could be more Spring like than a bouquet of tulips!  We would love for you to play along with this month's challenge.

Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge is back with "Spring"

I could not be more excited!
Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge is back and I was asked if I would like a temporary guest appearance on their design team.   I did not need to be asked twice!   I LOVE Mo Manning's wonderful images and this coveted opportunity was just the kick start I needed to start blogging again after a two year break. 
So here is the card I made using Flower Jar from Mo's Digital Pencil which I have coloured with Copics.

I used some pretty "Stationery Noted" Teresa Collins papers together with a "Wonky Stitched Squares" die by My Favorite Things, "Prim Poppy" die by Memory Box, and Joy!crafts daisy "60030030" die.

I would so love it if you would leave me a comment here and then play along with the Challenge this month which is anything goes with the option of "SPRING"!