Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge with Winky

This month at Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge we want you to use our sketch with one of Mo Manning's lovely images.

I actually have no idea where my time goes these days.  Suddenly it was the birthday of one of my great nieces and I had to make a card for her in double quick time.  I chose this gorgeous Winky because she seems to exhibit exactly the attitude of my 6 year old recipient.

There is lots of lovely inspiration from my teamies and we really would love to see you grab a Mo Manning image and come and play along with our sketch this month.

I am additionally going to enter my card into the challenges at Crafty Creations #409 for "Anything Goes" and also Creative Inspirations who want us to use something "Feminine"

Mo's Digital Pencil Sketch Challenge

We have a new theme at

Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge

We want you to use the sketch pictured below
 with a Mo's image

It was my FiL's birthday yesterday.   He is being well looked after in a care home but we have been unable to visit for over six weeks.   The Home made a special exception, allowing The Hubster into their garden yesterday so at least they could see each other through the window while Tom called his Pa and spoke to him on the phone. 
I have used Going Up Boy from Mo's retired section but it IS still available to buy. It's important to tell you that this cutie and his monkey did not have masks in Mo's original art work but I asked her if I could add the masks and she very kindly gave me specific permission to do so.     Mo's images come with a strict policy not permitting changes and I'm very grateful to her for explicitly permitting me to make these small alterations to her lovely image.  I have asked her if she will bring Going Up Boy and Going Up Girl out of retirement wearing masks.  If enough of us ask her perhaps she will and then you too can use these cuties for your Lockdown Birthday cards! 
I used a variety of different dies and my new blending brushes for my inks.  I got mine from Tracy at Dies to Die for.  I love these clouds.   I learned how to do them at a Make & Take at Farnborough craft show with Faye Wynn-Jones in February. 

There is lots of lovely inspiration from my teamies and we really would love to see you grab a Mo Manning image and come and play along with us.  Do also check out Mo's other sites ...

* Dream Team Blog HERE for inspiration

* Mo's Facebook Clubhouse HERE, and
* Mo's "Patreon" Page HERE 

I am entering my card into the following challenges
Make My Monday #121 - Use a Digi Stamp
Watercooler Wednesday #269, Crafty Creations #408 and Krafty Chicks #505- Anything Goes; and
Aud Sentiments #250 - Masculine + a sentiment

Great News!

I could NOT be more excited!   Since I started crafting with digital stamps in earnest, it has been my dream to secure a spot on the Design Team at Mo's Digital Pencil and I've just been asked to become a member of Mo's Dream Team.  I'm sooooooo delighted although a little anxious too because the talent on that team is awesome!
The other bit of great news is that I think - and I'm still being cautiously optimistic - I have finally recovered from my brush with Corona Virus!   I was horribly sick for eleven days with fever and fierce  aches and pains and I've had a monster cough for over a month which FINALLY seems to be getting better.  Hooray!
In view of my recent illness I hope I will be forgiven if my first card is a very simple one.  I have used Kiss Me.  He looks just how my lovely Hubster has looked for the last month!

I am entering my card into the following challenges:
Watercooler Wednesday - 268 Dawn's All About Occasions;
Cute Card Thursday - 631 Dotty;
Krafty Chicks - 504 All Occasions;
Aud Sentiments - 249 Birthday; and
Crafty Creations - 408 Anything Goes

Mo's Digital Pencil Green Challenge

We have a new theme at

Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge

We want you to go
"Green" with a Mo's image

I have used this fabulous critter and coloured him in Copics .    My little banners have been embossed with some Crocodile-like textures and the sentiment was Word processed.    You can purchase Tick Tock Croc in Mo's Digital Pencil Shop here and if you are a real Peter Pan fan, Mo's shop has the Darling children, Nana, Hook and Smee as well as Peter.   My crocodile papers are Echo Park Lost in Neverland.

There is lots of lovely inspiration from my teamies and we really would love to see you grab a Mo Manning image and come and play along with us.  Do also check out Mo's other sites ...

* Dream Team Blog HERE for inspiration

* Mo's Facebook Clubhouse HERE, and

* Mo's "Patreon" Page HERE

I am entering my card into the challenges at
Cute Card Thursday #624 Anything Goes; Krafty Chicks #497 Stamp Act; and Crafty Creations #407 Anything Goes.

Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge...Love

We are well into our "Love" theme at Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge but there is still plenty of time to enter for a chance to win one of Mo Manning's fabulous images available from her shop here.
Today I am posting a card using the delightful Eva.
I'm not sure that a baby in a little black number looks quite right but I dressed her to coordinate with the lovely design paper and of course her fabulous black shoes!

Do please come and play along with us and showcase some of your own LOVE using a Mo Manning image.

I am entering my card into the following challenges...
Simon Says Stamp - Two or more Patterned Papers;
Stamping Sensations - Feminine; and
Crafty Creations -#406 and Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes;

Heart You!

Happy February!    Today is the first day that the UK and Northern Ireland are outside of the European Union since 1973.   I voted to remain in the EU but was unhappy with how difficult the EU made our departure and I move into this new era with an open mind and an open heart.   On a lighter and more enjoyable note, today is also the start of a new theme at

Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge

We want you to show some
"Love" with a Mo's image

I have used this gorgeous little cutie who can be coloured up as a boy or, in my case, a girl.  You can purchase Heart You in Mo's Digital Pencil Shop here.

I used some Marianne Design foliage dies and lots of lovely pink and grey papers from my stash, together with store-bought flowers and some eyelets.

There is lots of lovely inspiration from my teamies and we really would love to see you grab a Mo Manning image and come and play along with us.  Do also check out Mo's other sites ...

* Dream Team Blog HERE for inspiration

* Mo's Facebook Clubhouse HERE, and

* Mo's "Patreon" Page HERE

I am entering my card into the challenges at
Creative Inspirations - Something old, something new - I'm using my new Marianne dies here as well as a previously unused Mo Manning image and my papers and flowers are from my stash;
Crafty Creations - #405, and Krafty Chicks #492 - Anything goes;
Watercooler Wednesday - #256 Kath's All about occasions;
Anything Goes at Simon Says Stamp, and Aud Sentiments #243;
Cute Card Thursday - #619 Valentine's; and
Time Out - #154 Affectionate

Something New

My poor FiL had to move suddenly owing to the closure of the care home where he is a resident.   I had just enough time to make a second card for

Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge 

where our January challenge is for

"Something New" with a Mo Manning image

I used "New Nest" which you can find here, coloured with Copics and teamed with some little die cut birdhouses.  I couldn't resist staging my card with some cute little birdhouse wooden buttons but I just couldn't bring myself to actually use them on the card and give them away.  You have until 9am on Wednesday to play along with us at Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge. We would love to see you and  you might even win one of Mo's images!

Sadly my new year didn't start so well.  My pc monitor went dark necessitating a new one and my combination oven microwave gave up the ghost after 14 years of loyal service.  My car had recently suffered from condensation on the inside of the windows and the garage has estimated the repair to be at least £900!!!   Hopefully that's my three things out of the way.
I did have a birthday though and I thoroughly enjoyed my celebrations.  I'm looking forward to a great year ahead!

New Beginnings

A New Year, a new decade and a new challenge at

Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge
"Something New" with a Mo's image

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season with lots of love and laughter in your households.  It's hard to believe it is 2020!   It seems only a short time ago that I was celebrating the new millennium!  
I saw this quote somewhere at the back end of the last decade and it really resonated with me. I'm sorry I am unable to attribute it. 

Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing!

So my new year's resolution this year is to take responsibility for my actions (and perhaps more importantly my inactions) and to make some changes.   

Of course I am still very mindful of my view about new year's resolutions which is to think of them more as "casual promises to myself that I'm under no obligation to fulfill" (another borrowed quote that I am unable to attribute I'm afraid) so it will be interesting to see which motto wins out!

For my card today, I have used Mo's fabulous Bird (and Monster) which you can find here.  I just love the perspective Mo has used for this guy.  I am celebrating his obvious sensitive side with my choice of pastel colours for his clothing!

There is lots of lovely inspiration from my teamies and we really would love to see you grab a Mo Manning image and come and play along with us.  Do also check out Mo's other sites ...

* Dream Team Blog HERE for inspiration

* Mo's Facebook Clubhouse HERE, and

* Mo's "Patreon" Page HERE

I am entering my card into the challenges at Cute Card Thursday #615 -"Anything Goes", Simon Says Stamp - "Something New", and Creative Inspirations - "Something New or Something Old".  This is a new stamp for me and a new challenge for you.   I hope you have a happy year ahead!

Winter is here!

It's the first Saturday of the month and we have a new theme at

Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge which is 
"Winter"

I was in Florida for my holidays and only in England a few short days before heading out to Prague, Czech Republic for business (and I admit it, some pleasure also).  I had very little time to make my card between unpacking and packing again but I just managed to quickly colour Mo's adorable Fairy Merry and pop her onto some lovely Bo Bunny papers from my collection.  The die cut mittens are from Memory Box and the snowflakes are by Tim Holtz for Sizzix I believe.  The sentiment comes free with the image!

I'm going to enter my card into the following challenges:
Helen's Feminine Anything Goes theme at Watercooler Wednesday #250; Anything Goes at Everybody Art #459; Cute Card Thursday #611; Sir Stampalot and Crafty Creations #403; Festive Fun at Creative Inspirations; Merry & Cheerful at Time Out #150; Christmas at Fusion and last but not least Christmas or Winter at Aud Sentiments #241
There is lots of lovely inspiration from my teamies HERE on our challenge page
and we really would love to see you grab a bona fide Mo Manning image and come and play along with us.  Do also check out Mo's other sites ...

* Dream Team Blog HERE for daily inspiration

* Mo's Facebook Clubhouse HERE for contests, sneak peeks, and sharing, and
* Mo's "Patreon" Page HERE

There is always something to be thankful for

 You still have plenty of time to play along with our theme at Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge which is 

"Give Thanks"

I combined two of Mo Manning's stunning images to create one merged picture which I coloured with Copics.   Meet Nathaniel and Prudence.  I enjoyed making a lightly cloudy background with my Distress Inks and teamed it with DCWV Sweater Weather papers which are just perfect for Thanks Giving.   My sentiment is by Ranger.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Aud Sentiments 240 who want to see a Thank You sentiment; {PIN}spirational 251 which has a picture of what could be a pumpkin pie; Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge which is looking for a Thank You or Thanks Giving theme; Fusion who have a sketch which I have not used but also a thankful sentiment for inspiration; and Crafty Creations 402 who have an Anything Goes theme.

We would love for you to pick one of Mo Manning's fabulous digital images from her store here  or one of her bona fide stamped images and play along with us.

Thank You - Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge

Last Saturday we started a new "Give Thanks" theme at Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge and I became hooked on painting pumpkins. This week I have coloured, in Copics, Mo's lovely image called "Amity" which you can find here.  Isn't she adorable!

I have used DCWV "Sweater Weather" papers and some Leane Creatief Lea'bilitie Autumn Leaves and Acorns die cuts. The large bold Thank You and the scalloped edge die are by MFT.

We would love it if you would come and play along using one of Mo's digital images or one of her bona fide rubber stamps from her chosen partner companies.

I am entering my card into the following challenges...

{PIN}spiration 251 with a photo of what could be a pumpkin pie 

Watercooler Wednesday 246 "Tristan's Feminine Anything Goes" 

Cute Card Thursday 607 "Anything Goes" 

and "Guy Fawkes and Other Celebrations" at Sweet Stampin who are celebrating their 10th birthday.  Happy Birthday ladies.  I used to be on your team many years ago!

Thankful for Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge #285

One minute we were in October and the next minute it's November!  Last month just flew by and here we are with a new theme at

Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge which is 
"Let's Give Thanks"

Whereas I love, love, love all of Mo Manning's cute characters, my card today needed a more serious note of gratitude so I purchased "Pick of the Patch" which comes with an adorable little girl who has found her perfect pumpkin but I just used some of her pumpkins and not the girl herself.  Instead, I merged her pumpkins with the bonus image which came with it and created a larger pumpkin pile which I attempted to watercolour with my Zig Clean Color Real Brush pens.  I have very limited skills and almost no experience of watercolouring and it's harder than it looks but by teaming the image with some pretty papers (which I think are DCWV Sweater Weather) and a PTI thankful die, I achieved my goal of a non-cutesy card.

I'm going to enter my card into the following challenges:
Aud Sentiments #239 - Anything Goes (with a Sentiment); Simon Says Stamp Wednesday, Water Cooler Wednesdays #245 and Crafty Creations #401 all of which have Anything Goes; and Time Out - where one of the inpsirational words are "Dream Big, Be Grateful, Give Love, Laugh Lots".  There is lots of lovely inspiration from my teamies and we really would love to see you grab a Mo Manning image and come and play along with us.  Do also check out Mo's other sites ...

* Dream Team Blog HERE for daily inspiration

* Mo's Facebook Clubhouse HERE for contests, sneak peeks, and sharing, and
* Mo's "Patreon" Page HERE

Spooky!

This month's theme at Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge is "Autumn Colours"  and we have a photo to inspire you.

I made the following Thank You card for dear friends who are always so welcoming when they invite us to their lovely home.  The Hubster thought a coffin with our message of gratitude might be taking the theme a little too far but I thought it was fun! 

I used Crow's Roost, on a background of ghoulish clouds of my own making. I merged in some leaves from one of Mo's other images.   I concentrated on the greens in this photo and  and added some hand coloured punched leaves and a Martha Stewart punched fence before stamping the sentiment on a Hampton Art die cut coffin.
You still have time to enter into this month's challenge at Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge.  Check out these sites and come and play along...

* Dream Team Blog HERE for daily inspiration

* Mo's Facebook Clubhouse HERE for contests, sneak peeks, & sharing your creations

* Mo's "Patreon" Page HERE

I am entering my card into the following challenges...

The Male Room - 122 Halloween; Simon Says - Fall/Autumn Colours; Crafty Creations - 401 Anything Goes; Water Cooler Wednesdays - 244 Helen's All about Occasions; Pinspiration - 250 (with a Halloween theme); Creative Inspirations - Masculine or Halloween/Autumn; and Sir Stampalot - Trees, Leaves, Autumn

All Hallows Eve with Lavinia and Brushos

I've been tidying my Craft Croft.  I use the term "tidying" somewhat loosely as I think what I have really been doing is "shuffling".  I'm kind of moving stuff around.  I need a bespoke storage system for my stamps and dies which are currently spread across the floor in a variety of not quite right storage boxes.  It's an ongoing project but it meant I didn't get around to posting this card sooner.
A couple of weekends ago I attended a local craft workshop with a talented crafter, Karen Telfer, and a lovely team of ladies.  We were using oxide inks, gel plates and brushos to make backgrounds and Lavinia stamps for foregrounds.  It was my first attempt with these inky backgrounds.

I took a break from my tidying to finish my card and play along with some challenges.   I used Lavinia Backround Script and Sacred Tree (on the horizontal) for my branches with the Crow Set and a Fairy Web.  Since the class I have also added a Memory Box gravestone border die cut behind a Martha Stewart punched fence and some Tim Holtz Sizzix Bigz street lamps before adding a simple doodle-style sentiment. 
In addition to Lavinia's All Hallows Eve Challenge, I am entering my card into the following challenges

Krafty Chicks - #476 Bewitched

Water Cooler Wednesdays - #242 Marsha's All Occasions 

Aud Sentiments #237 and Cute Card Thursday #603 - Halloween/Fall

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Fall/Autumn, Sweet Stamping - Autumn Colours/Harvest and Stamping Sensations - trees, leaves, Autumn

Mo's Digital Pencil October Challenge Autumn Colours Photo Inspiration

I've been away on holiday for a couple of weeks and then had a really full schedule since my return but now it's the first Saturday of the month and time for another chance to play along at Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge where we have this photo to inspire you.

So we would like you to use "Autumn Colours"

Meet Cupcake Monster and his team of seven friendly candle bearers all of whom come separately for you to create your own picture.  I let this fun crowd be the stars of my card.  I coloured them up with Copics and just teamed them with some American Crafts Dots and Stripes coloured paper, some Echo Park DF102041 Footprints and a Papertrey Ink number 7 which is made up from paper scraps laid on the horizontal before die-cutting the number.  The sentiment comes with Mo's fun image.  I couldn't resist adding some "googly eyes" to make this guy even more fun for the 7 year old recipient.
I am entering my card into the following challenges:

{PIN}spriational #248 - who have a pretty leafy picture with hues of red orange and green

Cute Card Thursday #602 and Crafty Creations #399 - where its anything goes

We look forward to seeing your entries this month.