Library Reminder- Where the Red Fern Grows.

Time for a reminder at The Library. 
How's this for a literal interpretation of the challenge - 'Where the Red Fern Grows'? !
I had some stuff on my desk and noticed that some foliage in a Fiskars stamp set looked quite fern-like. So I stamped it in red ink! Also randomly on my desk was this puppy, already stamped and cut-out and ready for colouring, (It's from MFT). As the book is about dogs, I thought I'd combine it with the ferns and add a sentiment.

You can enter the challenge here. 

Don't eat the Green Cherry!

You may be wondering why that girl is holding a green cherry....

Well, this is the first time I've used this stamp and I was having a lot of fun colouring it in with Promarkers and the last thing I coloured was the ...err...apple.....and I thought I wouldn't colour it red because there's no other red in the picture so I'd go for a green apple.... !!! Why did I think she'd be holding an apple over a cake???!!!

I'd like to enter
Little Red Wagon 
I Love Promarkers 
My Time to Craft 

Inkspirational - Fauna

The word prompt at Inkspirational is 'Fauna'. 

For my DT card I stamped and paper-pieced an Avery Elle butterfly three times . From a Craftwork Cards set, I used a sentiment and a little filler stamp. I added highlights of clear Nuvo drops, sprinkled with fine glitter - doesn't really show in photo though! 

I'd like to enter:

Use Your Stuff 

Watercooler 
Stamping Sensations 

Penguin and Paper-piecing

...and this is my first Christmas card made in 2020! I used a digistamp from Mo's Digital Pencil, coloured with Promarkers and with a paper-pieced scarf.

I'd like to enter:
Christmas Kickstart 
Creative with Stamps 
Time Out Challenges  inpsired by colours
CD Sunday 

The Library Challenge - Where the Red Fern Grows

The new challenge at The Library has been chosen by Visiting Librarian Deb (aka DJ) and it's Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. I've not heard of this book before but it seems to be a children's classic in the US. My research (haha Google) tells me that this is a book about a boy and his dogs so that's what inspired my card. 

First, I made a background, inspired by the cover , using Distress Inks and lots of water.  Then I cut two unrelated die cuts on my Silhouette digital cutter and arranged them to make my scene. 

I'd like to enter:

Happy Little Stampers Watercolour

Challenge Up Your Life  anything goes 

Snowflake Generation

Don't be fooled into thinking that this is my first Christmas card for 2020.... in fact, it was the last one I made in 2019. However I made it so late that I neither blogged nor mailed it, so I suppose it will be a 2020 card after all.

I stamped the spots in various shades of blue and drew the snowflakes inside with a gel pen. The sentiment is Concord and 9th, and I added some Nuvo drops.

I'd like to enter:
Cardz4guyz blue
Just Us Girls 
Little Red Wagon  NBUS - it's the sentiment, from a brand new sentiment set.
Krafty Chicks  stamp act

Inkspirational Challenges - Photo

At Inkspirational , we have a photo to inspire you:

I used four different Christmas tree stamps from Lil Inker , plus filler stamps(Craftwork Cards), die cut and stamped sentiments and glitter drops. 

Hope you're all having a fabulous holiday season! 

The Library Challenge - Anthology

The new challenge at The Library is to pick any book, previously featured in The Library, as inspiration. I chose the book The Hobbit, which was the second challenge, back in March 2018.

I made these little gnome boxes (with chocs inside) for my neighbours' children. I used a cutting file and the Silhouette digital cutting machine.

I'd like to enter:
The Male Room 
Challenge up your Life  packaging
International Art and Soul 

Inkspirational - No Stamping

At Inkspirational , Anila has chosen the theme 'no stamping'. It's actually quite hard to do no stamping at all as the temptation (for me) is to stamp on a sentiment at the end! But I resisted!

For my DT card I used my Silhouette digital cutting machine and some cutting files from Lettering Delights. LD make fantastic cutting files which can be time-consuming as there is layer after layer to cut and assemble. I find using these kinds of files quite different to making a stamped card - it's more like using a knitting or sewing pattern where you follow the instructions and end up with something more or less that matches the photo on the packet.  My only variations really are to change the colours, add a few drops of gold liquid pearl and a die-cut sentiment. 

I hope you'll join in the challenge. 

I'd like to enter:

Die Cut Divas

Cut it Up

Fab n Funky 

52 CCT snowmen

The Library Challenge - Rupert Annual 1965

The new book at The Library is Rupert Annual 1965.  I have no recollection of reading any Ruper the Bear books or comic strips or TV shows but somehow I do know a song that goes' Rupert, Rupert the Bear, everyone knows his name...'! So I guess somewhere in the depths of my childhood I must have watched the TV programme. 

Anyway, I thought the cover was a great inspiration to combine two of my card-crafting faves: bears and snow. 

For my first card (top) I stamped the bear and sentiment, paper-pieced his outfit and coloured him in. I created the snow using stencils. 

I'd like to enter: 
Through the Purple Haze 
Sweet Stampin 
Time Out 

For my second card (above) I watercoloured using Lindy's Magicals powder pigments - although my watercolouring is dreadful, in real-life the shimmer from the paints kind of makes up for it. I added shading etc with a grey marker (I'm quite pleased with the footprints in the smow). and falling snow with a gel pen. The sentiment is from my new CCC holly set - I've used it a lot already , it's my new favourite.

I'd like to enter:
Krafty Chicks  fave stamp is the sentiment!
Cardz4Guys
My Time to Craft 
52CCT  watercolour