Cardinal Noel -- For Ching-Chou Kuik Digital Stamps

 It's Monday, and this is my day to post for the Ching-Chou Kuik Inspiration & Challenge Blog.  I feel so privileged to have the opportunity to work with these gorgeous works of art!

Today is the first time I'm using one of Ching-Chou Kuik's greyscale images.  I have to admit to being intimidated by it.  I wasn't sure what medium to use with it.  I originally thought I'd use watercolor, then decided at the last minute to go with colored pencils.  They are never my strong suit, so I'm not sure what possessed me, but I'm laying my soul bare here!

Here's Greyscale Cardinal:

I think it was the fact that there was so much real estate to color that intimidated me so much.  The cardinals were the easy part!  It was choosing colors and filling in all the rest of it that was the tough part for me!  But here it is.  After all is said and done, I will go for another greyscale image at some point.

The pretty paper behind the Greyscale Cardinal  is from We Are 3 Digital Shop. It is one of the Fairy Holiday papers.  The "Noel" sentiment is from The Scrapping Cottage. 

I hope you join in on the "Happy" Challenge at Ching-Chou Kuik.  For another challenge, and more inspiration, check out the CCK Facebook group. 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:

Morgan's Artworld -- ATG

Make My Monday -- Christmas Themed Card

Crafty Calendar Challenge -- Christmas

Think Positive, Stay Strong! for Bugaboo Stamps

It's Friday!  My favorite day of the week!  It's the  day that Bugaboo Stamps offers a freebie for all the many Bugaboo fans.  Yes, it's Freebie Friday!

Today's freebie is good for spring, get well, birthdays, encouragement, just about anything you'd like to use it for! Here's Dollar Flower Bug: 

I colored Dollar Flower Bug with Faber Castell color pencils on Kraft.  I really like to effect.  Then, I found some wild papers in the We Are 3 Digital Shop that I thought looked good with the Dollar Flower Bug image. They are the newly released Orange Lemonade papers. Aren't they cheerful!  The sentiment is also from We Are 3 Digital Shop.  It is one of the Encouraging Words sentiments. 

I used a sketch from Sketch Saturday for this card.  It was from about a month ago. The banner die is from Tonic Studios. 

There are many great examples of how to use this free image over on the Catch the Bug Blog today.  Check it out! Then, grab the freebie in the Bugaboo Stamps store, color it up, and enter it in some of  the Catch the Bug Challenges.  I'd love to see your creations, and you very well may win more awesome Bugaboo images.  How great is that?

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
D..L. Art -- April Linky Party
Outlawz Saturday Paper ala Mode -- Romantic Garden
Word Art Wednesday -- ATG
Not Just Cards -- ATG
Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday Challenge -- Bugs, Blooms, and Butterflies

Brighten the Darkest Day -- for Colour Crazy Challenge Blog

It's Friday, and that means a new challenge is starting today over on the Colour Crazy Challenge Blog. Every Friday, a new challenge begins.  They are always anything goes, as longs as your image is hand colored, using whatever medium you prefer.

Our sponsor this week is Fred She Said Designs. Perfect for spring, get well cards, sympathy cards, birthday cards, encouragement cards, ANY type of cards is this beautiful digi, African violets.  I used it to create this encouragement card:

I colored the African Violet image with Faber Castell color pencils on Kraft.  I really like the look.   The front stepper card is a die from Sizzix.

Papers and sentiment  are from We Are 3 Digital Shop.  The papers are from the Rainbow Skies Collection. The sentiment is one of sentiments in the Encouraging Words sentiment set.

A little twine  from May Arts finished off the card.

I hope you join us at Colour Crazy Challenge Blog for this week's challenge.  Every challenge runs for 2 weeks, so if you want to get in on the challenge with this week's wonderful sponsor, you have 2 weeks! 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Through the Purple Haze -- ATG
TTCRD -- ATG
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends -- ATG
Outlawz Festive Friday -- ATG

Ladybug Thank You -- For Bugaboo Stamps

It's challenge time at Catch the Bug Challenges, using Bugaboo Stamps!  Today begins a week-long bingo challenge.  It's an easy bingo card for you to follow along with.

First, my card, then, I'll show you the bingo card:

I used the very versatile image, Thank You Flower, to create my card:

I love the look of colored pencils on Kraft, so I thought I would do that on this challenge.  The Thank You Flower is a very easy color. I used Faber Castell pencils to get this look.

Here's the bingo card:

I went diagonally (stitching, Bugaboo image, flower) or straight across the bottom (stitching, twine, sentiment).

Papers on this card are from We Are 3 Digital Shop.  I used a paper from both the Ladybug Lace and the Ladybug Lace Too collections.  The "stitching" was accomplished by using a Spellbinders die. I added the twine using some I purchased through Really Reasonable Ribbon.

I hope you can join us this week for our bingo challenge at Catch the Bug!  I'd love to see your creations, and there are wonderful prizes up for grabs! 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Polkadoodles Challenge-- ATG
QKR Stampede -- ATG
D.L. Art -- April Linky Party
Outlawz Festive Fridays -- ATG

A Krafty Snowman -- for the 12 Months of Christmas Link Up

September 1 -- a new month, and another month closer to Christmas! If you make any Christmas cards this month, link them up over at the 12 Months of Christmas Link Up.  You can link up any themed card, but we do have alternate themes.  If you want to win this month's featured paper pack, you need to use the alternate theme -- Kraft paper -- somewhere on your card.

Our sponsor this month is Pattie's Creations.  I colored up this darling Snowman 1, knowing it would look wonderful on Kraft paper!

Was I right?  Isn't Snowman 1 adorable?  I love the look of colored pencils on Kraft paper, so I colored Snowman 1 with Faber Castell colored pencils.  

We are sponsored every month by Decosse's Dynamite Doodles.  Lisa creates the papers you can win for following the alternate theme.   The word art paper that I used as the background paper on this card is from her Snow Much Fun kit. 

I used the current sketch at the Outlawz Wednesday Sketch Challenge on this.  Here's the sketch:

I used several dies from Spellbinders dies for the circles and the scalloped circles.  The snowflakes are cut out with dies from Lawn Fawn. 

As you make Christmas cards this month, don't forget to link up at The 12 Months of Christmas, and make a Kraft card or 2!  You'll want to win our great prizes from our wonderful sponsors!

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Outlawz Wednesday Sketch Challenge --ends Sept. 3
Outlawz Festive Fridays -- Christmas
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge -- ATG

Gingerbread Christmas -- for the 12 Months of Christmas

June 1, and I'm slowly getting some Christmas cards made.  June 1 means it's time for another link up at the 12 Months of Christmas.  This month, the alternate theme is "Gingerbread", but you can always link up anything Christmas.   Our wonderful sponsor this month is Beccy's Place.

I used the gingerbread house, and 2 of the words from the Gingerbread Digital Stamps set to create this:

I printed the Gingerbread house on kraft paper, then colored the Gingerbread house with Faber Castell polychromos pencils.  The sentiments, also from the Gingerbread Digital Stamps set, have a sparkly pen added for accent, but it's hard to see in the picture.

Decosse's Dynamite Doodles sponsors the 12 Months of Christmas Link Up each month with a set of Christmas papers.  I used 2 of her papers on this card.  They were both from her annual 12 Days of Christmas celebration.  These are from 2015.  To be eligible to get her papers this month, link up 2 Christmas cards.  

I hope you join us this month as the 12 Months of Christmas Link Up.  To be eligible for the wonderful prize from our sponsor, Beccy's Place, link up a card with the gingerbread theme. 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Winter Wonderland -- Anything But Square
Outlawz Festive Fridays -- Christmas
Christmas at Sweet Stampin' -- ATG -- optional snowflakes

Loving is Easy -- for Path of Positivity Challenge Blog

It's the 3rd Monday of the month, so it's time for a bit of mid-challenge inspiration on the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog.  This month, the optional theme is "Love".  That's an easy one for February!

We have 2 sponsors this month -- Beccy's Place and Scribbles Designs.  I used products from both of them on this card: 

I printed the Nasturtium and Loving More sentiment directly unto the frame.  Then, I colored the Nasturtium with Faber-Castell colored pencils. 

Papers on this card are from Heartfelt Creations.  I added foil to one of the papers to give the card more of a "wow" factor for the recipient.  The ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon.  I'm really enjoying their 3/8 inch ribbons.  They are perfect for cards. 

You can win prizes for both our wonderful sponsors.  Simply link up a project that fits into the optional "Love" category at Path of Positivity Challenge Blog. 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Colour Crazy Color Challenge -- ATG (as long as it's colored)
D.L. Art -- February Linky Party
Pattie's Creation -- Love, Love, Love
Beccy's Place Challenge -- ATG

Autumn Scarecrow -- for QKR Stampede

It's Friday!  Time for a new challenge at QKR Stampede challenge blog.  Every Friday, there's a new challenge, every Friday, the challenges are Anything Goes.

It's Autumn.  The leaves are all but fallen where I live, and things are looking bare.  However, we're still enjoying pumpkin patches, scarecrows, and we're gearing up for Halloween.  Today, I'm featuring a very sweet scarecrow from QKR Stampede. This is, simply, Scarecrow (Q-digi18801):

I colored the Scarecrow with Faber-Castell Polychromos pencils.  I used cutting dies by Lawn Fawn to cut out the Scarecrow and back him. 

Papers on this card are from We Are 3 Digital Shop.  There's 2 papers on the card, both from the Seasonal Backgrounds paper collection. 

I hope this card inspires you to join in on the QKR Stampede Anything goes challenge this week!  I'd love to see what you make, and we've got great digis you could win -- like this one! 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Daisy Chain Challenge -- Autumn/Fall
Dies R Us Challenge -- Anything Fall
PDE Linky Party -- Anything Cards
D.L. Art Thankful Thursday -- Fall Colors

I've Got Your Back -- for Sasayaki Glitter Stamps

It's the middle of the month, and it's time for some mid-challenge inspiration on the Sasayaki Glitter Challenge Blog.  The theme this month is Halloween/Harvest.

I used Sasayaki Glitter's image #64, Naughty Alien, to create this:

I colored Naughty Alien with Faber-Castel Polychromos pencils.  Once I got done, I wasn't sure if the Naughty Alien looked expertly shaded, or if he looked like a 5 year old picked up the pencils and colored!  Oh well, I had fun either way.

The sentiment was computer generated.  Papers on this card are from Echo Park. 

I hope you can join us this month at Sasayaki Glitter Challenge Blog.  There's still plenty of time to enter our Halloween/Harvest themed challenge.  

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:

D.L. Art -- October Linky Party

Not Just Cards -- ATG

A2Z Scrapbooking Challenge -- Frightfully Fun

A Bit More Time to Craft -- ATG

Heartfelt Thanks -- for QKR Stampede Challenge Blog

It's Friday!  Fri-yay!  That means it's time for a new challenge on the QKR Stampede Challenge blog, where there's a new challenge every week, and every challenge is Anything Goes! 

I got out my colored pencils for this week's card, and used the Eureka Stamps digi, Waterfall Border (ES-digi37401) to create this: 

Once the image was colored with Faber-Castell Polychromos pencils, I backed it with black card stock.  Then, I used 2 digital papers from the We Are 3 Digital Shop, At The Beach.  The sentiment is an acrylic stamp from Craftin' Desert Divas.  The aqua shimmer trim is from Close To My Heart. 

I hope you're able to join the challenge this week at QKR Stampede Challenge Blog.  I'd love to see your creations, and we've got great digis you can win! 

Think Fall! -- for QKR Stampede Challenge Blog

Here we are to the first Friday in October!  This month is flying by, just like the leaves, flying by my window on the wind!  
Since it's Friday, it's time for a new challenge at QKR Stampede Challenge Blog -- every Friday, always Anything Goes!

This week, I used Fall Leaf Oval (ES-digi27002) to create this:

I colored Fall Leaf Oval with Faber-Castell Polychromos Pencils.  I cut it out and backed it with a couple of Spellbinders dies.  The background paper is digital.  I found it at Snap Click Supply.  I don't remember where I got the squirrel die anymore, but I use it often on Fall cards.  The card base is an SVG file from Pretty Paper Pretty Ribbons.  The crinkle ribbon is from 3 Girl JAM (out of business).

I hope you have an opportunity to join in on our Anything Goes challenge this week at QKR Stampede Challenge Blog.  I'd love to see what you make, and we've got great digis you could win! 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Pattie's Creations -- AT Fall
Alphabet Challenge -- 'N' is for Nature
Colour Crazy Challenge -- ATG
D.L. Art Thankful Thursday -- Fall Colors

Halloween Magic -- for Scrapbook Stamp Society

Hello, stamping friends.  It's my day to be on the Scrapbook Stamp Society blog.

This is img008, You Drive Me Batty,  colored with Faber-Castell Polychromos pencils:

I thought I'd go for a "wild" skin tone, since it's Halloween, and a good time to experiment a bit!  

Papers and sentiment on this card are from the We Are 3 Digital Shop.  The background paper is from the Orange Retro Collection. The moon was cut out of the Fairy Delights paper Collection, and the clouds are from the Best of Autumn Collection.  The sentiment is from the Halloween Sentiments Set. 

There are lots of great Halloween images in the My Besties Shop.  Grab them and get coloring! 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
D.L. Art -- October Linky Party
Digichoosday -- ATG
Crafty Sentiments -- ATG

Scrapbook Stamp Society Challenge Blog -- ATG

My Besties Aussie Challenge -- ATG

My Besties Dutch Girl Challenge -- ATG

Colour It Create It Show it Off -- ATG

My Besties International -- ATG

My Besties Scandinavian -- Fall
My Besties 3D -- ATG

Scared Silly -- for Sasayaki Glitter Challenges

Woohoo!  Time for another challenge at Sasayaki Glitter Challenge Blog!  I'm always so excited when I get to color up a Sasayaki Glitter digital stamp!  I love how cute the images are!  

This month, the challenge theme is Halloween/Harvest.  I used the very fun Monster Family digital stamp to create this:

I colored Monster Family with Faber-Castell colored pencils. The sentiment was from an old Close To My Heart acrylic stamp set. The black stars and heart embellishments are also from Close To My Heart.  

Papers on this card are digital.  They are from We Are 3 Digital Shop. The orange spider web paper is one of this month's new releases -- Web Works.  The purple background paper is from the Best of Autumn Collection. 

I hope you are able to join us this month at Sasayaki Glitter Challenges for our Halloween/Autumn challenge.  I'd love to see what you make, and we've got great digis that you can win! 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
D.L. Art -- October Linky Party
Digichoosday -- ATG
Crafty Sentiments -- ATG

Quoth the Raven -- for SheepSki Designs Monthly Challenge

October 1st -- here we go with another month!  This year will be over before I knew it started!
October 1st -- the start of a new challenge at Sheepski Designs Challenge Blog.  This month's theme is fantasy/wings.  

I used the spectacular SheepSki Designs digital stamp, Mel's Crow, to create this:

I colored Mel's Crow with Faber Castell colored pencils.  The Edgar Allen Poe quote was computer generated.  The black gems are from Close To My Heart. 

Papers on this card are from We Are 3 Digital Shop. The orange spider web paper is a new release, just hitting the shop today.  It's called Web Works.  The other purple paper is from the Halloween Collection. 

I hope you find time this month to join us at SheepSki Designs fantasy/wings challenge.  I'd love to see your creation, and you've got all month.  There's fantastic digis to win for prizes -- like this one! 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Dragonfly Journeys -- Happy Halloween
D.L. Art -- October Linky Party
Pink Gem Challenge -- Halloween