I hope you all have been finding inspiration from what the DT has been showcasing in the Penny Black blog.

Today’s challenge is to reinterpret a winter themed card into a spring card.

I decided to use this card I made back in November:

SUPPLIES Stamps: (all Penny Black) A Cool Christmas; Joy to the World; Let it Snow Inks: (all Ranger Ink) Distress Inks; Archival Ink (Jet Black) Other: Poly Sparkle Embossing Powder (Ranger); Swan Flock Powder (Martha Stewart); Gems (Michaels); Glossy Accents (Ranger); Rock Candy Stickles (Ranger); Prismacolor Pencils

I knew I wanted to use this beautiful background stamp.  I first colored it and then tried to figure out what image I would be using from the Spring release and the color scheme.  I was kinda at a loss and decided to use this picture to help me choose my colors:

Here is my Spring card with this color interpretation:

SUPPLIES Stamps: (All Penny Black) Garden Critters; Sweetness; To You Coloring: Watercolor Pencils (Derwent); Prismacolor Pencils; Black Dye Ink (Hero Arts) Other: Versamark (Tsukineko); Clear Embossing Powder (Ranger); Embossing Folder (Provocraft); Gems (Michaels)

I used watercolor paper for the background stamp.  The image was clear embossed and colored with watercolor pencils.  I wanted an image to complement the background with an image from Garden Critters and what better than the cute little mouse shoveling the flower bed!  This image was colored with Prismacolor pencils, then fussy cut and finally adhered with dimensional foam.  Finally I added the sentiment from the clear set, To You (30-067) and added  a few gems.

Thanks for looking!

Today’s challenge is to use the color scheme from this picture:

http://twolivecolorfully.com/2012/03/25/our-bright-and-colorful-spring-mantle/

Here is my interpretation in a Easter card:

SUPPLIES Stamps Chick to Chick (Penny Black) Other: Prismacolor Pencils; Black Dye Ink (Hero Arts); Glossy Accents (Ranger); Rock Candy Distress Stickles (Ranger), Banner Die (WPlus9); Corner Rounder (We R Memory Keepers); Scoring Board (Martha Stewart); Washi Tape (Michaels)

I used the very cute clear set, Chick to Chick (30-150).  The image of the 3 chicks on the 3 eggs was colored with Prismacolor Pencils and then fussy cut.  I added glossy accents to the first and third eggs and Distress Rock Candy Stickles to the middle.  I wanted to add more interest to the small card panel other than this chick image and decided to selectively stamp flowers from another image.  It looks as if the chicks are being showered by flowers!  I did the same to the sentiment banner using flowers from that same image. Green washi tape was also added to the small card panel to mimic grass.  Finally, I scored lines on the larger card panel  for texture and rounded the corners on both card panels and card.

Come and visit the Penny Black blog fore more inspiration!

No you are not in the wrong place; I did make this three layer card which includes patterned paper, buttons and thread!

I have pinned and admired several cards which line up strips of patterned paper to make lovely designs.
A Christmas one, a Floral one and a similar idea

Mine is a little more patchwork looking as I didn’t stick with an analogous colour scheme. The background for my card is made with the stamp Dots in Space which I inked in red, blue, green and yellow then stamped once on another panel before making the muted impression you see above. I used the same inks to sponge the edge of the pennants and the background panel. I know the sentiment really needs a cupcake to go along with it but I liked the size and shape so it got the job.  I’ll be back with more of my usual soon…

Supplies:

Stamps: Friendship, Dots in Space(Penny Black)
Inks:  Memento Lady Bug, Bamboo Leaves, Dandelion, Danube Blue & Versafine Spanish Moss (Tsukineko)
Cardstock: Penny Black Mix & Match Papers Olive Grove, Madison Designer Paper

I’m sure many of you are ready for Spring.  How about something happy and bright?

This week the Penny Black DT will be showcasing cards using the new Spring stamps that were made available last Friday.  

Today’s challenge is to create a card using fussy cutting, punches and/or dies.  Here is what I came up with:

SUPPLIES Stamps: (all Penny Black) Garden Critters; Salutations Coloring: Black Dye Ink (Hero Arts); Prismacolor Pencils; Dylusions Ink Sprays – Cut Grass, London Blue, Pure Sunshine (Ranger); Heidi Swapp Color Shine – Primrose (Pink Paislee); Broken China Reinker (Ranger); Mini Mister (Ranger) Dies: High Rise Alphabet Dies (Lifestyle Crafts); Aida Impression Plate (PTI)

I decided to use the new set, Garden Critters (30-152) to create an Easter card.  I love all Hedgie stamps and I thought it would be great to highlight the image in the word Spring.   The image was colored with Prismacolor Pencils and then fussycut.  I individually sprayed a different color on each die-cut letter.  To add texture to the card, I ran the card panel and a impression plate through my die cutting machine.  The individual letters and image were adhered with dimensional foam tape.  Finally, I selectively stamped the word “happy” from a sentiment from the Salutations (30-014) clear set.

Come and visit the Penny Black blog this week for more Spring inspiration!

I have been having fun with watercolour techniques again. My inspiration for this panel came from at some beautiful paintings by Kristy Patterson where she has painted in watercolour over text. Often when I use the letter background stamp I use it only on sections of my panel or collage. This time I stamped it across the whole panel of watercolour paper first in Versafine Vintage Sepia which is waterproof. I switched to Memento inks for the tulips so I could blend the inks with as much water as necessary. My watercolouring method is a little different each time so it’s hard to describe. I started by painting water onto the panel then inking the tulip stamp in green and red before stamping it three times. I immediately blended some of the ink as it bled and pooled but also used red and orange watercolour pencils to add more colour and restamped the tulips a few times too. Once I was happy with the tulips I ran a nautical blue memento ink pad around the perimeter of the panel and immediately used water to pull  the ink  to surround the tulips.

Maybe you are already seeing tulips where you live; it will be a couple more months before we do!

Supplies:

Stamps: Blooming Garden, Letter Background, Edge to Edge (PB)
Inks: Memento Nautical Blue, Cottage Ivy, Love letter & Versafine Vintage Sepia, Majestic Blue (Tsukineko)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper,  Spring Meadow Mix & Match Papers
Also: Faber-Castell watercolour pencils

Today my stamp collecting Nan and I spent 5 hours sorting out her swaps for my collection and other stamps that even she hadnt got round to sorting. We still haven’t finished but anyway, I came across the 150th Anniversary of the Penny Black issue stamp and was curious about the details. How much its worth etc, as we have quite a few of them. I found it on the 1990 page and as all of ours our used looked in this column first. Im sure it said it was worth a £1, I then looked in the Mint value column and regardless of how much it actually was in the used column, i know it was worth half as much Mint. How did a Mint stamp, that has never been used become worth less than a stamp that would of been stuck to a piece of paper, probably franked, then some years later maybe soaked off of that piece of paper and then hinged into someones album?

I believe, this has happened because we don’t take the time to do anything anymore. We don’t take the time to write a heart felt letter to a loved one about a snippet of our lifes. I reckon, in 1990, more philatelists brought this stamp in Presentation Packs (mint) than people did use it to actually send a letter or card. This is a sorry state of affairs.

When was the last time you sent a letter? Or took the time to appreciate the Royal Mail? What they do for us now and what they did for people historically, all those long distance lovers. Prices have now gone up again but this is because people are giving their money to electric companies and broadband providers these days. It can imagine it wont be long before we lose this priceless piece of British history. In the way that we know it anyway.

The way that some young people seem to view hard work these days, its going to be some what hard to explain to them about these men and women that used to walk the streets for hours a day delivering paper versions of residents bills and birthday cards. The occasional letter too, that would more often than not get stored away, to be read again and again when its receiver wanted to feel connected to the sender of that piece of their life. The many millions of email inboxes will do this job, the deliverers faceless server providers who could delete these chapters of our lifes in a click of a mouse.

I wonder though, what else will become just memories of the older generation?

Copywriting work for Stanley Gibbons, suggesting “fine-used” Penny Black stamps as an ideal addition to an investment portfolio, but stressing that stocks wouldn’t last forever.

How about some insider’s insight as to an opportunity certain to make you sit up and take notice? Permit me to bring to your attention one smart investment that’s sure to get you smiling.

We’ve all heard of them. Penny Blacks, the world’s first postage stamps. The “first” of anything is always an attractive option for a collector, and the Penny Black is no exception.

In relation to one of my earlier e-mails, what better assurance is there in this “black swan” moment than a black penny? Allow me to explain why.

Over the last two years at major London auctions, realisations for fine-used examples have more than doubled, and demand continues to rise.

However, fret not.

Our buyers have not been resting on their laurels and have secured a limited supply of 300 of these ever-popular stamps – an asset to any portfolio or collection.

Expecting demand to outstrip supply, we will be limiting maximum holding to £10,000 per person on a first come, first serve basis.

Speed may be of the essence, but you can be sure that the decision to invest in fine-used Penny Blacks is by no means a hasty one.

For the quickest response, simply hit reply to this e-mail. Alternatively you can contact the SG team directly at mfacey@stanleygibbons.com or by telephoning +44 (0)20 7557 4424.

From Stacey Wallace Benefiel, the author of the Zellie Wells trilogy, comes a New Adult trilogy set in the Society world.

Penny Black hasn’t had it easy. Just about everything you’d expect to happen to a harassed foster-kid turned junkie has happened to Penny. Add in the mysterious power to rewind time, conducting events around her, and it’s a wonder she held up on the streets for so many years. Now, at seventeen, the New Society has found her. Finally, Penny is where she belongs. But that doesn’t stop the visions, or the need to protect the victims shown to her.

*The Penny Black trilogy is a companion to the Zellie Wells trilogy and not a continuation of the series. (It’s set 18 years in the future with a new cast of characters.)
*Due to language and sexuality, FOUND is recommended for older teens. (Most of the characters are out of high school and preparing for college.)

Purchase links:

• Amazon
• Barnes and Noble
• Kobo
• Smashwords

Coming soon to the Apple iBook store and in paperback!

Haven’t read the Zellie Wells trilogy yet? Pick up all three novels together for $6.99 at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, and iTunes. Or get the first novel, Glimpse, for FREE at all ebook retailers.

When I was creating the background stamp tutorial my first attempt was almost complete when I messed up the sentiment. No point letting those pretty flowers go to waste so I punched them out and used the three element in a row layout that Susan Raihala says is her all time favourite layout.

To see how I create that little extra dimension in my flowers check out my tutorial here.

Supplies:

Stamps: Glory of Modesty,  Flourish Birthday, Letter Background(PB)
Inks: Memento Angel Pink, Love Letter, London Fog & Versafine Smokey Grey (Tsukineko)
Cardstock: Penny Black Mix & Match Papers Rose Garden

When I posted the card below my friend, Lindsey from Bashful Blogging commented that “the flowers really do seem on a slightly higher plane despite it being one layer”. I have created another card and a tutorial showing how to get your flowers to appear to be on a “higher plane”.

I used the same stamp because this technique works beautifully with this stamp but I changed my colour scheme and the size of the image panel.

Supplies:

Stamps: Glory of Modesty, Edge to Edge, Letter Background(PB)
Inks: Memento Angel Pink, Love Letter, London Fog & Versafine Smokey Grey (Tsukineko)

I don’t know about you, but it sometimes feels like forever before I actually finish the card – from the composition you have in your head, coloring and just putting all the pieces together.  In any case, here is my card using Mona Lisa illustrated by Alex Smith.

SUPPLIES Stamps (All Penny Black) Mona Lisa; Fleur de Lys; Salutations; Flowers and Wishes Papers: Cardstock – Solar White (Neenah) Inks: Black Dye (Hero Arts); Prismacolor Pencils Other: Labels 7 (Spellbinders); Zing White Embossing Powder (American Crafts); Versamark (Tsukineko)

I decided to just highlight her by showcasing her like a portrait.  I colored the image with Prismacolor pencils then fussy cut the oval.  The card panel was white embossed with the new Fleur de Lys background stamp.  I then used an image from this clear set to look as if the oval was hanging off the card panel.  The image was then adhered with dimensional foam.

Challenges entered:

Freshly Made Sketches #74

PDCC170

LABEL: Rise Records

FOR FANS OF: As Cities Burn, Thursday, The Juliana Theory, Thrice

REVIEW: This review is just like this album…long over due.

Further Seems forever was one of the first bands I really got into.  Between the punk and hardcore bands I was listening to back around 2001, FSF stood out from the pack.  Their sound was different, their lyrics were meaningful, and the arrangements seemed chaotic and in sync at the same time.  The Moon Is Down, to this day, is still one of those albums I will go back and listen to without hesitation.  The record holds up even a decade later.

The original lineup of FSF split before The Moon Is Down was put together, but came back to finish the album for Tooth and Nail Records.  When we say split, we really mean that the lead singer Chris Carrabba left to do a little something he called Dashboard Confessional (you may have heard of them).  Dashboard Confessional let Carrabba dive into a more emotional singer/songwriter phase, and FSF ventured on without him.  Through a couple of different lineup changes and albums later they still remained.  The albums after The Moon Is Down were good, but they didn’t really have the same feel as the original.

Over the years you would hear about Carrabba joining FSF on stage here and there, but nothing about the group reuniting.  That all came to a head last year when the folks at Rise Records gave us the full FSF monty.  They were able to pull in all five original members and bring us a brand new album of all new material.  The kids from Pompano Beach, Florida were back and when their powers combine…they create amazing music.  Carrabba was joined by Josh Colbert and Nick Dominguez on guitars, THE Chad Neptune on bass, and Steve Kleisath on drums.  I had waited years for this and was praying that these guys wouldn’t disappoint.  Maybe they had some dust to brush off, maybe it would live up to the expectations….maybe it wouldn’t, maybe it wouldn’t have that spark, only the release last October of Penny Black would answer those questions.

So where does Penny Black fall in the discography of FSF?  It’s like they picked up where they had left off after The Moon Is Down. After ten years of doing different things and being in different bands, they hadn’t lost a step.  From front to back it’s a solid effort.  Following what made their original release so good, FSF has come back and come back strong.

Penny Black rolls in with the single “So Cold”.  SeeYourGhost and I had discussions about this album.  Would Carrabba sound like the old FSF Carrabba we knew or the new Dashboard Carrabba (sorry Chris, but the Dashboard years got a bit whiny).  Well, in “So Cold” we get to welcome back the gritty and strong vocals of Mr. Carrabba.  The bass trucks along while guitars layer on the sound.  Kleisath is also back to what I liked about him on the original record…you don’t know where he’s going to go next.  He may have a third arm at times, we have yet to be able to confirm this.

As tracks go on, FSF continue to prove that they still have the ability to write great indie rock songs with catchy hooks.  Songs like “King’s Canyon”, “Rusted Machines”, and “Penny Black” beg for a sing-a-long.  Colbert, Dominguez, and Neptune put their axes to work as they provide depth and edge to the songs.  A good hook will take you far, but the standouts on the album have to be the all out rock tracks.  ”Engines” and “Rescue Trained” take us down that more epic rock path.  The end of “Engines” is as catchy as it is anthemic.  FSF aren’t holding back as they make their way through these twelve songs.

Even the slower songs don’t seem out of place.  ”A System of Symmetry” gives us a darker, more electronic track that provides a small change of pace.  At the end of Penny Black we get a simple acoustic track from the group.   After all the work they put into the other eleven songs, I’ll allow the final slowdown.

Ten years after a release that I still hold dear, FSF could have come back and completely butchered any hopes I would have had with the new record.  I can honestly say that they’ve done the exact opposite.  They’ve elevated and matured their sound.  With the original lineup, they’ve created what any FSF fan (or new fan) could want.  A solid album full of loud guitars, booming drums, and strong vocals.  Carrabba is back to his old form, the guitars feed off each other, and the drums continually pack a punch.  As a long time fan, this is a welcome addition.  I can only hope that I don’t have to wait another ten years to hear them again.

LISTEN TO: “So Cold”, “Rusted Machines”

SUGGESTION: If you have been chomping at the bit for new FSF feast on Penny Black.

RATING: 9/10

-Tursini

I fell in love with the critter stamps from Penny Black – the hedgehog, kitties, mice and critters are just about the cutest things EVER and are versatile enough to use for any age & occasion card!
I have found that Simon Says Stamp is the best place to get them online (other than Ebay) – great prices and even BETTER shipping!  Being Canadian I really appreciate when sellers can offer reasonable rates. 

Ok – enough of the hype, here is my latest creation. 

I used only colored pencils & baby oil to color it.  I love that it looks like a cross between watercolor pencils & Copic (or alcohol markers).  Best of both worlds I think!  My boyfriend (yep, he’s *that* awesome) came up with the idea to fussy cut the balloons them pop them up with pop dots. 

The inside has a white matte to cover the ribbon, and I used the “Celebrate” sling mount from the Outlined Occasions set from Stampin Up’s 2011 Sale-A-Bration.

Stamp sets used:  It’s Your Day by Penny Black Inc

Penny Black – Cat with Balloon from “It’s Your Day” clear mount set. Clear mount rubber acrylic stamp Colored with Crayola colored pencils using the blending technique I posted here

After making my previous card I noticed splattered droplets of red ink on a couple of card bases sitting on my work desk. I wasn’t going to let them go to waste so I made a panel with more ink splatters and combined it with the splattered card base. The little blooms on this panel are from the Penny Black sentiment set “Eloquence”. The transparent sentiment sets from PB usually have a few little image stamps in amongst the words. On this set there are three blooms of different sizes. I pulled them out to make a patterned panel in three colours and embossed a few in clear before sponging over everything.

Supplies:

Stamps:  Eloquence, Friendship (PB)
Inks: Memento Lady Bug, Morocco & Peanut Brittle (Tsukineko)

There is still a week left of new catalog inspiration at the Penny Black Blog. They are fifteen days into the 20 consecutive days of inspiration, featuring stamps from the Take Flight catalog!  And since they’re featuring 20 days of inspiration, they’re also giving away 20 NEW stamps to one lucky reader

We went to see a Laurel and Hardy film at the cinema today.

Scott: Yeah.

How was it?

Scott: Eh… Good.

Who were Laurel and Hardy then?

Scott: The main characters in the film.

And what were they like?

Scott: (pause) How can I put this? A combination between Harold Lloyd and The Three Stooges.

A cross between one and three – two.

Scott: One away from three…

And one number away from one…

Scott: You don’t get it, do you?

Ah, you mean a sum?

Scott: (groan)

What was the funniest bit?

Scott: Hmm… It was all really quite funny. Maybe it was when the mule went on to the roof.

And when he ate his hat?

Scott: Yeah – that was pretty funny. Yeah, that must have been the funniest.

Or when he got his head stuck.

Scott: There were funny things when he pulled his neck… Or every time he used his thumb as a match.

Lots of funny bits.

Scott: Yeah.

And you had a cheeseburger and ice cream after.

Scott: Uh huh.

And we went to a castle.

Scott: Uh huh.

And then we went to the stamp shop.

Scott: Yeah.

Marks out of 10 for today?

Scott: Probably 10. At the stamp shop, there was a penny black on one of the first day covers we got – even better would be a penny blue…

I don’t know about you, but I HOARD lots of patterned paper and alpha stickers.  So much so, that I never use them!  I just love the patterns and designs that I just HAVE to get them.  So here’s a card where I have used (just) a few of the stickers and paper in my collection.

SUPPLIES: Stamps: Sweet Dahlia (Penny Black) Papers: Neenah White Cardstock; Basic Manila 6×6 (Basic Grey); Watercolor Paper (Strathmore) Other: Versamark (Tsukinko): Zing White Embossing Powder (American Crafts); Watercolor Pencils (Derwent); Wild Honey Distress Reinker (Ranger); Mini Mister (Ranger); Mini Alpha Stickers (Making Memories); Dimensional Foam (3M)

I decided to use this gorgeous Penny Black stamp.  I heat embossed the flower with white powder and colored the stamp with watercolor pencils.  The image was fussy cut and then  heavily spritzed with Perfect Pearls mist.  I’ve been LOVING the splatter effect that I’ve seen on other cards so I wanted to try it myself.  I added a few drops of Wild Honey Distress Ink from my reinker bottle with water in a Mini Mister and lightly spritzed one side of the patterned paper.  Once that was dry, I adhered the patterned paper to the card base and added the stamped image with dimensional foam.  I used alpha stickers to create the sentiment.

Challenges Entered:

CASE Study Challenge #128  

CAS(E) this Sketch Challenge #15

This card features stamps from two new Penny Black sets. The flourishy florals are from the slapstick cling set, Longing, and the 1 Corinthians text is from the transparent set, Love Chapter. I posted a little sneak peak this morning of a card made with the Longing stamps; you can see the whole card on the Penny Black blog.

I began the text panel for this card by stamping the floral stamp in Versamark and the text in Versafine Olympia Green then embossing both in clear e.p. I then sponged in greens and yellows and matted in Olive Grove Mix & Match paper. I overlapped the other floral stamp from the Longing set on the card base in three greens and sponged the corner.

Supplies:

Stamps: Love Chapter, Longing(PB)
Inks: Memento New Sprout, Pear Tart, Bamboo Leaves, Versafine Olympia Green, Versamark (Tsukineko)

Inspiration galore continues on the Penny Black Blog. They are over half way through the 20 consecutive days of inspiration, featuring stamps from the Take Flight catalog!  The  designers and contributors been posting a variety of beautiful projects.  And since they’re featuring 20 days of inspiration, they’re also giving away 20 NEW stamps to one lucky reader. I have a couple of cards on their blog today made with silhouette stamps. One card is very clean and simple, the other still one layer but an explosion of colour. Below is a peek of one of my cards. See the whole card here.

I think I have mentioned already how many lovely new background stamps there are in the new PB catalog. My card above features another one, Trailing Beauty.

I used watercolour pencils to colour the line design which I stamped in Versafine Onyx Black ink. I was not meticulous in either colouring or blending with water; there is plenty of ‘going over the lines’. I sponged the beige background, added the letter background and also stamped a very pale imprint of the floral stamp on the card base before adding the sentiment.

The fun continues with watercolouring inspiration from Jill today on the Penny Black Blog. They are ten days into the 20 consecutive days of inspiration, featuring stamps from the Take Flight catalog!  And since they’re featuring 20 days of inspiration, they’re also giving away 20 NEW stamps to one lucky reader. I will be sharing two cards there tomorrow.

Thanks for visiting.

Supplies:

Stamps: Trailing Beauty, Letter Background, Eloquence (PB)
Inks: Versafine Onyx Black & Olympia Green, Memento Desert Sand & Potter’s Clay(Tsukineko)
Also: Faber-Castell watercolour pencils
Cardstock:   Spring Meadows Mix & Match Papers

Here’s a very quick and easy way to create tags for your child’s Valentine treats.  I always like to personalize my children’s treats for their friends and classmates.  I used the adorable Lots of Love (4298J) image and finished it with a sentiment from the Charms (30-173) clear set

SUPPLIES Stamps (All Penny Black) Lots of Love; Charms Other: Copic Markers; Black Ink (Hero Arts); Angle Photo Corner Chomper (We R Memory Keepers);  Twine (We R Memory Keepers); Tiny Attacher (Ranger); Hole Puncher (Fiskars)

I cut twenty (3.5 x 2″) pieces of white card stock.  I used my Angle/Photo Corner Chomper to create the tag.  The image was stamped slightly offset on the opposite of where I planned to punch my hole.  I colored 3 hearts on the wagon with Copics that matched the twine I planned to use.  The xoxo from the Charms set was added above the image where my son will sign his name.   Once the tag was completed, I stapled the tag to the end of the treat (KitKat) packaging.  I punched a small hole and added the twine.  Voila!  The project was done in no time!

I also wanted to share a card I made for my daughter celebrating her birthday last week.  I really loved the outcome and just wanted to share.

The background of trees were second generation stamped using Distress Inks heavily sprayed with water. I did this on a similar card here.   The image was fussy cut and colored with Prismacolor Pencils.

Be sure to visit the Penny Black blog during the Take Flight Twenty event!  We are on Day 9!