The theme at Global Challenge is Easter, but I didn’t really want another Easter card. Instead I decided to try a technique seen on Splitcoast Stampers using my Easter rabbit, duck and chick stamps. They came from GKD sets, Spring Fling and Happy Spring.

This is my 2nd attempt as I managed to add the sentiment strips in the wrong order on the 1st one and in taking them off I ruined the card. Basically I followed the video tutorial shown here. I already had the little critters on my desk as I had made them several days ago and then decided not to use them until now. I think my 2nd attempt is better than the first one as I did a better oval on this one. I can use this card for any occasion that requires some sarky comment. The sentiment came from a Dylusions set.

My last card for these two challenges. I remembered that I had this napkin partially done in my paper stash so decided to finally use it. It has been there for a couple of years so about time I did something with it. I glued the whole piece to a square card front and added some bling borders to it. Then I stamped the sentiment from a SSS set and die cut it for the corner. Added a touch of ink to edges and word so it wouldn’t be stark white. I also added some shimmer to the peacock feather tail but it doesn’t show in photo.

Don’t you just love it when something in your head actually pans out exactly as you imagine? Even before the Paper Players challenge showed up I had been thinking about using these dies (never used and owned for years) in some way. I think I got them in a package of other stuff at some craft sale.

The first thing I did was use the Hero Arts leaf stencil in both Old Paper and Twisted Citron inks. Once that was done to my satisfaction I found some scrap cs in dark gray and cut both photo frames. Once they were cut I played with the actual stamps before using them just to see if my idea would work. Decided it would, so stamped both the tiger and the monkey. Stamp set by Hero Arts – a kit I bought last year. Using my Inktense pencils I added colour until I was happy with the look then I die cut the images. Added a touch of Sakura jelly roll green to his eyes and some sparkle to monkey eyes too. I die cut a couple of layers to give them dimension. Then I placed the images into the frames playing until I was happy I could safely glue them. Added them to stenciled card front. Initially I was going to cut the tiger off where he shows at the top, but my hubby said leave him intact. I’m glad I took his advice as I like how it looks and now I realize it looks as if his tail is waving the sentiment about. Added a bit of bling for extra interest and declared it finished. I have to say I am really happy with this card.

I had one last piece of water coloured background to play with. For this piece I dry embossed getting more texture but it is so hard to get it showing in the photo.

As well I used a stencil and added some pattern with both inks and Inka Golds. Then I mounted it onto some gold paper for the thin border. Added to card front and left it for a day or two as I didn’t have an idea for doing anything more. After seeing the word week challenge at JUS I figured feathers would be a nice addition and because the Sweet Stampin challenge is things with wings I added fairy too. I already had the die cut word in my bits and pieces tray so that got pulled out for use. After die cutting the feathers I dipped them with Versamark and heat embossed with some gold. The fairy is sitting on one of the smaller feathers and the word is kind of in her hand. Stamp set is from GKD called Framescapes. Can’t remember who the die is by but it is a 2 part die.

Sunday Stamps has a sketch challenge and Just us Girls has a word of the week and I was able to make a card that fits both these challenges.

This past few days I’ve been playing a lot with inks and embossing and as I really like this folder I had a panel already to go on my desk. I decided to swipe 2 ink pads over it very lightly and used Wilted Violet and Twisted Citron. The green changed colour as I forgot to wait for the other ink to dry but I quite liked it so am using it anyway. I cut the piece into 2 and adhered both to a GKD Fresh Asparagus card front. Using some scrap card I die cut the scalloped circle and stamped the feathers in same inks with a sentiment in the middle. Used a small star stamp and a florish in gold ink as well. Stamp set from Hot of the Press called Feathers and Florishes. Probably one of my very first clear stamp sets so it is old. I had the gold die cut and embossed feathers on my desk already and using elastic gold cord I tied them together finishing with a small bow. Glued the circle and then added the feathers and a few sequins for some bling. I really like this particular sentiment and have used it often in the past, it kind of fits the crisis we are facing at the moment.

My second card for this challenge at Double D. Last month I was playing with the napkin technique and did several that I had on hand at the time. As you can see one of them related to Christmas, but it was a very busy piece so I glittered it and then cut out some of the images I liked. The challenge calls for banners and one of my bits was just that so I created a card around them. Dry embossed a snow fall on the white cs and added some shimmer on top. Glued to card front. Then I took a strip of red scrap and folded it then heat embossed some sentiments in gold. Sentiments are all from GKD sets. After fussy cutting the Xmas owls I added them to the folded piece and then to card front. Added the banners and the stockings as that bottom corner looked a little bare. It is funny to make a Christmas card before Easter.

These sunburst type cards were in vogue for a while and then disappeared. I never made many of them but do like the look and recently I noticed a StampinUp DT mentioned they are coming back. Anyway I decided to make one using some pp that I keep storing. I got this package a long time at Costco of all places. I matched up a couple of the colours in the floral pp and dry embossed the plain blue one for texture. After mounting it onto a red border and adding it all to the card front I stamped the sentiments (from SSS) deliberately over stamping the tiny words to the bigger ones. I’ve had the pink flower forever. It came as a pin and I removed the back but didn’t find a use for the flower until now. Maybe it isn’t specifically a spring card but I like the bright colours which mean spring to me.

I have no banner stamps at all so I have handmade a few so I could enter this challenge at Double D.

I vaguely remembered someone using washi tape to make some banners so decided to give it a try. After getting a bit of twine I folded different types of washi tape over it and then cut them into the shape. Managed to cut the twine in the wrong place but on the smaller bit it was just enough to add to here. Using another of my recent watercolour pieces I stenciled in the sun shape and added the leftover die cut word. Added the Divinity Design image that I hand coloured with distress inks and gave dimension to by cutting several and gluing together. Sentiment is from same set. Still have some banners left over so may do something with those and enter again and I just found a napkin piece that I had glittered from a Christmas napkin so I am thinking of using those and doing an early Christmas card.

I did one card yesterday for the Sweet Stampin challenge and this card from today should also fit the challenge at the Sisterhood of crafters challenge.

I was playing with some backgrounds yesterday and again this morning and had a piece of watercolour paper already partly inked with some left over inks on my mat. Decided to add to it with other inks and this is the result. After cutting this piece off I took a moon stencil and sponged in the moon shape. Added some shine to it with a dauber. Then I stamped some gold stars all over background. While it was drying I stamped and coloured the bunny from a set called Spring Fling by GKD and when it was dry I cut a tiny slit so I could tuck the fussy cut image into the slit. Using same set I stamped a line of sentiment added some gold along the edges and glued as shown. Still have some watercolour pieces to play with so hopefully will come up other cards soon. Hubby likes this and has borrowed my other bits to take some photos for himself.

For making this card I decided to use a cute image and also I made my own background so it would also fit the challenge at Sweet Stampin too.

I decided that the navy could be represented using a card base and some of the colours could be used to make my own background. Using a template that has thin cutouts and inks, tattered rose, wild honey and twisted citron I sponged through to make the stripes. This gave me my background which I glued to card base. Taking a SSS set called Lifting Hearts that came with dies, I inked the hearts on the side and added the strings in green. I then used the mouse stamp and coloured it with the same inks but intensified the green in the balloon a little to make it stand out. I die cut this piece and several others out of scrap card stock and glued them all together to create dimension. Saw this on Jennifer McGuires post and it sure is nicer than pop dots or foam tape and is a great way to use up scraps too. These colours remind me of spring, but the image does as well because balloons are fun and all critters are active after a long winter. Using a copper gelly roll pen I added a bit of sparkle to the heart balloons and also to the package. Added some shimmer to the balloon as well.