These colours are not my favourites by any stretch of the imagination and creating with them isn’t something I would normally do. I guess that is why challenges are good for us. They get us out of our comfort zones.

Color Hues #92 – Pink and Brown is the latest challenge and this card is what I came up with. It started with the water coloured piece that I had played with some time ago. I used a Spellbinders die set that is for creating envelopes to get the two pieces shown here. I used another die in the set to emboss the water colour piece. Then I took another scrap piece that is from an actual painting and did the 2nd one. The PP is from an old pad I’ve had forever and I cut it down, added a ribbon and then added the foam backed shaped layers. Using more scrap CS I stamped the leaves twice using a leaf clusters stamp and die set from Altenew. Sentiment from that set too. I stamped using Gathered Twigs ink and added the leaves as you see attaching them together at the stems. Using a Memory box daisy die I cut the flower twice added some pink ink by swiping and put them together before adding the pink center petals and the flower center. To soften the stark edges of the leaves I took a gold glitter pen and lightly went around some of them.

My hubby likes the end result, I’m on the fence about it. Thanks for stopping by, it is appreciated.

I purchased these Paper Rose foiled cut apart sheets, I thinking I would use them much more than I have. When I saw the challenge at Shopping our Stash, I decided to pull them out and use a few pieces. At the same time making this card allowed me to use a few more of my scraps. The blue banner has been in a tray on my desk for a while and the marbled PP is another small left over. Once I had added it to the card front I shortened the banner slightly so it would fit across and then I went around it with a marker wheel to which I added some pen lines, so there is subtle stitching along the edges. Foam tape popped it up nicely. I then added thread to the balloons and placed them as you see. A small bow and a few stars added some additional interest and the sentiment is another item from the Paper Rose sheets.

Thanks for spending time with me today.

The sketch challenge at Sunday Stamps was the inspiration for this card and while I was creating it, I also decided to make it work for the current one at CYHTP, with the twist of wings option taken. I’ve always liked this older stamp set from StampinUp so I pulled it out for my focal images. The bark EF I used is from Sizzix and the tiny sentiment is from MFT. My PP is from a birthday card I cut up because I loved the colours and florals. And washi tape is from my stash. Once I had everything cut it was an easy card to assemble and I like how it turned out. CS is from GKD and I used Distress Oxides in Bundled Sage and Blueprint Sketch for my stamping.

Thanks for spending time with me today, I appreciate it as I appreciate any comments you may leave for me.

I is for Inspired by Colour – A Mood Board This is a challenge I’ve only entered once or twice so it is about time I entered again. I liked the mood board colours and wanted to try this layout so here we are. After pulling out some scrap strips in the colours I proceeded to add them to some backing paper which I then cut into 1″ squares. I ran the piece through an EF called brocade by Craft Concepts. After a little bit of playing I added them to the dark gray layer. Taking some white CS and a Memory Box daisy die I cut my flowers and built the layers after which I added them to the squares. Everything was then added to the shimmer card front. Although I used a lighter gray strip in my colour choices on the photo it looks quite blue and the pink glitter looks much darker than it actually is. For now I’m leaving off the sentiment. I shall decide on that when I use the card. I quite like how this turned out and it was fun to put together too.

Thanks for spending time with me today. I hope your weekend has been a fun one.

A while back I had cut some CS for a project and was left with a white diagonally cut section that I set aside. Yesterday I found it tucked inside some other paper and decided to use it. I added a piece of PP, from my stash, at the bottom making sure that the panel would fit onto a regular card front. Some washi tape was added because I didn’t like the line. To relieve the starkness of the white I added some colour left on a sponge and I also went around the edges of the panel and the circle. My hot air balloon is fussy cut from a store bought card I received for my birthday. I liked the image and figured it would be used at some point. I added foam strips behind and then attached it as you see. The circle sentiment is a freebie received via Natasha Foote’s channel.

I hadn’t planned this card for a challenge, but in looking I see it works for the Sisterhood of Crafters balloon challenge, so I’m entering it there. Sometimes having something easy to create is pleasant.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you are all enjoying a nice weekend. Ours has sunshine, but it isn’t as hot at the moment so it is easier to deal with.

The challenge, chosen by Billie is to make a card for a baby and she will also choose the winners. My die is from Kokorosa and has been on my desk since it arrived as I really wanted to use it. Of course other things were more urgent and I didn’t get around to it until now.

I decided that my card would be for a girl so I chose pinks. I added the blinds to a light pink note card and then die cut the two little images also part of the die. After adding a few details with a pen and some sponging on the bear I added them as you see. The little embellishments are from my stash. The sentiments are from MFT Itty Bitty Basics stamped in Aged Mahogany.

I was somewhat disappointed with the large die as it didn’t cut as cleanly as it should and I tried several times. That said I saved the fallouts and have added them to another design as they worked well for the opening I had.

My card is very simple, perhaps too simple, but it was easy to create and sometimes I need easy. Thanks for stopping by, your time is appreciated, as are any comments you may leave.

AAA Card Challenges #270: Sketch Ombre

My heart sister/friend has just received a diagnosis of breast cancer which on its own would be awful, but it comes in the wake of the death of her spouse. Its kind of like being hit on the head with a hammer. She saw the oncologist today so I will know more tomorrow, but as a cancer survivor I know exactly what is going on in her head and I am going to support her as much as I can.

Initially this card was solely for the challenge, but then I realized that with the sentiment I’ve used, it is a perfect one to send to her. The inks used are Distress Oxides in Dusty Concord, Seedless Preserves and Milled Lavender. The card was masked off and then the inks were blended after which I splashed a small amount of water. Both sentiment and flower stamps come from an Altenew set called Inspirational Quotes. The floral sprig didn’t give me a good impression, (should have used the Misti) so I stamped it a second time but didn’t quite get it lined up. I kind of liked the extra line and defined it a bit more using a Posca pen. I also added a few more spots using the pen too. Ultimately, I’m pleased with how it turned out.

Thanks for stopping by, it is appreciated.

Yesterday I was fooling around with some bits and pieces and this card became the result. It is a rectangular floating technique card and uses up some photo strips and some PP that was actually a small gift bag that I cut up. Can’t waste anything purple, haha. The butterfly is something I made and didn’t use (still have one left) and is a gift set of dies from Scrapbook.com. My acetate was already cut into this shape so I went with it. Once I had added the strips I die cut the piece a bit smaller using one of the Everyday Detail dies from StampinUP and I cut a larger one to add behind it. This time I did the technique properly so it has dimension. Right now my favorite sentiment stamp seems to be the one that is currently on my desk.

There are currently three challenges that I think this card will work for, so I am entering it into all three.

Challenge #541 – Sketch – Both die cuts have a frame look so I believe this works for the challenge

Triple B July 2024 Challenge – Has some florals and the butterfly

Anything Goes Using Patterned Paper Challenge – First time entry but the strips and the paper seem to work for this.

Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate it and I also appreciate any comments you may leave.

A while back there was a challenge asking us to double stencil and I tried it with this background piece. It didn’t really work and I wasn’t sure I liked it so it was set aside until now. The current challenge at Seize the Birthday is about fruits and I figured that the cherries here fit the bill even though I’m still not sure I like the panel. What I did to make it look a little better, was to replace the stencil (took a bit of figuring) and use an opalescent stardust butter to add some shine to the cherries. When dry, I cut it down and added it to the card front. After die cutting the white circle using a StampinUp die, I stamped the cupcake image using a GKD set. Sentiment is also from GKD. I coloured the cupcake with metallic pencils, a couple of glitter pens and I also glittered the sentiment. I fussy cut the sentiment and then cut it in half so I could add it as you see.

This is definitely not one of my favourite creations, but it isn’t the worst either so I’m adding it to the challenge. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder so others may actually like it even if I don’t. At least the glitter shows up in the photo. Oop’s, I just found out I’ve missed the challenge by a few hours. Too bad.

Ironically, I spent yesterday evening pitting several pounds of cherries gifted by a neighbor. My hands today are a mess and painful due to the repetitive task.

Thanks for sharing your time with me today, it is appreciated.

As you See It has a fill in the blank challenge (at the Beach) and I came up with this card. As a child in Britain, we didn’t go on holidays much as my parents didn’t have the money. But when they did have some extra cash we used to go to the Netherlands to visit family. My uncles used to take us to a local lake on hot days and they taught me to swim. It became something I was fairly good at and I continued to learn better techniques through school. These days, I no longer go swimming and sitting on a beach bores me to tears, much to my hubby’s chagrin. He would spend as many hours as possible on the beach and in the ocean, but we’ve learned to compromise so that each of us gets to do the things we like to do when on vacation. So I filled in the blank with swimming using these cute images from MVchifay Clear Stamps and dies. I stenciled a piece of blue CS using a stencil from Dina Wakley and Mermaid Lagoon ink. Then I die cut the ovals using Hero Arts infinity dies and added the die cut and coloured images on top. With another scrap piece of CS I embossed it with a Couture Creations Seascape folder, swiped it lightly with Lost Shadow ink. This was cut it into a 4 x 4″ square which I backed with a slightly larger piece of blue and then added it all to the card front. Taking the sentiment from the same set I stamped and die cut it adding some ink to the edges and center.

I’m kind of pleased with the end result and it wasn’t a challenging card to make either. As the card has an embossed panel I am adding it to the current challenge at CYHTP as well. As the hat is striped and the float is striped it fits nicely into this challenge I think.

Thanks for spending time with me today, it is appreciated.