Delicate & Shimmer

Playing with stencils, embossing paste mixed in with inks and perfect pearls .... and the delicate doily stamps. Added dots of Liquid pearls to the centers.

Here is an angled shot to get the shimmer from the embossing paste ...

Entering this to ...

... Addicted to CAS : Delicate Challenge

... AAA Cards : Stencilling Challenge

... Addicted to Stamps and More : Anything Goes Challenge

Spring flowers and butterflies

Isn't it strange how stamps work out some times. Out of this Lawn Fawn set, I really thought the one stamp I would not use was the "corner" one. But guess what? I used it already!

The yellows and greens are so fresh - just like spring. I hadn't planned on the butterflies as I wanted a more CAS card, but I make a smidge on the left. So stamped some Hero Arts butterflies and made the flight paths with a pen.

My entry for The Paper Players : A Clean and Simple Challenge : Celebrate Spring.

Spring Butterflies

Butterflies are sure sign of spring! Love this lattice die which let me give an inside, outside feel to the card, with the lovely colourful ones in front.

Entry for the Diecut Diva's : Something Spring Challenge.

Muse Challenge

A lovely card by Anita Bowden for the Muse Challenge this week.

It was only as I was writing this post in the airport lounge that I realised I had forgotten to put some splashes on my background. Had wanted to use the Tumbled Glass which I had also used for the sponging. Oh well, I'm off to Africa so I won't be posting in the next few weeks.

Doodle

I was so taken with Susan Raihala's card, that I used it for inspiration for the CASology : Doodle Challenge.

Although hearts are usually in reds and pinks, I decided that since the card was going to be from me, it could be in my favourites of blues and greens. 

19th Birthday

My son turns 19 next week - the last year I'll have a teenager!

To get a masculine feel, I used the Distress crayons through a triangle stencil. It gives a great texture.

I'll submit to the CAS(E) this Sketch #163.

PS. After I saw my post, I thought it needed something else. A couple of dots of black accents? What do you think?

Pottery Inspiration

Combining two challenges ... using Distress Markers directly on the stamp.

... Colour Q Challenge 

... CAS Colours and Sketches

New supplies

My Distress Crayons arrived today ... and had to give them a quick try. Started by drawing a square and smooshing it with my finger. Oh My! Is that smooth or what ?! What amazing texture. I wanted to just keep on playing with them. And then to mix things up a bit, I used a Copic C1 to make some shadows on the squares and leaves.

I drew on the edge of strip of cardstock and smooched again so I would have exact matching paper for the border.

New stamps too ... the Roses for You set from Simon Says Stamp.  And as I put my stamps in the Pockets and make my own labelling cardboard, I cut up the card that comes with the stamps. The grey zigzag can be used in so many ways as it is so subtle. I painted the leaves by putting a wet paintbrush directly to the crayon to get the colour.

Here is a close-up.

I will enter this to the ...

... Simon Says Stamp : A Bit O Green Challenge

... Freshly Made Sketch Challenge

... and Darnell's NBUS Challenge #6

... Addicted to Stamps : Clean and Simple Challenge

Sending Hugs

We are going to be having a family get together to celebrate my mother's 80th birthday, but my SIL cannot make it. Thought it would be good to send her some thoughts and hugs.

I continued with the sentiment on the inside of the card, and kept up with the same angle.

Inspired by Michele's card at Muse Challenge this week ...
... her sponged section that was stencilled too
... her overlapping sentiment die

I had a bit of a glitch as I was sponging the stencil on the sentiment. Didn't look good, so I ended up making the top section a deep turquoise and the bottom section in green.

Backgrounds...

Simon Says Stamp : Monday Challenge has a Create your Background Challenge ... a good time to get out the embossing paste, mix in a bit of Distress Inks.

Brighten your day with a rainbow of colour

I cannot resist the colours of a rainbow, and happiness is having a rainbow challenge at A Blog Named Hero this week.

Gift

I've got a lot of stamping to do in the coming 10 days ... lots of April Birthdays. Love pink and lime, this Simon Says Stamp die, copics and watercolouring.

For the Addicted To CAS : Gift Challenge

Time is spinning ...

Time is spinning so fast these days!  But it also goes on forever. When it comes to love, it's for now and always.

Entering the CAS-ology : Spin Challenge.

Angled

The Hero Arts Flickr Group had Card Scramble #128 this weekend. Barb had the theme of Angles. Although I had the arrow background stamp for a while now, I've never used it. I stamped it on 3 colours of blue and turquoise and embossed with Liquid Platinum. Arrows have angles ... and I cut up the background and set the arrows at an angle too.

Here is an angled shot to try and catch that lovely embossed colour.

Will be entering the ...

... Inkspirational Challenge : Geometric

... a2zscrapbooking March Challenge : Embossing

... Colour Q Challenge

Citrus inspired

Citrus colours are so fresh, especially the lime green. Such a cool colour.
There are 2 Citrus inspired challenges this week ....

... Curtain Call Challenge : Key Lime

... and Less is More : Citrus Challenge

Let Green "March" In

The challenge at One-Layer Simplicity this month is Let the Green March In.

Since I have just received the One with Nature stamp set from Simon Says Stamp, it is most fortuitous.  I'll most probably enter more than one over the month.

Played with watercolours.

I will also enter this to the Fusion Challenge : Lucky Days

I was inspired by the inspiration photo and the rows of leaves (although I only did one.)

Inspired by others ...

A lot of us spend time pinning from blogs, or pinterest itself. And what do we do with all those things pins on our many boards? (I have over 6,500 pins on 103 boards!) So this week I decided it was time to make a card or two that I have pinned.

I'm a fan of butterflies and rainbows, so Francine Vuilleme's card was pure happiness for me. I didn't have the same butterfly die or sentiment, but I dug in my stash to see what could do the job. I used Distress inks to do the watercolouring.

Next, it was Cindy Gilfillan's delightfully offset scene with soft sponged clouds that took my eye. Plus it was a one-layer card. Again, I didn't have the same supplies, but looked to see what would match the design and effect. I think she repeated the use of one flower stamp, but I used one floral silhouette stamp and a tiny butterfly. 

I have rather a lot of Heather Telford's cards pinned and although I don't think I'll ever get to her level of artistic finish, it's always a good challenge to try new things.   Heather's shades of green card was so soft, layered and lovely. I wanted to keep mine one layer, but using the leaves I had, I think it lacks a little something. I think the fern leaves are too busy for the delicate white embossed ones.

Do you ever create cards inspired from cards that you've pinned?

February CCC

I was so happy to be the next in line after Deborah for the February Chain Card Challenge, so it would be me sending her a card this month.

Lovely inspiration ....

I had recently got the MFT Fall Florals. They are so in demand, that as fast as they come in, they go out! You had to be quick.