To Dad Dearest

 I find it extremely difficult to make masculine cards, even Father's day cards. Now I got asked to make a card for a dad and I think I found the perfect recipe which I cobbled together via some challenges.

Take masculine colors, some patterned paper, a fun character and a sentiment. Add some coloring and die cutting.

 

I gathered my supplies, colored and patterned papers, a die cut and a stamp. The die cut circles background is by a lesser known Danish brand"Design 5" (very fun in my opinion). I added the sentiment behind some of the larger circles. For this I used a slimline alphabet stamp by Hero Arts.

 

Entering this into the challenges that inspired me today:

Festive Friday: FF#0211 - I used "Masculine colors - patterned paper - Father's Day sentiment"

 

TGIFC: #580 Color challenge    

 

 

 Just Add Ink: #787 Use Two or More - I selected patterned paper and Animals from the list

 

 

 

 

 

 Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Masculine

Alphabet Challenge: C is for circles 

 

Token of friendship

These days when real mail is so rare and handwritten letters are well-nigh non existent I cherish a hand made card with a short note from a friend. It can be any occasion or for none at all, other than to say "hello".

Today I needed a card for a friend who lives far away. I took inspiration and guidance from some very apt challenge prompts. The foundation was a color palette. I had been to the paint store just last week and had brought home some green samples. How perfect! Each yielded two hexagons. The dies, in case you are wondering, have been bought at FB Marketplace and I have not written down the maker. They usually come without the original packaging to save on postage as here the postage depends on the thickness more than its weight.

 

The dahlias I cut twice, the base with card stock dyed with Seedless Preserves (TH Distress) and the top layer which was colored in with Versafine Clair Charming Pink.

I am entering this card in these inspiring challenges:

Sunday Stamps: SSC #387 Garden grandeur  

Allsorts: #851 From the garden 

Cut It Up: #357 Friendship 

Creative Knockouts: #572 Die cuts / stencils / punches - I used die cuts

Girlz and The Art of Letters: # 28 De letter van B van...  -  bloemen!

Life's good

My favorite beverage is a frothy topped latte - something I don't get to enjoy every day, not even every week, it's a special treat when I go to a coffee house.

Inspired by a challenge that asks this question, followed by others that gave me the colorway and details I pulled out a few supplies: papers, twine and an embossing folder. I was debating between hessian and origami triangles (by Nellie Snellen). I decided to go with the origami triangles, given that the base was kraft - I felt that hessian would have brought this into a more rustic territory.

I tore the coffee cup shape out of patterned paper, then added a more colorful twine than I had originally pulled out. The milk froth was fashioned from cake paper (slightly dyed) and the steam was made with rub-ons.

 

Entering this in these serendipitous challenges:

Tic-Tac-Toe: TTTC#294 Bingo - I chose the middle horizontal: patterned paper - free - twine 

Cardz 4 Galz: #277 Browns and green with twine or ribbon

Time Out: #314 A favorite beverage

Shopping Our Stash: #575 Craft-astic 

Double D: Bows 

Where the wind takes you

Monochromatic is always a challenge I like. I am so glad these challenges exist and every once in a while there is a call for monochrome.

Today I wanted to go pink. There are so many pretty shades from pale to dark. I was also drawn to a sketch and thought it would be fun to use my irregular circle dies for that so the result would be a bit more interesting. I used the medium and small for this.

The ethereal dragonflies and butterflies were stamped and then colored in with pink markers. I placed the gelli print behind the circles and raised the surface a bit to create some depth.

I found a great sentiment in my stash "Go where the wind takes you". A few spritzers round up the picture.

 

Entering this in the challenges that I implemented:

Aud Sentiments: Monochrome

I Spy with my Little Eye: #37 Monochrome

Freshly Made Sketches: #739 

A Cut Above: Anything die-cut 

Die Cut Divas: Anything die-cut 

For an unknown occasion

Sometimes I just make cards without any text. In the meanwhile there are three languages spoken and written in our larger family group, so it is not always wise to determine the language of a greeting card too early. Today is one of those occasions.

I was heavily inspired by some lovely challenges that play very well together. One of them asks to use neglected stuff. This was such a good opportunity to pull out an old background stamp, one that I lastly used about three-four years ago. I stamped with pale blue Versafine ink on top of a very colorful gelli print. 

 

The card needed only one focal point, for which I used a flower I had assembled some years ago. I made it look plush with some added petals that were still lying around from my recent die-cutting session. The card will get a sentiment once I know whom it is for.

 

I am entering this in these following challenges that helped me in my decision making process (thank you!):

Simon Says Monday: Add a rainbow of color

Mix It Up: MIUCB #83 AG/ stamped background optional - I went with this option 

The Neglected Stuff: June AG - I used an old stamp that hasn't been used for several years

Crafting From The Art: May challenge AG 

 

Hip hip hooray

A girlfriend will celebrate her umpteenth birthday in a few weeks. We use the word umpteenth for anything over 65 - the exact number of years has ceased to matter, but milestones are to be celebrated nevertheless.

 

I drew inspiration from challenges that play well together. One of them is a speed challenge, so I grabbed items that were already there like one of the embossed backgrounds from yesterday. This time I colored it in with a tool and it worked much better. I also simplified the procedure using already cut or printed supplies. The tulip is the only one that took time - first stamping in three colors, then fussy cutting it. ETA: All in all, I was slightly over the time limit with 10 min 2 sec.

 

Entering this in these serendipitous challenges:

 As You See It: #373 Full tilt tulips

Cupcake Inspirations: #637 Peaches and cream

Can You Handle the Pressure: AG dry embossed / embellishments optional. I used dew drops

Lost Coast Challenge: # 210 Fruit, flower and foliage

Delicate for birthday

Today I wanted to make something delicate and laid back. My main inspiration came from an embossing folder technique that I had seen recently on Youtube. One takes the embossed image, turns it backside up and rolls with ink. This fills the background and leaves the image untouched.

Oxides may not have been the right choice, the result was blotchy. 

I then moved onto flowers. I used two stamp sets as I wanted some variation. After stamping I colored them in with water soluble pencils and fussy cut the stems.

The finished card was again a combination of some very fortunate challenges. 

 

I am entering it in:

Pick 3 Challenge:  #5 May/June. I picked Birthday - Embossing - Blue 

Fab 'n Funky: #638 Use a stencil / embossing folder. I used an embossing folder for my background. 

Addicted to Stamps and more: #518 Birthdays 

Sweet Stamping: Flowers 

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: AG 

 

 

Cupcake wisdom

 A chain of challenges made me think of patterned paper, stitching and TH small talk text strips. They all have their merits and all of it is 'just stuff', sitting unused in my drawers. Then it came to me: cupcakes - that was the answer. 

So I rummaged through my drawers, pulled out papers and a flower, stamped and colored long ago for a project that never happened.

Now it all came together in this one card.

 

I am showing it in these challenged that contributed to its existence:

Creative Knockouts: #571 Stitching, faux or real. Mine is faux, stamped with turquoise Versafine Clear.

Paper Players: #PP788 Tic-tac-toe. I chose "flower - free (pink) - patterned paper" 

 

Just Add Ink: #786 Just add Polkadots 

Seize the Birthday: #327 Sweet Treat 

Quiet times by the sea

 It was time again to make a card for my SIL who likes to bring some quality time alone  around his birthday. Mostly in the wood or by a lake. So I was very happy to get some inspiration via some very opportune challenges.

 

I used a stamp set that has both fish, waves, some awesome saying and paper hat boats in it. For the waves I also used a deckle edge die. The papers are gelli print remnants. I also did some coloring with Ecoline brush pens.

 

This is the card, which I am entering into these inspiring challenges:

Inkspirational Challenge: For the guys 

The Paper Funday Challenge: #87 AG/ Optional sea or mountain theme - I am going with the sea theme

Krafty Chicks Challenge: #822 Masculine week 

The Card Concept: #227 Seaside Adventures - I was inspired first by the theme, but did use the colors as well. 

 

Just for you

I had fun with this! I used my remnants (or snippets) for the background and then also for the butterflies. 

I had once printed out book pages in miniature and made a gelli print with it. It was almost used up, but there was enough for the background. I had to patch the background in places, but it's not really noticeable.

 I also used supplies that I haven't used for a long time (the butterflies) or haven't used enough (the text stamps). I have no idea who made the butterfly stamp since I have lost its package. (Perhaps someone of you do?)

  

Entering this in:

Stamps+Fun=Creativity: #496 Use bookpaper / Benütze Buchseiten

Moving along with times: #189 One or more butterflies 

Pearly Sparkles: #119 One or more butterflies  

Allsorts: #850 AG

Snippets Playground: #533 AG