Hello friend

 The Card Chain is a monthly event and this card has reached its recipient already (hello to Gail in Norway!). I worked closely with the given sketch suggestion and color palette option yellow-pink-kraft and with the word 'pet'. 

These were my supplies. I decided to use my favorite, but very neglected crackling texture paste. (Last time must have been over two years ago!) I love its texture, but it is somewhat problematic on greeting cards, especially on one-layered card like this, because it tends to crumble at the edges. The cracks are divine, though.

I started by masking off four narrow panels directly on the card front, as per the given sketch. I then stenciled the crackle paste turning the stencil very once in a while for a more dynamic appearance. When it has dried up completely I used watercolor to make it yellow.

I cut a circle in pink and placed the stamped and colored dog over it. I stamped the sentiment in the free spaces between the stenciled bits. Lastly I added a black twig that I had on hand.

 

Entering this in the following challenges:

The Neglected Stuff: August

Stencil Fun: August AG stencil/ make it CAS style (optional) I am playing with AG.

Critter Crazy: #113 August AG w/a critter 

The sign-up for Card Chain for August is open still today - won't you join us?

 

 

A simple floral

 After some rather elaborate cards my mind was set for something simpler and cleaner. I found four challenges that compliment each other well - at least I think so.

My supplies were very simple: a paper block and a die.

 

I die cut the flowers in colors inspired by the floral challenges and arranged them as per a sketch. The background was cut freehand, I have no such shape die. The sentiment reads: with love.

 

Entering this in these challenges that inspired me today:

The Sisterhood of Crafters: July / Flowers - I was inspired the amount of yellow found on the board

 

Beautiful Blossoms: AG/ moodboard #43 optional - I was inspired by the colors of this photo

 

CAS on Friday:  #339 Flowers

Sunday Stamps: #SC391 Hip to be square

 

 

Woodland greetings for your big day

 I had so much fun casing a card two days ago (here) so I wanted to try another one. A couple of challenges are also playing nicely together and I could use the prompts as an inspiration for my card.

The supplies looked like this:

And the project I am casing comes from the most recent SU catalogue (pg. 34-35)

Now, I changed quite a bit and kept much the same. I changed the background to reflect the dark paper seen on the left page. I omitted the flowers as I wanted this to be a woodland scene, but I kept the arrangement, the bottom strip and the bow for the sentiment strip.

I started by embossing an alcohol ink print using black Versafine for the background portions. It never gives me full coverage, so I painted the missing bits over with a dark green marker. I then die cut the foliage in three shades of green and stamped and colored the fern, then fussy cut it.

The sentiment was tied with flax twine. It reads "Many happy returns".

Entering this in these challenges that were my inspiration today:

Time Out Challenges: #318 Mother Nature

 

Inspire. Create. Challenge: #212 CASE a card

 

CYHTP: AG /Celebration (use an embossing folder) Going with 'Celebration' option

Paper Rock Scissors: #19 AG - plenty of paper, scissors for the tail of the sentiment strip

Simon Says Monday Challenge: Happy Birthday 

 

 

Summer, sun and sailing -

- doesn't that sound like an ideal way to celebrate a birthday? There were several challenges that inspired me today. I pulled out my supplies, a stamp set and markers and some ready supplies from my stash that needed to be used up.

I stamped the rabbit guy and the sail boat and colored them in. I glued the circle behind the rabbit guy and placed the sail boat and the sentiment on foam pads. The background is made of gelli print scraps.

 

I am entering this in these inspirational challenges:

Crafty Chicks: #831 Moodboard - I was inspired by the sea and sailing images

 

Cardz 4 Guyz: #388 Summer theme 

Do-Al(l) Kreatives: #116 Wetter, Sonne, Regen, Wind, Schnee (Weather) - Wind und Sonne sind meine Wörter

Girlz Make Guyz Cards: #41 alles mag mannen (AG men)

Mix It Up: #84 AG / shape card optional - I am playing with AG 

Peacock love greetings

 Today's card is a CASE - copy and selectively edit - card. My inspiration came from the challenge DT member Elisabeth (link). Her card reminded me of peacock's feathers.

I pulled out the supplies I thought I needed.  I wanted to keep the colors and the background. The block of different lattice backgrounds seemed such a useful one when I bought it - what, two years ago - and this is my first time using it. The peacock die is a recent win from the challenge world.

 

The lattice was backed with blue, and because it was smaller than my card base I added a back frame which I partially stitched on. (Look at the top right and both bottom corners - I used black thread so it  is barely visible.)

The peacock was cut out of dark blue paper and it's feathers from three other papers. I decorated the green feathers with iridescent heart shaped sequins. As it didn't stand out from the background I added a shadow outline with vellum. I also stamped the sentiment on vellum with yellow ink and embossed it.

 

 Entering this in these inspiring challenges:

Just Us Girls: #834 Case a DT week

Simon Says Monday Challenge: Stitch it 

MMM: #283 Wedding / Love wishes

Little Red Wagon: #869 One thing

Creative Fingers: #327 AG August

and because this was the first time I used the lattice block and the peacock die, I am showing my card at

NBUS: #89 August line-up 

 

Evenings are getting darker

August is here and it is lantern time. Their glow in the evening dusk and then darkness is nothing short of magical. I don't own any so I have to make do with my lovely lantern dies.

There were two challenges that made me think how to use my lantern dies creatively this year. (Yes, they haven't been used this year yet!) I pulled out the supplies: snippets of designer paper and a block of alcohol ink prints.

I punched out the lanterns and backed them with light yellow paper to mimic the glow. I selected a background that made me think of evening dusk, then arranged them according to the sketch I was working with. Lastly I added a piece of washi tape to ground the standing lantern.

 

Entering this in these lovely challenges:

Freshly Made Sketches: #747 

 

GCFAOS: #24 Gebruik designpapier (Use designer paper)

Snippets Playground: #537 

Simon Says Wednesday: AG 

Creative Fingers: #327 AG 

Hedgehog and birdie

 It was time for another holiday card. Thankfully there are Christmas challenges with themes - this way I could pick some inspiration. I settled again for my PB hedgehog and birdie stamp. I made some stampings before I gave it away, now there are just a couple left. 

The other supplies were a sled die, some markers and my folder of mixed greenery. Later I pulled out a few scraps and some twine.

 

I painted the bird and the hedgehog and fussy cut them out. Then I die cut the sled and built some presents. I used a linen thread to connect the sled to the hedgehog so it looks like he's pulling it. It's a sweet card in non.traditional Christmas colors, just right for my younger GD.

 

Entering this in challenges that inspired me today:

Penny Black Saturday Challenge: AG / 'On the move' optional - I am playing with this option

Christmas Kickstart Challenge: #112 Grace us with your presents 

Sweet Stamping Challenge: For the children

Inkspirational: #372 Christmas in July

 

 

 

C.R.A.F.T. challenge: #785 Christmas           

Sunflower greetings

 Sunflowers are in season, so I was overjoyed to find a challenge for yellow flowers. I paired it with a sketch, the call for making it tone on tone, And, I could use my pretty papers.

The supplies were rather simple, dies and papers and some Perfect pearls. Later I added some glittery stones as I don't have enamel dots (which were called for in one challenge). 

 

I die cut the sunflower out of design paper and laid it over another. I made an underlay for the flower out of a yellow tissue paper so it would stand out better. I was working with a sketch so added the an outer and inner frame. The orientation was flipped, I thought my card made more sense as a horizontal.

Entering this in the following inspirational challenges:

As You See It: #377 Recipe for Happy Yellow Flowers

 

Atlantic Hearts Challenge: #692 Sketch - I changed the orientation

 

TGIF: #587 Technique challenge: Tone on tone 

 

Love Those Pretty Papers: July AG / Coastal optional - I am playing with AG

Embossed for birthday

Today I took on to combine  a sketch with a color challenge and add some dry embossing and die cutting to the mix. I chose these supplies to begin with - but later changed the bird-on-a-branch die to a doily die.

Here you can see the embossed and partially colored in flowers that have been already die cut out.

I tossed a long time between a white background and a colorful die cut and a dark grey background with a white die cut. The latter won as you see. I added a sentiment and embossed it in white.

 

 Entering this in these challenges that served as my inspiration today:

The Paper Players: #796 Sketch

 

Color Dare: #714 

 

Just Add Ink: #790 Dies, stencils ...or both - I used dies only

 

Cut It Up: #361 Emboss it 

 

From all of us

 Today's inspiration came from color challenges asking for red-white-blue. This is not my usual comfort zone so working with these colors gave me an extra challenge.

I started by pulling out my supplies: a floral die set, colors and a background stamp and a sentiment stamp.

 

I stamped the background with Versafine light blue directly to the card base. Then I die cut and assembled the flower and painted it. The sentiment reads " Best Wishes from all of us".

 

I am entering this in these inspiring challenges:

Daisy Chain: #109 Birthday  

Give a Crafter a Cookie: GCC#218 Yummy red, white and blue 

 

Colorful Options: July challenge

 

Pinspirational: July red, white and blue