Hello friend

 Again I got inspired by a couple of challenges and wanted to see if I could combine them to a pleasing whole. Male greeting cards are difficult for me, I admit, but one does need them in one's stash.

This is what I worked with today: a stamp set (whose wrapper is long gone so I have no idea of its maker), but where the animals have beautiful patterns, alcohol markers, card stock in various colors, hexagon dies and 'dusky violet' embossing powder.

 

I stamped the bird, embossed it with purple (which turned out surprisingly dark despite its name) and colored the pattern it in with markers. Then I die cut two hexagons and laid them topsy-turvy over each other and placed the bird on them. I then stamped the sentiment and embossed it as well. At this point the card didn't seem quite finished so I brought on three enamel dots.

 

 

Entering this in the challenges that inspired me today:

Alphabet Challenge: E is for embossing (wet or dry) - I went with heat embossing (which is wet?)

CAS Colours and Sketches: #588 Colors

 

Addicted to CAS: #311 Code word: Pattern - I used a bird stamp with a pattern

 

Krafty Chicks Challenge: #826 Masculine

 

Summer at the waterside

 The ultimate summer feeling for me is keeping my toes wet, preferably at waterside, which is a river - or just the bath tub - in these parts. I spent my childhood summers at a vast lake and wanted to make a card reflect that feeling. (You kind of stand at the world's edge, if you know what I mean. Only sky and water exist.)

 

Out came the supplies: a stencil for waves, a stamp suitable to double up as a swimmer as well as some designer papers and a die for the underwater life. 

I stenciled the background with Distress Oxides Salvaged patina, then cut it out by hand in a wavy form. I stamped the lady, cutting her out without the intended wings and colored her suit with watercolor markers. I found a ready cut large cloud and a sentiment in my ready-to-go stash and used those as well.

 

I raised the swimmer and the sentiment out of the flat surface with foam strips.

 

I am entering this in the following challenges that made me think of my childhood summers:

 Everybody Art Challenge: #603 Sommerzeit/ Ferienzeit

Stamps+Fun=Creativity: #498 Ferien

Simon Says Monday: At the beach 

Creative Knockouts: #573 Summer Fun

TGIF: #tgifc583 Technique challenge: Popping it up

 

Girlz Creative Fun Art of Scrap: #23 Gebruik designer papier

Happy to you

 I could not believe it. It has been a couple of years since I bought this beautiful die set - and have not once used it. Today a challenge made me think of it and I packed it out. The colors were inspired by another challenge. I used small paper paint chips, too - always a win as I have too many stashed up.

 

This is a birthday card.

 

I am entering this in these inspirational challenges: 

Time Out: #316 Inspiration photo - I was inspired by the open geometric structure

 

Seize the Birthday: #329 Blue, pink and yellow

Snippets Playground: #535 

I am also entering in these AG challenges:

Cupcake Inspirations: #638

 

Paper Rock Scissors: #17 

Poppy greetings

There were still leftovers from yesterday's session. The stenciled paper grabbed my fancy, and that slatted round  piece as well.

I was inspired by the colors of two challenges and wanted to add some flowers using those colors.

I then stamped the sentiment. It's a greeting, suitable for a 'just because' card.

 

Entering my card in these inspiring  challenges:

Beautiful Blossoms: Anything with blooms, moodboard optional - I was inspired by the moodboard

 

TGIF: #582 Moodboard 

 

Passion for Markers: #843 Add flowers

JustUsGirls: #829 Stencil week

We Love 2 Create: AG 

 

Leftovers and the number 6

Today two challenges caught my interest: use leftovers from previous challenges and have six embellishments.  I gathered some leftovers.

 

I decided to use the remnants of the donut card (here): the cut-out circle became my stencil. I took a piece of card board and started pouncing color through it. I used my long-neglected Distress Stains for this.

 

The way they layered up transparent made me think of balloons. I drew their outlines with a fine liner. The sentiment is also a leftover, as are the dots. At first I had six, but mysteriously lost two of them, so I pulled out two enamel dots to complete the arrangement. The sentiment is a leftover from a project that never happened.

 

I am very happy that I could use up some leftovers. Entering this card in following challenges:

Inksprinational: #370 Leftovers

 

Path of Positivity: #142 AG w/ option Use 6 embellishments - i am going with this option

 

The Neglected Stuff: June AG - I used the Distress Stains and some enamel dots (2nd entry)

Polkadoodles: AG 

PIP: #2625 AG 

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends: #280 AG

Garden faerie

Today I was inspired by three topics (spread across five challenges). Out came the supplies: a recently purchased stamp set, a torn edge background die and a stencil. And the colors of course: Oxide in salvaged patina for the background (it is such a cheerful blue-green hue) and various browns and blues for the image.

 

I stenciled the background, stamped and colored the image and cut the background. The text reads: "Fairy dust".

 

Entering this in these lovely challenges that inspired me today.

Colorful options: June 2026 Color palette

 

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Things with wings

TIOT: In the garden - there lives a faerie

Stencil Fun: anything with a stencil, butterfly optional - going with AG, 2nd entry

Make My Monday: #280 Use a stencil 

When a lot is simply too much

I tried to be clever and strategical with my combination of challenges today. I wanted to combine 'use stencil' with a sketch with die cuts with a theme ('tropical'). 

It all started with an array of supplies: two sets of die cuts, a stamp set and a stencil. I really like these irregular rectangles. I have no recollection where I bought this, but looking at the back side I saw it was made in India. 

 

I cut rectangles, colored them in with Oxides and arranged them according to the sketch. I cut 'tropical leaves' (name of the set)  from my gelli printed papers and I stamped a flower and colored it in with Ecoline watercolor markers. I stenciled the background with the stencil and Oxides. 

The trouble arose when I had to find a suitable sentiment. My choice fell on a small square 'Make a wish' which I embossed with neon orange embossing powder. I must say - that was too much. Perhaps it could be salvaged with another sentiment (or flower?) which would cover it. 

 

Before I attempt a remedy I will show this in the following challenges. The sketch challenge has closed, but the following are still active:

Tic-Tac-Toe: #tttc295 - I followed the diagonal row 'floral - square card - stencil'

Double D: Tropical - I was inspired by the lower right quadrant, it's colors and flowers 

 

A Cut Above: June AG - 2nd entry 

Creative Color Girlz: #5 Bloemen - Flowers 

No rain, just shine

 Today I found a couple of challenges that support each other well. Take dies and a stamp and some suitable gelli print scraps...

 

... and the card was ready in no time.

 

Thank you for these awesome challenges that make card making so enjoyable!

Entering this in:

In(k)spire me: #592 

The Paper Players: #PP791 (clean & simple) Weather

 

Simply Clean and Simple: AG/ Nautical otional. This is my 2nd entry and I am going with AG.

Cut it Up: #358 One for the boys/ men

 

Sweet delights

There is popular and often repeated saying 'Life is better with donuts'. I don't necessarily agree, being more partial to salty liquorice myself, yet today I felt drawn to a couple challenges where I could live out some candy colors.

My all time favorite color combo is yellow with pink, the whole color range of hues ranging from bright to muted. I just find them so cheerful together. Today I picked small color cards in muted hues and partly with shiny finishes, and combined them with a bright yellow background. 

 

I also used different size circles dies. I don't own stamps or dies with 'sweets' motifs, but I figured with my collection of circle dies I should be able to produce some donuts.

In the end I used two irregular circles and one perfectly round one for the hole.

 

I am entering this in these following challenges that inspired me today:

Crafty Gals Corner: #278 Anything goes / Sweets for dad optional - I did go with the 'Sweets' for option, but since I am at the age where my dad is long deceased, this card will be for anyone 

Inspired by: #IB393 Inspired by... donuts - I went with the colors and the donuts

 

As You Like It: Favorite color combo - mine is yellow with pink 

Snippets Playground: #535 AG

Simon Says Monday challenge: Food and/ or drink 

 

ETA: After looking at the finished card for a few hours, I decided to add some Liquid pearl accents on each donut. This tiny addition does make it look more finished.

 

 

Fun with fruit

Today I had my eye on a few challenges that could combine well for a card for a person who is not opposed to childish themes.

I have this fantastic circus themed stamp set (by My Favorite Things) that I have had for two years. (I used it here.) I thought I could combine this with two fruit stamp sets. The last time I used the cherry set (Hero Arts) was two years on the day (here). I had just acquired it then. The mixed fruit set (Sizzix) is also from that same year.

 

The card was straightforward to make: stamp, cut, color. Finding the right background took the longest. Finally I settled on a paper with a leaf print and a piece of green gelli print.

 

Entering this in these very inspiring challenges:

Retro Rubber Challenge: #rrcb274 Taste of summer

 

Creative Knockouts: #573 Summer fun

Girlz and the Art of Letters: #29 De letter van C van... circus!

Papercraft Challenges: #131 Sunny days & bright hues