Seeing the positive

 Today I chose to 'follow a lead', in other words take inspiration from a card posted for that purpose. I lament that all 'CASE' challenges seem to have disappeared. When they were active I was too new to card making to participate, but now I find the idea fun.

But I digress. I decided to keep the layout,  but build my own scene. I found a lovely sentiment in a stamp set that also gave me the idea for the scene. In the end I settled for my beloved cute cat stamps and small cloud+raindrop dies. 

The background was a simple three color blend. I had created a mask to protect the stamping which allowed me not to worry about getting color on the cat. I die cut the cloud and rain drops from colored papers and backed them with card stock so they would have some heft. I also added some Wink of Stella onto the rain drops and lined the cloud with it.

 

I am entering this in these lovely challenges:

AAA cards: #318 Follow my lead 

 

A Cut Above: July AG / 2 year anniversary challenge 

 

Cut it Up: #360 Create your own background 

Polkadoodles: #7 AG 

Gem of a Challenge: AG 

 

 

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 

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 

Flowers galore

I have lately been watching a lot of YouTube videos. In one of them Ardyth tried to reason whether she needs a new set of dies or whether she can replicate the look with her existing ones. 

Well, today I wanted to try the same. I pulled out all my single flower dies, applied them on colored papers. And here is one of the results. (I made many, couldn't stop myself...)

 

As it is birthday season and birthday is also a theme in one of the challenges that inspired me today, a birthday card it is.

 

Entering this in the following challenges:

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Use Craft Dies 

Everybody Art Challenge: Happy 600! 

AAA Birthday Challenge: Game 85 

A Cut Above: May Challenge 

Fab 'n Funky: #637 Monochromatic

These are the cards I have made so far...