Sending happy thoughts

 Today I felt like using some of my pretty papers again. Granted, there is not much real estate to cover on a greeting card. Nevertheless, it felt great to have three scraps over and done with.

There were a couple of nice challenges that took my fancy today, and I tried my best to do every one of them justice.

 

 This was my selection: a couple of papers, a stencil (by Um Wow - boy is it ancient!), texture paste, gold paste, and a stamp. Not pictured are die cut leaves from my ready stash as well as a length of twine.

I started by piecing the background. I then mixed the texture paste (which was pale purple) with gold. The result was a beautiful rose gold. I then applied it trough the stencil to an upper and lower corner. 

 

While it was drying I stamped the poppies and fussy cut them out. I arranged the leaves behind the poppies, then glued everything and tied the twine into a bough.

Finally I flicked some gold droplets onto the finished card.

 

Entering this in these wonderful challenges:

Double D Challenges: Textures

The Pick 3 Challenge: #10 Oct-Nov. My picks were twine- poppies -gold

 

Simon Says Monday Challenge: Thinking of you

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: #46 AG / moodboard optional - I am playing with AG

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Bling it on

Little Red Wagon: #883 AG 

Poppies for birthday

 The ultimate summer flowers for me are poppies. But since they wither fast, it is safer to give them as a card. 

I have so many poppy stamps to prove my poppy addiction; today my selection fell on these supplies, a stamp set with lovely large poppies, a gifted gelli printed background and sentiments and their frames.

I started by cutting the gelli print to size. I preserved the woman's face, thinking it might peek behind the flowers. But in the end it was covered to an extent that it is unrecognizable only if you know what to look for. I then stamped the poppies and colored them in with markers, then fussy cut them. 

I arranged them on the background, raising the flowers with foam pads, but glueing the stems down. Then I stamped the label, fussy cut it and stamped the sentiment on it. It reads 'Best wishes for your birthday'.

Entering this in these challenges that inspired me today:

We Love Stamping: Summer Blooms

Beautiful Blossoms: #44 AG floral/ photo inspiration optional. I was inspired by the photo

 

Triple B: TB August/ moodboard optional

 

Passion For Markers: #851 Floral Vibes 

Hand Stamped Sentiments: #495 AG/ moodboard optional - I was inspired by the combination of red yellow, green in this moodboard 

 

Creative Inspirations: August AG 

 

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

 

 

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 

 

Just because...

 Today several challenges aligned beautifully and I was able to use them as my inspiration for a 'Just because' card for a friend.

I started with black gesso and applied it through a reversed stencil. Reversed, because it had words which I didn't want to be readable. Next I sprayed the whole background with two colors. They had a fine mist, so the background became rather evenly colored, not wildly splattered.

I then stamped some flowers and colored them in with my Ecoline markers. (So good! The have great coverage without the penetrant smell of alcohol markers, and they are blendable.) I really liked the grid idea of a challenge and wanted to use it.

 

So then, several hours later... I hope my friend likes this happy mail she's about to receive.

 

Entering this in the challenged that made this possible:

Stencil Fun: May AG/ See-thru optional. I enter with AG

Double D: Splatter challenge 

TGIF: #578 Inspiration challenge - I used the grid 

Beautiful Blossoms: #41 / AG, Moodboard optional. I didn't use the moodboard. 

613 Avenue Create: May AG, 'May flowers' optional. I went with that option. 

This little piggy...

 I am playing catch-up with my new stamps and stencils (and there might be some dies, too... - I have been very generous with myself).  

Today I used a new stencil for the background. I was able to make a gingham pattern with it by moving it around a bit. The piggy is also a new stamp, I bought it solely for the reason that the way the arms are positioned I am able to place items into its hands - today it is the flower.

 

Entering this birthday card in these fun challenges:

We Love Stamping: Something new

Stamps & Fun=Creativity: #446 AG

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: #13 Anything floral or Moodboard option: I am using the AG option 

Stencil Fun: AG / option birds - I went with AG option

Lost Coast Portal of Creativity: #181 AG (with stamping)

Wishing you happiness

 I am very fond of British nature themed stamps; they are simply beautiful and create a serene look that looks almost like a vintage copperplate.

Today I grabbed two, the birds are by Crafty Individuals and the berries by PaperArtsy. A few challenges were calling my name and I hoped to combine them in one card. 

I picked my favorite colors, or rather color combination for this time of year which is baby blue with dark, brownish red. I made a gelli print and embossed it with leaves. I stamped the birds in brown Versamark ink, cut the panels out and inked the edges. I used the same ink for the rose hip stamp, embossed it with clear embossing powder and fussy cut it, then colored it in with pencils and markers.

I am entering this into these challenges:

Triple B: December challenge I liked the stark black and white feel of this inspiration photo. I just could not fit in a butterfly this time!

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: AG floral or Moodboard - I was very inspired by the winter imagery, especially the rose hips spoke to me. These colors have a beautiful vintage vibe, too. - I am now unsure whether I should have added a flower as it was not in the images. But then I think: the rose hip was a beautiful flower and became a fruit afterwards. So perhaps it counts?

Stamping Sensations: Favourite colors - baby blue with dark red as counterpoint

Let's Craft and Create: #202 AG+ vintage feel

Big congrats

 A birthday celebration card was in order. I let myself be inspired by several challenges, again. I love challenges, they are so inspirational.

I started with a background stamp that I embossed with gold. Then I added my favorite color to the background. Now I love all colors, but in my heart of hearts I am a pink girl. I inked in the background with DO's, in Tea dye, Spun sugar and Kitsch flamingo. I then stamped an colored in the floral bouquet. I rounded it up with kraft and black leaves and greenery.

 

Entering it in these lovely challenges:

Stamping Sensations: Favourite colours  - I have one favorite and that is pink.

The Flower Challenge: #87 Use gold

Paper Funday Challenge: #60 challenge - 5th Birthday bash -congrats!!

Beautiful Blossoms: AG/ moodboard optional. The moodboard was too wintry for my purpose, so I am playing AG this time

Inkspirational: #305 Word prompt: celebrate!

 

Thank you for your visit! I love reading comments and meeting new people, just in case you decide to leave a comment.

Flowers for birthday

 A couple of lovely challenges were calling my name - one for layout, another for colors and two for flowers. I do love flowers and have wquite a few floral stamps.

For this card I selected an oldie by Stampendous. It is a skinny rectangle, so it needed cutting to size. I stamped the flowers with pale grey ink, then colored them in with Oxides and smeared some Nuvo drops on top for some sheen.

 I fussy cut it completely, even the center, then added blue cardstock tying it in I had with the blue flower in the background. Lastly I adhered iridescent sparklies most everywhere.

The sentiment was stamped onto a die cut circle and a frilly circle of vellum was adhered behind to soften it up.

Entering in these challenges that inspired me today:

Die-Cut Divas: Flowers

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: AG/ or moodboard optional. - I decided to go with softer colors.

Color My Heart Colordare Challenge: #577

 

Hand Stamped Sentiments: #428 sketch 

A "copperplate illustration"

 I  have wanted to make an old-fashioned botanical "copperplate illustration" for some time. I put it in quotes, because I am using stamps and not doing any copperplate or other drawing. That style just speaks to me.

There were a couple of challenges that I followed for guidance, mainly because copperplate botanicals are a vast subject and I have a vast amount of stamps. I also included a couple of printed papers in my composition. I stamped a nice selection of images and embossed all with clear embossing powder.

The finished card was kept to a tight color palette of olive and berry (with some variation). I looked for a way to include "a cluster of three" as prompted in one challenge. Can you spot it?

Entering in the challenges that made this stamped and collaged card happen:

Color Hues: #TCH#68 Olive and Berry 

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: #9 AG flowers/ optional moodboard - I chose to go less tropical than the mood board

TioT: Pretty papers

Use Your Stuff: #489 A three item cluster

Festive Friday: Floral delights

Flowers, always flowers

It's time for some flowers. Today I challenged myself to move away from my favorite colors (which are plenty) and try to use my least favorite color, which is purple. 

I recently purchased this stamp set second hand - it looked so whimsical and I today I am using it for the first time. I think the whimsy takes away the serious edge of purple. (Anyway, that's how I feel about purple.) Here I am still toying with a green stenciled background. Which I then ditched for a simple grey-beige one, the flowers are busy, the background dows not need to be.

The finished card:

Entering this into these challenges:

Beautiful Blossoms: AG with flowers -or moodboard - I took my inspiration from the mood board

Creative Inspiration Challenges: Challenge #3 AG

Allsorts Challenge: #733 AG/ option Bees, Blooms or Butterflies - I am entering with the floral option

Use Your Stuff: #486 Flowers 

NBUS (Never before used Schtuff): June Challenge - it's the stamp set!

 

Thank you for your visit!