Late roses

 I have been on a quest to use my old and neglected stuff. I confess, I like to make backgrounds, but then not use them. I stash them away, thinking there will be a time when something will come handy - but it rarely does. Because it is too interesting to make new backgrounds ... and so it goes.

Today I pulled out backgrounds which I made two years ago. Two years. Made out of strips of old book pages and a few other remnants that I had collected.

 

When I was looking for an image, a stamp fell into my line of vision: a Santoro girl that I had purchased well before Covid, but never used since. The colors went nicely and I knew I could create the same-ish colors. It was an inspiring match.

I stamped the girl and the rose garland and colored both in. To get the dreamy look and delicate shading I worked with colored pencils.

 

After fussy cutting I arranged both onto the word strip card base. I had to cover a boo-boo with a separate flower, but I think it looks rather natural. The sentiment will go inside.

Entering this in these nice challenges:

Girlz Creative: Splash it with Color: #31 Bruin en/ of oranje

 

I Spy with My Little Eye: #41 Added text (background or sentiment)

Kleuren met potloden: September alles mag

The Neglected Stuff: September AG - the stamp and the background were heavily neglected

Creative Knockouts: September 17 AG 

Having fun

I am a guest designer for this fortnight over at Girlz Creative: Splash it with Color. Today's card is all about gelli plate fun. The leaves haven't turned yet where I live, but it is nice to live in anticipation. 

I selected a couple of autumn colors, a few stencils and a couple of stamp sets with leaves. And since fall - for me - is a joyous time, I added some celebratory gold thread; but also brown, to ground it.

I started by making just three sheets. I know I know, once you start it is nearly impossible to stop. I limited myself beforehand to just three. Even if they would not have been to my liking I would have made something. But luckily one was just perfect for the background and the other two were suitable for stamping.

 

To bring more shimmer and shine to the card (besides the gold thread), I heat embossed the stamped leaves with transparent embossing powder. It totally transforms the dull brown ink.

 

I propped the two leaves flanking the sentiment on foam strips and arranged the threads as a whirlwind underneath. The other leaves were just strewn below. 

 

I am entering this in these autumnal challenges:

Die Traumfabrik: #154 Quand vient l'automne [When Fall is coming]: Autumn colors and/ or mushrooms - I am playing with just the colors

Cardz 4 Guyz: #390 Fall / autumn theme colors

Creative Inspirations: Hello Autumn

Addicted to Stamps and More: #526 Make your mark

Simon Says Monday Challenge: Make your own background 

 

Green and yellow friendship

 I had so much fun with paints today. I don't play with them often enough. I made an enjoyable mess which resulted in just one print, though, because of time restraints.

Today I gathered some nice inspiration: a friendship card in a color scheme of green and yellow using a stencil, fitted in a layout prompt. I used greens and lemon yellow for my background paper. 

I then cut the panel according to the sketch. The result looked minimal which was not quite the look I had in mind. I rummaged through my ready stash envelope and found a large lacy circle that I had cut for a project that never happened. It was yellow and it fitted nicely behind the green triangle. The flowers were left white.

 

 

Entering this in these challenges that served me as guidance today:

Simon Says Monday Challenge: Fun with paint

Creative Color Girlz: #25 Geel en/of groen (yellow and/or green) 

Allsorts: #853 Stencils 

Cardz 4 Galz: #280 For a friend / Friendship 

TSOT: #699 Two sketches - I chose to work with sketch #1, but made a teeny tiny addition to it after turning it around... 

 

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