Tea for two

 When I sit down to my desk I never know what I am going to make. Today I was playing with three prompts in my mind: romance - pink - heart.

Tea can be a very romantic moment, perhaps early on when you are just getting to know each other. A passing moment, no-committal but getting more intimate when tea is being served, discussion becoming more animated. Fine porcelain cups and a nicely thrown pot underline the ambience.

 

These thoughts formed my starting point. To get to the finished card I selected suitable gelli printed papers and used those for background and the tea service, stamped some ethereal dog rose for the background and hand lettered the sentiment ("tea for two").

I am entering it into these challenges that inspired me today:

We Love Stamping: Romance (or AG)

Colourful Options: Pink

Dragonfly Dreams Challenge: Hearts 

The Flower Challenge: #88 Add a heart

Addicted to Stamps and More: #461 Make your mark

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.

Another *Inspired by...

 Today's card was inspired by strong, summery colors provided by one challenge, but also the verbal suggestion of red, white and blue of another. On top of that I attempted to keep is CAS*. 

The yellow background is a gelli print on tissue. The flowers and butterfly are stamped, fussy cut and arranged. II don't own many markers, so in order to get the shading I colored everything first with watercolor pencils, shading them in the process, then went over with one marker in the same color.

*CAS seems to be such a wide concept. Some challenges accept only one layer cards with plenty of white space, some are fine with layering as long as there is empty space (not necessarily white) - frankly, I am rather confused at times. The common theme seems to be 'one focal point', if I am not totally mistaken. How do you handle CAS?

Entering this into the challenges that inspired me today:

Daring Card Makers: July Elemental inspiration Challenge - Iwas inspired by the colors pink and orange, using a colorful background with already colorful images, gradation and flowers.  - Update - I was too late with my entry and could not enter the challenge!

Day of the Month Card Club: #53 National Simplicity Day

Simply Clean and Simple: CAS, optional: Roses are red, violets are blue - the challenge picture made me want to add a blue butterfly to the mix.

Triple B: July Challenge - blooms and a butterfly

The Flower Challenge: #82 CAS

Sweet Stamping: Flowers/ Blooming beautiful

It's peony time

 I love peonies. Their appearance is a conundrum: they are large, voluptuous even, but manage to look dainty and sweet. They last only for a few days in the vase and not much longer in the garden - where they are in mid bloom right now. I

 have several peony stamps, but selected one from Creative-Depot this time. (I'm not affiliated, the link is for you in case you are interested.)

I have a strange fascination with large background stamps that are actually just blank. Today was the day to take them all out, as I got inspired by a layout where they fit perfectly.

I stamped the peony twice, with brown ink, as I wanted to use part of the second flower to raise some petals. The sentiment is die cut from brown card stock (paint chips actually - very handy for these purposes.)

The finished card:

Entering into the challenges that inspired the creation process:

Inspired by: #243 Donuts. - I was inspired by the color palette citron-lavender-pink-brown

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge: #530 - I turned the sketch 90 degrees.

The Flower Challenge: #81 Use your favorite flower - this is a birthday card (just not in English)

Thank you for your visit!

A restricted color palette

 I find using a restricted color palette very challenging. So of course I had to challenge myself!

I started by stamping the Stampers Anonymous Glorious Bouquet onto a card base. The stamp is extremely large, there is some overhang that simply didn't fit in.

I then colored it in with two colors only: Shaded Lilac and Iced Spruce. I have them as refills, it's perfect for watercoloring technique. I filled in the flowers in the center only, leaving the ones along the edges uncolored.

Lastly I matted it with dark forest green, added Glossy Accents on the leaves - which sadly don't show very well in the photo, but it adds such a nice detail.

I am entering this in:

The Alphabet Challenge: B is for Blooms

Inkspirational Challenge: #263 Watercolor    

Color Hues, the color challnge: #39 Purple and Green 

Seize the Birthday: #236 Signs of spring 

The Flower Challenge: #67 Add a heart