Hello - playing bingo

 I needed a "hello" card for a friend. I find them to be the most difficult of all - what do you put on them? There is no one answer. Today I took my cue from a row of bingo in a papercraft challenge.

I used a lot of green hued scraps (mostly blotched gelli prints), arranged them into a starburst pattern and run it through a polka dot embossing folder. I love the effect dry embossing creates on patterned paper, it somehow draws the attention to itself and the background papers receive less attention.

I attached a few die cut balloons with twine and added a sentiment. 

Entering the card into these lovely challenges:

Allsorts Challenge: Week 766 My row is Dry embossing - green - twine

Can You Handle the Pressure: AG / twist of birthdays - I am playing AG

Let's Craft and Create: #204 AG, Polkadots/ an or stripes - I went with polka dots

Unicorn Challenge: #95 Dots and/or stripes - I went with dots

Papercraft Challenges: #102 AG

Thank you for your visit!

Woven

 For a while now I have been keeping all my off cuts that come from trimming card bases or papers. Today seemed like a good time to use up all those snippets and scraps. I created a woven background that I inserted into a round opening.

Two black die cuts form the backdrop for the vividly colored rose, which was embossed with clear embossing powder before I colored it in. 

Entering this in the challenges that inspired me today: 

Scrapping4Fun: #225 Birthday

Stamping Sensations: Summer flowers  (2nd entry)

We Love Stamping: Fabulous florals (2nd entry)

Let's Create Challenge: #197 Add flowers (2nd entry)

NBUS Challenge: #52 - This was my first outing for my neon colors.

Birthday Numbers

 My niece turns 7 in July. I wanted to incorporate that number, and the appropriate number of flowers. In the end it only has six flowers, the last flower has been replaced by the number 7. 

The center is done with watercolor through a round stencil, the small numbers are rub-ons from various packages and typefaces. The flowers are stamped onto a gelli print, then fussy cut.

Entering this in:

Stamping Sensations: Summer Flowers or AG option - I chose summer flowers as my focal point

Let's Create Challenges: #197 AG + Add Flowers 

Creative Fingers Challenge: #258 AG

Surround yourself with happy

 Today I played tic-tac-toe and gave some much-needed love to my old stamps. 

These circles are by Rubber Dance and were purchased as a set about four, possibly even five years ago. I used them a lot in the beginning, but lost sight of them lately. 

The bird stamp is by Above the Mark, and was one of my first stamps back in 2008. Even the green bough stamp is truly a vintage one from around the same time.

 

Entering in:

Retro Rubber Challenge: #rrcb 168 Tic-tac-toe - my row was "one word sentiment - green - circles", but works equally well in " circles - foliage - something that flies"

 Stamping Sensations: Animals, birds and bugs

613 Aveunue Create: #11 Anything goes

Let's Create: AG+ things with wings

My wish for you is...

 Today I took the mixed media approach to card making. Many challenges coincide again and I took cues from each one for this card.

Circles? You've got it. Lots of layers?  For sure. Stitching? Yes! A long sentiment? Absolutely. And a matching envelope? Oh yes, that too.

The background is a gelli print with circles. I piled on strips of paper in suitable colors, glued lightly and then  sewed them on. The butterflies are stamped on another gelli print, the pink die cut uses one, too.

The sentiment is nonsensical (and that's why I like it). It starts with a printed prompt "My wish for you is" - I finished it by "don't collect butterflies".  Somebody with oddball humor will appreciate it.

And finally the matching envelope:

Entering in:

Try it on Tuesday: Going round in circles

Let's Create Challenge: #175 AG/ opt. Lots of layers  

Lost Coast portal of creativity: #130 Sentiments in focus (at least five words)

Simon Says Monday challenge: Stitch it

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Card + matching envelope

(all photos can be clicked for a larger view)