Hedgehog and birdie

 It was time for another holiday card. Thankfully there are Christmas challenges with themes - this way I could pick some inspiration. I settled again for my PB hedgehog and birdie stamp. I made some stampings before I gave it away, now there are just a couple left. 

The other supplies were a sled die, some markers and my folder of mixed greenery. Later I pulled out a few scraps and some twine.

 

I painted the bird and the hedgehog and fussy cut them out. Then I die cut the sled and built some presents. I used a linen thread to connect the sled to the hedgehog so it looks like he's pulling it. It's a sweet card in non.traditional Christmas colors, just right for my younger GD.

 

Entering this in challenges that inspired me today:

Penny Black Saturday Challenge: AG / 'On the move' optional - I am playing with this option

Christmas Kickstart Challenge: #112 Grace us with your presents 

Sweet Stamping Challenge: For the children

Inkspirational: #372 Christmas in July

 

 

 

C.R.A.F.T. challenge: #785 Christmas           

You can do it!

Today's inspiration was actually the word 'stars'. There is a challenge going with that prompt, but that requires an embossing folder and I couldn't do that because of the stamping and die cutting I had in mind. But let's keep the word 'stars' in mind and add a few challenges to that. 

I wanted to make an encouragement card for a child. I have this wonderful stamp set with whimsical animals. The top hat of the rabbit boy(?) offered a great place to die cut a starburst. It is a stamp which actually mostly perforates the image. To make the cut out look like stars I adhered a piece of yellow gelli print behind it. I also die cut and colored a few stars. The rabbit was also colored in with pencils. The sentiment reads: "You can do it!"

 

I am entering this in these challenges that I followed:

 Sparkles Monthly: #202 A kid's card

Sweet Stamping: For the children

Moving along with times: #191 Use a coloring medium

Cut it Up:  #360 Create your own background - I'd like to think the perforation with gelli print behind and stars on top of it is creating a background

A Perfect Time to Craft: July, open challenge 

Merry Christmas to 'ewe'

 Today's inspiration came from many sources: a sketch, prompts for Christmas in July and animals. And my new sheep (ewe) stamp. 

 

I gathered the supplies, having the vague idea of using the stars and the designer paper in my card. I later ditched that idea and settled for the baubles instead. I fell in love with this ewe stamp, it lends itself to marker coloring really well.

 

I am entering this card in the following challenges that were my inspiration:

 CAS Colours and Sketches: #589 Sketch

 

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Four-legged friends

Passion for Markers: #845 Animals 

Crafty Chicks: #828 Christmas 

 

Sweet Stamping: Christmas in July  

 

Delicate for birthday

Today I wanted to make something delicate and laid back. My main inspiration came from an embossing folder technique that I had seen recently on Youtube. One takes the embossed image, turns it backside up and rolls with ink. This fills the background and leaves the image untouched.

Oxides may not have been the right choice, the result was blotchy. 

I then moved onto flowers. I used two stamp sets as I wanted some variation. After stamping I colored them in with water soluble pencils and fussy cut the stems.

The finished card was again a combination of some very fortunate challenges. 

 

I am entering it in:

Pick 3 Challenge:  #5 May/June. I picked Birthday - Embossing - Blue 

Fab 'n Funky: #638 Use a stencil / embossing folder. I used an embossing folder for my background. 

Addicted to Stamps and more: #518 Birthdays 

Sweet Stamping: Flowers 

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: AG 

 

 

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

Pretty in pink

 I love challenges for the inspiration they give me. Today's picks were "pink - roses and butterflies - watercolor - hello".

The background was done with watercolor. The rose and butterfly were stamped and colored in with watersoluble crayons.

The word was die cut from a holographic silver card stock.

Entering this in challenges that acted as my muse:

Happy Little Stampers: Watercolor

Just Us Girls: #683 "Hello" 

 Sweet Stamping: Pretty in Pink

Triple B: June Challenge - Inspiration board.  -  I loved that red butterfly!

Daring Cardmakers: Everything coming up roses

Thank you for your visit!

Groovy florals

 I am a sucker for 60's groovy colors and florals. I even have a few 60's fabrics that I use as curtains or tablespreads. So when Retro rubber announced their challenge I was over the moon.

I selected this large floral stamp that hasn't seen any love for a while. I bought it on a trip to Stockholm five-six years ago. I colored it in with Distress colors to get a watercolor look; Spiced Marmalade, Picked Raspberry, Dusty Concord and Frayed Burlap that has turned green in the bottle (so weird).

I was even able to achieve several more prints, each turning a bit paler. They will be great as backgrounds in future projects.

For the sentiment I wanted to stay in the groove (pardon the pun), so I dug out this old alphabet stamp. I have no idea who the maker is, I bought it when I first started and that was around 2007.

I used a fifth color, yellow, for the matting.

And this is the finished card:

 

I'd like to enter it into the following challenges:

Retro Rubber Challenge: #179 Groovy baby

Try it on Tuesday: Say it with flowers

Sweet Stamping Challenge: Use your older stash

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Anything goes

The big seven oh

 A dear friend of mine is turning 70. She was never one to celebrate her birthdays, but this time she will. Knowing her reluctance I made a card that look lighthearted enough. Instead of using the big scary number I am only saying Congrats (and will write something personal inside).

I like to use my gelli plate prints whenever I can. I cut the squares, then stamped the images onto scraps, fussy cut them and adhered onto the squares.

I placed the letters a bit crooked and also used one negative instead of a full letter. I feel it adds to the feel of lightheartedness. 

Entering in:

Simon Says Monday Challenge: Feminine

Sweet Stampers Challenge: #66 CAS 

CAS on Sunday: #227 Flowers 

Simon Says Wednesaday: Use your favorite things - mine would be gelli plate printed papers! 

Seize the Birthday: #234 Use Green or Anything goes - I went with the latter option

You are loved

 I have only recently moved into the realm of greeting cards. My usual ATC cards exist without much added gadgetry, they are based on collage (the way I do them). But for some reason I do own some embossing folders and heat embossing powder. But not with the gadgets that go with them. So then, today is 'make do' day.

The background was placed into a embossing folder and heavily hammered around the edges to create a diffused look. 

The raised image is around the perimeter only. In the center there is an oval piece of vellum which I stamped with blue and heat embossed with clear powder to create an iced look. I don'y own a craft heat gun, but used a commercial paint stripping heat gun instead. Those things get hot fast!

The flowers are stamped and colored with Oxides, the ladybug has been treated with a coat of Glossy Accents.

 

Entering this in:

Sweet Stamping challenge: Feature an animal - I hope Ladybugs count!

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Heat embossing

More Mixed Media Challenge: AG / optional brights

Chocolate Baroque: Favorite stamps - mine is that four leaf clover! Bought 10 years ago at the Paper Source.

Addicted to Stamps: #411 Make your Mark

 

A floral profusion

I recently came across a nifty technique where you color in a floral printed tissue paper (Youtube link in case you are interested). The link uses Tim Holtz Botanical tissue, but I wanted to make my own instead. I used several floral and background stamps, then colored the tissue in with my watercolor set and Distress oxides.

I made it into a card.

clicks for larger

Entering this in:

Allsorts Challenge: 633/4 Feminine / For a Lady

Sweet Stamping: Create your own background 

613 Avenue Create: Anything goes/ opt. Watercolor 

Double D Challenge: Colors of summer 

 

B is for butterfly

 I was inspired to stamp on different types of paper. They give the image some interest and texture.

I used several papers and stamps by Dina Wakeley (the girl). Stampers anonymous (butterfly) and tulip by Tin Can Mail. That one is ancient, but I love it to bits. Part of the background is a dictionary page that was used in gelli plate printing, but I also used 'store-bought' papers there to get a nice flow.

entering in:

Allsorts challenge: Use design paper 

Sweet stamping: Something beginning with a B mine is Butterfly 

MixitUp challenge: Anything goes with optional stamping