Modern Florals

Today's card features a set of Sizzix dies called 'Modern Florals'. I gathered lots & lots of snippets of coloured card, then cut out one of each of the pieces. I layered some fo them up, then added them to a card blank...following the layout on the packaging...popping the flower heads up using 3D foam pads. I added a simple stamped sentiment using one of the stamps from the 'Go To Words' set by Visible Image. 

Challenges for this card:

• Addicted to CAS - Centre Focus
• Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday - Anything Goes
• Everybody Art - Die Cuts & Punches
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Bright & Cheerful

Pansy Spray

Today's card features another floral stamp that I got for Christmas called 'Pansy Spray' by Stampendous. I stamped it on to watercolour paper, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. I added a sentiment using a stamp from the 'Go To Words' set by Visible Image, then distressed the edges a little before adding it to a kraft card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Beautiful Blossoms - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - CAS
• We Love Stamping - Anything Goes (Optional 'Anything but Square')

Pinwheel Daisies

I have a pair of cards to share today, made using some stamps from a set by JustRite that I received for Christmas called 'Pinwheel Daisies'. I stamped then on to navy blue card using Versamark ink, then heat embossed them using silver embossing powder from WOW. I added sentiments, using stamps from the 'Signature Greetings' set by Visible Image, heat embossing them in silver to match, then watercoloured the flowers using a blue Cosmic Shimmer paint. I matted the panels on to some silver mirror card before adding them to white card blanks.

Challenges for these cards:

• Addicted to CAS - Blue
• Allsorts - Anything Goes (Card on the left only)
• Elliebelle's Crafty Wednesday - Anything Goes
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• My Time to Craft - Use a Sentiment
• We Love Stamping - Anything but Square (Card on the right only)

Flowing Flowers N Leaves

I have a pair of cards to share today, made using a Hero Arts background stamp called 'Flowing Flowers N Leaves' that I picked up in a charity shop recently. For both cards, I stamped it on to smooth white card using Versamark Ink (inking and stamping a couple of times to make sure I got a really good impression), then heat embossed it using clear embossing powder. For the first card, I picked a trio of 'sunset' coloured Distress Inks...Picked Raspberry, Spiced Marmalade & Mustard Seed, and blended them over the top of the embossed background. Once dry, I gently wiped it with a paper towel to remove any ink from the embossing. So as to leave as much of the background uncovered as possible, I stamped a sentiment (using a stamp from the 'Floral Garden' stamp set by Simon Says Stamp) on to a snippet of black card using a white pigment ink, heat embossed it in white, then added it using 3D foam pads. I matted the floral panel on to some more black card before adding it to a white card blank.

I had intended that the second card would 'match' the first, albeit with a different trio of Distress Inks, but I really liked the subtle peaceful effect of the clear embossing on the white card, so decided to leave it alone. I trimmed it down to a square, then added a simple sentiment...using a stamp from the 'Go To Words' set by Visible Image and 'Metallic Silver' embossing powder from WOW...over the centre. I gently distressed the edges of everything, then added it to a white card blank.

Challenges for these cards:

• AAA Cards - Anything CAS (Optional 'Sympathy or Get Well') (Second card)
• Dream Valley - Anything Goes (First card)
• Everybody Art - Anything Goes (Second card)
• Krafty Chicks - Stamps (First card)
• Little Red Wagon - Sympathy (Second card)
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Stamp It (First card)

Nice Little Flower Border

Today's card features a stamp I picked up in a charity shop recently...it's by Hero Arts, and is called 'Nice Little Flower Border'. I stamped it across the centre of a white card blank, adding a sentiment using a stamp from the 'Go To Words' set by Visible Image, then coloured it using watercolour pencils.

Challenges for this card:

• Inkspirational - Clean & Simple
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes

PBSC August - Anything Goes (Optional 'Flowers')...More Inspiration!

It's the third Saturday of the month, so that means it's time for some more inspiration for this month's Penny Black Saturday Challenge...where the theme is:

'Anything Goes'

or

'Flowers'

As usual, we are sponsored by the awesome 1-2-3 Stitch:

Prize - a $20 voucher!

For the floral element on my card, I used the Penny Black 'Together' stamp...inking it using Distress Inks (Mermaid Lagoon, Uncharted Mariner, Chipped Sapphire, Mowed Lawn & Forest Moss) and stamping it on to watercolour a few times...with some second generation stamping to add some depth...definitely inspired by my favourite pick from last month's challenge - this card by Bonnie! I heat embossed a sentiment from the 'Go To Words' set by Visible Image using metallic gold embossing powder, then added the '90' using numbers cut from snippets of gold mirror card using my Cuttlebug 'Olivia' alphabet dies. I mixed some gold Cosmic Shimmers pigment with a little water, then splattered it over the top, before distressing the edges, and matting it on to some gold mirror card, and adding it to a white A5 card blank.

You can see the gold splatter a little better form this angle:

I'm also entering this card into the following challenges:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Beautiful Blossoms - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Little Red Wagon - Sparkle & Shine
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Sparkle & Shine
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Add a Sentiment
• Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes (Optional 'Summer in the Garden')

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the Penny Black Saturday Challenge.

Floral Garden Duo

I was the lucky winner of a Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) Challenge a little while ago, and one of the items I got with my prize was this fabulous 'Floral Garden' stamp set by Simon Says Stamp. The main stamp in the set is huge...so, for these cards, I only inked up half of the stamp at a time, stamping it on to watercolour paper. I coloured the image using watercolour pencils, then lightly distressed the edges of the paper. I stamped the sentiments (using a stamp from the 'Go To Words' set by Visible Image), using Versamark ink on to strips of vellum, then heat embossed it in metallic gold. Once cooled, I tore the edges of the vellum, then folded it around the watercolou paper before attaching the panels to DL kraft card blanks.

Challenges for these cards:

• AAA Birthday - Fabulous Flowers
• Allsorts - Anything Goes (Just the card on the left)
• Beautiful Blossoms - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• The Flower Challenge - Birthday Cards
• We Love Stamping - Anything Goes

Garden Bouquet

Today's card features an old Hero Arts floral silhouette stamp called 'Garden Bouquet'. I inked it up using a trio of bright Distress Inks (Picked Raspberry, Wilted Violet & Mermaid Lagoon), then stamped it along the bottom of a piece of watercolour paper, overlapping the colours. I added a sentiment using a stamp from the 'Go To Words' set by Visible Image, then distressed all the edges before adding it to a kraft card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• AAA Cards - Anything CAS
• Allsorts - Optional 'Flowers Galore'
• Dream Valley - Summer Colours
• Incy Wincy - Summer Flowers
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Bright & Cheerful
• We Love Stamping - Fabulous Florals

PBSC April - Anything Goes (Optional 'Numbers')...More Inspiration!

It's the third Saturday of the month, so that means it's time for some more inspiration for this month's Penny Black Saturday Challenge...where the theme is:

'Anything Goes'

or

'Numbers'

As usual, we are sponsored by the awesome 1-2-3 Stitch:

Prize - a $20 voucher!

I used a cute mice image for my card called 'Cheesecake Parade'...stamping it on to watercolour paper, and colouring it using watercolour pencils. I added a sentiment using a stamp from the 'Go To Words' set by Visible Image, then as this was the card I made for my Mum's recent birthday, I added numbers to the balloon that the littlest mouse is holding. For the background, I used a piece of watercolour effect paper from the 'Pastel Watercolours' pad from The Works...first of all cutting it into quarters, before embossing each section using a different Cuttlebug embossing folder. I lightly sanded over the raised areas (to reveal a little of the white core), then distressed all of the edges and adding faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. Finally, I matted the image and embossed pieces on to kraft card, then added them to the card blank.

I'm also entering this card into the following challenges:

• Creatalicious - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Creative Moments - Cute & Cuddly
• Dream Valley - Female
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Make Your Own Background

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the Penny Black Saturday Challenge.

Get Well Soon!

Today's card is a 'Get Well Soon' card that I made for my Dad who is recovering from a hip replacement operation. I picked a lili of the Valley bunny image called 'Get Well Bunny', stamped him on to watercolour paper, then coloured him using watercolour pencils. I paired him with papers from the 'Fresh Florals' pad by Craft Sensations...distressing the edges a little, before adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Go To Words' set by Visible Image.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes (Optional 'Feathers and/or Fur')
• Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes

Butterfly Birthday

Today's card features another recent charity shop find... a swirly background stamp by Stampin' Up! I started by making a simple watercolour background, by blending Distress Inks (Peacock Feathers, Mermaid Lagoon, Broken China and Chipped Sapphire) on to wet watercolour paper. Once dry, I stamped the swirly background stamp over the top using Versamark Ink, then heat embossed it using metallic gold embossing powder from WOW. I cut a butterfly from a snippet of gold mirror card, using a die from the 'Mini Detailed Butterflies' set by Tim Holtz for Sizzix, then cut the matching solid butterfly shape from a snippet of pearlised aqua card to layer behind it. I added the butterfly to the background using 3D foam pads, and matted it all on to some more gold mirror card before adhering it to a white card blank. Finally, I stamped a sentiment (from the 'Go To Words' set by Visible Image) on to a snippet of white card, matted it on to another snippet of gold mirror card, before adding it to the card.

Challenges for this card:

• Aud Sentiments - Use Dies + a Sentiment
• My Time to Craft - Make Your Own Background
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday

Background Poppies Sympathy

Today's card features a 'new to me' stamp by Hero Arts called 'Background Poppies' that I received for Christmas. I inked it up with 'Twilight' ink (by Versafine), and stamped it on to a snippet of smooth card...repeating the process a few times to get a really saturated image. Once dry, I stamped a sentiment (from the 'Go To Words' set by Visible Image) over the top using Versamark Ink, then heat embossed it in gold. I trimmed it down, then matted it on to a snippet of gold mirror card before adding it to my card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• C.R.A.F.T. - Anything Goes
• My Time to Craft - Sympathy
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Something New (The floral stamp is new)
• Sweet Stampin' - What's New with You? (The floral stamp is new)
• We Love Stamping - Something New (The floral stamp is new)

Guest Designer - AAA Birthday Challenge

Today I'm sharing some projects I made for a Guest Designer spot at this month's AAA Birthday Challenge!

The theme this month is to 'Add a Tag'...either feature a tag on your project, or make a matching tag.

I chose to make a matching Birthday card and tag for my Aunt's birthday. 

For the card, I used a mixture of butterfly stamps (Indigo Blu 'Big Butterfly' and the 'Butterflies' set from the Urban Stamps range by Papermania), stamping them on to watercolour paper using Versamark ink, then heat embossing them using gold embossing glitter from WOW. I then watercoloured the butterflies using Distress Inks (Scattered Straw, Spiced Marmalade, Fired Brick, Seedless Preserves, Chipped Sapphire, Broken China & Gathered Twigs), and added a heat embossed sentiment (in matallic gold this time), using a stamp from the 'Go To Words' set by Visible Image. I distressed the edges a little, then added it to card blank.

For the tag, I picked just the large butterfly, and again heat embossed in in gold glitter on watercolour paper, and coloured it using Distress Inks. I trimmed it down, distressed the edges, then added it to a kraft tag along with some coordinating twine.

For more inspiration from the fabulous Design Team, please pop over the AAA Birthday Challenge.

Wedding Congratulations

Today's card is a wedding congratulations card...made with a limited selection of supplies as I was away from home. The image is from the 'Cheering Critters' set by Penny Black...I stamped it on to watercolour paper, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. The heart print paper is from the 'Vintage Dreams' pad by Craft Sensations...I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Go To Words' set by Visible Image.

Challenges for this card:

• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - Weddings/Anniversaries

Urban Butterflies

Today's card features all three of the stamps from the 'Butterflies' set from the Urban Stamps range from Papermania. I stamped them on to watercolour paper, adding a sentiment from the 'Go To Words' set by Visible Image, then coloured them using watercolour pencils. I distressed the edges a little, then added the panel to a kraft card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• AAA Birthday - Butterflies
• Crafty Calendar - Anything Goes
• Happy Little Stampers (Birthday) - Anything Birthday Goes
• Krafty Chicks - CAS
• Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes

Rainbow Meadow

Today's card features one of the stamps from a set by Viva Decor called 'Background Meadows'. I inked it up with Distress Inks (Festive Berries, Spiced Marmalade, Scattered Straw, Mowed Lawn, Salty Ocean, Chipped Sapphire & Dusty Concord), then stamped it on to watercolour paper. I added a sentiment from the 'Go To Words' set by Visible Image, then distressed the edges before adding the panel to a kraft card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes (Optional 'Summer Flowers')
• The Flower Challenge - CAS
• We Love Stamping - Anything Goes (Optional 'Fabulous Florals')

Urban Butterfly

Today's card features one of the butterfly stamps from the Papermania 'Butterflies' set (from the Urban Stamps' range. I stamped it on to watercolour paper using Versamark Ink, along with a sentiment from the 'Go To Words' set by Visible Image, then heat embossed them using 'Gold Pearl' embossing powder from WOW. I watercoloured the image using Distress Inks (Gathered Twigs for the body, and Peacock Feathers & Uncharted Mariner for the wings). I splattered a little of the inks over the top, then distressed the edges a little before adding it to a kraft card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Alphabet Challenge - F is for Flying
• Creatalicious - Anything Goes
• Daring Cardmakers - Garden Bugs
• Just Us Girls - CAS Thinking of You
• Krafty Chicks - Any Occasion
• Sweet Stampin' - No Designer Papers

Jonquil Two Ways

I have a couple of cards to share today that feature a Penny Black brushstroke stamp called 'Jonquil'. I used a couple of different techniques with Distress Inks to stamp and colour the images.

On the first card, I stamped the image on to watercolour paper using a 'no line' ink from Ink on 3, then watercoloured over the top using 'Mustard Seed', 'Spiced Marmalade', 'Mowed Lawn' and 'Rustic Wilderness' Distress Inks. I added a sentiment (from the 'Go To Words' set by Visible Image), then distressed the edges a little and adding faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen, before adding the panel to a kraft card blank.

On the second card, I used the watercolour stamping technique, applying the inks directly to the stamp, and misting with a little water before stamping on to watercolour paper. I kept the layout the same as on the first card, just changing up the sentiment.

Challenges for these cards:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• CAS on Friday - Flowers
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Inkspirational - Stitching
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes