Port Sunlight then Playtime!

Good morning all. 

The sun has reappeared after briefly hiding behind the clouds and a short shower that didn't really wet the patio flags! Not sure how long this fantastic weather will last.

After a fab morning at the stamping show over at Port Sunlight on Saturday, meeting up with some familiar names in blogland, it was back home to have a play my purchases, with my friend Di.

I have to say I was a little bit reckless with my spending but there was so much that shouted out to me! We didn't hang around, as after having coffee with a few friends the crowds and heat were getting a little unbearable, so no dawdling around and indecision, except Di picked a stamp up off the Visible Image stand, thought about it, put it back then asked me a question then decided to purchase only to see the Sorry Sold Out sign. :( 

Whilst she was waiting to pay on another stall, I wondered off and some Altenew stamps caught my eye. In the end I restrained myself to just three sets, one being a mini one. This is what came out of our stamping session afterwards.

I'd eyed up these painted flowers for a while so decided to indulge along with the greetings stamps and the daisy mini. Not sure about the last set, they don't seem to work as well as the other flowers sets I've used.

Anyway, having printed off the sheet to show where to stamp the layers, I had a play. These are three of the different flowers arranged in a fussy cut posy. Thinking of the layout for these beauties I was drawn to the similarities of the sketch at CAS(e) this Sketch and the challenge over at Time Out.

     

This wonderful card by Kay Miller stood out when I saw it over at Time Out. Love the grey and pink colourway. For my card I used the sketch above, a larger stitched frame in white and green leaves. The splashes of Weathered Wood DI are my nod to the original. There was no room for the white swirl on my design and I went with a white embossed sentiment on a black banner.

So, better get that washing on the line while the sun is shining, don't know how long its going to last!

Joining in over at -

       

                                         Pastel Colours

New Challenge, New DT

Good evening folks.

This is a bit late in the day for a post but once a month on the 9th at this time I will be sharing a project with you as I am now on the new HLS Anything Goes with Dies Design Team!!

I absolutely love playing with dies and I'm sure I've got more than I need, honestly, not! So when the DT call went out I just had to put my name forward and was so suprised when the lovely Kylie said, hop on board.

     

This is my first car.d for the DT

I was inspired by both the colours in the photo and the sketch from Fusion.

For this card I used the following die sets.

Avery Elle - Dotted Border dies

Poppy Stamps - Stitched Main Street Tags

Sizzix  Thinlets - Flowers

Sizzix Thinlets - Bunch of Flowers

and 

Stampin Up Sizzlet - Little Leaves

To start, I die cut a selection of flowers in white, then using DI coloured them in an ombre style, adding some buttons for centres. The dies do come with centres but I preferred to use buttons as I think they add more interest. To introduce the colours of the humming bird, I added some leaves and a coloured panel under the popped up top one. On the tag I stamped a greeting from the HLS Doodled flower set.

OK, that's me done. Pop over to the HLS site for more fab die cut inspiration and say hi to the new team.

I'd like to join in over at -

Fantasy Stampers

Good morning all. The sun has been shining for most of the week here so it looks like spring is finally here!

So is a new challenge over at Fantasy Stampers and appropriately the them is -

FLOWER POWER

All this sunshine after weeks of rain and snow has prompted an awakening in the hedgerows around here. The blossom is bursting forth again and the birds are a twittering. The sheep are mighty glad too, hopefully no more soggy feet!

Here is my card for the your inspiration.

I've used a stamp from LOTV that I won for their April FB challenge with my baby card made for an earlier Fantasy Stampers post (here).

It's called Daisy Panel.

I decided to use a black base card and go one layer. The simplicity of the design makes the daisies the center of attention. The only problem is the colouring on the black card. I got around this by using a mixture of white crayon and white gouache paint, also known as body colour. The gouache gives a softer effect that the pencil as it is more opaque. The colour was from some DI s in fruity colours, after I had used some white EP on the stamped image. I added a HLS greeting to complete.

For more inspiration pop over to the main blog and then get inky with your stamps and join us.

I'm off with a friend to Port Sunlight stamp fair now and meeting up with a few bloggy friends. I'm leaving hubster in charge but perhaps the dog will be really! I've also been to the hole in the wall, so I feel a bit of retail therapy coming on. I fancy some of the new LOTV stamps, the large Indigo  Blue flower stamps look gorgeous and I will just have to check out the Visible Image stand, LOL.

Happy Stamping!

I'd like to join in over at -

I took inspiration from the black base and white flowers with the soft w/c effect colouring

Fruit Smoothie

Coloured using DIs Picked Raspberry, Seedless Preserve, Ripe Persimmon and Memento Canteloupe

My choice is using white gouache, pencil crayon and DI's to paint the petals and butterflies

STAMPlorations May challenge

Good afternoon peeps and welcome to a post to announce the start of a new challenge over at STAMPlorations.

Here is my card for your inspiration using this months sketch and theme

This is this month's fun sketch or if you are feeling unrestrained we are going with a theme of Anything Goes.

    

For my card I took inspiration from the sketch but also from the colour of the lilacs over at the Card Concept. 

I used the open daisy from the Bloom Sketches set and stamped, masked and stamped again after using white embossing powder. I was influenced by this card made by Kristina Kerner here, using similar colours and technique. I didn't have ant large foliage stamps, so used two of the fronds from Dee's Frames and Flowers set stamped and embossed in white.

I used a few DIs to colour, inc Picked Raspberry, Wilted Violet, Milled Lavender, Mustard seed and Pumice Stone in a w/c manner. 

The w/c panel was trimmed down then I added a strip of patterned paper from my stash as well as a small strip of black. Must admit the colour looks a better match in real life than in this photo, v strange. 

I die cut a happy in gold mirror card and stamped Birthday form the Banners and Balloons set in Versamark and embossed in white. I trimmed this to a banner shape and threaded it through the 'y' of happy before attaching it all to the image. Job done. This isn't my usual CAS style, more shabby chic I think!

For more info and Ts and Cs please check out the STAMPlorations blog. This month, we the DT, are joined by a fabulous group of Guest Designers, Mac Mable, Pooja, Lilian. Bozena and Jane. So lots of fabulous inspiration for you there.

I'd like to join in over at -

Inspired by the colours.


    

Masculine Happy Birthday

Good morning folks. Hope you had a great Bank Holiday weekend, even if the weather wasn't that great here in the UK.

My these Tuesdays come around quickly, it's time for another challenge at Cardz4Guyz.

This week our theme for you is -

MONOCHROME

Yep, that topic again. Some of you will remember a post on this same theme just over a week ago for Fantasy Stampers, you still have time to join in there until Friday by the way, so I had to scratch my head for inspiration. Anyway, I'd seen this card on Pinterest and thought it a great idea, so I thought I would have a go with a few tweaks.

I used my embossing folder and wax paper resist technique for the background. You only get one side using an EF with words but that's not a problem. I inked the panel with Mermaid Lagoon DI, cut an aperture with a MFT die, then cut another in the next size down from some scrap larger than the first opening. This was then inked with the same DI and glued under the opening to make a frame. 

Carefully placing the top panel over the base, I marked where it came and then removed it and stamped my balloons and sentiment. No idea of the make of stamp as I bought years ago from a bargain bucket, I really wanted the acrylic block that came with the set! The sentiment is from STAMPlorations Balloons and Banners set. The balloons were coloured with matching Copic colours. To complete I popped the blue layer up on pads over a white base card.

For more monochromatic inspiration please check out the rest of our fab DT.

I'd like to join in over at:-

                

For the boys or something sporty                               E for embossing folder

Brown Sugar Challenge - For the boys

No Patterned Papers