Thinking of You

Good evening.
It's time for a brand new challenge at ATSM, so here is my inspiration for you.

It was inspired by this photo.

I took the idea of the succulents in pots and the OL challenge over at Less is More and ran with it!
OL card always take a little planning but there's a great sense of achievement when they come off!
I started by stamping the bottom half of a vase from STAMPloration's Just Because, then added the succulents from another STAMPloration's set, Thankful and Blessed, masked off these and stamped Uniko's Background Block's Horizontal stripes. The sentiment came free with a mag a few months ago. OLcards are all in the planning! All the succulents and bowl were coloured with Copics.
OK, so what will you be influenced by, check out the rest of the DT for more inspiration, then why not join us?

I'm joining in over at:-

Any Man Can Be A Father

Hi and welcome to a post to announce the start of a brand new challenge over at Cardz4Guyz.

This time we would like to see cards made for:-

FATHER'S DAY

It's Father's Day on the 17th June so hopefully this will give you all the impetus you need to make and share!

Here is my take, probably to be sent by my two Grandsons.

I used two of the LOTV Parcel Bear Trio and a couple of Cardio sentiments.

The little bears were stamped on some scrap card and then coloured with Copics before they were attached to the base card under the top die cut panel. I popped up the top panel with a piece of fun foam with matching die cut circles.

That's about from me but please check out the rest of the team here and join in.

I'm joining in over at:-

AAA is 4!

Hi and welcome to a post to announce the start of a brand new challenge over at HLS CAS.
Here's my card, can you guess the inspiration word?

It's -



Lots to get your Clean and Simple teeth into here, but please remember to keep it CAS. Here are a few pointers if you aren't sure.



For my card I kept the design centered on my off white panel, using some left over Altenew Rose Flurries die cut blooms, a die cut SMILE using MFT little letters and a Uniko stamped sentiment.
My jumping off point was this video by Therese Calvird but I chose not to inlay the flowers as they were too detailed, though I did try! I liked the cut away word and dark background with the inner panel. When the finished panel was laid over a scrap of grey card, I decided that I liked the look so found a larger piece to cover the front of my base card and showing through the open space.
The off white panel was cut using a Sizzix die I got in a set at the Swindon HLS retreat a couple of years ago. I'd forgotten all about it 'til I saw Therese's card. The majority of the blooms were already on my desk after an earlier card here,so it was easy to make up another of the small blooms and a leaf sprig, colouring white cut outs with Copics instead of coloured card. Think this works best as the colours are softer and you don't have to buy loads more card stock!
The SMILE was cut by lining up the letters from MFT on some low tack tape and die cutting and my sentiment was stamped in a grey to match the background paper.

That's about it really, but please pop along and check out the rest of the team for even more inspiration.

I'm joining in over at:-






Flora or Fauna
I chose flora over fauna as I just love  bright cheerful blooms, so pretty.

100th Challenge @ MUSE: Christmas Visions

Afternoon folks.

I noticed the other day that MUSE: Christmas Visions are celebrating their 100th challenge. Is it really that long ago, I remember it starting so well.

Any how I decided I had just the thing for an entry.

This Penny Black poinsettia stamp belongs to my bloggy friend Linda who lent it to me when we were on retreat last November. It has sat in my to finish box since I water coloured it way back then. So as the MUSE pic here uses a poinsettia, one of my fave images for Christmas it fit the bill perfectly.

I used DIs to w/c the image, adding depth and shadow with a small brush after blending the initial inked flower. I used a neutral DI for the background as I had already done a similar card with a blue background here and wanted to try something different. The sentiment is also from Penny Black and is embossed with gold EP then the w/c panel was trimmed and mounted flat on a base card.

So off to take the dog out before the heavens open again!

joining in over at :-

Had to use a poinsettia image and gold embossed sentiment!

     

Anything Goes                           Anything Goes

Blooms

Afternoon folks.

The wall to wall blue skies of the last few days have flown today but it is still very warm. There may be heavy showers tomorrow and to be honest the garden needs the rain.

I made most of this earlier in the week but just grabbed half an hour after lunch to finish it off.

The other week I bought some dies from the stamp fair at Port Sunlight and this is the first time I've used these Altenew Rose Flurries. 

I cut a whole page of them, the dies are attached quite firmly to the backing so left them on, just moving a few that were mounted inside the larger ones. I then used my Copics to colour the different elements. The RV group work really well with the blue stenciled background.

I made my own stencil using Altenew's Watercolour Stripes, as American coverplate dies are too wide and short for standard UK A6 card bases. After a bit of extra masking of my base card, I inked through with Salty Ocean DOx ink then moved it down and added another panel. My sentiment is from Altenew's Beautiful Day, white EP on black. A few sequins complete.

Joining in over at:-

    

Every man needs 'is 'ut

Good morning.
I have an extra card to share with you as GD for the new challenge at The Male Room.

It's for the the theme of -

I chose this image because it reminds me of the first garden shed we had when we got married. It's now over 40 years ago, and my OH has managed to increase the size of 'is 'ut with every house move! As I said with the title, a man needs his shed or hut or somewhere he can tinker and not get under your feet! The OH now has the choice of 3, the big shed, the tractor shed and his man cave, otherwise known as the Bull Pen because of it's previous incarnation. When we bought our barn this was a total ruin and took many years to be returned to use, the only problem is that the phone signal is too weak to reach through the thick walls so if someone wants him I have to go rouse him. He did make me a fantastic craft room so I can't complain too much.

Anyway down to the nitty gritty, this LOTV image was stamped and coloured with Copics before mounting on a small piece of kraft card. The textured panel was made using a chain link EF and the sentiment was from a set free in a mag.

Please check out the rest of the DT for some more fab inspiration, then why not join in.

I'm joining in over at:-

Pile It On Challenge #142 - Sports/Hobbies and/or Make Us Laugh

Skating Snowman

Hi and welcome to a post to announce the start of the new challenge over at ATSM.

Can you guess the theme from my card?

Yup, its 

Another chance to add to your stash or you could go with a summer holiday themed card, the choice is yours!

As you can see I went with the Christmas theme and the latest challenge at CAS Christmas -snowmen,

I've had this jolly skating snowman for awhile, I stamped a few when we had a crafty meet up a few years ago, I think the firm stopped production a couple of years ago. I kept the colours pretty neutral colouring him with Copics before fussy cutting him out and mounting him on a panel embossed with a Cuttlebug EF and a die cut snowdrift. I added a little Wink of Stella to his hat and scarf tassels before adding the panel to a white base card. The sentiment is from Paper Smooches.

So, if you want more inspiration check out the rest of the team here and why not join us.

Joining in over at:-

   

 AG Christmas

    

K for Keep it Simple