... Just Married

We've got some more inspiration for you today over at STAMPlorations.

Here's a clean and simple wedding card using The Bee's Knees Newlyweds set.  I just added a touch of colour to the blushing bride's cheeks, the groom's tie and the bouquet, lined the sentiment up with the bottom of the image, and added three self-adhesive pearls.

I'm adding this to Simon Says Monday Challenge - No Rules

and Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Seize The Birthday - Masculine

We've got a masculine theme for the challenge at Seize the Birthday.  I swooshed some Distress Inks onto white card then stamped the Texturised Big Numbers (from the STAMPlorations stamp lab) over it.  I brayered a light layer of white acrylic ink over it to grunge it up a bit, then added white highlighting on the numbers with a Sakura Gelli Roll pen.  The happy birthday strip is just stuck down at each side so that I could tuck a drinks ticket behind the strip.

Come and join us at Seize The Birthday - and take a look at the fabulous inspiration from the rest of the team.

ETA:  Just realised it fits the bill for The Male Room - make your own background paper.

And I'm also adding it into Uniko Studio challenge - Birthdays.

Girly 50th

I've been sploshing and splattering again, this time for a 50th birthday card.  I stamped the girl (Magenta) in VersafineOnyx Black then sploshed some Pickled Raspberry on her dress, Scattered Straw on her hair, Shaded Lilac for the bow and the tassels around her skirt.  Then splattered :)  Oh, and sploshed a shadow across.  The sentiment is from STAMPlorations Hashtag Authentic.

I'm entering this into Simon Says Monday Challenge - No Rules

and Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

I'm over at STAMPlorations tonight with another 'Inspired By' feature - this time it's Wassily Kandinsky.  Here's a little preview.

ETA:  I'm also adding this to Uniko Studio - Birthdays - thanks for the prompt, Sandie!

Dream A Little Dream

Today I'm using some of the older STAMPlorations stamp sets.  I've used Trendy Feathers and Artful Flutters, both from the Vignette series.

The card is based on a lesson from my online mixed media class, Lifebook 2015, where we drew a feather onto a similar background to this.  When I spritzed the background (Dylusions) there was a white gap which was shaped like an 'a' so I created the sentiment around that.  I wrote 'little' in white pen then edged it with black.  I added some colour and white pen to the feather.

Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog to see the fabulous designs from the rest of the Inspiration Team.  If you fancy CASEing this card, or any other cards by the Inspiration Team, you can include yours in our CASEplorations challenge.

I'm entering my card into Simon Says Monday Challenge, No Rules

and The Paper Players, where I'm up to my stretch-a-sketch tricks again.  My circle is the big splodge of blue and green ;), my sentiment is lower and not on a banner, and my funny 'a' represents the twine, but hey, I've got a feather!

Happy Doughnut Day, Anita!

Today it's Anita's birthday so I'm popping in to wish her a "sweet" calorie-free birthday.  It should really be croissants or pain-au-chocolat rather than donuts, but I don't have any stamps for them, so doughnuts it is.  I'm sure they all go equally well with a glass of bubbly or red wine ;)  Happy birthday, Anita!

I'm entering this into Curtain Call - Donut Delight

And I don't think it's too much of a stretch to include it in Simon Says Monday Challenge - A Piece of Paradise - especially if there is a glass of bubbly to accompany it!

If you visit Anita regularly, you will know she is in the long process of renovating her home in France.  I'm renovating some houses over at STAMPlorations tonight - here's a sneak peek:

While we're talking STAMPlorations, my doughnut card actually (loosely) fits the new monthly CASEplorations challenge of this card by Julie Ebersole.  Why don't you play along?  Get all the details here.

source: Julie Ebersole

Watch The Birdie

When I grow up I want to be able to watercolour like Dawn Woleslagle.  I'd also like to be able to sketch like her too!  I love how she let the colours bleed away from the bird into the background on this YouTube video, and I wanted to attempt something similar - attempt being the operative word, mine looks like a real bruiser compared to Dawn's delicate painting.

I used my homemade kingfisher stamp - the good news is that a slightly smaller version of the kingfisher (and a few of his friends) will be released under the Bee's Knees line in the STAMPlorations April release, so watch this (birdie) space.

I stamped the kingfisher with Versamark and white-embossed it, then sloshed on some Distress Inks.  I decided that I would iron off the embossing.  I can tell you from experience that ironed-off white embossing is nowhere neat as good as ironed-off clear embossing, but hey-ho.

I'm entering this into The Paper Players - CAS - Feathered Friends (feature a bird on your card),

and also into Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - All Creatures Great and Small,

and Simon Says Monday Challenge - Paradise.  I always think kingfishers look exotic with their colourful plumage.  A kingfisher family lives on the river near us and DH is lucky enough to see one now and again on his dog walks.

Papertrey 8th Anniversary - Take Three

Third and final post for Papertrey 8th Anniversary. This next card is for Challenge 5 - Spring into action - use a stamp set that hasn't seen ink yet and Challenge 7 - Heavy Metal - use only metallics and neutrals.

I've had the robot set for ages and never had the excuse to use it.  I stamped the heart from Wet Paint in his belly and embossed it with silver, and added nailhead for eyes.

This next card is for Challenge 8 - blue ombré:

Washed a piece of mixed media paper with Distress Inks and spritzed, then stamped Larger Than Life wildflowers over it, and mounted it onto white card.

That's all folks (for today anyway!).