Easter Weekend Challenge card No 3

Card number 3 also used 3 challenges:

• Callin All Sistahs - Photo and colour challenge
• Retro Rubber - use a stamp over a year old
• Cards in Envy - No patterned paper

I used the Stampin Up "Pleasant Poppies" stamp, which is from 2012-13. I also used the new "Celebrate You" Thinlits (in Cherry Cobbler, old Olive and Daffodil Delight) and the "you" from "Crazy about You" from 2014.

I coloured the poppies with Stampin Blends in Cherry Cobbler, Pumpkin Pie, Daffodil Delight and Old Olive. I little bling was added to the tail of the "g" in amazing with a basic jewel.

Easter Weekend Challenge Card No 2

The second card for this weekend used 3 Challenge sites:

• The Card Concept - photo inspiration
• Less is More - Technique challenge - Stencils
• AAA Cards - sketch - only use one third

I used the Stampin Up "Happy Patterns" Decorative masks and the "Stylised Birthday" stamp.

I used Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Daffodil Delight and Tempting Turquoise inks all selected from the Card Concept photo.

Easter weekend Challenge Card No 1

It is great when you have long weekend that gives you the chance to play. This card used 3 challenges:

• Seize the Birthday - Theme Challenge - Birds
• Addicted to CAS - Theme Challenge - Birds
• Atlantic Hearts - Sketch Challenge

 
For this card I didn't have a colour challenge, I went to My Create Ink - SU Colour lab to use a suggested combination. After clicking "surprise me", the combination was Sweet Sugar Plum, Wild Wasabi, Tranquil Tide, Cajun Craze and Crumb Cake.

Here is my card:

  I used "Move Me" with it's matching framelits for the birds and background (which was stamped in Versamark) and "Beautiful Day" for the greeting.



Thank you to the designers for their inspiration on these challenges.

One Layer Flower Card

my second card for the weekend also has inspiration from three challenges:

• TGIF Challenges - #148 Masking Technique
• CAS on Friday -  #127 One Layer Wonder
• Fusion Card Challenge - Sketch and Photo

When I saw the masking challenge and the One Layer Wonder they had to go together and the sketch and photo brought it all together with the colours coming from the photo.

The Flowers were from Stampin Up's "Reason to Smile", with the greeting from "Bring on the Cake". It was a weekend for bringing out the old stamps. The colours in this card are Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz, Early Espresso and Tuxedo Black. The flowers were coloured with Blendabilities (another retired product) Blush, Nude and Calypso Coral. The base card is Thick Whisper White.

This one was a lot of fun to make.

A Cuppa Tea Challenge Card

This weekend I was lucky to have some time to make 2 cards. This first one used 3 challenges for Inspiration:

• Calling All Sistahs - CAS 10 Photo Challenge
• Tuesday Throwdown - TT380 Sketch Challenge
• Retro Rubber Challenge - RRCB80 Dotty for You Challenge

This card used the Stampin Up "A Cuppa Tea" stamp set and Cups and Kettle Framelits. This set was from January 2016. The background used the little splatter stamp from "Timeless Texture.

The colours used were Night of Navy, Early Espresso, Watermelon Wonder and Baked Brown Sugar.  

Party Pandas

This weeks challenge card has inspiration from 3 challenges:

• Freshly Made Sketches - Sketch 324
• TGIF Challenges - #147 Sale-A-Bration inspiration
• Watercooler Wednesday - All about Occasions

I used the new stamp set from the Stampin Up Sale-A-Bration catalogue called Party Pandas.

This card uses Whisper White, Basic Black, Real Red and Smoky Slate card and ink. The background has the panda stamped in various directions in Versamark, although it is a little hard to see in the photo. The greeting is from Happy Birthday Gorgeous.

Thank you to the designers of these challenge sites for their on-going inspiration and helping me to keep my creativity going.

Beautiful You card

This weekend I was only able to make one challenge card using the 'Beautiful You' stamp set from the Stampin Up Annual catalogue. I found my inspiration from four different sites:

• Tuesday Morning Sketches - Sketch #438
• Callin All Sistahs - Colour challenge #09 and theme of Inspiration
• CAS on Friday - Technique challenge #125 - use pencils or markers
• That's Crafty - colour challenge - use blue

The colours in the card and ink are Pacific Point, Tempting Turquoise, Basic Grey, Whisper White, Blushing Bride and Staz On Jet Black. I used the Layering Ovals framelits to cut out the greeting. The dress and background have Wink of Stella across them to give a little sparkle.

Check out the previous challenges from these sites for further inspiration and some wonderful cards from the designers.

Challenges for a New Year - Card 3

The third card for this weekend uses another new stamp set for me, 'Climbing Orchid' from the Stampin Up 2017-18 catalogue. I have been wanting this since July and finally bought the bundle with the matching framelits.

For this card my inspiration came from these 3 challenges:

• Clean&Simple stamping Sketch Challenge - Fall to Layout #51 - Take Two
• Paper Craft Crew Colour challenge - PCC276
• Fab 'n' Funky Challenges - Girly

 

This card used Cherry Cobbler card for the base and the ink on the orchids and greeting. The background is Rose Red card, which was embossed using the Brick embossing folder, stamped with the small dots from 'Timeless Textures' in Versamark ink and sone versamark smudges. The greeting is both Cherry Cobbler and Rose Red, stamped twice close on each other. The greeting is cut with the Top Note die. 

The orchid was stamped both as the full piece and the individual pieces and layered together with a stem of silver ribbon.

Thank you to the designers of these challenge sites for their inspiration.

Challenges for a New Year - Card 2

This card was another opportunity to use a new Stamp set from the Stampin Up Occasions catalogue - Magical Day. The 3 challenges used for this card were:

• Fusion Card sketch challenge - Coffee and a book  
• Tuesday Throwdown challenge #375 - Distressing 
• Simply Create Too Challenge #134 - Embossing

 This card has a Crumb Cake Base and uses Early Espresso behind the book and for the greeting. I have used embossing paste that was coloured with a mix of Crumb cake and Chocolate Chip inks then sponged with the same colours when it had dried. The book was made from 'First Edition' DSP. The edges around the book, both the card and the DSP were distressed to give that well-loved book feel.

It is not showing well in this photo, however the wizard has a coat of clear Wink of Stella and the stars have clear dazzling details to make the card sparkle. The Gold ribbon behind the greeting matches the gold embossing powder and also shines in the sun.

Check out the designers wonderful cards for inspiration on each of these challenge sites.

Time for a challenge

It has been a while since I last participated in a challenge, but I made sure I had some time this weekend. My card was inspired by Mojo  Monday, Fab Friday and Stampin' Royalty Challenge:

• Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge 489

 

• Fab Friday colour challenge 108

• Stampin Royalty theme challenge 365 - Spring

I decided to use Dragonfly Dreams, Timeless Textures and Butterfly Basics stamp sets and Swirly Scribbles and Detailed  Dragonfly Thinlits. A Delicate White doily was used in the background. The dragonflies have a coat of clear Wink of Stella.

Thank you to the designers from these three challenge blogs for their inspiration.

Happy Mothers Day - Challenge inspiration

Happy Mother's Day to my Mum, Mother-in-Law and Gran. This card was inspired by the challenge "What Will You Stamp" #62 -Flower Patch:

I used the circle card thinlits and Flower Fair Framelits to cut out the card and around the flowers. I used Tip Top Taupe, Watermelon Wonder, Cucumber Crush, Crushed Curry and Wisteria Wonder inks. I also used Teeny Tiny Sentiments (one of my favourites) and the banner from Number of Years and matching Framelit. The background was stamped with the Hardwood background stamp, and the finishing touch on the card is a bit of bling with Jewels.

Thank you for the Inspiration "What Will You Stamp" - check out their previous challenges for inspiration with other Stampin Up sets.

New Challenge cards for 2016 - Card 4

Last card for the weekend used 3 challenges. The first 2 are sites I regularly use for inspiration (and to look at the design team examples) and the third is a new site for me.

Create with Connie and Mary 388:

IN{K}SPIRE_me challenge 231:

Crafty Calendar Challenge Jan 2016:
Something new - I used the Balloon Celebration stamp set, which was my other new set for this weekend.

My card...

 

New Challenge cards for 2016 - Card 3

This card used the challenges from 2 sites I often use for inspiration, both from the current challenges and the archives. The Design Teams always give me new ideas for expanding my repertoire.

Freshly Made Sketches 218:

 

ColourQ 323:

My card is...

This card used Balloon Celebration and the Happy Patterns stencil set.

New Challenge cards for 2016 - Card 2

This card used 2 challenges for inspiration.

Mojo Monday Challenge 429:
Using this sketch

Stampin' Royalty Challenge 311:
Create a project with a Birthday Theme!!!

Here is my card....

It uses the Balloon Celebration stamp set.

New Challenge cards for 2016 - Card 1

It has been a while since I have had the chance to take up card challenges, it was wonderful to have time this weekend.

This card used 4 Challenges:

One-Layer Simplicity Challenge 23: 
This challenge requires that you only use the base card to make your design, no other layers.

Quick Quotes Challenge 59:
This challenge requires stencil and ink. The stencil in this card is the sponging of the faux ribbon across the bottom of the card

Cardz 4 Galz Challenge 13:
This challenge was to use something new. This stamp set "Sky is the Limit"is my latest purchase and the first time I used this set.

Colour Throwdown 374:

I used Marina Mist, Pumpkin Pie and Smoky Slate.

And this is the card I came up with.....

Thank you to these 4 challenges and their great design teams for providing me with inspiration.

Last challenge card for this weekend

This last card didn't use my challenge stamp set. I was inspired by 2 different challenges:



SU-per Challenges 105 - CASE it! Chantel made this wonderful card for us to CASE (Copy and Share Everywhere). I haven't strayed too far from her original design.

Paper Craft Crew Challenge 163 - Tic Tac Toe (use three items listed in the table in a row). I selected the top line. The butterfly was already part of Chantel's design above, so I turned the card into purple tones (Elegant Eggplant, Perfect Plum and Smoky Slate) and a Happy Birthday Greeting.

Here's my card. 

The butterflies are from the Butterfly framelits, with the background stamped using "Gorgeous Grunge" and "Work of Art" stamp sets. The greeting was from "And Many More" and cut out using Bitty Banners.

More great inspiration from the Design Teams for these Challenges.

Challenge Away

I always try to challenge myself to use same stamp set for all challenges in a weekend. This weekend I only managed for two out of the three, using "No Bones About It" from the Stampin Up 2015-16 Annual Catalogue. 

I used two challenge sites to help with my creativity:
Sunday Stamps - Sketch challenge 110 

Color Throwdown - colour challenge 361

  I interpreted the colours as: Old Olive, Crushed Curry, Whisper White and Basic Black

I also used "Gorgeous Grunge" and "And Many More" stamp sets. The Crushed Curry on the base is embossed with the Woodgrain Embossing Folder. The leaves have been hand cut.

Two more great challenge sites with wonderful examples provided by the Design Teams to help inspire us.
 

Yay - Another challenge card

So annoying when life gets in the way and you don't get a chance to play in the studio, but yippee!!! for this weekend.

This first card uses two challenges:
Pals Paper Arts - Sketch challenge 269

 

Colour Me...! - Colour Challenge 90

This weekend I am using the "No Bones About it" stamp set from the Stampin Up 2015-16 Annual Catalogue. This a great set for children and adults who don't want to grow up (sure we all know at least one).

This card used the Brick embossing folder on the Tangerine Tango card and the Honeycomb embossing folder on the Crushed Curry (cut into semi-circle shape first). I cut the Whisper White circles using the circle framelits, then stamped the dinosaur heads onto the circles. The greeting was stamped first then cut out using the large oval punch. The leaves were all hand cut.

Check out the gorgeous samples made by the design teams on both of these sites, they always inspire me to step outside of my normal rut and try something different.

Challenges for this Weekend - Card 3

My last card for this weekend used challenges from 2 sites:

CAS Colours & Sketches - Colour Challenge #138

i Love Card Sketches - Sketch Challenge #42

This weekend I am using the "Watercolour Wings" stamp set from the Stampin Up 2015-16 Annual Catalogue. This stamp set matches also with the Butterfly thinlits to make it easier to cut out the small butterfly. 

This card opens in the front (alongside the Always Artichoke card). The background was made using the three dots stamp in all three colours, stamped off to lighten the colour. The dots were then highlighted with Dazzling Details.The Always Artichoke card down the middle was embossed using the Modern Mosaic embossing folder. The fancy outline butterfly is from the Bold Butterfly framelits set.

Both these sites have great challenges and ideas to stimulate the imagination.

Challenges for this Weekend - Card 2

This next card used 3 challenges, and set the theme for my stamp set for the weekend:

Mojo Monday - sketch challenge #411

Fab Friday - Colour challenge #71

Seize the Birthday - Anything that Flies theme 

This weekend I am using the "Watercolour Wings" stamp set from the Stampin Up 2015-16 Annual Catalogue. This stamp set matches with the Bold Butterfly framelits to make it easier to cut out the big butterfly. The butterfly is stamped in 3 layers: first - Delightful Dijon (stamped off first), second - Delightful Dijon (Full colour), third - Tangelo Twist (Full colour).

The smaller butterflies are from "Butterfly Basics" and cut out with the "Bitty Butterfly" punch. The Old Olive card is embossed with the "Elegant Dots" embossing folder. The background uses the 3 dot stamp from "Watercolour Wings", stamped in each colour of the challenge (stamped off first to lighten the colour). The diagonal stripes are from "Butterfly Basics", stamped in Blackberry Bliss and Old Olive, once again stamped off first to lighten the colour.

A little bling was added to the card, with Dazzling Details used on the large butterfly and both smaller butterfly have 2 Rhinestones down the middle.

Check out the sites from these challenges and be inspired.