Watercolour Gerbera...

After a weekend away with family it was back to work today!  Back to crafting this evening - I've managed to make two cards, one consigned to the "I'm not happy with it pile" and one that I'm going to share with you.

As I mentioned I'm doing a Watercolor course  (at onlinecardcourses.com)and should be doing homework every evening but life sometime seems to get in the way so I'm busy playing catch-up!  Tonight I've created a card stamping an image to create a watercolor finish and this is it:

I'm going to enter this card into two challenges:

"Less is More" this week the challenge is a 'One Layer Thank You' card.
STAMPlorations - the monthly challenge - Stamps and Flowers

I used the following:

Uniko Studios Stamp Set - Pure Florals: Gerbera
Clearly Besotted - Many Messages
Distress Inks - Spiced Marmalade,  Mustard Seed, Tea Dye

Before finishing I would like to thank the designers at Addicted to CAS they have awarded me CAS Perfectionist for one of my cards for their grunge challenge.  Thank you!  This is the card they liked:

Enjoy!

Wedding Balloons ...

Today I'm in sunny Lincolnshire (at least I hope it is sunny!) for my nephew's wedding! I've scheduled this post so that I could share with you all the card that I created for the lovely couple.

The bridesmaids are going to have purple in their outfits so this is where I started with my design. I then changed my mind numerous times and tried lots of different ideas - balloons, white on white, floral, graphics and all the way back to balloons!  This is the card that made the cut and by the time you read this will be in the hands of the bride and groom!

I used the following:

Clearly Besotted Stamp set and matching dies - Make a Wish
Memento Ink - Grape Jelly
Card from my stash
Embroidery Thread.

Enjoy!

Edit: Sunday early evening.

I've popped back (after a hectic weekend and lots of driving) to enter my card into the following challenges:

Inkspirational - this week is a photograph for inspiration!



The Card Concept - I would describe my card as Clean and Layered and the criteria is for monochromatic purple!



TIME OUT Challenges - No. 5 'Time Flies, Love Lasts'

In stitches ...

As well as papercrafts I love working with textiles - cross stitch, embroidery, sewing, knitting and other textile crafts - so I was delighted to read on Virginia's View Challenge that the theme is 'Stitches'.  This was going to be a chance to combine two of my loves and also a new challenge, so off I went to find inspiration card and threads.  Looking through my stash I came across a circle that I had already hand stitched and so a plan came together and this is my card.

I've left the layout very simple just adding a sentiment and popping the circle onto some dimensional adhesive.  All there is to do now is pop over and enter the challenge.

Enjoy!

Flowers ...

A quick second post for this evening - I started this card at the weekend but kind of lost my way with it.  The initial ideas seemed to disappear into the ether and I was left not knowing what to do - a quick wander around some wonderful blogs and ideas started to form.

I've taken the colour scheme from the challenge at Inkspirational of Pink and Green, with the sketch from STAMPlorations bi-weekly sketch challenge and the monthly challenge also at STAMPlorations where the theme is Stamps and Flowers (I'm not sure whether it is acceptable to enter one card into both challenges, apologies if it isn't).

The card

I haven't included a sentiment at this stage and will add one to suit the occasion

I used the following:

Derwent Inktense pencils
JoFY Stamp JM34

This is STAMPlorations sketch:


Enjoy!

Day One, Watercolor course ...

As I mentioned I have joined the Watercolor course at onlinecardcourses.com. I hoping to learn lots of techniques but I'm not very good at doing homework!  Day one and two are about creating watercolour backgrounds - this is my homework based on one of the techniques which I have enjoyed attempting.

The card base is actually dark navy and not the black it looks in this photograph!

I used watercolour paints that I've had for years but never used - they are going to take a bit of mastering especially as the depth of colour changes as the paint dries.  I'm reasonably happy with the finished card but do need to practise more.

Enjoy!

Turquoise, turquoise and turquoise ...

It will come as no surprise that I love the colour turquoise - it is such a fresh and clean colour. Today's card is another card using three colours but this time shades of the same colour.

This card is all about stamping and masking and very little else!  I've chosen the three shades to meet the challenge at "Less is More" - I just hope I have left enough white space to meet the criteria.  I've used the sketch from Sketch Saturday and will also pop it into the challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge where Anything Goes.

The card

I used the following:

Clearly Besotted - Superstar stamp set and dies
Stampin Up Inks - Bermuda Bay and Coastal Cabana
Distress Ink - Peacock Feathers

Sketch Saturday this is the sketch:


Enjoy!

Take Three Colours ...

Washing, shopping, gardening, cooking and crafting - what else should you do on your Wedding Anniversary!!  That's all that I've been up to today 28 years after saying 'I do'.  I'm ashamed to say that I bought my husband a card even though I spend all my spare time crafting. I left it too late to create a special card maybe I should make one now ready for next year!

I've just signed up for the 'Watercolour for cardmakers' course at onlinecardclasses.com so have spent sometime today doing pre-course homework!!  I even dragged out a set of water colour paints that I was given as a gift years and years ago but never got around to using.  So I'm all set for the off on Monday.  I'm really looking forward to learning some new techniques.

I have managed to create one card this afternoon to enter into a number of challenges.  I've used three colours to fit this weeks challenge at "Less is More" along with the sketch from CAS(E) this sketch.  The Simonsaysstamp Wednesday Challenge where 'Anything Goes'.

The sentiment is die cut and inlaid into the card

I really have to do something about my photographs - the dots are beautiful turquoise and not as dull in real life as they appear in this photograph.

I used the following:
Simon Says Stamp - Lots of Dots stamp set
Stampin Up Inks - Bermuda Bay and Coastal Cabana
Stampin Up Card - Bermuda Bay
Navy card from my stash
Clearly Besotted Hello Word Die

I need to finish my post with a big thank you.  Firstly to my new followers - welcome to my blog and thank you for joining me.  Secondly I need to thank the bloggers at Sketch Saturday for honouring me with a top three place for this card.

And finally a big thank you to TIME OUT challenge where "I got Honours at taking Time Out" for this card.

Enjoy!