Marbled butterfly ...

Tonight's card is made using a scrap from the marbled card I made last week.

It  seems a little strange to place the focal image on the inside of the card but it seemed a good idea at the time!!  I'm short of things to say this evening so I will just let the card do the talking.

I'm going to enter The Card Concept challenge, in the Clean and Simple category:



Enjoy!

Shaving cream and Butterflies ...

... an interesting combination!!   Let me explain ... I've been reading about creating marbled backgrounds using shaving cream as the base for dropping paint/ink onto rather than the traditional marbling method of using water.  I finally decided that I must have a go ... and I think I might be obsessed with the technique!  This is some of the paper:

This is not the best photograph - the colours are sunset inspired and are cleaner/brighter in real life!

I've used this card to create a number of cards using my new butterfly die (something else I'm obsessed with!).  I thought I would share this card with you:

 I die cut the butterfly from the marbled card and another from midnight blue card.  I then pieced the die back together combining the inside of the blue card with the outside from the marbled card - a crazy idea!!  The main image is stuck only by the body to give dimension.  I added a sentiment and then layered it onto a piece of the marbled card before adhering to the card base.

I'm going to enter this into the following challenges:

"Less is More" Week 227 Colour Sunset
Addicted to Cas Challenge 65 Butterfly


Enjoy!

Butterfly Sunset ...

This is the third card I've created today.

I created a mask from the die and blended distress ink through it to create a colourful shadow of a rainbow.  I die cut the butterfly from midnight blue cardstock and adhered it by the body - this has allowed the wings to provide some dimension to the card.

I used:
Distress inks - squeezed lemonade, dried marigold, spiced marmalade, ripe persimmon and a touch of Festive berries
Sweet Dixie Butterfly Die
Stampin Up - Not Quite Navy ink

I will enter the following challenges:

"Less is More" - Challenge Week 227 Colour - SUNSET
Addicted to CAS - Challenge 65 - Butterfly



Enjoy!

Sunshine and sunset ...

Sunshine, blue skies and Saturday - what more can a girl ask for!!  A day at home, no driving and time to craft.  So far today I have made two cards, painted a chair (that I'm refurbishing), done three loads of washing, a bit of shopping, cooked some pulled pork for tomorrows dinner and even managed to do some hoovering! 

This is my first card for today:

I blended a number of distress inks on a piece of watercolour card and then misted with water with perfect pearls to create a shimmer across the surface.  I cut the panel up with a hexagon thinlit die then adhered the hexagons to another piece of cardstock added a sentiment and mounted the panel on to a card base with foam pads to give a little more dimension.

I used:
Distress Inks - Squeezed Lemonade, Mustard Seed, Dried Marigold, Spiced Marmalade, Ripe Persimmon, Festive Berries
Stampin Up - Hexagon Thinlit die

This week's challenge at "Less is More" is a colour challenge with SUNSET as the theme. - the colour theme for this card was the starting point for me so I will enter the challenge.  I love these colours so you could see me entering more than once this week!

Enjoy!

Edit:  I've popped back to add a credit to Laura Bassen - I have seen a lot of Laura's work and admire her as a designer of beautiful cards.  Although she wasn't in my mind when I created this card her influence is clear to see.  Thank you Sarah (Sazzle Dazzle) for pointing this out and apologies to Laura for not having credited her for inspiring me.

Not my usual style ...

Another after work card, once again designed to keep my brain distracted!  I'm not sure it has worked this evening but I have created a card for you to consider - it is very different from most other cards I've made.  It's not as clean and simple as usual but they do say that "..a change is as good as a rest.."  I leave it for you to decide whether that is true or not.

Here it is:

I brayered a large sheet of card with a selection of Fresco Chalk paints to create the background (it is greener in real life!).  I cut a square and then added texture using stencils - white ink and black ink.  The flower is stamped onto a gessoed page from an old French text book - the frame is die cut from 4 layers of black card to give it more body.  The butterfly is cut from a scrap of printed paper.

The end result does not look a bit like I thought it would!!  I am entering this month's challenge at the Mixed Media Card Challenge - the theme is Collage with the optional twist of a frame.


I had some great news this morning I've been given an 'Honourable Mention' over at the TIMEOUT challenge for this card.  I'm so grateful for this, it really brightened my day!



Enjoy!

Simple birds ...

A quick post this evening!  A card I made on returning home from work this afternoon - I just wanted to do something that would distract me.

I used:

Distress Inks - Festive Berries,  Salty Ocean,  Spiced Marmalade
Versafine Onyx Black
PaperArtsy JoFY JM 20

This is a first for me as I cut the stamp into pieces so that I could use the elements separately - it is something I've seen others do but have been too scared to do it!!  I'm pleased I did as I think I will use it more often now.  The card also includes another first - I used glossy accents on the heart (not that you can see it in the photographs), not a revolutionary idea but still new to me!

I'm going to enter the following challenges:

"Less is More" - it is Lucky Dip week, the theme is '2 or 4 legs' 
Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge 147, Make Your Mark

Enjoy!

STAMPlorations Guest Design Slot ...

Excitement time once again! I was a top pick in the STAMPlorations sketch challenge #32 and was invited to be a guest designer along with the winner and the other top picks!  As you know I'm never one to turn down such a request - I think I enjoy the challenge!

This is my take on the sketch:

This is the sketch:

I used:

STAMPlorations Trendy Leaves and Bloom Sketches stamp sets
Distress Ink - Picked Raspberry
Stampin Up Ink - Lucky Limeade

Thanks to Shery at STAMPlorations for this opportunity and also for the great stamp designs!

Enjoy