Be Strong ...

 It seems that to 'be strong' is a requirement in the uncertain times of 2020 ... it can be difficult in the best of times ...

I'm using crafting as a distraction from everything around me ... I created this tag as there really are limits to the number of cards I need!

I used:

STAMPlorations - Art Flower Stencil and Mixed Media Elements stamp set

CUTplorations - Stitched Tags Nesting Dies

Visible Image - Wings of Change stamp set

Distress Inks and Oxides - Mermaid Lagoon, Peacock Feathers, Tumbled Glass

Stampin Up - Not Quite Navy ink

WOW white embossing powder

I'm going to enter the challenge at Color Hues as the name implies this challenge is all about colour ... this is a new challenge blog and this is only the second challenge they have posted.

Stay Strong!

Autumnal thanks ...

I'm still trying to keep busy and distracted ... sometimes you just need to switch off from the world ... 

There is a new challenge on the Uniko Studio blog ... I love Bev's designs ....so I thought I would join in ...

I used:

UNIKO - Background Blocks, Halftone

             - Natures Treasures I

             - Flower Power #5

Distress Inks - Candied Apple, Ripe Persimmon, Abandoned Coral, Carved Pumpkin, Scattered Straw

Versafine Onyx Black

The challenge details:

Uniko Challenge #61

Stay safe and keep well!

Yellow and Green ...

 I really am on a bit of a roll at the moment ... I blame Darnell at djkardkreations for this creation ... if you don't know Darnell please pop across and check out her blog she makes some amazing cards and writes such wonderful blog posts.  I popped over to check out a recent card of hers and found out about a new challenge in the blogging world called: Color Hues: the color challenge.  So I thought I would give it a go ... well it would be rude not to!!

It is quite a simple card just die cutting and a simple stamped an heat embossed sentiment.

The details of the challenge are:

Color Hues: the color challenge #1

There are some awesome designers involved with the challenge so if you don't have time to take part it is worth checking out.

Stay Safe!

One stamp, two cards ...

 After a morning of gardening it was back to the craft room for some inky fun!  This time I was inspired by the current challenge at the Twofer Card Challenge with the theme of trees ... as autumn is just around the corner my colour palette was easy to choose, I love autumnal colours.

For the 'best wishes' card I stamped the tree and then used the small leaf stamp to add the fallen leaves plus a few leaves on the tree for detail.  I die cut the focal image, I also die cut the background from a piece of card I had printed using acrylic pants and stencils using a gelli plate.  I adhered the background flat on the card base before adding the tree with foam tape to add dimension and finally stamped the sentiment.

For the 'with sympathy' card I die cut a square aperture out of a piece of card and stamped the sentiment.  I took the card base and marked the position of the aperture before ink blending the background before stamping the tree as a silhouette.  The aperture card was adhered to the card base with foam tape to frame the image and add dimension to the card.

I used:

Stampin Up: Totally Trees

Distress Inks - Spiced Marmalade, Festive Berries, Scattered Straw, Ripe Persimmon and Candied Apple

Ranger Archival Ink - Potting Shed

UNIKO: Simply Said

Dienamics Stitched Squares

These are the details of the Twofer Card Challenge #31 

Enjoy!

Less is More ... Purple

 I just cannot believe how quick the days and weeks are passing this year and all without a great deal going on!  Today is the start of a new challenge at Less is More and this one is all about 'shades of purple'.

So grab your purples, have fun and join in with the challenge ... just remember we are looking for Clean and Simple (CAS) designs.

I stamped and coloured the image and then trimmed the edge of the card around the image before stamping the sentiment on the inside following the shape of the top layer.

I used:

STAMPlorations:  Sweet Kindness Stamp set

Distress Inks - Dusty Concord, Wilted Violet, Picked Raspberry, Twisted Citron and Mowed Lawn.

Stampin Up - Gorgeous Grape

You're in for a treat this week as I've managed to create a second card:

I created a panel with yupo and alcohol ink and then die cut the wildflowers before adding them to a panel of card.  The focal image has been adhered to the card base with foam tape just to add a little dimension.  I pricked some detail into the card base as well as the focal image to tie the two together before stamping a sentiment. And that, as they say, was that!

I hope that you are all keeping well and are inspired to join in with the challenge ... need more inspiration? check out the other designers over on the blog.

Stay Safe!

Adventures ...

 Good evening!  This is something of a change for me ... two posts in one week!  It has been a while since I created enough to enter any challenges but today I spotted two challenges that provided me with the necessary inspiration - the sketch at AAA Cards and the theme at TIME OUT challenges (full details are at the end of this post).

This is the card I created:

The Adventurous theme brought to mind travel which led to thoughts of rainbows and chasing dreams at the end of the rainbow.  All this led to this card ... I took the sketch (I changed the orientation) and multi stamped the sentiment in rainbow colours.  The stack of suitcases were stamped and coloured using polychromos colour pencils before the image was fussy cut and adhered to the card base with foam tape for added dimension.

I used:

STAMPlorations: Born to Roam

Faber Castell Polychromos Colour Pencils

Distress Inks - Festive Berries, Salty Ocean, Wilted Violet, Spiced Marmalade, Twisted Citron

Memento - Dandelion Ink

Details of the challenges:

AAA Cards #173

TIME OUT Challenges #170

Stay Safe!

Just for fun ...

Good evening ... I've popped in to share a project that I created just for fun!  It is weeks since I posted anything other than my design team projects.  Family needs have been my priority over recent weeks and continue to be so but there comes a time when I just need to switch off. I've also been busy decorating my kitchen which seemed to take ages and ages but I am pleased with the final result.  I've also been making face masks for the family.

This project is an art journal page:

The first layer is some texture paste through a stencil and then I added the colour using distress inks to create a water colour wash.  Some simple random stamping to add interest. Once the background was dry I stamped the main image and coloured it with the same distress inks that I had used in the background.  I finished the page by stitching a border to bring it together and added a caption.

I had started the project thinking Autumn colours but then used a Spring flower for the focal point!  So I guess you could say that it was inspired by both seasons!

I thought I would enter the challenge at TIME OUT Challenges:

 As this strange year continues I hope you are beginning to find your new 'normal' and are keeping safe.  Hopefully I will be inspired to create some more projects and I may even share some of the things that have been keeping me busy and distracted during the UK lockdown.

Stay safe!