SWEET STAMPIN - GINGHAM/PLAID

Our challenge this week at Sweet Stampin is to use some gingham/plaid on your cards.  I cheated a bit by using a piece of old SU DSP I found in my stash in this gorgeous purple colour for my background.

I added a tag using some stamps from Simon Says Stamp Thoughtful Flowers and used some Tim Holtz distress inks and a watercolour brush. The sentiment is from the same set - the ribbon is very old SU which I found in my ribbon box.

CHEETAH CHEETAH BURNING BRIGHT.....

I know that's not quite the saying and it should be a tiger but I love this cheetah image from Stamperia Amazonia collection.

I found a background I had  made previously in my paper stash - using Tim Holtz distress inks in Twisted Citron and Early Espresso.  I used Tim's stamping platform to stamp the Cheetah image in Versafine Clair Ink.  I wanted to use a stamping platform just in case the image wasn't clear enough on a first stamp and just as well I did as it took about three goes to get a clear enough image.  The sentiment is from the same set and I stamped it on to rice paper and then used Liquitex Acrylic medium to add it to the tag.

The washi tapes at the bottom are from my stash and the washi tape with the word Live is from Aallandcreate.  I added some charcoal pencil around the edges and some old Stampin Up sequins and some really bright orange gems for his eyes.

I'm adding this into the following challenges

Simon Says Stamp - Monday - Washi Tape 

TTCRD - AG 

We Love 2 Create - AG

Creative Moments - AG 

Crafter's Castle - AG 

Simply Create Too - Sentiment 

SUYP - Cat related

STAY GROUNDED

I'm joining in with Global Design Project #GDP302  today for their sketch below.

I saw trees in those stripes and grabbed my Stampin Up mask/stencil and some Tim Holtz Distress Inks.  The little owl and the sentiment is from Visible Image stamp set Into the Woods.

I'm also adding this into the following challenges

Always Fun - Use a Stencil

Make My Monday - Trees

Delighted to say this was chosen in the Top 3 at Make My Monday 

HAND STAMPED SENTIMENTS = #CC369

Look at our gorgeous colours for you this week at Hand Stamped Sentiments.  I'm not sure why these colours screamed autumn for me especially as we are only just enjoying some sort of summer here in the UK but they definitely influenced my choice of stamp set to use.

I headed straight for a Stampin Up set Country Home.  I've never really used the little tile stamp from this set so I thought it needed an outing.  A quick glance on Pinterest gave me the idea for this card to use the tile stamp as a border.  I stamped off the jug to give a more gentle colour of the Rich Razzleberry which seems to have changed its colour quite drastically.  A touch of thread and simple matting finished off the card.

This will be a great card to send out to someone in my RAK group on my Facebook group The Joy of Sets.  We send out Random Acts of Kindness to members all over the world in the form of cards we make and it's so nice to receive a hand made card.  Come on over and join us if you would also like to send and receive cards.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1287196548026205

ANITA JERAM THANK YOU ...KINDLY

I love the whimsical stamps from Anita Jeram's illustrations sold by Colorado Craft Company.  My card today combines two challenges - The Paper Players and CAS Colours and Sketches. For the colours I used Tim Holtz Distress Inks in Mowed Lawn, Fossilized Amber and Peeled Paint.

I started off by stamping a mask of the mouse in Versafine Clair ink in Acorn the using it to cover over the mouse before I stamped the Wendy Vecchi word stamp all over.  This is a great large stamp so it was easy to cover the card stock.  I coloured the little mouse in and used the greens for the pencil and the words.

I found an old Sizzix embossing folder with all the dots on which looked to me like an extension of the mouse tail so thought it would be perfect.  I added some Washi Tape for the sketch challenge.

TRY STAMPIN ON TUESDAY - #TSOT516

Optional Theme - Outdoor Fun

Here's our sketch for you this week from Try Stampin on Tuesday with the optional extra theme of Outdoor Fun.  I thought I would do a Christmas in July theme also which seems to be the thing in the crafting world and it gives me another chance to use this fabulous set.  It's an Anita Jeram stamp set called Snow Happy by Colorado Craft Company.

I started off with some watercolour paper and inked my background using Tim Holtz Distress Inks.  I stamped the image in Versafine Clair Acorn which is a bit softer than using a black.  I used Tim Holtz Distress Inks to colour in the images.  I added some Liquid Pearls in White Opal for the bunny's tail, the deer's tail and the snowball.  The sentiment is from the same set and I used an archival ink in Cobalt Blue by Ranger.  I added some dots to continue the theme of the snow around the edges and added some to the deer.

I'm adding this into the following challenges:

Crafty Sentiments Design - AG 

TTCRD - AG 

The Holly and Ivy - Anything Xmas Goes 

Christmas Kick Start Challenge - anything fluffy or furry 

Ike's World - AG option of Christmas 

Double Trouble - Christmas in July 

Merry Little Christmas Challenge - AG

Inkspirational - Spots/Dots 

Creative Friday - Christmas 

HAND STAMPED SENTIMENTS #SC368

Here is our sketch for you this week from Hand Stamped Sentiments.  I knew straight away which set I wanted to use and it's one of the new sets from Stampin Up called To The Moon.

I started off by making a galaxy background with Tim Holtz Distress Inks using Hickory Smoke, Dusty Concord, Fossilized Amber, and Black Soot.  I added water to create the water drops and some Dazzling Diamonds to add some sparkle.

I made another dark background for the moon and stamped it and used a stitched framelit to cut it out adding more glitter.  I used the star stamps for the background edges and some washi tape from my stash.  The sentiment was cut out with a Tim Holtz tag framelit.

I'm adding this into the following challenges

~The Creative Crafters - AG 

Through the Craft Room Door - AG 

SU Only Challenge - Designers Choice

Make My Monday - Anything Airborne ! 

TRY STAMPIN ON TUESDAY - #TSOT514

Here's our sketch for you this week from Try Stampin on Tuesday.  I've used all Wendy Vecchi stamps for my card this week. 

I started out with the large script stamp - one of my favourites which is from the Live and Make Art set.   I used the Country Flowers set which has the matching die cuts - it's a two stamp set for the flowers and the leaves. I've used Versafine Clair inks in Warm Breeze for the blue and Verdant for the green.

I made a border with some of the other stamps from the set and used a die cut from my stash to cut out the wavy line.  I added a piece of lace and some gingham ribbon to finish it off.  The sentiment is from the same stamp set. A touch of Dazzling Diamonds on the inside of the flower finishes off the card.

613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes with Optional Twist of Watercolour

Our optional challenge at 613 Avenue Create this month is watercolouring.  I love these new sets of stamps by Anita Jeram with Colorado Craft Company for their water colouring abilities.  This is a new set to me called Thank You and as an avid cat lover I just had to have this set.

I started off with some watercolour paper and stamped the cat in VersaFine Clair in Acorn - a little softer than a black colour for the outline.  I used Tim Holtz Distress Inks to colour her in. I added a blue colour wash to the background and stamped the sentiment in the same VersaFine ink.

I'm adding this into the following challenges:

TTCRD - AG 

Lemon Shortbread #14 - AG

Creatalicious - AG 

Simon Says Wednesday - AG

Crafty Catz - AG 

A perfect time to craft - AG 

Happy Little Stampers - Watercolour

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers - Watercolour

Crafter's Castle - AG 

Crafty Animals - AG 

SUYP - Cats

SWEET STAMPIN - UNUSUAL HAIR COLOUR

A tricky challenge for you all this week from Sweet Stampin - Unusual Hair Colour - to be honest what hair colour doesn't get used these days - I actually have a friend who has her hair the turquoise colour my middle lady has! I'm not that brave!

For my card this week I have used some very old Cherry Pie Art Stamps and coloured the three muses of Art, Love and Beauty with their various unusual hair colours.  All the background stamps used are Cherry Pie also using Tim Holtz inks and a few of his old stamps.

SPARKLES CHRISTMAS FORUM - SNOWFLAKES - MORE THAN 1

Welcome to another Christmas Challenge from Sparkles #126 - our theme for you this month is Snowflakes - More than One!

I've just bought this adorable set by Anita Jeram called Snow Happy and really wanted to use the delightful sentiment.  I started off by using a Tim Holtz snowflake stencil for my background using Distress Ink in Faded Jeans.  I added a strip of Night of Navy SU Cardstock along the front and added some die cut snowflakes covered in SU Dazzling Diamonds.  The little rabbit holding out the snowflake is from the same set - I coloured him in with Distress Ink and a water colour brush and used a stitched framelit to cut him out.

The sentiment was stamped in Versafine Clair Nocturne ink - my favourite go-to black ink at the moment.