BEST BIRDS - INKSPIRATIONAL CHALLENGE

Oh dear its looking like a Best Birds week again!  It's not intentional, honest!

The challenge over at Inkspirational this week is yet another think outside the box challenge.  Just look at this gorgeous photo of this shop window - I would love to go in there and have a mooch around.  This is our inspiration for this week's challenge.




My card really doesn't do this lovely window justice - and I'm not completely happy with it - it didn't quite evolve as it did in my head lol!

I used some of the now retiring SU DSP in Serene Scenery for the circles and cut them out with the Stitched Framelits. I spotted the duck egg blue in the picture and so used Soft Sky cardstock and ink for my card. I've used the Bird out of the Birds and Blooms Framelits to represent all those lovely feathers in the window.  It was inked in Soft Sky and Early Espresso.  A touch of a Basic Pearl is his eye.

I then spotted all those lovely bottles and things in the window so I headed for my Bookcase Builder set and had a play with some of those images.

The Sentiment came from Thankful Thoughts.  The background stars came from the retiring Botanical Blooms.  I try not to use too many sets but I just needed to in this instance.

 

BOTANICAL BLOOMS/PICTURE PERFECT FUN FOLD

I was sad to see the Botanical Blooms and the Framelits on the retiring list so I thought I would break them out for one last challenge before the end of May.  The challenge over at SUO Challenges this week is All That's Feminine.  We have already had Mother's Day here in the UK which falls in March for us.  This card would be just as suitable for a birthday card or an anyday love you card.

I've been inspired to make some Fun Fold cards this week thanks to Dawn Griffiths - she's always my number one go to for Videos and she never fails to get me crafting.  I've done a few of her fun folds lately which can't be disclosed yet as they are for some future challenge blogs but here's one I can show.

 I used Crumb Cake as my base and some of the retiring DSP Falling in Love papers which are so pretty.  I also used the words from Picture Perfect which is also sadly retiring.

These images show what the card is like when it is standing up. 

 I have thrown the lot at these cards, there is Wink of Stella on the flowers,  Very Vanilla Lace Trim , Basic Pearls and Enamel Dots and Hearts and Copper Metallic Thread.



 

SIMPLY SKETCHED SATURDAY CHALLENGE

Hi Everyone and welcome to another Simply Sketched Saturday Challenge.   We’re so excited to be sharing this hop with you. The products used are all available in the current Annual, or seasonal, Stampin’ Up!® Catalogues*. Simply use the buttons at the bottom of the post to keep hopping!

Our Sketch this week was chosen by Louise Thomas of Whiteflagdesigns.  What a tricky sketch this one turned out to be for me.




 Here's my take on the sketch.  I used one of the New Colours Flirty Flamingo for my card base. 

The flowers are from the Botanical Builder Framelits. I used some Designer Series Paper in Mint Macaron for the leaves.  The Hello Friend is from the Jar of Love set.

 You know when you do something and then you think oho - that's not right - that's what happened with my card and the framelit from Botanical Builder.  I used the edging one but realised I had done it the wrong way.  However, - I re-cut it on some white card stock - added that to the edge of the inside of the card and Voila - it was as if I'd planned it that way and I actually love how its turned out.  Its like a mini jigsaw puzzle!

You can see the edging strip better on the inside of the card!

 I used the Botanical Blooms stamp set with some Versamark on the outside of the card and on the inside.  The sentiment is from Birthday Blooms.

Do pop along and see the next great card at Jillian's blog or pop back to Sally's  if you're going the wrong way!

HAPPY CRAFTING


 
 

DESIGNING YOUR OWN DESIGNER SERIES PAPER

Its funny old weather here in the UK at the moment, some parts are suffering with the heat, others have got flash floods.  Here in Hampshire its cloudy but warm and almost humid.  And as our houses do not have air conditioning - its warmer in the house than out.  Too warm for crafting???? No, not quite.

I had trouble sleeping last night mainly because of the heat so found myself in my craft room and on Facebook.  There I found a challenge my upline Sam Hammond had set everyone to design your own DSP.

So I accepted the challenge and made two different sheets.  As SU have sadly retired the DSP for Botanical Blooms I thought I'd have a go at making my own.

I stamped some of the leaves in Bermuda Bay with the veins of the leaves stamped in Tempting Turquoise.  The flowers were stamped in Watermelon Wonder, stamped off for the flowers, and then stamped for the detail.  I love how this paper turned out so will cut it up and use it on a project.

 The second paper I wanted to have a sort of vintage feel to it so I chose the lovely rose from Picture Perfect.  I used three different colours for the rose - Soft Sky, Pool Party and Mint Macaron.  The soft pink background was made with a baby wipe gently dipped into Blushing Bride and dabbed on the paper and over the roses.

On to some challenges I've been joining in with. My first is for the Global Design Project who wanted us to make a Get Well card.  Click on the image below to be taken to their challenge site.

I actually don't have any stamps at that moment that have a Get Well Soon sentiment so I used the sentiment from Painter's Palette.  And those roses have had an outing again.  This time they are in the pink with Blushing Bride, Rose Red and Rich Razzleberry.  The leaves were stamped in Old Olive and Old Olive used for the card stock.  The Very Vanilla background card was stamped with one of the stamps from Painter's Palette in an old SU colour Creamy Caramel.

 A touch of Dazzling Diamonds on the roses and some Enamel Shapes finish the card.  I'm sure it would cheer someone up who was feeling down.

The other challenge for today was Case This Sketch.  This was the sketch we had to work with. Click on the image to be taken to their challenge site.



I've used one of the stamps from Botanical Blooms for the upright lines.  Probably not a stamp that gets used very often but quite a versatile little stamp for backgrounds.

The background paper was embossed with the retired Dots embossing folder.  The lines were inked in Pear Pizzazz and Tangerine Tango. I loved how this colour combination turned out.  The butterfly is from Papillon Potpourii stamped in Tangerine Tango and finished off with some enamel dots in Pear Pizazz.  All mounted on a piece of Whisper White.  The sentiment is from one of our new sets Love & Affection.



Thank you for taking the time to look through my blog. ~Please do leave a comment - its great to hear from you.

Happy Crafting 

FIONA

HUMMINGBIRD MADNESS

Hummingbird madness because you woulnd't believe how many times I had to try and get this hummingbird to ink up properly.  My fingers are quite literally covered in ink.  I've watched  you tube tutorials and they make it look so easy - but my little bird seems to be a bit more flighty.  Anyway I finally managed one I was happy with and got him down on paper quick before he flew away! lol!

He's going into the Global Design Project challenge this week which you'll find here. 

The challenge this week was a sketch

I've not followed the sketch to the letter like I normally do.  I've used it more as a guide this week.  I've been playing with Tempting Turquoise lately as the weather in the UK is so miserable I needed something bright to cheer me up.  

A touch of Rich Razzleberry which is a new colour to me was added to the Tempting Turquoise and I like the combination.  Two subtle grey backgrounds I think bring out the bright colours.  The Botanical Builder Framelits got an airing today along with the Botanical Blooms stamp set on the leaves.  The sentiment from Love and Affection, one of the new Stamp Sets.

 

The bird has been covered in Wink of Stella to make him sparkle.

 

 

BOTANICAL FRAMELITS - WEDDING CARD

 

 I have a Wedding card to do for a swap challenge I'm in and thought the colours of this card would be suitable.  I just love the soft combination of the Mint Macaron and the Whisper White.

I've used the Botanical Framelits here and also embossed with the new Floral Affection Embossing folder which you can see in the close up.  I also popped the flowers into th eDecorative Dots embossing folder(sadly retiring) and ran them through the Big Shot to add texture to the flowers. 

Theedges of the  flower petals were gently inked with some Mint Macaron

 

 I used the Botanical Blooms stamps to add detail to some of the leaves and some jewels and a touch of Wink of Stella for that little bit of sparkle.  Sadly the Mint Macaron lace ribbon is also retiring so that needs to be used up!

The challenge over at SUO Challenge this week is Wedding cards so I'm going to pop this on their list.  You'll find the challenge here.

 

SUPPLIES 

Cardstock - Whisper White - Mint Macaron

Embossing Folders - Decorative Dots, Floral Affection

Framelits - Botanical Builder

Stamps - Botanical Blossoms

Ribbon - Mint Macaron Dotted Lace

Wink of Stella 

 

All supplies can be found on my website HERE 

PEEKABOO PEACH - SNEAK PEAK - PAINTER'S PALETTE

 I've had a lovely busy weekend this weekend so sorry not much crafting being done on here.  We went to Center Parcs Longleat just for the day to be with my daughter and her boyfriend.  We've been going there since my daughters was 18 months old and she is now 25.  We've been to all of them in the UK and one in the Netherlands but Longleat is still our favourite.  Nowadays though I find one day is enough!  But the kids,  (can I call them that still?)  still love going.

I hate selfies!!!

It was also my mother-in-law's 91st Birthday on Sunday and I took her out to the Leckford Water Gardens which are owned by John Lewis and only opened a few days during the summer months.  It was lovely and tranquil there and my favourite flowers, rhodedendrons were out in full bloom.

  

Anyway enough about me - on to the crafting!  I've actually used one of the new In-Colours here - Peekaboo Peach.  Haven't really seen peach since the 1980's when I had it as wallpaper - didn't we all?  I didn't think I'd like it but I find I actually do.  Its a lovely soft muted peach and I think it works well with the Mint Macaron.  I've been playing with the Botanical Builder Framelits again (!) and the Botanical Blooms stamps.  Hope you spotted the fern!  The sentiment is from Painter's Palette.