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.



 

'B' FOR BIRD

The challenge over at Watercooler Wednesday this week is anything to do with the letter 'B'.  Well that gives us a wealth of ideas but my first one was the beautiful bird from Picture Perfect.  He has been in his box for a while so I thought it was time I gave him some wings again.

 I used Always Artichoke for the card base and stamped some of the leaves from this set as a background with Versamark.

The paper is from the gorgeous Serene Scenery 6x6 Designer Series Paper pack.  Oh my this paper is so lovely if you haven't tried it yet I would urge you to.  It really is paper you just want to look at but I now make myself use it!

The touch of our new Burlap ribbon seems to blend in with the mood of this card.  The bird was initially stamped in Smoky Slate, then Early Epresso then Pear Pizazz and cut out and I added dimensionals to give him some movement.  A touch of Wink of Stella to make him sparkle.

I'm singing along to 10CC whilst writing this - one of my favourite bands in the 1970's yep I'm that old lol! and it's so good to hear them again!

 
 

SUMMER'S HERE

Yay - for the last two day's Summer has arrived in the UK and we are now sweltering under 30 degree heat.  The UK homes don't work well with this heat -we don't have air con and my house is definitely a winter house.  But hey - lovely to see the sun and I'm lucky enough to be able to take advantage of it.  So today I shall be crafting in the garden.

But before I go I have a few challenges to catch up with.  The first is Sam Hammond's Colour Challenge which this week was Melon Mambo, Watermelon Wonder, Cucumber Crush, and Crushed Curry.  You'll find her challenge HERE.  As its sunny outside and there are quite a few butterflies flying around my veggies I thought I would use the Papillon Potpourri set.  The beautiful rose from  Picture Perfect has also been used as the background stamp using Versamark.  

The sentiment is from the Shooting Star set.  I've popped one of the butterflies up on dimensionals after punching it out with the butterfly pun ch and added a few rhinestones for some sparkle.

I used Melon Mambo, Whisper White and Crushed Curry.

I've used the polymer stamps here and would love to know how to stop them staining when using the Melon Mambo or Watermelon Wonder.  I did try stamping with Versamark first and it helped a bit.  Any advice gratefully received.


I'm also putting this card in for the Less is More Challenge which is asking for repitition though I think I've put too much on the card and not enough "white" space.  Their Challenge is HERE

I had to have another play with the Repetition theme - I just love it.  Here I've used the Playful Backgrounds set and the Papillon Potpourri again punched out with the butterfly punch on Designer Series Paper Rich Razzleberry.  The stripes have been stamped in Rich Razzleberry Ombre Stamping Pad. The sentiment is from Shooting Star.

I'm also putting this one in for the Addicted to CAS challenge - their theme is Stripes.

 Thanks for stopping by and do leave a comment.

Happy Crafting 

 

PICTURE PERFECT JAR OF LOVE

Playing with a different set of stamps today - Picture Perfect.  I just adore roses - they are my favourite flowers - not the bland unscented ones you get in shops but the ones I grow in my garden that may not be perfect, the leaves may be a bit green here and there but the scent is something else.  They are the flowers of my childhood as they were my dear mum's favourite flowers and I always have a rose in a bud vase next to her picture as she is no longer with me.

 Roses are so lovely from small buds......

 .... to when they are just starting to emerge.....

 ...up to full bloom!

So for the challenge over at CAS Colours and Sketches I chose Picture Perfect.  Their sketch was quite simple and leaves a lot to the imagination. Click on the image to be taken to their site.







I used Rich Razzleberry for the cardstock and the Rich Razzleberry Ombre stamp pad for the actual rose.  The rose is three step stamping - takes a little while to get used to it but its such a pretty rose its well worth the ink on your fingers!  

The same goes for the leaves which are also three step stamping.  The sentiment is from the same set.  The background wash of colour behind the rose is Blushing Bride put on with an Aqua painter.

I did sprinkle a touch of Wink of Stella over the rose just for a bit of sparkle.


The challenge over at Global Design Project is to CASE the following card. Click on the image to be taken to the challenge.

  

I've used the new Jar of Love set.  Not sure if you're the same as me but as soon as I get a new set I seem to not know when to stop putting it all one card.  This is a bit what happened here.  I'd seen a lovely similar card on Pinterest which I used for my inspiration.

  
I've used the butterflies as my inspiration for the CASE'd card.  I used to do a lot of paper tearing a few years ago and you don't see a lot of it around at the moment so I thought I would bring it back.



 
 

THREE STAMP SETS - FEELING BLUE?

 I didn't think I'd have time for any more crafting before I go away on holiday but I managed to sneak one in this evening.  I don't often do blue cards but found myself drawn to all these different blues this evening.  My card is inspired by the sketch on As You See It challenge. Click on their sketch to be taken to their challenge.





I've used three stamp sets for this card.  The stripes are from the Playful Backgrounds set.  I love this set - its so versatile.  They have been stamped in Soft Sky and I used Wink of Stella over the top to make them sparkle a bit.   The dots are from Painter's Palette and the sentiment is from Picture Perfect.  I've used some of our Designer Series Paper in Subtles for the background paper and the flower which is from the Botanical Builder framelits.  One of our enamel shapes in the middle finishes the flower.  I quite like the soft colours in this card - I may find I use blue more often.

 I think you can just about see the Wink of Stella sparkle.  I think my WOS may be on its way out.  I read a great tip from someone that, once its empty, fill it with water and you can still use it!

 Happy Crafting

Thanks for stopping by and do leave a comment - I love to read what you think.

Fiona

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.

 

 

PICTURE PERFECT ROSE

 

Playing with the Picture Perfect stamp set again but this time its the three step Rose stamp.

The challenge over at Time Out challenges this week is to use flowers or weeds - There are no weeds in my garden!!!  I tell a lie - there are lots really. I like to think of it as a natural garden - my mother-in-law says I'm just lazy!  You will find the challenge here

The Challenge over at Use Your Stuff #224, a new challenge to me, is asking for you to use inks, inks and more inks.  My card uses normal ink, marker pens and versarmark ink. You'll find their challenge here.

So my flower card today has no weeds.  I've stamped the rose using only two of the steps and then fussy cut it out and popped it on to dimensionals.  It was stamped using Night of Navy and Dapper Denim.  

The background uses two stamps sets,  Playful Backgrounds and one of the stamps from Painter's Palette.  The inks used were some of the new In-Colours, Sweet Sugarplum and Flirty Flamingo as Stampin' Write Marker pens. 

I also used some of the leaf stamps and also a touch of the Botanical Framelits for the two cut out leaves.  The inks were stamped in Garden Green and Mint Macaron.

The sentiment was clear embossed.  I used versamark on Night of Navy ink and then clear embossed.  The easiest way to emboss your ink colours.  The sentiment is from the Picture Perfect set.

The pearls on the bottom have been inked with a Dapper Denim Stampin' Write marker to blend in.  

Whisper White layered onto Night of Navy Cardstock completes the card.

Hope you like my card.

Supplies:

Card Stock                       Whisper White, Night of  Navy

Stamp Sets                        Picture Perfect, Playful Backgrounds, Painter's Palette

Inks                                    Night of Navy, Dapper Denim, Garden Green, Mint Macaron, 

Stampin Write Markers   Flirty Flamingo, Dapper Denim

Embellishments                 Perfect Pearls, Versarmark, Clear Embossing poweder

SHOP HERE 

Don't forget to add the hostess code

FLYING BY

 

 I've been practising with the Picture Perfect set and aligning this hummingbird.  The bird has four stamps to give it dimension .  I must admit its not the easiest thing to do but when it works its so satisfying.  This little fellow is flying in for the Less is More Challenge who have asked for a one layer card with the theme At Sea.  Very tentative link but my bird is all At Sea because he can't find a flower!

  I've used one of the background stamps from Painter's Palette for the dots round the edge in Mint Macaron.  The bird has been stamped in Basic Gray with just a touch of Mint Macaron at his throat and the base of his wing.  A touch of Wink of Stella makes him sparkle just a little.  The Sentiment is from Thankful Thoughts.

You can find the challenge here if you want to play along

PAINTER'S PALLETTE - SHADES OF GREY - PAPILLON POTPOURRI - PICTURE PERFECT - PLAYFUL BACKGROUNDS

 

Unbelievably on this CAS card I've used a total of 4 Stampin' Up! sets on this card. Two from the new catalogue and two which are still with us. Painter's Palette,and Playful Backgrounds are new,  Papillon Potpourri and Picture Perfect are old favourites.

I'm so loving this new set which will be out in the new Catalogue called Painter's Palette.  You get a total of 9 stamps, three of which are sentiments.  I've used the easel here and the background stamps are from Playful Backgrounds and are stamped in an old SU colour Going Gray.  The Butterfly is from Papillon Potpourri and the little sentiment is from Picture Perfect both stamped in Watermelon Wonder.  My inspiration for this card was the new challenge set by Time Out challenges - you will find their challenge here.

Not long to wait now for the new catalogue launch - if you haven't ordered your new catalogue yet you get one for free if you order from me over £25.