ME Playing with Patterned Paper...

I paper pieced this little Mama Elephant Pandamonium panda and balloons using a lucky dip paper pack from the last crafting retreat I went to, stamped with Mama Elephant alphabet to play along with A Blog Named Hero Spell it out for Me, and a whole lotta patterned papers for Virginia's View Patterned Paper Challenge.

Mama Elephant and Me Paper Piecing + Thank You

Virginia's View Patterned Paper

A Blog Named Hero

Keep It Simple with Ombre...

I can't wait to see what you create for this fortnights Keep It Simple Ombre Challenge. I broke out my Gelatos again to create this watercoloured ombre background. The cute little owl and friend from Hero Arts Operation Write Home Lil Hoot, was stamped in Versamark Watermark and Zing Copper embossing powder and coloured with Copics (N0, N3, E00, E03, E37, YG03, YG17, B95, and BG11). The Hero Arts Find Joy sentiment, was also stamped in Versamark Watermark and Zing Copper embossing powder.

You can catch some more FABULOUS DT Ombre inspiration over at Keep It Simple.

Playing along with A Blog Named Hero Ombre Challenge and Crazy for CAS Watercolour too!

A-very New Watercolour Technique...

With watercolour so "in" at the moment, I thought I'd have a bit of an experiment using Gelatos, clear embossing and black ink. Using watercolour paper, I created the base layer of my panel by scribbling Gelatos in pink/red/orange/light orange/yellow, then diluting and blending these colours with water and a paintbrush.  Once this layer was thoroughly dried, I stamped these gorgeous Avery Elle scallops in Versamark Watermark and American Crafts Zing clear embossing powder, and heat set. Lastly I used my Momento Ink Tuxedo Black and Momento Luxe Tuxedo Black to soak into the watercolour paper in the areas not heat embossed, wiping off the excess ink with a baby wipe. I mounted the watercolour panel onto black cardstock, before pop-dotting onto the black front panel. I love the contrast between the glossy coloured surface and the matt black. After a few unsatisfoctory attempts at adding a sentiment, I decided I prefer this card without one ;)

Playing along with Avery Elle Water Color Challenge, 

CASology Wet Challenge, 

A Blog Named Hero Build A Background Challenge, and Just Us Girls Watercolour Background.

 

A-very Watercolour Background..

I couldn't resist playing with Gelatos as watercolours one more time for the current Avery Elle Water Color Challenge, A Blog Named Hero Build a Background Challenge and Just Us Girls Watercolour Background Challenge. I created two watercolour background panels - the larger graduating from purple through blues to metallic green, and the second from dark orange through to yellow - and stamped and fussy cut the scene and sentiment using Avery Elle Home Sweet Home and Happy Camper.  Lastly I added Distressed Glitter Clear Rock Candy to add a little sparkle.

Hope you're getting plenty of crafty time this weekend!

Happy Easter with Stencils...

 

 

Created the background of these two Easter cards using this gorgeous Studio Calico mask and Distress Inks in Squeezed Lemonade, Spiced Marmalade and Picked Raspberry for the bunny card and Salty Ocean, Mowed Lawn and Tumbled Glass for the sheep card. As a rule, I like to stamp my baby cards and Easter cards in brown rather than black inks, and this is no exception - stamped in Hero Arts Cup O' Joe using Hero Arts Happy Day Animals, and the sentiment combines Happy Day Animals and Lawn Fawn Happy Easter. The papers are from Lily Bee Designs.

Playing along with A Blog Named Hero Build Your Own Background, 

Virginia's View Stencil Challenge, Moxie Fab World Styling with Stencils Challenge, 

and don't forget you still have time to play along with Keep It Simple Stencil Challenge too!

Anything Goes with Hugs...

Had so much fun playing with stencils while I was away! Headed down the path of Freestyle Collage mixing and matching the layers and media. This was created using a Prima Cherry Blossom stencil and some Distressed Inks sponged over a sheet from an old Fairy Tale book covered in Gesso.  The cute 'Hugs' sentiment is a Simon Says Stamp, and the wood veneer butterflies are Studio Calico, with a matching button found lurking in my stash. 

Playing along with Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes with Buttons, 

Virginia's View Challenge #2 Stencils, The Card Concept Butterflies Challenge,
and A Blog Named Hero Build Yourself a Background Challenge and
 Moxie Fab World Styling with Stencils Challenge

 

Come Play with Me...

Created this for fun and to to play along with a few challenges too!  Inspired by Keep It Simple Things with Wings (DT), FUSION photo (DT), this fabulous Muse card by Marion, A Blog Called Hero Roy G. Biv, Verve Diva Dare Perk Up, The Crafting Musketeers Butterfly Challenge, Catered Crop Birthdays Recipe Swap and Seize the Birthday Hearts Challenges.

Pulled out my gelatos and paintbrush to create the watercolour background behind my Memory Box die cut butterfly heart. This die cut usually leaves the butterflies attached to the heart, but I carefully removed the butterflies so you could see more of the rainbow panel. Stamped with this gorgeous Verve sentiment and framed in black to help pop the colours.

Hope you are having an AMAZING weekend!

  

This made me smile...

Freshly Pinspired Embossing Baby...

Started off playing with this gorgeous Freshly Made Sketch and my Hero Arts New Baby elephant and Baby sentiment to join in the fun at A Blog Named Hero - but somehow a day disappeared this weekend LOL! Lucky for me the CAS on Sunday Oh Baby arrived just in time, so I paired it with this fabulous Pinspired Challenge quilt to create this card.  This gorgeous Fancy Pants Childish check has been my go to paper for baby boys cards - now I'm down to my last scraps of it.  I love that the Lil Inkers Stitched Square mimics the stitching on the elephant and the Craft Concepts Diamond Shadows embossing folder mimics a quilted coverlet, perfect for playing along with Simon Says Stamp Emboss It, and cute buttons perfect for playing along with the Moxie Fab World Handmade Cards Week - General Craft Supplies Challenge, where you can join in the fun too until October 21st!

  

This made me smile...

Cute as a (row of) Button(s)...

When I saw this weeks Freshly Made Sketch I thought it would be a great canvas to use for interpreting this fabulous MUSE Challenge card by Laurie.  I recreated the line of buttons and the textured background from Laurie's MUSE card, using Fancy Pants Park Bench buttons and this Craft Concepts Diamond Shadows embossing folder reminded me of a quilted coverlet.  Joining in the fun at A Blog Named Hero Playing Favourites, using my favourite Hero Arts supply, Hero Arts Cup O' Joe Shadow Ink, together with this cute little stitched Hero Arts baby giraffe.  Added a sentiment from Mama Elephant, atop Lil Inker Designs Stitched Squares and pop dots!

Laurie's fabulous MUSE card

These made me smile...