Paper Smooches Easter Joy...

Inspired by this fortnights gorgeous photo from Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge, I love the cute felt bunnies and the saturated colours.

I tried something new by stamping images from Paper Smooches Spring Fling onto felt to achieve a light outline to use as a stitching guide.  I found the best option was to stamp them using Distress Ink. I used Victorian Velvet, but any light colour could achieve the same effect (although Spun Sugar was too light to see the outline). The outline was then highlighted by using 3 strands of embroidery thread - the usual 6 strands did not produce a fine enough line.  I used DMC Embroidery Thread in 704 (green), 3806 (pink) and... yellow whose code has fallen off!  The papers are from Alison Ellis Design and Rose Moka - although you could be really creative and make your own ;)  The egg shape negative cut was achieved by enlarging the Paper Smooches Spring Fling image on a photocopier, then cutting out the shape using a craft knife.  The Spring Fling sentiment is stamped using Versa Colour Lime, and I love the subtlety of the sentiment in the midst of all the saturated colours.

To adhere the egg and bunny to the card, I used Provo Crafts Terrifically Tacky Tape (also known as red tape). The best thing about Terrifically Tacky Tape is that it is terrifically tacky, the worst thing about Terrifically Tacky Tape, is that it is terrifically tacky - so you have to be extra careful - once it sticks, it stays!

Today is a gloriously sunny day - hope you are enjoying Spring / Autumn wherever you are!

Loving Paper Smooches...

I just LOVE Paper Smooches funky stamps - and their digital freebies! 

I loved the colours, textures and theme from this months Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge inspiration photo.  I chose a textured salmon pink background paper from Grace Taylor and used the double hearts digital freebie (with a cute arrow to represent the pin in the photo) as a template to create a stitching outline.  I then hand-stitched the outline in red cotton (also taken from the inspiration photo).  The cute sentiment from Paper Smooches Good Gab was stamped in Blazing Red StazOn ink. This panel was then mounted on kraft cardstock (to match the linen colour), and pop-dotted onto red linen textured bazzill.

Many thanks for stopping by :)

Version 2 - carved into the old oak tree

Friendship blossoms...

Love the gorgeous cherry blossoms and the tall glass shapes in this weeks inspiration photo from There She Goes combined with this weeks super colour challenge over at Colour Q, and I couldn't go past this fabulous sketch from Less is More. 

As I think I have more Valentines Day cards then Valentines to send them to, I designed this card as a frienship card - although Love blossoms does have a certain ring to it too :)  Inside reads ...in every season. 

The cherry blossoms are created using Cheery Lyn Cherry Blossom die-cuts, then dabbing a little of Tim Holtz Spun Sugar Distress Ink and some LuminArte Pink Azalea to create the darker centres.  The blossom stamen are created by using a double length of white embroidery thread knotted in the centre then threaded from the top through the centre hole and double-sided taped to the underside of the flower to hold in place - and to secure the blossoms to the page.  The branch is one of My Favourite Things - literally too!!!

Will soon find out how the kiddies went at their first day back at school - hope friendship blossoms for them, and you, too.