A CASual CAS(E) of Smooching on the Farm....

Just because I'm loving the texture trend at the moment & had fun incorporating textured papers - wooden, burlap, lace and gingham - for this neutral-on-neutral card.  The row of crayons in this weeks Paper Smooches Sparks Picture Perfect Challenge reminded me of wooden fence pickets, and after spotting this weeks gorgeous CAS(E) this Sketch, I thought I'd turn the sketch on its side and cut a peep hole front and back across which I laid two Maryanne Designs die cut fences end-to-end.  I thought it was perfectly fitting that CAS(E) this Sketch Challenge #33 has three repeated elements, and I stamped three gorgeous Paper Smooches farm animals, Very Sheepish from Party Posse, and the Nanny Goat and Moo Cow from Green Acres, and created the barnyard sentiment using Alphadot.  Happily playing along with CAS-ual Fridays Over the Edge too - because you would have to agree, this card is a little over the top LOL!

Paper Smooches Sparks - Picture Perfect

Playing along with Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes too!

This made me smile...

In the Mood for Monday...

So many GORGEOUS cards over at WPlus9 this fortnight, I thought I'd join in the fun at WPlus9 Monday Mood Board, with these gorgeous Blanket-Stitched Blooms and Simply Sentiments, paired with Lil Inkers Stitched Square frames.  Stamped using Hero Arts Shadow Inks in Cop O' Joe, Butter Bar, Green Hills and Bubble Gum. Waving a big hello to Cecilia and Jenny too - lovely to meet you :)

WPlus9 Monday Mood Board

Joining in the fun with with Let's Get Trendy Now! 3 Stitching and 

Drunken Stampers #133 Edward Scissorhand Sewing Challenges.

A Little ConFUSION...

Welcome back for another fabulous week of FUSION inspiration!  What will inspire you this week - this fabulous sketch from Jackie?  Or this fabulous inspiration photo from Lesley - with it's bright bold elements? Or a FUSION of both???

This week I was particularly inspired by the gorgeous teal background, the combination of bright bold colours, the owl theme, the wooden table and flowers.  I stamped my There She Goes owl trio onto a combination of lightly patterned papers - woodgrain for papa owl, floral for mama owl and chevrons for baby owl.  I love that these little guys look so shocked in response to the Lil Inkers sentiment LOL! I created my stripes by pop dotting the top layer of white cardstock, creating negative space for the teal background paper to peep through.  Unusually for me I actually used patterned papers from just one collection today, Echo Park Here & Now.

Why don't you stop by the FUSION Design Team blogs for even more inspiration!

Allyson  Anderson  / Amy Tsuruta / Deanna Jean / 
Kelly Griglione / Stacey Schafer

Playing along with There She Goes Anything Goes too.

A Dashing Farewell...

9 Minutes and 15 seconds later...

I'll still be playing along for fun, but for now this is my final 10 Minute Craft Dash as part of the Design Team.  The lovely Paulina invited me to continue for another term, but I thought it was time to let someone else take a turn to inspire you - plus now I'll be eligible for some of those fantastic prizes, like this weeks Denami Design Gift Certificate LOL!

With such a fantastic colour combo matching these gorgeous My Mind's Eye chipboard flowers and sentiment, I thought I'd try and do a super quick card this week, but the best laid plans don't always go to plan!!  I completed this card at a friends house, and used her Big Shot rather than my more familiar Cuttlebug, and lost almost half my dash time trying to work out the correct "sandwich" for the Big Shot - ooops!!!  I love the added texture achieved by using this fabulous textured material paper from Gina K Casual Friday, paired with the weathered wood paper from Simple Stories Vintage Bliss, and the faux stitching from the Lil Inkers Stitched Rectangle die cut.  To add to the texture, all the elements are pop dotted for added dimension.

10 Minute Tips

• Ready-made chipboard shapes and/or sentiments are a great go-to for timed challenges.
• If you are using unfamiliar equipment, or a technique you have not used for a while, make sure you have all your tools together and know what you are doing BEFORE you start the timer LOL!

Play along for your chance to win this fabulous Denami Design Gift Certificate!

Playing along at Lets Get Trendy Now! 3 Textured Layers Challenge too.

In CASE of Travel...

After having so much fun with my CASual Fridays Mapquest Challenge LIFE Map card yesterday, I thought I'd have a play and do another using the same October Afternoon Thrift Shop paper.  This time I combined it with a dollop of inspiration from Lisa Spangler's gorgeous CASE Study card, using plenty of hexagons for the Less is More Hexagons Challenge and Shopping Our Stash Geometric Shapes Challenge. Cut the map hexagons using Cheery Lynn Honeycomb Frame die, and enlarged the shape to create a template for my cork hexagon. The gorgeous wood veneer plane is from Studio Calico.  The fab world map is from Paper Smooches Space Cadet.  The sentiment is a cardstock sticker from My Mind's Eye, wrapped in The Twinery Solid Natural twine and pop dotted - 'cause you know I need to LOL!

Lisa Spangler's gorgeous CASE Study card

Also playing along with Catered Crop For the Boys Challenge 

The Twinery Anything Goes Challenge, Online Card Classes Summer Card Camp 2,

Simon Says Stamp Transport Challenge and Let's Get Trendy Now! 3 Textured Layers.

LIFE... Enjoy the Journey

Love this piece of October Afternoon Thriftshop Map of London paper I had been hoarding saving for a special occasion, and thought it would be perfect for this weeks CASual Fridays Mapquest Challenge.  I printed LIFE in 190pt Showcard Gothic, onto a sheet of white cardstock, then hand cut the letters (I hope this counts for this fortnights Keep It Simple Negative Diecutting Challenge!)  I brought this stamp way back when I was only doing scrapbooking, as part of my travel stash - it has long since lost its packaging, so I don't even know what brand it was, but it's easily the stamp I've had the longest, for the Shopping Our Stash Oldest Stamp Challenge, and I thought I'd play along with the Sweet Stamp Shop: Use What You Have Challenge too.  Added a Studio Calico wood veneer bike to make the journey more enjoyable, and for playing along with Simon Says Stamp Transport Challenge!

Thanks (bunches) for Smooching...

I had some fun with this weeks Paper Smooches SPARKS Designer Drafts Sketch, created using Paper Smooches Needle Little Love blooms and leaves, with the sentiment created by combining Simply Said and Vegtastic, and hand drawn brackets around the bunches.  The Paper Smooches Duo Die 2 die cut frame with its negative centre was perfect for playing along with this weeks Keep It Simple Negative Die-cutting Challenge.  Papers are a mix of Crate Paper, Echo Park and Basic Grey, and I thought this combo of colours & patterns would be fun for playing along with Moxie Fab World Mixy-Matchy Style Challenge.  Don't forget there's a few days left to link your Paper Smooches July Guest Designer cards up too!