Making Do

Recently I'd spotted a set of stamps and dies featuring a greenhouse and just as I was thinking of adding it to my stash, I remembered that I was trying to resist the retail therapy 😉. I decided that perhaps I could 'make do' or improvise by seeing what I have already which might be brought into play.  No greenhouse die but I do have a fairly large birdcage one from way back so I fished it out and had a bit of a play.  I drew around the die onto some white card and fussy cut to make a backing piece and then stamped some leaves onto this before sticking the layers together and yes, I think it does vaguely resemble a fancy sort of greenhouse.  Next I die cut some flower pots and found some flowers and leaves left over from a previous project.  So far so good - next move was to stencil a brick background and assemble everything.  I know it's not a greenhouse but at least it has enabled me to make the card design which came into my head inspired by seeing the original greenhouse stamp set and another potential purchase avoided ... for the time being at least 😄😄

'Greenhouse' - birdcage die from Marianne 
Flower Pots - dies from Joanna Sheen
Brick Wall - stencil from Studio 490 Wendy Vecchi
Flowers and Leaves - stamps from two Stampin' Up sets

Llama

 A simple card to share today - the image is quite large and almost fills the 5" x 7" card so I simply layered it up and added a  greeting.  I did enjoy the colouring though so I guess that's the main thing and I used a stencil to give  a  bit of interest in the background  😉.

Llama stamp - Crafty Individuals
Stencil - All and Create
Sentiment - Tm Holtz label
Coloured using watercolour pencils

Snippets Playground #422

 We have a guest designer for the challenge in The Playground this time - our talented prefect Sarn  who has made a super coffee themed card, well worth visiting to see the card and find out what mischief might be afoot 😉.  A great Tattered Lace prize on offer this time and in duplicate so double the chance of being drawn out of the hat if you take part.

I raided my 'creams and browns' scrap box to make this card as well as digging out an image stamp which has lain unused for longer than I care to admit and in fact it could be that this is the first time it's been inked - can't really remember using it, but we are talking a good few years here 😉.  Background paper is part of a sheet from a pad of A4 designs (I always keep the bits and pieces tucked inside the pack once I've cut into a piece); the darker brown piece was a small strip from the oddments box and I selected some offcuts of cream for the stamping.  The Wise Gents were stamped and then sponged with Tea Dye ink; the tall cream strip had the numbers stamped in black along with more stamping using a sepia ink and finally the sentiment outline and words were lined up and stamped -  using the Misti of course.  A stray metal watch charm was added as a finishing touch.

Background Paper - Urban Textures, Phill Martin Sentimentally Yours
Main Image - Wise Gentlemen from Crafty Individuals
Numbers - stamp from a Phill Martin magazine gift set
Sentiment - from Tim Holtz stamp set