MMM Challenge - Again!!

Well I felt I should try again to get it right for the Make My Monday challenge this week.After yesterday's carelessness in not reading the challenge guidelines properly I set to and looked for a stamp which I'd had for simply ages and not used and believe me the most difficult part was deciding which one to choose!!   I needed to make a card for my great nephew so chose this stamp from a set of Suzy's Zoo stamps which I bought from Joanna Sheen many moons ago - to date only one of the characters in the set had been used and the remainder stored away and neglected. Image was coloured using Coloursoft pencils; backing paper printed from a CD (Docrafts I think).  The text to personalise the card was produced on the computer and punched out using Stampin' Up punches;  the decorative border was die cut with Spellbinders dies.

Do follow the link, take a look at the cards made by the design team and maybe have a go yourselves if you happen to have any neglected stamps (or decoupage).

Make My Monday Challenge

Over at Make My Monday this week they are asking us to use a stamp which has not been inked before or alternatively some decoupage which hasn't been used since it was purchased.  Well I guess we all have many stamps which have not seen ink near them - you know how it is you buy a set of stamps and inevitably there are always some which remain unused - I should know because I am guilty as charged.  However today I received my recent order from the Stampin' Up Extravaganza Day and I've inked one of the stamps from the Simply Sketched set, leaving another five still to use.  I put some background colour onto a piece of watercolour paper by scribbling onto a plain acrylic block with Distress Markers, spritzing with water and stamping, after which I stamped the flower and coloured it with Distress Marker.  Having seen some Joy cards on my friend Anne's blog I thought I'd make one.  I have no idea where they got their name from but would be interested to know if anyone has any idea.  Background papers were printed from Artylicious Essence of Nature CD and I simply added a message (which helps the card stay closed) and a little butterfly.

Edited hastily

Well that will teach me to read the challenge instructions more carefully - I've just read it again and realise that it MUST NOT be a new stamp so it is back to the drawing board and I will be making another challenge entry!!  This took me ages to make due to the heat and the fact that I've been getting so little sleep since the heatwave started that my brain seems to be frazzled - that's my excuse anyway - sorry folks, must try harder.

House Mouse in the Rain

I'm sure this House Mouse is enjoying his cool shower - just the thing while the weather is so hot.  Matching backing paper was used and the image was cut out using a label die from Stampin' Up (Sizzix framelit) with a largerone in a similar colour with pricking detail using a matching template.  This was then popped onto an embossed Top Note die shape and finished off with a Marianne corner, greeting and some flowers with Memory Box die cut leaves. Enjoy the rest of the weekend and take care in the extreme heat.

Daisies

The card I'm sharing today was made using Heartfelt Creations matching set of dies and stamps which I must say were a touch fiddly to cut out but I think I've worked out a fairly foolproof way. The daisies were coloured with Distress markers; backing paper is from a pad which lost its cover due to being around for so long and the label shapes (Sizzix die for Stampin' Up) were cut from pieces from the famous bits boxes.

Clean and Simple

The new challenge blog which launched last week at House of Cards has a monthly theme and within that month each week offers a different style or technique.  We are still with the colour theme set for July but this week the style is clean and simple which my 'regulars' will know isn't really a favourite of mine but then if we stick to what we know and enjoy it wouldn't be a challenge would it?

Working within this colour scheme I've made my clean and simple card with lots of 'white space' by die cutting a label in light blue using a Sizzix die (Stampin' Up) and cutting off part of it before running through a dots embossing folder.  I then stamped some flowers using a retired SU stamp set called Raining Flowers, cutting several layers and adding a gem together with a leaf using a Marianne die.  Greeting was produced on the computer, punched using a SU punch and popped onto a strip of rich razzleberry card to match the stamping.  Apart from the base card, all the components were made using oddments of card from my bits boxes - will they ever be used up - I doubt it!!

Balloons

The theme this week on the Make My Monday challenge is BALLOONS  of any type so I have chosen to go with an olde worlde hot air balloon using a stamp from Crafty Individuals.  It was stamped twice and the balloon layered up after colouring the white card by 'mopping' up some mixed Distress Stains from a glass mat. Background paper is from the Papermania Chronology range and I've raided my bits boxes for other items to include - luckily I had this die cut clock, the scrap of card stamped with cogs and the ticket so was able to colour them with distress inks to match.  I stamped the words and cut them out to resemble the chit chat stickers so apart from the backing paper the rest of the card has utilised things I already had around - they just needed finding and putting together.

I hope you are all enjoying the lovely weather although I must say that when you get really hot just sitting still it is a bit too much for me and I would prefer it slightly less warm - fussy aren't I??

Extravaganza Day

Yesterday I attended a Stampin' Up Extravaganza day with the talented Jenny of Stamping Moments  to showcase their new catalogue which launched on Tuesday.  It was a very 'full on' day with some lovely projects as usual.  Jenny always does us proud with great ideas and everything so well prepared for all of us which must be a mammoth task for her as there were around 30 people there.  I'm posting a general picture of the projects we made (now it is on screen it seems a bit blurry - sorry) but if you want to see more detailed pictures there are some to be found here on Karen's blog and also some images on Jenny's blog too..  I didn't completely finish any of the projects yesterday but carefully brought home all the bits and pieces and this morning I've finished them off.  I have a couple of family birthdays this month so the birthday organiser wallet and card/box containing chocolates may well be part of a couple of gifts.  That is of course unless I'm tempted to eat the choccies although don't really fancy them in this hot weather when I'd rather stick to salads and fruit. The tin contains five little notelets/cards with envelopes and the small gift card on the left is a little wallet which could hold a voucher or money.