Break out the yellow ....

.... because the sun is shining!!

It's been a very dank and grey spring here in Dublin, bar one sunny week way back in March (not that I'm complaining, as such - as I've said before, I like our weather). But today, the sun made a surprise appearance and it's to be fine for the whole week. My, what a good mood everyone is in!! And we've got Sports Day in school on Friday - it is so strange to hear people talking optimistically about the weather a whole 5 days in advance! Normally, we'd be hedging our bets and waiting until Thursday before deciding whether or not it can go ahead!

So when doing a commissioned card for a confirmation, I included a colour that I almost never use - YELLOW!! Here's what I made:

I used the sketch from this week's Sunday Sketch + Stamp and I'm also entering this into the following challenges: Paper Sundaes ("Pretty in Pink"), Basic Grey Challenges ("Anything Goes" - my third entry!), Sugar Bowl ("Free for All" using Sugar Nellie stamp), The Ribbon Girl ("Pinks and Creams") and Simon Says Stamp + Show ("Summer Holiday").

I used this cute Sugar Nellie Gorjuss Girl image - but masked out the heart and envelope seams and added a cross so it looks like a prayer book.  I was told that Róisín, the girl who the card is for, has reddish-blonde hair - so I had a go with the distress inks - quite pleased with the result.  Here's a close-up and then a pic of the distressed, inked and rolled flowers.

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Ambrosia", "Kissing Booth", "Nook + Pantry" and "Capella"

Stamp: Sugar Nellie Gorjuss Girl "Sent with Love"

Colouring Medium: Distress Inks

Punch: MS "Branch"

Other: Ribbon from stash, needle + thread

Thanks for looking!

Not much stitching ....

.... and lots of tearing and ripping!  I set the challenge this week on PaperPlay and I decided to ramp things up a few notches from "distressing" - the challenge is called "Destruction".

I had a late card to make for a nephew - disappeared into the craftroom for a remarkably short two hours and this is what I finished with:

I'm entering this into the following challenges: Basic Grey Challenges, Simon Says Stamp + Show and Truly Scrumptious all have "Anything Goes", Creative Card Crew ("Sentiment as focal point") and Crafty Creations ("Male Birthday card").

Lots and lots of copper heat embossing, I love that effect.  I drew some letter templates and traced onto corrugated card and ordinary packaging card, then dry and heat embossed some of them.  Here's a close-up of the letter "d", which is my favourite bit:

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Oliver"

Other: Cuttlebug embossing folders, copper e.p., dymo tape, needle + thread

Thanks for looking!

Nothing like a ....

.... commission to get me off my butt and up to the craftroom!!  I'm sorry for being such a completely useless blogger, but there's a reason for it - I've also been a completely useless crafter!!  No reason really - although if I was looking for excuses I could mention that my son's travails have continued - two weeks ago it was x-rays and crutches - last week he had to have a tooth extracted.  Ah yes, 10 year old boys and toothbrushes - a match not made in heaven!!

So, back to the non-crafting - when one of my colleagues asked me to make a card for her mother's birthday, I said "weeeeeeeeelll, oh alright, maybe, let's see how the weekend goes" and other lame statements - and then I made this:

I like using BG papers to boot me out of a creative slump, especially Urban Prairie - love those colours.  I'm entering this card into the following challenges: Basic Grey Challenges, CES Challenges, Bunny Zoes Crafts and Wild Orchid Challenge all have "Anything Goes", Simon Says Stamp ("Sweet Tooth") and Totally Gorjuss ("Pink and Green").

Here's a close-up of the Pure Innocence cutie I used on the card:

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Urban Prairie"

Stamp: Pure Innocence "Birthday Princess"

Colouring Medium: Distress Inks

Die Cuts/Punches: Nestabilities "Lacy Circle", MS "Branch"

Other: Wild Orchid flowers and other flower from stash, pearls, needle + thread

Thanks for looking!

Rushing by ....

.... to add my PaperPlay post before Thursday is over!!!  It's been a mad few weeks, from hosting visitors from Italy to my son being on crutches after a hockey injury (luckily nothing was broken).

Our challenge this week is a bit of a mouthful - "Use your Stamps with Pins and Pearls".  I was going to go all baroque and vintage and make a black/cream shaped card with lots of ribbons and pearls, but the card I was making was for my stepmother, and she's just not that style of gal!!!

So an nautical about turn was had and this is what I made (excuse dreadful middle-of-the-night picture!):

Recipe:

Papers: October Afternoon "Seaside"

Stamp: Hero Arts "Clouds"

Other: Nestabilities "Lacy Circles", pin and pearls from stash.

Thanks for looking!