More Roses

Another quick post in between DH's birthday festivities (he's watching the footy ;).  Playing along with Muse - here's Therese's inspiration card:

And also playing along with Fusion photo:

I used my open line roses stamp (the same one I used on this card) together with a solid stamp that I made to co-ordinate.  I stamped the solid image first with Picket Fence Distress Stain, then overstamped it with the line image in black.  I used a Dymo tape for the sentiment.

Split Personality Rose

Quickie from me - I'm supposed to be helping DH prep for a dinner party tonight in honour of his birthday tomorrow!  Couldn't resist playing along with a few challenges:

Paper Smooches SPARKS (see the rosebud?):

Fusion (there's no linky tool yet, girls, we're having to link through comments):

City Crafter Roses:

I used the same technique that Dawn demonstrated in Stretch Your Stamps 2.  For me, that is the best example of stretching your stamps and I love the technique.  My rosebud has a split personality because it's actually the tulip stamp from the Bold Blooms set!  Just shows what a bit of squidging and scribbling can do.  The leaves are from Reflections and the stem is from Bold Blooms.  I used a 0.5 pen to scribble.

Ok, playtime over, back to the kitchen to help DH :)

Seize The Birthday - Anything Goes

It's time for another challenge at Seize The Birthday, and it's Anything Goes (as long as it's a birthday project).  I made this kingfisher stamp and watercoloured it with Distress Inks, and added leaves from Paper Artsy, and a sentiment from STAMPlorations.  This bird's got a split personality - when he's coloured in browns he can easily pass off as a kookaburra (I'll show you that another time).

I've used the colours from The Challenge, my first time playing there.  The colours mixed to produce a touch of brown on the leaves, but it was unintended, so hopefully I'm still in ;)

Pop on over to Seize The Birthday to see the fabulous cards that the design team have created for your inspiration, and join in the fun.

Sloshing and Scribbling

I really enjoyed one of the classes on today's Stretch Your Stamps 2.  You know how much I love sloshing outside the lines, right?  Well, this is the opposite.  Squidgy-stamp, then scribble your own outlines.  Oh, the freedom!!

I've used Waltzingmouse stamps so I'm entering into the Waltzingmouse Fanatics challenge, Make Your Mark.  They're not getting many participants in their challenges, despite all their efforts to encourage people to play, so if you do have Waltzingmouse stamps, please support Deborah's and Tara's efforts by playing along.  Actually, there are free digis available - you don't even need to own their physical stamps to play along - how easy is that?

I've used the colour from ColourQ:

(I did the colours from memory so my Coastal Cabana equivalent is slightly bluer.)

I thought it would make a lovely wedding card, so I'm entering it into The Card Concept - Clean(ish) and Layered.

Watercolour Butterfly

I'm doing the Online Card Class - Stretch Your Stamps 2.  We've already had a full week and this is the first piece of homework I've come up with so far.  This is inspired by Melanie Deasy's no-line colouring technique.

I've used one of Susan's colour schemes from One Layer Simplicity Challenge #8, Shades of Summer:

I stamped the butterfly image (Uniko Studio) in Antique Linen then swooshed some Distress Inks onto an acrylic block and used them as watercolours.  The challenge at Shopping Our Stash is Splish Splash - use some form of wet medium on your card (yes please!!).

And I'm entering it into Uniko Studio Challenge Anything Goes.

I'm off to splash and splash some more!

Birthday Topknot

Quick post from me:  I've been playing with Distress Inks and stencils and paste to make a mixed media card.  The image is my own design, and the text is from STAMPlorations.  The texture is Polyfilla (spackle).  I'm entering it into the following challenges:

Mixed Media Monthly Challenge #3 Stencils and Modelling Paste

And a new one to me (don't know how I've missed this one, as it's very popular judging by the number of entries it's got this week): Papertake Weekly Anything Goes.

STAMPlorations Challenge - Stamps and Die Cuts

It's time for our monthly challenge at STAMPlorations, and this month we want you to use stamps and die cuts.

I've used a leaf die cut from Simon Says as a backdrop to my rambling roses.  The rose image is from the Boxed Blooms and Bold Sentiments set.  I stamped the image three times (ok, six times in case I messed up) then coloured the rose petals and cut out.  For the rosebud I just cut off some of the outer petals.  Then out came the paintbrush for a bit of splattering.  The green grungy marks were made by spritzing one of the images from Vignette: Live Love Laugh with Peeled Paint and partially stamping it.  The sentiment is Sentiment Builders: Happy.

Our guest designer this month is Karen from Snippets.  Pop over to STAMPlorations to check out the gorgeous cards by Karen and the rest of the DT, and join in the fun.  Don't forget, if you enter all three challenges, you're in with a chance of an extra prize :)