Card offering support

I made lots of cards over the weekend, since I knew I'd be back at work (school) today. However, this also means lots of posts at once! I loved the idea of a simple card offering support, in CASology's Week 218 challenge, and tried to strip back colour, design and layers as much as I could. Just HAD to lift the central image a little, though!

I embossed the flowers in white onto one of my favourite card colours - Stampin' Up's Sweet sugarplum. I chose Early Espresso as the sentiment colour - black seemed a bit harsh. Here's a close up: 

Made using: 

Stampin' Up products: Sweet Sugarplum and Whisper White paper, Sheltering Tree stamp (sentiment)

Other: American Crafts Zing! embossing powder in opaque white, BoBunny's Doodle Blooms stamps, My Favourite Things Sie-namics steel dies (stitched frame)

Freshly Made Christmas Card

I'm on a bit of a mission to make Christmas cards, and so the first thing I think about when looking at a new challenge at the moment is if I can imagine a Christmas card using it. Freshly Made Sketches' #257 gave me this idea. I was pleased to be able to use my new frame die from My Favourite Things.

Made Using:

Stampin' Up's Very Vanilla paper, Early Expresso, Watermelon Wonder and Emerald Envy ink

My Favourite Thing's frame die

Simon Says Stamp!'s Merry Christmas die and Christmas 3x4 stamp

Kaisercraft's Christmas Wishes stamp

My Mind's Eye's Christmas on Market Street Designer Cardstock Paper

Southern Christmas

I loved this week's CAS(E) this sketch challenge - #193 (see below) , and used it to give shape to my thoughts about Christmas cards here in the Southern Hemisphere. I do love 'traditional' Christmas cards with snow etc, but it always seems a bit odd to be exchanging them while wearing togs (a swimsuit to all you non-New Zealanders!) and eating summer foods.
I gave this card a New Zealand flavour by including the five stars (four big and one little) of the Southern Cross, which appear on our flag (also see below). I sponged the background with various shades of blue to suggest the light shining from the stars, but otherwise kept the colours very simple.

Made using:
Stampin' Up: Night of Navy and Whisper White paper, Pictogram Punches stamp set, silver embossing powder, Delicate Ornaments Thinlits dies, Soft Sky, Marina Mist, Dapper Denim and Night of Navy Ink
Other: Versamark Embossing ink, Simon Says Stamp Christmas 3x4 stamp set

Thanks in turquoise and lilac

For this card, I used Less is More's Colour challenge #296: turquoise and lilac, and CAS(E) this Sketch's #192 (see below for sketch). I love the new Petals and Paisleys suite from Stampin' Up, and enjoyed using it here.

Made using:

Stampin' Up Products: Whisper White Paper, Petals and Paisleys stamps and dies, Thoughful Banners stamps, Bermuda Bay ink, Lovely Lilac ink

Other: Francheville rhinestones, Faber Castell Watercolour pencils

Daisy thanks

For CAS Colours and Sketches #193, I returned to one of my favourite Stampin' Up stamp sets - Grateful Bunch. I'm definitely not someone who is good at fine, detailed work, so it took a lot of effort and cursing to line the lace edge up. However, in the end I was pleased I'd persevered - and I've got lots of little bits of various-coloured lace-stamped card for future projects!

Made using:
Card: Stampin' Up Whisper White, Rich Razzleberry, Tangerine Tango
Other: Stampin' Up Grateful Bunch and What I Love stamp sets; Candy Dots, Daisy punch, Rosie's Epoxy dots.

Fusion birthday

I often find that being given a task with tight constraints, like the most recent Fusion Challenge, forces me to think creatively in a way that more open challenges don't. It's oddly satisfying to work with not much 'elbow room'. For this card, I chose to include both the sketch and elements from the photo (which I've copied below).

Made using:

Paper: Stampin' Up - Basic black, Whisper White, gold foil and some scraps left over from my daughter's creative attempts years ago...

Ink: Stampin' Up - Blushing Bride, So Saffron, Pool Party, Memento - Black

Other: Stampin' Up Circle Dies, Enamel Shapes and Endless Birthday Wishes stamp set