Romantic Roses

For The Card Concept's challenge #76 (Romantic Roses), I made a clean and layered card. My response was a fairly literal take on the inspiration photo - well, what better than a bunch of red roses? - although I'm using the peony roses from Stampin' Up's new Beautiful Bouquet suite. Here's the photo:

and my card - I used the embossed panel to try to capture the texture of the shutters, and black glitter card for the wrapping for a bit of bling. 

Made using: 

Stampin' Up products:

Beautiful Bouquet stamps and dies; Stitched Shapes framelits

Whisper White paper

Rose Red, Pink Pirouette, Garden Green and Basic Black ink

Christmas embossing folder

Other products:

Craftwise metallic twine, Rosie's glitter cardstock

Zigzag birthday

I was happy to call myself patriotic when working with the Fusion inspiration colours this week in their '4th of July' challenge, since the colours of the New Zealand flag are also red, white and blue. For the layout, I turned to Fab Friday's sketch #115. I love the stamp set - a recent acquisition - kind of quirky and lots of possibilities.
Here's the card:

Made using:

Stampin' Up:  Whisper White paper, DSP from 'Pop of Pink' set and inks - Pacific Point, Tempting Turquoise, Soft Sky, Real Red, Watermelon Wonder, Old Olive, Wild Wasabi and Basic Black. 

Stamp and Dies: Simon Says Stamp 'Artsy Flower Parts'

Rainbow Flowers

I tired a few different ideas for the lovely sketch from Less is More this week (#334), but in the end settled on keeping it really CAS by using my favourite little punch to make a rainbow of flowers. Here's the card:

Made using: ek tiny petal punch, Stampin' Up card (Whisper White, Wisteria wonder, Marina Mist, Wild Wasabi, So Saffron, Calypso Coral, Rose Red), Francheville rhinestones, Stampin' Up's Thoughtful Banners (sentiment) and some random purple card left over from my daughter's school days.

Guest design for Retro Rubber

I was extremely excited to be chosen as a guest designer by Retro Rubber - and this emotion quickly morphed into extreme nervousness!
However, the sketch was inviting and beautiful in its simplicity:

... and I do love going back to stamps that have languished a little while I'm playing with new toys. Here's the result:

For this card, I started by reverse embossing a piece of Whisper White card, using 'Falling Flowers' stamps from the 2016 - 2017 Stampin' Up catalogue, and then sponging on Marina Mist and Lost Lagoon ink. The upper card is stamped with one of the 'Petite Petals' stamps from Stampin' Up's 2015 - 2016 catalogue, in Marina Mist. The sentiment is from 'Crazy about You' stampset, also from the 2015 - 2016 catalogue. The ribbon looks like it has to be Island Indigo in colour, but I won it as a spot prize at a demonstration, so I don't know catalogue details, sorry. The matt and base card are Island Indigo and Lost Lagoon, respectively. Teh only non- Stampin' Up product I used is the little Francheville pearls.

Cheerful Daisies

I liked the colours and options suggested by the latest Hand Stamped Sentiments inspiration image (HSS#266) :

It gave me the opportunity to use my new Stitched Daisies, which I've been coveting for a while but only just acquired. I love everything about them!

here's the card: 

Made using:

Simon Says Stamp Stitched Daisies dies, diamondpress thank you ministamp and die, 

Stampin Up 

paper: kraft, Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Daffodil Delight; 

ink: Tangerine Tango and Crumb Cake

stamps: Grateful Bunch (inside) and Crazy about You (inside sentiment)

dies: Bouquet Bunch

I also used this crazy kids' paper for the matt: Little Hands' Sticky Sparkle sheets. 

Circling

What an interesting sketch Freshly Made Sketches #292 was!

I managed, kind of accidentally, to turn it into a technical challenge by deciding I would make the circles different shades of card. Then somehow, during that process, I managed to reverse the sketch. I'm still not sure how that happened, except that it's got to do with my appalling lack of spatial awareness (is that even what it's called? When you can't work out which way around things go - like the paper in the photocopier when you're trying to double-side something manually?)
Anyway - here's the card:

Made Using
Stampin' Up: 'Affectionately Yours' DSP, Big on Birthdays stamps (sentiment), Layering Circles dies, Blossom Bunch punch, Dapper Denim, Island Indigo, Lost Lagoon and Pool Party paper
Other: ek tiny flower punch, Rosie's Epoxy Dots.

Let's eat cake

A few days ago, a friend introduced me to long post-it notes - a product I didn't know existed. Those 5 inches of stick make long masked edges much easier! I used them to create the base shape for this card, which combines two challenges: Less is More's#332 One layer 'sweet things' and CAS(E) this sketch's #225:

Previously, I've found one layer cards very difficult - I just keep on wanting to add bits - so I was pleased I've restrained myself this time. 

Made Using:

Stampin' Up Ink: Pink Pirouette, Sweet Sugarplum, Rose Red, Rich Razzleberry, Basic Black

Other: Stampin' up Whisper White paper, gold embossing powder and Endless Birthday Wishes stamps; Versamark watermark ink

Stamp set: 

Chalkboard baking

This card, for Fusion's 'Chalkboard Baking' Challenge, was fun to make - it forced me out of my comfort zone. It's funny - it never occurs to me to use grey on a card, but when I'm invited to in a challenge, I always like doing so.
I recently bought white ink, and the main challenge for this card was cleaning it up - it goes EVERYWHERE!
Here's the challenge:

and here's my card:

Lots of different products went into creating this card, despite its simplicity. 

Made Using:

Stampin' Up ink: Whisper White, Tangerine Tango, Rich Razzleberry, Real Red, Daffodil Delight

Stampin' Up Paper: Crushed Curry, Basic Grey

Stampin' Up stampset -  Postage Collection and enamel dots - brights

Other Products: papercraft stampset: Alphabet Reverse, My Favourite Things stampset and dies: Kitschy Kitchen.

Paisley Elegance

My first decisions for this card were about colour: as soon as I saw the elegance of The Card Concept's 'Freshly Elegant' challenge, I wanted to use those cool, elegant tones, with a bit of gold bling, of course.

I began with the lovely little floral paisley stamp and die, sponged pink and gold embossed, then looked for inspiration about what to do with it, finding what I needed with the CAS(E) this sketch's challenge #224.

 The simplicity of the colours helped to keep the final card CAS, I think.

One of the images looks very pink in tone - I'm not quite sure what I did there!
Made using:
Stampin' Up: Whisper White and Crumbcake paper, Pink Pirouette ink, gold embossing powder, Paisley framelits, Paisleys and Posies and Shake and Celebrate stampsets, enamel dots