Soft florals

Well, I was out of my comfort zone with both the soft colours (So Saffron, Pool Party and Petal Pink) of Global Design Project's challenge #233, and all the elements of Paper Craft Crew's sketch challenge #375:

However, I was pleased with the result - not least because I finally, after many false starts, successfully used the Forever Blossoms Bundle. I think that seeing my friend and teacher Jan Clothier  use it superbly  put me off! 

Ingredients:

Stampin' Up card, (Whisper White, Smoky Slate, So Saffron), ink, (Basic Grey, Petal Pink, Pool Party, stamps, (Forever Blossoms, Butterfly Gala) dies, (Needlepoint Elements, Cherry Blossoms, Stiched So Sweetly), and sequins.

Speedy shades of grey

It's not often (in fact, this might be a first!) that a blog challenge makes me laugh out loud - but As You See It's challenge #175: 'Speedy Shades of Grey' - did!

The card took me 9 minutes and 20 seconds - although, in the interests of full disclosure, I did pause the countdown when the pearls dropped behind the desk and I had to get down on hands and knees to retrieve them! It also made me realise I really need to buy 'Basic Grey' ink - I was hard pressed to find more than one shade!

Card ingredients:

Stampin' Up paper (Basic Grey, Smoky Slate, Very Vanilla), stamps (Southern Serenade, Party Pants), ink (Smoky Slate, Basic Black), dies (Layering Circles)

Other Products: Francheville pearls, Memento London Fog ink.

CAS trees- totally!

Challenge PP331 from The Paper Players was a very subtle and beautiful colour challenge, with a photo of the most gorgeously restrained interior design as a further inspiration.

Like the challenge's designer, Nance, I was struck by the fresh, clean lines of the room and wanted to make a card with the same feel. This meant that I kept on wondering about additions and then deciding against them. The end result is very CAS indeed:

Made using: Stampin' Up products: Whisper White, Smoky Slate, Copper foil papers; Copper embossing powder, Totally Trees and Sheltering Tree (sentiment) stamp sets, 

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)