Cut out flowers

I was struck by the pleasing symmetry of 'Less is More's Challenge #378:

 and 'read' the image as two rectangles rather than four squares. I combined it with the rich colours of CAS Colors and Sketches #286: Mango Melody, Poppy Parade and Merry Merlot. I haven't yet acquired Mango Melody ink, so made do with my closest match - Peekaboo Peach. I stamped the flower image, in black, on the main card, and then (in Merry Merlot) onto card sponged with peekaboo Peach and splashed with water drops for texture. Then I mounted the coloured card onto the plain, matching the images. I used vellum for the sentiment so it would 'float' above the card. 

Ingredients:

Stampin' Up ink (Merry Merlot, Peekaboo Peach, Basic Black), card (Shimmery White), stamps (Awesomely Artistic, Big on Birthdays (sentiment)).

Other Products: My Favourite Things dienamics (Vertical Stitched Stripes), francheville pearls, Derwent watercolour pencil (Poppy Red)

Christmas in the Antipodes

When I saw TGIF's Challenge #173:

I thought of Christmas - because, since I'm in New Zealand, it could well look something like this. I loved that rainbow umbrella and wanted to use those uplifting colours, as well. 

Ingredients:

Stampin' Up! ink (Real Red, Tangelo Twist, Pineapple Punch, Call Me Clover, Pacific Point, Gorgeous Grape, Highland Heather, Pool Party), card (Crumb Cake, Pool Party, Whisper White, Gold), Stamps (Making Every Day Bright), Punch (Christmas Bulb Builder).

Other: Simon Says Stamp Merry Christmas Dies (SSSD111305), Kaisercraft DSP (Coastal Escape)

One Layer Flower

Goodness me, I find the single layer card challenges difficult! I'm always so pleased to actually have an idea and then manage to follow through and finish the card. Today's card combines  Less is More's #376:

with Fab Friday's #142:

Ingredients: Stampin' Up ink (Powder Pink, Mint Macaron, Mossy Meadow and Tranquil Tide), card (Whisper White) and stamps (Thoughtful Banners for sentiment, Playful Backgrounds, Swirly Frames, time for Tea)

Monochrome Flowers

I'be wanted to enter The Flower Challenge for ages, but this is the first time I've actually accomplished that. I found this latest challenge really - well, challenging!

I find it hard to stay within one colour family. Here's the card I came up with:

Ingredients: Stampin' Up ink (Basic Black, Blushing Bride, Sweet Sugarplum), card (Whisper White, Blushing Bride, Merry Merlot), Thinlits (Botanical Tags), Stamp (Happy Birthday Gorgeous - sentiment) and tag punch.
Other: Derwent Intense Watercolour Pencils.

Daisies & Lace

One thing I love about the Retro Rubber Challenge blog is that it makes me reconsider and reuse old favourites - and for the latest sketch challenge:

 I turned back to one of my 'best of the best' stamp sets - Grateful Bunch - one of the very first stamps I bought when I discovered the wonderful world of card making (from the 2016- 2017 catalogue). Paper Craft Crew provided me with a lovely set of very spring-like colours:

 - entirely suitable down here in New Zealand, where we're seeing daffodil plants edge their way above the cold ground's surface - a promise that spring will be here soon!

Ingredients:
Stampin' Up card, (Thick Whisper White, Lemon Lime Twist, Whisper White), ink (Tempting Turquoise, Lemon Lime Twist, Basic Black), Stamp set (Grateful Bunch and Mixed Borders for sentiment), Daisy punch, Glitter enamel dots
Other products: francheville diamantes and Sizzix Tattered Floral thinlits.

Cloud celebration

A CAS card for two CAS challenges today: CASOLOGY's #308 'Cloud'  and CAS(E) this Sketch's #281. 
I imagine I'll use this as a baby card, but I kept the sentiment a little more generic to broaden the card's potential.
There's something so calming, for me, about sponging clouds onto paper. I should do it more often!

Ingredients:
Stampin' Up ink (Soft Sky, Watermelon Wonder, Basic Black, Smoky Slate), card (Shimmery White, Soft Sky), stamps (Balloon Celebration, Thoughtful Banners (sentiment)), thinlits (Up and Away to make a mask to sponge).
Other products: American Craft twine, Rosies stamp - 'spread your beautiful wings'.

Winning Colours

I think The Paper Players have really outdone themselves with their latest colour challenge - the colours are gorgeous and the design team cards are stunning! As their blog said, the colours - Highland Heather, Lovely Lipstick and Granny Apple Green - particularly suited flowers, so of course I decided to try to use something else. Luckily, Freshly Made Sketches came through with a great sketch that made me think of Stampin' Up's Eastern Palace Suite - and so a card was born!

Ingredients
Stampin' Up Card (Whisper White, Highland Heather), ink (Lovely Lipstick, Granny Apple Green, Basic Black), Eastern Beauty Stamps (and Varied Vases stamp for the sentiment), Eastern Medallions Dies, Layering Circles Dies and Glitter Enamel Dots.
Other Products: Couture Creation Christmas Wrap embossing folder