Pastel watercolours and sequins

I interrupt my crafty stash shopping session to show you that I managed to slowly slowly tease my mojo into co-operating a little bit today. I have spent most of the morning trying to decide whether to spend my hard earned money on a few Paper Smooches dies (I fell in love with this ah-maaa-zing Criss Cross die as well as this and this flower die). In addition, I'm dreaming about the awesome Paint Strokes die, but can't seem to find it from any UK retailer. Could of course order it from the US, but would have to pay astronomical shipping and import tax on top, and although I got a small pay rise with my new job, it's not enough to support such folly. On the other hand, I really want the awesome new paper packs from Lawn Fawn, particularly the plaid one, I am utterly and totally in love. And I *have* to have the stitched frames, that's not negotiable. I'm also considering very seriously buying the set of Lawn Fawn inks as I love the bright colours. However, I have made a solemn promise not to start another set of inks, as I really don't need them. Although to be fair, do we ever really need any of the crafting stash we buy... I just really, really want them!

I also had the shock of my life when I browsed over to the Lawn Fawn blog to drool over their wonderful inspiration cards. when What do I see in the most recent Fawny Flickr Friday - Valentine's Day Edition other than my "It moose be love" card along with the most amazing cards from fellow crafters! I almost felt my heart stop. Such a proud crafting moment. 

Anyhow, on with the show. After a week away from the craft room I wanted to ease my mojo back into crafting mode. So I made a simple card inspired by the very simple and elegant sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches as well as the colour challenge over at Your Next Stamp. I simply die cut the sentiment using the Lawn Fawn Scripty congrats die and the banner above using a die from the Stitched Journaling Card die set from linen textured white cardstock. Then I used Tim Holtz distress inks in Worn Lipstick, Wilted Violet, Mermaid Lagoon, Pine Needles and Faded Jeans to create a watercolour background which I attached to my front panel, and attached everything to a card base made from linen textured white card. I embellished simply using a few matching sequins and that's it. I really like how the card turned out, I love the blended watercolours showing through the white card, it's a really nice effect. I'm also linking up with Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where Anything Goes and Allsorts where the theme is Bring on the Bling (sequins count as bling, don't they??)

Card: 300 gsm white linen textured card, 190 gms watercolour card
Ink: Tim Holtz distress inks in Worn Lipstick, Wilted Violet, Mermaid Lagoon, Pine Needles and Faded Jeans
Dies: Lawn Fawn Scripty Congrats, Stitched Rectangles and Stitched Journalling Card
Other: Sequins from my stash

Happy Birthday Bear

My dear Culinary Consultant is not the most romantic person in the world. He's not big on small talk, actually not big talk also. But he is the kindest guy and from time to time he does something so sweet that I start to think he might be a bit of a closet romantic. Like yesterday when I was fretting about going back to work in a mix of depression and anxiety. And then I finally admit defeat and realise the holiday is over, and head over to go to bed. And what do I find on the bed? A box of goodies from L'Occitane! Apparently it's a going back to work present. How perfect is that? Going back to work was horrible though but at least the first day is now done and dusted. Maybe tomorrow will be a bit easier?

Today's card is almost exclusively put together from things in my UFO box (you know, UnFinished Objects...). The background journalling card is from a session when I was getting messy with a rainbow of Distress Paints. This is one I created towards the end, when a lot of the colours had already run together and became a brownish mess, which I originally didn't like but now when I looked at it again, I liked the way the clear bright colours mix together with the browns. The bear was also in the UFO box, I just stamped, coloured and die cut some birthday paraphernalia for him. The sentiment was - can you guess? - also in the UFO box, it is die cut from some card I created at another time when playing with my Distress Paints. Even the strip of Let's Polka paper is a leftover scrap piece. If you are a hoarder of all crafty bits great and small you know how good a card like this feels!

I am linking up with the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Party

Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes

Dragonfly Journey - They Say It's Your Birthday

Fashionable Stamping Challenge - Make Your Own Background

Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes With a Die(s)

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - Use Patterned Paper

Card: 300 gsm white card, 300 gsm watercolour paper, Hobbycraft 160 gsm white card

Paper: Lawn Fawn Let's Polka

Stamps: Lawn Fawn Party Animal and matching dies

Ink: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Various Tim Holtz Distress Paints, Copics

Dies: Lawn Fawn Scripty Congrats, Stitched Journalling Card