Sunday 31 July 2016

So many rainbows


Wow, two runs in three days. How good that this madness called holiday is over, otherwise I might have really gotten into that whole running thing... In other news, we spent yesterday in the Norfolk Broads aboard the below vessel. Apart from the pouring rain it was a lovely outing which may have involved a glass or two of Prosecco.


Between my newfound running obsession I did manage to find some crafty time. I was super inspired by the awesome sketch over at RetroSketches as well as the gorgeous inspiration image over at Time Out. I was inspired by the white walls against the rainbow coloured painting. Hey, just give me an opportunity to do anything rainbow coloured and I cannot resist. I'm also linking up with AAA Cards and Shopping Our Stash, both which have the theme Stitching. Which gave me a great opportunity to try out the new stitched rectangle dies from STAMPlorations which I absolutely adore - just look at that wonky stitching. In addition, the cloud also has a stitched edge but it doesn't show very well on the photo as I added some Ice Stickles to give the cloud a silver lining. 






I started with an old background from my UFO box which I made by smooshing Tim Holtz Distress Paints onto white card. I die cut a rectangle using the CUTlorations Stitched Rectangle dies, a larger one from the rainbow background and a smaller one from white card. Next, I used the Lawn Fawn Rainbow die to cut the rainbow from various Lawn Fawn patterned papers and used a leftover cloud I found unloved on my crafting table (this is why you should never clean your desk!!). I stamped a sentiment using the STAMPlorations set called Hashtag Authentic and die cut the second line using one of the STAMPlorations word dies. After adhering everything in place I added some Ice Stickles around the edge of the cloud and some Crystal Effects onto the Awesome to give it a great glossy shine. I can't help it, but I always love how the rainbow cards turn out!

Card: white hammered and linen textured 300gsm card, Neenah Solar card, scrap of black card
Ink and colouring: Tim Holtz Distress Paints, Versafine Onyx Black
Stamps: STAMPlorations Hashtag Authentic
Dies: CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies, Awesome Word Die, Lawn Fawn Spring Showers, Rainbow
Paper: Lawn Fawn Let's Polka in the Dark, Let's Polka in the Meadow, Let's Polka 
Other: Stampin' Up Crystal Effects, Ranger Ice Stickles




Saturday 30 July 2016

NBUS STAMPlorations goodies



My explorations into my brand new goodies from STAMPlorations continues (I tried my first CUTplorations die yesterday here in case you missed it). There's nothing that gets the creative mojo going like being away from the craft room for almost a week - it seems like I have been creating on a roll for the last few days.

I stared by stamping the Framed Zinnia in Versamark Onyx Black (which is compatible with watercolouring). I then coloured the flowers using my Gansai Tambi watercolours using the colours from this week's ColourQ. I then masked the frame and stamped around the edges using several stamps from the Mixed Media Elements in Squeezed Lemonade and Spiced Marmalade Distress ink. I also sprinkled some watercolour splotches on the card. Last, I used one of my brand new CUTplorations Awesome Word Die to die cut the sentiment from a scrap of purple card. Last, I stamped the first line of the sentiment in black ink to complete the card.

I'm entering the following challenges:
Freshly Made Sketches
ColourQ 
4 Crafty Chicks - Your favourite Designer/Paper/Company (STAMPlorations obviously :)
Cards 4 Galz - No Patterned Paper
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes


Card: 300 gsm watercolour card, scrap of purple card from my UFO box
Stamps: STAMPlorations Framed ZinniaMixed Media Elements, Hashtag Authentic
Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versafine Onyx Black, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Squeezed Lemonade, Spiced Marmalade, Gansai Tambi watercolours
Dies: CUTplorations Awesome Word Die

Friday 29 July 2016

Be happy while stamping and die cutting


What a great last day of my week long holiday it's been. I came back yesterday from a visit back home and enjoyed the most amazing company of good friends and family and calmed down (and completely logged off all social media, emails and internet). I read a book (a real, physical, paper based thing from the past), swam in the lake, filled in suguru puzzles (I'm addicted!) and picked blueberries from the forest. And today I've already ticked off several of those little things on the mental to do list - checked my tyre pressures, added windscreen washer fluid, done laundry, unpacked, arranged and re-folded my sports clothes, gone for a run, done grocery shopping, made a very healthy lunch, resisted the urge to buy donuts (this was a tough one) and above all, spent time in my craft room with my new crafty goodies (if you follow me on the InvisiblePinkFacebook you might have seen my latest stash).

The view from the end of our jetty

Our little summer house paradise
Today's card is a great mix of stamping and die cutting - my favourites. Well, at least today they were my favourites. I was inspired by the sketch over at CAS(E) This Sketch and the colour over at Color Throwdown. I'm also linking up with Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge where Anything Goes and over at Addicted to Stamps and More where the theme is CAS. 



I started by stamping the brush strokes for the background using a STAMPlorations stamp using Stampin' Up ink. Then I die cut the flower from white paper and the happy sentiment three times from card matching the background colours. I stacked the sentiment die cuts and adhered everything in place. Last, I stamped the "be" for the sentiment in black. 

Card: 300 gsm white hammered card, scraps of Stampin' Up So Saffron, Blushing Bride and Calypso Coral card
Stamps: STAMPlorations Celebrate Artsy, Hashtag Authentic
Ink: Tsukineko Versafine Onyx Black, Stampin' Up So Saffron, Blushing Bride, Calypso Coral
Dies: CUTplorations Happy Word Die, Paper Smooches Adorable Array

Monday 25 July 2016

Paper Pieced Flowers


With summer in full swing I am inspired by all the lovely flowers everywhere. This card was also inspired by the sketch over at CAS(E) This Sketch and the colours over at Color Throwdown. How amazing aren't those colours, I just knew I had to play along this time. I was also inspired by the paper piecing challenge over at Just Add Ink and The Thank You theme over at Clean And Simple On SundayAlthough just a little tip - if you are planning on doing paper piecing, be sure to pick a stamp that DOESN'T have a gazillion pieces which are all the size of a grain of sand or somewhere thereabouts... this required a lot of patience and there may have been some swearing and a lot of glue sticking to my hands. 





It should be quite obvious what happened here - I started by die cutting the frame and then stamping the triangular flower arrangement inspired by the sketch. I then proceeded to fussy cut all the required pieces. I'm a bit gutted that I didn't have any patterned paper with a slightly lighter purple to better match the challenge colours but all you can do is make use of what you have at hand. Last I die cut the sentiment and then went on to the puzzle of adhering every little piece. It would have been impossible to know which leaf fit where except I cleverly arranged everything in place as I was cutting, so it was just a case of picking each piece up with tweezers and adding glue. I keep questioning myself about the sentiment, maybe I should have gone for a banner instead to be closer to the sketch, but I think this works quite well too.

Card: 300 gsm linen textured white card
Stamps: Stampin' Up So Very Grateful
Ink: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: Lawn Fawn Let's Polka Mon Amie, Let's Polka in the Meadow, Let's Polka in the Dark
Dies: Lawn Fawn Scripty Thanks die and Stitched Rectangle Frame die


Sunday 24 July 2016

Flying high for my 500th post


It's been a totally insane few days with so much work that I don't know what to do with it all. But I also got to enjoy great food with good friends, and there's plenty more of that to come as I'm enjoying a week of annual leave with the plan to spend quality time with family and friends and hopefully enjoy some sun (responsibly while fully covered up and drenched in sunscreen after my recent mishap which left me with skin peeling off my shoulders).
Also, in all this excitement I almost missed the fact that this is my 500th post! If I had realised a bit sooner I would have planned a bit of a bash or something but as with so many other things in life it just sneaks up on you and you just have to roll with it.

Today's card was inspired by the gorgeous colours over at ColourQ. I was also inspired by the Things With Wings challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge and I'm linking up with The Crafter's Cafe where the theme is CAS and Creative With Stamps where the theme is Ink Splatters.




I started by stamping the gorgeous swallowtail in Versamark and heat embossed in gold. Then I coloured the butterfly with Gansai Tambi watercolours and splattered some colour all over the card after masking the swallowtail. Last I stamped a sentiment fromnSTAMPlorations in Versamark and embossed in gold powder.

Card: 300 gsm watercolour paper
Stamps: STAMPlorations Art Mark s, Stampin' Up Swallowtail
Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versamark, Kuretaki Gansai Tambi watercolours
Other: Gold embossing powder

Thursday 21 July 2016

July STAMPlorations CAS Challenge - Mid-month inspiration


Welcome to our STAMPlorations CAS challenge mid-month inspiration. For our July CAS challenge we have an optional colour twist of orange. Thank you to everyone who has already linked up, so many fabulous projects! You still have a few more weeks to participate and to have a chance of winning a gift card to the fabulous STAMPlorations shop.


For my card I decided to play with Brushos to create a background. I cut a rectangular opening from a sheet of scrap paper, layered this onto watercolour paper and spritzed with water using a mini mister. Then I sprinkled on some Brusho crystals in yellow and orange. I love it that you never know what the Brushos will do and every card you create with them is completely unique. After the Brushos dried, I stamped the elegant feathers and the sentiment using Versafine Onyx Black ink. Such a quick and easy way to create a beautiful and unique card.

Card: 300 gsm watercolour paper
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Brushos
Stamps: STAMPlorations Trendy Feathers 

Disclaimer: I have received some STAMPlorations products for free in exchange for creating cards for the challenge. All opinions however are completely my own. As you can see by browsing my blog, I have been using STAMPlorations products (which I bought myself) way before my time on the DT and I wouldn't recommend them unless I absolutely loved them myself.

Tuesday 19 July 2016

Unicorn On A Cloud


I haven't been kidnapped and replaced by someone else just because I've already managed to post several cards this week. I have just managed to find a bit more crafty time for a change. I guess I'm feed up with my job at the moment and refuse to put in crazy hours. I'm sure I will have to soon again, but for now I'll just enjoy my craft room while I can. But don't get too excited - I will be away all of next week, so it will be quite around the InvisiblePinkCraftroom. I bet the Culinary Consultant will enjoy a week on his own - I would be willing to bet money on fish and chips for dinner every evening and endless violent movies and computer games until the break of dawn. I in turn get to hang out with family and good friends and hopefully also enjoy the peace and quiet of the summerhouse for a day or two.

So what about today's card? When I saw the adorable unicorn inspiration image over at Curtain Call I had to play along for pretty obvious reasons. And while I'm waiting eagerly for August to receive my new adorable Lawn Fawn unicorn stamp, there is no reason why my first ever Lawn Fawn stamp set can't come out and play in the meantime. I was also inspired by the sketch over at CAS(E) This Sketch. I'm also linking up over at Lawnscaping (this is my second entry) where the theme is to use rainbow colours.


I started by die cutting the rainbow using a Lawn Fawn die from watercolour paper. Then I took out my untouched Tim Holtz Distress Crayons (I know, I know... but after being so excited about getting them, I realised I really have no idea what to do with them!) and coloured the various bits, blending with my finger and spritzing with water. Next, I stamped the unicorn, coloured her with Copics and die cut with the matching die. I also die cut a rectangle of patterned paper with a stitched rectangle die for the background, and lots of clouds from vellum and white card. I arranged everything for my scene and last, I cut the sentiment from golden mirri card, stamped the second part of the sentiment in black and added a few gold sequins for good measure. I also added some ice stickles to the edges of a few of the clouds and to the unicorn's horn, unfortunately it doesn't show very well in the image.

Card: 300 gsm watercolour paper, 300 gsm white hammered card, gold mirri card, Neenah Solar smooth white card, Dovecraft 110 gsm premium vellum
Stamps: Lawn Fawn Critters Ever After and matching dies
Ink and colouring: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics, Sharpies gold and silver, Tim Holtz Distress crayons
Paper: Lawn Fawn Let's Polka Mon Amie
Other: Lawn Fawn Happy Birthday Border, Spring Showers and Rainbow dies, Ranger Ice Stickles, gold sequins from my stash

Monday 18 July 2016

Hippo Rainbow Birdie Becca!!


I don't know about where you are, but here in the UK we are enjoying quite the heatwave - summer is finally here!! I hope the weather will follow me to Finland next week as I only have three more days at work and then I will be away until the end of August. Which sounds like such a long holiday, but in fact we are close to the beginning of August already. How did this happen? It's been such a miserable and very typical British summer so far but maybe it will be all sunshine from now on. 

Today I got really inspired to create when I saw the new challenge over at Lawnscaping. The theme is to create something in the colours of the rainbow. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Rainbow is my favouritest colour. I was also super inspired by the wonderful inspiration images over at Becca's (Damsel of Distressed) big three-oh birthday bash linky party. I was super inspired by the artsy images and particularly (yes you guessed it) the rainbow colours. And because Becca is the Queen of mixed media I thought I would play with my Brushos to create a really artsy rainbow background for my birdday card - Happy (belated) Birthday Becca!!! I hope you like the card.  I was also inspired by the sketch over at Retro Sketches, although I flipped it on it's side. Last but not least I'm linking up with AAA Cards where the theme is Stash Favourite (mine is Brushos, since I got them I have been using them like crazy, I just love how easy and fun it is to creat random artsy backgrounds with them).



I started by cutting out a rectangle of watercolour paper and spritzed it with water using a mini mister. Then I randomly sprinkled on some Brushos - the secret is to not saturate the paper with either water or the colour crystals if you want that funky speckled background. I had a few accidents where I ended up with big piles of colour, not exactly planned but I think it looks quite random and artsy. Then I die cut a white frame using a Lawn Fawn Stitched Rectangle Frames die. Next I stamped the hippo, the birdie, the party hat and the balloon from Hippo Birdie in black Memento Tuxedo Black ink and coloured them with Copics and a white gel pen before die cutting using the matching dies. I also used one of the Lawn Fawn banner dies to cut the banner for the sentiment. Last I adhered a leftover piece of Let's Polka In The Meadow paper to a white hammered card base and added the whole party scene on top. I have to admit I'm really chuffed with how the card turned out, one of those cards that surprise you by turning out different - but better - than you initially imagined. 

Card: 300 gsm white hammered card, Daler&Rowney 300 gsm watercolour paper, Neenah Solar card
Stamps: Lawn Fawn Hippo Birdie and matching dies
Ink and colouring: Memento Tuxedo Black, Brushos, Copics
Paper: Lawn Fawn Let's Polka in the Meadow
Other: Lawn Fawn Stitched Rectangles, Stitched Rectangle Frames and Everyday Sentiment Banners dies


Sunday 17 July 2016

Flamingo Shaker


Are you enjoying your weekend? I had a wonderful day yesterday at the gym where we had a launch party for the new releases but now I'm suffering the consequences. No, I'm not sore from the three hours of working out, I'm in pain from not having covered myself from the sun. Before leaving in the morning I thought maybe I should add some sunscreen, but thought this is the UK after all so it will be cloudy and probably rain. Boy was I wrong. And now I'm the colour of a cooked lobster. So make sure you protect yourself from the sun out there, don't be stupid like me. Sleeping was painful as my shoulders were constantly hurting simply from the pressure of lying on the mattress.

I thought I would try to distract myself from the pain for a bit by crafting. To get my mojo going I was browsing some challenges and this card is inspired by the colours at ColourQ and the sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches. I was also inspired by Flora and Fauna over at Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge and Create a Scene over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge. Last but not least I am also linking up with Time Out where the challenge is to be inspired by the phrase "Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine"



I started by cutting the front panel and the opening for it with Stitched Rectangle dies. Then I used Tim Holtz Distress Markers to watercolour the sky and the grass (which you can't see from underneath the sequins and beads). Then I stamped the flamingo and coloured her with Copics and die cut the other bits I needed to create the scene from leftover bits of card and patterned paper. Then I attached everything in place for the flamingo scene. Next I die cut a piece of the black striped paper from Let's Polka in the Meadow and the black scalloped edge and adhered to the front panel. Then I used the Stitched Rectangle frame dies to cut a piece of 3D foam to form the shaker. I attached the acetate to the back side of the front panel followed by the 3D foam frame and bits of 3D foam to adhere the front panel. Then I assembled the beads and sequins over the flamingo scene and attached the front panel. Last, I die cut the hugs sentiment from pink card and added Ice Stickles for extra bling.

Card: Daler&Rowney 300 gsm watercolour paper, scraps of black, white, pink, kraft and yellow card
Stamps: Lawn Fawn Flamingo Together and matching dies
Paper: Lawn Fawn Let's Polka in the Meadow
Ink and Colouring: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Tumbled Glass and Mowed Lawn markers, Copics R20, R43, Y00, Y13
Other: Sequins and small beads from my stash, Lawn Fawn Stitched Scalloped Borders, Stitched Rectangles, Stitched Rectangle Frames, Spring Showers and Scripty Hugs die, Ranger Ice Stickles


Tuesday 12 July 2016

Inspired By Your Bedding



When I saw this week's challenge over at Shopping Our Stash I knew I had to play along. The theme is Get Inspired By Your Bedding. Let me start by showing a picture of the bedding. And before you judge me, there is a story behind why that pile of ugliness is on our bed...


We don't fight. As in ever. I sometimes fight. And my first fight was about those sheets. I really wasn't sure I could move in with a man who has elephant sheets. But as the Culinary Consultant really loves these sheets, do not ask me why, I just couldn't throw them away, no matter how much I dislike them. So I came to a compromise where we bring out the elephants every second time we change sheets, and every second time I get to pick a more... how should I put this... aesthetically pleasing set of bedding. 

Anyhow, I decided to take the challenge and create a card based on sheets. I was inspired by the elephants and the colour scheme. I was also inspired by the triangle shapes which looked like mountains - and gave me a great excuse to use my new Stitched Mountain Border dies. And I'll bet you can guess who will get this card!

I started by stamping the elephants from Critters in the Jungle and coloured them with Copics. Then I used various Lawn Fawn dies to create the scene using coloured card. I think it's definitely nicer than the sheets! I also stamped a sentiment inside the card and added one more oliphant. 


I'm also linking up with Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge where the theme is Flora and Fauna and Time Out where the challenge is to be inspired by the phrase "Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine". I was inspired by the sunshine part. 

Card: white 300 gsm card, Neenah Solar white smooth card, scraps of coloured card
Stamps: Lawn Fawn Critters in the Jungle, Claire's ABCs, Violet's ABCs
Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics C3, C5, C7
Dies: Lawn Fawn Stitched Rectangle Frames dies, Stitched Hillside Borders, Spring Showers, Stitched Mountain Borders, Scripty Congrats 

Sunday 10 July 2016

Roses in Distress Ink


This weekend has been a bit of a truncated one - I had to work yesterday as we did a big public engagement event in town. I spoke until I was hoarse, and there must have been thousands of people out and about. It was a successful day, but also really exhausting. Luckily I got to relax by having a really nice dinner with a good friend in the evening. Today I have all the usual weekend chores to deal with - the house needs cleaning and food needs cooking. As the gooseberries are also starting to ripen I'm planning a batch of jam later. But right now I'm stuck in front of the TV watching the dramatic and very wet start of the Silverstone GP. Some thing will have to give today, and I think that something will be my planned run...

I did take a bit of crafty time earlier today, creating a card inspired by the sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches and the colours over at Color Throwdown. Furthermore, I was also inspired by the Sponging theme this week at Just Us Girls and the Sequins theme over at CAS on Sunday.




I started by creating an oval mask using a piece of scrap paper. Then I layered the ARTplorations Old Rose Prints stencil and my oval mask and sponged Abandoned Coral, Festive Berries and Aged Mahogany Distress Ink onto smooth white card focussing the darker colours to the centres of the roses and around the edges of the oval. Then I die cut a banner from Lawn Fawn Let's Polka In the Meadow paper and the sentiment from black card. Last, I added a few small sequins for decoration.

Card: 300 gsm white smooth card
Stencil: ARTplorations Old Rose Prints
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink Abandoned Coral, Aged Mahogany and Festive Berries
Dies: Lawn Fawn Extra Sentiment Banners, Thinking of You Border die
Other: Lawn Fawn Let's Polka In the Meadow patterned paper, sequins from my stash



Thursday 7 July 2016

July STAMPlorations CAS Challenge - Anything Goes with Orange


Wait, what? How can we be in July when June only started yesterday? I am feeling we are being cheated of half the summer. Anyhow, the good news of course is that it's time for a new CAS challenge over at STAMPlorations. Did you enjoy our week long 3 year Birthday Bonanza? If you want to keep creating, just join us for our CAS challenge. This month our optional colour twist is orange. Note that we have changed the rules a tad - from now on the random drawn prize ($10 gift card to the STAMPlorations store or $15 if using STAMPlorations products on the card) is for participants who use the optional colour twist. But you are also free to link up any non-orange cards, all we ask is that you make it CAS!



I created a truly CAS one layer card. Minimum products and time required. I started by stamping the gorgeous shoes from Shery's fantabulous A Girl and Her Shoes set, leaving room for the sentiment. Then I stamped the sentiment in orange - thinking back it would probably have been easier to stamp the sentiment first, and then fill in with the shoes. Anyhow, I coloured one pair of the shoes with Copics. The orange is pretty much identical to the ink I used for the sentiment, don't you think? I finished by adding some orange Distress Stickles to the shoes and the sentiment. Quick, easy and a fabulous card for a fellow shoe lover!

I'm linking up with the following challenges:
Clean and Simple on Sunday - Black, white and one other colour
Addicted to Stamps and More - Anything Goes
Crafty Creations - CAS

Card: 300 gsm white smooth card
Stamps: STAMPlorations A Girl and Her Shoes, Art Marks 
Ink and colouring: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin' Up Pumpkin Pie, Copics
Other: Tim Holtz Distress Stickles Spiced Marmalade 

Disclaimer: I have received some STAMPlorations products for free in exchange for creating cards for the challenge. All opinions however are completely my own. As you can see by browsing my blog, I have been using STAMPlorations products (which I bought myself) way before my time on the DT and I wouldn't recommend them unless I absolutely loved them myself.

Tuesday 5 July 2016

Happy Birthday Shery!


Today some of the STAMPlorations DT are getting together to celebrate the birthday of our dear Shery. Happy Birthday Shery!! I hope you have a wonderful day and that your family will spoil you today. Thank you for being such a wonderful friend and leader of our STAMPteam! And there is a linky if you want to join us in wishing Shery the happiest of birthdays.

But before we get to the card, I have to confess something. This is soooo embarrassing.... I sent this card off to Shery without writing anything on it!! I took it to work yesterday morning, addressed the envelope and put a stamp on, and left the card next to the envelope to wait for my lunch break to write something on it. Then the day just got away with me, and a bit later I just saw the card there and popped it in the envelope and gave to a colleague who took it to the mailbox. It was only when I was driving home that I realised I never wrote anything on the card. Duuuuuh!!! So Shery, when you get a card without any text on it, just imagine it's wishing you happy birthday and all wonderful things for the year to come. I'm an idiot...

For my card I used some STAMPlorations stamps (of course!). I started by arranging the stamps - Marigold Large, a sentiment from Blossom Overture and Sketchy Alphabet and stamped them in black ink and heat embossed using clear powder. Then I used a watercolour brush to spread water onto the flower and the sentiment. Next, I picked yellow and orange Brushos as I know Shery likes yellow and orange, and sprinkled them all over the card so they could mix and just do their thing. I love the easy watercolour effect this creates. Shery I hope you like your card, unfortunately it won't make it's way to you on time but it's on it's way.

I'm linking up with the following challenges:
Just Add Ink - Just Add S (S for Shery of course!)
Just Us Girls - Summer
Muse - I was inspired by the floral theme and the yellow/orange colour scheme


Card: 300 gms waterocolour card
Ink and Colouring: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Brushos (Lime, Yellow, Orange, Vermillion, Gamboge, Leaf Green)
Other: Ranger Clear Fine embossing powder


Sunday 3 July 2016

Sunday Stamping


I can't believe this Sunday I woke up to a (relatively) clean house so instead of my usual frantic Sunday morning cleaning frenzy, I just lazily made my way to the craft room instead! Most certainly the best way of starting what turned out to be a very lazy Sunday indeed, involving nothing useful but instead important things like napping on the sofa. 

Yesterday we visited a friend for a summer BBQ which was wonderful despite a few showers that forced us to evacuate indoors temporarily. But as a consequence I'm struggling to come off a sugar high - my friend served the most delicious chocolate cake. After almost no added sugar for a month I have to say one night of sugary goodness has kicked off the most horrible cravings to get more of the white stuff. I can't believe how addictive sugar really is, I'm glad I did a kitchen cupboard purge a while ago, as nothing would have been safe in there today.

Anyhow, on to today's card which was inspired by a number of challenges. First of all it was inspired by the colours over at ColourQ and the sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches. I was also inspired by the tag theme over at AAA cards and the theme of stamping, markers and your choice (die cutting, masking) over at the CAS Mixup. Last but not least I'm linking up with Shopping Our Stash where the theme is How Does Your Garden Grow and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where Anything Goes.


I started by creating a rectangular mask by die cutting a rectangle from a piece of scrap paper the same size as my card. I also die cut a tag from white card. I then stamped the flower stamps through my rectangular mask onto the tag and background in black ink before colouring the flowers on the tag using Copics. Then I die cut the sentiment using a Lawn Fawn die and adhered everything onto the card base.

Card: 300 gsm smooth white card, Neenah solar white card, scrap of Stampin' Up Bermuda Bay card
Stamps: Stampin' Up 
Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Memento, Copics
Other: Lawn Fawn Tag You're It die and Scripty Thanks die