Good Bye and Good Luck

A dear colleague is leaving next week for new adventures and I wanted to make a card for him. I love the Lawn Fawn Blue Skies set for making leaving cards, I like the image of taking off for new adventures. Funnily enough, as I was sitting at my desk, I could see a real-life hot air balloon in the sky above our village. They tend to be around quite often in the summertime, and I think this was the first one I've seen this year. 

I'm linking up with Daring Cardmakers where the theme very appropriately this week is Good Byes. I'm also linking up with Make My Monday where the theme is A Hint Of Summer to Come and Time Out where the inspiration phrase is "Friends are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom", and I was inspired by the friendship theme.

Card: White hammered card, 160 gsm Hobbycraft white card, Dovecraft 110 gsm premium vellum
Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Distress Oxides, Copics
Stamps: Lawn Fawn Blue Skies and matching dies
Other: Lawn Fawn Extra Banners and Stitched rectangle dies

May STAMPlorations CAS Challenge Reminder

Hi all, hope you are having an amazing, inspiring and crafty day. Have you already played along with our May Things With Wings STAMPlorations CAS challenge (now there's a mouthful...)? If not, this is your half-time reminder, you still have a few more weeks to play with us. And there are other Things With Wings themed challenges on the STAMPloraitons blog too, so don't be shy!

For my card, I created a spring coloured and themed card by stamping the happy butterflies from Fluttery in Versamark onto white card and heat embossed using clear embossing powder. I then inked the panel using pastel Distress Oxides and splattered with water, before cutting the panel using Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies. Last, I die cut the sentiment from a scrap of white card I inked with Salty Ocean and Faded Jeans Distress Oxide and splattered with water. Quick, easy and colourful!

Card: 250 gsm white shimmery card, Neenah Solar White Card
Stamps: STAMPlorations Fluttery
Dies: CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies, Congrats Word Die
Ink: Tsukineko Versamark, Tim Holtz Distress Oxides Fossilized Amber, Cracked Pistachio, Twisted Citron, Picked Raspberry, Salty Ocean, Faded Jeans
Other: Ranger fine clear embossing powder

Mother's Day Flower for Grandma

May is my favourite month. I know I'm a bit biased as my birthday is at the end of the month - but I still think it's the best month of the year. The garden is gorgeous, nature is in full bloom, the weather is turning nicer with promises of summer. And of course, the two bank holidays! I couldn't have asked for better weather for the first one of the two. We had our first BBQ of the year, first pitcher(s) of Pimms, lots of gardening, lots of ice cream, sunshine and unfortunately also the first slight sunburn of the year (don't forget to add that SPF).

I also managed to find a little sliver of time in the craft room while hiding from the midday sun to try to avoid further sunburn to create a Mother's day card for my grandma. I was inspired by the gorgeous inspiration image over at Daring Cardmakers - I was inspired by the large flower, the pink ombre, hand lettering and gold stars. I was also inspired by the beautiful floral image over at Inspired by All the Little Things and the sketch over at CAS(E) This Sketch. Last but not least I'm also linking up over at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge where the theme is ombre. 

I started by inking Scattered Straw, Mustard Seed, Spun Sugar, Picked Raspberry and Abandoned Coral Distress Ink through the Peony Number Two ARTplorations stencil. I then splattered the card with water, and pink and yellow ink. I also inked a bit of Mowed Lawn ink around the edges of the card. I die cut three banners using a Lawn Fawn die and hand lettered the sentiment (it says Happy Mother's Day in Finnish). Last I die cut some stars from gold glitter paper for a finishing touch. 

Card: White card, scraps of rainbow card and glitter gold card

Ink: Mowed Lawn, Scattered Straw, Mustard Seed, Spun Sugar, Picked Raspberry and Abandoned Coral Distress Ink

Stencil: ARTplorations Peony Number Two 

Other: Lawn Fawn Extra Sentiment Banners dies, dies from Stitched Journaling card and Critters ever after die sets

May STAMPlorations CAS Challenge - Things With Wings

Welcome to the STAMPlorations CAS Challenge for May. Yes, we are back to the usual challenges after a few months - I hope you enjoyed playing along with the all singing, all dancing STAMPlorations super challenge over the last few months. Now we are back with a shared theme across all STAMPlorations challenges - Things With Wings. There will be plenty of prizes and lots of extra chances to win during the month, so don't forget to check back regularly over on the STAMPlorations blog. There are also some new fabulous Things With Wings in the STAMPlorations store!

As the name suggests, we are challenging you to create a CAS project including something with wings. You don't have to use STAMPlorations products but if you have any, we always love to see how you are inspired by them! 

For my card, I started by die cutting the birds using CUTplorations For The Birds Dies. I coloured them in ombre rainbow colours with my watercolours. While the watercolours were drying, I stamped some background stamps using Mixed Media Grunge in Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain distress ink behind where I was planning to attach the birds. I also splattered some Vintage Photo ink onto the card base. Last, I die cut the sentiment using the Hugs Word die in dark brown card and attached it with 3D foam dots.

Card: White 250 gsm card, Daler&Rowney 300 gsm watercolour card, a scrap of dark brown card
Stamps: STAMPlorations Mixed Media Grunge
Dies: CUTplorations For The Birds Dies, Hugs Word die
Ink and colouring: Tim Holtz Distress Ink Walnut Stain and Vintage Photo, Gansai Tambi watercolours

STAMPlorations discount code: If you want to save 20% when shopping at the STAMPlorations store you can use the code STAMPGIRLKAROLA at checkout. The discount applies to all normal priced and discounted stamps, stencils and dies. The code cannot be combined with other discount codes.