Rest In Peace Monty

Earlier this week our lovely little ball python Monty passed away. This made me incredibly sad, although I suspect it was even harder for my partner who has spent almost 15 years with Monty, more than twice the time he's spent with me! I created a little picture in his memory, my interpretation of what snake heaven would look like. I think it helped me work through some of the sadness.

I'm linking up my little shrine over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge where the theme is Anything But a Card, Daring Cardmakers where the theme is pets and Make My Monday where the theme is animals.

I started by creating the sky by blending Distress Oxides and heat embossed the stars from Lawn Fawn Upon a star onto the night sky. I die cut the puffy clouds from vellum. I stamped my images onto white card, coloured with Copics and die cut with the matching dies. Last, I composed my scene, adhered all the pieces and splattered the night sky with gold watercolour before mounting the scene in a picture frame. 

Card: white 200 gsm card, Hobbycraft 190 gms white card, vellum from my stash

Stamps: Lawn Fawn Critters in the Jungle (and matching dies), Upon A Star, Critters from the Past (and matching dies), Wheelie Like You (and matching dies)

Dies: Lawn Fawn Puffy Cloud Border, 

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versamark, Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics, Distress Oxides 

Other: Gold embossing powder

Birds In The Night

I've spent a lot of time with Lawn Fawn stamps and Distress inks today. I forgot how much fun it is to ink up some backgrounds and then splatter them with water. Works particularly well with the darker colours. 

Today's card was inspired first and foremost by the lovely inspiration image over at Just Us Girls. I was inspired by all the green plants and the parrot. I was also inspired by the sketch over at CAS(E) This Sketch and colours over at Color Throwdown. I'm also linking up over at Time Out where the inspiration words are Paint The Flying Spirit Of The Birds Rather than its Feathers. 

Card: 300 gsm white card, Neenah Solar White card, scraps of yellow and purple card

Stamps: Lawn Fawn Critters in the Jungle, Gleeful Gardens, Critters From the Past, Happy Wedding and selected matching dies

Ink and Colouring: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Wilted Violet, Dusty Concord, Twisted Citron and Mowed Lawn, Copics

Dies: Lawn Fawn Starry Skies, Grassy Border, Stitched Borders

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 

Welcome baby!

Our first daffodil blooms are out in the garden. In early February! This world is going absolutely wacky. Will this mean the winter is not coming at all this year? Or will it mean it's still coming? I could do with an early spring for sure. I know February is too early to dream of spring, but I could really do with some sun and warm weather right about now. Is it just the UK who are having these unusual weather patterns or are you seeing the same where you live as well? 

I've had minimal crafting time this weekend due to work commitments.  But I wanted to create something for a bunch of challenges which are about to run out, so I managed to squeeze in a really quick crafting session this morning. Unfortunately the pictures came out with a blue hue to them, and I didn't get home until after dark, so no chance to re-take them so sorry about that!

I was inspired by the following challenges:
Freshly Made Sketches - sketch (see below)
Color Throwdown - colours (see below)
Lawnscaping - Sending Love - use hearts or love sentence
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Have a Heart 

Card: 300 gsm white card
Paper: Lawn Fawn Let's Bokeh In the Snow, Let's Polka
Stamps: Lawn Fawn Critters in the Jungle, Love You Tons, Critters from Down Under
Ink: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Abandoned Coral
Other: Lawn Fawn Stitched Rectangle dies, Wink of Stella Glitter pen