Life Is Short

I haven't been creating much in the last few months. Things have happened. Life has happened. We had a death in the family. I started a new job. I simply had no energy to create at all. To be honest, I also had no energy to cook, clean or exercise. This weekend I felt the call of the craft room for the first time in months. So I cranked the music up and answered that call. I'll show you what I created some other day. Today I'll show you something I had forgotten I made earlier. I knew a few months ago things were going to get tough, so I created this tag while I was grieving for things to come. I found it yesterday when I was performing an archaeological excavation in my craft room (also known as cleaning your crafting desk).

I don't usually do mixed media, so this is a bit out there for me. I have to admit, I can't even quite remember what I did to create the tag, as it now seems like a lifetime ago. I think I started with a background created with Distress Oxides, then added Gesso on top of that. I stencilled the floral using ARTplorations Bloom Boldly using texture paste mixed with Bronze Distress Paint. I then splattered some watercolours and white acrylic. I also think I stamped some grungy stamps on the background before stamping sentiments from It's a Girl Thing:Kindness and It's a Girl Thing: Sunshine onto a previously created rainbow coloured leftover piece of cardstock.

I'm linking up over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge where Anything Goes, Love 2 Create and A Inky Mess where anything mixed media goes, and Tuesday Throwdown where the theme is Stenciling.

Stamps: STAMPlorations It's a Girl Thing:Kindness and It's a Girl Thing: Sunshine 

Dies: CUTplorations Maila Tags Nesting Dies

Stencil: ARTploratons Bloom Boldly

Inks and colouring: Distress Oxides, Distress Paint, Distress Ink, Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black

STAMPlorations discount code: If you want to save 20% when shopping in 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.

April STAMPlorations challenges - Mid-Month Reminder

Welcome to the April STAMPlorations Mid-Month reminder post. We have once again sped through half of the month. We have had a cold start to April, it was really warm and lovely for one weekend in late March but then it turned cold again. As in having-to-scrape-your-windscreen-in-the-morning cold. I'm ready for lovely sun now, thank you and please. We really need to do some emergency work in the garden. Most of our neighbours are retired and spend a lot of time making their gardens so beautiful whereas we must be the house they all point at with disapproving looks... Anyhow, it's more important to have some quality crafting time than a pristine garden, don't you think?

I created a tag inspired by the recycling theme for our TAGplorations challenge. I started by using some tissue paper which was used to wrap my toilet paper (yes, that's right!). I covered some scrap card (left over from a failed experiment) with the tissue paper and die cut a tag using Stitched Tags Nesting Dies. The tissue paper was originally black and white striped, but I used Gansai Tambi pearlescent watercolours to colour the white bits, and splattered some silver and gold pearlescent watercolours onto the tag. I stamped the paint brushes from Life In Full Colour again onto a scrap piece of card (which had some failed stamping on the other side of the paper) and coloured with Copics. Last, I heat embossed a sentiment from the same stamp set in white and added a scrap piece of ribbon and some leftover wool to the tag.

My card for the CAS challenge was inspired by the Dark Navy optional colour twist. I smooshed Distress Paints onto watercolour paper, adding some white and yellow splatters to create a starry sky. I die cut the card using Crazy Double Running Stitch Nesting Dies. I stamped several houses from Houses and coloured them with Copics. Last, I added a simple dark navy strip for the sentiment which was heat embossed in white. 

Stamps: STAMPlorations Life In Full Colour, Houses

Dies: Stitched Tags Nesting Dies, Crazy Double Running Stitch Nesting Dies

Ink and Colouring: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark, Gansai Tambi Pearl Colours, Copics, Distress Paints

STAMPlorations discount code: If you want to save 20% when shopping at theSTAMPlorations 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.

Rainbows, Rainbows, Rainbows

Long time no see! How are you? Has spring caught up with you yet? The daffodils are already in bloom in the garden and the conservatory is nice and warm in the afternoon. And it's getting lighter in the mornings which is great, it's just that little bit easier to head off to work when it isn't completely pitch dark.  

I believe, from the bottom of my heart, that you can never have too many unicorns or rainbows in your life. So I thought I would send a few countless rainbows your way today.

Today's card is inspired by several challenges. Firstly, I cannot resist a good rainbow so I had to play along with the current Fusion challenge. I'm also linking up with Lawn Fawnatics where the theme is "What's the weather" and Just Us Girls where the theme is Birthday. 

Stamps: Lawn Fawn Winter Unicorn and matching die

Dies: Lawn Fawn Stitched Rectangles, Rainbow, Puffy Cloud Border die, Simple Puffy Clouds, Simple Puffy Cloud Frames, Happy Birthday Line Border

Ink and Colouring: Distress Paints, Copics, Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, gold and silver Sharpie

Paper: Lawn Fawn Let's Polka, Let's Polka in the Dark, Really Rainbow, silver glitter card

Love TAGplorations Day 6

Welcome to day 6 of Love TAGplorations. I'm sure you know the drill by now and hopefully you are having as much fun as we are with all these gorgeous tags. For my day 6 tag I used another piece from my UFO box - a piece of blue and pink coloured card I had created with Distress Paints way back when. I decorated it with the gorgeous Trendy Feathers 2 stamps which I heat embossed in white onto another piece of leftover card I created with Distress Paints. I used gesso with the Some Birds stencil - I always feel like I'm doing proper mixed media when I dig out the tube of Gesso. I die cut the sentiment using the Hugs Word Die from the same piece of leftover card as the feathers and finished everything off with loads of Ice Stickles and a ribbon. 

Card: 300 gsm Daler&Rowney watercolour paper

Ink and colouring: Tim Holtz Distress Paints, Tsukineko Versamark, Versafine Onyx Black

Stamps: STAMPlorations Trendy Feathers 2

Stencils: ARTplorations Some Birds
Dies: Luggage Tags Nesting Dies, Hugs Word Die
Other: Ranger Ice Stickles, Papermania Seafoam White embossing powder, gesso, ribbon from my stash

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. If you have any questions or problems, just let me know!

Cozy Warm Thoughts

Well, it's officially the end of the holidays. Tomorrow it's all about getting up at an ungodly hour, out in the cold and dark. I've been trying to keep myself busy in the craft room to keep me from thinking about going back to work. It always seems harder when you have had a good few weeks off, doesn't it. 

I was inspired by a few new challenges to create a card today. I was inspired by the neutral colours against the navy and deep green in the inspiration image over at Paper Smooches. I also thought the feathers would go with the theme of cozy -  soft and fluffy, like the soft fluffy skins in the image. I was also inspired by the sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches and just about made it before the deadline of the challenge. I was also inspired by the new theme over at CAS Mixup where the theme this month is stamping + liquid colours + your choice (I chose die cutting).

I used Distress Paints in Mowed Lawn, Chipped Sapphire, Hickory Smoke and Black soot on watercolour paper and after drying it out with a heat tool I die cut it using a Paper Smooches die. I also used some Paper Smooches feather dies and a sentiment stamp. The pattered paper is from Stampin' Up.

Card: 250 gsm white card, 300 gsm Daler&Rowney watercolour paper, scraps of dark blue, green and beige card
Stamps: Paper Smooches Sentiment Samplers
Ink and paints: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Distress paints Mowed Lawn, Chipped Sapphire, Hickory Smoke and Black Soot 
Dies: Paper Smooches Feathers 2, Criss Cross
Other: Stampin' Up Colour Me Autumn

September STAMPlorations CAS challenge - Mid-month inspiration

Welcome to mid-September and our mid-month inspiration post to remind you that there is still time to participate in this month's STAMPlorations CAS challenge. Our optional colour twist this month is pink. Hop over to STAMPlorations to see all the gorgeous projects from the rest of the DT. As usual they have created absolutely stunning cards! 

I decided to go for a super CAS card using some of the new STAMPlorations dies. I started by die cutting a rectangle using the Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting dies from linen textured white card. Then I die cut the main word for the sentiment using the Amazing Word die and stamped the start of the sentiment using a stamp from Bold Sentiments Hashtag Authentic. To highlight the die cut word I used a scrap piece of rainbow coloured card I created using Tim Holtz Distress Paints. Last, I added some adhesive gems for a bit of bling. I have to say I really love that rainbow colour coming through the die cut against all the white.

I'm linking up my card over at The Card Concept and Happy Little Stampers where Anything Goes with die cuts. 

Card: 300 gsm linen textured card
Stamps: STAMPlorations Bold Sentiments Hashtag Authentic 
Ink: Stampin' Up Regal Rose, Tim Holtz Distress Paints 
Dies: CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting dies, Amazing Word die
Other: Adhesive Rhinestones from my stash

Celebrate in All the Colours of the Rainbow

Today's card is inspired by The Mixed Media Card Challenge where the theme is Rainbow (I chose not to go with the optional twist which is dragonfly). I'm hoping Shery and the DT think my card is mixed media enough to qualify: I've used acrylic paints for the background, die cutting and faux stitching, inking using Distress inks and finishing using glitter (Ice Stickles). I'm also linking up with AAA Cards where the theme is blending, Shopping Our Stash where the theme is What's the Good Word (use word dies) and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where the theme is Make For the Border (add interest around the borders). 

This card was actually put together from bits and bobs in my unfinished projects box. The background is one of the last ones I got left from a bunch of rainbow backgrounds I made using Distress Paints, and have been using on various (or should I say copious) cards in the last year or so. The sentiments are all cut out from another leftover piece of rainbow card I made using Distress Inks for some other project but it was too pretty to throw away even the leftover scraps. All I did was die cut the pieces and assemble, finishing up with some Ice Stickles on the sentiments. 

Card: 300 gsm white linen textured card, 300 gsm white smooth card, Stampin' Up black card
Inks: Distress Inks and Distress Paints
Dies: CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle, Celebrate Word Die
Other: Ranger Ice Stickles

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

The gold at the end of the rainbow

I have managed to pull a muscle somewhere in my back, and I'm currently confined to slow movements and not sitting or lying still for too long as my back stiffens up and becomes outrageously sore. So right now I'm sitting in our conservatory which is nicely warm from the sunshine, in the most comfortable chair we have, enjoying the pain killers kicking in. I think this puts an end to my crafting time this weekend. A reminder that I'm not getting any younger and that it's certainly time to get back to the gym again. 

Before I regressed to the mobility levels of a 90 year old I managed to create a card using some backgrounds from my stash box. I love my new Paper Smooches Criss Cross Background die, so I had to create something with it almost as soon as it popped in though my mail box. I started by die cutting the background from a panel I created way back when using Distress Paints and smooshing technique. I die cut the Criss Cross Background from gold mirri card. For the sentiment, I picked another rainbow panel I created previously and die cut it using a banner die and stamped a sentiment from the Sentiment Sampler set and heat embossed it it white. 

The inspiration for this card was the new rainbow challenge over at Paper Smooches, the colourful inspiration pic over at Sunny Day Crafting as well as the graphic rainbow coloured inspiration image over at Pinterest Inspired Challenges (I'm loving all the rainbow themed challenges around lately, as rainbow is my all time favourite colour). I'm also linking up with Shopping Our Stash where the theme is Think Ink.

Sunny Day Crafting inspiration image

Pinterest Inspired Challenges inspiration image

Card: 300 gsm white card, 300 gsm watercolour paper, gold mirri card
Ink and colouring: Versamark, Tim Holtz Distress Paints
Stamps: Paper Smooches Sentiment Sampler
Other: Paper Smooches Criss Cross Background die, Lawn Fawn Everyday Banners and Stitched Rectangles dies, Stampin' Up Basic Adhesive Rhinestones, Papermania Seafoam White Embossing Powder

You are all I knead to get my mojo going

We are almost at the end of April, and I had to scrape my windscreen this morning. How unacceptable is that? And even worse, we are coming up to bank holiday Monday, and sadly it looks too cold to even get BBQ season started! I was dreaming of a long weekend in the garden, enjoying the sun and maybe sipping a big glass of Pimms. But no, I will probably be all wrapped up in my winter fleece robe and sip bucketfuls of tea. The silver lining on that cloud is that I can sip my tea in   my craft room, trying out all my new crafty goodies (and I still have one piece of happy mail making it's way across the ocean, maybe it will make it here on time for the weekend also!).

Anyhow, the craft room has been quiet and deserted. But nothing like some new crafty goodies to get the mojo going again. I have been meaning to play with the current sketch over at Lawnscaping, and today is the last day to do so! I could not resist using my brand new Baked With Love set paired with some coloured card I created with Tim Holtz Distress Paints and which has been hiding in my unused projects box for way too long. I'm also linking up over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and Addicted to Stamps and More where Anything Goes and Cards und More where the focus is on Die cuts.

Card: 300 gsm hammered white card, 300 gsm watercolour card, Neenah Solar White card
Stamps: Lawn Fawn Baked With Love and matching dies
Ink and colouring: Stampin' Up Regal Rose and Melon Mambo, Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics, Tim Holtz Distress Paints Picked Raspberry, Seedless Preserves, Picket Fence, Vintage Photo
Other: Lawn Fawn Stitched Rectangle Die

Inlaid die cuts

What  a beautiful spring day it has been today. I was running around the hospital site like crazy most of the day, meetings here, picking up samples there, and all this without wearing a jacket, enjoying the warm sun on my face. Over the weekend, we bought some new plants for the flower borders. I know absolutely nothing about gardening or plants, I just buy stuff with nicely coloured flowers and they say hardy or easy to care for. I figured, those might have a chance to survive. Check in on the situation in a few weeks again. I figured, if they survive the first few weeks, they should be all right. I'm particularly excited about my new peonies, I really hope they will get to a great start to life and produce wonderful colourful flowers in a few month's time.

Colour is one thing today's card has plenty of. I've been a bit challenged in the creativity department lately, but I promise I will make up for it in a few days with a few really inspiring posts to come. Today's card was inspired by the gorgeous card by Anita Bowden over on Muse challenge and the colours over at Always Playing With Paper. I was inspired by the gorgeous background in Anita's card, and the inlaid die cut. I was also inspired by the current challenge over at Just Us Girls, which is smooshing. I smooshed Tim Holtz Distress Paints on watercolour paper to create the colourful background and the card for the die cut sentiment. The it was just a case of assembling everything onto foam pads and stamping the second part of the sentiment. I'm also linking up with AAA Challenges where Anything Goes and Addicted to CAS where the theme is Inlaid Dies.

Card: 300 gsm linen textured white card, 300 gsm watercolour paper
Ink and paint: Tim Holtz Distress Paints Mustard Seed, Picked Raspberry, Mermaid Lagoon, Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Tsukineko Tuxedo Memento Black
Other: Lawn Fawn Stitched Rectangle and Scripty Hugs dies

Paint smooshing on vellum

My week of annual leave is sadly coming to an end and it's time to say goodbye to family and head back home. As sad as that is, there is a silver lining to every cloud, and for me it's of course getting back to my craft room! Oh and seeing the Culinary Consultant too. Ok, that might even be the biggest silver lining to be honest, but don't tell him as he would just go getting big ideas about himself. Men... can't live with them and all that schtuff. Anyhow, I have another card I made a while ago that I wanted to share with you before hopefully being able to create something new in the next day or two. 

I had a bit of a mad creative moment the other day, creating several cards in one go, you can see my other similarly themed card here. I got really inspired to do some Distress Paint smooshing and decided to try it on vellum. I loved the look, it looks like stained glass! The paint behaves very differently on the slippery vellum compared to watercolour paper. I die cut a panel from the vellum after it had dried and stamped the sentiment from STAMPlorations Fond Expressions 2 and heat embossed in silver. I added two die cut snowflakes I found when rummaging through my stash (yay for using up yet another bit from the stash, every little bit counts!). Super quick and easy. If only I was as good at sending cards as I am at making them...

Also, don't forget that you have another 2 days to join the first ever STAMPlorations CAS challenge, where the optional colour twist is silver.

I am linking up with the following challenges:
Craft for the Craic - January Blues
Fussy and Fancy - Monochromatic 
Craft Rocket Challenges - Clean and Simple
If You Give a Crafter a Cookie - Inspiration Image (see below)
Stampavie and More - Winter
A Snowflakes Promise - Winter
Deep Ocean Challenge Blog - Winter Wonderland

Card: 300 gsm white card, Dovecraft 110 gsm premium vellum, silver and white glitter card
Stamps: STAMPlorations Fond Expressions 2
Ink: Tsukineko Versamark, Tim Holtz Distress Paints Broken China, Brushed Pewter, Mermaid Lagoon, Peacock Feathers and Picket Fence
Dies: Lawn Fawn Stitched Rectangles, Stitched Snowflakes
Other: Papermania Silver Tinsel embossing powder

A world full of colour

Sorry for the silent treatment, I'm a few thousand miles from my craft room at the moment. I did however want to share with you this fun card I made last week, I absolutely love rainbows, I always say rainbow is my favourite colour. And of course I love Tim's Crazy Birds, and I realised I haven't had a play with them for a while so it was past time for them to come out and play.

I made a big bunch of rainbow Distress Paint backgrounds ages and ages ago. Apart from this card, the rest of the backgrounds have been hanging out unloved in my UFO box, so I thought it's about time to do something about it. I picked one of them and die cut it using a stitched rectangle die. Then I stamped one of the Crazy Birds and some artsy paraphernalia, coloured with Copics and die cut using the matching dies. Last I added a sentiment from STAMPlorations and attached everything onto white card.

I'm linking up with the following challenges:
Make My Monday - Newest or most favourite stamp 
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - Anything Goes
613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes
Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers - T is for Technique (Distress paint background)

Card: 250 gsm white card, 300 gsm white linen textured card, Hobbycraft 160 gsm white card
Stamps: Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Bird Crazy and Crazy Things (and matching dies), STAMPlorations Fond Expressions 2
Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics, Tim Holtz Distress Paints
Other: Lawn Fawn Stitched Rectangles

The swallowtail is back

If you read my post yesterday you know I went through a bit of a creative dry spell which I resolved by making loads of Distress Paint backgrounds. This is the second card resulting from those panels I created. This card was inspired by the colours over at ColourQ and I love how the pink and blue blend to make the most gorgeous lilac colour. I didn't want to cover the beautiful background too much so I thought I would just stamp the gorgeous Swallowtail from Stampin' Up and heat emboss it in white. Then I die cut the Happy from the Stampin' Up Hello You die set in kraft card, and last I stamped and embossed the Birthday from a Lawn Fawn set. Very clean and simple and another card that looks and feels like me. It's been a while since I used my Stampin' Up stash, but it was a nice change!

To create the background I daubed Distress Paints onto my craft mat, sprayed with water and swooshed my watercolour paper in the paint. Well, when I say craft mat, I actually use a reusable Teflon cooking mat. It seems to do the job just fine. Also, the best way to clean off dried paint from the mat I use alcoholic hand cleaner which I keep in my craft room to clean off my acrylic blocks. It seems to work really well. Just thought I would share these tips if anyone finds them useful.

I am linking up with the following challenges:
ColourQ - colours (see below)
Fantasy Stampers - Happy Birthday
Happy Little Stampers - Smooshing
Brown Sugar - Anything Goes
Creative Fingers Challenge - Anything Goes
PDE Linky Party - Anything Goes
Winter Wonderland - Spring Is In the Air

Card: 300 gsm watercolour card, kraft card
Ink: Tsukineko Versamark, Tim Holtz Distress Paints Broken China,Picked Raspberry, Spun Sugar
Stamps: Stampin' Up Swallowtail, Lawn Fawn Happy Everything
Other: Lawn Fawn Stitched Rectangle Dies, Stampin' Up Hello You dies, Papermania Seafoam White Embossing powder

Back in the game

Inspiration is a funny thing. I crafted most of yesterday as I really wanted to publish a blog post (I usually try to publish one on both Saturday and Sunday). Sadly, I ended up with have nothing to show as I kept creating things more and more hideous and at least four more or less finished cards all ended up in the bin. I usually find great inspiration in looking at challenges, but yesterday it just felt that the more I tried to get inspired, the more forced and unlike me the cards ended up looking. I was already mentally prepared to sell all my stash on eBay, just trying to decide whether it would be better to sell things separately or in big bundles. I had a really sucky day overall yesterday, I found myself crying in the kitchen when cooking, for no real reason apart from feeling very sorry for myself, feeling like I was failing at everything  (mostly this is a reflection of how much I hate my job right now). In addition the weather was grey and dreary, as if things weren't miserable enough otherwise.

This morning I decided to take a completely different approach to my crafting, and just did what I felt like doing most. I am going through a phase of creating backgrounds using Distress Paints, and yesterday I thought I should really be doing something else for a change. But today I decided if that's what my little crafters heart wants to do, then that's what I will do and not care about recently having mostly done cards only using this technique. And I had great fun getting all messy. So far, I have created not one but two cards that I am happy with. Also the sun is shining outside, so life seems a bit less dreary today (apart from the fact that I have to be back at work in 19 hours...).

Today's card is inspired by the colours over at Color Throwdown as well as the sketch at CAS(E) This Sketch. I created multiple panels of coloured watercolour card with Tim Holtz Distress Paints in Broken China and Spiced Marmalade, just blotting the colour onto my craft mat, spritzing with plenty of water and then smooshing the paper around, adding even more water to the card and tilting the paper to move the colours around. I then used Stampin' Up Four Feathers stamps and heat embossed in white, before using the matching dies to die cut both the stamped feathers, as well as some feathers without any stamping on them. I used the left over pieces of the cardstock to cut some star shaped confetti using a Lawn Fawn die. I adhered the feathers onto a piece of grey card I die cut with a stitched rectangle die and stamped and heat embossed a sentiment from STAMPlorations in white. It was fun, didn't take very long, and when looking at the finished card, I just couldn't understand why I was struggling so hard yesterday!

In addition to the above, I am linking up with the following challenges:
Happy Little Stampers - Smooshing
The Artistic Stamper - Anything Goes (with Stamping)
Card and Scrap - Use stamps
Crafty Enjoyments - Clean and Simple
Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes

Card: Coloured 240 gsm crafting card grey, 300 gsm watercolour paper, 250 gsm white card
Ink: Tsukineko Versamark, Tim Holtz Distress Paints Broken China, Spiced Marmalade
Stamps: STAMPlorations Fond Expressions 2, Stampin' Up Four Feathers and matching dies
Other: Lawn Fawn Stitched Journalling card and Stitched Rectangles dies, Papermania Seafoam White embossing powder

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