Fiery Birthday Mandala

Do you remember when you first started making cards and thought it would be such a great way to save money? Never having to buy any cards at Clintons ever again for a full two or three pounds? Before you realised that when you divide the thousands of pounds you have spent on craft stash by the number of cards you have made, you get a figure somewhere in the neighbourhood of £60 (purely fictional example, don't ask me where those numbers come from...)? Don't worry, we have all been there! This is a safe space where we can all admit we have a problem. And encourage each other to never get better!!

But sometimes it's great when you find exactly what you need in your stash to create just the card you need, not having to buy anything new and able to create just the card you imagined. It almost brings back that warm and fuzzy dream of saving money by making your own cards! 

I needed a birthday card for a colleague and I didn't have anything I deemed suitable in my stash (it's the same feeling as having a cupboard full of clothes but nothing to wear...). Quick and easy enough for a weeknight craft session. I think it turned out quite nice. I hope my colleague will like it too. I even made an envelope to match. The stamping is done using the faux watercolour technique. I coloured the Simon Says Stamp Elizabeth Background stamp with Distress Markers, spritzed with water and stamped. I added some splatters to the card, and used a sentiment die from Lawn Fawn.

I'm linking up with 
CAS on Friday - use die cut words
Fusion card challenge - I was inspired by the red and yellow colours and the wrought iron  handrail on the house, which I think looks a bit like the black die-cut letters
Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge - Stamp It
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - Stamp It
Crafting Happiness - Birthday
Inkspirational - Crop (I took this to mean cropped off the edge of the card)

Stamps: Simon Says Stamp Elizabeth Background Hey Love
Dies: Lawn Fawn Happy Birthday Line Border die
Colouring: Tim Holtz Distress markers Squeezed Lemonade, Fossilized Amber, Ripe Persimmon, Festive Berries

Birthday Mandala

I've enjoyed a week off work and am now approaching the Sunday night when I know I have to go back to work... I'm trying to spend some time in the craft room to take the edge off the anxiety. And nothing beats going back to work blues like a rainbow.

I used the gorgeous mandala stamp called Elizabeth Background Hey Love (there is a really great Pinterest board with some really gorgeous cards made with this stamp which make me swoon). I heat embossed the mandala in white and sponged Distress Ink on the card before die cutting it with the STAMPlorations Crazy Double Running Stitch die. I added a Lawn Fawn sentiment which I heat embossed in white on a strip of black card.

I'm also super excited to say that soon I'll be back to a more regular blogging schedule, more about that in a few days. 

I'm linking up with the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge - S is for... (sponging ink in my case)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - ATG

Daring Cardmakers - Resist

Crafty Gals Corner - Emboss it!

Stamps: Simon Says Stamp Elizabeth Background Hey Love, Lawn Fawn Holiday Party Animal
Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versamark, Tim Holtz Distress Ink
Dies: CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting dies