Flamingo-a-go-go

Happy Saturday! I have finally managed to create a card, after at least two weeks out of the craft room. I've said it before and I'll say it again - working full time really poo-poos any attempts to enjoy the fun things in life. I have also lately been busy in the garden as the weather has finally turned a bit more summer-y which is lovely but is definitely time away from the craft room. And I had to take some drastic measures as I wasn't able to zip up my jeans any longer, so I've spent quite a bit of time in the gym and out running. And food prepping - after all weight loss is 90% about the nutrition. So I stand in my kitchen all evening, prepping salads and veg for the next day. Somehow all of this combined has left zero time for crafting! 

Getting back in the craft room was hard - just as getting back to the gym is hard. You need to exercise your crafty muscles to keep them active and I had to really work hard to be able to create anything. Luckily there were a few great challenges to help me get going again. First and foremost I was inspired by the flamingotastic inspiration image over at House of Cards. They have a end-of-term blog hop, there are a few more days to go so make sure you get flamingo-a-go-going and hop the hop! I'm also playing along with the sketch challenge over at Sunday Stamps. I'm also linking up over at Sweet Stampin' where the theme is 3 Or More Layers and That's Crafty where the theme is In The Pink.

Card: 300 gsm textured white card, gold mirri card

Stamps: Your Next Stamp Fred and Ginger

Ink and colouring: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics

Dies: Lawn Fawn Stripey Backdrop, Say Cheese, Scripty Hugs

Paper: Lawn Fawn Let's Polka in the Meadow

Flamingo a go-go

Wow this work stuff really gets in the way of the nice things in life, doesn't it. I am so happy it's the weekend, so I can have some crafty time. Last night as I got home I found a nice little parcel waiting for me. A while ago I won a gift certificate for Your Next Stamp, and after much to-ing and fro-ing, I picked my stamp sets. And as soon as this cheery little flamingo friend popped out of the envelope I had to take him out for a little play. 

I was inspired by the very flamingo-y colours over at Colour Me...! this week as well as the similarly flamingo-y colours over at Just Us Girls, where I wasn't so much inspired by the Christmas theme as I was by the pink and silver colours. I'm also linking up over at ABC Challenges where V is for Violet, The Crafty Addicts where the theme is Anything Goes/Use Die cuts, Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where Anything Goes this week and In The Pink where the theme is Your Favourite Stamp (they say it's ok to use your current favourite stamp, and I'm happy enough to go with that!)

For the card, I used my favourite technique - watercolouring - to create the background. I started by die cutting a panel from watercolour paper, and brushed loads of water onto the paper. I then added Distress Inks in Dusty Concord and Seedless Preserves and even more water and spread the ink around by tilting the paper. Last, I flicked some ink onto the card. Then I stamped the flamingo onto white card, coloured using Copics and fussy cut him. I also die cut two Congrats sentiments in purple and pink and attached them along with the flamingo onto the background. Last, I added some silver sequins. 

For the tag, I stamped the flamingo onto hammered white card, coloured with Copics and die cut using the Lawn Fawn Tag You're It die. Next, I used some ink that was left over from the card, and smudged it around the flamingo. Last, I added some sequins, ribbon and twine. 

Card: 300 gsm watercolour paper, Hobbycraft 160 gsm white card, scraps of 240 gsm card in bright purple and pink, Hammered white 300 gsm card

Stamps: You Next Stamp Fred and Ginger

Ink: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Distress Inks Dusty Concord, Seedless Preserves

Colouring: Copics R34, RV29

Other: Lawn Fawn Scripty Congrats, Tag You're It and Stitched Rectangle Dies, silver sequins, ribbon and twine from my stash