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

My first and only valentine for this year

I'm not big on Valentine's day cards, and not planning to make many. In fact, I'm assuming this will be my only one for the year, for my dear Culinary Consultant. It might be a bit too girly coloured, but he likes warm colours so why not. I had fun playing with the watercolour background, and decided to colour the moose with watercolours as well. Sorry about the horrible photo, I am about to head out of the country for a week, and realised that I won't be able to take a photo of the card in daylight before I go away, so had no choice.  Anyhow, as I will be away, it will be a bit quiet on the blog for the next week, I have a post or two lined up but that will be it on the crafting front for a while. I hope to see you all in a bit though, don't forget about me and take care!!

I am linking up with the following challenges:
ColourQ - colour challenge (and yes, I only used the colours from the challenge, but when smooshing pink and yellow it will create some orange to... so technically I don't think I'm cheating although there is also some orange in the background)
Lawnscaping - Watercolour
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Create With Critters
Retro Sketches - sketch
Make My Monday - Stitching (real or faux)

Card: 300 gsm white textured card, 190 gsm watercolour paper

Paper: Lawn Fawn Let's Polka and Let's Polka in the Dark

Stamps: Lawn Fawn Critters in the Arctic and matching dies

Ink: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Distress Inks Mustard Seed, Worn Lipstick, Fired Brick, Vintage Photo and Ground Espresso

Other: Lawn Fawn Stitched Rectangle and Say Cheese dies

It would be rude not to...

If you get a stamp set as a birthday present, it would be completely rude not to make a thank you card for the person giving the gift using said stamp set. Am I right or am I right? My sister does know how to spoil me with the perfect present (me sending her a wish-list of stamp sets I would love to receive had nothing to do with it, I'm sure). And the cute Critters Down Under, along with the Critters at the Dog Park which was also included in the gift set were a perfect complement to my very animal themed birthday.

My inspiration for this card was the sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches. I was also inspired by the "Animal" theme over at Addicted to CAS. The challenge over at Lawnscaping in "Try a new technique", but they do say you are also allowed to use a new product. And products don't get much more new than this, I opened my birthday present and started stamping within about a microsecond. Last but not least I'm also linking up over at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge where the theme is "Thank You".

Card: White 300 gsm hammered white card, Daler&Rowney 300 gsm Aquafine watercolour paper

Stamps: Lawn Fawn Critters Down Under and matching dies, Violet's ABCs

Ink: Versamark Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Brushed Corduroy, Mowed Lawn, Gathered Twigs, Vintage Photo, Pumice Stone, Forest Moss

Other: Lawn Fawn Say Cheese

Welcome baby in pink

I think short is sweet today, I came home from the gym, had a shower and am writing this while eating dinner, about an hour past my bedtime. Some days life just gets a bit nuts. But I"m glad I dragged my ever increasing behind to the gym and had a great workout. I think I made a mistake sitting down on the sofa (yes, I admit, I eat dinner on the sofa) as I'm not sure I will be able to drag my aching bones, muscles and other tissues to bed.

On to more crafty things. Love seems to be all around. Valentine's day is just around the corner, and every card challenge is either about pink, hearts or love. I thought a slightly different take would be nice just for a change. I hope you like it!

I would like to enter the following challenges:
STAMPlorations - Sketch challenge #27
STAMPlorations - February challenge Stamps and Hearts
Crafty Creations - Owl how I love thee
House of Cards - Love 
Just us Girls - Love
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Red + pink
Tuesday Throwdown - Love is in the air
Artistic Inspirations - Anything goes with a heart
Crafty Cardmakers - Love

Card: kraft card
Paper: Stampin' Up More Amore Speciality DSP
Ink: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz distress inks Festive Berries, Worn Lipstick
Stamps: Lawn Fawn Critters from the Past with matching dies, Paper Smooches A Little Lovin'
Colouring: Copics B00, R20, R43
Other: Tim Holtz Hearts stencil, Lawn Fawn Say Cheese die

Dino holiday snapshot

Happy Sunday! I have been enjoying a great weekend with my Sis. I always keep saying I'm so lucky to have my sister in the same country as me, as the rest of my family and almost all of my friends are in another country. However the sad truth is that we don't get to see each other nearly enough. She is very busy being a first year doctor, and I'm busy just... well, crafting, gardening and spending my free weekends doing random stuff.

Today's card is inspired by the great sketch over at CAS(E) This Sketch. I also used the colours on Color Throwdown for inspiration. I just treated myself to another die I have been dying to have, the Lawn Fawn Say Cheese die, so I thought I could use the dino and palmtree that I had coloured previously to make a little holiday scene. I used the Tim Holtz Bubble Layering Stencil and distress inks to create the border. I think it looks almost like scales (did dinosaurs have scales? My dino-knowledge is apparently very limited). I'm also linking up with Stampin' Royalty where the theme is "To Die For".

Card: 300 gsm white card, coloured 240 gsm kraft card Pillarbox red
Stamps: Lawn Fawn Critters from the Past and matching dies, Paper Smooches Sentiment Sampler
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink Aged Mahogany, Broken China, Faded Jeans, Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark
Colouring: Tim Holtz Distress markers and Stampin' Up Blender Pen
Other: Tim Holtz stencil, Lawn Fawn Say Cheese die, Papermania Seafoam White embossing powder