Going Batty ....

... at least that's what my family often tells me!  So I've decided to literally go batty on today's card.  It's clean and simple:

Stamps: Stampendous - Doodle Bat; Stampin' Up! - Holiday Cheer, Seasonal Snapshot 2015, Six Sayings
Inks: Versamark; Versafine - Onyx Black; Distress - Black Soot; SU - Tangerine Tango, Lucky Limeade
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Watercolour Paper; SU Card - Wisteria Wonder; White Embossing Powder; Neon Embossing Powders

I'm submitting this card to several challenges:

• Colour Q - cQc#311 - perfect Halloween colours
• The Paper Players - PP#265 - theme is Halloween
• Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge - CCICOct - theme Bats

When I saw Tenia's card, I remembered that I have the bat stamp, so thanks for the inspiration.  I stamped one image directly on the card using Distress ink and used my aqua brush to very gently move the ink.  I stamped the other two bats on watercolour paper embossing one in white and the other in neon colours.  I added water to both images and then added a touch of black ink.  Once dry I cut out both bats.  I stamped the fun sentiment in bold black and finished the front by adhering both embossed bats with dimensional dots - using thicker dots for the coloured bat.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of light purple card and added more bats and a greeting on the white panel.

I love this bat - it looks totally mad!  I think that's likely to be all for today as I really must get the ironing done.  I said I was going to do it on Monday, but Jonathan was home with pneumonia (again).  He's gone back to work today, so I don't have an excuse not to do it now!  See you soon.

So Thankful .....

... Good afternoon!  It's officially winter here in Northville.  The current temperature is 0°C (32°F) and we're not expecting to get much higher and, as I type this post, I can see snowflakes falling - albeit very small flakes!!  And we're so lucky here, folks living in the UP (Upper Peninsula of Michigan) have had over 3ft of snow and they're not even the worst!  Anyway, enough of that, I've a card to share with you today:

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Gratitude for Days, Holiday Cheer
Inks: SU - Cajun Craze, Crushed Curry, Mossy Meadow, Blackberry Bliss
Dies: Serendipity - Pumpkin; Die-namics - Fishtail Flags Layers Stax #1 and #4, Fishtail Flags STAX #2
Accessories: Cream Lustre Card; SU Card - Mossy Meadow, Cajun Craze, Crushed Curry; SU DP - Colour Me Autumn

I'm playing along with several challenges.  The layout is based on this week's sketch at CAS - Colours & Sketches - CASC&S#100 - it's their 100th challenge - congratulations.  Now, I'm not sure whether this will count as there's very little white space, but it is a clean, simple design - so maybe it'll be okay!!!  I might have to make another card though!  I'm also submitting to this month's Serendipity Stamps Challenge - SSCB#37 where the theme is Thankful, and that's the theme at Cardz 4 Guys - C4G#11 too! 

I covered the card with this gorgeous design paper, cut panels from matching card, created the little sentiment flag and finished the front with this wonderful die cut pumpkin.  On the inside I cut another piece of design paper and added a simple greeting on the cream panel.

This is for my stash of Thanksgiving cards.  Thanksgiving, which is in two weeks, is a huge event here in the USA, almost bigger than Christmas! I think I might be giving this card to a very special young man who will be arriving in Detroit on Saturday!!!  I do think that Ben and Sophie are going to have a bit of a shock as to just how cold it is here! 

I was really delighted to see that the ladies at CAS-Colours & Sketches had picked my Perfect Pear card as one of the Top Three for challenge #96 - thank you so much.  The couple were really pleased with the card.

That's it for now - see you soon.