52CCT - Pick a Previous ...

....  Hi!  I'm rather late with my card for this week's challenge at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown.  As we have five Saturdays this month, we have a PICK A PREVIOUS challenge and April has opted for a THEME.  I had quite a few ideas in my head, but just couldn't get anything on a card.  But this morning when I woke up I knew exactly what to make - I dreamt this card!!!

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Two Step Sprig, Tis the Season, Flurries
Inks: Memento - London Fog; Versafine - Onyx Black; Brilliance - Twilight
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Stampin' Up! Card/DP - Basic Black; Martha Stewart Glitters; Glue Pen

I've gone right back to October 2012 for my theme - we wanted Christmas Fairy Lights.  I'm also playing along with the current Merry Monday Challenge - MM#177 where the team would like to see Christmas lights and Glitter, and over at Time Out Challenges - TOC#43 the theme is Christmas with the optional twist of using Pink and/or Purple.

I don't actually have any Christmas light stamps, but going through my stamp catalogue I realised that this leaf sprig looked a bit like lights.  I stamped them directly on the card in pale grey and added glue to the leaves and applied lots of lovely glitters.  I stamped the sentiment on scrap card, carefully cut it out and adhered it some black design paper.  I attached the sentiment to the card with dimensional gel.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of black paper and stamped a Christmas greeting and some snowflakes on the white panel.

I'm really pleased that I went back to the October 2012 challenge, as looking at the list of players, I realise I didn't actually get to play along that week.  I'm really pleased with the shimmer and sparkle on my "Christmas Lights".  Do visit our blog to check out the previous themes the rest of the team have gone with.  

Before I go, I'd like to wish everyone a very Happy Halloween.

Photo credit

We're going to downtown Northville this evening so that Ben and Sophie can experience an American style Halloween - it should be lots of fun.  The weather forecast is not great, but I don't think that'll stop us having fun!

WMSFC - Sketch ....

....  Good morning everyone!  Tara and I were delighted to see so many gorgeous submissions to our Anything Goes challenge, we hope to see just as many to our new challenge. For the next couple of weeks at Waltzingmouse Fanatics, we'd like you to base your projects on our sketch. Here's my take:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Two Step Sprig, Big Day-Today, Large Doily
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Poppy Parade, More Mustard, Coastal Cabana, Island Indigo; Archival - Jet Black; Versamark
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Island Indigo; Vellum; Clear Embossing Powder; Copic Marker

I've used the colours from Colour Q - cQc#249 - it's been a while since I joined in with this challenge and I'm glad to play along with these wonderful colours.  I stamped the solid leaves in pale aqua directly on the card base and then added the leaf veins with dark teal.  I inked the doily first with Versamark and then pale aqua, stamped onto vellum and heat embossed the image with clear powder.  Then I fussy cut it out - it's actually really easy to do.  I ran the doily through the Xyron to make it self-adhesive and adhered it to the card.  To create the flowers I inked up the solid image and stamped the second generation impression then added the shadows in the same colour with the first generation impression.  After stamping the centre of the flowers I added a little more colour with a Copic marker.  There are no matching dies to these flowers, but they are very easy to cut out.  I attached the large flowers directly to the card and attached the smaller ones with dimensional gel.  I finished the front with an elegant flourish sentiment.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of dark aqua and on the white panel added some leaves and finished off with a small flower.

For more inspiration using the sketch - do check out Tara's card - it's fabulous!  We would love to see your creations based on the sketch.  Our only rule is that you use AT LEAST ONE Waltzingmouse image, sentiment or digi.  You've got plenty of time to join in the fun - the challenge runs until Thursday 24th July, 6.00pm BST (1.00pm EDT).

I've been a bit quiet on the blog lately, I have finally started to edit photos from various photo shoots.  I hope to get a few photos on the blog next week - I think they are all perfectly safe - any that aren't you'll be able to see on Flickr.  We are all off to another photo shoot today - an afternoon in the sun at the pool - should be great fun.  See you soon.

WMSFC - Colours ....

.... Hello again!  I'm back with my card for our new colour challenge at Waltzingmouse Fanatics.  I love the shades of teal and gold, Tara has called it mustard, but I think gold is prettier!  You must use at least three of the colours on your project; I used two shades of teal and two shades of gold.  You must also use at least one Waltzingmouse image, digi or sentiment. 

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Two Step Sprig; Winnie & Walter - The Big, The Bold & The Happy, The Write Stuff: Leave it to Mom; CAS-ual Friday Stamps - Wallflower
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Soft Sky, Pool Party; Memento - Potter's Clay, Cantaloupe
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Soft Sky

I used the sketch from Clean & Simple Stamping - FTL#285, although I've turned the sketch through 90° to make a landscape style card.   I made the base from Soft Sky and cut a panel of white card to go on top.  I stamped the leaves directly onto the panel and the flowers onto white card.  The flowers are really easy to make, simply stamp the base colour (pale gold) and the detail in a darker colour (dark gold) add the centre and then I fussy cut the flowers.  I attached the smaller flowers directly to the card and used dimensional gel for the larger flowers.  I finished the front with a bold sentiment - I love the font used in the word happy.  For the inside I cut another panel of white card, stamped some flowers down the sides and added a sentiment in the middle.

Don't forget to check out Tara's card.  I hope you find these pretty colours inspiring - you have plenty of time to join in with the challenge, deadline is Thursday 3rd April, 5.00pm BST (that's Noon EDT).

I hope you all have a fun weekend planned.  Mine is full of crafty stuff.  Today I'm off to Stampeddler for a class to make a scrapbook page - I'll share photos soon.  And on Sunday, it's another photo shoot.  That's all for now, take care.