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Saturday 28 July 2012

A quick Reason to Smile...

I know - I shouldn't be here! I have a hundred and one things I'm supposed to be doing but I made the mistake of just quickly looking at the Less is More challenge and this is what happened:


This is a very quick sponged and stamped scene. For the flowers, grasses and 'leaves', I've used the fabulous Reason to Smile, an exclusive set which will be available during August only. (You can get it free with a £60 order or you can buy it for £18.95 wood mount or £14.95 clear mount - email me here to order, or for more information.)


The sentiment is from the lovely Trendy Trees set - which I haven't used for ages but must play with soon - and my scallops are cut with the Dotted Scallop Ribbon border punch. You can see the lovely texture of the stamps in this photo and the way the two step flowers work.


This beautiful dragonfly is from Nature's Nest. I have a stash of these ready stamped in Stazon on vellum, so all I needed to do is to cut him out with my sharp paper snips and colour the back of him with markers. I added a little glitter to catch some of this fabulous sunshine we're having!

Oops, I forgot to mention it's a sketch challenge at Less is More this week... and what a great sketch (right) it is!

Here's what you'll need to make today's card:
Stamps: Reasons to Smile (available during August only), Nature's Nest, Trendy Trees (sentiment)
Ink: Tempting Turquoise, Island Indigo, Lucky Limeade, Old Olive
Card stock: Naturals Ivory, vellum
Other: Markers,  Dotted Scallop Ribbon border punch, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, paper snips, stamp-a-majig
I'd be delighted to order any of these items for you and can have them delivered to your address in the UK. I'm committed to providing excellent customer service and am always happy to offer help and advice. To place your order, just send me an email or give me a call on 01280 820593. Your free brad and ribbon set will be added automatically to any order of £45 or more during July only!

Did you see the Olympic opening ceremony last night? Wow! I must confess to have felt a little cynical about the whole thing beforehand but my family and I were blown away by it. It was uplifting, visually stunning, quirky, moving, funny and incredibly impressive in turns and I thought the cauldron of fire was the most astonishing piece of design work. It all made me feel rather proud to be British!

I'll be back on Monday with a male card using Reason to Smile - hope to see you then!

Hugs,



64 comments:

  1. Vicky, this is beautiful! I love the colors you used and of course, the dragon fly is just awesome! So pretty.
    Lynn

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  2. Fabulous card Vicky love the stamps you've used and that beautiful dragonfly. Nice surprise to see you:)
    Val x

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  3. LUCKY FOR US THAT YOU CANT KEEP AWAY, FABULOUS CARD, AMAZING COLOURS AND GREAT TECHNIQUES ANOTHER CLASSY LITTTLE NUMBER.

    MARIE

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  4. Great sponging job and those strong colors inspire me to stop always working with the "safe" neutral colors that are , in the end, quite boring compared to your use of colors. LOVE this card!

    Bahb

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  5. Gorgeous card Vicky:0) I have to agree I mirrored your emotions for the opening ceremony, what an event!! The design of the olympic flame cauldron was stunningingly beautiful! Apparently it was built in a shed in Harrogate, who'd have guessed LOL, Hugs Gay xxx

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  6. This is wonderful Vicky, the colours are stunning and the stamping is amazing!
    Thanks so much
    Chrissie
    "Less is More"

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  7. What a stunning card Vicky and gorgeous colours

    Anne

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  8. Love this. Hope you ok Vicky. lots of love Mandy and Andy

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  9. You've done it again - I love that the scene seems to glow and that dragonfly is just wonderful! Great card!

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  10. Oooh Vicky absolutely awesome. The colours are outstanding, and the sponging is fab!

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  11. Fabulous contribution to LIM this week, that dragonfly is beautiful and very realistic. I loved the opening ceremony as well, it was brilliantly done.

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  12. Wow this is such a beautiful card.

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  13. you make the making of that dragonfly sound so easy, but I know better. the only way that would be easy for me is if you sent me a bunch...ready to go!

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  14. This is stunning Vicky xx Jan

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  15. Vicky, will you stop creating such stunning cards please! I made one for this challenge but after seeing yours I thought mine looked crap so haven't posted it. Might have another go tomorrow perhaps.
    x

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  16. that is gorgeous! wonderfully coloured too hugs Karen x

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  17. Hello Vicky
    Gorgeous ... Gorgeous card..... Love the colours you have used.... I too love the opening ceromony....love the James bond bit with the Queen.... And Mr.Bean.... We were in stitches....
    Hugs Sylvie xxxx

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  18. STUNNING! I love the dragon fly flying over your scene.

    I fell asleep 3 times during the opening ceremony - liked the forged steel rings (well I am from Sheffield) and the cauldron was stunning - the rest was a little bleurgh.

    Tara
    x

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  19. Hi V! Love your dragonfly !! ...and I enjoyed watching the opening ceremony very much. I thought it was very clever. I really liked how each country's "petal" formed the cauldron and at the end will be returned to it's country. Well done London!

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  20. Hi Vicky, great to see you back. I think your little scene is very summery, and the dragonfly is gorgeous. So nice to see that London has finally got blue skies for the Olympics. I only saw part of the opening ceremony, but what I saw looked terrific - the cauldron (very clever), Mr Bean(the chap next to him never missed a beat), and what a good sport the Queen was to be led away by James Bond! Helen (Sydney)

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  21. Fabulous card - love the scene you created and the dragonfly is just stunning!

    As for the Olympics - we watched it over here (in between the blooming adverts) - it was fantastic. So typically British and it made me feel very homesick.

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  22. stunning card, beautiful colors and love the flowers and dragonfly

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  23. Gorgeous card Vicky. Love those zingy colours you've used and the dragonfly is ab fab!

    Karen x

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  24. This is just stunning! Love these stamps,mand the sponged background is gorgeous. Love that vellum dragonfly too, a stunning card Vicky!

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  25. Just loving that dragonfly :) Great use of colour Vicky, as ever. I agree, wasn't sure what to expect with the opening ceremony but we were all blown away by it. Hugs, Buttons x

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  26. Gorgeous card, I do like dragonflies, and the colours are so pretty.
    I enjoyed the opening ceremony more than I expected as well, especially all the music, and like you, I thought all the copper petals rising up to form the cauldron was stunning. xx

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  27. Fabulous scenic card Vicky.

    Totally with you on the cynical side of the Olympics . . . converted to AMAZING on the Opening Ceremony. xxx

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  28. Love this card Vicky. I hope to do some stamping with this set later today. Stunning. Loved the opening ceremony too - was amazing xx

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  29. Just beautiful. Love the colours and the dragonfly. Might dig out one I have and try on some vellum.
    Linbyx

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  30. fabulous as usual Vicky... love the colours and great stamping
    suzi b x

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  31. Stunning ! Your dragonfly is fabulous and the colours are just beautiful ! I have just spent a few days on our little boat and your card is a perfect reminder - I spent ages just watching dragonflies flitting over the water towards the wildflower borders in the shallows. Hope you are having a lovely school break with your children ! Hugs Jane x

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  32. Beautiful colours and gorgeous inkiness!

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  33. Absolutely beautiful, Vicky. Your stamping looks brilliant and your colouring is so lush and rich. I love your fabulous dragonfly, which looks so realistic!

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  34. Oh this is just stunning and that dragonfly is just so real!!! x

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  35. This is so pretty Vicky.
    Valx

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  36. I can picture you having looked with just one eye lol
    Sensational card Vicky, totally inspiring
    Thanks as always
    mandi
    "Less is More"
    I took some convincing with the ceremony I found the start a bit drab, but it certainly improved!

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  37. Sensational card. Beautiful colors and love that dragonfly

    http://carolescreativecritters.blogspot.com/2012/07/less-is-more-sketch-week-78.html

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  38. Wonderful! My favourite colours and I adore the sketch. Your card just made me smile today - thanks so much, Vicky!
    Cheers, Karen

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  39. Love the scene you've created & the dragon fly is stunning.
    Sharon x

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  40. Hi Vicky

    What a great finished card.

    Love the design and colours .. .. and the little dragonfly is brilliant.

    I really enjoyed the opening ceremony too (but still need to catch up with the very end as I fell asleep LOL!!).

    Hope you have had a good weekend.

    Love Jules xx

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  41. A stunning card - the dragonfly is fabulous.
    Kath x

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  42. Such a gorgeous scene! M x

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  43. Such a beautiful card! I love the Reason to Smile set as well. I can see LOADS of designs for it. Too bad it's only on for such a limited time. Love the dragonfly!

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  44. Beatiful & elegant card. I love the vibrant blue & green together and the dragonfly :) Have a great week, Shirley

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  45. A beautiful card Vicky with gorgeous colours. I love the dragonfly.
    luv
    irene
    xxxx

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  46. Your grassy scene is gorgeous and stunning dragonfly. I'm blown away you can produce this in a dash!! x

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  47. This is totally gorgeous Vicky! I love the scene you have created! :)
    Lizy x

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  48. Your card prjest full of energy ... brought memories of my vacation. Beautiful work

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  49. really stunning card, loving this new set cant wait to get my hands on mine :)

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  50. Such a fabulous card Vicky !!! love love that colour...and flowers...and beautiful dragonfly, I want a die cut drangonfly now !!!! :) Viv xx

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  51. Vicky, your dragonfly is so gorgeous! I love the colors in this card and you've executed the sketch perfectly!!

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  52. Stunning card Vicky as always. Your colours are gorgeous.
    Lynne xxx

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  53. WOW a stunning creation as always Vicky, I haven't been around for a while so have just caught up with your beautiful beautiful cards.

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  54. This is a gorgeous card love the vibrant colors and images. Love the Dragon fly!!

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  55. Oh Vicky I have missed so much because I've been too busy for blogland!!!and it seems you have too :0)
    I love you sponged scenes, they're like mini masterpieces and the dragonfly is stunning :0)
    Jenny x

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  56. Oh Vicky I have missed so much because I've been too busy for blogland!!!and it seems you have too :0)
    I love you sponged scenes, they're like mini masterpieces and the dragonfly is stunning :0)
    Jenny x

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  57. Stunning card Vicky, love the bold colours. This new stamp set is just gorgeous, I can see that one making it's way into my craft room very soon. xx

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  58. Stunning. And I'm blown away that this is "a very quick sponged and stamped scene." This would take me a year to do!!

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  59. Breathtaking! What a beautiful take on the LIM sketch, Jo x

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  60. GORGEOUS card Vicki - LOVE your scene and that dragonfly is DARLING!

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  61. What a stunning card! I love dragonflies and this is a beautiful way to ise one

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I'd love to know what you think. Do leave me a comment - it always makes my day! Vicky x


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