A jar of Pleasant Poppies

Every now and again it's fun to go tall and thin... No, I've not been squished and stretched - I'm talking about card bases! I wanted to showcase Stampin' Up's Pleasant Poppies stamp for the current Addicted to CAS challenge, where the cue word is Flower, and thought this shape might emphasise those elegant stems. Come and see:

Pleasant Poppies is a huge stamp but the flowers have been separated into bunches so you don't have to use them all at once if you choose not to. I isolated some of the flowers by inking up with markers before stamping onto my panel and colouring in, again with markers.

I adore the wild red poppies you get around the English countryside in the summer but I've turned these into Californian poppies which I also love for their fabulous yellows and oranges. The shading on this stamp is absolutely brilliant - I have literally scribbled over these flowers with a couple of markers (and I do hope you're not all thinking that it shows!)

This jar from Perfectly Preserved is such a useful stamp to have in your stash. There are endless possibilities for things to put in it! (I saw a card where someone had put the ship from The Open Sea in it the other day - must try that.)

I've just seen that there's a 'Make Your Mark' challenge over at Addicted to Stamps and More so I think I'll link this card over there too!

Here's what you'll need to make these cards
Stamps: Pleasant Poppies, Perfectly Preserved, Itty Bitty Banners
Ink: Cajun Craze, Wild Wasabi, Soft Suede, Marina Mist plus markers in Gumball Green, Tangerine Tango, Pumpkin Pie, Summer Starfruit, Basic Black
Card stock: Whisper White
Other: Linen thread, stamp-a-majig
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 I have a fondness for orange flowers. When I was a child, my father used to grow nasturtiums in tubs for our veranda and they always seemed so bright and cheerful to me. I wanted nasturtiums in my wedding bouquet but they weren't in season so I gave up that idea. Instead, I suggested to my florist that I'd like my bouquet to look as if I'd just picked a bunch of leaves and flowers from the hedges on my way to the church - and I still giggle now when I think of her horrified face!

I'll be at an exhibition and sale of the most gorgeous patchwork and quilting in Tingewick village hall this Sunday, 28th April and would love to see you there. We'll be raising funds for Arthritis Research UK and Medical Detection Dogs, and proceeds from my card sales will go into the fund. I'll also have retired stamp sets and accessories on sale at bargain prices! Hope to see you there!