Pale and interesting (I hope!)

I came across this inspiration photo on Moxie Fab World today and just fell in love with its ethereal feel.

I only had today to enter so I had to get my skates on (but not literally thank goodness - the threatened snow has turned out to be a soft drizzle instead!) but luckily the fabulous sketch at Less is More was on hand to inspire me.

Come and see what I've come up with:

When I experimented with the colours I found they were a little too washed out for the look I wanted so I added a stamped off Calypso Coral to my Crumb Cake and So Saffron which gave a bit more depth to my card. I used the fabulous flower from Button Buddies with the larger flower from Fruit and Flowers - they almost look as if they come from the same set! Using a mask cut out of a post it note for the larger flower ensured the stamping had a nice clean look.

One of the things I liked about the photo was the delicate tissue feel of the pom poms, so I made my flower by stamping ordinary tissue paper with the large flower. The larger layers were cut out with the Scallop Circle punch - if you layer the tissue over a scrap of card stock the punch is happy to cut through it. The inner layers were cut by hand and the flower finished with a Crumb Cake button tied with a knot of linen thread. I was inspired by the photo to add trail of pearls to my flower.

The sentiment has stamped beautifully on the textured card stock using Chocolate Chip ink. I'm a bit obsessed with textured card stock at the moment - have you noticed?!! I used my stamp-a-majig to keep things nice and straight.

Supplies needed for this card:

Stamps: Button Buddies, Fruit and Flowers, Happiest Birthday Wishes

Ink: Crumb Cake, So Saffron, Calypso Coral, Chocolate Chip

Card stock: Crumb Cake textured, Very Vanilla smooth

Other: Basic Pearls, Neutrals buttons, Scallop Circle punch, linen thread, stamp-a-majig

I'd be delighted to order any of these supplies for you and can have them delivered to your address in the UK. I am committed to providing excellent customer service and am always happy to help and advise. Just send me an email or give me a call on 01280 820593, and don't forget to let me know which free Sale-a-bration set or sets you'd like - remember, one item for EVERY £45 spent!

Yesterday we took a trip to London - my daughter and I to do a little shopping and the males of the family to visit the Imperial War Museum and take in a few sights. My youngest son was much struck by this chap standing on guard at Buckingham Palace. "I'd hate to do that job Mummy. He has to stand there for ages AND he has to keep a straight face," he told me earnestly. "I couldn't do that," he added. "I'd crack up into laughter!"

Thank you for popping in today. I'll be back tomorrow with Masculine Monday when I'll be offering some inspiration for a male card. Hope to see you then, 

Three Minute Thursday Fresh Vintage

I'm continuing my celebration of Sale-a-bration today with another card using the fabulous free stamp set Fresh Vintage. Free stamp set?!!! I hear you ask. Yes, it's true - Stampin' Up are giving away a choice of four different stamp sets and a pack of designer papers to all customers ordering £45 or more! You get an extra stamp set when you buy the Starter Kit during Sale-a-bration too! Click here for more details and to see all the gorgeous Sale-a-bration sets.

But I digress... let's talk about my three minute card for today. I've become addicted to the wonderful ColourQ site with its colour challenges and I've thoroughly enjoyed using this week's glorious colour combination for today's card.

Come and see:

Have I mentioned how totally in love with Fresh Vintage I am?! Here's a different look for that wonderful plant image - this time the rubber has been coloured with markers and the image stamped onto textured card stock. I've added a shadow with a Sahara Sand marker, added a little sentiment tag and popped the panel up onto a smooth card stock base. Very quick and simple!

Let's have a closer look at that flower:

Can you see how the stamped image takes on the texture of the card stock? It looks a bit like tapestry.  I've been a huge fan of textured card stock for a long time - I love the subtlety of it, particularly when paired with smooth card stock in the same colour - but I've only recently seen how effective stamping on textured card stock can be! Marking in a shadow takes seconds but can really make the image pop.

Here's the little sentiment tag. I stamped the sentiment on a scrap of smooth card stock and cut it out with my Word Window punch. It's really easy to make a ribbon tail on one side, sponge it with Crumb Cake ink and attach it to the floral panel with a More Mustard brad.

Edited to add: My blogland pal LeAnne pointed out that this card works for The Paper Players challenge this week too. This is a new one on me - but it looks like another fun challenge to incorporate into my week! Why not check it out?!

Supplies needed for this card:

Stamps: Fresh Vintage, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: Riding Hood Red, Crumb Cake

Card stock: Whisper White smooth and textured

Other: Markers, Word Window punch, More Mustard brad from the Regals assortment, paper piercer

I'd be delighted to order any of these supplies for you and can have them delivered to your address in the UK. I am committed to providing excellent customer service and am always happy to help and advise. Just send me an email or give me a call on 01280 820593, and don't forget to let me know which free Sale-a-bration set or sets you'd like - remember, one item for EVERY £45 spent!

Don't children get to do the most wonderful things these days? My youngest son has taken up fencing after school! Not building fences (which might've been quite useful if this wind keeps up!) but the sword fighting type of fencing. Because he's the kind of boy who never does things by halves, I keep finding him wandering around the house, slapping things with a pair of gloves and saying "Name your friends my lord!" in a haughty voice!

Can you believe it's Friday tomorrow already? And that it'll be February next week? Life goes by so quickly sometimes I'm surprised my ears haven't come off! Thanks for popping in today and hope to see you tomorrow.

Hugs,