Snappy Lobster

 

A few challenges piqued my mojo this week.  Firstly Seize the Birthday Challenge #220 has the prompt "Stripes".  I've been looking at this lovely striped DP for over a week now - it's from the same pad that I used for Squeeze the Day.  I knew I wanted to do something nautical with it and there's loads of brilliant inspiration in this photo at the Card Concept Challenge #158 but I've focused on the two cushions on the sofa. 

 I experimented with a frame because of the challenge at Just Add Ink Challenge #566 - after all a frame is a great way of focusing attention!   However I thought I'd change it up by using a hexagonal frame when a simpler plain round frame would have been better - next time!

The Male Room Challenge #153 is celebrating their 8th birthday this month and as the inside of this card reads "I missed your birthday" I'm entering my belated masculine birthday card there as well. 

Finally the Memory Box Lobster is NBUS (been sitting in its envelope for a few years now) so I'll be entering it into Darnell's NBUS Challenge #29!  

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed your visit.  If you leave a comment, I’ll be over the moon!  I’ll also know you were here, so I can check out what you’ve been up to and we can get better acquainted!

Kate

Bottled Vitamin Sea

 

A couple of different challenges sparked my mojo for this card!  Which is just as well as the weather has been absolutely abysmal all week and you would never dream it's summer here!  

The first inspiration came from this Mason Jar Mood Board at Double D Challenges.   Obviously the bottom right jar got me inspired!

The Card Concept #158  gave me oodles of inspiration for my clean and layered card with this photo! 

Then I noticed that Fab'n'Funky Challenges had an "I can see the sea" prompt and

The Sisterhood of Crafters had the prompt "The Ocean is Calling" so I'd like to enter my card there too!

Finally the Male Room Challenge #153 has it's 8th Birthday celebration this month so I'd like to enter my masculine birthday card there as well!

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed your visit.  If you leave a comment, I’ll be over the moon!  I’ll also know you were here, so I can check out what you’ve been up to and we can get better acquainted!

Kate

Layered Anemones

 

I finally got to play with this Altenew Layered Anemone Die set!  This was an encouragement card for a friend I made earlier in the month.  I found 4 shades of purple card stock and 3 shades of green and made it up as per the layering guide - it was a lot easier than I thought it would be.   Though I would advise against using textured card stock as it's tricky getting the grains aligned (and I failed miserably)!

While I had the die out, I made up another three flowers and this week I finally made them up into cards - this time adding stems.  The Simon Says Stamp Tattered Poppy set includes a straight and a curved stem.   On these two cards I used the SSS Detail Bohemian Plate for interest.  I love this die but it meant I couldn't stamp on the panel.  I've stamped a "Thinking of You" sentiment (Verve Rise Above) and cut it with this ticket die (Crealies).  I prefer "Thinking of You" to "With Sympathy" generally, and it means I can also use it should I need a get well or encouragement card.  But IMO, these cards are a bit too fussy for sympathy cards.

For this last one, I laid the flower on its side for a landscape orientation and I used the simpler leaves from the SSS Tattered Poppy set.  I think this plainer "Thinking of You" sentiment suits a sympathy card better than the flowery one I used on the second and third cards.  I like this last one the best!

I'd like to enter this last card into the following challenges

Timeout Challenge #193 which has the following inspirational quote

Mod Squad Challenge has a "With Sympathy" theme

Cardz 4 Galz Challenge #152 has a Dies and Punches theme

Krafty Chicks Challenge #570 has an Anything Goes theme

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge has an Anything Goes theme

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed your visit.  If you leave a comment, I’ll be over the moon!  I’ll also know you were here, so I can check out what you’ve been up to and we can get better acquainted!

Kate