Playing with Altenew's Beautiful Day...Inkspirational Challenges #111~Masking

Hello,

Hope you've had a wonderful week. Mine...busy! Classes ended; marking assignments did not...but I'm getting closer.  Time for the 'end-of-school' countdown to begin; as of Monday, 9 more work days to go! The last day - June 30th - we're planning to head to Whitefish, Montana for my husband to compete in the Kootenai GranFondo. I am sooooo excited! Road trip!

Anyway...time to welcome you to  Inkspirational Challenge #111, were our sweet team-mate Kim's designer choice is...ta dahhhh....

Our wonderful Guest Designer, Lisa, will dazzle you with her take on this challenge, as well my creatively expressive DT: Nonni, Sandie, Shauna, Marina, Kim, Yvonne. Please visit and sprinkle them with love!

Prior to prepping for this challenge, my masking was pretty sporadic, especially since I'm such a dies-a-holic;  I do, however, have an *ahem* obsession with my new Altenew stamps, sooooo...out came Beautiful Day for this challenge.  I wound up making four of the first card and six of the second (varied the sentiments), which will be heading off to my sister-in-law, who is making 'card gift sets' for my niece's three kindergarten teachers and my nephew's two daycare teacher (I'm so thrilled that she loves my cards! Most awesome sister-in-law EVER!).  Of course, I cased these from the Altenew showcases, adding my own teensy touches (or rather....lack of touches).  Let's just say: Too. Much. Fun.  I {heart} masking!

Your turn!  How will *masking* inspire you?  

Looking forward to seeing your Masked Marvels in the gallery!

Thank you so much for spending part of your day with me; your visit brings me immense joy!

Hello, Sunshine...CASology Week 201~Sunshine, Muse Challenge #169, CAS Mix Up June Challenge~Stamping, Die-cuts and Your Choice, HLS June Anything Goes with Dies Challenge, Simon Says Work It Wednesday~Sunshine

Hello,

Back from the weekend's worth of bike races....tired (up at 5:30 both mornings to be at the sign on/start lines well in advance...) but so glad the event was a success!  A week to recuperate and back at 'er next Sunday. This time, my husband will be racing...and I'm the chief official.  He'd best be on his best behaviour *girn*

My card, made last Friday before we left, is inspired by two challenges. First is CASology Week #201~Sunshine

The second - and yes, I'm stretching the connections, as usual...is Muse Challenge #169, where our sweet Michele Ferguson is biding farewell as a member of the DT. I'm sad...very sad...that she's leaving, as she has been a marvelous source of inspiration, however...she can't go far! I know where to find her!

Michele shared this card as her muse for this week

      

           

which, in turn, was a case of her first Muse card, below.  She accentuated the negative and positive possibilities of dies...

sooooooo...that's what I decided to do.  I drew my colour inspiration from her original card (isn't that a darling little heart) and from the second, focused on one key image and something we can "see through".  She went with a heart and vellum envelope in those categories...and I went with...well, let's leave the image to do the talking....

My Michele-inspired Muse design:

NOTE: Honoured and thrilled to receive an Honourable Mention at CASology Week 201!  THANK YOU so much, Judy!!

NOTE:  Honoured and thrilled to be selected as a CAS Mix Up June Card Challenge Outstanding Entry. THANK YOU!

NOTE: Honoured and thrilled to be selected as a HLS Anything Goes with Dies Challenge Favourite! THANK YOU!!!

Told you it was a bit of a stretch but, since vellum and I have 'relationship issues,' I had to come up with something.  Michele, you have been a ray of Muse sunshine for me! I'll miss you!  Hope my fancy-schmancy sunglasses make YOU smile!

I'm also joining:

CAS Mix Up June Challenge. My glasses = the die cut; the 'sun' is a stamped image (MFT Distress Patterns), and my 'choice' is embossing and water-colouring (Zig markers). I recycled a section of a 'botched up' embossed roses panel, (from my attempts at creating this card) for my jazzy sunglasses, In hindsight, I should have kept all the messed up pieces I've made...snippets come in handy!

HLS June Anything Goes with Dies Challenge

Simon Says Work It Wednesday~Sunshine

Time to help with supper...then off to bed! My Grade 12 students write their Diploma exam in English tomorrow; need to be 'sharp' so I can assure them they'll do just fine....

I'm so glad you spent part of your day with me; your visit brings me immense joy!

Cymbals Bunny Just a Note...Tag, You're It Inspiration Challenge #49, CASometry Challenge 2~Make Five: Stage 3

Hello,

Two weeks have passed by and it's time (drum roll...) for

Inspiration Challenge #49, where my amazing (and so sweet and supportive) DT and I invite you to draw inspiration from Anja's gorgeous tag.  Butterfly (swoon!), embossing, inking, die cut leaves...what catches your eye (*everything*, right?)?

My card is a 'departure' from Anja's in some ways (no butterfly...I know! Crazy!), but I have drawn inspiration from several of her elements:

• embossing, although mine is with a folder
• colours - blues and greens
• "splatter" -  hers are shimmery; mine are water-based AND I added a crystal at the top of the tag
• a focal image - her butterfly, my cymbal-crashing bunny (I googled the name for the sound cymbals made and apparently, crash it is....who knew?)

I'm marching my little hare over to CASometry Challenge #2~Make Five: Stage 3. Two more to go to fulfill that challenge.

After you visit my wonderful team's creations - and hopefully spoil them with some sweet words of love - create a tag and join us!  Looking forward to seeing your Anja-inspired tag in the gallery!

Thank you for spending part of your day with me; your visit brings me immense joy!

Roses Hello...Addicted to Stamps and More #197, Inspired by All the Little Things #18, CAS-ual Fridays #149~Florals

Hello,

Another week has rushed by, which mean I, along with my fabulous DT, invite you to join us for Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge #197

Here's your opportunity to bring out your colouring toys - markers, pencils, crayons, paints, sponges, what-have you - and 'make your mark' on a card/tag/project.  We're sponsored by

Blog: http://www.adayfordaisies.blogspot.ca

who are offering a sweet $12.00 gift certificate to the lucky winner! Incentive, right? Right!

You will sooooooo not guess what I've done for my inspiration card *grin*  First, I drew my design/colours from the vibrant, gorgeous bouquet and dress palette over at Inspired By All the Little Things #18

 

Second, I hitched up my 'big girl pants' and went full-throttle with using...are you ready...my ZIG MARKERS!  I did so!  Astonishing, right! I've had these for quite a while, have had epic failure after epic failure, but finally...F.I.N.A.L.L.Y...I have a 'something' to show for my efforts (that, and the fact that I need to plant a tree, given how much paper I've recycled over all these trial runs).  

My card is not fantastic by any stretch, but....it's an accomplishment!  MFT Background Roses, embossed, coloured with Zigs (I only have 12), a wee (very wee) blending with water, a dark blue background panel, W&W hello and...ta dahhhh! Rather vibrant, but...that's what I was aiming for (I guess *grin*). Whew...not sure when a Zig-venture will happen again (this one was exhausting!), but...we'll see.  More (white only) water-colour paper on my shopping list...

Okay, turning the stage over to you!  

How will YOU make YOUR mark?  

Looking forward to seeing your gorgeous creations in the gallery!

Also sharing at:

CAS-ual Fridays #149~Florals

On another note: for quite a while, I've been using Michael's Recollection #110 card-stock for my card bases and panels. It *was* a nice shade of white, sturdy and solid. Note *was*. Recently, I bought a new package (actually, I'm a dodo..I bought two packages...but I had coupons!), and oh. my. stars! Something has changed! The white is stark - almost a grey/white - and the heavy weight I've so come to rely on seems less so.  Has anyone else noticed the change?  Guess I'll be doing some trips to Michael's whenever we travel...hopefully, the 'good ol' reliable' can be found!

I'm so glad you spent part of your day with me; your visit brings me immense joy!

Seahorse and Starfish Thanks...Freshly Made Sketches #239, The Heart Desires Challenge #1, That's Crafty~The Sea Challenge, FUSION Challenge~Something Blue, STAMPlorations June CAS Card Challenge:

Hello,

We're just back from Day 2 of bike races, sun-screened, dust-covered, and rather worn out (*hot* weather plus wind...), and I'm pleased to report that, aside from one rider, everyone remained upright! The one who crashed...let's just say that had I been standing in my usual spot, next to the lap counter, I would have been taken out with him!! Fortunately, my husband - who was the chief official of the event - sent me to watch the backstretch of the circuit, on the lookout for any shenanigans! Guess as much as I 'sort of' whined about being sent away from the action at the start/finish line, this was a good call! Everyone's okay...*Whew*

Anyway, time to post the card I made on Friday when I discovered a brand-spanking new monthly challenge:  The Heart Desires Challenge #1.

Isn't that inspiration board fabulous!  The 'rules of engagement' invite us to use one, two or all of the elements, which include: a lovely colour palette, sea creatures or geometric shapes. I knew immediately which colours/creatures I wanted to use,  so the next step was was incorporating them into Freshly Made Sketches #239

Of course...I adapted a bit...and here's what happened....Yes, you've seen this stencil before but...it just sooooo wanted to play!

Hopefully you can see the sketch elements...

NOTE: Absolutely honoured and delighted to be selected as the STAMPlorations June CAS Card Challenge winner.  THANK YOU!!

Also sharing over at:
That's Crafty~The Sea Challenge

FUSION Challenge~Something Blue (my seahorse has blues similar to the lovely flowers on the cake...I know...likely  yet another stretch *grin*)

STAMPlorations June CAS Card Challenge:

Off to shower, then get my sous chef preparations in gear...home-made pizza tonight (yayyyyy), as we came home too late last night to do so.  I love pizza night...

I'm so glad you spent some time with me today; your visit brings me immense joy!

Happy Birthday and A Couple of Note Cards...Inkspirational Challenge #110~Word Prompt: Text, STAMPlorations Spotlight Project, CASology Week 200, Seize the Birthday~Anything Goes

Hello!

Bike racing events happening this weekend - time trial this evening, followed by an early morning drive to criterium races Sunday morning/afternoon - and the weather is absolutely marvelous!  Before we go, however, important things to be done and that is...

Welcome to Inkspiration Challenge #110, where our wonderful, talented Guest Designer, Jen (her husband is Canadian...*fist pump*!), along with my fabulous teammates  Sandie, Nora, Shauna, Marina, Kim, Yvonne and yours truly, invite you to play along with this Word Prompt:

I admit, I had a little difficulty deciding what direction to go with 'text' (a range of possibilities, right?).  Then, I saw Jen's card over at CASology Week 200 and PING!! Light bulb moment!

I think I adhered fairly well to the CAS guidelines...let's just do a quick review: 

• One main image: yep, the rainbow sponged PTI sentiment
• Lots of open space, uncluttered:  I think so...just a white embossed panel, to fulfill the "text" requirements of the Ink challenge
• Limited layers & embellishments: my 'signature' panel and no embellishments
• Quick & easy to recreate: Yes to the recreate for sure! Coming UP with the idea, however, took a while...as did lining up my paper straight in the embossing folder! Am I the only one who fusses and fiddles with doing that? Yeesh!  Grand time total: about 7 minutes once I got going.

Easy-peasy (HA!)

Of course, just to be on the 'safe' side, I made a couple more *text* cards, inspired by a delightful set of notelets oh-so-creative Shirley designed for one of the STAMPlorations Spotlight Projects.  She included a tutorial: yayyyy!!! So, I started out by shamelessly pretty much copying her cards...

then made another using a different palette: Dusty Concord, Peeled Paint, Shaded Lilac (just played around to get this colour combination...)

Sponging a background with distress inks, spritzing water on stamps, then stamping: now that's "my" kind of watercolouring *grin*!

Now....YOUR TURN!  How will you interpret TEXT?  

Looking forward to finding out when I visit  your cards in the gallery!!

Also joining:
STAMPlorations Spotlight Project Showcase

Seize the Birthday~Anything Goes

ETA: A couple of my sweet friends (thank you!) suggested I also join Happy Little Stampers June 2016 CAS Challenge~Ghosting (and here I though I was just water-colouring *grin*), so I am.

I'm so glad you spent part of your day with me; your visit brings me immense joy!

Starry Father's Day...CAS(E) this Sketch #174, Cards In Envy~Deep Blue Card Challenge, Uniko Challenge #32~Masculine (Father's Day Twist), and Happy Little Stampers~Anything Goes

Hello,

Happy June 1st!  The month where teachers and students, at least here, will be sprung free for the summer! Can you tell *someone* is counting down the days? Still a stack of marking to get done, but I'm close to finished...very close *whew*  Come June 30th I'm sure you'll hear me cheering!

Anyway, my husband is on his way back from this evening's 'short' bike ride (an 'epic' planned for tomorrow, around 180 km...yes, I know...he's a bit 'obsessed' *grin*) so I'll be super quick.

CAS(E) This Sketch #174 has stars as a prompt...so I took it, using a stencil I made with some of my star dies....

Literal, eh?  And now, I have a star stencil...yayyyyy!

I'm joining a new to me challenge (looks like a fabulously welcoming place to play):  Cards In Envy~Deep Blue Card Challenge.  The goal: cards that fit in envelopes. This one sure does; we tried one on for size.

NOTE: absolutely honoured and delighted to be selected as the Winner for CAS(E) This Sketch #174. THANK YOU!!

NOTE: honoured, delighted and beside myself that my card received First Class status at Cards with Envy.  THANK YOU!!

NOTE:  honoured and thrilled that my card was selected as the Uniko Challenge #32 winner! Happy dancing with joy!  THANK YOU!

Also heading off to Uniko Challenge #32~Masculine (Father's Day Twist)

and Happy Little Stampers~Anything Goes, as my big, bold, wonderful, love-it Happy sentiment comes from there.

Must dash...salad to be made...

ETA:  Another wonderful challenge discovered, through our sweet, talented Virginia:  Paru's Card Making Challenges. Have you been over yet? Sooooo inviting - added to my Feedly challenges list! Anyway, I'm taking my starry Father's Day card over...won't you join me with one of your own? Or maybe with a tag?

I'm so glad you shared part of your day with me; your visit brings me immense joy!