Floral Thank You...FUSION Card Challenge~Tulips on a Bike

Hello,

Welcome to the new FUSION Challenge~Tulips on a Bike. Bike - love. Tulips - love. Grey brick/tiled background - love! Tulips ON a Bike set against a Grey background - quadruple love x swoon!  And check out that sketch...friendly as can be!

No bouquets of tulips in my collection or a 'fancy' bike such as this..so I decided to focus simply on a bunch of flowers and a somewhat adapted version of the sketch. Please welcome, once again, Concord & 9th's Hello Lovely, paired with a sentiment from Happy Little Stampers...

Given everything was out - including my new wee collection of Mama Elephant pigment inks highly recommended by our wonderful Happy Dance Bev (MWAH!) that I absolutely adore (can you say perfect coverage made easy?), I created a second. I'm still not sure if I have those faux-water-coloured stamps figured out properly yet. but because they're wonderfully organic, I can't stray too far...I hope!

Please head over to see my team-mates' creations for marvelous inspirations; their cards are image gorgeous and sketch savvy!

Becca Cruger

Betty J
Carol Mayne (me)
Jeanne Jachna
Karren Johnson
Linda Callahan
Lyndal Higgins 
Michelle Leone

Michelle Lupton
Michelle Williams

Looking forward to seeing your designs in the FUSION gallery!

Also sharing at:

The Flower Challenge #9~Anything Goes (I know my images is 'plain Jane' - as in no fabulous water or copic colouring as others do - yet, it makes me happy!)

Thank you for dropping by; your visit is both welcomed and deeply appreciated!

Ninjas and Succulents...CAS(E) This Sketch Challenge #224, Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge~Succulents, Just Us Girls Challenge #396~Die-cuts

Hello,

So, it's 27C here (which is blazing hot for us...or rather, me) and I'm editing (one of my side gigs) a paper on the effects of global warming on glaciers in the Canadian Rockies (where I live). Hmmmm....

Anyway, taking a break from the reading to share two cards for CAS(E) This Sketch Challenge #224.

I'm well aware that my images are wayyyyyy bigger than those in the sketch, but if we're talking about the inspiration factor, that's totally 100%!  Love the trio of images, open to interpretation, and the sentiment placement. I think this may become a 'go to' sketch for a bunch more cards....

Here's my first ..guess who's getting this one? Yes, Mr. Nephew,who has, indeed, snuck (run, tumbled, giggled, wriggled...) his way into my heart! I'm sharing this at Cards in Envy~You're the Man challenge, even though my special guy is but 5 *grin* He's my little man!

NOTE:  Honoured and thrilled to be selected as In the Mailbox favourites at Cards in Envy.  Thank you sooooo much, Karen and Kristie!

A second one...for Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge~Succulents

Yes, big ol' images again, but I do love my cacti! As for my water-colouring...oh well. Still trying....

I have more succulent images to play with and I will, once I wrap up reading about the effects of climate change on glaciers (and yes, I believe global warming is real...and its powerful. And that's as political as I'll get *grin*)

Also sharing at:

Cards in Envy~You're the Man Challenge

Just Us Girls Challenge #396~Die-cuts

Crazy 4 Challenges #388~Repeat (three ninjas; three succulents...)

Thank you for dropping in today; your visit brings me joy! 

Flowery Happy Birthday....Serendipity Stamps June Blog Hop (#1)

Hello,

Where I am, the birds are singing, the leaves are budding, a few flowers are blooming (finally), the winds are gusting (major!), the sun is shining (at least until the weekend, so the forecast goes)...and Serendipity Stamps June Blog Hop (#1) is hopping!

Want to win some Serendipity Stamps? If so, then leave comments here, as well at my DT's places, and you'll be in the running for a $20 gift certificate.  This month, we have an extra marvelous source of inspiration: our Guest Designer, Ann Wong - http://itsaboutthecolors.blogspot.com  Welcome aboard, Ann! 

Serendipity Stamps Blog

Patti Kehl

Carol Mayne (you are here)

Karen Amidon

Miriam Napier

Julie Warner

Marybeth Lopez

Recently, our wonderful, incredibly talented friend, Anita, from My Papercraft World fame shared a card that went immediately into my 'case down the road' folder.  Today's hop was exactly the down-the-road opportunity I was looking for!

Here's her lovely inspiration....

and here's mine...it posed twice *grin*

Serendipity products are:

• Summer Flower Pops Cling Set (the outline version)
• Summer Flower Pops Dies (which coordinate with the both Flower Pops stamp sets)
• Happy Birthday (on for only $2.00...seriously!)
• Ink Spots

I used a combination of regular and oxide distress inks for the blended panel.

Casing Anita's card was a delight; hope I did her creativity justice!  Thank you, Anita, for being my muse!

That's it from me!  Two tasks for you now:
Please head over to Serendipity Stamps Blog for more how-to-win details as well as for some scoops on sales. 

Hop, hop, hop! Next on the list is wonderfully talented Karen Amidon. Enjoy!

Thank you for dropping in today; your visit brings me joy! 

Star Sparkle...Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge #245~Photo Inspiration

Hello,

Need a little sparkle in your day? Then look no further than Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge #245, with this photo inspiration....

Stars...sparkle...made sense to me, so that's what I went with, and a sparkle sentiment just to be sure!

Please be sure to visit the team; a whole lot of glimmer and shimmer happening over there! Afterwards, create some dazzle of your own and join us in the gallery.

See you there!

Thank you for dropping by; your visit is both welcomed and deeply appreciated!

You are Incredible (Ballerina Piggy)...Muse Challenge #218

Hello,

I'm running in - nearly last minute mainly because our internet has been naughty of late - to play along in Ardyth's birthday celebration for this week's Muse Challenge #218.  The deal: to choose a *muse* from any one (or, in my case, a couple) of Ardyth's awesome gallery of WOW! With an offer like that, it's little wonder that the gallery is full to brimming.

A couple weeks back, a charming, beautiful piece of happy mail arrived from our sweet, talented Ardyth, that included a most heart-warming card for me and a WHOLE bunch of Sugarpea Designs' Everyday is Christmas "ladies dancing' (ballerina piggies) and 'lords a'leaping' (hat-doffing frogs) she stamped and die cut for my niece and nephew to colour!  Talk about a surprise when a plethora of wee dancers and hoppers tumbled into my lap when I opened the envelope! Unexpected and beyond delightful!

Soooo...I decided that I would 'borrow' one of those darling tutu-and ballet-shoes-sporting piggies and create a card an Ardyth-esque card for my niece.

Inspiration from our birthday girl came from this card....for the ballerina and the sentiment - this one for the pastel colours (our Ardyth does love her pastels!) and this (along with many others) for the stripes (she creates *the* most stylish stripes!).  And, in homage to her signature square cards, I followed suit....

I think we all agree: Ardyth is incredible!  Thank you ever so much for the sweet images - and in keeping with having my niece colour the ballerinas, I'm providing that opportunity for her to do just that!  As I mentioned in my previous post, the kids - especially Ms. T - like to add their special touches to the cards I create for them. Aunty c is always happily willing to oblige.  They always find something to 'add' that I hadn't thought of, and the results are a fun fusion of their creativity and mine. I'm betting Ms. Niece will have this little dancer sporting a rainbow tutu in no time!

Thank for you for this fabulous MUSE challenge, Ardyth! Hope your birthday week was fantastic and that all the 'spoiling and pampering' you were showered with spills into the year about to unfold!

Thank you for dropping by; your visit is both welcomed and deeply appreciated!

Pineapple Smiles...Inkspirational Challenge #136~Designer's Choice: Windows

Hello,

Here we are, sailing our way into June...or in my case, 'gusting' our way through! The winds of late have been zany-crazy; indeed, the other day, I was convinced I was Kansas-bound as a blast of wind caught me walking to get the mail. Blustery...but the sun has been shining and skies blue! Summer is on its way...I think!

Welcome to the new Inkspirational Challenge #136~Designers Choice, where yours truly has selected *Windows* as the theme. No rhyme or reason why, actually; I just thought it as a word open to all sorts of possibilities....and based on what you'll see over on the INK site, I was right!

We're fortunate to have interpretation and inspiration from our wonderful Guest designer, Pam, who is joining my marvelous team - Sandie, Shauna, Kylie, Nonni, Marina, Yvonne - and I for this challenge.

So, windows and 'possibilities'...and I have a trio of takes to share.

First, my pineapple and flower (Hero Arts) are set in front of my die cut window; the opening is inked with faux water-colour strips and the background embossed with pineapples, a new smitten-with folder that appeared in my mailbox the other day, from a fantastic little shopping trip to The Heart Desires shop. 

Second, a trio of circular windows, featuring an MFT roses-all-over background. Navy, pink and gold = the palette at Colour Throwdown Challenge #445, so we'll be heading that direction.

Third, a simple little card for my ninja-and-superheroes-avid-fan nephew.  He also likes shakers (aka a window), so...what's an aunty to do *grin* I left the belt-thingy uncoloured for him to deal with when it arrives. I've discovered, of late, that they like to add 'their' touches to the cards I send, which works perfectly fine by me. Whatever I can do to encourage their creativity/colouring/assembling, I'm all over it!

Okay, turning the stage over to you!  What ideas does "Windows" open for you? I'm sure you won't find it a 'pane' to design something delightful to add to the glass-ery!  Sorry...bad punning. I'll draw the 'curtains' on this post and leave you to frame your creations as you see fit!

Also sharing at:

Colour Throwdown Challenge #445

Cards in Envy~Favourite Colour Combo (Anything Goes) Challenge Love pinks and yellows and a smattering of green!

 Thank you for dropping by; your visit is both welcomed and deeply appreciated!

Happy Birthday Tag...Tag, You're It Challenge #72

Hello,

Oh my stars! How did it come to be JUNE so quickly? Speaking of quickly...our May Tag, You're It Challenge, now in a monthly format, has closed - with a plethora of fabulous entries! - and we're ready to launch summer with our June Tag, You're It Challenge #72.  Our TAG-spiration hostess for this month (aka: Guest Featured Artist) is the wonderfully talented and incredibly sweet Lindsey Larsen, who blogs at Occasional Crafting and designs for Where Creativity Meets C9 and The 12 Kits of Occasions. She's designed a lovely shaped, floral, blue/white/gold tag for us...and oh, the possibilities!

Lindsey's diamond-delight inspired me to create shaped tag, using a comparable palette.  As a nod to her die cut flowers, I stamped a MF roses all over background on both the white (in Summer Sky memento ink) and the blue (in versamark) cardstock.  Hard to see, but a close up will prove it true *grin* A gold (so dang difficult to photograph, that shimmer paper)  PTI Shaped Sayings sentiment and...ta dahhhh...

Anja and Donna are joining me this week; please stop by to see their fantastic translations of Lindsey's tags. Dazzle guaranteed!

You have a month to play along, with inspiration coming from the rest of the team over the next four weeks. Plenty of time to get your tag-making mojo moving!

See you in the gallery!

 Thank you for dropping by; your visit is both welcomed and deeply appreciated!