Football and Rain, Rain Rain

 Ugh it is still raining!
My daughter has made her age grade reps for Football (Soccer if you are in the USA) for the Manawatu, we have been really lucky that the game days have been fine.
Because it is my blog and I can, here is a photo of her in action...

She is so amazing! We are all really proud of her perseverance and drive.
She is also pretty good ;)

Actually when this posts, we will be at a game day watching her again, fingers crossed for sunshine.

So back to the rain. I was feeling VERY gloomy to match the weather outside when I made this card.
I think it is pretty obvious as it isn't my usual cheery colours.
I cut a few more bears out when I did this one so the next card will be a little brighter, I promise 

Thanks for popping by 
Lou

Lawn Fawn Ink Background - Part 1

A long long time ago, I was a Stampin'up demo... I loved the colours, the stamp quality and  ink pads.  Then they did a change of rules about what you could post on your personal blogs and social media, so I left.
I still have a caddy with all my ink pads and I use them often.  BUT, sometimes I like to try something new.  It started with Catherine Pooler inks...  OMG LOVE!!!!!
So vibrant and blendy and perfect.
Then I decided to try the Lawn fawn ones since I love everything else lawn fawn.
Sadly, I don't love these :(
I really wanted too with all my heart.
But it wasn't to be.
For several reasons, and here they are..
The colours don't match the lids - I hate that.  The yellow I got is completely different.
They suck for blending, no matter what I couldn't really get a great blend.
They don't stack together - I could have let that go if the other stuff was great.
They are not "Juicy", I thought it might be just the yellow, but as I opened them they are all the same.
SO SAD!
But, I have made a few cards with them and I will hold on to them.
one positive is that the "walnut" ink is a great brown.

So here are the first of my cards...

They do actually look more vibrant in person, but it has been a mission getting decent photos as it has done nothing but rain here for weeks.  It is what I imagine living in England to be like.
I have to wear gumboots EVERYWHERE.

Anyway, thanks loads for popping by, I would love to know your thoughts on your favourite inks.
Lou

Mix It Up Challenge - Smooshing

 This new DT is totally pushing me out my usual techniques!
I had never smooshed before, but now, I am going to be smooshing a whole lot more.
Seriously, this was so much fun and it looks amazing.

I enjoyed it so much, I made two cards.

This card uses squeezed lemonade, mowed lawn and salvaged patina distress inks
The images are from Catherine Pooler natural flourishes stamp set and I diecut them with the matching dies. i stamped them on vellum and embossed with AC embossing powder in Leaf, which I also used on the sentiment.  This card came together relatively quickly once I had tracked down my embossing buddy.

This card uses dried Marigold, tattered rose and saltwater taffy distress inks

I then heat set and sprayed with Tattered Angels pearl shimmer and added some gold flicks with my kmart watercolour paints.
The die is from Altenew and the hearts were cut using a heart border punch.  
This one was even quicker than the first card.

Hope you try the smooshing thing, honestly it is loads of fun.
Join us over at mix it up challenge and share your creation

Lou

I totally forgot how awesome embossing folders can be....

 Nothing like a blog post title saying it exactly like it is! ;)
So I found my dusty, neglected embossing folders in the cupboard and felt really sorry for them so I got them out to have a play.

The first couple turned out crap as it has been so long since I used them I forgot how to get nice crisp impressions.

I did get there in the end though.
I used a basic happy birthday folder for this card then inked it gently with salvaged patina distress oxide.

I cut out the sentiment with a die from lawn fawn, once in white and again with patterned paper from Rosie's Studio.  I added some sequins, matted in the same patterned paper and called it done.

So easy and turned out pretty cool I think.

Thanks loads for dropping by
Lou

Hey there Foxy

I have been making cards a pretty long time, since September 2007 to be precise, and I have just had a giant epiphany, I love orange and yellow on a card.  
All of my favourite cards over the years, probably 80% percent have this colour combo.

To make this card I used the Avery Elle Sending Hugs Stamp and die combo.
I love this set as it cuts the envelope separately so you can tuck your selected animal image inside.
The background was make with a lawn fawn layering stencil which I have lost the packaging for, but it is pretty recent.  I used die inks from SU for the layering, blending with makeup brushes which look exactly like ink blending brushes and cost a quarter of the price of repackaged, branded ink tools.
I am all for buying original stamps and dies, but when those same companies buy cheap tools, brand them and sell at an enormous mark up, I am not so keen to buy those!

So yup, that's my card.
Thanks for dropping by,
Lou

 

Beary Cute Wishes

 Todays card is the second that I made with my practice backgrounds.
I like the sky colour on this one a lot better.

The image is from Penny Black and is called Balloon Ride.

Coloured with copic markers and cut on my scan n cut.
Cloud stencil is from MFT and hill stencil is from Kraftin Kimmie's

Thanks for popping by 
Louise