The Flower Challenge #63 Christmas

I hope those of you in the UK kept warm, safe and well with storm Arwen last week. Mum up in Cumbria was without power (and therefore heating) for 23hrs. She was self isolating prior to cataract surgery so couldn’t/wouldn’t come and stay with me. Not great when she’s in her 80’s, but so lucky compared to others who are still without power. I took her for her surgery (which went well) and was shocked that in the 4 miles to the hospital, I could see that 4 trees had come down blocking the main road, no wonder the power had gone out!

Anyway, enough waffling, down to the important stuff! It’s time for our December challenge over at The Flower Challenge and this month we want to see your Christmas flowers. 

I used a stamp from the A5 Aall and Create stamp set #560 Jolly Elements. I used my inktense pencils and decoupaged up the flowers adding glitter to the edges. I love how Bipasha sneaks phrases into these stamps - “don’t get your tinsel in a tangle” on this one! I added a bit of Twisted Citron oxide through a stencil In the background. I made the word poinsettia on my old Dynamo label maker, I always forget how hard you have to squeeze it! A couple of pearls to finish (which are a better colour match in reality) and surprise, a doodled border. As you can see my doodling went a bit wonky, but I decided to embrace it as of course it was the last thing I added to the card and I wasn’t going to remake it! 

As ever I can’t wait to see what you make this month, don’t forget to check out our rules and whilst you’re there, look at the amazing cards my teamies and our fab guest designer have made.

The Flower Challenge #62 Reminder - Add Leaves

Yup, I’m back with a reminder about our current challenge over at The Flower Challenge this month we have an easy one “Add Leaves”.

I decided to have a play with my new Aall & Create stencil #138 Rosy Posy. I drew round the stencil with a pencil then got out my white gel pen and infilled all the areas, then edged them all. I was trying to give a lace type look to it. I managed to smudge the white closest to the spine of the card when folding/pressing the card base into shape! After cursing mildly, I repeated the process in front of the TV and left it to dry for 24hrs before folding this time! (I’ll probably trim down the original and see if I can rescue any of eventually). A simple stamped/die cut sentiment to finish before I messed it up again! 

As ever, I can’t wait to see your creations, just remember to check out our rules and my teamies amazing inspiration for you all. 

The Flower Challenge #62 Add leaves

Happy November! Definitely a good month for me - my birthday month and I’ve got a weeks annual leave next week.  Hopefully I can sneak in a bit of crafting whilst I’m off. If you’re crafting this month, why not join us over at The Flower Challenge, where this month we want to see you add leaves. Thank you so much if you joined us for our birthday celebrations last month, we loved seeing your amazing creations. 

My card for this challenge used some Tracy Evans stamps from Aall and Create. I stamped the main image and also some of the extra flowers separately, then used a mix of watercolours and distress oxides to colour them in. I stamped the background using the same oxide colours and having fussy cut the extra flowers, added them next to the vase base with a little glue gel. I couldn’t resist doodling in a border of course too! 

The Flower Challenge #61 Reminder - Use a Shape

I’m back with a reminder that we’re celebrating our 5th birthday this month, at The Flower Challenge with 11 amazing prizes up for grabs! I’ve shamelessly copied and pasted the details of them all below so that I get it right! 

I used some Indigo Blu stamps for my reminder card from an amazing selection that was gifted to me after a dear crafting friend, Christine, very sadly passed away this summer. I love that I’ll be reminded of the fun we used to have at Ink Buds workshops every time I use them. 

I used a kraft card base and various shades of distress oxides to both stamp the background and colour the flower. The squares were stamped on the paper packaging that came with my last Amazon order! I added a little twinkle to the petals with some Tim Holtz mica flakes, a squiggly doodled border, a Clarity Stamp sticker sentiment and job done. 5 years of making cards for the challenge and I still can’t take a decent photo! You’ve got until 8am Australian time on 26th October to get your entries in for some of our fantastic prizes, so keep on crafting!

 

We are celebrating our 5th Birthday! 

See The Flower Challenge for details and our 11 PRIZES.

It would be great if you could add our cue card above when entering our challenge. Of course most of all......have fun ! 

So this month we would like to see you add a shape on your card, any size shape will do. As well as the usual FLOWERS of course too. 

Please don't forget to use your Florals as always and as the MAIN feature on your card.

Only 6 other challenges allowed as well as our own.

Also please take a few minutes to read our rules in the tab above as you may lose out on winning a prizes this time too. Bought flowers or ones just cut out from design paper alone are NOT allowed. If in any doubt please do ask.

Just to add that you can find us on facebook and also Instagram too. Our Instagram page is @theflowerchallenge2...remember the 2 at the end ;) 

Our kind sponsors this month can all be found on our main post  HERE. Please visit them if you haven't already ;)  Don't forget we have 11 PRIZES to be won this month too!

Aileen (DT)

(For an Australian/NZ winner)

                                                               Colorado stamp sets

Alex Syberia Design

($15 Coupon)

Cara (DT)

(For a UK winner)

                                              AALL & CREATE  Passion Flower stamp set

Dee's Artsy Impressions

(Stamps set  worth $15)

Graciellie Design

($20 gift card)

Joy Clair Designs

(Three digi stamps)

Loll DT

(For a North American winner)

Pinkfresh 'Winterberry Background' stamp

Maria (DT)

(For a US winner)

   Clearly Besotted stamp sets

Michele (DT)

(For a US winner)

Pink Fresh Studio 'Floral Notes' stamp set

The Ton

($20 Gift card - applicable to The Ton stamps, dies, inks and gilding) 

Viv (DT)

(For a UK winner)

                                                        Altenew Happy Together stamp set

&

Altenew Thank You die

Our Guest Designer this month is the talented Emily Midgett from Sixth Street Sundries do try and visit her blog/Instagram if you haven't already as she makes such beautiful cards

The Flower Challenge #61 Use a Shape

It’s not only time for our new challenge over at The Flower Challenge, it’s our 5th birthday celebrations! This month we want you to use a shape in your creations and you could win one of 11 fabulous prizes!

I can’t believe that it’s been 5 years and they’re still putting up with me. Thanks teamies, you are an amazing compassionate, talented bunch. 

I rustled up a card using a new die from a fantastic small British company, Funky Fossil. I cut the die twice in black and green card, but only used the leafy part of the green one (there’s acorns hidden under the flowers!). Flowers are Heartfelt Creations Wild Rose collection and a few enamel dots for berries. I might add a sentiment inside the frame at a later date, when I decide what occasion to use it for!

We are celebrating our 5th Birthday! 

See The Flower Challenge for details and our 11 PRIZES.

It would be great if you could add our cue card above when entering our challenge. Of course most of all......have fun ! 

So this month we would like to see you add a shape on your card, any size shape will do. As well as the usual FLOWERS of course too. 

Please don't forget to use your Florals as always and as the MAIN feature on your card.

Only 6 other challenges allowed as well as our own.

Also please take a few minutes to read our rules in the tab above as you may lose out on winning a prizes this time too. Bought flowers or ones just cut out from design paper alone are NOT allowed. If in any doubt please do ask.


Just to add that you can find us on facebook and also Instagram too. Our Instagram page is @theflowerchallenge2...remember the 2 at the end ;) 

Our kind sponsors this month can all be found on our main post  HERE. Please visit them if you haven't already ;)  Don't forget we have 11 PRIZES to be won this month too!

Our Guest Designer this month is the talented Emily Midgett from Sixth Street Sundries do try and visit her blog/Instagram if you haven't already as she makes such beautiful cards. 

The Flower Challenge #60 Reminder - Use Turquoise

It’s time for a reminder about our current challenge over at The Flower Challenge and this month we want to see turquoise! 

I got out my distress reinkers for this card - salvaged patina and peacock feathers for the flowers and used them to watercolour some images from a Stampendous stamp set that I’ve had for years. I fussy cut everything out and layered it up with gel medium to add dimension, with a doodled border, a touch of glitter on
water and a few gems to finish. 

Don’t forget to check out all my teamies and our guest DT’s amazing creations and I can’t wait to see what you create. 

                                      

The Flower Challenge #60 Turquoise

Is it just me, or are the nights really starting to draw in now? It’s definitely chiller too, although apparently we’re due a mini heatwave here in the UK! I hope you’re all keeping safe and well.

Yep, 4th of the month already and so it’s time for our new challenge over at The Flower Challenge and this month we want to see turquoise! 

I made this very simple card using this beautiful lupin  Studiolight stamp from their Grunge Collection 5. Really simply watercoloured (turns out I need lots more practice at this!) and the edges distressed before mounting on a DL card. Dymo label sentiment (seriously, I’d forgotten how much strength you need to use of those). 

I’ll be back later in the month with a reminder post, don’t forget to check out all my teamies and our guest DT’s amazing creations

                                         

The Flower Challenge #59 Use a Die (optional slimline cards)

I’ve been trying to resist saying it for ages, but seriously, where is this year going?! I can’t believe it’s August already (only another 22 days until payday - I need to practice more control when buying craft goodies!). 

If you’re in a similar position, definitely join us for our new challenge, over at The Flower Challenge where this month we want to see you use dies (and if you feel like it a slimline card) as we have one of our former team mates sponsoring us this month, the fabulous Rachel from RachelVassDesigns. 

Rachel is giving our lucky winner a PRIZE of three of her amazing digital stamp sets = to approx $15.

We are welcoming back another friend too, our talented Guest Designer this month is the fabulous Therese Calvird  from lostinpaper.com do check out her blog/Instagram if you have a minute as she makes such fabulous cards.

I used Mama Elephant’s Big Best Wishes Die layering up the black and kraft card on top of Altenew’s Book Engraving stamp. I could have used the coordinating dies, but chose to fussy cut the flowers and leaves whilst relaxing instead. Super simple!

Please don't forget to use your Florals as always and as the MAIN feature on your card.
Only 6 other challenges allowed as well as our own.
Also please take a few minutes to read our rules in the tab above as you may lose out on winning a prize this time too. Bought flowers or ones just cut out from design paper alone are NOT allowed. If in any doubt please do ask.

The Flower Challenge Reminder #58 - Use Spots or Stripes

Yep, back again with a reminder about our challenge over at The Flower Challenge and this month, we want to see spots or stripes! 

I used one on Tracy Evan’s recent release for Aall and Create, Tattered Florals and the designed to be distressed looking sentiment is from her Bring on the Sentiments set. I used white heat embossing and decoupaged the flower on kraft card with distress oxides in broken china  to colour and speckled egg through a stencil in the background. A doodled border, splats of ink and some Tim Holtz mica flakes on the flower centre to finish simples! 

 

The Flower Challenge #58 Use Spots or Stripes

Yep, that time of the month again! It’s our new challenge over at The Flower Challenge and this month, we want to see spots or stripes! 

I whipped up this card using yet more of Heartfelt Creations Wild Rose stamps and dies and also their Leafy Accents set. I looked at this card after making it and couldn’t believe that I’d forgotten to shape the leaves. That’ll teach me not to rush!  The sentiment is from Pretty Pink Posh and my spotty background paper is an oldie from the sadly defunct Craftwork Cards.

As ever I love seeing your makes so please join us and remember to check out our rules to make sure you’re in with a chance of being our top picks.  

The Flower Challenge Reminder #57 CAS

Yep, I’m back with a reminder for our challenge over at The Flower Challenge and this month we want clean and simple cards (CAS). 

I have to say thank you for your lovely comments on my last card, but to also confess that the colouring is just the Altenew Book Engravings layered stamp set, which did all the work for me! 

I used the same stamp set for my reminder card, but did actually colour over the stamped image with a zig clean colour pen to fill in the white areas. I got out the washi tape again to make this card and just drew in a wobbly line either side of the tape. The little tag sentiment is from an old LOTV stamp set. A bit of fussy cutting and a few dabs of glue (including at the ends of the washi tape to secure them) and job done!

Don’t forget that this month we have a fantastic prize on offer from the fabulous Joy Clair Designs who also generously gave our DT images to play with so please check out which of my teamies used these beautiful images. I’ve copied and pasted the details below so I get it right! 

Please don't forget to use your Florals as always and as the MAIN feature on your card.
Only 6 other challenges allowed as well as our own.
Also please take a few minutes to read our rules as you may lose out on winning a prize this time too. Bought flowers or ones just cut out from design paper alone are NOT allowed. If in any doubt please do ask.

Our kind sponsor for this month is the amazing Joy Clair Designs, giving our lucky winner 3 digital stamp sets of their choice, up to the value of $25 from their store. Try and pay them a visit as they have such beautiful stamps too. The design team have been given some of their digi stamps to use also (see below our names for info).

Our Guest Designer this month is the fabulous Rachel Alvarado from rachelalvaradodesigns.com, do check out her blog/Instagram if you have a minute as she makes such fabulous cards.

The Flower Challenge #57 CAS

Yep, June... can’t believe it’ll be the longest day in a few weeks, then all downhill from there! I hope all managed to enjoy a long weekend with some sun if you were in England. I made the mistake of planning a visit to my Mum who lives on the edge of the Lake District on the Bank Holiday Monday, I turned round abd came home when I discovered the traffic queuing to get on the motorway! Fortunately the traffic was better when I visited on Wednesday and I still managed to get sunburnt in her garden. Really should have listened to my .mum when she offered me suntan lotion, Mums definitely know best! 

Anyway, down to business, it’s time for our new challenge over at The Flower Challenge and this month we want clean and simple cards (CAS) This month we have a fantastic prize on offer from the fabulous Joy Clair Designs who also generously gave our  DT images to play with so please check out which of my teamies used these beautiful images. I’ve copied and pasted the details below so I get it right! 

Please don't forget to use your Florals as always and as the MAIN feature on your card.
Only 6 other challenges allowed as well as our own.
Also please take a few minutes to read our rules as you may lose out on winning a prize this time too. Bought flowers or ones just cut out from design paper alone are NOT allowed. If in any doubt please do ask.

Our kind sponsor for this month is the amazing Joy Clair Designs, giving our lucky winner 3 digital stamp sets of their choice, up to the value of $25 from their store. Try and pay them a visit as they have such beautiful stamps too. The design team have been given some of their digi stamps to use also (see below our names for info).

Our Guest Designer this month is the fabulous Rachel Alvarado from rachelalvaradodesigns.com, do check out her blog/Instagram if you have a minute as she makes such fabulous cards.

Due to an ongoing dispute with my printer (why do they suddenly refuse to print?!) I didn’t use a sponsor image for my card, instead I used the Altenew Book Engravings stamp set. I also used some washi tape (with a dab of glue to secure it) and a sentiment die, the name of the  manufacturer being lost to all eternity some time ago! 

The Flower Challenge Reminder #56 Use Your Favourite Flower

I’m back with a reminder about our new challenge over at The Flower Challenge and this time we want you to use your favourite flower. 

I used the Wild Rose Collection from Heartfelt Creations again for my reminder card. This time I left the centres more open an added pearls and stamens and glittered them. Once again I inked and glittered the leaves from Bloomar Designs. The sentiment is from an old Lili of the Valley set. I still can’t decide if I should add a stitched/dotted border round the card in white pen though! 

As usual please check out my teamies amazing makes and I can’t wait to see what you create. 

Please don't forget to use your Florals as always and as the MAIN feature on your card.
Only 6 other challenges allowed as well as our own.
Also please take a few minutes to read our rules in the tab above as you may lose out on winning a prize sometimes too. Bought flowers or ones just cut out from design paper alone are NOT allowed. If in any doubt please do ask.

The Flower Challenge #56 - Use your favourite flower

Yep, May already and so it’s time for our new challenge over at The Flower Challenge and this time we want you to use your favourite flower. Technically my favourite flower are forget-me-nots, but I’m sadly lacking them in the stamp/die department! I therefore decided to go with roses as there are so many different varieties out there and the smell of a rose garden on a summer evening is glorious.

I used it the Wild Rose Collection from Heartfelt Creations for my card this month. The sentiment is from Elizabeth Crafts and the chipboard accent which I inked and glittered is from Bloomar Designs. 

As usual please check out my teamies amazing makes and I can’t wait to see what you create. 

Please don't forget to use your Florals as always and as the MAIN feature on your card.
Only 6 other challenges allowed as well as our own.
Also please take a few minutes to read our rules in the tab above as you may lose out on winning a prize sometimes too. Bought flowers or ones just cut out from design paper alone are NOT allowed. If in any doubt please do ask.

The Flower Challenge #55 Reminder - Pretty Pastels

 

Thank you all for your kind words regarding the loss of my Dad, they really do help. 

I’m still managing to get some crafting done and so I’m back with a reminder card for The Flower Challenge. This month we want to see your fantastic floral creations with pastel colours. 

Our kind sponsor this month is  Varadasharma.com with a prize of a gift code of $10 for digital stamps in her shop.

They have also generously provided my teamies with some digital stamps to use. Please check out the shop as they have some amazing digi's there.

I used a lovely Iris stamp by Tracey Evans for Aall and Create to make my card along with some other Aall and Create stamps and stencils for the background. Don’t ask which ones though! I used my distress oxides for the background and to watercolour the flower.

As ever I can’t wait to see your creations, don’t forget to check out or challenge rules

The Flower Challenge #55 Pretty Pastels

I’m back, my beloved Dad passed away suddenly but peacefully at the start of February due to heart disease at the age of 81. Whilst it’s been difficult, I can’t fault the support and care he received enabling him to remain at home with Mum until a few hours before he died, following a short period of being unwell, or the support we received after his death from his GP and the hospital. 

So, it’s good to get back into crafting with our new challenge for April, over at The Flower Challenge. This month we want to see your fantastic floral creations with pastel colours. 

Our kind sponsor this month is  Varadasharma.com with a prize of a gift code of $10 for digital stamps in her shop.

They have also generously provided my teamies with some digital stamps to use. Please check out the shop as they have some amazing digi's there.

I used Tim Holtz Wildflower Stems #1 & #2 dies for my card and watercoloured them in soft pastel colours. I also used a Honey Doo crafts background die that I cut out of kraft card and then backed with kraft card to give a textured background. The sentiment is from a vellum sheet by Stamps Away that I backed with white card and added on foam tape. Simples! 

It would be great if you could add our cue card above when entering our challenge.

Of course most of all....have fun! 

The Flower Challenge #52 Use Embossing- Reminder

 

I hope you’re all staying safe, warm and well x

A reminder about our current challenge over at The Flower Challenge and this time we want you to use embossing. You can use heat embossing, or dry embossing, or if you’re feeling adventurous, both! 

I heat embossed this sweet stamp from Art Inspirations in copper embossing powder twice and then fussy cut the entire wreath and also just the larger flowers. I then layered them up on a 7x7 card blank with some foam tape and a gold mat behind it. I added a bow and a diamanté embellishment to finish. Simples!

I can’t wait to see your creations, please check out my teamies fab work and wish a sad farewell to Shona who is stepping down from the DT. 

Don’t forget to check out our rules and if you can add our cue card to your post that’d be fantastic!