6 into 1 will go.

I do love a challenge...and to try new techniques

so a play day is when I make a card just for that reason.

This card was made to incorporate the following challenges;

Tuesday Throwdown #341 Sketch

Shopping our Stash # 301 Back to Basics*fussy cutting*

I Love Promarkers # 334 One Layer only

Fab n Funky # 349 Lovely Ladies

The Paper Shelter # 292 Flowers

Sunny Day Crafting # May challenge : Photo inspiation

 My printer is on strike, 

so I shuffled through some old images I had already printed out in the past

and found this "lovely lady" from A Day For Daisies" for Fab n Funky.

I wanted to use the TT341 Sketch, but how to work it into the 

"One layer" challenge from Promarkers?

 I cut some masks in the shapes from the sketch...

chose some soft chalky pink inks...

 and stared inking around the shapes.

 Removing a layer at a time ...

 and then outlining the shapes with a black micron pen.

 To add flowers for TPS I used a selection of small stamps, 

and repeat stamped to give the impression of patterned papers.

 I used a mixture of Promarkers and Flexmarkers

 to first add colour to the flowered backgrounds...

 and then subtle colour to the lovely lady.

 She was a joy to fussy cut a la SOS and glue directly over the sketch.

The colour palette was inspired by the photo at Sunny Day Crafting

(a chalk board with muted pink writing),

and the hammered card base meant the stamps looked smudged

and add to the chalky effect of the inks

The swirly handwritten look to the sentiment also works for 

Sunny Day challenge inspiration :D

Now go play!!!

XXX

Last 2 catch-up pages!!

I'VE CAUGHT UP!!! YAY ME!!!

Admittedly the products I use are much faster drying than some of the stuff the others are using, and I don't go out to work so I have more time, but to be honest I think it's because my imagination needed a really good blowout :D

Page 6 Crush: brief but intense infatuation. I struggled a bit with this one, until I decided to make a page about my "secret love". Woooooooo.... I hear you gasp :)

Now nothing has ever come of this "crush", and many of my hubbies work colleagues now about it and tease the poor chap at every opportunity(crush victim, not hubby). In fact, every time hubby meets him(through work), he stares him straight in the eyes, smiles and says "Gina sends her love".

I liken "Him" to Sir Lancelot, with hubby in the role of King Arthur, but instead of Guinevere I play the role of The Lady of Shalot(I was sitting at my window sewing when I used to see him afar). It all makes sense if you read the poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson.

The Lady image is"Star Flower Girl" from A Day for Daises, I wasn't going to use any digi images in this journal, but she was so perfect for this page.

Page 13 FOOLED: Darcy asked what is your fav joke!!!! Very dangerous ground haha! So I picked one that held memories of a great night out, much drinking and silliness. This joke won the evening, as well as getting us thrown out of the pub for being too noisy(those were the days...)

I used Darcy's "heat a babywipe til it screams" method to produce the pink lumpy thing :D

Sigh! Oh for those simple days.... when really(and I mean REALLY!!) bad jokes made you spit your cinzano out hahahaaa!

Enjoy XXX

Blowing in the wind

Couldn't wait to share this gorgeous image I chose as part of my prize for winning last weeks Do You Stack Up challenge. She is called "Wind in my Hair" and is from A Day For Daisies

I chose her for Prairie Fairy Friday Challenge#120, inspired by a song. This image brought the song "The answer is blowing in the Wind" to mind. You know, the one that starts "Where have all the flowers gone?", which lead nicely to One Stop Crafts challenge#120 Spring Flowers and All Sorts Challenge#92 Make your own Flowers.

So, while I was making my own flowers(stylised daffodils), thought I might as well make my own buttons for Delicious Doodles challenge#14 :D

Now all I needed was a sketch, so I went for Stamping Vacations Build a Sketch challenge. This is quite a useful challenge if your ever stuck for layout ideas, as they have a set list of layering elements and just give your a selection to work with.

The dp's are from Paper Artsy's Rum n Raisin collection, edged with Tim Holtz Mustard Seed ink.

Enjoy :D XXX

PS We have a fab new challenge starting at Creative Cowgirls Tomorrow, so don't forget to drop in and check it out :D