30 Day Challenge - Day Twenty eight. Little Ladybug

Only a few days left on Martins Mayhem challenge. I must admit I have struggled for the last few cards and I am quite behind, but determined to complete it! 
On this 28th day the challenge is to create a card for your best girlfriend!

https://martinsmayhem.co.uk/2020/04/30-day-card-making-challenge-day-28.html

This is the first time I’ve used this cute stamp set that was a host set with Stampin’ Up Sale-a-bration. It has such cute ladybirds and I love the phrases too. 

As a background, I have used an old DSP ‘Needlepoint Nook’ that had this lovely Poppy Parade striped paper. Stamping the ‘bugs’ in Poppy Parade onto white card stock for the centre of the Card, I  positioned the stamping each side to leave a central area to place the flower.
The flower was stamped in Daffodil Delight and using the Aqua Pens coloured with matching Daffodil Delight & the leaves in Pear Pizzazz ink, then fussy cut and mounted with foam. 

The sentiment is matching Poppy Parade and die cut with the Stitched Sweetly dies. A few diamanté’s have been added to give some highlights.

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30 Day Challenge - Day Twenty seven. Tropical Oasis meets Tropical Chic!

‘Be the difference’ and make a card for someone who might need it is Martins Day 27 Card.

https://martinsmayhem.co.uk/2020/04/30-day-card-making-challenge-day-27.html

I am not a person who does a lot of bold flower cards and this Tropical Oasis DSP has some very vivid images. Sometimes you need to tone images down a little and with my chosen piece of DSP with the tropical flowers, I have toned them down a little with the use of vellum paper, used as a central focal point.

To the centre of the card I have picked up the Real Red colour from the flowers in both Card stock and the sentiment ink. The centre is also decorated with Tropical Chic leaves, flowers and the whisper white Flax Ribbon.

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30 Day Challenge - Day Twenty Six. Colour Challenge with Flowering Foils

For Day 26 of Martins 30 day challenge, there is another colour challenge. With the unusual colour combinations of Blackberry Bliss and Crushed Curry.

https://martinsmayhem.co.uk/2020/03/30-day-card-making-challenge.html


I used Stampin’ Up supplies with the Crushed Curry inked onto the background of the Flowering Foils DSP. This paper has Rose Gold highlights which really seemed to be picked up by the Blackberry Bliss card it was mounted onto.

 I have again used the Blackberry Bliss cardstock on the central sentiment cut from Foliage Frames dies and stamped in matching ink sentiment from the same set, Floral Frames stamp set.

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30 Day Challenge - Day Twenty Five with Bird Ballad & Pressed Petals

For Day 25 - creating a card for a friend. Cheering somebody up, especially those that have been in self isolation during this Clovid-19 epidemic!

https://martinsmayhem.co.uk/2020/03/30-day-card-making-challenge.html

Using Stampin’ Up supplies, with paper from Pressed Petals dsp as the background for this card, but instead of the floral side I have chosen the music paper to highlight a singing bird and then layered onto Pineapple Punch Cardstock and white card base.

Using the Bird Ballad dsp, I have fussy cut a larger bird. This paper also has some wonderful decorative blossoms that have been fussy cut to go around the Cuckoo clock, that has been revamped as a Bird house using the stamp form the ‘Cuckoo for You’ stamp set and coloured with matching ink using the Aqua pen.

I rediscovered a ‘Paper Pumpkin’ set that was offered in Australia last year ‘Hugs from Shelli’ and used these sentiment stamps onto Pineapple Punch Cardstock layered with matching ‘Mossy Meadow’ Cardstock and Pineapple Punch ribbon.

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30 Day Challenge - Day Twenty Four. A Card Sketch with Candles & Confetti.

We are on the way finishing this 30 day challenge, from which I have really benefited!
https://martinsmayhem.co.uk/2020/03/30-day-card-making-challenge.html

Today is a sketch challenge and I have used a few different Stampin’ Up! supplies. I was inspired by the background paper, ‘Birthday Bonanza’ with the colourful balloons!

Working on the three front panels, I thought this card would be ideal for a third birthday and so continued with the same bright colour scheme.
I have picked up on the background colours sorting through my stash, I found the paper from ‘Animal Outing’ giving a lift to the panels without being too overpowering.

Using the candles and balloons from SU ‘Candles & Confetti’ dies in coordinating colours, I have added the candles to the three cut panels and the balloons to the sentiment. 
I was originally intending to use balloons on the left of the sentiment, reflecting the challenge, but preferred the more subtle placement to the right.

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30 Day Challenge - Day Twenty Three. Birthday Bash

A Birthday Bash Card sounds as if this one is open for a lot of fun.

https://martinsmayhem.co.uk/2020/03/30-day-card-making-challenge.html

I have made this card previously and quite like the fun aspect. Using primary colour cardstock, I matched with hats from several different Stampin’ Up! designer series papers, a really good way of using up those bits and pieces. 

Made really easy with either a circular punch or small circle die cuts and a banner punch. Finished with sentiment from ‘Well Written’ dies.

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30 Day Challenge - Day Twenty Two. The Gangs all Meer

So today’s challenge is family matters!

https://martinsmayhem.co.uk/2020/03/30-day-card-making-challenge.html

Thinking about a member of your family especially in these restricted times when we are unable to socialise and see family has been a different challenge for us all.
A few days ago it would have been my fathers 98th birthday and his craft outlet was pottery. Meer Cats was one of his projects and my brother is now their custodian! So remembering my Dad and celebrating my bothers birthday, Meer Cats it just has to be!

I have used Mango Melody Cardstock as a background and embossed with Petal Pair folder. This is a half size folder and needs to be run through the machine twice. I have secured the folder with some washi tape to keep it all in place. 

The project was originally to be portrait style but the top layer, the water coloured Meer Cats detail, which is backed with gold Cardstock, looked better in a landscape setting. Background Meer Cats were stamped in Crumb Cake and coloured, whilst for the individual Meer Cat I used Early Espresso ink stamp and coloured with a mix of Crumb Cake, Mango Melody & dip of Early Espresso.

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30 Day Challenge - Day Twenty One. Fable Friends

Animals are the challenge today, which I didn’t notice until after yesterday’s challenge, where I used a Rhinoceros! Digging a little deeper into my supplies I have come up with previously unused Squirrel from the Stampin’ Up! Fable Friends stamp set.
https://martinsmayhem.co.uk/2020/03/30-day-card-making-challenge.html

Today I have used Whisper White cardstock and with the image stamped with a brown ink, I used Early Espresso. I have stamped some grass in various green inks and allowed to dry.
With a damp Aqua Brush and very diluted Balmy Blue, I have lightly gone over the sky at an angle. I have  used various diluted green inks for the grass background. I have allowed to dry before going over both with slightly darker density of the same inks.

When using the Aqua Brush I prefer to use a stamp block, one inked and one sprayed with water. For the Squirrel main colour I have used Crumb Cake, with just a hint of Real Red for better effect. The daisy I have coloured to pick up from the background paper, I used Pressed Petals DSP.

The whole image was larger than I required so I am able adjust where my image appearance in the finished die cut. Using Stitched so Sweetly dies layered with Daffodil Delight Cardstock and Daffodil Delight ribbon between the two layers.
The sentiment is from Hand Delivered Stamp set in Pumpkin Pie and then die cut from Stitched so Sweetly die. 

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30 Day Challenge - Day Twenty - Animal Expedition.

Challenge for today is ‘Down Memory Lane’ which should give us all loads of scope, but which memory to chose that can be done as a card!

https://martinsmayhem.co.uk/2020/03/30-day-card-making-challenge.html

To be honest, I was a little stuck on this one. I got out all my Stampin’ Up! designer series papers for some inspiration. I came across the DSP Animal Expedition which also has a stamp set, ‘Animal Outing’ Both have the image of a Rhinoceros and there was my memory. 

On a holiday in Nepal we were at a local concert, when our tour guide came running in to let us know a Rhino was ‘walking’ through the village! Magic scene! Walking down the road with a Rhino!!

 🦏 🦏 

With the Animal Expedition bundle I had the choice of either a stamp to colour or to fussy cut a Rhino from the DSP. I decided on the fussy cut option and picking up on the Call me Clover colour decided I wanted a plain background behind the Rhino. 

With a white card base, Call me Clover 6 x 6 Designer Series Paper and a piece of the Animal Expedition DSP which I had cut to just expose one frog in the tree. I liked the effect of the branches on this DSP which was to be behind the Rhino image and I did not want to cover the DSP too much. 
Using the Stitched Sweetly Dies, they were either larger or smaller than I wanted, so I manipulated the die cut. 

When lining up to die cut, if one edge hangs over the side, it doesn’t get the required pressure to cut that edge. So with three edges cut, I have lined up & repositioned the die, then held it in place with some washi tape. Run it again through the die cut machine, making sure the original cut edge hangs over if the plates so it doesn’t cut.

The card is finished with the sentiment from ‘En Route’ in matching ink & it has been cut out with the Classic Label Punch.

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30 Day Challenge - Day Nineteen. Waterfront Watercolour Card

‘Seek Adventure’ is the card subject for this latest challenge, new experiences, travel,  adventure and the great outdoors! 
https://martinsmayhem.co.uk/2020/03/30-day-card-making-challenge.html

Well to be honest in this current pandemic, when I was to be away on a months cruise, I am looking forward to the time I can complete my next overseas trip. So with this in mind I have chosen to do a landscape.
I have sprayed a piece of watercolour Card, using Balmy Blue diluted ink for the sky and diluted Coastal Cabana, with a dash of Pear Pizzaz for the sea, I have used an Aqua Painter to spread the ink, as illustrated. Allow to dry.

Using the mountain stamp from ‘Waterfront’ set I have inked up with the Pear Pizzaz ink. Then using an ink dauber I have added Garden Green ink to shade and reapplied a little Pear Pizzaz with a dauber where I think it was needed. Mist spray the stamp from the distance of about one foot away to moisten and give a watercolour effect, I stamped onto the horizon between the sky and sea. Using the damp Aqua Painter I have gone over the mountain to blend, (see completed card.) Allow to dry.

I have stamped a Mango Melody sun and then with watered down ink used the Aqua Painter for the sand. Allow to dry. Using the same colours and a dryer brush, I have gone over the sand & sea in short strokes to add contrast. 
The pebble effects, palm trunks and balloons are stamped with Crumb Cake ink and the palms themselves are stamped with a Granny Apple Green. The balloons are coloured in a deeper ink with just a dampened Aqua Painter that has no water in the reservoir.
The watercolour has been die cut at the best place for effect. Layered onto Garden Green Cardstock and using the ‘Subtle’ embossing folder with Mango Melody Card onto a white card base. 
The card has been completed with a sentiment from the ‘Above the Clouds’ stamp set, stamped in Garden Green.

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30 Day Challenge - Day Eighteen. Pressed Petals.

Fabulous Florals is the latest challenge and I am not really a floral person but there are so many beautiful floral papers, I hope it will help with my card.
https://martinsmayhem.co.uk/2020/03/30-day-card-making-challenge.html

The Pressed Petals designer series paper has many flower options to choose from, but the blue flowers just seemed to jump off the page. There are small yellow flowers around the main images and I have picked up on theses for my colour combination of Blueberry Bushel & Crushed Curry.

Using Banner dies I have aligned a blue flower cluster carefully before die cutting and backing this with crushed curry ‘Regals’ 6 x 6 DSP. 
I have fussy cut a triple flower cluster from the DSP that matches the cluster appearing on the banner, along with an additional double flower cluster to highlight the sentiment.
The sentiment from Floral Essence stamp set is stamped in Blueberry Bushel onto Crushed Curry Cardstock and then die cut with one of the Stitched so Sweetly dies. The small flower cluster is adhered to the die cut sentiment.
The banner and sentiment are assembled over a Crushed Curry mini chevron ribbon and a few enamel shapes are added for decoration.

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