Where is spring???

I thought it was coming, especially with last week's good weather, but it has turned back to gloomy dark and most of all, very rainy weather now. I want spring to come!! Like yesterday. Pretty please?? I miss being able to sit outside and have my coffee after lunch there. We are lucky enough to have a south west facing garden, but right now, there's not too much to enjoy there.... Hello spring??? Can you come please?
This card I made following a sketch on one of the yahoogroups I belong to. I was soooo in the mood for bold colors! The text at the bottom means "congratulations" so it's a card for many occasions. Also, a challenge on another group was to use the new things you bought at the ArtSpecially show, and that's where I scored the flower brush stamp from Hero Arts.

The printed papers on the card both come from one of those little 6x6 pattern paper pads that I just had to have, just coz it was so cheap. You know? I know you know!! LOL
But now I find myself struggling finding a good use for most of the papers. They look...umm, how should I put this? Some are just ugly, some are strange colors and difficult to match with other things. So I decided to dive in anyway and use some of it. The text paper is from the same pad, and by cutting the vertical strips in 2x6 and cutting text strips, I had enough to make 3 of these cards. :-))
And actually, I quite like the result. The colors are bright and remind me of how my garden should look soon if the weather clears up. I've used a new acquisition. I've used some older papers that I found hard to work with. All in all, I'm pretty pleased.
What do you think of it? And how's the weather where you are??

Hugs,
Wezz

Happy Halloween!

We don't celebrate Halloween as much, but I know this is a big thing for my US friends, so Happy Halloween to you! Celebrate and enjoy! (oh and share the candy, will you?? LOL)

Here's a funny Halloween card I made a while ago with a Frankenstein stamp that I got at the StempelMekka this last September. It's a stamp from StampFrancisco. The text is from Stampin' Up! I thought those two stamps were like made for each other. ;-))


This was the first card ever I made using my Derwent pencils. I love coloring with these and then the blending part. It's far from perfect, but I like the way I did this image. If you have any tips on improving my skills, please do let me know! I'm always all ears to learn new things! :-))

On the DWYTter blog they're already on sketch number 5, but here's my card for sketch number 4. Only one this time, as I was in too much pain this last week to do more.


The bird stamp is from StampAttack, also an acquisition from the StempelMekka this year. It's a stamp with loads of possibilities, and I have more ideas with this so I haven't put it away just yet.

Let me know what you think of my newest creations, okay? The comment section is now open. :-))

Hugs,
Wezz

More challenges

Besides trying to use up some scraps, I have an extra challenge. Due to a bad fall from the stairs on holiday (on day 2 believe it or not) we had to cut our trip short. Radiology shows shifted disks and a fractured vertabrae. I can't lift anything, I can't bend to pick something up, there's a whole range of movements I just can't do right now. Rest is all that can help me to recover from this. Sooo, that means I can't go through the house looking for special items to put on my cards, or that special ribbon that I know is in the box on the top shelf of the closet. No, I'm limiting myself to what's on the kitchen table. Okay, I do have a choice there as one of the things I have there is my travel stamp box which includes small ink pads of different types in different colors, scissors, brads, ribbons, double sided tape, glue, atc card blanks, waterbrush, gold foil pen, several stamps, acrylic block and lots more. Thank goodness I mostly work with unmounted stamps! I can fit lots of them in there. LOL
Of course all the ordered stuff that comes through the mail now stays on the kitchen table too at this time so I can play with that too if or when I'm feeling up to it. Heheh. I can't work on cards for long though coz I also hurt my tail bone. Bad. Working with sketches and knowing I'm using up some scraps does help to make nice cards when I need to take my mind of all the pain.

This week I worked with sketch number 3 from the DWYTter blog. Here are some of my cards. As usual, some are adapted to suit other sized cards.


For the first cards I stuck pretty much to the original design, except that I didn't make square cards. It was just a minor change really. And hey, look at that! My first Christmas cards for this year!! Woohoo!!

Now I know the intent was to use up scraps, so why on earth did I even feel compelled to use the inside of an envelope that came with yesterday's mail?? Yep, the purple layers under the flower squares are from that envelope. Like I don't have enough paper to use!! Geesh!

This card is a bigger change as I wanted an upright card. So I played around with the different elements until I got a design I liked. I think this is my favorite of this set. :-))


Smaller cards, so less squares. Still pretty though. And if you hadn't noticed yet, I love inking the edges of my papers, especially if they are structured papers. :-))
Stamps used are all from Stampin' Up! (and yes I know, not unmounteds! LOL)
Let me know what you think of my new set of cards!

Hugs,
Wezz

Just One Sheet

How many cards can you make with just one sheet of patterned paper?
Well, here's my try on my personal challenge to use some of my stash! (again, for the umpteenth time, but that's besides the point... LOL)
For the layouts of the cards I used the first sketch of the new dutch blog "Don't Waste Your Thursdays" or, as we like to call it, the DWYTter blog. It's about using up your scraps while making stamped cards and participating in the sketch challenge at the same time. For now, I still like it and think it's fun. Don't know how long I will keep this up though! They're already on sketch 3 and I'm still stuck on the first! LOL
We'll see.
But, here are my cards with the pattern paper. Using just one sheet. Enjoy. :-))


The sketch was for a square card, but those cost double in postage to mail here in Belgium, so I adapted the sketch to regular sized cards.


Hey, my sheet of patterned paper took me through 4 cards!! Four! Wow, I love this! I may do this more often.
***edit 21 Oct.: actually this one sheet took me through 6 cards and an ATC, but the "others" didn't make the grade to be put on the blog.... Still happy with the results though!***

I did make another square card following sketch number 1, but using another patterned paper.


Stamps used are all from Stampin' Up!
Let me know what you think, okay? I'm always interested to hear your opinions! :-))

Hugs,
Wezz