Three Challenges

The SBS Challenge for this week was to use ovals on your card. What a great excuse to get out my CM Custom Cutting System again. (I really do think this is the best cutting system you can get.) When I saw that Nerine's Layout challenge for this week also included an oval I was tempted to make one card to cover both challenges but I got on a roll this afternoon so I have two separate ones. All these cards use watercolouring techniques. I have used Watercolour paper from SU for my watercolouring. I find it is far superior to other watercolour papers I can buy in our limited shopping centre and Whisper White cardstock just doesn't work half as well.

The first card (below) is for the SBS challenge. The stamp is from Big on Spring. I was practicing watercolouring using the Stampin' Write markers. I'm afraid I didn't do a very good job of staying within the lines! The main colour is Real Red. I wanted to make a Valentine's Day card but it took ages to choose a background. This DSP is from East Coast Prep. I was worried that it was too bright but my husband assures me that it isn't.

After that card I did stick to Nerine's layout. I only recently purchased Sassy Stems and I am loving it! It is fabulous to watercolour - using Watercolour Wonder crayons or Stampin' Write markers with an Aquapainter. The colours here are Always Artichoke, So Saffron and Regal Rose, all from my favourite SU colour family - Rich Regals. I usually mix up my colour families but today I felt like sticking within the one family. The DSP is from the Le Jardin pack. I roughed up the edges of the ovals using the Cutter Kit.

Now for a third card I made this afternoon. This one used the Friday Sketchers sketch # 37. Again I stuck with colours from one colour family - this time Earth Elements. I used Sassy Stems again! The flowers are coloured using Watercolour Wonder crayons and an Aquapainter with Summer Sun, More Mustard and Pumpkin Pie. I traced the flower stems with Old Olive and then coloured the vase very lightly with Not Quite Navy. The base cardstock is Not Quite Navy. I used Pumpkin Pie DSP from the Bali Breeze pack for the bottom half. Over that is More Mustard textured cardstock. The ribbon is Old Olive 5/8' grosgrain. The image is mounted on Old Olive cardstock with Stampin' Dimensionals. The buttons are from the SU Earth Elements buttons mix. I tied a small piece of Linen thread through them before adhering them with Crystal Effects.

Whew, what a productive afternoon! You know, I might just keep going into the night. I cooked a very good steak for dinner tonight and becuase I cooked I don't have to wash up! Look out for more creations tomorrow!