Dynamic Duos & Blooming With Kindness II

I shouldn't get ahead of myself.  I had planned on just one post today, then follow up posts with cards from Blooming With Kindness, but then I saw the Dynamic Duos challenge.  Oh brother.  I couldn't help myself.  The challenge this week was Marina Mist & Basic black.  I just happened to have made another card with these colours this weekend (which I loved) but for a challenge post, I needed to step it up a notch so I made this one.

I really like non-traditional shaped cards but never seem to make them.  This seemed the perfect opportunity however.  It's a little tough to get it to stand (had to use a nail hole in the post to hold it up!), but I think the fun shape gives it just that little bit extra.

Now I'll have to update the other card with a different colour scheme since I also did masked sponging on it as well.  Something to do tomorrow I guess. :)

Dynamic Duos - Crumb Cake & Early Espresso

I have a bunch of work to do today.  That means that I'm feeling really creative and spend the whole morning in my craft room instead of doing what I should be doing.  I can't help it - especially when Dynamic Duos posts one of my favourite colour combinations. 

You can never go wrong with Crumb Cake.  It provides a lovely contrast for Early Espresso.  I've been wanting to use this stamp for a while, but it doesn't leave room for a whole lot else on the card, and I was having trouble finding a background that I liked for it.  Alas, this morning I was inspired (or procrastinating - your choice).  The texture and matting of this card provide a nice balance for such a large sentiment.

I knew that I wanted to give this card to my Mother-in-law, but I also wanted something else to slip in with it.  This little bookmark is the perfect thing.  Well, it's not little, but it's lovely.  I decided to stick with the colour scheme here as well.

These gigantic paperclips make perfect bases for flower bookmarks.  I have a feeling I'm going to go on a binge making these type of flowers, so stay tuned for a picture tutorial on how to make them.  The picture doesn't really do it justice.

Dynamic Duos #12

 I LOVE Poppy Parade.  I almost cried this year when it left the colour circuit.  Oh well.  I'm still hanging on to my supplies in case they ever bring it back (which I'm desperately hoping they will do).  Anywho, the challenge at Dynamic Duos this week is black and Poppy Parade, with a side of punches, if you please.

I must say that I haven't really used the Blossom Builder punch a whole lot.  I've had it forever, but it just isn't one of my go-to punches.  However, I've been seeing a bunch of theses decadent flowers lately so I pulled it out today to give it a shot.  It was a little time consuming, but well worth the effort.  I think I might bring a stack of paper in next time I'm watching a movie and make a few more.

The lovely flourish in the background is from Everything Eleanor.  I'm a lover of everything flourish (I even have a tattoo of a butterfly, the wing pattern of which is a bunch of flourishes).  They are simple yet elegant, and match many different styles of images.  Rather than just stamping the background like this, which would have been lovely too, I decided to use the delft tile technique.  Just adds another little extra.

Well, back to homework for the day.  Reading about Freud's psychoanalytic theory gets a little dry after five hours of it....

Dynamic Duos #9

I love Crumb Cake - who doesn't?  I usually use at least three colours when making my cards, so picking only two this time for the Dynamic Duos challenge was certainly a challenge for me.  However, you can pretty much pair anything with Crumb Cake, knowing it's going to turn out lovely.

As I'm typing this post, I'm looking at the Stitched Satin ribbon I've got on the desk right now and thinking I've got another combo to try out.  Will update this post later if I have time!