Let's Get Tropical

For some reason my blog title has been playing in my head to the tune of 'Physical' by Olivia Newton-John - and yes, I'm well aware that that dates me, lol. Let's get tropical, tropical, I wanna be tropical...'. That was so true last night when I began making this card, with rain pounding on my roof, wind rattling doors and windows and the heater chugging to keep me warm. A tropical escape seemed like just the ticket, lol. A lovely touch of escapism. 

This card is as close as I'll get to that for a while though, so I'll be sure to enjoy it. If you're languishing somewhere tropical right now, spare a thought for us winter-bound folks and have another umbrella drink. 

I'm entering this in the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge which has LOTS OF LAYERS as the theme this week and the Happy Little Stampers ANYTHING GOES WITH DIES challenge. 

Materials used:

• card - basic white, basic black
• distress oxide inks - tumbled glass, stormy sky, mustard seed, picked raspberry, twisted citron, mowed lawn
• dies - Feathered Friends set 9 (Papertrey Ink), Essential Arches (Spellbinders), Tropical Leaf Bunch (SSS)
• other - blending brushes, Big Shot, Dimensionals, craft foam, black gem, water spritzer, fan brush, Tufted 3D embossing folder (SU), YR16 & YR07 Copic markers, Wordies Sentiment Sheets (Creative Expressions)

I began with ink blending my bird using mustard seed and picked raspberry oxides. I'll admit to sneaking some Copic marker in there for the feet and beak - much easier on tiny fiddly bits. I prefer the dimension of a black gem for eyes rather than the small circle die cut piece (which I often lose anyway, lol). Once that was assembled I worked on my leaves and background, adding water splatters to both. After everything was attached on the arched background I decided I needed a simple base but with a little texture for interest, hence the dry embossing. Last was choosing and attaching the sentiment.

Hope you enjoy this touch of tropical in your day! Thanks for calling in.

Cheers

Kerry

Oh Man!

Welcome to another Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge where I'm guest designer for the month of June. 

This week the theme is MASCULINE and I've made a card for a small or still-young-at-heart boy.

Materials used:

• stamps & dies - African Animals (C.C. Designs), Tropical Leaf Bunch die (Simon Says Stamp)
• card - basic white, early espresso
• distress oxide inks - tumbled glass, fossilized amber, gathered twigs, walnut stain, twisted citron, mowed lawn
• other - craft foam, Dimensionals, MISTI, water spritzer, blending brushes, Big Shot, Copic markers, stitched slimline die (Paper Rose)

I hope you're inspired to create your own masculine project and if you do, remember, the folks at Simon Says Stamp are generously giving away a fabulous $25 voucher to shop at the Simon Says Stamp store for one lucky entrant who makes something following this week's prompt and links it up at the bottom of the Challenge Blog post. You can join up to 5 times, giving you 5 chances to win! All winners are chosen randomly, so everyone has an equal chance. 

Also make sure you check out the fabulous projects the SSS design team made with a masculine theme.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers

Kerry

Down to the Wire

Browsing around tonight I saw the current Freshly Made Sketches challenge and an idea for a card immediately popped into my head - so what could I do but create? Here's the challenge:

And here's my entry. 

Materials used:

• card - basic white, copper clay (SU)
• dies - Layered Songbird (SSS), Tropical Leaf Bunch (SSS), branch (stash)
• SU inks - pretty peacock, calypso coral, copper clay, early espresso
• distress inks - uncharted mariner, twisted citron, mowed lawn
• other - blending brushes, moon mask (Tim Holtz), Big Shot, Dimensionals, craft foam, Wordies Sentiment Sheets - Everyday (Creative Expressions), rhinestone, basic grey marker, C5 Copic marker, water spritzer, distressing tool

Thanks for dropping by.

Cheers

Kerry