An In-between Post

Hi Peeps

I hope you are all feeling spiffy! I am hunky-dory, thanks. I just wanted to pop in with a quick post to remind you that our next challenge will not go live until the first Monday of the month - which for this next month  is the 7th July! So, don't panic if you pop in and see no challenge yet - it is coming ....on the 7th July!

In the mean time I just wanted to show you some work I did without using any stamps.  I usually rabbit on about things I have seen made without using stamps in various magazines, and when I got my latest copy of Australian Simply Cards (No 69) it had the usual freebie of a pack of paper in it, some pearls and a sheet of die cuts.  They are the Melissa Frances Bits of Paper set of 6 x 6 paper pad with die cuts to match. Very pretty they are too.

The magazine also had a four page spread on how to use your free gift so I didn't even have to think - all I had to do was follow their suggestions! I made 6 cards - not exactly like but similar; I have some different die cuts and flowers, and I used card from the stash, that matches the colours and bling, but altered things only slightly. The 'leaves' in card one are made by cutting out the petals of a green flower.

One of the things I noticed was that the colours in the magazine were quite a way out - the photos were quite bright while the papers and diecuts were not as bright. I also smeared around some ink on edges quite a bit more than they did.  I still have about half the papers and die cuts left over. They have gone into the stash for another time.

The black flower on the bottom left is made by cutting into a scrap piece of DP I had laying around in my scrap tray. I cut out two 'flowers' (circles) and layered one into the other.  I had fun making these and finding the stuff in my stash to step in for stuff the magazine had used and I didn't have - yes, there are things out there that I don't yet have! You can also see that I didn't make them all the same size or shape as the magazine ones.  They took me about 20 minutes each to make. 

The point I wanted to make is that there were NO STAMPS used in creating these six cards - either in the magazine or by me - ink, yes, but not stamps. So, it is not only probable but possible! I got to use stash, make some pretty cards with very pretty papers and die cuts and stretch my ingenuity a bit!! Really I think layering is the main effect here and it is not all whole sheet on whole sheet - there are lots of smallish pieces diecut and layered in a stepping motion.

See you on the 7th July for our next challenge ............ think Julie Andrews singing, think romance, think twirling.........the TWIST involves ribbons!