It’s time for another Paper Adventures team blog hop! It is always such fun to hop with some of my teamies, and be amazed once again at what a creative bunch they are.

This month we decided on a sketch challenge, and Narelle provided us with this awesome sketch to work to.

I love sketch challenges because sketches are such an awesome jumping off point when you’re creating something, especially if you aren’t quite sure what you want to do or how you want to use some favourite products. I also love seeing how one sketch can produce such a variety of creations. I seem to be either of the very much stick strictly to the sketch school of approach, or take it as a vague suggestion and sorta kinda use the elements in the sketch to make something approach. I have had a few sketch challanges to do lately and I seem to be in a ‘vague suggesiton’ mood, but the sketch was still very much the jumping off point for my two cards today. I hope you can see that in the results!

My first card features a few 2020-21 Annual Catalogue favourites, starting with an inked background of sunflowers. This card feels very of the moment for me – no sunflowers yet but we do have a heap of yellow daisies that have popped up all over the place here in the last couple of weeks, a lovely sign of early Spring.

To make the background panel I white heat embossed some sunflowers from the Jar of Flowers stamp set on Whisper White cardstock, then inked over them in Bumblebee and Cinnamon Cider inks. This will always be one of my favourite techniques – I just love the magic of embossing and of seeing the images pop out when you ink over them. I layered that panel on some Cinnamon Cider and another mat layer of the In Colour DSP in Bumblebee.

For my circle panel, as per the sketch (although I’ve put it to the left side instead, because I’m a rebel like that), I stamped the jar and sunflower bouquet from Jar of Flowers and coloured it with Stampin’ Blends. I then cut it with the largest Stitched Circle die. You can see in this photo I’ve also stamped the sunflower bouquet along one side of the inside of the card as well, in Bumblebee ink. A strip of pretty stripes from the Flowers For Every Season DSP and a little handcut sentiment banner with finish off the card.

I’ve continued my rebellious ways with my second card, by placing the features to the left again. This card features papers from the In Good Taste DSP collection, which I jsut love for all the textural neutrals. Perfect for layering!

This card features my favourite whimsical purchase from the Annual Catalogue, the Walk in the Woods stamp set. I haven’t seen much shared online with this stamp set, but it is so cute. Really sweet images for colouring (I’ve stamped two of them on this card ans coloured them with an Aqua Painter and inks), and some relaly lovely sentiments. I’m so glad I bought this set and I’m sure I’ll get lots of use out of it.

Again I’ve placed the strip from the sketch behind my main panel and there’s ribbon instead of leaves behind my circle. Such a rebel.

Next up is the ever gorgeous Mandy, hop on over with me to see if she has also been a rebel or if she has been a strict adherant to the sketch. Don’t forget to hop along and see all of the creations this month, including that of our fabulous guest designer Gail Ellis. We make it pretty easy for you to hop along with this handy dandy button at the bottom of each post 🙂

Thanks for stopping by,

Siobhan.