Stitched Flowers

I'm back again for another go at this week's "stitched" theme over at the Paper Players Challenge http://thepaperplayers.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/paper-players-135-leannes-theme.html
 this time with a Mother's Day commission - the request was lilac and I immediately thought of a couple of new PTI stamps I have and this is the result.

I stamped the embroidered blooms in purple and lilac and fussy cut adding black liquid pearls to the centre.  I stamped the leaves a few times in two shades of green and fussy cut again (wish I'd got the matching die now!)  I stamped one of the ribbons from ribbons and bows in lilac onto a white panel and then arranged the fussy cut elements on top.  I added my favourite Mother's Day sentiment (Crafts Meow Parents) in purple and finished with a few lilac gems and a matching lilac mat before mounting onto a 7 x5 white base card.

I was really pleased with the results on this one - the embroidered detail on the flowers is so pretty and the sender was pleased with this card - hope his Mum is too!

I'm also entering this into the Spring theme - birds, bees, plants over at Moving Along With The Times - http://movingalongwiththetimes.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/the-birds-and-bees.html

Inspired by Nature

I've not found time to play along with the Make My Monday challenges for a while - but this week's "inspired by nature" challenge http://mimchallegeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/inspired-by-nature.html  was the perfect opportunity to play with my new Spring Blooms stamp and die set from Clearly Besotted to make a couple of quick cards in time for Mother's Day (which is on Sunday in the UK)

For this first card I opted for the daffodil (although I think I used the tulip leaf!) and I die cut and decoupaged the flower and leaves using the solid and outline stamps together.  I stamped the jar onto the card and shaded lightly before adding the flower on top and finishing with another jar die cut from acetate.  The sentiment is from the Crafts Meow.  I added some yellow washi for a pop of spring brightness.

For the second card I suspect I used the daffodil leaves with the tulip heads!  Anyhow, this time I stamped them direct to the card except for the middle one which is cut using the die so I could position it lower on the stem.  The jar was stamped over and coloured with copics before adding glossy accents and glitter.  The sentiment is another from the same set by Crafts Meow.   As this one has the added sparkle, I'm also entering it into this weeks cupcake craft challenge http://cupcakecraftchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/cupcake-232-sparkle.html 

Pierced Flowers

This week's Less is More challenge is to do paper-piercing - I got very excited when I first read it on my phone as I thought it said piecing not piercing as I love the former and do it often.  When I looked at the examples though I realised I was on the wrong track and piercing is not something I've done much before (even though I have one of those easy sew tools).

Anyhow - I vaguely remembered an embossing folder I had that I thought I could play with piercing on so I dug it out and came up with this:

I embossed the white card stock and all the piercing holes were actually little raised bumps - I simply popped the embossed card onto a pricking mat and then pricked every bump into a hole we we have the raised flowers with the dotted swirly holes in between.  I added a little pink stickles to the centres and some clear to the hearts and finished with a matching pink card strip stamped with a Mother's day sentiment from the Crafts Meow