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I've been on a Clean & Simple kick lately ... this one only uses one color of ink (Versafine Clair Monarch).
The Bouquet is Essentials by Ellen Mondo Wildflowers and sentiment is from Essentials by Ellen Lovely by Julie. I should have used a smaller sentiment cover a bit less of the bouquet, but I still love the finished design using this week's CAS(E) this Sketch!
The mini-challenge at the Unity Stamp Company Facebook Page is to do some Ink Smooshing. I haven't smooshed in a long time ... and as always when I rediscover a technique, I wonder why.
I improvised and added some shimmery mist to my Distress Oxide ink before smooshing and it added a lovely all-over-sparkle.
After Smooshing, I stamped the butterfly from love. just love. regardless and the sentiment from {...heartfelt sympathy} in Blue Belle ink. On of those cards that's always good to have made before you need it.
The challenge at The Paper Players is a Clean & Simple Summer Beverage ... and to me, nothing says Summer quite like an iced cold margarita with salt on the rim. Our favorite Mexican restaurant makes them with fresh squeezed orange and lime juice ... so so good with chips & salsa.
I broke out Cathy Zielske's Happy Hour Set with Verdant Green Ink ... because I have so many friends I would love to have a Happy Hour with (my *white* space for my CAS design is Gina K. Designs luscious Jelly Bean Green cardstock).
I pulled in yellow inspired by the beautiful photo at the Inspired by Challenge (Swapping the Lemons for Limes).
and the clean & simple layout is from the TGIF Challenge.
This week I am the Guest Hostess at the SplitcoastStampers Inspiration Challenge ... I chose the adorable felted creatures of Fudge and Mabel to inspire us.
I chose the wonderful Tomte Gnomes to inspire my card.
I started with the cute little gnome from Reverse Confetti Holiday Gnome stamped with my MISTI on white cardstock. Then I colored him with Spectrum Noir Markers and added an epoxy star to the top of his hate. Gnomes aren't just for Christmas.
My Gnome is for the June Stock Your Stash Challenge at Reverse Confetti ... to make an Hello or Thinking of You Card.
I used the Reverse Confetti Scalloped Squares Frame and a sentiment from So Many Sentiments cut with my Cut-Align to complete my card design (pulling in the wood grain from the inspiration photo).
I hope you'll come join the fun.
This week for the Jingle Belles prompt celebrating all of the North Pole inhabitants, I chose this Doodle Pop Santa and his little Mouse friend.
The sticker sentiment is from SRM and I added a bit of bling down the side for this week's Sketch Saturday.
A week of blogland finds:
Have a tremendous Thursday!
Many years ago, we stumbled upon Anderson Japanese Gardens in Rockford, Illinois ... and every time I return, I feel the same peace I felt that very first time. The gardens were established in 1978 by John R. Anderson and landscape architect Hoichi Kurisu on the site of Anderson's home. They were inspired by Anderson's trips to Japan, and particularly his visit to the Portland Japanese Garden in Washington Park, Portland, Oregon, which were also designed by Kurisu (we visited that garden last year).
I love sitting by the Waterfalls at the back of the Gardens.
I was at such a state of peace, I realized I only took a couple of photographs ... everything was so green.
After enjoying the gardens, we napped for a bit and then enjoyed an early supper at Prairie Street Brewing. It was in a fabulous old brick building that housed the original brewery in 1849.
We got up early today & had breakfast at Lydia's Cafe where we tried some Swedish Pancakes with Lingenberry Sauce.
Our next stop was the Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens. It was under construction the last time we visited Rockford, so it was fun to see it open and thriving. The first thing I fell in love with was the amazing Terrazzo Floors in the atrium ... it incorporated sea glass, sea shells, fossils ... so cool.
The green house was filled with an assortment of orchids.
There was some fun art too.
Next we headed outside to the Sinnissippi Rose Gardens ... what a gorgeous space for a walk. The air was sweet with the rose scents ... this area reminded me of the Rose Gardens in Portland as well.
And one of my favorite gardens was in front of the center ... I had never seen a flower bed filled entirely with oranges.
If you're ever in the area, Rockford is a great spot to spend a day.
Today we started a mini-vacation with a driven to Davenport, Iowa. We took the back roads and enjoyed a liesurely drive to our destination. When we were directed to the parking garage for our hotel, it was a little disconcerting to see that we couldn't exit some of the doors due to flooding.
Thankfully the river is starting to recede, so hopefully they will be able to start cleaning-up soon.
We checked into our hotel - The Current where we stayed in what they call an Apartment. It had a livingroom and kitchen as well as a nice sized bathroom with tub and shower and a separate bedroom. we really enjoyed the space and all of the art throughout the hotel. We loved these Ceramic Ears of Corn hanging from the ceiling with dice-shaped pats of butter.
We walked down to the Bottleg Hill Meadery that had just reopened after fighting off the flood waters and enjoyed a flight of delicious Mead. They have a wide range of flavors from sweet and fruity and sour and hoppy. I loved the Cherry made with Door County Cherries and the Watermelon was quite refreshing as well.
Then we walked a few more blocks to the Adler Theater to see the reason for our trip - Steve Martin & Martin Short. We were on the front row close enough to touch the stage, which gave us a perfect view of the show.
There was lots of laughter and the music was absolutely spectacular. We definately want to return on a mid-week day when the flood waters have receded and more of the stores are open.
The new Impression Obsession Challenge is all about Drinks ... you would think I would have some drinks in my stash ... a coffee mug, champagne glass, beer mug ... something?? But no. Clearly I need to win, so I can go shopping.
So I had to get creative and make a Halloween Card with the only Impression Obsession Drink Sentiment I have from the Monster Mash Stamp set.
I paired it with this fun little set of Die Cut Monsters using this week's CAS(E) this Sketch!
I love combining Technique Junkies Bride with Bouquet with sentiments from TJ Wedding Wishes for quick yet elegant wedding cards.
The bride was stamped in navy ink on silvery metallic cardstock. Then she was accented with gems for all over sparkle. I'm linking-up at the Simon Say Stamp Wedding Challenge.
