Carpe Diem ... seize the day!

By
This is my first card using a new geo bug stamp set by Funky Fossil.  I stamped and embossed one of the beetles off to one side of a mop-up stencil print from my previous tropical leaves card.  Using the same colours of distress oxide inks I painted the beetle and applied glossy accents over the body and head.  After all beetles do have shiny and colourful skin.

Who knew that beetles have an interesting spiritual meaning and symbolism. They represent hard work, progress, stability, love, persistence, colourfulness, creativity, cooperation, solidarity, instinct, and intuition. They're often associated with progress, consistency, devotion to goals and of course hard work.  I've learnt a lot in the process of making this card!

The stamp set includes some smaller hexagon stamps so these were stamped off the bottom corner edge.  To link the two areas together I added a carpe diem sentiment embossed in white on black.

I've used - A6 green card base
Funky Fossil Geo Bugs A5 stamp set
Distress Oxides - evergreen bough, squeezed lemonade, wild honey
Versafine Olympia Green ink pad
Clear & white EP; Glossy Accents
IndigoBlu Tropical Leaves stencil
Linking up with -
Sweet Stampin' Challenge Clean and Simple
Sweet Stampin' Challenge Blog

Stamping Sensations July - All Creatures Great and Small
Please grab our logo

Thank you for visiting - I'd love you to leave a comment if you have time - Steph x

Comments

  1. Sandma's Handmade CardsTuesday, 21 July, 2020

    Great design and colours. Thank you for joining us in our ‘All Creatures Great And Small’ challenge at Stamping Sensations and good luck. Sandra x

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nozomi DesignTuesday, 21 July, 2020

    Ah, now I see why you have been studying beetles! Did you know that kids keep beetles as pets in Japan! They even grow them from the larvae stage. I can't see British kids doing that! :-D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. EmmaTThursday, 23 July, 2020

      Im always learning from you @Nozomi - yep most British kids wouldn't know a stag beetle from a dock beetle - luckily my nieces growing up on the farm learn about all insects as soon as they are toddling😁 Emmax

      Delete
    2. Nozomi DesignThursday, 23 July, 2020

      Country life is the best education for kids! x

      Delete
    3. StephWThursday, 23 July, 2020

      I'm so glad Nozomi that you share these little snippets with us from life in Japan it's fascinating! x

      Delete
  3. EmmaTThursday, 23 July, 2020

    LOVE this, so different and the colours are fab, i love the beetle. Emmax

    ReplyDelete
  4. brendaFriday, 24 July, 2020

    A very cute card, thanks so much for sharing and joining in with our 'All Creatures Great and Small' theme at Stamping Sensations challenge.

    B x

    ReplyDelete
  5. TracyMonday, 27 July, 2020

    Thanks for joining Stamping Sensations with this entry, good luck.
    Happy crafting
    Tracy x

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thank you for taking a moment to visit ... I read and appreciate every comment you have time to leave. Steph x

Popular posts from this blog

Birthday Wishes Cake

By
Image
Made my own mixed media background panel for this birthday cake card with inks, stencils, stamps, glitter paste, stencil butter and embossing powder.  You might have to zoom in to see the sparkle and shine.  A favourite three tier cake with chocolate sprinkles ... yum! For the background I started by blending two DO inks onto white cardstock.  Repeatedly placed the mandala stencil on top, spritzed with water and dabbed off with paper towel to create a faux bleach effect.  Glitter paste and stencil butter was applied through parts of the seed head stencil.  Embossing powder was sprinkled over the top of the stencil butter and heated once dry.  Random stamping with various inks. Three tier cake die cut from scraps of pearlised card for the layered toppings (white layer was an embossing folder scrap) and similarly inked card as the background panel for the bases which have stencilled white heat embossed wavy lines.  Added a birthday wishes word banner die in white pearlised card backed wi
Read more

Musical Crossword ... Paper Players #387 Musical Challenge

By
Image
Set myself an additional challenge this week to combine a crossword stamp into the current  Paper Players #387 Musical Challenge  ... easy really just write the names of some instruments into the squares!  I also wanted to try the Retiform (grid) inking technique again and this is the end result. The crossword stamp was inked and embossed first before sponging distress ink along the edges of my paper masks to create several shaped areas into which I stamped musical instruments and notes using grey and black inks.  Finished off with an apt "Just a note to say ... " sentiment. I've used -  5x7 card base Scattered Straw DI on Claritystamp Theuva card Papermania Musical Instruments stamp set Papermania Mr Mister Crossword stamp Hobbycraft sentiment stamp Magazine musical notes stamp Thank you for visiting - I'd love you to leave a comment if you have time -  Steph x
Read more

Tim Holtz Christmas

By
Image
Today I'm sharing a couple of Christmas cards using two Tim Holtz die sets (Christmas circle words & festive repeats) which I've found are very versatile as many of the elements can be used all year round, a definite bonus.  This first little card has a die cut grid background and two hanging paper-pieced baubles for Dec 25th in grey and red with a splash of green foliage mounted on a grey matt layer. For my second card I chose to die cut the elements out of the white matt layer so the gold card base could show through.  I've had the gold die cut tree in my stash for such a long time so decided to emboss a tree on top for added texture and raised it on foam pads.  A lovely Christmas script sentiment was heat embossed with gold EP. I've used -   4x4" & A6 card bases Sizzix thinlits Tim Holtz festive repeat & circle words Christmas dies Mag freebies - foliage die, sentiment stamp, tree EF Linking up wit
Read more