A Purple Thank You

Good Afternoon!

Today, I'll be honest, I didn't wake up in the best of moods.  But that all changed when the Postman arrived!  (which is not usually the case!)  A little while ago the darling Kelly told me to send her my address and she'd very kindly send me some die cuts because I don't own any dies yet.  I e-mailed her to thank her for her generosity and told her that she didn't need to do that, although it would be lovely.  Anyway, this morning I heard something pretty heavy come through the door and I figured it was a big bill - it absolutely was not!!!  I opened it up and it was FULL of goodies!  Loads of die cuts of butterflies, flowers, leaves, birds, note tops, ovals, circles and scalloped circles!  I mean, loads!  And, in that parcel was a beautiful butterfly embossing folder! 

Also, Kelly sent me this cute card (click here for more details and a better picture on Kelly's blog) It's lovely and I love those bubbles!  :)

Agh, I was so excited that I got to work immediately!

I have made this card for two challenges that I have never entered before.  The Mojo Monday sketch challenge and Jay Gee's Nook challenge.  I thought I'd combine a sketch challenge with a colour challenge.  And, as I ended up doing some embossing (surprise, surprise!) I think I'll enter it into Mark's Finest Papers challenge too.  (I had a look for the rules on their blog and I can't find anything that says that you can't enter more than once?!)

Jay Gee's Nook Challenge #10

Here's what I came up with;

I used the flower die cuts that Kelly sent me.  Inked them up and layered them on top of one another.  I think they look like a starburst - I love them!  I can't tell you what they're called though!?  I finished the centre off with some rhinestones.

I was mostly inspired by the damask at the bottom right hand corner of the Jay Gee's Nook inspiration image - so I made my own.  It's stamped in lilac ink and clear embossed.

Now, as you may or may not know, lots of panels and patterns are not really my thing.  That's what I love about these challenges, they push me to do things that I wouldn't ordinarily attempt -  that's the whole point of the word 'challenge' I guess!  It took me an obscenely long time to choose just the right papers to go together and even longer to make myself cut into them!  (I'm a terrible hoarder!)  It doesn't really show in the photograph, but the swirls in the paper on the bottom panel are pearlescent and look really nice in the flesh.  I did a bit of hand stitching on this card too - not like me at all!

I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out and I think I'll save this one for my sister as she absolutely loves all things purple!

I hope you've enjoyed your stay at my blog and I hope you pop back soon :)

Supplies:
Card:      White 220gsm; Damask Oyster wallpaper; Purple Flower wallpaper
Stamps:  Stampin' Up! - Just Believe, Bliss
Ink:         Distress Ink - Victorian Velvet, Broken China; VersaColor - Violet, Charcoal; ColorBox Cat's Eye -
                       Heliotrope
Other:     Rhinestones; 25mm organza ribbon; present ribbon; sewing thread; Tonic Studios double
                       corner punch