DCM - Floral Focus

Well everyone, how are we doing?

What a rollercoaster of a week it has been for so many now that the UK is lurching from one development to another as the days pass.

I'm in a very lucky position compared to so many in that I work from home, I'm not on the front line, and I can do my bit through social distancing and staying home.

If work continues to be super quiet I have lots of things to keep my mind occupied, however I seem to have achieved very little this week while it's been quiet and I think a lot of that has to do with getting caught up with events on Facebook, news sites, and e-mail updates coming in from retailers and other companies about what is happening and how they are dealing with things.

While this is all going on I'm determined to tackle some things on my to-do list, including some actual craft projects!

But in order for my creative mind to focus and just go with it, it also needs to be in a relatively calm place. ;)

When you're self-employed and not salaried there is always the worry that the work isn't going to be there for some time, shock horror I may end up having to do my accounts BEFORE summer, a task I usually only do when I can't put it off any longer! 

But yes, I'm hoping there will be some balance and there will be enough work to keep that side of things ticking over, but some time to just enjoy a book, make cards, keep working on my stitching projects, and possibly do a bit of spring sorting is also welcome.

But enough about all that!

This week's dare was dreamt up in my mind weeks ago and I think now more than ever we need to fill our feeds, screens, and spaces with uplifting things, happy colours, and the things we love.

So over on the Daring Cardmakers blog I'm challenging you to go full on floral with your card projects this week. Whether backgrounds, die cuts, pre-made flowers, patterned papers... there's so much scope for so many different looks!

For my card I was inspired by the classic floral colours of spring and the fact that my lovely order from Seven Hills Crafts arrived yesterday afternoon containing the new Kiddie Pool ink from Lawn Fawn. You'll see that used as the main background colour on my card:

Stamps: Concord & 9th - Blooms Fill-In, Memory Box - Springtime Typewriter Sentiments
Dies: Magnolia - Zig Zag and Scallop Lace Border (r), Sizzix - Flower & Leaf #3 (r), Waffle Flower - Lacy Layers 1 (r)

I stamped the main background floral print on Ivory cardstock from Simon Says Stamp - love the smooth texture of this card and it's a great shade for a pretty off-white neutral that provides some great contrast against white cardstock when you use the two together.

I stamped all the fill-in elements with a stamp block rather than line them up carefully in the Misti for a change.

Once my background was done, I cut it out with the largest die in the Lacy Layers set by Waffle Flower, which has a very narrow stitch line around the edge. A lovely detail I think.

Then I stamped my sentiment on a strip of Taffy cardstock and heat embossed it in white. It's another sentiment from the Memory Box Springtime Typewriter set.

For contrast, I mounted the sentiment strip on white cardstock trimmed with a decorative edge from a very old die set by Magnolia.

And finally I dipped into my collection of paper flowers, just 3 cherry blossoms in yellow left now! :oO

The leaf die is another oldie but goodie from Basic Grey and Sizzix.

Right, I think that's everything!

I hope you all stay well, stay creative, and stay positive. x

Check out the design team creations over on the blog and please play along if you can! :D

---

Concord & 9th - Blooms Fill-In stamps Shop at: EH | MISC | SBC | SHC	Memory Box - Springtime Typewriter Sentiments stamps Shop at: EH | SSS	Magnolia - Zig Zag and Scallop Lace Border dies (r) Shop at: MISC	Sizzix - Flower & Leaf #3 die (r) Shop at: MISC
Waffle Flower - Lacy Layers 1 dies (r) Shop at: MISC | SHC	Altenew - Mango Smoothie dye ink Shop at: EH | MISC	Altenew - Warm Sunshine dye ink Shop at: EH | MISC	Lawn Fawn - Butter ink pad Shop at: EH | SBC | SHC
Lawn Fawn - Carrot ink pad Shop at: EH | SBC | SHC	Lawn Fawn - Celery stick ink pad Shop at: EH | SHC	Lawn Fawn - Fake Tan ink pad Shop at: EH | SBC | SHC	Lawn Fawn - Freshly Cut Grass ink pad Shop at: EH | SBC | SHC
Lawn Fawn - Kiddie Pool ink pad Shop at: EH | SBC | SHC	The Stamp Market - Blush Pink ink pad Shop at: EH | MISC	The Stamp Market - Bubble Gum ink pad Shop at: EH | MISC	Versamark ink pad Shop at: AZ | EH | SHC
Altenew - Four Scoops ink cube set Shop at: EH | MISC | SHC	Altenew - Summer Afternoon ink cube set Shop at: EH | MISC | SHC	Bazzill Cardshoppe - Taffy Shop at: AZ | EH	Neenah Classic Crest 110 lb smooth Solar White cardstock Shop at: AZ | EH | SSS
Simon Says Stamp - Ivory cardstock Shop at: SSS	Hero Arts - White embossing powder Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC | SHC	Ranger - Multi-Medium Matte adhesive Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	3M Scotch double-sided foam tape Shop at: AZ | EH
EK Success powder tool Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Lawn Fawn - Stamp shammy cleaner Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC | SHC	MISTI stamping tool Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC	Sizzix - Big Shot machine Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC
Tim Holtz - Tonic guillotine trimmer (small) Shop at: AZ | EH | SBC

Comments

[Robyn O]

Such a pretty card Nat, loving those soft pastel colours for the background to display that sentiment strip and show off that gorgeous yellow die cut flower (love that background stamp by the way) - fabulous card and challenge - Robyn