Ain't Love Grand

It seems like everyone I know is celebrating wedding anniversaries over the next few weeks and it struck me how different I wanted to make each couple's cards. I recently blogged a very modern anniversary card, but I've gone down a traditional route for this next one.

I decided to use a sketch from The Sweet Stop, as part of their SSS155 sketch challenge. I chose to work with this sketch, SSS120, as I felt it would really suit the stamp I chose to work with.



The stamp is from a retired Stampin' Up! set called Summer by the Sea. I love the sketched look it has and I chose to colour it using water based wax pastels. Here's a look at it before and after painting...

 

I've used patterned papers from Stampin' Up! and Sassafras (Indie Girl) along with poly stitched ribbon in Poppy Parade from SU. The butterflies were made using the Beautiful Wings Embosslit from SU. The base card is So Saffron (SU) and is an easel card with a message inside. The sentiment is from the retired SU set Cheer and Wishes, which I've cut out using the Modern Label punch.

The Play Date Cafe Challenge PDCC109

As soon as I saw the colours for this week's challenge at The Play Date Cafe I felt all warm and fuzzy. Their choice of Smokey Purple, Blush and Champagne is so rich and reminds me of cashmere pashminas. For the purple hue I instantly thought of Wisteria Wonder, the new In Colour from Stampin' Up! I teamed that with some patterned paper in Blushing Bride and added Crumb Cake to the mix for the Champagne hue.

I've been dying to use my 'Beautiful Wings' Embosslit and thought this was the perfect project. All you have to do is pop your choice of paper into the little metal folder, run it through the BigShot and, voila!, you have a clutch of beautifully embossed butterflies already cut out for you! I made two lots of butterflies in both the patterned paper and the crumb cake cardstock and trailed them up the card. The sentiment is from a US Stampin' Up! set called Up, Up and Away.