Simply Stampin Challenge - Guest Designer..... card using Pedal Presents

Nice to see you again.... shame the weather isn't better, but that's what seems to happen when it's the UK F1 Silverstone Grand Prix!!

Today I want to share with you some exciting news.... a few weeks ago I received an email asking if I would like to be a Guest Designer for the Simply Stampin Challenge blog, and of course I said YES!!! Please check out their blog, it's awesome for ideas, and they also do weekly challenges... and this week it's my turn to be the Guest Designer using this sketch below.

I have never been asked to do this, so I was so nervous... would I make a card people would like, would I be able to use the sketch or would my mind go blank!!??? Well, I am glad to say I didn't freeze, and this is what I came up with....

As you can see, I flipped the sketch. And I did this so I could have the 3 stripes as the sky, balloons and the grass.... what do you think, do you like it??? I'd love to hear from you.

Here is a close up of the main panel. I hadn't used the bike stamp (Pedal Presents - Hostess set) before and thought it would work perfectly with this sketch layout. I stamped the bike first onto water colour card, then sponged the clouds (Bashful Blue) and hills/grass (Lucky Limeade) last. I used my marker pens to colour the bike and balloons in and then embossed the bike using clear embossing powder. I love how it turned out.

 Here is a close up of the 3 panels echoing the theme.

And lastly, here is an arty angle to show you the embossed effect... (it was taken under tungsten lighting, hence the yellowy tinge - sorry)

The Ladies over at Simply Stampin Challenge blog also asked me some questions.....

1, Why did you join Stampin' Up!/what do you love about SU!?
When I first saw the SU catalogue in 2007 I fell head over heals in love with it all..... I loved the fact that everything goes with everything and the best part was that it's all colour co-ordinated, oh and there are punches to match the so many of the stamp sets - wow, SU have thought of what us crafters really want. When my job situation changed for the better at the end of 2010, the first thing I did was sign up to become a demonstrator, and I haven't regretted it for a moment. I am so passionate about SU products and I know you will be once you try them.

2, How long have you been crafting for?
I only started card making 7 years ago. But as a child I was always busy drawing, painting, baking with my Mum or making elaborate houses out of lego. I even did dressmaking, cross stitch, fimo modling but generally you can find me creating things from nothing.

3, What are your 3 desert island SU! items? (things you just can't craft without)
Hmm, just 3 things??!!! well, one would be my paper trimmer. And how could I craft without my stamps?? and my marker pens... but I'd want to take it ALL to the desert island, otherwise it wouldn't be as much fun!

4, What is your favourite SU! colour?
Oh, but I love them all, but if I had to choose.... it would be Early Espresso (I'm a neutral's kinda girl)

5, Which is your most reached for stamp set?
Right now, it would be Mixed Bunch from the Summer Mini catalogue.

6, Send us a picture of your favourite (3 max) SU! projects you've made.
See their blog for pictures...

7, What inspires your crafting creativity?
I can get inspiration from anything really... fabric patterns, soft furnishings and textures, or from packaging and colours when supermarket shopping. And then there is always inspiration on fellow Stampin' Up demonstrators blogs.

8, Whats your favourite crafting technique?
I go in phases.... but I really love embossing - dry embossing using folders and embossing using powders... and SU have just introduced scented embossing powders which are so yummy!
So, that's it, congratulations for getting the the bottom of this post, it was quite a long one... but I hope you enjoyed reading a little about me...


Thanks for stopping by and see you soon,
Luv Lynne
xxx