Soggy Sunday.....

....and a miserable weather day here, with lots of dampness and clouds and a forecast of heavy rains and wind!  YUK!!  Not my kind of weather, but I know we need the rain badly, so I'm trying to focus on the upside.  It's also one of those days that I can also spend lots of time in my craftroom and not feel like I'm missing something by not being outside...!!  I'm very happy and content staying in today and having a lot of fun being creative!

     I have a few new cards to share and both of these were inspired by a variety of new challenges and also by the die-cut class I've been loving.   I have been trying to use my die-cut in different ways to make some different style cards.

    My first card today was one that was inspired by two different challenge, the first challenge was a new Monochromatic Challenge being hosted at Crafting by Designs.   I also incorporated that inspiration along with today's new Sketch Challenge over at OWH's Star and Stamps Blog.    This is a copy of this sketch that I used in my card design --

Sketch #118

My Card

   

Cardstock -  Stampin' UP, Basic Grey-Oliver and

Tim Holtz - Kraft-core Nostalgic Collection

Sentiment - Digi Sentiment - Rainbow Echo Designs

Bling by Hero Arts

Spellbinder - Circle and Scalloped Circle Dies

Black Hero Arts Ink

   My second card was also inspired by my Die Cut class, as well as today's new CAS Challenge over at The Outlawz Challenge Group.   This week is Anything Goes, which is always fun and I had a lot of fun creating this card.

      

    I started by using the left over "negative" space (now a window), that was left in the olive green cardstock after cutting out the scalloped circle for the card above.   I then simply adhered some patterned paper behind the cut-out and created a border with two circle Nestie Dies in another contrasting cardstock.   Next, I added some mini burgundy flowers from my stash and added them to the center, and tied that in, by added the burgundy and white polka dot papers, all from the same Basic Grey Oliver Paper Set.

   As you can see I'm still playing around with some fun new photo editing software, which I am really having fun with.  Its' called PicMonkey and is totally FREE and super easy to use.  Not only is it free and easy, but it has loads of wonderful features and I used one of the frame features on the card photo above.

  This is my card before I made those edit and added my watermark -- all those changes were easily done in PicMonkey.   If you are one of those who had used Picnik and are now looking for a replacement, I really think you'll enjoy PicMonkey! 

Cardstock - Stampin' Up and Basic Grey - Oliver and

Tim Holtz - Kraft-core Nostalgic Collection

Spellbinder Circle Shaped Nesite Dies

Fiskars Scalloped Edge Punch

Fiskars Paper Trimmer

Flowers are from Prima

  And that's it for now, but I may try to come back later and see what else I can create today!   Today is my one day this week from the class and I already miss it.  This week we will continue to learn all kinds of new Die Cutting tips and hints and then next week we start working with the Silhouette Machines!   If you want to join in you still have lots of time!   Come and Create with me at 'A Cut Above'.