Simon Says Stamp Flickr Challenge #116

Hi everyone!! We have a Public Holiday today in New Zealand, which is strange in the middle of the week but its a chance to catch up on some gardening and housework jobs which is good. And its about 15 degrees cooler today than it has been the past few days, so nice to not be sweating every time I move!!

The current theme for the Simon Says Stamp - Flickr Challenge is 'Anything Goes' which is always everyone's favourite. Over the past weekend I stayed with my Mum and made a mountain of cards using a lot of my new SSS products from Christmas. I've been using the SSS 'Outline Floral Frame Die' for a lot of my cards lately and I wanted to see what else I could come up with. Dies like this (and background dies) are really expensive for me, so I like to see if I can find lots of ways to use it and get my monies worth:

I love the floral details of this die so much, especially in white against a coloured background so you can see all the little flowers etc. These were simple to put together and love the effect.

 For this first card I using a mini-blending tool and Distress Oxide inks 'Picked Raspberry' and 'Spun Sugar' to create an ombre look on the card front. I die-cut the die from white CS and then chose where to cut the frame die so it reached across the top and bottom of the card. I used Gina K 'Connect Glue' to adhere these in each corner.

For the sentiment I white heat embossed the 'Love' from SSS 'Stained Glass Love' on a strip of vellum, folded it around the card front and adhered at the back with double-sided tape. I then stamped the smaller sentiment (from the same SSS set) with Versafine black ink and glued in place, along with some clear jewels from Studio Katia.

For this card I created an ombre background with Distress Oxide inks 'Mermaid Lagoon', 'Broken China' and 'Tumbled Glass'. I then worked out where to cut the die so they would meet in the middle and the outer corners. I glued them with Gina K 'Connect Glue' and cut off any overhang. I then white heat embossed another sentiment from SSS 'Stained Glass Love' on a strip of vellum, along with the smaller sentiment on white CS and glued on more clear jewels from Studio Katia.

I'm also going to link these to the Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge where their theme is also 'Anything Goes'.

Better go hang out the washing and attack some of the hedges outside. The kids are just chilling out watching Netflix so I'm sure we will be jumping on the trampoline later. They only went back to school last week, so they really don't need a holiday already but they are milking it of course..... Love how they have no guilt at all about sitting round all day watching Netflix etc but if I have a day off I'm running around trying to fit in as many jobs as possible.....I need to have a 'Teenage Day off' without the guilt!!

Take care
Shona