Friday 3 March 2017

STAMPlorations March Challenge

Hi and welcome to a post to announce the start of the March theme/sketch challenge over at STAMPlorations. I have to say it doesn't seem that long since I was here to announce the start of the February one!
According to the Met Office, spring has sprung, well the lambs are in the field, daffs are poking their heads above ground but the weather is not cooperating! What do they say; March, in like a lion, out like a lamb. Well I hope that its true, the rain has been constant this last week. The fields are sodden and the stream down the track is flowing with increased gusto despite 'remedies' from the contractors. (Heavy machinery is due to be brought onto site for the work due to take place over the weekend of the 10/12 March, including overnight pile driving!!!!!!!!!!!! It's a good job we have over 12" thick brick walls.)
Anyway the dainty little snowdrops are managing to show their blooms above the muddy morass at the top of the lane, despite the best attentions of the contractors feet and tyres. They are the harbingers of spring, poking up under the bare hedgerow, snow covered or not, so ideal for this months theme at STAMPlorations.

Here is my inspiration card using Just Because stamp set.


I went with the theme


but you could be a sketch sort of gal
or you might prefer to combine the two, its down to you!

To start I taped a piece of MM paper onto board and masked off the ground with some low tack tape.
Using a green ink for the leaves I stamped the stems and leaves then covered them with paper masks before stamping the flower heads in pale grey. Then using a drafting pen, I covered the stamped outlines with masking fluid. When dry I sprinkled Turquoise Brusho over the left hand side and spritzed it with water and some Prussian Blue Brusho mixed with water. The masking was removed when everything was COMPLETELY dry! I then used my Zig brush pens to colour the snowdrop stems and flowers. The snowy bank was given a wash of various greys then sprinkled with sea salt crystals and left to dry. The salt was removed to reveal a slightly mottled surface.
A white die CUTplorations 'happy' was added along with a white heat embossed Happy Birthday from the Balloons and Banners set on a black strip.

For more fab Spring and Sketch inspiration please check out the rest of the DT and GD here, where you'll also find all the Ts and Cs.

Here are a couple of spring lamb pics I took late yesterday when the newest batch arrived in the trailer.


Sorry this is a little blurred but they were keen to be out and wouldn't stay still!


I'd like to join in over at -


Style - CAS Mixed Media? I never can work it out!

      

18 comments:

  1. Aw, your lambs are darling, Jules! I love the sweetness they exude without even trying, don't you? We live rurally, and while we no longer raise cattle ourselves, it still is a joy seeing all the babies throughout the area. Critters add so much to our lives! Sounds so wet and muddy in your area! I'm in Florida where it is sunny and mild - but you'll have a much better summer than we do! LOL Your little snow drop flowers are BEAUTIFULLY done, and the card is absolutely GORGEOUS! I LOVE IT! hugs, de

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Julie your card is gorgeous I love snowdrops. We saw so many last week when we were driving to Andover. Thank you for sharing the pictures of your lambs. Take care. Hugs Jackie

    ReplyDelete
  3. Beautiful spring card! Your flowers are so life like.

    ReplyDelete
  4. A beautiful card Julie, I love snowdrops. Ours have done particularly well this year and are special to us as one of our very first livery customers gave us clumps from her garden. She died a couple of years ago while out walking her beloved dogs who stayed with her until she was discovered by other walkers. I always think of Jenny when they show their little faces. Anyway less of that!! Super cute lambs, hope Max is keeping them under control!! xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. Your snowdrops are amazing Jules! You are such a talented watercolour artist! Those lambs are so sweet. I hope spring starts here soon! Thanks for sharing with us at CAS Watercolour! xx

    ReplyDelete
  6. Your snowdrops are so pretty coming out of the snowbank, Jules! And the Brushos made the most beautiful sky! Thanks so much for sharing this with us at CAS Watercolour!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wonderful take on the sketch--love your watercoloring, too!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Absolutely beautiful card Jules, love the snowdrops and your colours and colouring

    ReplyDelete
  9. Your water coloring is phenomenal! What a beautiful card! Thanks for playing along with us at Seize the Birthday! Hope you will be back again soon! BTW...enjoyed your photos too!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love every single detail of your beautifully watercoloured and designed Spring card, Jules. TFS your description for your gorgeous card and your sweet photos of your baby lambs. Think Spring! Hugs..

    ReplyDelete
  11. Whoops...Thank you for sharing your card with us on CAS Watercolour too. Hugs..

    ReplyDelete
  12. Such a gorgeous card. Love the beautiful coloring and background. And your words about these little harbingers of spring were so poetic. So glad you could join us at The Card Concept.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Can I just say that I love your writing? I haven't seen morass used so well ever. haha. But let's talk about the real reason I'm here: your GORGEOUS card! You are so stinkin' talented! Thank you so much for playing along at The Card Concept.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wow! Your card looks amazing! Love your coloring and the texture you gave to the 'snow'. Bonus points for the pictures of the adorable lambs!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Amazing Card - just love it.
    Your project would fits with our challenge #3 (spring) at Do-Al(l) Kreatives! I like to invite you to play with us.

    Hugs
    Alex
    *DT + Admin* Do-Al(l) Kreatives
    Alex' Kreative Seite


    ReplyDelete
  16. Love your snowdrop card. It's so soft and beautiful. I'm amazed how lovely the white flowers turned out. You really did a great job bringing them out.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Wow you used so many amazing techniques to produce a gorgeous card!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for visiting my blog and for taking the time to leave a comment. I really do enjoy reading what you have to say.

From 25th May 2018, in line with new Data Protection legislation (GDPR) by commenting you do so in the knowledge that your name and comment are visible to all who visit this blog and thereby consent to the use of that personal information for that specific purpose. If you leave me a comment on my blog you do so in the knowledge that it will be visible to all who visit my blog. It will also be visible for anyone to collect.

I personally do not collect any information stored on my blog.

If you have left a comment and don't want it to be seen, then please delete it.
Thanks
Jules :0)