Simon Says ... Thank You

More surfing for crafting inspiration led me to Simon Says Stamp & Show, and this week's challenge. We don't celebrate Thanksgiving as a special day in Australia, and it's not autumn/fall here either, so my creation is more reflective of spring than others.

This card was created over a number of weeks and for a number of reasons - the manila tag was one of my experiments with blending Distress Inks (I am particularly fond of this colour combination) which was overstamped in the same inks in an attempt to create a background effect; the butterfly was one of a number I made in a session with my daughter some months ago using Cuttlebug die and embossing folder, coloured with chalks and embellished with gems (we shared the butterfly colony - hers are spread around the house giving cheer wherever they are; mine are hidden away in a drawer waiting for the "right" project); the MM notepaper was ripped out of the pad months ago and has been sitting on the desk since then also waiting to be used.
And earlier this morning, the "right" project was born after checking out Simon Says! I stamped "thank you" in bark, embossed with clear embossing powder, added the Chatterbox ribbon, unknown flowers and bead ... and this is the result.Thanks for the inspiration, Simon Says Stamp & Show.

Sunday Stamper - Faces

Searching for crafting inspiration, and looking for techniques on the use of Distress Stains, I found Hels Sheridan's blog and last Sunday's challenge. I have one or two face stamps which I have never used, so I decided to take up the challenge and this is my creation. I used a tag sponged with Distress Inks, stamped my lady in archival ink and added background stamps, coloured her eyes and lips with watercolour paints, added a flower, some trinkets coloured with alcohol inks and beaded ribbon and volia! One of my first creations in a long time.
Thanks for the inspiration Hels.

[I have no idea why she is sideways ... I took the picture right way up, and it displays on my computer screen right way up but when uploaded here, she is sideways ... The ways of the computer.]