One of my first stamps!

This poor stamp has been tucked away for a very long time..... I bought it when I first decided I would start stamping..- bought it, looked at it and until today it's never seen any ink! It's called Floral Collage and is made by 'Stamps Happen'.

I coloured the image with promarkers (even the background 'cos like a fool I'd stamped it onto bright white card.....lol). After tearing the edges I used a mixture of Antique Linen distress ink and Dove Grey stazon around the torn sides and then mounted it onto card that I think Lawrence Llewellyn Bowen had a hand in designing. (Do you remember him - he painted walls and ceilings the most dreadful colours and used MDF everywhere!)

The paler background paper is by Artylicious.

I re stamped the dragonfly and coloured it then highlighted with glossy accents before 3d'ing it. (Please click on the picture to view it full size to give honest opinions about my colouring in and shading!)

Button (which is a sumptuous sludgy green and doesn't show up very well on the pic) and flower from my stash.

Now for the challenges -

Tuesday Taggers - Bugs. This week's challenge here is sponsored by The Craft Barn - go visit!

Passion for Promarkers - 2 images (which I did with my dragonfly layering!)

Corrosive Challenges - Spring

Papertake Weekly - Open theme

Charisma Cards - Spring

Ruby

If you've not already become acquainted with this lady before I would like to introduce you to Ruby! Isn't she the coollest?? LOL

Ruby is one of several 'ladies with attitude' that are available from a brand new company called Bugaboo. I have acquired quite a few 'digi stamps' over the last couple of months but don't use them very much - I am not very good at 'colouring in' and struggle unmercifully with shading and trying to give the image 'depth'.

But I liked Ruby (and the other ladies from Bugaboo) and I wanted to try and make a card using her! That was easier said than done too............. I have agonised for almost two days fiddling with bits of different papers to try and get a layout! In the end, I gave up and opted for a simple basic layout, (and as I had printed Ruby and her friends onto cream card) using a cream card as the base.

On the base card, I used burgundy card stock, another layer of cream and then a layer of burgundy card that had tiny pink stars on it. Ruby was coloured with promarkers (blush for her face, a combo of red/henna for her hair, cool grey for her dress and purple for her boots) and I tried to add some shading. Not the best but at least I had a go!

I added some bling and some cream velvet ribbon. I don't normally scan my cards preferring to take a pic instead, but no matter how hard I tried the colour repro in the photo was not right. The cream card came out rather washed out white and grey looking, so a scan it is!

Overall I am reasonably happy with this card, I'm hoping that Ruby will detract from my less than perfect colouring/shading!

I have submitted this card for several challenges - Stamp Something's theme is 'Funny' (well I think Ruby's funny anyway!), Corrosive Challenge is to 'Go Digi', Just Us Girls set a colour challenge of Burgundy, Blush, Vanilla and Gray (am hoping the cream card qualifies!) and Passion for Promarkers has a theme of 'Girls, Girls, Girls' this week - maybe those experienced digi converts can give me some tips!