Oh I do like to be beside the seaside .... !

Good morning my crafty friends and welcome to Diana, my newest follower!

It's time for a new new challenge again at Lexi's Creations and I do so hope that this fortnight's challenge brings the nice weather back to the UK - this morning is looking promising here! This time, we're asking you to show us At The Beach.

The fabby team at at Cropstop are sponsoring our challenge again this week and they're offering our lucky winner a $15 Gift Certificate. Here is a little about them:
"If you’re passionate about paper-crafting whether it be scrapbooking your memories, making cards or altered art, CropStop is your one-stop solution. We offer an extensive selection of dies, embossing folders, inks, stamps and punches by all the popular manufacturers and the CropStop die and embossing folder storage solutions Pocketz Pages™ to keep everything organized. Our selection of embellishments and adhesives is continually expanding and we are excited to be the home of the colorful Ribbon Candy™. CropStop ships internationally as well as domestic. Our personalized customer service is only one of our strengths. Call or come visit us at www.CropStop.com and see what’s new in the world of paper-crafting."

Lexi at Fairy Dust Crafts has given every DT member free choice on what image they'd like to have on their cards. Here is the card I've made to share with you today:

My inspiration for this card layout came from Diane, one of my DT friends over at The Crafty Pad who made an awesome diorama card for our challenge on 10th June. So I had a play too in order to come up with this beach scene!

For each layer my card recipe is as follows:

Front Layer

·         Base Card - made from 160gsm white card, cut and folded to a 13cm by 8.5cm rectangle (finished size).

·         Aperture - I embossed an oval shape onto the card using the largest oval on my Ultimate Pro Embossing Board Snowman Delight and Candlelight, and cut this out.

·         Design Paper - is called Sand Hills, and is part of a kit called "FlipFlop-sicles" by Summer at Summertime Designs. Once I had fixed the paper to the card, I then cut round the aperture so you can still peek through it!

·         Image - is called Beach Ball Element and is also from the same "FlipFlop-sicles" kit.

·         Sentiment - is by Debbie at The Crafty Pad Designs

·         Sky - light blue chalk, having made a "mask" using the clip art on my computer to make the right sized cloud shape, which I then printed onto a sticky note and cut round. I then stuck the cloud mask at various places in the sky and simply dabbed my chalk around, leaving white fluffy clouds in a pale blue sky!

Middle Layer

• Base Card - made from 160gsm white card, cut and folded to a 13cm by 8.5cm rectangle (finished size).
• Aperture - I embossed an oval shape onto the card using the smallest oval on my Ultimate Pro Embossing Board, and cut this out.
• Sea - is paper-pieced from Blue Grungy Paper (from the "FlipFlop-sicles" kit) using the sea on my main image as a "template". I then cut this out and offset the waves from the main image so it gives the impression of moving waves!
• Water Droplets - dabbed in using my Spectrum Noir Pen in TB5
• Sky - light blue chalk and my "mask"

Rear Layer

• Base Card - made from Neenah 216gsm Solar White Card, cut and folded to a 13cm by 8.5cm rectangle (finished size).
• Image - This gorgeous fluffy water baby is Splashing Fun Ollie Duck and he has been created by the lovely Lexi at Fairy Dust Crafts - you can find Ollie and a whole host of other great images by clicking the link and heading over to Lexi's store. I brought Ollie to life using my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours:
• Feathers - GB3, GB4, GB5
• Bill - OR1
• Rubber Ring - CG4, CR11, IG2
• Snorkel & Goggles - CG1, FL3, IG1
• Water Droplets - TB6
• Outline - IG2
• Sky - Chalk in Royal Blue and Light Blue and my cloud "mask"
• Sea - is paper-pieced from Blue Grungy Paper (from the "FlipFlop-sicles" kit).

This card is for my niece who celebrated her first Birthday last Thursday - according to her Dad she just loves Ollie!!!!!

Head on over to Lexi's Creations and see what my team mates have created At The Beach. Don't forget to come back and then show us your beach themed creations! You've got until Saturday 7th July 2012 to link your cards up.

I would like to enter this card for the following challenges: 

• Challenge #103 - Window Cards at Tuesday Throwdown
• Happy 3rd Birthday at Moving Along With The Times
• Challenge #222 - Here Comes Summer at Cute Card Thursday
• Challenge #113 - Farmyard or Zoo at Digi Doodle Shop ... so Ollie Duck is on holiday from the Farm and is having a great time beside the sea! :o)
• Challenge #24 - Summer at Charisma Cardz
• Challenge #77 - Say it With Sentiments and Anything Goes at Paper Playtime (2nd Entry)
• Challenge DCC #620 - Head for the Beach at The House that Stamps Built
• Challenge #28 - Here Comes Summer at Deep Ocean Challenge
• Challenge #95 - By the Sea at 4 Crafty Chicks
• First Monthly Challenge - Anything Goes at Chalk 'n' Stock (2nd Entry)

Have a crafty week!

Hugs, Helen x