Scrapbook Boutique July blog hop and challenge

Some more cards to show you - I am now busy preparing for my presentation at Probus on Wednesday, so there were a few more cards to make just to get ready! lol - I have over 200 already!  But there's always a need for one more, right?
My first card is one with a patchwork effect - no material, just lots of squares, made with strips which you stick to cardstock, then slice across, to create this effect.  I saw it on Splitcoastampers but can't recall the name of the tutor.  It is simple but effective, don't you think?  The lace embellishment is made with a die from Cheery Lyn - Francesca border.  It is beautiful, and I think is appropriate with the other 'material' elements.

The next card I am pretty fond of - it reminds me of Van Gogh's Starry starry night - not that I'm comparing myself with him, of course, but I love the atmosphere of it.  I was given some paper that had a few buildings on it, with a large space between, and I began to cut out the buildings, and put them in the spaces, but before long, I changed that to grouping them all, rather like Manhattan (not that I've been there!).  I used Ranger's Distress stains, then some smooch (on the water).  I masked the moon area, then thought it looked too pristine, so 'clouded' over it with stain.

Last one for today, is a simple sympathy card.  At Val's we stamped this Cattleya orchid, and I coloured it with Copics, then mounted it on a spellbinders beaded oval shape.  It is good to have a card like this ready - not that we want to use it!

I did say I would show you some Christmas cards, but they will keep for a few days - it is still a while before Christmas is upon us, isn't it?