Poppy stamps park

I saw a card made by Olga (told you she makes beautiful and inspiring cards) here and I decided to treat myself to some of the dies she used. Only some as all the retailers I use who have reasonable prices were out of stock for many of them. I know my card is nothing like Olga's beautiful card and in no way as beautiful but thought it would make a fun card for my brother's up coming birthday.

He is and has always been cycling mad, could ride a bike before he could walk and even went out cycling on Christmas day every year when I was still at home not sure what he does now he's married but I suspect he still does. 

I decided to make my poppy stamps cottage fence card into a park and used these memory box Alessandria die cut trees.  I should say I embossed the floor of the card using a sizzix wall embossing folder before sticking the side panels to the main body. The trees I stuck them to card after die cutting, to strengthen them I added more card and cut around them . I hind sight I think I would have been better off separating all the pieces and colouring them first as this wasn't easy once they were all stuck together so please don't look too closely as I made a mess in a couple of places. I used my favourite colouring medium promarkers to add the colour.

I added some die cut birds again from poppystamps and again coloured with promarkers.

I used a mix of punches and foliage dies to cut my hedge and added some flowers again from a punch and stuck them to the fence panels.

The cycle is from Memory box and is actually a girly cycle. I experimented and cut one of the two bars and found I could lift it and make a boys cycle,not exactly a racer but you can't have everything.

I coloured the cycle again with promarkers including some metallic ones it really has a lovely shine but my photos unfortunately don't show this. I stuck to the fence overhanging the centre to draw the eye to the centre but also to give the idea of it being rested against the fence.

I finished the card by rubbing cocoa memento ink along the stones and added a die cut sentiment from Britannia dies in dark green.

Overall I love how this card stands and its just a little different. You may ask why a park setting, thought it might wind my baby brother up a little if it jogs his memory, as he took one of his girlfriends cycling to the park and he needed the toilet. His girlfriend said she didn't need to go so he left her outside with the cycles. His girlfriend changed her mind and instead of waiting till he came out went in at the same time leaving the cycles (both my brothers and mine that he had borrowed for her )and guess what mine was stolen. The relationship didn't last long as she really felt it wasn't her fault ,didn't offer to replace the cycle and complained that she had to walk home as he wouldn't call and pay for a taxi as the park wasn't on a bus route.

Not that I hold any grudges but well he is my brother and I don't get to torment as much now he is in another part of the country, and if it doesn't jog his memory well its a nice setting for a cycle ride.

Best thing about this card it fits flat in an ordinary envelope.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:-

Poppystamps blog challenge - embossing

Kraftin Kimme saturday challenge - a shaped card

Little red wagon - be a good sport

crafting when we can - use favourite colouring medium

get creative - use embossing

craft your passionn - anything goes

crafting from the heart - anything goes

OSAAT - special day