Cute and Grunge!!!

Hi!
I hope you have all had a lovely weekend! Here in the Diaz-Kaleem household we are back to our post-holiday routine.... Alaia is back to nursery today and hubby is back to work. I'm just trying to get in the rut again.... (not happening yet...) I guess I have a bit of post-holiday blues... all the pre-Christmas excitement, preparations... it all went too fast!!!! And I've made the point of not taking my Christmas tree down yet..... In Spain today it is still Christmas!!! although we don't celebrate it here in the UK, in Spain The 3 Wise Men brought the presents to children last night... So I can't really take my Christmas down until at least tomorrow.... I say with a very very sad face..... I wish it could be  Christmas everyday! (this is now turning into a song...)

So on to today's card!!!!!

I really love the card I'm showing you today...

I've tried a new style for me, "grunge". I hope I have accomplished a grunge look! when trying to achieve a look, there are so many things to consider, and so many interpretations! I distressed a lot, I went a bit crazy!!! I got the Tim Holtz Paper Distresser for Christmas and I love it! and for me, in cardmaking, Tim Holtz = grunge! More Tim Holtz in this card: the Weathered clock die, and the Distressed Ink pads in Tattered Rose, Tea Dye and Old Paper. Some of my new crafty goodies! (not all presents, some I got on the sale)

I used a cute image... can you do cute grunge? I guess so...if not, too late for me!!!! It is Bunches by Mo Manning. I've had it for a while, used it once before, and I thought it was time to use her again....

And I am so proud! for this card, I only used scraps of paper! I didn't use a brand new sheet at all! for me, this is a big thing.... some of them are from my K&Company paper pad and from First Edition ....

I coloured Bunches with my Promarkers.

Raw Sienna, Sandstone and Buttermilk for her hair, flowers and boots.

Frosted leaf for the leaves in the bunch.

Vanilla, Almond, Ivory and Blossom for her skin.

For her clothes: Blossom, Pink Carnation, Cornflower, Powder Blue and blender pen.

Another first for me, which I am really happy I made and I will make again and again is the Grunge looking flower....  I followed a tutorial I saw on how to make a Christmas Poinsetta by Chelsea Le at Crafting Life Pieces. I adapted the tutorial to make my flower.

I used 16 leaf die cuts (I used the leaves from Marianne Creatables English Rose).

I cut them from Watercolour Paper. I soaked them in water, and rolled them. 

I left them overnight to dry. In the morning, I unrolled them, used some Distress inks at the edges and glue them together: 8 leaves at the bottom as a base, and then 2 layers of 4 leaves. I added a rhinestone in the centre... 

I'm really happy how it ended up! perfect for this type of card I think....

The sentiment is from a Ribbon reel I've had for years. 

The buttons are from Papermania and Gorjuss.

The brown dots ribbon and brad are from local shops.

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

Mo's DP2 challenge - Anything goes w/Mo Image
Crafting Musketeers # 9 - Grunge
Moving along the times - Thank you
Crafty Catz #212 - Thank you
The Pink Elephant #232 -  Thank you
Brown Sugar #75 - Use ribbon or twine
Totally Gorjuss #217 - Ribbon
Alphabet challenge - X for xtra-ordinary (handmade flower is xtra-ordinary as it's first time I've made it!) (2nd entry)
Delicious Doodles #69 - Layer up
Left of Center #22 - New Beginnings (new craft dies and technique) 2nd entry
A Gem of a challenge #110 - something new (new craft stash - Tim Holtz die and inks)
Come and get it - Something new  (New style, craft tools and handmade flower)
Crafting from the heart #4 - Anything goes/use pearls of buttons
All sorts challenge #240 - Free and easy (2nd entry)
Incy Wincy - 3 favourite embellishments (ribbon, flowers and buttons)
Polkadoodles Digi Choosday wk 11 - Anything goes
Polkadoodles challenge wk 1 - Anything goes
Crafting by Designs - Anything goes (2nd entry)
613 Avenue Create #53 - Anything goes
Through the Craft Room door  - Anything goes
C.R.A.F.T. #240 - Anything goes (2nd entry)
Crafty Hands #5 - Anything goes
Sweet Pea stampers - Anything goes
Creative Craft Challenge #26 - Anything goes
Glitter n Sparkle #66 - Anything goes
Challenges 4 everybody #37 - Anything goes
Digi Sketch - Say it with flowers (T)
Crafty Boots - Anything goes
Creative Card Crew #52 - Anything goes (3rd entry)
Open-minded crafting fun #1 - New tools or new techniques (Tim holtz weathered clock die is a new tool)

I hope you have enjoyed my card. If you have, please leave a comment, I read and appreciate each and every of them... and don't forget to follow me! :)

Until next time!