I spy ... with my little eye ....

.... Something beginning with "B" ... That's what we were asked to use for this week's One Stop Craft Challenge #61, so I couldn't resist using my brand new Lili of the Valley Teddy Bear with Bouquet, BasicGrey paper, BasicGrey opaline pearls and pearl Brads :-)

I also spied several other challenges that I tried to incorporate into this card. I followed the fab sketch for this week's Sketch Saturday #84

I also used a few of my favourite things ... as Crafty Cardmakers #11 wants to know what were our fave new products and/or techniques for 2009. Well I have lots, but would have to include use of multiple flowers with spacers and Leone Em punched leaves - it just adds so much more dimension and interest to the card (as well as postage charges lol!!) Also during 2009 I discovered Hobbycraft raffia lace, which I just love to weave with narrow ribbon to co-ordinate with my papers!

I also used some new items of stash for this card, which puts it into the frame for a few more challenges. My LotV teddy stamp was a Secret Santa gift from a group of crafty friends (awww!); and I bought my "labels 4" nesties several weeks before Christmas but bizarrely have never used them until now! So I would like to enter this card for
Stamp Something - New Somethings
Fussy & Fancy #1 - New
Papertake Weekly - New Beginnings (can include something new on the card :-) )

I also decided to make a Thankyou card to enter for Totally Gorjuss Challenge #11, now that cards don't have to always contain a Gorjuss Girl stamp. Last but not least, I have done a bit of smudgy distressing on the edges of the image, in line with the challenges from Corrosive #46 and from Creative Card Crew #42 ... and yay!! I've just popped over there and discovered I've been picked for their DT call - woo hoo! So I guess I'd better enter this challenge whilst I still can lol!

Edited: Thursday morning (7/1) I have spotted that the new LotV challenge #44 is Thankyou. Now I know that backlinking is naughty and I never normally do it .... but seeing as this card was posted only a few hours before the challenge started, it is my first ever LotV card using my adorable first ever LotV stamp (first of many I hope!!) , and LotV is a "fun" rather than a "prize" challenge this week ... I hope they'll let me share it ;-)

Recipe:
Main image: Lili of the Valley teddy with bouquet, watercoloured and decorated with Stickles and BasicGrey pearls;
Sentiment: Penny Black "Salutations" transparent set;
Paper: BasicGrey "two Scoops";
Supplies: Flowers by Petaloo and Woodware; raffia lace from hobbycraft; pearl brads and spacers from The Hobby House; dragonfly brad , ribbon & corner peel-offs from my stash;
Tools: nestabilities "labels four"; Leone Em "Ash Family" punch; Fiskars paper trimmer "Victorian" blade.