Challenges with patterned paper

Once I finished my Christmas cards and card sets at the craft retreat, I focused on making individual cards (mostly birthday ones) and completing challenges so I could mark off squares on my BINGO board. Today I'm sharing three of those challenge cards that I made with patterned paper. 

I really like this patterned paper with the different colored dots; it has a very summery, celebratory feel to me. And I think it works perfectly for these cards -- both as a background and as an accent. 

The top and left cards were both part of a sketch challenge. We had to make two cards using the same sketch, and if you rotate my left-hand card ninety degrees counterclockwise, you can see that both cards have the same basic layout: a narrow banner, a wider banner, and a rectangular element that goes across both banners. I added an additional small sentiment to each card and finished them with either clear droplets or gold sequins.

For the card on the bottom right, the challenge was to "scrap-lift" a layout from another retreat attendee. My aunt had made a 6" x 8" scrapbook page with a background made of different paper and card stock circles. I really liked that idea, so I adapted it for a card. I figured out I could fit six circles on an A2 card, so I started by die cutting two from the patterned paper. I chose three coordinating card stock colors, die cut the circles, and stamped a different tone-on-tone pattern on each circle. For the last circle I used gold foil. I glued the circles to a white card base, added two sentiment strips, and finished the card with gold sequins.

Thanks for stopping by!