WWC329 - Cathy's Challenge: All Things Masculine

Do you know what is the problem with having a lot of supplies?  Making a choice!  I must have changed my mind a half dozen times before finally deciding to make a humorous masculine card using one of Bonnie Krebs' delightful Sloth images.  Who doesn't love sloths?

I chose to make the card in a slimline format since I wanted lots of room under the sloth which was hanging from a branch as they customarily do.  The base is heavy Whisper White and then I've added a layer of Old Olive to bring out the colours of those little leaves.  I used my Derwent watercolour pencils and an Aqua Painter to colour the image and love the results.  To add some festive sparkle, I heat embossed a series of gold sparkles around the image.  It's a birthday card, after all.

I simply love the sweet expression on the sloth's face.  Don't ask how that party hat is managing to stay on his head.  That was Bonnie Krebs' idea.  I think the card would work beautifully for a guy of any age, don't you? 

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, November 29th, 2021.

I've also entered my card at the following challenges:

Use Your Stuff Challenge #435 - Tic Tac Toe (blue, masculine, simple stamping)

Crafty Sentiments Designs - Anything Goes

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #158 - Anything Goes

WWC324 - Kath's Challenge: All About Occasions

 Sometimes you just look at an image and know you have to get it.  I'm sure it's happened to others than just myself.  Well, this odd looking little pooch, having what looks like one too many cups of coffee, appealed to my sense of whimsy.  

After stamping the images on a piece of watercolour paper, I proceeded to choose the colours and then looked for my Aqua Painter.  I could not find it to save my life.  I suspect that my tortie, Khali Kho decided it made a very satisfactory noise when being winged across the floor and wound up leaving it under something when she got bored.  I'll find it someday but not this day.  I own seven Aqua Painters in all but this was my favourite.  I had to "limp along" using another one to finish the card.  *sigh*

I used a matte of Cajun Craze cardstock and a base of the Heavy Whisper White.  To give the card a bit of birthday sparkle, I added some copper sequins and, of course, added a touch of silver ink to the collar around the pup's neck.

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, September 20th, 2021.

I've also entered my card at the following challenges:

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #154 - Anything Goes

Simon Monday Challenge Blog - Simon Says Stamp It

WWC322 - Marsha's Challenge: All About Occasions

I love so many of the images brought out by Penny Black, don't you?  I just got this sweet little acrylic stamp set called ...so tweet.  It could be used  for many different occasions, but I decided to use the sweet image for a thank-you card.

I used the Heavy Whisper White for my base and a piece of Mixed Media paper for my stamping.  I kept it simple, stamping the image with Versafine Onyx Black, adding a couple of blooms from an old set, and then stamping my sentiment using the Versafine Onyx Black as well.  For a change I didn't use my watercolour pencils but, instead, used my Daler-Rowney Aquafine watercolour paints.   I love the softer finish this gave to my images, don't you?

Instead of using a matte which was just slightly larger than the  Mixed Media paper, I chose to cut an eight-sided matte which allowed just portions of the colour to peek out.  It was fun and I like it for this particular card.  It's fun to try something new at times, isn't it?

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, August 23rd, 2021.

I've also entered my card at the following challenges:

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #152 - Anything Goes

Unicorn Challenge #68 - Anything Goes

WWC318 - Kath's Challenge: All About Occasions

It's Father's Day on Sunday!  Of course I made a Father's Day card.  

This continues to be one of my favourite stamp sets for Father's Day.  Titled "A Good Man", the images are perfect and loving.  You can get fancy and mix it up with different background and/or fancy patterned papers, but I love the  clean and simple look for these images.  This one, especially, needs nothing more than the coloured image and these sentiments. If it's a lovely sunny day for Father's Day, the lucky man in your life will probably relax and "catch some rays" after a picnic feast.

I used my Derwent Watercolour pencils for this card, along with my Aqua Painter.  The colours are nice and vivid, making it seem like a sunny day.  

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, June 28th, 2021.

I've also entered my card at the following challenges:

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #148 - Anything Goes

Try it on Tuesday: For the Man in Your Life

The Male Room Challenge #151 - Dads  & Grandads

WWC310 - Marsha's Challenge: All About Occasions

This is the first of our bi-weekly challenges for our awesome Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.  I have to admit that it feels good to have decided to make the change from weekly challenges.  It was a matter of facing a total "burn-out" or making the change.  I think we've made the right decision.

I'm back to using an "old friend" this week.  I fell in love with the wonderful Foxes Clear stamps by C.C. Designs a while back and couldn't resist using another image this week.   

I kept this card very simple.  My base is the Heavy Whisper White and then I've just added the die-cut image and a simple sentiment.  For my image, I turned to my Derwent Watercolour Pencils and Aqua-Painter.  I added a wash of colour for the sky and then grounded everything with a wash of  brown and green, mixed.  

 But of course I had to add just a little bit extra.  After my watercolours had dried, I added some Shimmery Crystal Effects to the sweet fox's eye and then gave the butterfly a bit of dazzle with a wash of Nuvo Aqua-Shimmer.  I think it works beautifully, don't you?

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, March 8th, 2021.

I'm also entering my card in the following challenges:

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #140 - Anything Goes

Try It On Tuesday - Oh So Cute!

AAA Cards: Fame #184 - Sketch and optional twist Watercolour

WWC309 - Dawn's Challenge: Anything Goes With a Masculine Twist

 For Dawn's Masculine challenge I decided to revisit the adorable Gnomes in Fran's Stampendous stamp set.  They really adapt well to almost every occasion.

I decided to keep this card clean and simple.  For my base I used the Heavy Whisper White and then allowed a large frame around the actual image, with a Cajun Craze matte around the stamped and watercoloured image.

My little Gnome is sitting in the grass with a present which could be for a birthday, valentine's or even an anniversary.  The sentiment certainly works for any of those occasions.  It's what  gets stamped or written inside which will decide.  I love the way the Derwent watercolour pencils add so much bright colour, don't you?  They're so easy to use with a little bit of water and brush or an Aqua Painter, which is my favourite. 

 In this slanted view  you can see the shine on the silver-coloured bow.   I added a few black dots for interest.  This was an easy card to make but I love the results.

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, February 22nd, 2021.

I'm also entering my card in the following challenges:

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #139 - Anything Goes

Always Fun Challenges #201 - Anything Goes

Cardz 4 Guyz #264  - Clean and Simple

WWC306 - Michelle's Challenge: All About Occasions

I used another new House-Mouse image for Michelle's challenge this week.  It's a card I could give to a friend or someone could give to their mother.  It's just about the little things and I couldn't resist.

My base is the Heavy Whisper White.  I used a narrow matte of Pacific Point (one of my favourite blues) and then adhered the image panel.  I stamped the image on Mixed Media paper using my new Tsukineko VersaFine Clair Morning Mist ink.  I love the less intense lines around the images and think it looks a lot more natural than black ink.  For the colouring I turned to my Derwent Watercolour pencils and AquaPainter.  I love the results, don't you?

I used a brownish green to ground them and show the shadows.  The sentiment was the hardest part of the card this time.  I knew what I wanted to say but wasn't certain I actually had a stamp which said anything that was close to what I had in mind.  This was from the Stampin' Up! set, Wonderful Moments.  I think it works perfectly.

I took this close-up to show the shimmery light around the candle flame.  It's understated but shows a pretty, soft glow.  Perfect for this adorable scene.

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, February 1st, 2021.

I've also entered my card in the following challenges: 

House-Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge #332 - Anything Goes

Simon Says Monday Challenge Blog - Let's be on Time (and when Mama says it's bedtime, it's time)

Crafty Creations Challenge: January #417 - Anything Goes

WWC302 - Marsha's Special 3-Week "Anything Goes" Challenge

Oh my!  This is the final Watercooler Wednesday challenge for this year.  Just when I was thinking this year would last forever, it's almost over. Unlike the others, however, this challenge will last for 3 weeks, giving  us a bit of a break before we begin again in 2021.

I decided not to make a Christmas card for this challenge since, after all, it lasts well past that holiday.  Just for fun I played with an upbeat, purely fun honeybee set which I've had waiting at the side of my desk.  With the matching dies saving me time from some fussy-cutting, this was a pure pleasure to create.

I began with a base of the Heavy Whisper White, added a matte of Basic Black cardstock and then proceeded with the creation of the honeybees.  I stamped all five at once, spacing them so that using the dies all at once would not be a hardship.  Once I had them all cut out, I proceeded to watercolour them using my Derwent pencils and Aqua Painter.  I love the vivid yellows and reds, don't you?  To add a special sparkle, I added some Nuvo Glitter Gloss Aqua Shimmer.  

For the background, I took a piece of the Craft Consortium Light Tones Grunge paper.  Then I used my Tim Holtz stencil to add some hexagonal colours to the edges.  The deep yellow, purple and aqua shapes look great against the softer similar shades underneath, don't they?  Before placing my bees, I stamped the sentiment in the centre.  I love the way this turned out.  It makes me smile and look forward to "flying" into the new year.

 Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, January 4th, 2021.

I've also entered my card in the following challenges:

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #135 - Anything Goes

Crafty Creations Challenge #416 - Anything Goes

Creative Moments Challenge #204 - Anything Goes

The Paper Funday Challenges #24 - Anything Goes

WWC301 - Dawn's Challenge: All About Occasions

With Christmas a bit over two weeks away (eek!), I had to make a Christmas card.  Of course it features the adorable House-Mouse images.  Even with all the other gorgeous stamps I own, this year I'm drawn to the sweet and funny ones.  The ones with a bit of animated magic.  The ones which make me smile.

The image by Ellen Jareckie is called "Squirrel Singers".  I love the combination of realism and fantasy.  As always, I checked to see what colours would be best for a squirrel and the pine tree.  The mice have their own, individual colours, set by Ellen.  I love that each one is a little bit different, not just in size, but also in colour.  This time I turned to my Derwent watercolour pencils since I have a large selection and was able to get all the colours for this scene.  I love how the Aqua Painter brings the colours to life after I've pencilled them in.

I was happy to find this lovely Christmas coloured tartan paper in my stash.  It sets off the colours in my little scene perfectly, doesn't it?                                                                                  

 I've taken this photo at a slight angle so that the candle flames caught more light.  After everything was dry, I covered the flames with some Shimmery Crystal Effects.  Once that had dried, I added a second layer.  It gives the flames substance and a 3-D effect.  I love it!

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, December 14th.

I've also entered my card in the following challenges:

HM&FMC #330 - Anything Goes

Simon Says Monday Challenge Blog - Favorite Technique (watercolouring)

Crafty Animals Challenge #45 - Must Have Animals

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #134 - Anything Goes

WWC296 - Michelle's Challenge: Anything Goes With a Feminine Twist

I bought the loveliest stamp and die set from a company in Australia, the Paper Rose Studio.  It's a pretty set called the Daisy Bouquet.  I absolutely fell in love with it as soon as I saw it.

I began with a base of the Heavy Whisper White.  Then I cut a piece of Flirty Flamingo using one of my rectangle stitched dies for the matte.  I cut another piece to fit that matte, using Whisper White cardstock and then used one of my fancy scalloped stitched edge dies to cut the right side.  After that, I played around splattering some of the Broken China Distress Oxide ink over it to make a pretty background for the daisies.

I stamped the daisies onto a piece of Mixed Media paper and then used the matching die to cut it out.  Using my Aqua Painter and the Flirty Flamingo ink, I watercoloured the petals, shading them with additional layers to give them form.  For the stems and leaves, I watercoloured with the Mint Macaron.  Finally, for the centres, I watercoloured them with several layers of Pineapple Punch and then, when dry, added some Nuvo Glitter Gloss.

The finishing touch for the card was heat embossing the simple sentiment in White Embossing Powder.  I love the results, don't you?

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, November 9th.

I've also entered my card in the following challenges:

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #132 - Anything Goes

Dream Valley Challenges #236 - Dies and/or Punches

WWC294 - Marsha's Challenge: Anything Goes With a Masculine Twist

 

And we're back with the House-Mouse Designs.  I fell in love with this beauty and can see how easy it would be to use it for masculine cards, feminine cards and everything in between.  I'll bet I could even use it for Christmas.  Yes, I'm in love!

Ellen Jareckie has brought these three little musical mice to life, hasn't she?  I love their various poses and the way they're handling their instruments.  To give the card a masculine "flavour", I went with deeper, more neutral colours for my background.  I began with a base of Soft Suede and a matte of Basic Black.  The musical patterned paper is from a retired Stampin' Up! collection and is a lovely deep shade of Mossy Meadow (green).  I added another matte, this time in Soft Suede, around the die-cut image piece and added a bit of black by sponging the edge of the die-cut with my black ink.

In the close-up you can see the colours I've used for my mice and their instruments.  Each mouse is slightly different.  Muzzy, the violinist, is coloured a soft charcoal and grey; Mudpie, the Banjo player, is coloured a sable brown; and, finally, Amanda, the guitarist, is coloured an auburn brown.  I love the way the Derwent watercolours offer such a nice variation in colours.  They're a pleasure to use along with my Aqua Painter.

While it's difficult to see, I added a touch of silver to the plate at the lower end of the banjo as well as a bit to the guitar.  Finishing up with the simple sentiment and a couple of hand-drawn musical notes is all this card needs.  I'm so happy with it and hope you love it, too. 

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, October 26th.   

I've also entered my card in the following challenges:

HMFMC #326 - Always Anything Goes (Optional twist FALL)

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #131 - Anything Goes

WWC291 - Fifth Week Anything Goes Challenge

 Oh my!  We have five Wednesdays in September and so this week we're having our fun, special "Anything Goes" challenge.  I've been looking forward to this.  Of course I've gone back and forth with all sorts of ideas, from special folds to boxes to fancy cards.  And then I suddenly needed a card for a special someone's birthday and my decision was made.  

This adorable birthday card is stamped and stencilled on one layer of Mixed Media paper.  I began with that sweet fox and bunny, stamping the image in the bottom right corner of the paper.  Then I took a scrap of  self-adhesive masking paper and stamped the image on it.  Once it had dried, I carefully cut it out just inside the lines.  Then I peeled off the backing and masked the stamped image on my Mixed Media paper. 

I had decided to use the large Crafter's Companion sentiment and knew it would stamp onto my little fox, hence the masking.  With mask in place, I used my stamping platform to stamp the sentiment in black ink.  It took several passes to get the nice even coverage I wanted (thank goodness for the stamping platform).  At this point I removed the mask from my image and used my heat gun to dry the sentiment thoroughly.  

Since I planned to use a stencil over the sentiment and image, I attached the mask onto the image once again and proceeded to use my Nuvo Blending Brush to stencil the heart-shaped pawprints using Frayed Burlap Distress Oxide ink.  Once that was done I could finally remove the mask for good.

While that dried, I stamped the sentiment inside the card and used the stencil and Blending Brush to add a few pawprints on the left hand side.  I outlined the prints with a thin black pen and like the effect.  I hope you do, too.  

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, October 5th.   

I've also entered my card in the following challenges:

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #129 - Anything Goes

All Fun Challenges #16 - Anything Goes

Crafting Happiness Challenge #68 - Anything Goes

WWC286 - Marsha's Challenge: All About Occasions

Oh my goodness!  If you've been following me for a while, you know all about my House-Mouse obsession.  Unbelievably, I found a stamp for our strange and weird 2020, created by Ellen Jareckie to acknowledge the COVID 19 restrictions.  Of course I had to use it right away!

Is that not the most darling image?  I love little Muzzy and her sweet mask.  Because I didn't want anything to draw attention away her, I made this card clean and simple.  The base is the Heavy Whisper White while the matte is Coastal Cabana.  

I stamped the image and sentiment on a piece of Mixed Media paper and then drew in the lines to ground the image.  (Can't just have Muzzy floating in the middle of a piece of paper, can I?)  For the background I used my Aqua Painter as well as the Smoky Slate and Soft Sea Foam re-inkers.  While I  have been watercolouring my images most of the time lately, this time I reached for my Stampin' Markers.   I used a layer of Crumbcake and a layer of Gray Granite for Muzzy's fur.  Then, for her face, ears, paws and tail, I used the Blush Blossom.  I had fun with the mask.  For the outline, I used the Coastal Cabana and then for the two inside colours, I used the Calypso Coral and the Crushed Curry.    

I love the way the card turned out and hope you do, too.  Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday,  August 31st.

I've also linked my card to the following challenges:

HM&FMC  #322 - Anything Goes With an Option of Flowers

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #127 - Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

WWC279 - Helen's Challenge: All About Occasions

I'm so glad this challenge is All About Occasions!  I'm ready to begin building up my Christmas card stash and what a perfect way to begin, with those adorable little House Mouse designs.

I began with a base of Heavy Whisper White cardstock and then added a lovely die-cut matte of Garden Green.  I stamped the adorable Ellen Jareckie House Mouse image onto a piece of Mixed Media paper and then proceeded to colour it using my fabulous Derwent Watercolour Pencils.  Because I decided those little Christmas lights should be lit, I added a light wash of colour around each bulb.  You can just see it on the paper and  beside the bulb, but this is the way the colour would naturally spread.  After colouring the image, I took the next smaller die and cut out the image with it so that it would fit perfectly inside that green matte.

I added a layer of the Shimmery Crystal Effects to the Christmas Lights and some silver to the end of the pencil.  You can see that more easily with the slight angle of this photo.

For the inside, I inked up only the one Christmas bulb and stamped it in the upper left corner.  Then, after watercolouring, I added some Shimmery Crystal Effects to the bulb as well.  The sentiment is from an old, retired set which I've kept simply for the assortment of sentiments. 

I love the way the card turned out and hope you do, too.  Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, July 13th.

I've also added my card to the following challenges:

HMFMC #320 - Anything Goes with the option of stitching

Shopping Our Stash #424 - Hanukkah/Christmas in July

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #123 - Anything Goes

Fezziwigs Festive Frolics - Anything Festive Goes

WWC277 - Tristan's Challenge: All About Occasions

Oh, I love our "Occasions" challenges.  It's the perfect opportunity to use another one of the wonderful House Mouse images which I've accumulated over the past year.  This one is all about birthdays!

I love this image!  I didn't have to go looking for a sentiment since those adorable little mice are busy painting "Happy Birthday".

I used a base of Heavy Whisper White and then added two mattes, one of Night of Navy and the other of Balmy Blue.  The image is stamped on a piece of Mixed Media paper and all the colouring, except for the silver of the metal near the brush head, is done with my Derwent Watercolour pencils and an Aqua Painter or the inks from several of my ink pads (and, of course, the Aqua Painter).

At this angle you can more easily see the shine of the "Happy Birthday" letters.  I achieved that by stamping the words in Balmy Blue and then covering the ink with clear embossing powder so that I could heat emboss them.  The brush heads, too, are shiny because I added Shimmery Crystal Effects to them after colouring them with the Balmy Blue.  You can also see the shine of the silver on the brushes, which I achieved by using my UniBall silver pen.  Finally, since the Mixed Media paper is towards a creamy shade, I coloured the inside of the paint box with one of my white "snow" pens.

I love the way the card turned out and hope you do, too.  Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, June 29th.

I've also entered my card in the following challenges:

House-Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge #319 - Anything Goes or Celebrate

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #122 - Anything Goes

Simon Says Challenge - Anything Goes

WWC269 - Fifth Week Anything Goes Challenge

April may be one of the shorter months but it has five Wednesdays which means we have an awesome Anything Goes Challenge.  I'll admit I thought about doing a special fold but then I got caught up in using one of my new Altenew stamps instead.

Isn't it gorgeous?  This set is called Dotted Blooms and has a coordinating die.  While I would have fussy cut the image, it was far easier using the die.  If you look closely, you'll see it's really just one image of a branch with flowers and buds.  I've stamped it twice and, having attached the branches at odd angles to each other, it almost looks like different stamps, doesn't it?

I began with a base of Heavy Whisper White and then a matte of Soft Suede cardstock.  On a piece of Strathmore Mixed Media paper, I played with water and the Distress Oxide Salty Ocean ink.  I've only used the one colour but layered it, sprayed it, and otherwise man-handled it until I was happy with the results for my background.

For the images, I used Toffee Versafine ink to stamp them twice and then used my heat tool to ensure the ink was totally set.  Then I used the filler stamps to set the first layer of colour into my flowers.  For one branch I used Calypso Coral and for the other branch I used Flirty Flamingo.  Then I used my AquaPainter to softly colour in the rest of the flower petals with the same ink.  To finish, I used my Soft Suede Stampin' Marker to colour in the stem.

After stamping the sentiment, I added a few sparkly embellishments to the card and also added some Shimmery Crystal Effects to the centres of the open flowers.

I love the way the card turned out and hope you do as well.  Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, May 4th.

I've also entered my card in the following challenges:

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #118 - Anything Goes

Artsystamper Digitals Challenge #14 - Springtime

Addicted to Stamps & More Challenge #387 - Make Your Mark

Simon Says Wednesday - Anything Goes 

WWC266 - Heidi's Challenge: All About Occasions

I'm so excited to share my brand new House-Mouse image for the challenge I'm hosting for the Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.  It's a large image and so beautifully detailed.  I hope you love what I've done with it as much as I do!

I wanted the image to be the star of the "show" and so I kept it simple.  My base is the Heavy Whisper White and the image is stamped on Strathmore Mixed Media paper.  I didn't use a matte so that the image seems to blend right onto the card.

There is a wonderful House-Mouse site where one can find the colours of all the adorable little critters.  This one is Maxwell and he's a warm brown.  That was easy enough but the pansies were another story.  We had snow yesterday.  There are still patches left on the ground although it was milder today.  No self-respecting pansy is showing its face in my part of the world at the moment.  Thank Heaven for the internet.  I searched and found a veritable "smorgasbord" of pansy images.  The only problem was deciding which colour mine would be.  I hope you like my final choice.

I used my Derwent watercolour pencils and Aqua-brushes to colour the images.  There were no droplets dripping from the brush in Ellen Jareckie's version but I used poetic license to add three tiny drops.  Maxwell simply isn't capable of colouring anything without a spot or two on the ground, you see.

In the close-up you can see that I added some shine to the paint and droplets.  After colouring, I covered those areas with my Shimmery Crystal Effects.  It is so shiny that it actually looks like wet paint.  Yay!  It's hard to tell, but I also added some pretty sparkle to the brush.  After colouring it with that lovely blue and silver, I added some Nuvo Glitter Gloss over it and in real life it's so very pretty.

I hope you love my card as much as I loved making it.  Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on April 13th.

I'm also entering this card in the following challenges:

House-Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge #313 - Anything Goes (Optional Sparkle)

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #117 - Anything Goes

Creative Moments Challenge #188 - Anything Goes (Optional something to look forward to)