Colour Throwdown #482

Hi folks!

My guest designer stint at Color Throwdown is coming to an end today with this pretty palette for their latest challege:

I've created a background using CAS-ual Friday's Amazeballs which I've randomly coloured using Copics. I've also scattered a few clear PPP dots to add some texture. The die cut word is from MFT.

As always, these lovely ladies have plenty of inspiration for you using this week's colours - thank you for allowing me to be part of your team for the month!

Barbara Anders - Paper Pursuits

Broni Holcombe - Splashes of Watercolor

Lori Tecler - Inking Aloud

Wanda Cullen - Cullen-ary Creations

Jodi Collins- Stamping a Latte

Lynn Putt- The Queens Scene

Lisa Henke- My Little Creative Escape

Amy Rohl - Ink About Me

I'm also popping this one over to Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge where the challenge is to create your own background.

Thanks for calling by!

Claire x

Less is More - Dry Embossing

Hello and happy Wednesday to you!

Less is More are continuing their 7th birthday celebrations with a technique challenge - dry embossing.  I love dry embossing - it's such an easy way to add a bit of detail to a card whilst keeping it CAS:

I used an Anna Griffin strip embossing folder for my white-on-white card, then added a die cut flourish and a white embossed bloom and sentiment from Altenew's Hennah Elements. 

Short but sweet today - check back in later for my final card as guest designer at Color Throwdown!

Thanks for stopping,

Claire x

Colour Throwdown #481

G'day again folks!

A week has sped by in the blink of an eye and it's time for another swatch of colour at Colour Throwdown:

Purple seems to be featuring quite a lot on my cards recently - dare I say I'm actually getting used to it?!  I kept it very simple this week and blended a background of distress inks, then stamped using Technique Tuesday's One of a Kind in chocolate brown.  I'd never have put brown and purple together but I think it's a really lovely combination!

As always the DT are ready to share their cards with you so pop on over and say hi:

Barbara Anders - Paper Pursuits

Broni Holcombe - Splashes of Watercolor

Lori Tecler - Inking Aloud

Wanda Cullen - Cullen-ary Creations

Jodi Collins- Stamping a Latte

Lynn Putt- The Queens Scene

Lisa Henke- My Little Creative Escape

Amy Rohl - Ink About Me

Thanks for popping by!

Claire x

MFT Creative Olympics Card 4

Hello bloggers,

This is my last card for MFT's Creative Olympics  - Event 3 is a Crafty Biathlon combining dry embossing with an alternative fold. I've created a gate fold card:

Yet again the Wood Plank background has had an inking and I dry embossed the panels with a woodgrain embossing folder.  The cluster of blooms are from Funky Flowers and I've used part of a sentiment from Polynesian Paradise.  Happy with how it's turned out but it was almost impossible to photograph.

Chuffed to bits to finish all four challenges - it might have something to do with the fact that both kids have been sick all weekend and I've not been able to go out!

Happy stamping!

Claire x

MFT Creative Olympics - Card 3

Hi again,

Here's another card for the MFT Creative Olympics. This one is for Event 4 Speed Cardmaking. 

Oh dear, speedy card making has never been my forte.  I thought I'd use this week's MFT sketch challenge to give a helping hand - then ended up cutting the whole thing down with a die from Blueprints 24 as it just didn't work:

I used Recipe for Happiness, Wood Plank Background and a couple of dies from Blueprints 24 and 27. I don't think I've ever coloured so quickly in my life!

Thanks for calling by again,

Claire x

MFT 2018 - Creative Olympics: Card 2

Hi folks,

Time for the second event in MFT's Creative Olympics. It's a freestyle challenge that has to feature snow so I used Warmest Wishes:

Lots of layers on this one - it will probably topple over when it's put on the recipient's mantelpiece! I stamped the background with Garden Flourish using Versamark on the pink Fishtail Stax and and used the same stamp to white emboss the square layer.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Claire x

MFT Creative Olympics - Card 1

Hi all,

Second post of the day for me. If you'd like to take a peek at my Color Throwdown card it's here. 

This one's for My Favorite Things' Creative Olympics challenge, the first one being Stamping Slalom,  The challenge is to use 3 different stamp sets:

Usually I don't have a problem combining different stamp sets but I actually found this one really difficult! The main images are from Polynesian Paradise, the daisies from Adorable Elephants and the little heart banner is from Up in the Air. I actually ended up using four sets as the background layer is Wood Plank. I've also used Dienamics Blueprints 27.

Enjoy your Wednesday!

Claire x

Color Throwdown #480

Hello and happy valentines day!

I came downstairs to a house full of flowers with a string quartet playing in the lounge, a cooked breakfast ready to go and a huge diamond eternity ring sat on the bench top which fitted my ring finger perfectly...

Not really. I gave the hubster a cuddle to which he asked 'what's that for?' He then spotted the card I'd left him on the coffee machine and said 'oh I realise now.' That's the extent of valentines romance in our house I'm afraid, although if I get a big box of Maltesers out of it I'll be a happy girl!

Anyway, time for another challenge at The Color Throwdown. It's my second week as guest designer and  Wanda Cullen has a really pretty colour combo just for valentines day for you to play with: 

I'm always saying how I find purple a difficult colour to use  but I really like it paired with the grey. For this one I used CAS-ual Fridays Mon Ami with MFT's background stamp,  Garden Flourish. 

As always the DT have some fabulous cards to share - here's where you can find them:

Amy Rohl - Ink About Me

Barbara Anders - Paper Pursuits

Broni Holcombe - Splashes of Watercolor

Lori Tecler - Inking Aloud

Wanda Cullen - Cullen-ary Creations

Jodi Collins- Stamping a Latte

Lynn Putt- The Queens Scene

Lisa Henke- My Little Creative Escape

Thanks for calling by,

Claire

Time Out for Casology

Happy weekend!

It's been ages since I played along at CASology so in my attempt to get back into CAS mode I thought I'd combine their butterfly cue with Time Out's bold black and gold photo inspiration:

I've used 4 different stamp sets for this card - the black stripes are from Mama Elephant's Basic Borders, the gold stripes from PTI's Grunge Me, gold embossed paint splatter is Your Next Stamp's Cool Backgrounds (truly the best splatter out there!) and the sentiment is from PTI's Autumn Abundance. Lastly, the die cut butterfly is from my local craft store which make their own range of craft products called Crafts4U. Amazing how many different products you can use for one clean and simple card isn't it?!

Thanks for calling by!

Claire x

Love is in the Air

Hello,

Love is in the air with Valentines Day just around the corner so there are lots of love-themed challenges around in blogland this week. I was determined not to make a valentines card this year - not because I don't want to give one to my husband but simply because I still have about 5 previous ones yet to give.  One husband, 5 cards. Maybe I should give a card to each of my boys, although I expect their response would be a resounding 'yuck!'

I'm entering a three-fer with this CAS card - AAA Cards have a love themed challenge, CAS-ual Fridays is all about hearts and Less is More is celebrating 7 years of challenges with a music theme:

I used CAS-ual Fridays Heart Beats for the sentiment and the Double Note Fri-die, cut 4 times and covered in a thick layer of glossy accents. The music stamp is from Waltzingmouse Musical Backgrounds. The teeny tiny gold hearts are also from a CAS-ual Fridays die - Lovely Links.

Hope your weekend is fun filled and full of love!

Thanks for stopping,

Claire x

Color Throwdown - Guest designer

Hello folks!

I'm thrilled to be guest designer over at Color Throwdown for the next month so get ready for some inspiring colour swatches to get your inky mojo going! First up is this pretty combo from Vickie:

 I used this sweet little elephant stamp from Simon Says Stamp, together with a PTI sentiment and a scattering of stars from W Plus 9. The frame is from MFT. 

There's lots of fabulous inspiration from the DT so make sure you check out their blogs and send them some love:

Barbara Anders - Paper PursuitsBroni Holcombe - Splashes of WatercolorLori Tecler - Inking Aloud Wanda Cullen - Cullen-ary Creations Jodi Collins- Stamping a LatteLynn Putt- The Queens SceneLisa Henke- My Little Creative EscapeAmy Rysavy - Prairie Paper & Ink Amy Rohl - Ink About Me

Thanks for popping by!

Claire x

My Favorite Things - Colour and Sketch Challenge

Hi all,

It's been a while since I posted a card - we just had a week's holiday up in Queensland and I seem to have left my inky mojo up there!

Nothing like getting back into it with an MFT sketch and colour challenge though. I used the Stitched MOD Rectangle dies, Funky Flowers, Wood Plank Background and a sentiment from Adorable Elephants:

Have a great week and thanks for stopping by!

Claire x