Clean and Simple - MFT Design Superstar 2019

Hello bloggers!

It's that time of year again - the MFT Design Superstar 2019 competition is up and running with 3 different categories in which to show off your inky skills.  I've done a clean and simple card for the Clean and Simple Genius category (please note, in my case I use the word 'genius' very loosely...)

I've used Fluttering Friends, coloured with Copics with a sprinkle of holographic glitter on part of the wings. For the background I used the Mini Square Shaker Window and Frame Die-namics.  This was a freebie I got with one of my (many) orders - I used it with white card stock and matted it on to aqua card stock to make it 'pop' against the background.  The die cut panel is from Blueprints 24 (no longer available.)

There won't be many cards from me for the next 3 weeks - I'm heading back to Old Blighty tomorrow to visit family and friends with my youngest son...I am beyond excited!

Hope you get time to get inky whilst I'm away!

Claire x

MFT Sketch #454

G'day folks!

Time for another sketch from MFT to practise my colouring skills.:

I used BB You're Super. After stamping and colouring this sweet, little superhero, I used the teeny, tiny star in the same set to create a colourful, starry patterned panel. The clouds were stencilled using the Cloud Stencil.

Happy stamping!

Claire

Seeing Pink

Hello inkers,

I'm just sneaking in with a last minute entry to Addicted to CAS' challenge to use pin and purple:

Not two colours I would normally put together,  but even I like the purple with the splash of bright and pale pinks. I stamped Paper Smooches Curls and Swirls on the left side, then made a cut through the middle and matted it on pink card stock. The die cut butterfly is from Stamplorations and the sentiment's PTI.

Happy stamping!


Claire x

Silly Fun Birthday at Your Next Stamp!

Hello again!

I'm delighted to be back on the Your Next Stamp blog as a Guest designer to help them celebrate 10 years and a brand new release:

Today they are showcasing Silly Fun Birthday and Circle Bursts. Those fun, birthday critters really do look as though they've had a major sugar overload! I coloured them with Copics and framed them in the larger Instalove Polaroid Die. I stamped behind the image with Circle Bursts which is a great set to create a quick and easy background.

I also wanted to see how how different the Circle Bursts looked when embossed,  so made a second card using metallic embossing powders on black card stock. I added a gold sequin to the centres for some added sparkle.

The DT have lots of inspiration for you. And don't forget, head over to the Your Next Stamp blog and Instagram, make a comment and one random comment from each preview day will win one of the products previewed that day. All comments must be left by 15th September and the winners will be announced on the 17th.

And that's not all! To celebrate its 10 year anniversary Your Next Stamp are having a birthday sale from September 12th until September 17th. Put in an order over $30.00 and you'll receive a free Celebration Gumdrop pack! You can't get better than that!

Thanks for stopping by,

Claire x

MFT Colour Challenge - Take 2!

Hello inkers!

I've had another play with the MFT colour challenge, this time using BB Space Explorer:

I'd love to say I've done a fancy background technique but actually that's a Hero Arts stamp called Star Galaxy that one of my lovely friends gave me a few weeks ago. I stamped it in navy blue but it looked a bit dull so I stamped over the top of it in Versamark and added some Holographic embossing powder - it's really given it some green sparkle. 

I'm also popping it over to Simon Says Stamp's Monday Challenge which is to 'stamp it.' 

 Enjoy your night!

Claire x

Your Next Stamp - Guest Designer and a New Release!

Hello fellow inkers!

I'm so excited to be a Guest Designer over at Your Next Stamp today - can you believe they are celebrating their 10th birthday?  And what better way to celebrate than with a new release:

Today they're showcasing Dancing Dragonflies which are truly the cutest dragonflies I've ever seen. I really did get quite carried away colouring them with my Copics and adding some sparkly glitter to their wings. They fit perfectly onto one of the stamped squares from Cool Backgrounds (unfortunately no longer available). A good dollop of Glossy Accents on each of their eyes added some clear dimension.

The DT and Karin, September's Guest Designer, have also created some fabulous cards using this set so swing by, take a look and, while you're there say hello. Head over to the Your Next Stamp blog and Instagram, make a comment and one random comment from each preview day will win one of the products previewed that day. All comments must be left by 15th September and the winners will be announced on the 17th!

Good luck and thanks for popping by!

Claire x

Rainbow Wheel

Hello bloggers,

Who can resist a challenge with the word 'rainbow' in it - that's one of the words of inspiration in Time Out's latest challenge:

This Mama Elephant Ferris wheel hasn't seen ink for ages - I don't think I even owned Copics when I bought this set so thought it would be fun way to add a splash of rainbow colour.  It took a while but I really like how it turned out.

I used AAA's simple sketch again but put the horizontal panel towards the top of the card this time. You can see my previous entry on my last post!

Thanks for calling by!

Claire x

Party Till the Cows Come Home

Hello again,

Time for a card for CASology's new challenge. The cue card is LOL which, for years, I thought meant 'lots of love.' Once I got back into the 21st century I realised it's actually 'laugh out loud,  so I used Your Next Stamp's Funny Farm Crew:'

AAA's sketch was the perfect starting point.  I only wanted one cow coloured so that it was the main focal point but when I masked the others behind him, the black ink was way too heavy,  so I embossed them in white instead - it's given a much more subtle effect!

Make sure you make time to LOL this week (and perhaps do some stamping too!)

Claire x

Copper Embossed

Hello again,

Less is More's challenge is a metallic theme this week so I reached for my copper embossing powder and had a play with a Hero Arts wooden stamp that a friend gave to me a few weeks ago:

I'm not sure if I like it, partly as I'm not too sure whether I like the stamp. It's a pretty safe bet that if you don't like the stamp you're not going to like the card much either! I find it a bit busy (and completely unforgiving when embossed),  so after embossing it on the corner of the panel, I die cut smaller panel, matted it with some black card stock and popped it up on some dimensional tape. Still not sure about it though.....

I'm entering it into Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday challenge too,  where 'anything goes!'

Hope you get some time to get inky this week!

Claire x

Another Freshly Made Sketch!

Hello again folks!

I've been playing around with Freshly Made Sketch #400 again. Another Christmas card,  but this time I've used Lawn Fawn's Simply Celebrate Winter:

I'm also popping it over to Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday challenge where the theme's Anything Goes.

Short but sweet today - happy stamping!

Claire x