The Card Concept - Favourite Card of 2019

Hello again,

Just a very quick post - The Card Concept's final 'challenge' of the year is to share a photo of our Christmas tree or a pic of our favourite card from 2019. For the first time ever we decided to buy a fake tree this year - it's something I swore I'd never do but I've never been keen on the Christmas trees in Australia. They're a completely different shape in comparison to the traditional fir in the US and UK and I find it very hard to hang the ornaments on without pulling all the needles off!

So, rather than show you my fake tree, I'm sharing my favourite card of the year which is the one above using this Ferris wheel from Mama Elephant.  It was interesting going back throughout the year and seeing what I'd done - I managed to narrow it down to 4, all of them clean and simple like this one. 

Have a fabulous new year and hope you get to do lots of card making in 2020!

Claire x

Playing Favourites at Your Next Stamp!

Hello fellow inkers,

Hope you had a fun and festive Christmas.  Can you believe it's all over for another year?  Just think - only another 10 months to go until it starts all over again!

In between all the festivities I managed to squeeze in a bit of card making for Your Next Stamp's final challenge of the year using the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches:

The theme for Your Next Stamp is 'favourites' - I used my favourite stamp set from 2019 which is Dancing Dragonflies. I mixed it in with a couple of other sets - the sentiment is from 'Keeping' It Reel' and I've used the branch from Honey Bee - I've then framed the little scene with the large InstaLove Polaroid die.

Hope you get some time to play with some ink this holiday!

Happy stamping!

Claire x

Brilliant Butterfly

Hello again fellow inkers!

Here's a quick card using the latest MFT colours and the sketch from CAS(E) This Sketch:

The obvious way to use those colours would be on a Christmas card  but I'm well and truly  Christmas carded out so I thought I'd use them to colour this pretty butterfly from Fluttering Friends instead. I do love this MFT set but struggle to create any depth with my Copics as the wings have such teeny, tiny detail on them!  The sentiment is from Essential Sentiments and the white embossed panel is Bundles of Blossoms on Grout Grey card stock and cut with the Stitched Scallop Basic Edge die. I've also added a sprinkle of clear glitter for some extra sparkle!

Happy stamping everyone!

Claire x

Final Christmas Card of the Year!

Hello, hello,

So many fabulous challenges out there but just not enough time to play at this time of year!  I've rustled up this one for 3 different challenges - The Card Concept, Time Out and Freshly Made Sketches:

I've been inspired by the colours over at The Card Concept to make this clean and layered card - I didn't have any black and white check paper so I used a WMS houndstooth stamp to create the strips. It's not a traditional Christmas card but I like this PTI stamp using traditional Christmas colours. I didn't like the sentiment going across the strips so I placed it up the side and inside it says 'merry and bright.'

Hope your days are looking merry and bright!

Happy stamping!

Claire x

Gingerbread Greetings

Hello folks!

As Christmas approaches there's not much time to get creative but I did manage a quick card for CASology. The cue card is 'gingerbread' so reaching for Lawn Fawn's Simply Celebrate Winter was the logical choice:

Of course I started the card, then realised that two of the DT had used exactly the same stamp so I cut up my little gingerbread folk instead of placing them in a strip. I also kept the focal point on the centre two by leaving the others uncoloured.

Enjoy your night!

Claire x

MFT Sketch #464

Hello bloggers!

Another Christmas card - this time for My Favourite Things using their Wednesday sketch:

I really did struggle with this one but I've managed to get the three elements on the card in the form of these Sweet Holiday Penguins, coloured with Copics and plonked on a blended, snowy background.

I'm also popping it over to Time Out again for their 'celebrations' challenge!

Happy stamping!

Claire x

Mad for Plaid With Your Next Stamp!

G'day stampers!

Your Next Stamp have a plaid challenge this month - I have a lovely YNS Christmas paper pad full of plaid patterned paper but I'm so over Christmas cards I thought I'd go in a completely different direction and make a baby card using Baby Blessings:

I've used the sketch at Freshly Made Sketches and, since there could hardly be anything better than celebrating a new life,  I'm also linking up with Time Out's theme challenge of 'celebrations.'

Since I didn't have any pink plaid paper I created my own again using a selection of border stamps (see the previous post for another example). A pink on grey woodgrain background and a scattering of sequins and fluffy clouds finished it all off!

Happy weekend!

Claire x

Negative Space

Hello fellow inkers!

I've combined a couple of challenges for the card below - CASology's cue card is 'appreciate' and Less is More's theme is 'that's torn it:'

Both cards have been made using goodies from Stamplorations - when I bought the butterfly stencil I hadn't realised that the butterflies were created with the negative space. It threw me a bit and I really wasn't quite sure how to use it so I just blended some distress inks around the edges to bring out the pattern.  My 'torn' element is a die which gives the impression of a torn notebook. perfect for someone who can't bear to tear a good piece of card stock!

Thanks for popping by!

Claire x

Time Out for Freshly Made Sketches

Hello fellow inkers!

I bought the Sweet Holiday Penguins set from MFT just before I went to the UK - it seems to have taken weeks to get round to actually using them.   I thought this little fella would work well with the latest Freshly Made Sketch: 

I've also used Time Out's Home Sweet Home inspiration pic. I've been inspired by lots of things - the gingham pattern on the pillows, the white duvet (or doona as we say over here) on the bed and the traditional Christmassy colours. I didn't have a gingham stamp so had to get creative and used a few different stamps from Mama Elephant and Waltzingmouse to create my own patterned paper. Lastly, an embossed snowy background using Tim Holtz' Snowfall Speckles which is probably one of the best crafty investments I've bought!

Thanks for calling by!

Claire x

Freshly Made Sketch #410

Hi folks,

It's been a while since I've had a play along with Freshly Made Sketches. Linda's lovely layered sketch really caught my eye this week so I've used it to make an 80th birthday card for my Mum. She really is quite amazing for 80 and still plays tennis twice a week - in fact she seems to have the energy of someone 20 years younger!

I've coloured this Clearly Besotted bloom called Beautiful Friend with Copics and added a gold embossed sentiment from MFT. The background has been stamped using MFT's Bundles of Blossoms using Grout Gray ink on the same coloured card stock. It's given it a subtle amount of texture without detracting from the flower I think.

Thanks for stopping by and happy stamping!

Claire x

Still Finding my Mojo...

Hello, happy weekend to you!

I'm still struggling to find my mojo after being away for a few weeks. I always find that happens when I've been on holiday - it takes me ages to get back into crafty mode and find some creativity. Maybe I left the right hand side of my brain on the plane!

So I've done a couple of challenges to try and kick start my mojo. The first is for AAA Cards using maxi white space and an optional twist of geometric:

I used a small Avery Elle stamp of 3 triangles from a set called All Squared up. After playing around I created a diamond shape and made a simple engagement card using gold and silver embossing powders for some metallic sparkle. 

The second card is for Time Out's inspired by words challenge 'dream big, be grateful, give love, laugh lots.' I've done a thank you card using a die from Stamplorations. I struggled with the placement of the sentiment - it just wouldn't sit right on the flower...don't you hate it when that happens?!

Anyway, fingers crossed I can get back into the crafty swing of it soon...hope you find your mojo this weekend!

Claire x

MFT Sketch and Colour

Hello bloggers!

It's been a while since I made a card - 3 weeks in the UK, the worst jet lag I've ever experienced and a  complete lack of mojo have all contributed to my severe lack of craftiness!

What better way to get back into the inky swing of things by using a new stamp I ordered from MFT just before I left - Happy You Day:

I was inspired by the latest MFT sketch and colours but added a neutral background to the colour mix Grout Gray card stock, stamped with matching ink using Happy Birthday Background.  I also added some paper from the Sweet Celebration Paper Pack.

Thanks for stopping by!

Claire x

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