Addicted To CAS #198

Hello inkers,

I've made a very CAS card for Addicted to CAS' 'ombre' challenge:

 

I recently spoilt myself and bought a huge set of Brutfuner pencils with every colour under the sun - I've never really used pencils before and I have to admit I'm finding them far more difficult to get to grips with than markers. I feel like it takes ages to get an even spread of colour on the paper and colouring shadows definitely take a lot of patience! 

Anyway, this pretty Stamplorations butterfly has been die cut from a panel coloured using said pencils. I used about 6 or 7 different ones to try and get the ombre effect. I also added a white embossed swirl from Paper Smooches - the sentiment's from Poppy Stamps. 

This one's also going over to Simon Says Stamps' Wednesday challenge where 'anything goes.'

Happy stamping!

Claire

MFT Colour Challenge #165

Hello inkers, happy weekend to you!

Here's a quick post for MFT's colour challenge and the latest Freshly Made Sketch featuring MFT's Christmas sELFies:

 

I used MFT's curved Stitched Scallop Basic Edge with some patterned papers from the Sweet Celebration paper pad. Another Christmas card out of the way....at this rate Ill be done in July!

Happy stamping!

Claire 

Dotty Birthday

Hi folks,

Here's a CAS card for 4 different challenges - AAA Cards birthday challenge, combined with the gorgeous colours over at Sunday Stamps, using the sketch at Less is More and the polka dot theme at The Paper Players. 

I started off by stencilling a rectangle, then stamped the polka dots over the top with Mama Elephant's Basic Border stamp. I wasn't thinking of having the sentiment in the corner, but since the dots were difficult to line up, it was perfect for covering up the error in my alignment. The added bonus was that the sentiment fitted perfectly. Don't you just love it when that happens? The stamped bloom and sentiment are from Ink to Paper's It's a Sign: Birthday Sentiments.

Thanks for calling by!

Claire

Deja Vu - Altenew Take Two

Hello again,

I made a slightly different version of the same card for the latest Altenew challenge and Freshly Made Sketch. Scroll up if you want to see the original one. This time I used the entire watercoloured background as a backdrop, courtesy of Kristina Werner's gorgeous holiday card tutorial:

I was really hoping to get an ombre look like hers but I just don't have the variety of watercolour paints to get the gradual colour.  I used two from Altenew's Watercolour Essential Set (Lagoon and Emerald) and, once dry, ran the entire panel through the Angled Mosaic 3D Embossing Folder. I've again used Peony Bouquet and matching dies and the sentiment's from Hennah Elements.

If you've been kind enough to visit and comment on my blog recently - thank you! I'm finding it a little difficult to come over and visit -  I work at a beautiful, waterfront property just North of Sydney and drive a boat as part of my commute. A couple of weeks ago I went to tie up the boat and knocked my beautiful rose gold Mac work laptop straight into the river! It's currently sat in the River Hawkesbury, no doubt gathering barnacles as I write. For some reason my PC isn't allowing me to comment which is very frustrating (but not quite as frustrating as putting my laptop into the river.....)

Anyway, happy stamping!

Claire

Altenew May Inspiration Challenge

Hello folks!

Time for another Altenew Inspiration challenge:

 

I've used the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches for this one - it was the perfect layout for Peony Bouquet. I really must invest in some of the Altenew inks as I just don't have enough inks in the same tone for layering stamps so I feel as though there isn't enough contrast between the layers. Always good to have another excuse to buy new stuff eh? The sentiment is from Ori Kami and I used Angled Mosaic EB to add some texture to the banners.

I'm also throwing this into the ring at Addicted to Stamps and More as I've used lots of different die cuts. 

Hope you have a fabulous, inky weekend!

Claire

Your Next Stamp - Challenge #163

Hello inkers,

I haven't had a chance to play along with Your Next Stamp for ages - their latest challenge is to go bright,  with a burst of colour:

 

I made a very CAS card using two of my favourites - Dancing Dragonflies and Honey Bee. I created a little scene by die cutting a circular window and stencilling a background of grass, cloudy sky and sun rays.  

This one's also being entered at Addicted to CAS where the theme is 'bugs',  CASology where the cue card is 'outside' and Addicted to Stamps and More with the challenge to use stencils and die cuts.  I'm also popping it over to Simon Says Stamp's Monday challenge where there's a 'things with wings' challenge happening.

Happy stamping!

Claire

Colour Throwdown Meets Sunday Stamps

Hello again,

I was itching to have a go at the lovely, layered sketch over at Sunday Stamps , a new challenge for me, which I've combined with the colours of Color Throwdown:

 

Lots of different stamps used for this one - the pretty, blue doille background is WMS, with blooms from Penny Black, Wood Plank background from MFT and a sentiment from PTI. Below the wooden strip, I've white embossed a script stamp from W Plus 9 but the light was almost gone when I took the photo it's not very clear in the pic!

I'm also linking up to Just Us Girls which has a 'layers' challenge this week.

Hope you get time to get inky this week!

Claire 

MFT #540

Hello and happy Mothers day to those who are celebrating! 

It took my two boys about 40 minutes to remember it was Mothers Day, at which point their dad stepped in with a not so gentle reminder. Needless to say they did redeem themselves by cooking me breakfast and giving me chocolate - what more can a Mum ask for?

On to the next card which is for MFT's latest sketch challenge:

 

If anything could have gone wrong on this one, it did. This one's my second attempt. I used washi  tape to mask a striped background but as I pulled it off,  part of the card came off with it - so annoying when that happens! That led to some random stamping using Lavish Lilies to cover up the tear. In turn, that led to a splattering of black ink splotches and finally, the impossibility of finding an MFT sentiment that fitted, despite probably owning about a hundred MFT sentiments! In the end I opted for a die cut circle with a sentiment from Poppy Stamps, which hides the one I'd used underneath. A scattering of sequins covered up the worst of the tear and splattered ink - sequins are a wonderful thing!

Happy stamping!

Claire

Déja Vu

Hi folks!

I couldn't papercraft my way out of a paper bag at the moment (excuse the pun), but when I saw this  stunner of a card by Cecile, it inspired me to grab the colours and get stamping. I just haven't been making enough masculine cards recently and I thought the colours were perfect for a boy's card. 

In case you're thinking the card looks familiar, I actually CASed myself and based it on this previous card, using the same Winnie and Walter stamp set but opting for stars instead of circles:

This is also for a new to me challenge called Le Créablablablog, based in France - not only has it tested my paper crafting skills, it's also tested my appalling French. I learnt French for 5 years at school (a long time ago) but can only remember the very basics. Google Translate is a wonderful thing!

I'm also popping it over to Addicted to Stamps and More for their 'any occasion' challenge and to The Paper Players where the theme is 'cards for boys.'

Happy stamping!

Claire