Clean and Simple Paper Players Challenge

Hello again,

It's been a while since I made a card for a CAS challenge. At The Paper Players the theme is to make a CAS card featuring a bird - this one features a miniature human as well so I hope that's within the rules!

I'm determined to use some different stamps over the coming months...it's so easy to stick to old favourites isn't it? This one's from Your Next Stamp but since there's no-one having babies at the moment baby cards aren't high on the priority list and it hasn't seen ink in a long time. I added a sentiment from the same set and a layer of stitched die cut clouds from MFT.

Happy stamping!

Claire

Inspired by Words with MFT

Hello inkers,

Valentines Day is just around the corner so lots of love inspired challenges out there in blogland at the moment.  Me and the hubster are probably one of the least romantic couples on the planet and have never celebrated Hallmark Day (yes I know - what a cynic!) although I do stretch to a card providing he gives me a big bar of Cadbury's fruit and nut:

The latest MFT colours are crying out for a Valentines card and I've been inspired by the words over at Time Out. The romantic theme of my card though will be somewhat ruined when I write in it 'and for all the wrong reasons.' Good job he's got a sense of humour!

Happy stamping!

Claire 

Paper Players Colour Challenge

Hello inkers!

I've had a little break from card making in the last few days - we're in the home stretch of the Summer holidays over here so we spent a few days relaxing in the sunshine at Boomerang Beach. It will be back to the mayhem of school in a couple of weeks.

I was determined to pull out a stamp that hadn't been inked for a while so reached for Mon Ami from CASual Fridays and used the pretty colours from The Paper Players. The background was stamped with PTI's Super Stripes - it took forever so it's almost a shame it's been covered by the flower and polaroid die cut! I've also used the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches but made a portrait version instead of the landscape.

Hope you get time to get your fingers inky this weekend!

Claire

MFT Sketch Challenge #627

Hello again,

Just sneaking in with a very CAS card for this week's sketch challenge. It's never too early to start making your Christmas cards, especially with new goodies from MFT:

I used PI Christmas Sweetheart and the Feelin' Festive Paper Pad. 

Happy stamping!

Claire 

The Card Concept #186

Hello folks, happy weekend!

Love the colours over at The Card Concept this week - not ones I'd ever think of putting together which shows how good it is to enter challenges and get out of your colour comfort zone!

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Blooms and frame from Ink to Paper and PTI with a sentiment from MFT and leafy die cuts from my local craft store.  I think I'll put this one in the Classy and Elegant category.

Happy stamping!

Claire

More Altenew Nostalgic Blooms - January Inspiration Challenge

Hello inkers!

I've been desperate to use Altenew's brand new Nostalgic Florals again but had to hold off until the new release. Since it's now available in the shop I could ink it up for the January Inspiration Challenge:

I stamped the bigger bloom this time and paired it with Altenew's Fine Frames Cover Die using some  glitter card stock to add a bit of bling.  It was tempting to add some sequins but I think the sparkly card stock is probably enough. 😊

Happy stamping!

Claire x

Altenew January 2023 Nostalgic Memories Stamp/Die/Stencil Release Blog Hop #1 + Giveaway ($300 in Total Prizes!)

Hello folks!

I'm so excited to be joining in the fun at the Altenew Card Blog for their brand new Nostalgic Memories Stamp/Die/Stencil Release. 

There are heaps of gorgeous new products in this release and, as always,  Altenew has a huge giveaway to help them celebrate. More on that later in this post!

First up,  some cards - the first one below features the Nostalgic Florals Complete Bundle containing the Nostalgic Florals Stamp Set, Die Set and Simple Coloring Stencil:

I have so many Altenew sets in my stash but can you believe I've never used one of the matching stencils before? It was so quick and easy and might just be my go-to method of colouring now - I can be a very lazy crafter at times.  I white embossed the large floral so that it would 'pop' underneath the stencilled layer of colour. 

There's another new product on this one - the Mini Instant Camera Frame Die. I love the dotted detail at the bottom and it was a perfect fit for the sentiment. 

For the background I used one of my favourite Altenew products - Dotted Lines Debossing Cover Die.

For my next card there's not a stamp in sight.  The entire card is made of die cuts including the new Zero-Waste 3D Floral Cover Die. This one die produces lots of shaped die cut flowers in various sizes so you can layer them in different ways to create your own blooms. Once you've popped out all or some of those flowers you can use the entire cover die as a background. 

I lightly inked a circle using the new two-in-one Circle Frame Mask Stencil and framed it with the Mid-Century Frame Die. The sentiment is from the new XOXO and More Die Set which has lots of versatile sentiments for all kinds of occasions. 

For my last card I used Groovy Garden, together with the matching Groovy Garden Die Set. I clustered the blooms together against the Cross Stitch Cover Die and added the simple sentiment from the set to a strip of card stock matted on 1 inch Gold Foil Washi Tape.

Now on to the important part...

Giveaway Prizes:

$300 in total prizes! To celebrate this release, Altenew is giving away a *$100 gift certificate to 1 lucky winner and a $20 gift certificate to 10 winners! Please leave a comment on the Altenew Card Blog and/or each designer’s blog post on the blog hop list below by 01/08/2023 for a chance to win.

Altenew will draw 11 random winners from the comments left on each stop of this blog hop and announce the winners on the Altenew Winners Page on 01/09/2023.

*The winner of the $100 gift certificate will be chosen from comments left on the Altenew blog.

You should have arrived from Caly's blog and your next stop is Seeka.

Thanks for stopping by and good luck!

Claire x
 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

MFT Sketch/Colour Challenge

Hello again,

Quick post for the latest sketch and colour combo from MFT: 

I've used BB Rain or Shine, Cloud Stencil and Drifts and Hills Stencil.

Happy stamping!

Claire

Sunday Stamps #299

Hello and happy new year to you!

My first card for 2023 is for Sunday Stamps and it's a very simple one with a very old and very used stamp set from Waltzingmouse - Asian Gardens:

 

I managed to get almost all the colours on there using distress inks, although a lot brighter than those in the pic! The neutral Antique Linen didn't blend too well with the Wild Honey...I do find I get a lazy when it comes to blending DI and never seem to get a perfectly blended look. Like watercolouring it's a source of inky frustration!

Hope you all have a happy and healthy 2023!

Claire