MFT Colour and Sketch Challenges

Hello folks,

As promised I'm back again with more of those cute penguins from Penguin Party:

 

I used the colours from MFT's latest challenge again, flipped the sketch and used a different shape. The background papers are from Floor to Ceiling Paper Pad.

Happy stamping!

Claire

MFT Colour Challenge #212

Hello again,

Quick post for MFT's Colour Challenge.  A couple of days ago I spent an evening colouring these sweet MFT Party Penguins (retired) and had enough to make a couple of cards so I'll post the other one another time:

 

I wasn't quite sure what to use as the backdrop for my little snowy scene so used an older birch tree stamp from Winnie and Walter. I doubt they have birch trees in Antarctica but then I doubt they have penguins wearing party hats either! 

Thanks for popping by!

Claire

Altenew May Inspiration Challenge - Take 3!

Hello, happy Sunday to you!

I've made yet another card using the inspiration colours from Altenew's latest challenge:

I used Nostalgic Florals with the matching stencil. My plan was to stencil a single layer but it looked a bit flat so I decided to use the matching dies to cut the panel, then reassemble it and pop up the blooms with dimensional tape. The sentiment's are from XOXO and More Die Set and Sentiment Strips.

Short and sweet today - happy stamping!

Claire

Just Us Girls #681: CAS Week - Silhouette

Hello folks,

Time for a new challenge at Just Us Girls where I'm guesting for May - this week it's CAS week with the theme being 'silhouette:' 

I haven't got too many solid stamps in my collection - most of them are outline stamps as I like to colour so I reached for the dies and created a little country scene. I sponged a dawn background with distress inks and added a Memory Box die cut in black card stock. The sentiment and balloon is from Mama Elephant and  I framed the scene with a die cut frame from PTI.

How will you interpret the word 'silhouette?'  Link up to JUGS for the chance to be 'Chic of the Week' or a future guest designer. This is my last week for this month so hope you've enjoyed all the challenges for May - do check out the cards by the DT for some silhouette inspiration!

Happy stamping!

Claire

Ready Set Christmas! MFT #646

 Hello again,

I'm ahead of schedule with my Christmas cards, largely due to MFT's Ready, Set, Christmas challenge. Here's one based on this week's sketch: 

I flipped the sketch to a landscape version instead of portrait as it was a better fit for those Sweet Holiday Penguins. The dp in the background and framing the birds is from the Feelin' Festive Paper Pad.

Happy stamping!

Claire

Just Us Girls: Challenge #680 - Photo/Moodboard Week

Hello, hope you've had a great start to the weekend!

Time for a new challenge at Just Us Girls where I'm guest designing this month. This week they have a moodboard from which you can draw inspiration:

There was so much to be inspired by but I went with the blue and aqua colour scheme from the sofa and cushion as well as the beautiful stone. To try and replicate the layered colours of the stone I used alcohol inks to create a background. I wanted that to be the main feature so I added a couple of simple Lotus blooms from Altenew, embossed in white on vellum and a simple sentiment. 

How will you be inspired by the moodboard? Link your creation for the chance to be Chic of the Week or future guest designer and don't forget to swing by the DT to send them some inky love!

Happy stamping!

Claire

Lawn Fawnatics Challenge #149

Hello bloggers,

Lawn Fawn's latest challenge is to use dies only so it gave me the perfect excuse to get cutting some letters from Quinn's ABCs:  

I took my cue from Time Out's Inspired by Words challenge 'dare to be yourself as if you were a rainbow with gold at both ends' and coloured the letters with a rainbow of Copics - any excuse to create a rainbow! I added a smothering of Glossy Accents and dipped the letters in gold glitter.  For the background I used a LF Stitched Rectangle and cut it into strips to add some detail so this one's also going over to CAS on Friday where the theme is 'stripes.'

Have a great night!

Claire

Feeling Flowery

Hello again,

Very aptly for Mother's Day there's flowers galore on these two cards - the first combines MFT's sketch and colour challenges:

 

I used the long retired Funky Flowers with some patterned paper from the Floor to Ceiling paper pad. The sentiment's from Essential Sentiments.

The other is my second attempt at Altenew's  May Inspiration Challenge, this time using Groovy Garden on white card stock with the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches.  I also used one of the tiny swirl stamps from Hennah Elements just to fill in some gaps. You can see the first one here. 

Hope those of you celebrating Mother's are either spoiling their own Mum rotten or being spoiled rotten themselves!

Happy stamping!

Claire

Just Us Girls Challenge #679: Word Week

Hello folks!

Time for a new challenge from Just Us Girls where I'm delighted to be guest designer this month.  It's Word Week and the word is 'wedding:'

This was the perfect word for me as one of my oldest and closest friends is getting married in the UK in June. Being on the opposite side of the world I've had to get used to missing important events for family and friends but this is one I'm particularly upset about missing. Living in Australia is wonderful - but it does come at a cost. Even though I can't be there I'll certainly be having a drink (or two) on the bride and groom's behalf!

I used an older WPlus9 set for this one - I've always love the sentiment in it. I wanted lots of white space but I've added a simple frame from Altenew, the outside of which I've cut out of glitter card stock. You have to have a bit of sparkle on your wedding day don't you?

As always the DT have some gorgeous cards to give you some ideas so pop over to their blogs and make a comment. Link your card and you've got the chance to be picked as Chic of the Week or be invited to guest design for a future month!

Happy stamping!

Claire

Driving By Saying Hi!

Hello again,

It's a while since I took part in a CAS challenge and I'm just sneaking in with this one for Less is More's  A is for Automobile themed challenge:

I'm loving using some older stamp sets at the moment - I can't remember the last time I inked up this sweet one from Waltzingmouse Stamps,  Half-pint Heroes.  I added a stamped strip from Watercolor Wonder by PTI (another old one!) for the road and that was it. Very CAS!

Thanks for popping by and saying hi!

Claire

Altenew May Inspiration Challenge

Hello inkers,

Sometimes all a girl (or boy) wants to do is stamp - no drawing or colouring, just good old fashioned stamping. Groovy Garden is a good set to do just that:

I have to say it looks so much better IRL - I added lashings of Wink of Stella to those leaves but the photo just doesn't capture the sparkle. I've stamped the blooms on a very pale grey card stock but I might redo it on white and add some more depth with Copics. Like I said, all I wanted to do was stamp for this one.

I really wanted the stamps to be the star of the show but added a very simple white frame using the Fine Frames Cover Die - I've used it so often I'm surprised it isn't blunt!

Happy stamping!

Claire

Just Us Girls #678 - Colour Week: Guest Designer

Hello inkers, thank goodness it's the weekend!

I'm chuffed to bits to be guest designer for Just Us Girls for this month. They've got some wonderful challenges lined up for May to get those inky taste buds going.  This week it's a colour challenge which happen to be my two favourites - pink and yellow:

I love these sweet MFT piggies and having to use pink was the perfect excuse for me to ink them up and get colouring.

There's lots of great cards from the DT to inspire you so link up your card using the colours and you could be the next Chic of the Week or have the opportunity to guest design for future challenges.

Happy stamping!

Claire

MFT Colour Challenge #209 - Sunday Stamps Sketch

Hello folks,

Time for another Christmas card for MFT's Ready Set Christmas challenge. There's a very cold colour palette for their latest colour challenge - perfect for polar bears:

I've used BB Christmas Selfies, with a sentiment from Bitty Holiday Wishes and some DP from the Feelin' Festive Paper Pad. 

I'm also popping this one over to The Paper Players - I love a good Tic Tac Toe challenge.  I've gone for the diagonal and added some sparkle using holographic glitter on his hat with some sparkly crystals in the background, a Selfie Square die cut and a dry embossed snowy background panel. 

Colourful Options colour for the month happens to be blue so it's going over there too!

And I completely forgot that the whole point of doing this card was to use the lovely, layered sketch over at Sunday Stamps!

Happy stamping!

Claire