A Dynamic Farewell

Good evening bloggers!

Well one of my favourite challenges has come to an end so I just had to have a play for the last time over at Dynamic Duos whilst sobbing into my stash.   It's a triple threat week this week - three colours instead of the usual two. I've had a play with the latest Freshly Made Sketch too:

Since it's almost midnight it's not the best photo...lots of shadows but you get the gist.  The stamp is Waltzingmouse's Folk Art Medallion which was the perfect size for the challenge.  I embossed the flower and flourish by using a mixture of white and pewter embossing powders - SU's pewter emboss powder looks grey in the pot but comes out a beautiful silver when heated. The white has kind of toned it down and given it more of a greyish tinge. I really love this colour combo...such a shame it's the last challenge!

Off to bed now...the kids are back at school tomorrow so no excuse to lie in!

Cheers,

Claire x

Purple Pain

Hello folks!

I've been trying to kick start my mojo after my little break so turned to Dynamic Duos for some colour inspiration. Not sure why really - purple is my absolute least favourite colour but I loved the design teams' yellow and purple creations:

Actually, it looks more like violet than purple doesn't it? I can never really tell the difference.  The arched window frame is from Scrapmatts - I inked it and cut an arched card using my Cameo. I thought it would make things easier using such a pretty frame but it was actually quite difficult to find some flowers that didn't overpower it.  In the end I went for the little, dainty flower in Stampin' Up's Reason to Smile.

Well, that's enough waffling from me....happy stamping!

Claire x

Just Playing Around...

Hello again!

So there I was thinking that now I have both kids at school I'd have a little bit of free time before I get down to the serious job of finding work. Well that hasn't quite worked out yet - I'm beginning to wonder if I need to paint a black cross on our door since one by one my family seems to have succumbed to a nasty flu bug. One kiddo was off school all last week, my brother in law came down with it and now the man of the house. I'd like to say it's just a bout of 'man flu' but last time I said that it turned out it was a dose of pneumonia...made me sound a little heartless!

So just a quick card today for 2 different challenges: Dynamic Duos and CAS-ual Fridays:

It was a real case of just playing around with a new stamp set from Stampin' Up - Flower Shop.  I tried out every flower and looked at every possible embellishment for the flower centre but decided in the end that the stamp is so beautifully detailed, nothing else is needed. I chose a 6 x 4 card which is the size I like best at the moment. Although there is the option for a shaped card over at Dynamic Duos, I kept to a basic rectangle as it's a sympathy card.

Hope you have a wonderful day and thanks for popping over,

Claire x

Dynamically Textured!

Hello folks,

Yet again I find myself at the mercy of Mr Linky...only a few hours left on the Dynamic Duos challenge which I've combined with the textured challenge over at The Card Concept:

Not the best pic I'm afraid as it's late.  I used an Anna Griffin embossing strip but I left the top strip smooth in case I want to put a sentiment there at a later date. In between each embossed strip, I stamped a Waltzingmouse dotted strip to add a little detail.  I guess I could have added more but I wanted the embossing to be the main feature since the Card Concept challenge called for texture. What style is it? I think I'll define it as 'classy and elegant!'

Have a great night!

Claire x

Stampin' Up Revival

Hello bloggers!

The Christmas holidays have begun here in Australia - the kidlets have finished school for the year and I have six weeks to spend being their personal entertainer!  My littlest finished preschool today and I only just managed to hold it together - another milestone reached before he starts school next year.

Anyway, here's the card I made for this week's  Dynamic Duos and Freshly Made Sketches:

Sorry, not the best photo as it's late so I may retake it in the morning.  The Dynamic Duo colours fitted perfectly with some very old Stampin Up papers I have in my stash. Keeping with the SU theme I also used one of their older stamp sets (Eastern Blooms.)

Ok, that's all again folks...have a great day!

Claire x

Bold and Cheery

Hello folks,

I barely seem to have time to do a card at the moment, let alone post it on my blog. So I'll make it quick and show you what I've done for the sketch over at Freshly Made and the bold and cheery colours over at Dynamic Duos:

I absolutely love those chevron stamps from Close to My Heart - they stamp so crisply and cleanly. I may be pushing it a bit with the Freshly Made sketch but since that's where I got my inspiration I thought I'd post it anyway..Mr Linky can always hit the delete button!

Have a great night and thanks for stopping,

Claire x

Getting Feathery...Again

Evening all,

I seem to be in Waltzingmouse mode again...obviously think the Pajama Party is still going! Here's my take on this week's Freshly Made Sketch and the gorgeous triple colour treat over at Dynamic Duos:

Short but sweet.

Thanks for stopping by,

Claire x

Dynamic Duos - Kraft and Black

Hello again,

I'm off to get my beauty sleep in a few minutes but I thought I'd sneak in a second post today for the current Dynamic Duos challenge:

There's the option to do some wet embossing on this one so I did just that with the WMS Camellia bloom and leaves....still loving that new emboss folder!

Thanks for popping by again - have a great day!

Claire x

Aqua and Black

Hello bloggers,

I'm having terrible difficulties with Blogger at the moment - it's driving me mad. Anyone else having trouble? A lot of the time I can't log in at all and any posts I try to write refuse to save. It also seems to take ages to download a page. So frustrating!   Anyway,  whilst I'm able to log on I'll quickly load my card for this week's Dynamic Duos and Freshly Made sketch by Rita:

The Dynamic Duos challenge also has the option to use embossing so I have embossed the medallion in white on to black cardstock. I've also used a Spellbinders embossing folder on the white base (although it's not showed up too well in the photo!)

Thanks for stopping by,

Claire x

Dynamic Mojo Monday

Hello folks,

This is going to be a really quick one as I'm off to bed - a mix of Mojo Monday with Dynamic Duos:

I have to admit I struggled with the sketch - in the end I decided it looked better upside down!

Thanks for looking!

Claire x

Dynamic Duos + Retro Sketch

Hello folks,

It's late, I'm tired and Blogger's been playing up all day so it's another quick one to show this weeks Dynamic Duos challenge based on Retro Sketch #73:

I love orange and black...it's such a striking colour combo. There is the option to use butterflies for the Dynamic Duos challenge but it's really not a butterfly kind of card is it?

I stamped the background using the spotty zig zag stamp from Mama Elephant's Modern Borders....I think I was seeing double by the end of it. Or perhaps it was the glass of wine I had earlier.  The orange number paper is from a 6x6 pad by Authentique.

Short but sweet. Thanks for popping by,

Claire x

Funky Feathers

G'day bloggers,

Well, school's back thank goodness - it's been two weeks of continuous illness between my boys this holiday, so it's good to get back to normal and into the school routine. No wonder my mojo went AWOL.....

I got some happy mail in the post yesterday - a couple of new Waltzingmouse stamp sets including the gorgeous Funky Feathers. Thought the feathers would look lovely with this week's Dynamic Duos colours:

I stamped the background using WMS woodgrain, added a couple of torn strips of vellum and stamped/embossed the various feathers on vellum and cardstock. It's the first card I've been happy with in a while...must be the new stamps eh?

Thanks for stopping,

Claire x

A Dynamic CAS(E) This Sketch

Good morning bloggers,

I've been meaning to have a go at a Dynamic Duos challenge for ages so I combined it with this week's sketch over at CAS(E) This Sketch. Unfortunately I just missed the CAS(e) deadline. Oops...don't you just hate it when that naughty Mr Linky shuts shop?!

Yes, ok I know.  I am just a little bit obsessive over that typewriter! But it will end soon...promise.  I've combined it with another set of Mama Elephant stamps called Modern Borders.  It's the kind of set I could play with for ages, if only I didn't have to do all the other 'important' things in life like look after the kids....

I'm also going to enter this one into the Simon Says Stamp challenge this month which is 'things with wings.' May be pushing it....but hey, there is a bird on it and Simon can always hit the delete button!

Have a great day and thanks for popping by!

Claire x