Rainbow Borders

Hello again,

Here's a very quick card for Less is More which has a 'borders' theme for their latest challenge:

I used a die from MFT and one of the border stamps from Mama Elephant's Modern Borders, stamped in black and coloured with a rainbow of Copics. 

Happy stamping!

Claire

Less is More - Take Two

Hello inkers!

I've had another go at Less is More's White and Cream challenge:

I've white embossed PTI's Doodlie-Do flowers on cream and white card stock and the leaves are on vellum. The sentiment is from Poppy Stamps.

I've tried to keep it to a minimum of one third of the card since AAA's challenge is to use up to one third with the optional twist of using a repeating image.  (I've repeated a couple of the blooms as well as the leaves.)  I'm also throwing it over to Addicted to CAS again where the code word is 'flower' and CASology's cue card is 'plant' so I'm popping it over there too!

Happy stamping everyone!

Claire

MFT Sketch #488

Hello, hello,

Another couple of cards for you - the first is for MFT's Sketch Challenge using Flower Fairies and Radiating Rays Stencil:

The second is for Less Is More's new challenge which is to use white and cream:

I'm actually wondering if I can get away with this one being 'cream.'  I used Antique Linen distress  ink which is kind of a beigey cream but actually looks like a soft brown in the photo.  I think I'll leave it to the DT to decide if it's still eligible for the challenge and if not, I may do another take.

Have a wonderful day!

Claire

Splats at Freshly Made Sketches

Hello, hello,

Happy Sunday to you. Here's a CAS card for Freshly Made Sketches and Less is More which has a recipe challenging us to use 'scribbles, drips and/or splats:'

Funnily enough the sketch from FMS features a splat so it's perfectly suited to the LIM challenge. I've used a splat stamp from Your Next Stamp's Cool Backgrounds, smothered it with a few blue distress inks, added a couple of sprits of water and stamped it. I had no idea what I was going to put on it but realised it's the perfect watery backdrop for this sweet little YNS whale from Totally Narly. I added a swirl of silver twine and a scattering of clear pebbles and it was done.

Happy stamping!

Claire

More Inky Education

Hello again,

I've been playing around with some more techniques from the classes over at Bluprint. Mayuri's class on Radiant Stamping Techniques gave me an idea for this week's Less is More challenge - Out of Focus:

In this class she showed how to create a geometric design by rotating the same stamp in different colours. I used one of Waltzingmouse's Funky Feathers - however, to achieve the blurry look, I took one of Catherine Pooler's ideas and sprayed the stamp with water before stamping.  The hello sentiment was a freebie from Poppy Stamps covered in a thick coat of Glossy Accents.

For the second one I smooshed a distress ink background and added a simple fish stamp and sentiment from Altenew's Ori Kami set. I'm popping this over to Addicted to CAS'  'Animal' themed challenge and CASology's Zodiac challenge - I'm a Pisces so it seemed logical to use the fish symbol for this one.

Lastly, I had some of the stamped squares left over from yesterday's technique in the previous post. They fitted perfectly for CAS(E) This Sketch  #368- I just added another Altenew Hennah Elements bloom and Cheery Lynn flourish and made a more CAS version of yesterdays card.  Since I used Altenew's colours (again) I'm linking up over there too!

Hope you have the time to get inky this week!

Claire

Time to Feel Lucky

Hello again,

Hope everyone is staying well during these Coronavirus filled days. At least making cards gives us something else to think about!

Your Next Stamp's latest challenge has a lucky theme - at a time when people are (selfishly) hoarding the essentials, I feel very lucky to still be able to get decent coffee. It's the one thing I truly couldn't go without and if I had a choice between toilet roll or coffee, I think coffee might actually win:

I used Coffee Cart  and coloured the images with the pretty hues from Less is More's Colour Challenge -   red, raspberry and grey.

Happy stamping and hope you stay safe!

Claire

Rainbow Symmetry

Hello, hope you're having a good weekend.

I've made a CAS card for 3 different challenges today - although I'm wondering if I'm pushing the boundaries a little with one of them:

 The first one to catch my eye was the ATCAS code word of 'symmetry.' Symmetry appeals to my anally retentive nature when it comes to stamping, so I reached for Winnie and Walter's Bigger Bang Confetti and played around with the large and small diamond stamps to create a symmetrical rainbow coloured pattern.  Since I've used different sizes I'm also popping it over to Less is More for their 'big and small' challenge,  but looking at them, they look more similar in size than I realised, so Kylie might hit the delete button on this one! The last challenge I'm entering it for is CASology where the cue card is 'tall.' It's a tall pattern in comparison to the PTI sentiment...wonder if I'm pushing it with that one too?!

Happy stamping!

Claire

Happy Birthday Less Is More!

Hello bloggers!

Can you believe that Less is More are celebrating their 9th birthday? Their theme is even more 'less' than usual - to use as few tiny images and sentiments as possible:

I have to admit, I found this one quite difficult.  I ended up using the smallest flower from PTI's Doodlie-Do and a tiny sentiment from Mixed Messages . I added a small sprig of leaves and placed it against 3 small, postage stamp die cuts, partially matted on orange card stock. As usual, the simplest of cards took. me forever!

Happy stamping!

Claire x

One Layer MFT

Hello again,

It's a dreaded one layer challenge both at AAA Cards and Less is More this week. There's an optional twist at AAA to use polar animals so I used one of Stacey Yacula's Sweet Holiday Penguins from MFT and coloured him using the hues from colour challenge #134. Addicted to CAS also have a Wintry theme of 'frosty':

I'm also popping this one over to Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday challenge where 'anything goes!'

Happy stamping!

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

Copper Embossed

Hello again,

Less is More's challenge is a metallic theme this week so I reached for my copper embossing powder and had a play with a Hero Arts wooden stamp that a friend gave to me a few weeks ago:

I'm not sure if I like it, partly as I'm not too sure whether I like the stamp. It's a pretty safe bet that if you don't like the stamp you're not going to like the card much either! I find it a bit busy (and completely unforgiving when embossed),  so after embossing it on the corner of the panel, I die cut smaller panel, matted it with some black card stock and popped it up on some dimensional tape. Still not sure about it though.....

I'm entering it into Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday challenge too,  where 'anything goes!'

Hope you get some time to get inky this week!

Claire x

CAS Sunday

Hello folks, happy weekend to you!

A couple of very CAS cards for a few different challenges - the first is for Addicted to CAS where the code word is 'daisy'. I've also been inspired by Time Out's Home Sweet home challenge and drew from the gorgeous palette of neutral whites, blue candle, distressed wood and the vase of daisies sat on the table. I stamped the Paper Smooches paint strip die with MFT's Wood Plank and coloured it using Weathered Wood distress ink. The embossed corner came about entirely by accident when I grabbed two lots of card stock by mistake and tried to die cut them both. It left an embossed image on the bottom piece which actually looked better than the die cut - love a happy accident!

My second card is for Paper Smooches' Anything Goes challenge - I've used Lovestruck with the colours from Color Throwdown. I gave the little hearts a liberal covering of Glossy Accents which has added a raised, shiny layer of texture too. These sweet little arrows are just under 2 inches in length so I'm also popping this one over to Less is More where the recipe is to use small stamps which are less than 2 inches in diameter. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Claire x