Colour Q #254

Hello bloggers!

Me again, this time with the latest Colour Q palette.  It's rare for me to have an almost exact inky match so it was the perfect time to pull out W Plus 9's Fresh Cut Wreaths:

I've had this set for a couple of months already but hadn't had the opportunity to use it - I love how all the little flowers fit together...it's like trying to build a jigsaw., but without the boring bits!

My MIL needed a wedding card so that fit in nicely with the wedding theme over at The Card Concept...there's a couple of layers so I guess I've gone for the 'clean and layered' look.

Lots of gorgeous inspiration from the rest of the design team this week so pop over and give them some love won't you?

Thanks for stopping,

Claire x

Stretch Your Stamps - Outline Stamps

G'day folks!

I've been busy learning a few new techniques from Online Card Classes' Stretch Your Stamps 2.  Laura Bassen made a couple of beautiful tags, placing the stamped focal point off centre and colouring it in with Copics.  I've got a very limited number of large outline stamps (make that one) and used Waltzingmouse's Camellia set:

I white embossed the bloom on to white card stock and used a combination of Copics and a Kaisercraft blender pen.  It didn't blend quite as well as the Copics but I quite like how the petals are more defined because of it.  Of course, once I'd coloured the image in I wasn't quite sure what to do with it so turned to Mojo Monday for a bit of inspiration - thank goodness for sketches! And wouldn't you know, this fits in with Waltzingmouse Fantatics challenge - 'make your mark' so I'm popping it over there too. (Thanks Kate!)

See you later with the Colour Q challenge!

Claire x

More Stretching

Hello again bloggers!

So I'm on day 2 of Stretch Your Stamps II and this time I learnt an ombre technique from Laura Sterckx.  Take a look at her blog - she's 16 and has so much talent!  

 

I used dye inks for this one but I suspect it would look better with Distress Inks.  I ended up cutting a panel and using it for this week's Freshly Made Sketch from Jen M.  I embossed the sentiment using pewter emboss powder from SU,  then layered it on a piece of vellum for a softer look.  I partially embossed the bottom layer of card stock instead of using patterned paper - I think the ombre effect is so pretty, I didn't want anything to detract from it.

So that's my 'homework' for today...I can't remember ever enjoying homework!

Thanks for popping by,

Claire x

Stretching my Stamps

Hello folks!

Last time there was an Online Card Class I made a promise to myself that I'd join in with the next one...and I'm so glad I did.  This is my 'homework' from the Stretch Your Stamps II class - it's based on a fantastic CAS card by Kristina Werner using a Hero Arts background stamp.  I have very few background stamps so there wasn't a lot of choice - I ended up using my crackle stamp from Waltzingmouse. I white embossed a background onto white card stock and did a rainbow colour wash using watercolour paints. So simple and I love how it's turned out.  If only I could take credit for any of it....

Kristina placed her sentiment on to a white background but, since I had quite a lot of white embossing, I found it looked a lot clearer on the black.

Can't wait for the next lesson!

Thanks for looking,

Claire x

Colour Q #252

Hello blogging buddies!

How's your week going? Ready for another play with colour? Here's the new palette for the latest Colour Q challenge:

Ok, so I'm looking at the colours now and thinking mine are a little off! I have nothing even closely resembling Summer Starfruit... I went in the green direction and used Marina Mist instead of Island Indigo.  As for the turquoise...let's just say that washi tape looked turquoise when I picked it!

I based this on the sketch over at CASe This Sketch - this week they've joined up with Tag You're It - you've got to love two challenges in one haven't you?

The background has been stamped and white embossed with Mama Elephant's Basic Borders - I sprayed it with some Glimmer Mists which are always woefully neglected in my stash.  Then,  stamped the little giraffe on some watercolour paper and gave it a wash of turquoise ink.  To be honest I'm not sure if I like it...I wish I'd left the embossed lines white so that it looked cleaner.....once again I seem to have missed the 'clean and simple' idea of the challenges...oops.

Hope you get the chance to play this week! Make sure you check out the rest of the DT's inspiration!

Claire x

Getting to Know Me?

Hello bloggers!

I've a bit of a different post today. You may have seen around blogland a blog hop with a difference - it's a chance for you to get to know your fellow bloggers and see what inspires them in their craftiness. Hazel from Hazel's Paper Designs kindly asked me to take part so go and take a peek at her blog - she's just had a guest spot over at Casology and created a fabulous lolly for the latest cue word. It really does look good enough to eat!

Here goes:

What creative projects are you working on? 

As I'm on the design team, I've been working on a project for this week's Colour Q palette which goes live on Tuesday.  Sometimes we may have the colours weeks in advance - other times we may have a few days notice.  I've got my eye on a few challenges this week but I'm hoping to take part in Online Card Classes 'Stretch Your Stamps II' from today so I'm not sure how many I'll have the chance to play in.

How and what inspires your designs?

I have to say most of my inspiration comes from taking part in challenges and often from the design team's creations.  I'm continually amazed by what people think of -  the Casology design team in particular really think outside the box, which I love.  Pinterest is the obvious choice for some quick inspiration - however, I'm utterly paranoid about inadvertently case-ing someone's design. Sometimes an idea comes to me and I worry that I may have copied someone else by mistake! Perhaps you could tell me if this is normal....

What method/process do you apply to each of your projects and how long does each project take to make?

This question made me laugh. It implies that I have some kind of process.  Here's an example of my process with a Casology design:

1) Read the cue word at about 11pm on a Tuesday night - that's the problem living in Australia...all the challenges go live really late.

2) Start thinking about it and then realise I can't sleep.

3) Still thinking....

4) Still thinking....husband now laughing at me and telling me I'm a complete nerd.

5) Eventually come up with some kind of design. Chuck it in the bin as it hasn't worked...retry it. Eventually manage a card (but am rarely happy with it!) Clean and SIMPLE?  Stuff that! I have been known to spend 10 minutes on a card and then hours, depending on whether that mojo's flowing!

If you had to describe your signature style, what would it be?

I think it used to be very clean and layered, with lots of patterned paper.  But there are so many clean and simple challenges now, I think maybe my style is changing.  I buy a lot more stamps and ink than I used to and use far less patterned paper. I used to scrapbook more than make cards (hence the blog name) but now cards seem to be my favourite crafty exercise so all that paper is now gathering dust!

Anyway, that's enough about me folks...time to pass the bloggy reins to a couple of my favourite card makers:

Kay Miller - My Joyful Moments: Sigh...what can't this talented girl do with a die cut? And stencils. And stamps. And paper.  Her creations are so colourful and creative...she's the type of card maker I'd like to be when I grow up. I'm so grateful she agreed to do this as I know she's on lots of design teams so I'm sure her time is precious.

Kim Heggins - Cupcakes, Cards and Kim: Kim's cards are always so original - she's a master (or should that be mistress?) of clean and simple but uses a variety of different techniques so her clean and simple is never boring! Thanks for agreeing to do this Kim!

Girls...over to you....

Thanks for popping by,

Claire x

Tic Tac Toe Part 2

Morning bloggers!

Thank goodness it's the weekend - this week's been completely manic so not much time at the crafty table for me.  I did manage a quickie combining the Casology challenge with CASual Friday's Tic Tac Toe - this time I combined dots, white and sequins:

I sponged a rainbow of colours and stamped Mama Elephant's Around We Go ferris wheel over the top - for those of you who are tutting that I have only used one sequin...I haven't. I actually stuck two together since the tic tac toe challenge requires sequins (plural)! Well, you never know how strict they are over at CASual Fridays!

Have a great weekend!

Claire