Altenew Ultimate Inspiration Challenge - Year in Review

Hello inkers!

Can it really be a year since the last Altenew Year in Review challenge? Where did that year go?  So many challenges to choose from,  and I did them all,  but I decided to repeat Hannelie's challenge from October:

I made a very simple card using the Meadow Burst Stencil, Ruby Red and Coral Berry dye inks, Honey Distress ink with some Bundled Sage and Frayed Burlap as my neutral. The sentiment's from Leaf Clusters.

Instead of stencilling just one burst of flowers I created a floral background by stencilling multiple times. I love creating patterned backgrounds but always struggle on how to use them so added a simple heart and stamped sentiment set against some twine so that the stencilling remained the main focus. I was tempted to add some sequins but sometime less is more!

Thanks for stopping by,

Claire

 

MFT Sketch and Colour Challenges

Hello again,

Not much card making in the run up to Christmas but since it's my brother's birthday shortly I thought I'd better make him a card! The colours over at the latest MFT challenge are perfect for a masculine theme:

I combined them with the sketch challenge and stood one of the fellas from BB Old Friends in front of a mirror made using a Stitched Rectangle Frame and some mirror card (which is very difficult to photograph!) The background is some dp from the Floor to Ceiling Paper Pad.

Happy stamping!

Claire

Four Challenges in One Card

Hello Inkers,

There's so many CAS Christmas challenges out there I managed to fit them all on the one card! Just Us Girls are challenging us to make a CAS card with the image in a circle, AAA Cards to use black, gold and white, Less is More is to use D, as in Deck the Halls and CAS on Friday is to make a Christmas card:

 

I used this sweet dove silhouette and sentiment from Gina K's Christmas Silhouettes - I figured as she's carrying a piece of mistletoe it will fit with the LIM challenge! It's gold embossed along with the circle stamp from Winnie and Walter - I cut a smaller circle in the middle and matted it on white, then mounted it with dimensional tape. 

I love the simple sentiment - hoping 2024 brings a lot more peace, love and joy for the world!

Happy stamping!

Claire

Altenew November Inspiration Challenge

Hello folks, happy weekend and happy thanksgiving to those in the US!

Michelle Short has given another of her great tag tutorials using the reverse side of an Altenew embossing folder. It's so ridiculously simple but produces such an amazing effect I had to have a go using the colours from this months inspiration challenge:

 

In a nutshell, you plonk down some ink on the reverse side of the embossed card, then gently swipe over it with some black pigment ink. That's it. This was my first attempt and even my 15 year old son, who has about as much interest in card making as I do in gaming,  said he was impressed! I did have another go but was a bit heavy handed with the black ink. Next time I'll probably cut down the panel and have my usual white space but I love how it turned out. I haven't got the colours in different shades so it was difficult to create some depth with the inking like Michelle has, but most of it comes from the black ink anyway I think. 

I used the Spring Blossoms EB and the sentiment's from Elegant Sayings. 

Happy stamping!

Claire

CAS MFT Colour Challenge #223

Hello inkers,

Here's a very CAS card for MFT's latest colour challenge:

 

I did a very simple background with alcohol inks on yupo paper and the stamp is from Fluttering Friends (retired), coloured with Copics. I love an alcohol ink background but I just wish the paper was a clean, pure white...to me it always looks like a dirty white. But I guess that's me being very pedantic! I've stamped the sentiment with pigment ink and 24 hours later it's almost dry...another reason I don't use yupo very often!

This one's also going over to Less is More for their 'anything goes' CAS challenge. 

Happy stamping!

Claire

Color Hues Guest Designer

Hello folks!

I'm delighted to be guest designer for Color Cues this week - it's a gorgeous palette, perfect for Christmas cards:

I immediately thought of this poinsettia die when I saw the colours.  I've never really liked the leaves which came with the die so I added some gold embossed foliage with Waltzingmouse's Simple Sprig and some glittery die cut leaves.  The embossed background is an Altenew EB with a sentiment from WMS. Of all the stamps in my stash I think this Simple Sprig is one of my all time favourites - it's seen so much ink I'm amazed it's not worn away over time!

Make sure you go and say an inky hi to the DT and link up your card using the colours for a chance to be a future guest designer!

Happy stamping!

Claire

Freshly Made Sketch #611

Hello again,

Love the Autumnal colours over at Sunday Stamps - I paired them with Jen's layered sketch at Freshly Made Sketches:

 

Some older stamps on this one - Papertrey Ink's Lovely Layers and Waltzingmouse's Simple Sprig (since it was already out!) all set against an Altenew EB. I decided to make a standard card rather than a square one for the simple reason I don't have any square envelopes!

Happy stamping!

Claire