MFT Sketch 664

Hello inkers!

Quick post for this week's MFT Sketch Challenge before it closes:

I have to admit I didn't find it the easiest sketch to play with!  I used Watercolor Wash Free Form Stencil for the background and for the three strips I used Drift and Hills and Cloud stencils. The stamps are a new MFT purchase - Buzzing with Happiness. These cool dudes kind of remind me of ZZ Top in bee form - unfortunately anyone under the age of 40 probably doesn't know what I'm talking about!

Happy stamping!

Claire

MFT Sketch Challenge #663

Hello again,

Second card for the day - I'm on a roll! This one's for MFT's latest sketch challenge:

I usually put this cute kid from Your Hair Down (retired) against a sunny, blue sky background but with longer nights just round the corner I thought I'd set her against an evening sky. Reminds me of when I was little and pushed to stay out just a little bit later on the long Summer nights in the UK.

The background panel was stamped with Lined by Hand Background Stamp using Grout Grey Ink on matching card stock. MFT please bring it back - my all time favourite neutral!

Happy stamping!

Claire

Altenew September Inspiration Challenge

Hello, happy weekend to you!

A pretty, autumnal palette for the Altenew Inspiration Challenge this month:

 

I switched from my usual Copics and used pencils to colour this Nostalgic Florals bloom. I'm still very much a beginner with pencils - I have a lot more colours to choose from but it really is hit and miss whether I get the blends right. They're cheaper knock offs as well as I didn't want to commit to buying an expensive brand until I'd tried them out. Would be interested to see whether it's any easier with the branded ones!

I framed the flower using the Simple Frame embossing folder swiped with Versamark and gold embossed. The sentiment's from Sentiment Strips (1). 

This one's also going over to Just the Girls for their mood board challenge - I was inspired by the colours of the leaves, the kraft notebook in the 2nd pic and the cream latte art on the coffee!

Happy stamping!

Claire

My Favorite Things - 2023 Card Design Superstar: Clean and Simple Genius

Hello inkers,

MFT's annual Card Design Superstar comp has rolled around again - I always like to have a bash and love to see the gallery as there are some truly amazing creations! This one's my entry to the Clean and Simple Genius category:

I used one of my favourite characters from Old Friends. I love the sentiments in this set. The little party hat is from BB Festive Old Friends - well he has to look like he's having a good time since he's the birthday boy doesn't he?

I thought I'd make him look a bit more snazzy and paper pieced his shirt and hat using some checked paper from the Sweet Celebration Paper Pad, then coloured them with Copics. It made me smile as the shirt reminded me of my much missed Dad who seemed to wear brighter and brighter clothes the older he got! Maybe he just didn't want to be invisible in his older age.

Hope you get the chance to join in and thanks for popping by!

Claire

Freshly Made Sketch #600!

Hello folks!

Can you believe Freshly Made Sketches has made it to their 600th sketch? That deserves a celebration and at the very least deserves a play along this week:

On Sunday it's Father's Day here in Australia so here's a little card for the big bloke (or should that be biggest bloke as there's 3 of them in my household). I used some older stamps from Your Next Stamp, Waltzingmouse, MFT and Stampin' Up...hopefully he likes it, along with the bottle of whisky to celebrate the special day!

Congrats to the FMS design team and thanks so much for all the inspiration over the years!

Claire

CAS Leaves

Hello again,

Two posts in one day - I'm on a roll! Here's a super CAS card for the Addicted to CAS leaves challenge using the pretty hues from Colour Throwdown:

 

I used some foliage from Lawn Fawn, coloured with Copics and set against a die I bought from my local craft store years ago. I coped out some of the teeny tiny die cut squares and randomly coloured some others. The sentiment's from Poppy Stamps.

Enjoy your weekend!

Claire

Altenew August Inspiration Challenge

Hello inkers,

Always love a good Inspiration Challenge over at Altenew but, oh dear, how I struggled with the colours this month! I love the bouquet in the pic but just found it so difficult to pull the colours together. In fact, my first attempt was completely binned - something I haven't had to do for ages!

 

I think it was the very soft pink that threw me but I did find a very old SSS ink pad that's barely been used so it was a good starting point along with some neutral gold embossing powder and glitter card. I went with an oldie but a goodie - Peony Bouquet with some leafy foliage from Leaf Clusters. I also added some stencilling with the Beach Towel Stripes Stencil and a sentiment from Elegant Sayings. 

Because of the stripes I'm also popping this over to The Flower Challenge where the challenge is to use spots or stripes.

Happy stamping!

Claire

Freshly Made Sketch #599

Hello folks,

Not much card making this week - my mojo has well and truly disappeared and I had a complete mental block with anything crafty - so frustrating!

Nothing like a new Freshly Made Sketch to bring it back though - I used the pretty colours from the latest MFT challenge:

Lots of MFT products on this one - PI Winter Kisses, a sentiment from Holiday Cheer, various MFT dp's and die-namics flag dies. This one's also going over to there Ready, Set, Christmas challenge!

Happy stamping!

Claire

MFT Sketch and Colour Challenges

Hello inkers!

Here's a CAS version of the latest MFT sketch:

I actually coloured these in last week - I used the closest colours I could find to those in the colour challenge but I have to admit they've got more of a blue hue than teal as all my teal Copics had run out of ink.  It doesn't make them look very appetising does it?! I had no idea what to do with them once coloured and then the latest sketch came out and it was the perfect fit - love it when that happens!

Hope you have the time to join in this week!

Claire

Shaping Up!

Hello folks!

Here's a super CAS card using the sketch from Sunday Stamps and the code word 'shapes' over at Addicted to CAS:

 

I used a couple of older sets from CAS-ual Fridays and Avery Elle. The Avery Elle set, All Squared Up,  has a trio of little triangles that I stamped around the bold sentiment to create a star. I also added some Glossy Accents to the dots on the 5 to add some shine.

Enjoy your weekend!

Claire

Ready, Set MFT Sketch and Christmas Challenges

Hello bloggers,

I'm well on the way to completing my Christmas cards thanks to the Ready, Set Christmas challenge at MFT. Here's another one using the latest sketch:

I used SY Selfies with Santa and dp from an MFT paper pad which has since retired. 

Happy stamping!

Claire

Paper Players Sketch Challenge

Hello folks,

I can't even remember the last time I made a masculine card but a friend gave me some of her old Kaisercraft background stamps so thought I'd ink up this vintage car from one of their stamp sets. Makes a change from flowers!

I used Joanne's layered sketch from the latest Paper Players challenge.  The dp is from some very old paper pads from Authentique. I always loved their paper pads - the paper was thick, almost card like and great quality. I used one of the gifted Kaisercraft background stamps to add some texture to the blue panel and the tyre mark stamp is from the same Kaisercraft stamp set that I've had for years.

Happy stamping!

Claire

Christmas CAS

Hello inkers,

Here's a CAS Christmas card for the latest Just Us Girls CAS challenge (to use three of something) and the Addicted to CAS code word challenge 'wish':

 

I bought the Holiday Silhouettes set from Gina K a couple of months ago, completely enabled by this card that Carol made for one of the past JUGs challenges. Doesn't it just go to show that the best product advertising is through beautiful cards made by other card makers?

I silver embossed these three baubles, coloured them in varying shades of pink then added a bit of sparkle with some glitter and a crystal in the centre. The scalloped die cut is MFT.

Happy stamping!

Claire

Time Out Photo Inspiration

Hello again,

Quick post for a couple of challenges - Time Out's inspiration pic and the latest Freshly Made Sketch:

 

I took inspiration from the dusky pink curtain, the font on the basket on the top shelf and the splashes of gold. I stamped the background with PTI's Background Basics Super Stripes and the bloom is Altenew.

Happy stamping!

Claire

MFT Three-fer

Hello inkers!

It's not often I get to combine all 3 MFT challenges at once:

I didn't look at the latest colours and immediately think Christmas card but I do love a non-traditional Christmas palette. I used SY Selfies With Santa and Selfie Square Die-namics.

This one's going over to the MFT Sketch, Colour and Ready, Set Christmas challenges and Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday Challenge which has the theme of '4-legged friends.'

Happy stamping!

Claire

MFT Ready Set Christmas Challenge

Hello folks!

Here's another card for the Ready, Set Christmas Challenge at MFT:

I can't believe I've been living in Australia for over 20 years and I've never even sent an Aussie themed Christmas card - when I saw this koala Christmas stamp from RAM Cute and Cuddly Christmas I just had to get it (obviously!)

I set him against a blended Watercolor Wash stencilled background for a very simple card.

Happy stamping!

Claire

Colour Throwdown Meets Freshly Made Sketches

Hello inkers,

Not many cards to be made in the last week having had a sneaky night away without the kids over the weekend! I did manage to get this one done using the gorgeous colours over at The Color Throwdown and the sketch at Freshly Made Sketches: 

All Altenew stamps, embossing folder and dies with a sentiment from Poppy Stamps!

Enjoy your week!

Claire

MFT Sketch #653 - Take 2!

Hello again, second card for the day!

There's nothing like a good sketch to get you using older, much loved stamps. After using some new goodies for my first attempt I realised these cute Birthday Chicks would work well with MFT's current sketch:

I used the latest colour challenge hues for these teeny tiny chicks - or chooks as we call them in Australia!

Enjoy your Sunday!

Claire