Altenew Ultimate Inspiration Challenge - Year in Review

Hello again,

You know another year has gone by when it's the Ultimate Inspiration Challenge: Year in Review   over at Altenew. I revisited Bridget's April challenge - I'd already used these colours a couple of times for the original challenge so I obviously liked them:

 

 

 

 

 

 

I used the sketch at Freshly Made Sketches for some inspiration - I thought it was perfect for this Psyanka stamp (currently half price so a good reason to buy it). I coloured the first one in full using Copics, then partially coloured the other three. It's quite a detailed design so I thought it would be a bit much with all four coloured. I also added a Fine Frames Cover Die and a teeny tiny diamante in the middle of each flower.

Happy stamping!

Claire

Playing With Lavinia Stamps...Again

Hello inkers,

The heat in Sydney is absolutely blistering today at 38C and the humidity is almost unbearable. So, what better way to cool down but playing along with Lavinia Stamps December Creative Challenge which themed 'snow is falling.'

 

              

 

We had family arrive from the UK last weekend which meant I could put an order in directly from Lavinia Stamps and have them bring it over to me. I loved this tag that Tracey made so I CASEd it using some of my new stamps and tools. I've been hankering after the stencil brushes for ages and they are worth every penny!

The first card isn't just for the LS challenge, I'm also linking over to Addicted to CAS where the theme is 'brrr' and to Time Out's photo inspiration challenge that features lots of snow.  I used a mini Pipin the hare and blended a selection of inks for the background , added some pretty foliage, some sparkle and a scattering of snowflakes using a Posca pen (yet another great tip from the LV videos).

If you're in Australia, hope these cards cool you down!

Happy stamping!

Claire

Seize the Birthday - Masculine: Guest Designer

Hello,

So happy to be the surprise party guest for Seize the Birthday's latest challenge.  The theme is 'masculine:'

I feel like it's ages since I inked up a masculine card - I really don't do enough of them which is very silly as I live in a house with 3 strapping males. 

I used a very old stamp set from Close to my Heart which I haven't inked up for about 7 years. I have to say I struggled with it - the entire card face was covered in those stamped and hand cut chevrons but the background was so busy the sentiment was just lost. So, I decided to add some 'white' space and framed some of the pattern with a circular die cut panel, then added the Altenew lime frame to match the colours.

Go check out the talented DT over at their blogs and see the amazing cards they've done to inspire you. Who knows, you may 'take the cake' and be a future party guest!

Happy stamping!

Claire

Freshly Made Sketch #663

Hello folks,

Sneaking in with a card for Freshly Made Sketches:

I can't get enough of these Merry Moose's from MFT - coloured with Copics with some added sparkle on his collar and cuffs. 

This one's also going over to Time Out's 'Inspired by Words' challenge - 'there truly is not an occasion that is not improved by wearing something festive.' You couldn't improve an occasion more than by having moose dressed as Santa!

Happy stamping!

Claire

 

AAA Cards - Anything CAS Goes: Guest Designer

Hello folks!

I'm thrilled be guest designing again over at AAA Cards Challenge - for the next couple of weeks, anything CAS goes with the optional twist of Christmas-Winter:

I saw these pretty cards from Jo Rice using the shadow stamping technique and had to have a go. I used Gina K's Holiday Silhouettes - not quite as pretty as Jo's but I like how it turned out and it was very quick! Perfect for making a heap of cards in no time at all. 

Head over to the talented design team blogs for some inspiration, then get your CAS brains in gear to be in with a chance of being a future guest designer!

Happy stamping!

Claire

Cozy Colours

Hello bloggers,

Quick post for a couple of challenges - The Paper Player's colour challenge and Time Out's 'cozy' challenge:

 

  

 

What could be cosier than toasting marshmallows by an open fire? Even if you are a moose!

Happy stamping!

Claire

Altenew November Inspiration Challenge

Hello inkers,

Altenew's November Inspiration challenge has a lovely Christmassy palette but unfortunately I haven't got a single Altenew Christmas stamp so I reached for this Precious Peony set instead:

I coloured the image with alcohol markers then added a few more outline stamped images in kraft coloured ink. At the top and bottom I used the same ink to stamp a dotted border from Halftone Squares. The sentiment's from Craft Your Life Project Kit: Fragrant Florals. 

This one's winging its way over to Colorful Options as well as the colour palette is red. 

Happy stamping!

Claire

 

Lavinia Stamps - November Creative Challenge

Hello inkers,

Time for a new Lavinia Stamps challenge with a 'Time to Sparkle' theme:

I've used the dramatic hues over at Sunday Stamps to colour in these Zen Houses with Copics. I used my gelli plate for the background and added some sparkling snow using Kindyglitz. Sparkle never seems to show up in photos but I can tell you it's positively twinkling!

Happy stamping!

Claire

 

Birds of a Feather

Hello again,

Just sneaking in with a card using the colours from Color Throwdown. I was very sad to see that Barbara Anders from Paper Pursuits has passed away. She always really inspired me with her beautiful cards over at MFT - the DT have left some lovely messages about her on the CT blog:

I made a birthday card rather than a sympathy card - I've sent far too many out this year, the latest this afternoon, unfortunately.  Instead,  I've followed the theme over at Seize the Birthday - 'feather.' I used a new to me Jane's Doodles set from 2014 that my beautiful friend gave me from her stash. After some random stamping I gold embossed a few of the outline feather stamp. (I'm hoping gold is considered an neutral along with the chocolate brown.) The die cut sentiment is from Altenew and the stamped one from MFT. 

Thanks for popping by,

Claire

Time Out Guest Designer Challenge #275 - Baking/Sweet Treats

Hello inkers!

I'm delighted to be guest designing over at Time Out for this week's challenge. It's a theme challenge - 'baking/sweet treats.' Who doesn't love a sweet treat? Unfortunately most of us love them a little too much:

I chose a sweet MFT Pure Innocence image for this one. Christmas cake reminds me of Christmas growing up in the UK - my Mum would make the cake weeks in advance and like every kid I'd savour the good part which was the thick layer of marzipan and icing on top and very begrudgingly ate the fruit cake underneath!

This challenge is being sponsored by the wonderful Lawn Fawn with a $25 voucher up for grabs - you have to be in it to win it so check out the DT's designs which are always inspiring and get inking!

Happy stamping!

Claire

Freshly Made Sketch 658

Hello inkers!

It's been ages since I've joined in with Freshly Made Sketches so here's a little card I made for my youngest son who turns sweet 16 this week. I use the term 'sweet' very loosely!

 

I've used the hues from Color Throwdown to colour this sweet little fisherman from Your Next Stamp. This was always a favourite set from YNS but he's been in semi retirement and hasn't seen ink for quite a while. 

I went for some smaller stitched Mod Rectangles from MFT instead of standard rectangles so I could have a little more white space to give it more of a CAS feel.  The patterned paper is also MFT. 

Have an inky week!

Claire

Altenew October Inspiration Challenge

Hello folks,

Time for another Inspiration Challenge from Altenew, this time from April Leithner:

 

I love the colours for this one and really wanted the bright blooms to stand out against the leaves. I used the Craft Your Life Project Kit: Fragrant Florals and coloured the image using the coordinating stencil. I love these kits - it's so much faster colouring these huge stamps with a stencil. I've tucked a few sprigs of foliage behind from the Whimsical Layering Die Set.

Because I've used the stencil this one's going over to The Flower Challenge as well!

Happy stamping!

Claire

Funky Feathers

Hello bloggers,

 After a little break I'm back in the inky swing of it- a good job as October brings a multitude of family birthdays. Addicted to CAS' 'masculine' theme was a good kick start to the mojo:

These Funky Feathers from Waltzingmouse haven't seen ink in quite a while. According to the packet they were released in 2011, long before I purchased a Misti! I doubt I could have got them in such a straight line back then (and certainly not whilst drinking a glass wine!)

This one's also going over to AAA Cards' 'anything goes' challenge - without the optional twist this time!

Happy stamping!

Claire

Lavinia Stamps September Creative Challenge

Hello again,

I completely forgot to post this one which I did for Lavinia Stamp's September challenge.  I posted it on the last day of the challenge and it was a combo of Time Out's 'inspired by words' and Lavinia's Autumn themed challenge:

 

I made the background using my Gelli plate - it's something I'm still getting used to. My clean and simple nature means that a lot of my backgrounds get thrown in the bin as I just don't know what to do with them. I could never be a mixed media artist! 

No sentiment on yet - I'll add that when I find a reason to send it! 

Enjoy your weekend and happy stamping!

Claire

Autumn Hues

Hello folks!

It's that time of year - the leaves are turning, the temperature is getting crisp and the nights are drawing in. Except they're not - Down Under the very opposite is happening having just gone into Spring! That hasn't stopped me from making a few Autumnal themed cards though:

 

There's quite a few Autumnal challenges in the world of ink at the moment - AAA Cards 'anything goes with the optional twist of Autumn colours', Time Out's 'inspired by words' and CAS on Friday's theme of 'leaves.'

I made a very CAS card using a tiny maple stamp with a trio of maple leaves from Lavinia Stamps and each cluster has been stamped in a different coloured ink. The sentiment's from PTI and I dotted some gold pen around the wreath so it's actually quite sparkly IRL.  Who knew I had so many autumnal hues in my ink stash? 

Thanks for popping by,

Claire

Altenew September Inspiration Challenge

Hello inkers!

I had a bit of a break from card making in September - I've had a few GD spots in the last few weeks so but I think I've been all carded out!

So I'm trying to get back into the swing of things with a very last minute card for Altenew's September Inspiration challenge:

I used the Whimsical Garden Layering Die Set which I've had for a few months but hadn't opened. I didn't want to use plain card stock so I splashed some pink and green alcohol inks on yupo and die cut them. It was a bit like completing a jigsaw putting all the tiny pieces back together. 

I placed it on one of the large tags from Terrific Tags Die Set, added the hello from Timeless Sentiments and set it against a paper background from the Pinkfresh Celebrate 6 x 6 paper pad. It looks pretty CAS but took a while with all the die cutting!

Happy stamping!

Claire

AAA Card Challenge - Anything CAS Goes: Guest Designer

Hello inkers,

I'm delighted to be guest designing again over at AAA Cards Challenge - they have a brand new challenge for the start of September: anything CAS goes with the optional twist of sympathy/get well.

Sympathy cards aren't the easiest to make but I think it's the words that are most important - this Altenew set,  Say it With Love, has some lovely sentiments for all sorts of occasions. 

 

I blended a panel with various distress inks, then cut a floral border with Altenew's Floral in 'N' Out Die.

 

Make sure you pop over to the DT's blogs and check out what they've been doing - their cards always amazing and are bound to inspire you to get the inks out!

Claire

 

Feeling Fruity!

 Hello bloggers,

There's a fruity theme happening in blogland at the moment - both The Paper Players and Time Out have a fruity inspiration pic to play with:

My inky mojo has escaped in the last few weeks and even this CAS one was a bit of a struggle. I grabbed a couple of very old Whimsy Stamps sets and stamped/coloured away.  The sentiment's from an equally old Waltzingmouse set. 

Happy stamping!

Claire