Altenew - October Inspiration Challenge

Hello folks,

This month's Inspiration Challenge over at Altenew is being hosted by Hannelie whose designs I always love!  She's happened to use one of my favourite colour combos too:

 

I find it very therapeutic stamping these pretty Build-a-Flower Sakura Blossoms - I love how they look against the clean white panel. I cut the panel with the Floral In N' Out Border Die to add some subtle detail to the background and the bold sentiment is from the same stamp set. 

Since I had that die out I thought I'd use it in Addicted to CAS' latest challenge - to use dies only. It's so intricate I don't think anything else is required. I blended three of the Autumnal hues over at Sunday Stamps (More Mustard, Fired Earth and Tattered Rose) and and added an Altenew stamped sentiment. Too easy as they say Down Under!

Happy stamping!

Claire

AAA Card Challenge - Colourful Ink Blending

Hello again!

Playing along with AAA Cards for this one - they have an ink blending challenge happening so it was the perfect excuse to crack open some new Lavinia Stamps images. I've always loved their stamps but never actually bought any - my local craft shop stocked them but closed down a few years ago. Then lo and behold they opened a pop up shop recently in their old premises so what could I do? It would have been rude not to buy anything....

I blended 3 colours - Bundled Sage, Antique Linen and Faded jeans. As I always do when ink blending, I stuffed it up so my one layer card became a panel. I stamped the sweet, fairy image over the top and then added a tiny Altenew sentiment.  I'm happy with how it turned out but you must check out the Lavinia Stamps website and see what the DT can do - they create such amazing, whimsical scenes using nothing but stamps and ink!

Thanks for popping by,

Claire

Freshly Made Sketch #606 - Guest Designer

Hello inkers!

I'm so thrilled to be guest designer for one of my absolute favourite challenges this week - Freshly Made Sketches. They reached an unbelievable 600 challenges a few weeks ago and I was lucky enough to be chosen for a GD spot for the current challenge:

This week it's a sketch from Narelle featuring circles. I've always struggled with circles but I have these pretty Ink to Paper blooms which I think fit the sketch perfectly. I added a sparkly enamel dot in the centres to match the glittery embossing powder. The sentiments in the pack were a little too large so I picked a smaller one from Altenew and it's all backed by Altenew's Cross Stitch Canvas Die.

The DT would love you to pop over and say hello - then all you have to do is link up your card for the chance to be crowned Queen of Clean!

Happy stamping!

Claire

Holly Jolly Christmas

Hello again,

Still playing with my latest MFT purchase, this time with Yuzu Holly Jolly Santa for sketch challenge #665:

I was so excited to use these new stamps I didn't even realise the sketch was a landscape card so I did a portrait one and had to move the position of the sentiment to the base of the stencilled circle. I used the Drifts and Hills Stencil to do the snow. 

Despite the name of the stamp set Santas's nowhere in sight, just these cute little reindeer - can you tell which one's Rudolph? 

Thos one's also going over to MFT's Ready, Set Christmas challenge and Simon Says Stamp's Monday challenge which has a Christmas theme. 

Happy stamping!

Claire

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