Friday 29 March 2024

Colour Throwdown Meets The Paper Players

Hello folks, 

My inky mojo has been lacking lately - when that happens I try and learn a new technique to get it going again. 

  I love Michelle Short's Altenew tutorials, particularly this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxuSeXw8_6A&t=461s in which she uses white pigment ink to highlight embossed details using an Altenew embossing folder :










I have quite a few Altenew EB's - I love them as they produce really deeply etched images but in hindsight I wish I'd used a different one for this technique. I think a simpler one, like the one Michelle used, would probably work better. I used the colours from The Color Throwdown but then realised the white pigment ink didn't work well with cream, so I went over it with some Antique Linen distress oxide, then added some gold embossing powder. 

Since the challenge at Simon Says Stamp is to use embossing and I've used both wet and dry, I'll link up to their Monday challenge. I'm also popping it over to Addicted to CAS where the code word is 'bloom.'

Happy stamping!

Claire



 

Sunday 24 March 2024

MFT Colour/Christmas Challenge #232

Hello again,

Such a busy few weeks, card making's definitely a 'grab the opportunity whilst I can' activity at the moment - Pink last weekend, a show at the Opera House last night and high tea this afternoon. Time to give myself (and my wallet) a bit of a break and make a card...

 






This one is another Christmas card for MFT's Ready, Set, Christmas challenge using the colours from Colour Challenge #232.  I used BB Christmas SELFies with Polaroid Shaker Frame Die-namics Circle Celebration background stamp (retired.) The dp is some scraps I had left over from the Over the Rainbow paper pad. 

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Claire


Saturday 23 March 2024

Time Out/JUGS Collaboration Challenge: Birds of a Feather

Hello bloggers!

Here's a card for a joint challenge with Time Out and Just Us Girls where the theme is 'birds of a feather:'

 








It's always good to have an excuse to start the Christmas cards early isn't it, so I reached for these Sweet Holiday Penguins from MFT. 

I've used the sketch from MFT's latest challenge but switched to a mini slimline size as it seemed to work better with the design.  The polaroid dies are MFT Die-namics, long retired,  and the dp is from one of their older 6x6 pads. 

I'm also linking it up with the Ready, Set, Christmas challenge. Fours Christmas cards down - plenty to go!

Happy stamping!

Claire

Monday 18 March 2024

Altenew March Inspiration Challenge

Hello folks,

Not much inkiness going on over here during the last couple of weeks - we've had birthdays galore, including my eldest's 18th so I guess I had to make him my priority! Things have settled down a bit now though, so time to get the stamps out for Altenew's March Inspiration Challenge:











This Sweet Rose Bouquet set was one of my bargain finds a couple of months ago when a local craft shop closed down. I didn't create a bouquet though and instead arranged the pretty blooms into a simple wreath with a scattering of sequins. I cut a circle out of the card stock panel first which made it so much easier to arrange them, then added dimensional tape to the panel. There aren't any sentiments in this set so I used one from Build-a-Flower Sakura Blossom. Don't you just love it when the sentiment from a different set fits perfectly? Happy days!

I'm also popping this one over to Addicted to CAS for their current 'bloom' challenge.

Happy stamping!

Claire

Friday 1 March 2024

Paper Players Sketch Challenge

Hello inkers!

I do love a sketch with lots of layers so this is my take on Anne Marie's sketch challenge over at the Paper Players:







All those layers gave me the opportunity to use up some of the many 6 x 6 paper pads I have in my stash - I was a huge fan of My Mind's Eye when I did scrapbooking and bought so many of these pads. I miss using them so I'm glad I got the chance to dust them off a bit.

In looking for some inspiration I saw Time Out also has a new challenge this week - this little frog sitting in a die cut pocket is from Taylored Expressions and hasn't seen ink in quite a while. I have to say I think he's a lot cuter the one in the pic - those red eyes really look quite evil!

Happy stamping!

Claire

Tuesday 27 February 2024

MFT Sketch Challenge #686

Hello folks,

Here's a quick take on the soon to be finished sketch challenge over at MFT:




 



I used Buzzing with Happiness, Stitched Scallop Basic Edges Dienamics and a stitched frame. 

I also added a honeycomb stencilled background so this one's winging its way over to Just Us Girls as well for their stencil challenge.

Thanks for popping by!

Claire

Friday 23 February 2024

Altenew February Inspiration Challenge - Take Two

Hello inkers,

So little inkiness happening in this house at the moment - I find I get very irritated when I haven't had a bit of crafty 'me' time. I did manage to make this very CAS card though for February's Altenew Inspiration challenge:











This one has also led to a heated discussion with my husband who is a bit of a maths whizz (some might say nerd) and what the correct definition of 'geometric' is. I'm going with the definition I found online which is a 'pattern characterised by or decorated with regular lines and shapes.' Like the above Pysanka Stamp from Altenew I think. He reckons I should only use shapes such as squares and triangles. If that's the case then the team over at Addicted to CAS can hit delete!

I thought for quite a while about whether it was suitable for the latest Paper Players challenge as well,  which is to make a CAS friendship card. It doesn't say 'friend' but I'd never send a card like this to anyone who wasn't a good friend! I think calling a friend 'lovely' is such a sweet endearment. Once again that delete button can be hit if it's deemed not suitable!

Happy stamping!

Claire