Saturday 30 April 2016

Muse 162 - Happy Birthday


Here's my card for this week's Muse challenge, where Jenny gave us a pretty-in-pink daisy as inspiration:



I focused on Jenni's:
-colour scheme (although I kicked my pink up a notch)
-general layout
-use of texture
-square card

I used:
-WPlus9 Happy die
-Unknown birthday sentiment
-Cuttlebug Dots embossing folder

Friday 29 April 2016

3 Umbrella-inspired Fusion - Happy Mother's Day


Do you feel like you landed at Donna's blog by mistake? Good! I was so inspired by one of her cards this morning that I couldn't wait to case it!



I didn't have the same floral set (no one but the MFT DT has it yet - it's part of the May release!) but I hoped that I could achieve a similar watercoloured look. Turns out that since my set is made to look watercoloured that I didn't need to spray anything.

I combined my Donna-inspiration with this pretty photo at the current Fusion challenge:



And in the end, I'm loving this fresh, cheery Mother's Day card!

I used:
-Impression Obsession Watercolour Wildflowers
-Wplus9 You Equal Kind (little black dots)
-Hero Arts(?) Sentiment (can't find it anywhere!)

ETA:

Thursday 28 April 2016

MCV42 - Wishing you A Very Merry Christmas


This week we have a guest Muse at Muse: ChristmasVisions - Suchi! She has given us a one-layer wonder with this festive inspiration:




I love this simple, graphic ornament. To add a sparkly festive touch, I re-stamped the ornaments with versamark and embossed with iridescent embossing powder.

I focused on Suchi's
-colour scheme
-ornament theme
-black sentiment

I used:
-Stampin Up Lots of Joy
-Stampin Up Wishing You (retired)
-Ranger Dye Inks
-Doodlebug Silver Sparkle Sprinkles

Wednesday 27 April 2016

MFTWSC278 - 24XHappy Birthday


Isn't this fun? I was looking around for a challenge to play with this morning and came across the current MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge:



I reduced it to one layer and used a rainbow of happy colours to add to the fun!

I'm also linking up to Seize the Birthday: Anything Goes




Simon Wednesday Challenge Blog

I used:
-MFT Label Maker Sentiments
-MFT You Move Me (stars) (Retired)
-MFT Party Balloons (Retired)
-Ranger Dye Inks
-Versafine Onyx


On another topic, are you on Instagram? I joined about a year ago and after getting used to it have come to love it and view it as my main method of keeping in touch with many of the cardmakers I love! But I know that there are a few of you still not there and I miss you! (follow me by clicking the link to the right).

It's simple to use - you don't even have to put your own photos up - you can leave your account 'private' and just follow all your favourite people.

Your feed is just photos. No political nonsense or controversial opinions. No clicking from blog to blog. Just photo after photo after beautiful photo.  I have the app on my computer and I usually look at my feed there because I find it easier to type on a full keyboard (rather than on my phone).

It's so easy - either click the heart or double-click on the photo to like it. Leave a comment if you wish. Scroll to the next photo. SO. EASY. (have I mentioned that?)

If you do upload photos, you need to use your phone. You can hashtag information about your photo (what challenge it's for ie #mftwsc, #seizethebirthday what products you're using  ie #mftstamps) - these hashtags make it easy for people to search for your work.

It is definitely my favourite way to see what's being created out there - it's quick, efficient and easy! Give it a try!



Tuesday 26 April 2016

IALT12 - Birthday Wishes


I've been having fun on my 'rainbow run' over the last week or so - lots of vibrant, energetic, colourful cards. But it's fun to try something different, too! This card was inspired by the current Inspired by All the Little Things challenge:




I knew I would be using pale colours to try and capture the dreamy feel of the inspiration, so to soften the look further, I stamped everything in grey.

I used:
-Waffleflower Lotus
- WPlus9 That is All

CASology 195 - Sprinkle


This week's CASology Cue Card is Sprinkle!



An interesting (and somewhat challenging!) word. For me. Not for you, I'm sure!

I went for the weather interpretation and made a card of encouragement. I used Waffle Flower's Rain Check stamp set and Partly Cloudy dies. I did all my stamping right on the card base and only popped up the cloud (edged in Stickles for some sparkle and definition). No other layers, no other embellishments. That (and all the white space) keeps this card very CAS.

Now it's your turn! We can't wait to see what you come up with! Be sure to stop by the rest of the DT for more inspiration:





Sunday 24 April 2016

EH April Pin-Sights Challenge - You Are Amazing


I had a lot of fun making this card for the current Ellen Hutson Pin-Sights Challenge. Here's the inspiration:


Easter-Wedding-Inspiration

I was inspired by the neutral polka dots behind the straws in the top-left photo and the pretty pastel colours with gold.

I used
-Essentials by Ellen Positive Words die
-Essentials by Ellen All Inside stamps
-MFT Polka Dot Cover-Up


FS481 - Happy Birthday


This week's Splitcoaststampers Featured Stamper is Virginia! I'm so excited - I think this is the first time that I've actually met the FS in real life!  Here's proof  - a couple (maybe 3?!) of years ago, Tracey and I drove to Virginia's home town (about an hour away from me) for a local Scrapfest. We had a blast!


Virginia is a very talented cardmaker (and cook - let's not forget the FOOD!) so it was difficult to choose just one card as my inspiration - but here it is:



I focused on Viriginia's
-layout including offset white panel and sentiment placement
-use of an inlaid, but not quite laid down die cut
-embellished centre

I changed:
-the colours on my back panel
-the season of the card
-the placement of the 'dots' (Virginia's on the front panel, mine on my back panel)
-left off the 'nest' and stitching

I  used:
-Memory Box Tilth Floral die
-Altenew Label Love

Friday 22 April 2016

MCV41 - Peace, Joy, Love


Here's my card for this week's Muse: ChristmasVisions challenge, where Cornelia has given us this colourful inspiration:



I focused on Cornelia's
-rainbow of colours
-general layout
-I repeated my black sentiment as the 'stripes'

I used
-Simon Says Stamp Eliza Snowflake die
-Essentials by Ellen Cozy Christmas

Thursday 21 April 2016

LT67 - Rainbow Flowers - and Leftover Centres


This is for the current Little Tangles Challenge - Die Cutting.






I find that one of the hardest things about getting new stamps is that once they arrive, I often feel like the (awesome) DT members have already done it 'all' and I can't think of a single interesting thing to do. 

For this card, I chose two stamps and embossed in white and then sponged bright distress ink colours.  I used one of the smaller almost-circle dies to cut out the centres just for something different and inlaid the flowers into a Soft Stone panel, using some matte enamel dots to finish it off.

ETA: May 3:
 

But that left me with the original centres. And they're too pretty to throw out. So I went back to a card I made previously with this set and re-used the basic layout. This time, I stamped only in black, so that these centres really stand out - I coated them with Wink of Stella and Glossy accents for a hard-candy shine!

I used:
-Neat & Tangled Scandinavian Prints
-PTI Bigger Blooms (first card)
-Right at Home Simple Sentiments (second card)

Wednesday 20 April 2016

Muse162 - Happy Birthday


This is my card for this week's Muse Challenge, where Tracey gave us this wonderful, colourful inspiration:



I decided to embrace the rainbow and go a little over the top!

I focused on Tracey's
-floral theme
-use of stamped images on die cuts
-black sentiment

I used:
-MFT Modern Blooms and Mini-Modern Blooms
-WPlus9 Happy Wishes
-every ink I own (not quite, but close!)

Tuesday 19 April 2016

CASology 194 - Mom


This week's CASology Cue Card is Mom.



Our sponsor this week is Stamplorations and I used Hashtag Authentic to make this card.

I know it seems like we go on and on about this, but it's true that white space is the most important part of CAS design. A pop of bright, cheerful colour and a popped up die-cut with cut-outs still feel CAS because of all the white space on this card.

I used a Papertrey Heart die and an unknown 'mom' sentiment.

Now it's your turn! We can't wait to see your CAS creations! Be sure to drop by the DT Blogs for more inspiration!





Monday 18 April 2016

The Challenge #69 - Thank You


The Challenge has a rainbow inspiration this week.



Kate's piano teacher is expecting a baby soon and asked me to make her a set of thank-you cards. I was inspired by this card (although using washi tape made mine much easier!)

I used:
-WaffleFlower Cloud Dies
-unknown sentiment
-Doodlebug Washi Tape
-Stardust stickles

Sunday 17 April 2016

FS480/Fusion - Rainbow Birthday Wishes


This week's Splitcoaststampers' Featured Stamper is Barbara aka Blue Kube. She has a really whimsical, colourful gallery full of happy, happy cards. The card I chose as my inspiration is actually quite different from most of her cards:



I decided to add some colour and create another card for this week's Fusion Challenge:



I focused on Barbara's:
-layout (diagonal focal point)
-sentiment placement and size
-black bird

I changed:
-added colour
-position of the bird

I used:
-MFT Birthday Wishes and Balloons
-Simon Says Stamp Jolly Snowman
-MFT Blue Prints #25
-MFT Wonky Stitched Square dies
-Distress inks.

ETA: April 29: (Woohoo!)

Saturday 16 April 2016

Muse Challenge 161 - Many Thanks


Here's my card for this week's Muse Challenge, where Anita gave us this beauty as inspiration:



I usually focus on colours, but chose to focus mainly on techniques this week - Anita's watercoloured her panel (although she used Brushos - so cool) and inlaid her pretty die into (and outside of!) it.

I'm also linking up to Addicted to CAS where the Code Word is Inlaid Dies:



I used:
-Essentials By Ellen Folk Heart Dies
-Essentials By Ellen Many Thanks
-Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolours

Friday 15 April 2016

Fusion - Beautiful Day


I was excited to see this week's Fusion challenge - I love rainbows and I love the spring feeling from the inspiration photo. And it's starting to feel like spring around here (I have to say that quietly, in case I bring on a snowstorm!).



I usually prefer inspiration challenges to sketch challenges and really wasn't planning on combining the two for my card. But once I finished my flower, I could see how the sketch would really work. As for the idea of the rainbow petal - I was inspired by Altenew's Wild Hibiscus set. I love the sketchy feel and the 'extra' lines on the images. But it's out of stock in most of my usual places so I decided to make my own!

I used:
-Essentials by Ellen Bohemian Garden (and matching die)
-Essentials by Ellen Mondo Magnolia
-MFT Blue Prints #25

ETA: April 29:

  

Thursday 14 April 2016

MCV40 - Joy


Here's my card for this week's Muse: ChristmasVisions challenge, where Chriss has given us a pretty inspiration:




When Chriss posted this, she mentioned to me how easy it is to make a Christmas card when you have such pretty patterned paper. And she's right - a simple sentiment and a pretty, co-ordinating die cut finish it off perfectly!

Alas, I have made a concerted effort to de-stash myself of patterned paper and therefore decided to go ultra clean and simple with mine. I think it's still clear to see Chriss' influence, though!

I focused on Chriss':
-layout
-black bordered sentiment panel
-poinsettia
-holly
-theme (Joy)

I used:
-Savvy Circle Joy die
-Paper Smooches Poinsettia die
-Papertrey Holly die

Wednesday 13 April 2016

Mix It Up with Merry Monday - Holly Jolly


I have a two-challenge Christmas card today - for the current Ellen Hutson Mix It Up Challenge (with Taylored Expressions) and for Merry Monday, where they are celebrating their 200th Challenge!



I chose to use the colour combination inspiration of red, green, white and kraft.

I used:
-Essentials By Ellen Holly Jolly
-Taylored Expressions Little Bits Holly die

I coloured the holly with Copics and Wink of Stella and then coated them with Glossy Accents.

Tuesday 12 April 2016

CASology 193 - Pink


This week's CASology Cue Card is Pink.



Tomorrow is the International Day of Pink (almost like we planned it, isn't it?), when we celebrate diversity and raise awareness to stop all forms of bullying.

I love that pink has come to be a colour that represents hope, strength and fearlessness. So I decided to make a bold card, using vivid shades of pink and a bold, strong sentiment (Papertrey Be).

I sponged 2 shades of pink distress inks, going over the bottom portion many times to get a very intense shade and quickly fading out to white.

And now it's your turn.  We can't wait to see your 'pretty in pink' CAS creations this week! Be sure to stop by the rest of the DT blogs for more inspiration: