You've Got This

Hey there! I'm feeling a bit sorry for myself as I've just had a tooth extraction, so I'm trying to distract myself by making some cards!

This one was inspired by the MFT Sketch and Colour Challenge, using another one of my new stamp sets. I've never been that in to stars, but I love these and I can see this will be a very versatile set!

The stamp set is MFT Stars Above. The sentiment and stars are stamped in black and clear embossed and coloured with Zig CCRB markers, Distress inks and Wink of Stellar.

I'm entering the following challenges:-

MFT Sketch Challenge
MFT Colour Challenge
Simon Wednesday Challenge (Anything Goes)
CASology - GLISTEN (Wink of Stellar)

The Ton Stamps New Challenge

Here is a quick post to share a card I made for the new challenge at The Ton Stamps. The theme is CELEBRATE and I decided to use the beautiful Haute Stacks stamp set.

First of all, I wish to apologise for the photo. I am having problems with my iphone, getting a blue cast, which I can't correct with distortion. The other thing is that these inks look flouro at a certain angle, which is also the phone.  I may have to go back to my old DSLR.

This is my first attempt using the flowers from this set and I need to put in more time getting the foliage right, but I wanted to post this card anyway and then you will hopefully see an improved version soon.
I used inks from Altenew and Zig Markers. The sentiment is part of a longer stamp from Mama Elephant. I decided to add the B&W strip behind the sentiment, because it seemed to fit the Vogue theme.

I'm also entering the NBUS#9 Challenge, because these stamps haven't been used before and the Simon Wednesday Anything Goes Challenge.

Almost Hidden Word

Hello there - if you wish to read further, best put on your sunnies!!! It's another Alcohol ink and Copic Reinker background on Yupo.

This time I thought I would use the background for a technique called 'Hidden Word', which Darnell from DJ KardKreations is encouraging us to try for her NBUS Challenge #9.

I searched Silhouette for a sentiment I liked and found this one - it was perfect because it has 2 layers, slightly different sizes. I cut the background layer in black and white and offset them a touch to make a shadow in black. Then I cut the smaller layer from the background panel and Voila!
Next I had to find a stamp which had never been used and stamped and embossed in white on black card.  The sentiment is from MFT stamps. I added a bit of bling and then mounted it all on a black card.

I've decided this is a very cool way to use a background piece that you don't want to cover in other stuff, if you know what I mean!!!

I am entering this in the following challenges:-

NBUS #9
Simon Wednesday Challenge

Glistening Blooms

Greetings! Today I hope to make a few cards and here is the first ....

This card is actually much smaller than it looks - I used a die from Papertrey Ink Don't Forget to write kit. I love this size card.
The image is from Honey Bee Stamps - brand new to me and much loved already! The sentiment is from MFT and fits perfectly. I used Zig Markers and Gansai Tambai watercolour to colour the image and then made it 'GLISTEN' with Wink of Stellar over the whole image. 

I'ts hard to see the shimmer in the photo, but it is there!

I am entering the following challenges:-
NBUS (I haven't used the optional twist in this one)
CASology - Glisten 
Simon Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Craft Stamper Take it, Make it Challenge

MFT Sketch and Colour Challenge

Hello there! I was supposed to be going on a 4 hour return road trip for a meeting today, but luckily it got postponed, because it's way too hot out there, so I stayed in air conditioned comfort and made more cards.

Apologies for a poor photo again - I struggle when it's bright sunshine and even more so when there is silver on the card.  Anyway this is using one of my new stamps from MFT - it's called Spring Wreath and is designed by Lisa Johnson.  I decided to use the colours from the MFT Colour Challenge and the sketch from the MFT Sketch Challenge.  Instead of using grey, I went with silver.

I used Hero Arts Tide Pool and Zig marker for the blue and Abandoned coral and Ripe Persimmon Distress Ink and markers for the orange.

I feel it might need a bit of bling, but I'm in a very CAS mood!

Entering the following challenges:-
MFT Colour Challenge
MFT Sketch Challenge
A Blog Named Hero - New to Me (Hero Arts ink)

On A Roll

Yes it is my third post for today! I've been working on a few things this week and I'm getting them finished today, although I should be outside enjoying the sunshine.

I decided to experiment with Yupo paper, so I watched a few tutorials and then made this card.
I had previously used Alcohol Inks on Yupo and that was sooo much fun! Check out my posts here and here. This time I wanted to try watercolour paints. So I made the background wash with Gansai Tambi paints and then sprinkled salt on it. I left it to dry for a few hours and then stamped the butterflies with Archival ink. I left it overnight and then with a we brush, I removed the colour from the butterflies. I hit a problem here, the black ink was activated too. I'm not sure why, because it should be waterproof, like on gloss paper. I cleaned up the mess and then coloured the butterflies with Zig markers and a touch of water and swooshed it around. When it dried I touched up the black with a black marker.

This was a fun technique and I learnt a few things along the way.  I'm entering this in the following challenges:-

Inkspirational - Flutter
NBUS #8 - New Technique and Product
Craft Stamper Take it, Make it Challenge

Smitten with Hello Lovely

This stamp from Concord & 9th just makes me so happy. There are so many possiblilties!

Here is my second card - I have silver embossed, it looks ab it black in the photo, but it is all silver and I've coloured with Gansai Tambi Watercolours and Zig CCRB markers.

I also used my new Wink of Stella Silver pen - SQUEE!!!!, which I used on some of the leaves. 

I am entering the Concord & 9th challenge Where Creativity Meets C9 
(Hello Lovely is  still new and New Wink of Stellar)

Craft Stamper Take it, Make it

New Technique and Never Before Used Stuff (NBUS)

I see from my Bloglovin feed that Darnell of DJKard Kreations has another NBUS Challenge happening and it's to celebrate 5 years (1000 posts) of blogging! Actually she has 3 challenges running over 3 weeks.

The first of the challenges as a theme which is optional, to use coloured pencils on Kraft Card and of course to use NBUS.

This card is very simple or CAS I have stamped one of my new acquisitions, Snuggly Bunnies from MFT.
This stamp set is so adorable - I think I'm being converted to CUTE, by my crafty friend Joy Taylor.
I chose the sentiment especially for Darnell, who is celebrating her 46th Wedding Anniversary!
I coloured the images with Prismacolor pencils, which are also NBUS - I bought them for my daughter for school, but they didn't get used. I haven't really learnt how to use them properly, so I might have to watch a few tutorials and have another go.

So I'm entering the NBUS Challenge #8

Hello Lovely!

I have another card to share with colours I would not usually use, but I saw that the theme this month at Fusion is AUSTRALIA DAY, so it wouldn't be very patriotic if I didn't give it a go!

I don't think I have a wattle stamp and I'd just received the delightful 'Hello Lovely' stamp set from Concord & 9th, so I couldn't resist inking it up. I don't know why I waited so long to get this stamp!!!

I stamped with Archival jet Black and then over the stop with Versamark and clear embossed. I've used my Zig CCRB Markers yet again - I love how they react differently with each type of paper. This time I used Eldorado 300gsm Hot Press (smooth) paper. The sentiment is from the same stamp set. I went over the big bloom with Wink of Stellar, which gives it lots of shimmer.

I'm entering the following challenges:-
Fusion Card Challenge
Where Creativity Meets C9 
Craft Stamper Take it, Make it Challenge

Sparkle and Shine!

I am a very lucky girl - I just received lots of happy mail from Ellen Hutson, because I won the $150 for the 25 Tags of Christmas! Check out the pic below  - I did get a few extras:)

Anyhow, when my daughter saw the Hello Gorgeous set she reminded me about our favourite Christmas movie - 'Nativity' and the song the children performed,  'Sparkle and Shine'
and this was the inspiration for my card.

I made it in a bit of a hurry, because I wanted to enter the Mix it Up challenge using Ellen Hutson/Avery Elle products, but I missed the deadline.  I've used Avery Elle Penguin Greetings and Ellen Hutson Hello Gorgeous. I used Zig markers and distress inks.
It was meant to be a bit whimsical - I hope you like it.

I'm entering the following challenges:-
CAS Watercolour Challenge - Snowflake
Simon Monday - Chill Out

Casology - Cut

Bright Sunshiney Day

It's another hot day here in Melbourne (38C), so I've made another bright and I mean bright card!!!

This is another Ellen Hutson Essentials and Avery Elle combo using the stamp sets as my previous card here.

I stamped and white embossed the scribble flowers and then made a wash with Ripe Persimmon Distress Ink Refill, making it lighter at the top, for an ombre effect. The other flowers and leaves were stamped with Altenew and Distress inks. The sentiment was stamped with Archival Ink. The stamp sets I used are Essential - Bold Bloom and Avery Elle Petals & Stems.
I'm entering the following challenges:-
The Classroom Mix it Up
CAS Mix Up (Liquid Colour)

Stencil Play

Here is another card I made last week and forgot to share.

The photo is not very good as it was bright sunshine, so I took it in the shade.  I used a stencil from STAMPlorations and began by inking the stencil with Mermaid Lagoon Distress Ink Refill & Golden High Flow Acrylic  and spritzing. Then I lay the paper over the stencil and let it soak in. Once dry, I placed the stencil back over the panel and applied Picked Raspberry and Ripe Persimon with a sponge and then used a wet brush to make it look more 'watercolour-y':) These colours are sooo vibrant!

 I'm entering this in HLS Watercolour Challenge Optional Twist - Stencil.

ETA:- I just remembered I meant to enter this in the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge and the STAMPlorations Anything Goes Challenge.

Ellen Hutson/Avery Elle Mix it Up

Hey there! It's a lovely sunny Monday here in the land of Oz! So I thought I'd make a cheery card to match the day!

The Mix it Up Challenge at The CLASSroom this month is with Avery Elle and Ellen Hutson Essentials. This is the card I created using Essentials Bold Blooms and Avery Elle Petals & Stems...

It's been a while since I've used patterned paper on my cards, but I thought it would make a nice background for the blooms.

I'm entering the folling challenges:-

Ellen Hutson Mix it Up
HLS Anything Goes with Dies