I think this is as far as I will get ....

.... with Clean and Simple Card Making for now, but this inspiration is endless.  

This card was inspired by Tasmin's card, under the heading of Creative Colouring, though in my case I really wanted to have a go at a more monochromatic version (and I didn't have her gorgeous stamp, or anything like it).  Kraft is probably my second favourite colour and use it nowhere near as often as I would like to.  So I have coloured selected parts of the flowers with Prismacolour white and Claudine Helmuth semi-gloss paint.  The darker points of other flowers I embossed with clear embossing powder.  

What you need 

Cardstock - PTI Kraft

Stamps - HA Everything Flowers

Ink - PTI Kraft, Versamark

Prismacolour white

Claudine Helmuth Blank Canvas

Embossing Powder - Coloriser (clear)

This card is a combination of Dawn Woleslagle's masked creative colouring and Stephanie Klauck's textured card (though with no texture).  I really love how she did the background with distress inks and masking, and Dawn's flower placement was amazing.

What you need

Cardstock - Wplus9 white

Stamps - Mama Elephant Water Blooms;  Avery Elle Oh Happy Day

Ink - Ranger Distress ink Tumbled Glass;  SU Pear Pizzazz;  HA Pale Tomato, Butter Bar; Versafine Onyx Black

Masking Paper - Eclipse

Now that's just way too much orange!

But that, at times, isn't a bad thing.  And on the whole, have very much enjoyed getting out all my various oranges.

This first one uses a set that hasn't seen the light of day for quite a while, and don't know why it popped into my head, but very glad it did

What you need

Cardstock - BB Brown/Orange;  PTI white

Patterned paper - SU Brights Collection

Stamps - HA Everyday Sayings;  SU Pocket Silhouettes

Ink - Brilliance Rust, Memento Rich Cocoa

Die - MFT Fishtail Flag Stax

******

Another Cardablities sketch I missed coupled with the Summer Camp challenge 1 colours.  The idea was to use at least 4 of the 5 colours

I think this is my favourite of the last few posts and I don't think I have used grey and orange before but I really like it.

What you need
Cardstock _ SU Basic Grey;  PTI Orange Zest, white
DSP - SU Neutrals Collection
Stamps - HA Everyday Sayings
Ink - Memento Tangelo
Dies - MFT Fishtail Flag Stax

A couple of mid-week cards

It's been a grey old day here today, looks like winter is not far away.  All children in Grades 3, 5, 7, and 9 are completing 3 days of national testing on numeracy and literacy today.  Stress over for another 2 years!  Most parents I have spoken to recently are completely in the dark about what the testing is designed to highlight - where an individual child may need help, or how well the school is teaching the test.  I saw one of my daughter's friends this morning before they headed off to orchestra, and said good luck with Maths today, R said, "Is that what we are doing today, I'll do whatever they put in front of me" . I guess that's how to handle it .

Anyway a chic card for a very chic ensemble.  I didn't want to do black and white stripes necessarily, then remembered this DSP.  The other details I wanted to highlight were the belt and buckle and the model walking away from camera, just over her shoulder.  The stamping didn't work quite as well as hoped so I went over it with the Molotow paint pen.

What you need

Cardstock - PTI black; Canson shimmer gold

DSP - SU Neutrals Collection

Stamps - PTI Think Big Favourites

Ink - Memories Unicorn white

Molotow paint pen

Buckle

***

Next up is one of my favourite challenges which I have missed the passed few weeks.  So this being a birthday celebration, we got to choose a favourite colour palette from the past year.  This is one from the last couple of weeks and while we are on the theme of slightly masculine cards, I think this one could be used for a young boy.

I had thought to stamp stripes but knew that would end up in too much wasted cardstock, so went with strips of card.  Not much stamping I admit, but love the effect.

What you need
Cardstock - Gina K white;  SU Bashful Blue, Pumpkin Pie
Stamps - HA Year Round Sentiments, Many Birthday Messages; PTI Star Prints
Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black; SU Bashful Blue, Pumpkin Pie
Die - MFT Star Stax

Miscellany on Sunday

First up is my entry for the Case Study Design Team call.  The brief was to interpret a piece by your personal "muse".  For me, it's Debbie Olson - I am completely in awe of her colouring, precision and her ability to put patterned papers together.  This card encompasses pretty much all of these things.  I am completely unable to incorporate this much detail without it looking a mess.  So with my simplified version, I have used the colours, scallops and of course seam binding.  

I think my Mum will love this card for Mother's Day next Sunday.  My family will be out doing the annual Mother's Day Classic, a walk/run to raise funds for breast cancer.  It has become a bit of a tradition with us, and usually followed by a gorgeous breakfast somewhere.

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white, Aqua Mist, red; X-press It Blending paper

Patterned paper - PTI Aqua Mist collection

Stamps - PTI All Booked Up, Mat Stack 3 Collection;  Verve One Person (sentiment)

Ink - HA Soft Pool;  Memento Lady Bug, Tuxedo Black

Die - MFT small scallop

Copics - R12, R14, R17; T4, T4; YG13;  BG11, BG13

Sean Binding ?

Ooh, just noticed the very latest Paper Players challenge is for Mother's Day.

 ******

I generally don't need this type of card, but you just never know.  I love the calm effect of this grass stamp, I hope it sees some more ink soon.

What you need

Cardstock - PTI Kraft, brown white

Stamps - HA Silhouette grass;  PTI Think Big Favourites.

Ink - SU Certainly Celery, Old Olive, Early Espresso

Square Punch - SU

*****

I have saved the cutest for last!

What a gorgeous little girl!  Oh, and the outfit is beautiful too.  I hate to think how much it costs.  I remember buying my daughter a reasonably costly ensemble when she was about 6 months, then fretted every time she wore it, that food would end up all over it - which of course it did.  Very silly on my part, but she looked divine for 5 minutes.

I couldn't quite tell whether the top was pink or cream but it doesn't really matter as it's for a little girl.  Congratulations Aga, enjoy this time as it REALLY does go in a flash.

What you need

Cardstock - PTI Sweet Blush, Black;  Canson metallic gold

Stamps - PTI Background Basics:  Dots and Spots;  Mega Mixed Messages

Ink - Versamark;  Memento Tuxedo Black

Embossing Powder - Zing! Matt Black

Die - MFT Bow

Pearl - Kaisercraft

Corner Rounder - We R Memory Keepers

Not raining .... but VERY hot

Interesting .....  how all my post titles are weather related.  Possibly because things in this part of the world have been so out of the ordinary.

What colour is "coral"?  There is the lovely hue in the challenge photo but I had nothing remotely resembling it.  SU used to have a coral colour but I always hated it (sorry Michelle!).  So, where to next.  I have opted for Tsukineko's official coral colour, a lovely pink tone.  So did the old smoosh on paper and love the result.  

There have been so many wonderful versions of  negative diecuts which I thought would be perfect for both these challenges.

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white, black

Stamps - PTI Stitched Sentiments;  Simon Says Stamp Beautiful Words

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black;  Brilliance Pearlescent Coral

Dies - Memory Box Prim Poppy;  PTI Stitched Sentiments

*****

Now, this green - Glorious Green, is a difficult colour for me.  Not because I don't like it, I love its freshness, but my tastes really lie in the yellow-green spectrum.  

Which is probably why I went with minimal green of any kind (oh, and some new background stamps).  

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white, black

Stamps - HA Number Pattern, Thank you, Lotus Leaves

Ink - Memento London Fog,  Versacolor Fresh Green;  Versafine Onyx Black

Gems - Kaisercraft.

*****

 I was going to stop there with the whole challenge thing this weekend, as I usually find after 2 or 3 I am no longer enjoying the "process".  But this one just wouldn't go away and after I saw a  post by Laura Bassen, it gave me an idea.

I tried this with the hexagon pattern in black, which I thought would work, but the white seemed more harmonious.  I wanted to work with my new extended collection of Inktense pencils but the effect wasn't as smooth as Copics.

Pretty happy with the effect actually.

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white, Express it blender card

Stamps - HA Luscious Frames

Ink - Versafine Onyx Black

Die - PTI Happy Hexagons

Copics

Corner Rounder - We R Memory Keepers

Studies in rainy day colours

The colours in both these cards are fairly indicative of the weather we have had for the past few days.  Again, torrential rain, towns not far north of us are being flooded tonight for the fifth time in 12 months.    For the driest continent on Earth, this deluge is truly ridiculous.  

Initially, I was trying for the graphic of the tie, but the colours didn't quite work.  I have gone with a pretty but not too fancy female card - I hope.

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white, vellum

Patterned paper - Teresa Collins Carolina Breeze

Stamps - HA Year Round Sentiments

Ink - Memories Unicorn

Die - MFT Fishtail Flags

Butterfly - Jenny Bowlin

This next one, I had real trouble deciding which way to go with it.  I wasn't sure whether there was a hint of Houndstooth around the hem of the dress.  So, went with minimalist again, stamped the flowers then coloured in the leaves.

What you need
Cardstock - BB Dark Blue
Stamps - HA Pattern Hearts and Flowers
Ink - Memories Unicorn
Prismacolor white pencil
Uniball white gel pen
Gems - Kaisercraft

An afternoon's hard work !?! ....

 Not really....  it was nice to have the time to catch up on a few colour schemes and sketches that didn't happen late last month.  Like this one ..

Now Vintage/Shabby Chic isn't in my comfort zone and as I have said before, I am very jealous of those who achieve it so effortlessly.  Not sure why I opted for brown tones, except that it is easier for me to get that vintage look with these hues.  

What you need

Cardstock - PTI rustic white, cream;  BB dark brown

Patterned paper - MME Miss Caroline Howdy Doody

Stamps - HA Pattern Hearts and Flowers, Large Flower Background, Year Round Sentiments, Newspaper Background

Ink - SU Early Espresso, Crumb Cake;  Memento Rich Cocoa;  PTI Chai

Dies - MFT Jumbo Fishtail Flags;  SB Classic Circles

Copics - R11, R12, R14, R22

Gems - Kaisercraft

Dark brown ribbon

*****

I CANNOT resist a pink and green colour combination.  It is my all time favourite and again a sketch from the recent past

On the whole, I really like the new SU colours (not sure about Summer Starburst but I guess it will have its uses).  The new pinks I particularly like, but the jury is still out in the Jones craftroom on the stamp pad itself.  Either it takes a bit to get ink on the stamp or it's far too moist.  Still, I am probably in the very small minority on this matter.

What you need

Cardstock - SU white, Lucky Limeade, Raspberry Ripple, Primrose Petals, Regal Rose

Stamps - TE Make it Amazing

Ink - SU Lucky Limeade, Raspberry Ripple, Early Espresso

Dies - PTI Zig Zag;  SB Deckled Rectangles, Classic Rectangles

Gems - Kiasercraft

*****

Now this sketch stumped me for a while, how to cut those rectangles.  I used MFT Fishtail Flags off the end of my Bigshot and it worked a treat.  Not much more to say really ....

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white, black

DSP - SU Brights Collection

Stamps - PTI Inside and Out:  Thank you

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black

Embossing Folder - Sizzix Dots and Flowers set

Die - MFT Fishtail Flags

Gems - Kaisercraft

******

OK for my final card for this Sunday before I put the finishing touches to our lamb roast for dinner (my favourite).  I really wanted to have a crack at this colour scheme, very intriguing.  Couldn't find my So Saffron inkpad but remembered this VERY old DSP.  Again this sketch was from a few weeks ago but I just love the simplicity of it.  Night of Navy has always been my favourite "navy" but this new one has a bit more black in it and I love it.

 What you need
Cardstock - PTI white, Midnight Muse
DSP - SU So Saffron
Stamps - The Craft's Meow Timeless Tags
Ink - SU Midnight Muse
Die - MFT Fishtail Flags
Brads - SU

That's it for today.  My daughter is still unwell, listless and a very sore throat, not sure if she will make it to school, though she tells me she has to be there for Maths - maybe we are getting through on that front.

Last day of holidays .... (BIG sigh!)

 It's back to work tomorrow, still it's been a nice break, though a little hot so unable to achieve all we wanted to around the house.  My daughter has another week to go before school starts and we have the Australia Day holiday next weekend too, so something to look forward to.

Wanted to have a go at these 2 before time ran out.  Tricky colours these and in my head I wanted the colour to be in the cardstock rather than the stamping.  So all stamping is in grey and broke into my new SU colours for Summer Starfruit.  I did think about colouring in the flowers but glad I didn't, as it looks really pretty sitting here on my desk.

What you need

Cardstock - SU Real Red, white, Summer Starfruit, Melon Mambo

Stamps - HAPattern Hearts and Flowers, Year Round Sentiments

Ink - SU Basic Grey;  Memento London Fog

Punch - Fiskars

Gems - Kaisercraft

******

Now, this next one evolved rather than trying to fit in a couple of challenges .... Really!  I started out with my Hero Arts challenge with what I believe is my oldest HA stamp.  I used it in this post many moons ago.  So it was easy to visualise it in Dynamic Duo colours of red and black with a touch of Valentine.  But the design stumped me till I saw the latest Paper Players challenge.  Problem almost solved.  

Trying to be a bit arty, and not go down my usual framing route, I tried for off centre ... not tooo bad.  And finally it neatly fell into the Addicted to CAS embossing challenge.

I am happy with the finished product, especially the little hearts, a punch Jennifer McGuire has used many times to great effect.

What you need

Cardstock - SU Real Red, white, black

Stamps - HA Chandelier;  PTI Lighten Up

Ink - Versmark; Versafine Onyx Black

Embossing Powder - Zing Glitter Black

Die - Spellbinders Classic Squares

Punch - Martha Stewart

Glossy Accents