Stampin' Royalty #246

Tis our season for birthdays, particularly for my daughter's friends.  I was given free reign with the colour combination for this card, so went with one of my favourite palettes I discovered recently on Pinterest.  Would love to have seen this dress in full, spectacular I bet.  

I haven't played along with Stampin' Royalty for a very long time (well, any challenge really),  and was struggling  with a layout.  My daughter wanted to give her friend something with a bookmark as we had given her a voucher to a local book shop.  

So after much fiddling about, I used the PTI Mat Stack 3 die double cut and attached at the top.  I have then put sticky magnets at the bottom to hold it to the page.

This is what was under the bookmark.

What you need

Cardstock - SU white, Bermuda Bay

Stamps - PTI Mat Stack 3, All Booked Up;  WMS Funky Feathers

Ink - SU Bermuda Bay;  HA Tide Pool;  Brilliance Pearlescent Rust

Die - Mat Stack 3

Sequins

Just to finish off, here is another card in my ever ongoing series of using up 12 x 12 paper.  I found this photo in a Christmas catalogue last year and thought I would have a go at reproducing the pattern on the toiletries bag.

The paper is MME Lush 2, I think and the graph paper lent itself to the design.  I stamped the whole sheet with PTI The Sweet Life, and am really happy with how it turned out.  

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

Case this Sketch #69

I had hoped to get a few of my CAS 3 online class cards posted tonight, but life just conspires against you sometimes, but in a good way.  Lots of cooking done this afternoon which will set us up for the week.  I am on a bit of a mission at the moment to buy less preprepared food and make more of the things that can go into school lunches.  I have achieved something when my daughter actually knocks back tuckshop in favour of a few of the things we have made.  

So to my Case this Sketch card for this week.  Well, navy, what more can I say.  I knew I wanted to use these MFT dies, toyed with the idea of embossing them, and may still give that a go.  And orange seems to be a bit of a theme too .... hmmm.  

What you need

Cardstock - SU white;  BB navy

Stamps - PTI Boutique Borders: Birthday

Ink - Memento Morocco

Dies - MFT Four Corners

Gems - Kaisercraft

Clean and Simple 3

A very warm day for the beginnning of Autumn.  Not the best weather to make cards, but not good for much else except lazing around.  My daughter has a Percussion workshop this afternoon, fortunately in the comfort of air conditioning, and we get to hear the fruits of their labours later on today.  

Missed this challenge last week so will keep it in my files for later use and this is  the latest sketch.  So to the definition of "simple".  I don't think there have been many cards that have taken as long as these two, particularly the second one.  I thought the sketch really suited the first theme of the class -  Faux Effects - giving the look of layered diecuts without the bulk.  I used Debby Hughes' card as inspiration.  

The video made it look all SOOO easy, and clearly to Debby this comes very naturally.  I am sure there is a more logical way to diecut in a few simple steps, but I didn't discover it.  I do like the effect however and so much better for cards sent overseas.

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white, red, black

Patterned paper - Teresa Collins Stationery Noted

Various MFT dies

Pearls - Kaisercraft

Now, THIS card.  Theme - Optical Illusions.  Masking to give the effect of dimension as so capably demonstrated by Jennifer McGuire.  How hard can it be to do a bit of masking and a bit of stamping.  Very difficult if you are me.   I was going to do an Argyle pattern for the background, masked it all, then it didn't stamp cleanly - TWICE (I hate wasting card stock),  opted for text which seemed to work better.  Anyway, as a masculine birthday card I do like it, but maybe need to make it more user friendly for me.

What you need

Cardstock - SU Very Vanilla,  Early Espresso

Stamps - PTI Text Style 2;  MFT Birthday Sentiments

Ink - PTI Kraft, Fine Linen;  SU Soft Suede

Masking tape

Case this Sketch #66

Just a quick post tonight, the start of the school week isn't ideal for making a card, but from idea to completion didn't take too long.

With so many wonderful cards out there with in-laid diecuts, I thought I would give it a go albeit in a fairly basic way.  It is hard to see but the line either side of the sentiment is done in glitter.  Really like the effect.

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white

Patterned paper - PTI pattern pack (Aqua Mist)

Stamps - WMS Compact Sentiments

Ink - Versafine Onyx Black

Glitter - Glitter Ritz (Fire Red)

I didn't realise mess could be so much fun ...

This is just way too much fun

The Day 2 challenge had me stumped for a while - different ways to use templates.  Kristina's card was the stand out from this stellar group of examples.  She used Inktense pencils to colour random parts of the stencil with that scribbly font that I love.  

I didn't have a stencil that lent itself to this technique, so I made my own with a couple of layered diecuts.  Orientation of the leaves was a bit of a trial but love how it turned out.  

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white, black;  SU Melon Mambo

Die - PTI Turning a new Leaf

Sequins

Inktense pencils - Apple Green

Day 3 - Dimension with Texture.  I wasn't able to do much with my Christmas acquisitions late last year as I ordered quite late.  So now is my time!  I used the embossing paste the sprinkled the wet paste with Distress glitter a la Debby Hughes. A beautiful subtle gleam, very hard to pick up in the photo. 

 So much fun.

What you need

Cardstock - Bazzill Navy;  SU white

Stamps - Wplus9 Winter Wishes;  The Craft's Meow Stitched Sentiments 2

Ink - SU real red;  Memento Paris Dusk

Die - MFT Fishtail Flag stax

Stencil - SSS Falling Snow

Wendy Vecchi Embossing paste

Distress Glitter - Clear Rock Candy

Bakers Twine

So while we are STILL on the subject of Christmas, this card popped into my head and was very quick and easy to do for the first Festive Friday challenge of 2014.

I love this window diecut and you cannot help but be entranced by the colours.  

What you need

Cardstock - PTI red, white:  SU Handsome Hunter

Stamps - PTI Holiday Sparkle

Ink - Memento Cottage Ivy

Die - Taylored Expressions

Punch - MS Medium Branch

Gems - Kaisercraft

Some old and some new stamps

We have had a beautiful week of warm to hot weather, highly unusual for August.  But it has been great for getting some outdoor renovations done.  We are only part way through but hopefully by next weekend we should be all done, then I will have a long awaited undercover area to keep laundry dry during our summer storm season.

I saw the cue word for this challenge and new exactly what I would do.

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white, New Leaf; X-Press It blending card

Stamps - PTI Vintage Picnic

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black

Copics

*****

Right at this moment, my daughter has 2 friends over and they are decorating a cake for Book Week at school this week.  Now this has been a challenge, as I have only very basic knowledge in this department and we had to find black icing, as the theme is All things to do with the Universe.  In the end it wasn't hard to find, and we are using cake pops for planets.

Oh Boy, the noise!!

So here is a peaceful card.  This is my first foray into the Clearly Besotted Challenge - a palette of my favourite colours.  Love the variety of butterflies in this set 

It's a little bit hard to see the pale pink stamped butterflies and they haven't shown up well in the close up.  

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white;  SU Pear Pizzazz

Stamps - Clearly Besotted Happy Everything, Butterfly Wishes

Ink - Versafine Onyx Black;  SU Regal Rose, Rose Red, Pretty in Pink; Memento Rose Bud

Dies - Clearly Besotted Butterfly Wishes

SU gems

All very CAS

I would like to be able to say that we are having a rare sunny weekend but, we aren't.  Gloomy and rainy again.  A quiet weekend punctuated by a 60th birthday celebration last night.  It was one of my husband's former triathlon friends, so it was wonderful to catch up with a few familiar faces from the squad of 12+ years ago.  It's a bit surreal to see these men and women now, married with children, when the squad were training hard, they were just out of university, coping with new jobs and relationships.  

So, these 2 challenges dovetail nicely.  This stamp set is about the only one I have with anything vaguely balloon like.  I used vellum for the background to create the illusion of sky, perhaps it worked.

What you need
Cardstock - BB aqua;  PTI vellum
Stamps - PTI Everyday Button Bits
Ink - SU Early Espresso, Real Red
Buttons - PTI
Thread - DMC

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One for my Christmas card collection. 

I hadn't tried to emboss with this die before, but knew the effect would be lovely.  Just wanted to keep it simple, with just a touch of red and black

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white

Stamps - PTI Mega Mixed Messages

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black

Die - Memory Box

Gems - ?

******

And just to finish, a quick card for the Stampin' Royalty challenge.  The theme  

STRIPES

I saw a design similar to this on a quilt (Pinterest).  I forgot to pin it, unfortunately.  

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white

Stamps - Avery Elle Knotty, To the Point

Ink - Memento Lady Bug, Nautical Blue

PTI June 2013 Blog Hop

Gold...Hmmm..... 

I had a couple of ideas from Pinterest that I was keen to use.  But too much gold can just look cheap.  Initially the black panel at the bottom was plain, which did please me, but may not have suited the Papertrey challenge, just using an alphabet set.

Well, this is my card, for better or worse (HA, really bad pun)

What you need

Cardstock - PTI black, white

Stamps - PTI Trajan: Monogram Basics, Background Basics:  Vines

Ink - Versamark

Embossing Powder:  Zing! glitter gold and black

Ribbon - Craft Supplies

A few more weekend challenges

It is a happy coincidence that this weeks sponsor of The Play Date Cafe is Avery Elle.  So whilst these stamps are still languishing on my desk, they have been utilised.  

Of the sets I have, nothing really lent itself to the dotty background, so I have coloured vellum with various shades of Copics.  Adhering them was an achievement in itself, so that nothing showed

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white, Orange Zest, Vellum

Stamps - Avery Elle Framed Fonts, To the Point

Ink - Memento Pear Tart, Morocco;  Versafine

Die - PTI Tag Sale

Various Copics and circle punches

Gems - Kaisercraft

******

Now, this one makes me happy!

I love the colours and the design in equal measure.  Initially I thought of patterned paper for the RHS panel but really wanted to stamp it.  So with stamped stems the punched flowers look right.  I don't have Cajun Craze but Brilliance Rust is a good substitute.

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white;  SU Primrose Petals

Stamps - PTI Turning a New Leaf, Inside and Out: Thank you

Ink - SU Gumball Green;  Brilliance Ruse

Punch - EK Success

******

Looking forward to the latest instalment in Online Card Classes.  Whilst my daughter has completely hijacked the Tim Holtz series (that class owes me nothing!), the rest are completely my own.  This time, they have introduced a few pre-class challenges, which is great for me as class starts when we are back at school, but I am able to have a go at these at my leisure.  

This is challenge number 2.  I am still getting my head around the colours in challenge 1.

Given the simplicity of the sketch I felt it really lent itself to the simplicity of the Runway colours.

And love how it turned out.  i love the look of glitter but it is messy.  However this glitter is amazing.  After sprinkling it on the adhesive, a vigorous rub over with a bone folder and IT DOES NOT MOVE.  Heaven

What you need

Cardstock - PTI shimmer pink, white:  SU Adhesive sheets

Stamps - Avery Elle To the Point, Bonjour (sentiment)

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black;  SU Regal Rose

Various SU punches

Glitter - Glitter Ritz Ocean Spray

Holidays at last ...... almost

Just one more ballet commitment to go and we will be on holidays officially!  My daughter has her ballet exam tomorrow afternoon, and they are very well prepared.  Yesterday, together with her "adventure" buddy, she did the Spartan Run.  Now you may ask what that is and you may also be asking what sort of mother lets her daughter do this before a ballet exam.  Well, I'll tell you ..... one that certainly wasn't thinking ahead when she cheerfully said, yes, nothing on that day, she is on holidays!!!

The Spartan Run is a an obstacle course cum exercise in lunacy.  Needless to say, the clothes that came home were destroyed with mud (make that 2 sets because my husband did the adults (or idiots) version.  Of course, now it's winter they held it west of Brisbane - absolutely freezing.  

It did give me a day to make cards though ....... YAY

This is the previous sketch from Cardabilities which I missed but really loved and, as you may know, I cannot resist Navy.  There were so many elements to this graphic and would have liked to use them all. 

I don't know that there was any driftwood or any other type of wood in fact, but wanted to use something like that, so cut very thin strips of kraft card.  

What you need

Cardstock - PTI Kraft, white

Patterned paper - MME Lush 2 (Navy Stripe)

Stamps - Cas-ual Fridays Bold Wishes; PTI Star Prints;  SU Ocean Commotion

Ink - Memento Nautical Blue; SU Marina Mist, Midnight Muse

Punch - Fiskars

******

Along with one of my standby challenges, I wanted to get a few birthday cards under my belt.  There are a few coming up in my family, including my best friend who is "enjoying" a significant birthday today.  I have seen a couple of beautiful cards done for this challenge, and I think this will be a very versatile sketch (notice using up more of the patterned paper - yay me!)

Turquoise is a tricky colour for me - not because I don't like it, just that my SU ink pad isn't the best and have no other colour close to it, so I have opted for the paper

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white

Patterned Paper - MME Lush 2 Turquoise stripe

Stamps - Avery Elle Petals and Stems;  PTI Stylish Sentiments: Birthday

Ink - SU Poppy Parade, Gumball Green;  Regal Rose

Corner Rounder

Die - PTI Ribbon Tails

OK, time to work on my PTI blog hop card - the theme is gold.  I have a few ideas but really need to settle on just one, before it looks just plain gaudy.