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 - Part 2

Just a couple more cards with techniques featured in this terrific class.  But one really shouldn't assume that these cards don't take long to execute (I should have learned my lesson from earlier today) just because they are labelled "Clean and Simple".  Both fell under the heading of "Background into Foreground".

I picked out 2 colour palettes from my Pinterest folder. 

 I loved the idea behind Shari Carroll's Graffiti card, overlaying diecuts with stamping.  On reflection, I should have used white cardstock, which would have made the sentiments more striking and I don't think HA Wet Cement ink was the best choice for a beige like colour.  

What you need

Cardstock - PTI Soft Stone;  BB Navy, Mid pink

Stamps - Mama Elephant Party Kit;  various HA sentiment sets

Ink - SU Midnight Muse;  HA Wet Cement

Die - MFT

Sequins - Pretty Pink Posh (sand)

Gems - Kaisercraft

The second card is my first go at Laura Bassen's legendary plaid pattern.  She very simply blended her inks, fairly randomly using masking tape.  I decided to use MFT stripes stamps.  Whilst the stamping is not solid, which sort of looks a bit like Laura's. I do prefer the softness of blending.  I did cheat a bit and use SU markers to get a bit more variation in the lines.

What you need
Cardstock - PTI white
Stamps - MFT Plaid Background Builder, Sending Thanks
Ink - SU Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Pear Pizzazz, Gumball Green;  Versafine Onyx Black
Markers - SU Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose

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)

Case This Sketch #65 and WMS Fanatics #12

Had a little bit of time on my hands today, before we get stuck into the gardening tomorrow.  After several days of humid, high temperature days, today was a welcome relief.  I wasn't quite sure where to go with this sketch till I thought I really should start to make use of my inspiration folder on Pinterest

This is the photo I decided to use - wish I had one myself

My card worked in well with the latest Case this Sketch and WMS Fanatics - For the Boys

What you need

Cardstock - BB white, navy

Stamps - WMS Ocean Bound;  MFT Washi Patterns

Ink - SU Midnight Muse, Real Red

Paper Players #183 - Stars

Now, this makes me very happy.  Not only do I get to use up another sheet of 12 x 12 but, I think I may have a vaguely masculine, pre-adolescent birthday card.  Hopefully we won't see the stars tonight, as we desperately need rain,  Brisbane has had high humidity and low rainfall for the past few weeks, a break would be nice.  However, way out west they are doing it much tougher - drought has claimed much of Western Queensland.  Maybe they have had a bit of rain out of the recent falls.  

We are back to school,  my daughter is with none of her best friends in class but with her extended friendship group and the teacher she really wanted.  So there is a silver lining.  She is coping well with dance commitments and Middle School band and Percussion Ensemble.  

I really like this card, inspired by a couple of techniques Jennifer McGuire has used in recent posts ie glitter and adding Glossy Accents to everything.  

What you need

Cardstock - SU Midnight Muse, white;  PTI orange

Patterned paper - Pebbles

Stamps - MFT

Punches - Fiskars, EK Success

Ink - SU Midnight Muse

Glitter - Glitter Ritz Champagne

Dies - MFT Fishtail Flags

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

Better late than never ......

Happy New Year and hope your Christmas holidays have been restful and spent with those closest to you.  I noticed that my posting has been non-existent since October, we had such a busy end to the school year, but my hands have not been idle.

Before school finished in early December, we had auditions for Percussion Ensemble and the Middle School band, a piano exam to endure, and the general worry about end of school reports.  Don't know why I bothered to waste energy over worrying, it all worked out well.  Then we had end of year ballet concerts, my daughter danced in all 4 concerts and was completely shattered by Sunday evening.  It is great  to see the progression of these poised young 11 year old girls, who have turned into wonderful dancers as well as delightful young ladies and close friends.

The following weekend was my daughter's belated birthday celebration.  She wanted to have friends for a sleepover - in a tent in our backyard!  A wise friend told me I will only do this once, I should have just taken the advice.  So my husband had the assistance of 8 girls in putting up the tent, a decision I think he later regretted.  Some slept very well, others not so much (darling daughter included), so apologies to those parents who had vile tempered children the next day. They behaved beautifully, ate well and were, on the whole, considerate of our neighbours.

We made these take home bags, inside which were a few camping essentials.

I stamped each child's name on the bag.  I was told in no uncertain terms NOT to put any bling what so ever on them.  Just not the same.

Along with Christmas cards, I also managed to do a few jobs that have been hanging around for a couple of years.  I am no scrapbooker, and my style is, well, basic to say the least.  But I have finally got all my daughter's dance photos mounted, along side the ones my husband had taken on open days, so it is a reasonably complete record of her dance career.  Then there was my recipe folder, overflowing with bits ripped out of magazines and printouts.  Now, they are all in the appropriate sections of the folder (bet I won't be able to find anything now!)

Christmas was a lovely family time, then some time at the beach.  My husband and daughter then went camping on Fraser Island with friends, right at the time when we had a spell of extremely hot weather (40C).  For me, camping doesn't happen and it was the start of my month of intensive TV viewing - the tennis.  We spent a day sweltering at the Brisbane International, the tennis was great.  Sadly it is nearly over and RF went out of the Australian Open last night!!

Next week we are back into the school routine, which I think will be welcome after 2 months off.  Her group of friends have  caught up periodically over the summer, mostly at birthday parties as they all seem to fall around this time.  The bags are packed with new books and pencil cases filled with brand new pens.  Just need to get the ipad cleaned up.  Here is one of the birthday cards I made, regrettably, I forgot to take a photo of the card I made for her ballet friend whose birthday was last night.

So, maybe after all that waffle, a challenge card is in order.  I can't resist pink and it has been a while since I have participated in a PTI blog hop.  I have just watched the videos for the latest Online Card class - Stenciled and I am inspired.  I resisted stencils for quite a while, the image in my hands is a bit blurry and not quite my taste.  but what the ladies have done is just breath taking.

It is a mixture of a ideas used by Jennifer, Laura and Debby and yes, it is a Christmas card, but I didn't post any on the blog this time.  I don't do much distress inking, I leave that to my daughter.  I get ink all over my fingers then all over the card.  But as I said, I very much wanted to try and it took a number of practice runs.

I still can't quite master the art of starting off the page without the corner of the sponge "stamping".  I adhered the stencil to card with adhesive spray, which seemed to work well.  

What you need
Cardstock - PTI white, black
Stamps - Background Basics:  Text Style;  Tree Trimming Trio
Inks - Ranger Distress Inks (Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick, Picked Raspberry);  Versafine Onyx Black; Versamark
Stencil - SSS Ornament on a String
Embossing Powder - Judi Kins Extreme Peacock
Adhesive spray
Zig Wink of Stellar (clear)

Hope you made it to the end of this long winded post, as it is a long weekend in Australia, I may get round to more challenges.

Happy Australia Day to all Aussies for tomorrow (26th).

October WMS Pyjama Party

Yes, there is still someone lurking around this blog occasionally.  It has been a busy time, what with milestone birthdays, major heart surgery for my Father-in-Law (he is recovering well, and it was expected),  and life in general really.  But I have been making cards, just not for publication, and alot less frequently. 

So to one of my favourite challenges.  I didn't get myself organised and order some of Claire's lovely new stamps, so I have none of the beautiful Art Deco images.  Not to worry, Pinterest is a mine of information (well, images) so no shortage of inspiration.

Challenge:  Art Deco black and white and POP

I need a card for my best friends daughter (the youngest) who finishes school at the end of the year.  A little bittersweet for her I think and it seems like only yesterday since she was a babe in arms.  So I sorted a few fonts from Word and some wonderful vintage images from Pinterest.  Interestingly this lattice pattern came up a few times, which I didn't realise was Art Deco-ish.

But I REALLY wanted to do something like this one, classic and elegant, just like the  young lady in question and use silver as my splash of colour.  But there is minimal WMS stamping on it, well, one really.  But I think I will enter both of them.  Edited to Add:  forgot that you can't enter 2 images from the one post - really should blog more often!

What you need

Cardstock - BB black;  SU white, red; metallic silver cardboard

Stamps - WMS Heirloom Patterns, Vintage Labels 5

Ink - Memento London Fog

Brad and gems - SU

Feathers - Craft Supplies

Bedtime Story - Sketch Challenge

One of the best teachers my daughter had in Junior School had her first child last week, so while completely off the theme of this month's party, it was a card of necessity.  We had This wonderful lady for 2 years and she really knew her students.  We found her so easy to deal with and were delighted when we found out our daughter would have her for a second year.

So while the background stamps were still out, I created this girly card and highlighted the solid lines with a marker.  I don't know how much cardstock I wasted trying to get this right, nothing to do with lining up the stamp, that was the easy part.  The difficulty was using a light colour and thinking I had it completely covered in ink.

What you need
Cardstock - PTI shimmer pink;  SU Regal Rose, white
Stamps - WMS Heirloom Patterns, Nordic Baby
Ink - Memento Angel Pink;  SU Early Espresso
Marker - Regal Rose
Spellbinders - Classic and Scalloped ovals
Ribbon - PTI Hibiscus Burst
Gems - SU

Cant' wait to see all the other creations!