MFT Card Sketch Challenge #421

Between digging through my stash of old papers and using some new dies purchased over the January school holidays, I have really enjoyed the opportunity to take some time out this holidays to get crafty.  Spent the afternoon in my local SBS and managed to knock out 6 Christmas cards (yes I am getting in early) before coming home to use some cute little birds I had coloured from MFTs Birds of a Feather - love these sweet little tweeters - with inspiration from MFTs sketch challenge this week.

I started with some scrap patterned paper from my stash - pretty sure this came from a SSS Valentines kit from a FEW years ago, and utilised a window left over from making a shaker card that was already mounted on foam - just cut another circle out from within it.  It was then just a case of sticking everythng down with foam tape, my tape runner and a little Gina K Connect glue.  A final touch of glossy accents to the hearts to make them pop! 

MFT Birds of a Feather

A very simple card, but very sweet! Will also add this one to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Have a Heart!

MFT Colour Challenge #110 and Crazy4Challenges Sketch

I have had a little break from card making over the last few days as I focused on some mixed media art, creating some small Christmas themed canvases - getting ready for staff gifts at the end of the year - I like to start early as I have about 44 gifts to make for staff which is a nightmare if I leave it until the end of the year.

Mixed Media Christmas Paintings

After running out of canvases in town, I hit the challenge blogs for some inspiration, breaking out some new purchases - MFTs Birds of a Feather Die.  I have used the MFT colours and the Crazy4Challenges sketch for this week.

I created a wedding/engagement/anniversary card to add to my stash. 

MFT Birds of a Feather - Challenge Card

I diecut the Pinkfresh Folklore lace panel and attached it to an acetate sheet before adding the Mama Elephant border die. I stuck the inner panel that was cut out of the border onto a white card base and created a shaker card using some foam tape beneath the border.  I die cut the two adorable MFT birds from the Birds of a Feather die and then coloured them in with copics using cool greys.  I cut the banner using and oldie but goodie from MFT and attached the birds with foam tape to add some more dimension.  Finally I stamped the sentiment ( Love that new SSS Tiny Words Stamp) and cut out the banner to attach to the card.  Final touch was a little bit of bling!

MFT Birds of a Feather and Pink Fresh Folklore

MFT - The Birthday Project Challenge

This card is a little bit of cool on a day expected to get to 44 Celcius (111 F) ...arghhh.  I thanks the heavens for reverse cycle air conditioning which has been running since 9am this morning.  Birthday cards are always a must for my stash as well as sales so the MFT Birthday challenge hit the spot this week.  I was amazed to find how FEW present stamps I have in my stash, so had to revert back to an old TE Christmas stamp set to get the gift images.  Polar Bear Pals is my favorite MFT stamp set (that I have ;o) at the moment and it is getting a real bashing!

Challenge tools - most of them ;o)

I started by stamping the image and sentiment directly on to the card to use as a guide for the distress ink background - loving the new Distress ink brush tools - so much more control over the deepness of colour and blending.  I used some removable post it to mask of the ground and once I had the background done used some Dr Phil Martin Bombay Ink in white to add the splatters and then a white PITT artist pen to ground the polar bear.

MFT Polar Bear Pals

I stamped the gift and bear onto Neenah paper and coloured with copics - keeping to the current Colour Throwdown colours.  I restamped the sentiment onto the same card stock and added to the card with some craft foam.  I will make a few of these cards as they are super simple and my Misti is all set up and ready to go!

MFT Polar Bear Pals Birthday Challenge

MFT Sketch Challenge #420 with Colour Throwdown #526

Well, I am coming to the end of the school holidays and starting to think about getting back into the swing of things, along with the possibility of buying a house and creating a new crafting space - so much to think about!

MFT Up and Away Sketch Challenge

What this means is I have been making the most of my crafting time!  This card was created with inspiration from the MFT Sketch Challenge and uses the colour inspiration from the Colour Throwdown Blog.

I started by digging through my stash of 6x6 paperpads to find the awesome cloud paper from MME's Lime Twist - an oldie but a goodie.  I stitched acetate to the front of the paper to form a pocket and added some sequins before sewing along the final edge to seal all that sparkly goodness inside.  I then used some grey blue patterned papers from Authentique: Favorite to create the foreground on the card, using a white PITT artist pen along the edges to separate the stitched layers.  I stamped the sentiment from MFTs Up in the Air using a clear embossing pad before adding white embossing powder to make the sentiment pop.  Finally I stamped some images from MFTs Up in the Air on to Neenah paper using Memento Tuxedo before getting my colouring groove on with Copics - BG10, 13, 15 & 18, B000, 02, 05 & 06, R12, N0 and C3.  I think this card would make a little boy VERY happy! 

MFT Up and Away

MFT Colour Challenge #109

Had a play with a few different techniques today - a floating sentiment window and Distress Ink stencil layering.

I took inspiration from the MFT Colour Challenge #109 and used a range of distress inks and Tim Holtz's Mini Layering Stencil to create the candy stripes with Tumbled Glass, Twisted Citron and Peacock Feather.

MFT Colour Challenge #109

I cut the window out of the card using MFTs Stitched Traditional Tags - flipping the tag to get the rectangle cut out to the size I wanted for the floating MFT 'Cheers' sentiment.  To create the Floating Window Sentiment, I followed Jennifer McGuire's instructions in her YouTube Tutorial.  Finally I cut out the window on the card using an MFTs Stitched Oval Word Window die and then added a sentiment from SSS Tiny Words Stamp set.  The card is for my cousins wedding next week.

MFT Sketch Challenge #419

Still playing with my Peek-a-Boo cards from Jennifer McGuire's YouTube Tutorial and made this Birthday card for a little boy I know will be turning 8 this year.  Loved MFT's sketch and with a little flip it worked perfectly for this card.

I used MFTs Polar Bear Pals for the focal images and sentiments and fussy cut the fish from some Kaisercraft paper left over from a scrapbook cruise last year.

Peek-a-Boo Card - MFT Polar Bear Pals

These cards are such fun and love the impact of the moving sentiment when you open them up!

Colour Throwdown #525

I have been trolling Jennifer McGuire's YouTube channel of her amazing technique videos and tried a few interactive cards today - a Peek-a-Boo card and an Inside Tunnel  card.  Love the impact of the Peek-a-Boo card.  I decided to try the technique using the Colour Throwdown Challenge #525 - Brown, Black and White - perfect for the MFT Dog-gone Awesome stamp set.

After cutting out the required panels and scoring them:

4 1/4 x 8 1/4 scored at 2 3/4

4 1/4 x 8 1/2 scored at 4 1/4 

4 1/4 x 5 3/4 scored at 5 1/2

I die cut the circles out of the front and inside panels, decorated the front  and inside of the card by randomly stamping the bones and paw prints before colouring them with copics.  I added cute doggy images and then die cut two circles and stamped the sentiments on them, colouring them with copics to match.  Then it was on to construction - so happy with the end result!

MFT Dog-Gone Awesome Peek-a-Boo Card

MFT Sketch Challenge #418

Still cracking on with card challenges for January, the first card is for the MFT Sketch Challenge.  

I dug through my paper stash and found this gorgeous old October Afternoon tree paper and it immediately made me think of the Forever and Owlways stamp set from MFT.  I have been wanting to have a go at a slide card for a while so I used Karolyn Loncon's Leap Frog Technique YouTube tutorial for a rundown of how to animate the owl to run along the branch - so cool!  I cut the bushy tree leaves using the Die-namics cloud trio.  Super fun effect!

MFT Forever and Owlways Slider Card

My second card today is a die cut background that I then paper pieced back into.  I love this Folklore die from PinkFresh and you get 2 cards for the price of one as you can then do the card in reverse.

Pinkfresh Folklore paper piecing

Still have my Mojo flowing so will stay in the card making trenches!

Christmas Creating all Year - January Challenge

It has been great having my crafter in Crime,  Devana, visiting this week as we get into the crafting trenches and just wallow! Hit the ground running yesterday with Christmas cards thanks to the shaker card dies from Pretty Pink Posh - Tree and ornament and then using some Mama Elephant stamps to finish off.  A big thanks to Lea Lawson and her January Christmas Challenge for the inspiration.

Pretty Pink Posh Tree Shaker Die and Mama Elephant Stamps

Pretty Pink Posh Tree Shaker Die

Pretty Pink Posh Ornament Shaker Die and stamps

Mama Elephant

Colour Throwdown #524

As I have trolled the challenge blocks, I found this little bit of inspiration at the Colour Throwdown Blog.  

Love the clean elegance of the image and wanted to create something a little graphic.

I have laid down some water colour as the background, then stamped the stems  from MFTs Sketched Blooms with Mowed Lawn Distress ink and coloured them with the same. I let the colour dry and then stamped over the top with black memento ink.  I have stamped out the flowers from the same MFT stamp set on plain white card stock and then fussy cut them and adhered them to the background with foam tape.  The sentiment comes from Hero Arts Everyday Sayings.

Project Travel - Florida road trip 2014

It has been great to have a few days of downtime to get some scrapbooking done - still a few holidays to get caught up on but my goal is to get our Florida holiday finished before school starts back.....love the Project Life style of scrapbooking as I get. Sense of accomplishment for each 4x6 mat completed.

What a brilliant trip this was...full of adventure and so many wildlife experiences!

1 card 2 ways and a Prima Girl

I have really been enjoying playing with the no line water colour technique and after a dig through my stamp stash wanted to have a play with a Prima Girl. I stamped her with Tattered Rose distress ink before colouring her with water colours. I used some My Minds Eye patterned paper and acetate and stitched a pocket to make a shaker background and then added some extra My Minds Eye elements to finish of the Birthday card.

My next cards were a play on one card, two ways. One was no line water coloured and the other stamped and then coloured with coloured pencils. I used Paper Artsy stamps from my stash - I love how the no line colouring feels like it is an illustration from a children’s book. I did add some coloured pencil lines to the no line water coloured card just to add some detail to the flowers. Love this batty girl!

No line water colouring

Kristina Werner provided some serious inspiration for this card which started with me wanting to have a go at the no line water colouring technique.  As I trolled YouTube for tutorials I found her video. I wanted to make a new baby card for a friend who is due VERY soon.  I started off by stamping the image on to a smooth watercolour paper using Antique Linen distress ink before water colouring the image with Tattered Straw and Brushed Corduroy Distress inks with a hint of Worn Lipstick for the cheeks.  I fussy cut the image out leaving a narrow white border.

Next I watercolour the background paper using Tumbled Glass, Peacock Feather and Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink.  I created a pocket for the sequins by stitching acetate to the front of the background along 3 sides, filling with a range of sequins and then stitching it closed.  I cut 3 Baby die cuts and glued them together to create extra dimension.  I then attached the image and sentiment to the sequin pocket before adhering the pocket to the front of a card base.

Mama Elephant - Honey Bunny

I am super happy with my first try at no line water colouring and think it may be one of my new favorite things. 

MFT - Polar Bear Pals

I got straight back into it to try the technique using a different image from My Favorite Things - Polar Bear Pals.  I used the colour inspiration for the MFT colour challenge.

MFT Colour Challenge 108

Before I put away my MFT Lucky Dog stamp set thought I would have a go at the MFT Colour Challenge - definitely my colours!

Played with some Stitched Rectangle Dies from Simon Says Stamp - cutting a large rectangle from Neenah Paper so I could stamp and then colour with copics (N0, C3, R11, BG49 and B26) as well as a smaller rectangle from vellum.  I hand cut the sentiment banner, added an extra puppy and then placed some Doodlebug sprinkles strategically so I could attach the vellum without the glue marks.  Finally. I added some Wink of Stella to the bow and then coated with Glossy Accents to make it pop.

MFT Lucky Dog

MFT Lucky Dog

I ended up making two of the cards, one for personal use and one for my Etsy shop.

MFT Sketch Challenge - Sketch 417

It has been a long time since I have played along with a sketch challenge - used to be a staple of my evenings.  Was great to have a bit of inspiration to help refill my card stash.  The MFT Sketch Challenge - Sketch 417 fit the bill!

I ended up making two cards of the same design, trying to use up some supplies I had in my bits and pieces - a square of watercolour paper I had distress inked some time ago and some scraps of yellow card.  I used the Peek-a-Boo Die-namic to cut the 4 windows in the first card, then used my scrap inked paper to fill the windows.  I stamped a few of the dogs from the MFT Lucky Dog stamp set and then coloured them with copic markers - NO, C3, E51, E53, E55, E57, R11, R17, YG00, YG03.  I used a gold Sakura Gelly Roll to emphasise the studs on the Bull Dogs collar and then added some Glossy Accents and puffy paint to add some dimension to different elements of the stamped images.  After putting all the pieces together I used a sharpie to add some texture and borders.

MFT Lucky Dog and Peek-a-Boo Window

On the second card, I used the off cut windows from the first card to create the four panels.  

MFT Lucky Dog

I am hoping some of my dog loving friends and family will enjoy getting one of these cards on their special day.

January Birthday Cards.....

I am hoping to get a little crafting in this holidays - especially fill out my card collection for all those special events this year. I started with a few cards needed for January - a Birthday card for my niece Samantha and another for my sister.

This first card for my niece uses Mama Elephant diecuts and stamps.  After cutting the border using the Park Avenue die, I used a Lawn Fawn die - Stitched hillside Border - to diecut the background.  I distress inked the edges of the strips using Evergreen Bough Distress Ink and then coloured the images with copics - R14, YR02, YG01, G02, BV02, BV13 (rainbow) and BV02, BV13, NO and C3 for the other images.  I added clear Wink of Stella to the castle, wings and horns.  The stamped sentiment is from Avery Elle Pegasus set.

Mama Elephant Park Avenue die and Unicorns and Rainbows stamp

Once I finished the card I decided to make a spare one for my stash....

Mama Elephant Park Avenue Die and Unicorns and Rainbows Stamps

Baby Card for a good friend

A little card made for a colleague to celebrate the birth of her daughter, Heidi😀

A lot of die cutting, a little stamping and copic colouring and finally some inking.