Moving Forward with RetroSketches#65

Tomorrow the retiring list is released for Australia and New Zealand, but it is no secret that Moving Forward is to retire. That's because it is a special stamp set for Ronald McDonald House and $3 from each sale goes to the charity - that sounds like such a good idea! Buy stamps sets that are just so cute, AND help out a worthy cause, don't you think?

Moving Forward is an absolute favourite for me, you can use it for a wide range of events, with the tricycle, sailboat and this blimp among the main images. I've used the Ink to rubber technique for this card, check my class schedule for June if you live nearby.
Paired with the birthday greeting from Curly Cute (also retiring) and some Comfort Cafe DSP, it is based on this sketch from RetroSketches. You know, whenever I lack inspiration I go straight to a sketch or colour challenge and find that usually that will get the imagination going. I also entered it for the Make it Masculine challenge at CAS on Sunday

Just a short post today - back tomorrow with the retiring list!
Cheers!
Rachel

Curly Cute

FMS#80 & PPA Color Challenge - Faith in Nature

I knew I had a lot to do today but it is amazing how you can fit a little bit of stamping between chores when it is a sketch as sweet as this one at Freshly Made Sketches and these lovely restful colours from PPA Color Challenge.





I decided to go with a 'Blast From the Past' this week, using a retired stamp set Faith in Nature, maybe you still have it in your stash too? I love a stamp with a subtle script and the three main images all fit the bill here. I chose the pear, and stamped it with Pear Pizzaz, one of the colours about to return to the Stampin Up! family of colour. To give some added interest, I rock 'n' rolled the edge into Marina Mist.

I'm sure I'm not the first person to discover this but I had a happy moment when I was punching some Bitty Butterflies out and I wanted to use the patterned chevron stamp from Oh Hello, stamped so delicately with Bashful Blue. I discovered how perfectly the punch fits in each segment of the chevron, so the wings are both different, and the body is an exact fit in the white space between the patterns!

I think they're gorgeous, but I am a sucker for anything miniature too!  I finished them off with a row of 3 little pearls, then wound some Lucky Limeade Baker's twine several times around the card, once it was mounted on Pear Pizzaz card, and stamped the greeting from Faith In Nature stamp set. 

I like the way those 3 shades of green are similar enough to mix and match them.

Cheers for now

Rachel

CCMC244 Feeling Sentimental

This lovely set of stamps, Feeling Sentimental, will not be available in just a few hours. Such a shame, because it has been really popular as a masculine stamp, with the Phone Box/Dr Who thingy (sorry, my Dr Who expert is out tonight!), Ferris Wheel and Penny Farthing stamps.

I am entering my card for the challenge at Create with Connie and Mary, check out the other submissions too.

I will certainly continue using my stamps, and hopefully something similar might be included in the Annual catalogue, when it is released at the end of June.

 I can't remember where I read that it is possible to emboss stamping done with the new ink pads, it was on someone's blog I think, but I went back re-reading for a couple of weeks worth today, so I could credit the person who brought it to my attention, but no luck, unfortunately. I tried it today, and of course you use the clear embossing powder so the original colour shines through. I've tilted the card this way and that, to try to pick up the glistening effect with the camera, but cannot do that either.

Next I sponged the phone box with Marina Mist, before 'lighting it up' with Daffodil Yellow, and a little Crumb Cake on the ground. I did substitute the Not Quite Navy with Midnight Muse, they are quite close really, and Midnight Muse was my new, juicy stamp pad, and it needed to be new so I could heat emboss.

The background has been done on glossy card stock, using blues and a black, and is another sample for my April class "polished stone" technique. It was inspired by a card I saw on Pinterest, by Rachel Tessman, Stamp your Art Out. I'm having trouble linking to her card, but this is Rachel's website. 

Finally, I stamped just the 'hello' part from the Oh, Hello stamp set, which is available in the 25th Anniversary mini catty till the end of June.

Hope you have a great weekend and take some time to do things you like, with those you love, that's my plan anyway!!!

Take care,

Rachel