MFT Creative Challenge {Clean & Simple}

Hello and Happy Tuesday. I am so glad you are joining me today for our Feburary Creative Challenge with the My Favorite Things DT.  Each month we have a theme and we get to share our take on that theme. This month we were asked to create some Clean and Simple designs with our stamps and Die-namics. Pattern paper was prohibited!! 
We all agreed that who ever came up with the Clean & Simple name was wrong, because this style is anything by SIMPLE! I think it takes so much more thought and time and effort.  But I jumped in with both feet and had fun using some of the new (and some old) tips from the recent CAS online class I took. I have three cards to share today.  First up is my favorite. I used a masking technique to create beautiful clouds and then made a fun flap to add my sentiment and decorative element to. Let me show you. 

I used the FISHTAIL FLAGS STAX cut from Blue Raspberry cs and created my flap, by scoring a 1/4 down from the top top. I then attached this behind my Sno Cone card stock layer. I attache the whole thing to an A2 size Black Licorice panel. 

I created my cloud backdrop for my rainbow, by cutting two sizes from the JUMBO CLOUD STAX Die-namics. I then started at the bottom and sponged on some white ink into the tops of the cloud mask. 

I alterated sizes and direction of my mask, so I could get a more realistic look of the sky. I really love how it turned out. This was one of the videos from the online class I took. 

Here is my finished cloud panel. 

I created  pretty rainbow thanks to the RAINBOW  DIE-NAIMCS and lots of pretty MFT card stock: Wild Cherry, Orange Fizz, Banana Split, Gumdrop Green, Sno Cone, and Grape Jelly. I forgot how fun this die was. 

I used one of the medium sized clouds from the JUMBO CLOUD STAX DIE-NAMICS to add only part of my sentiment. This one comes from the UMBRELLA Sentiments stamp set. I inked up part of it with Black Licorice ink and then added a pretty LEMON DROP BUTTON. A quick bow from some turquoise bakers twine finish the flap. 

I complete the sentiment on the inside, making sure to hide it under the width of the Fishtail Flag stax. 

I was on a bit of a rainbow kick with my CAS cards. I think those pretty colors always POP against a clean background. 
I have another rainbow, themed card but this one ended up being a lovey card full of hearts. It also shows off just a bit of the hot and trendy Chalkboard technique.  I used Sweet Tooth card stock for my card base and then let the colors really POP by adding a layer of Steel Grey and touches of Black Licorice to the card. 

I used the smallest heart from HEART STAX to cut out a pretty rainbow of love. Then I added a tiny scallop detail with the SMALL SCALLOP EDGE DIE-NAMICS. 

The stamping all comes from the LOLIPOP ADDITIONS-LOVE stamp set. I stamped the circle and the "be mine" with Versamark ink and embossed it with white embossing powder. The trick to a clean and simple design is to make sure you keep any stray bits of embossing powder off the card stock. I make sure I rub my card stock with my embossing buddy (or even a dryer sheet will work). Then before heat setting the powder, take a small paint brush to rub away those stray powder bits. 

The arrow was stamped with the Versamark ink, but was embossed with clear embossing powder. The Steel Grey cs looks black when embossed this way. 

I gave the chalkboard look by adding a few strokes with a pink Prismacolor pencil and then a touch of pink chalk for the smudge marks. A Grape Jelly Button and some bakers twine added the final touch to this card. 

 One last Clean & Simple card, shows off a bit of gradient stamping. I used the gorgeous MFT inks in Kraft, Sno Cone, and Pink Lemonade to stamp a fun chevron pattern with the SPRING BACKGROUND stamp set. 

The fun BUTTON BORDER DIE-NAMICS was my main accent for the card. I cut a solid strip from Whip Cream Card stock and then add custom stamped Pink Lemonade buttons. I used more of the fun SPRING BACKGROUNDS and tied them up with the yummy Hemp Twine MFT carries. The sentiment comes from the PI stamp set-Cute as  a Button. 

You'll notice I love rounded corners on my CAS cards. Often times it's that subtle finishing touch that helps finish the card. 

That's it from me today. I hope you are feeling inspired to give a Clean & Simple card a try after seeing what the rest of the design team did with this challenge. 
Stop by Kim's Blog to see who is playing this month. 
Here is my MFT shopping list. Click any of the links to shop the product I used today. Thanks so much.

InLinkz.com