Friday, February 28, 2014

JAI #204: OH, HAPPY DAY

This week's Just Add Ink challenge is to use this gorgeous colour combination on your papercraft project:



 
Once I'd decided on Pistachio Pudding as the feature colour of my card, I had a bit of trouble working out how to incorporate Crumb Cake - unheard of, as it's my all-time favourite neutral!  I focussed on Pistachio Pudding with gold accents, and ended up sponging around the edges of everything with Crumb Cake ink.  I think the card I made would work well for an engagement or wedding.
 
 
 
 
Stamps: Starburst Sayings, Delicate Doilies
Card: Very Vanilla, Pistachio Pudding Core'dinations
Ink: Pistachio Pudding and Crumb Cake stampin' pads, Versamark inkpad
Other: Gold stampin' emboss powder, Starburst framelits, Circles framelits, 1" Circle punch, Basic Pearls, Gold Sequin Trim, Pistachio Pudding stretch ruffle trim, Beautifully Baroque embossing folder, sponge dauber, sticky strip, sanding block
 
 
Make sure you check out the rest of the Design Team samples - just stunning.  We hope you'll play along with us!
 
 
 
 
 

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

STAMPIN' UP! SECRET GARDEN BIRTHDAY

It's my mother-in-law's birthday today, so I thought I'd share with you the card I made her.  I try to incorporate yellow flowers on her birthday cards, as they're her favourites.

I white-embossed three gorgeous blooms from the Secret Garden stamp set, on vellum.  There's a matching framelits die to make cutting out of the flowers a breeze.  Using sponge daubers, I coloured the reverse side of the flowers with Daffodil Delight and Crushed Curry ink.  Such a pretty way to colour vellum flowers; I was inspired by the always-beautiful creations of my friend Nikki.




Stamps: Secret Garden, Label Something
Card: Strawberry Slush, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White, Basic Black and Vellum cardstock
DSP: Quatrefancy Specialty Designer Series Paper
Ink: Strawberry Slush, Daffodil Delight and Crushed Curry stampin' pads, Versamark inkpad
Other: White stampin' emboss powder, Secret Garden framelits, Artisan label punch, Modern Mosaic embossing folder, Strawberry Slush stretch ruffle trim, Brights, Subtles and Neutrals buttons, Bird Builder punch (foliage), sponge daubers, glue dots
 
 


Monday, February 24, 2014

STAMPIN' UP! SIMPLY STARS FOR A 5-YEAR-OLD!

Our little neighbour turned 5 last week, and I made him a card using a striking colour combination that I'd seen in a recent Pals Paper Arts challenge.  Unfortunately I wasn't organised enough to make the challenge cut-off, but here are the colours that were suggested for a papercraft project:





How great do these colours look together, on a boy's card?




Stamps: Simply Stars, Morning Post Numbers, Sketched Birthday
Card: Pumpkin Pie, Gumball Green, Whisper White and Basic Black
DSP: Pumpkin Pie Patterns Designer Series Paper
Ink: Pumpkin Pie and Gumball Green stampin' pads and Jet Black Staz-On inkpad
Other: Bitty Banner framelits, Neutrals button, Gumball Green stitched satin ribbon, 1 1/4" Circle punch, Circles framelits, Starburst framelits, sponge dauber, glue dots, Brights and Neutrals candy dots
 
 
 


Friday, February 21, 2014

JAI # 203: STAMPIN' UP! GINGHAM GARDEN GET WELL

This week at Just Add Ink, we have a sketch from Paula that lends itself to all sorts of possibilities!

Here's the sketch, to use as a starting point for your card/scrapbook page/other papercraft project:



 
 
I wanted to show some love to my Gingham Garden Designer Series Paper - it's so cute, and happy, but has been sitting unused in my craft room for a while.  Here's my take on the sketch:
 
 
 
 
Stamps: Express Yourself, Banner Blast (tiny flowers), Four Frames
Card: Island Indigo, Whisper White, Melon Mambo
DSP: Gingham Garden Designer Series Paper, Island Indigo Patterns DSP (retired)
Ink: Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight and Island Indigo stampin' pads
Other: Envelope Punch Board (to make paper bow), Daffodil Delight stitched grosgrain, Decorative Label punch, Delicate Details Lace Tape, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Stampin' Dimensionals, glue dots, sponge daubers, Basic Rhinestones, Multipurpose Liquid Glue
 
 
Make sure you take a look at the rest of the Design Team's samples.  We hope you'll play along with us, too.
 
 

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

STAMPIN' UP! ON FILM FRAMELITS

I had a bit of fun this week making a birthday card for my brother-in-law.  There's no danger of him visiting my blog, so I can share it with you while it's on its way to him in the mail.

The new On Film Framelits dies from Stampin' Up! are just so cute.  I've already shared a card or two using the smaller polaroid frame.  This card showcases the larger of the two frames in the set, along with the great little camera die - how cool does it look in the silver foil paper?!  The framelit cuts and embosses the camera shape at the same time.  Although it's not super-clear in my photo, I die-cut two cameras in Early Espresso, and placed them along the bottom of the card, sandwiching a Marina Mist camera.



 
Stamps: Simply Stars, Gorgeous Grunge, Perfect Pennants, Sketched Birthday, Happy Day
Card: Marina Mist, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Silver Foil paper
Ink: Crumb Cake, Marina Mist, Early Espresso stampin' pads
Other: On Film framelits, Bitty Banners framelits, Subtles and Neutrals candy dots, Candy Dot base, sponge daubers, Natural Chevron ribbon, glue dots



Monday, February 17, 2014

STAMPIN' UP! HAPPY CONGRATULATIONS MEETS ZOO BABIES

As soon as I saw the Happy Congratulations stamp set in Stampin' Up!'s Occasions Catalogue, I knew it would have to join my stamp collection.  It's a lovely little set with sweet 'lanterns' that can be stamped, or punched out of patterned paper with a 3/4" circle punch.

Here's a simple, but rather sweet (I think!) baby card I made.  My colour choices were decided by the gorgeous polka-dot paper from the Fresh Prints Designer Series Paper Stack (also from the Occasions Catalogue).


 
Stamps: Happy Congratulations, Zoo Babies
Card: Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Baked Brown Sugar, Coastal Cabana
DSP: Fresh Prints Designer Series Paper Stack
Ink: Coastal Cabana, Crumb Cake and Baked Brown Sugar stampin' pads
Other: Deco Labels framelits, Owl Builder punch (hearts), Neutrals candy dots, Paper-piercing tool, sponge dauber, 3/4" circle punch


Friday, February 14, 2014

JAI #202: JUST ADD STRIPES

This week's challenge at Just Add Ink, courtesy of Paula, is to "just add ... stripes" to our papercraft project.

Lately I've been having a lot of fun with the new Retro Fresh papers from Stampin' Up!, and one of the patterns fits the bill nicely for this challenge.  Here's my (almost monochromatic) card, featuring the Hexagon Hive thinlits die:


 
Stamps: Happy Watercolor, Banner Blast
Card: Tangerine Tango, Very Vanilla, Crisp Cantaloupe, Baked Brown Sugar
DSP: Retro Fresh Designer Series Paper
Ink: Crisp Cantaloupe, Tangerine Tango and Baked Brown Sugar stampin' pads
Other: Hexagon Hive thinlits die, Itty Bitty Shapes punch, 1/2" Circle punch, 7/8" Scallop Circle punch, In Color Boutique Details embellishment, Bitty Banners framelits, Circle Card thinlits die (banner), Basic Pearls, sponge dauber, Needlepoint Border embossing folder, Crisp Cantaloupe stretch ruffle trim, glue dots
 
 
You can see the rest of the Just Add Ink Design Team's samples here.  We hope you'll play along, and share your stripey creation with us!
 
 
 

Friday, February 7, 2014

JAI #201: AN 18th BIRTHDAY CARD

Take a look at this week's awesome colour challenge at Just Add Ink:





At first I was a bit stumped, as to how I'd use these colours together, but I LOVE how they complement one another.  Here's the card I made for my 18-year-old niece:




Stamps: Another Great Year, Morning Post Numbers, Gorgeous Grunge
Card: Sahara Sand, Whisper White, Pool Party Core'dinations, Island Indigo, Real Red
DSP: Real Red Patterns Designer Series Paper
Ink: Real Red, Sahara Sand and Island Indigo stampin' pads, Pool Party marker and stampin' pad
Other: On Film framelits, Scallops embossing folder, Starburst framelits, Circles framelits, 1 3/8" Circle punch, sponge dauber, Basic Rhinestones, Island Indigo baker's twine, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Circle Card thinlits (stars), Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Multipurpose Liquid Glue, paper snips
 
 
Make sure you check out the rest of the Design Team's samples at Just Add Ink.  We would love to see what you create, using this colour combo.
 
 


Saturday, February 1, 2014

STAMPIN' UP! PETITE PETALS FOR SEIZE THE BIRTHDAY

The challenge at Seize the Birthday is to make a birthday card, with the added option of using chevrons on the card.

I've been wanting to break out my new Fresh Prints Designer Series Paper stack, and decided today was the day.  Love the gorgeous colours in these papers.  The chevron patterned paper is the reverse of the paper that's on the top part of my card.  I also stamped (faintly) with my Positively Chevron background stamp, on the sentiment panel.  Here's what I made:





Stamps: Petite Petals, Petal Parade, Positively Chevron, Express Yourself
Card: Real Red, Crumb Cake, Whisper White
DSP: Fresh Prints Designer Series Paper stack
Ink: Coastal Cabana, Real Red and Crub Cake stampin' pads
Other: Petite Petals punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig, On Film framelits, Brights candy dots, Neutrals candy dots, sponge dauber, Coastal Cabana stretch ruffle trim, Paper Piercing tool, Essentials paper-piercing pack