JUST ADD INK #86

This week's Just Add Ink challenge is to use this sketch as a basis for your papercraft project:

I've just bought Stampin' Up!'s Fun Flowers die, and decided it fit the bill nicely, for the largish corner embellishment.  Here's my card for this week's challenge:

Stamps: Tagtastic, Creative Elements

Card: Crumb Cake, Basic Black, Wisteria Wonder, Very Vanilla

DSP: First Edition Specialty Designer Series Paper, Wisteria Wonder Patterns Designer Series Paper

Ink: Crumb Cake and Wisteria Wonder stampin' pads

Other: Beautiful Wings embosslits die, Fun Flowers Bigz die, Wisteria Wonder ruffled ribbon, Basic Pearls, Neutrals button, sponge dauber, stampin' dimensionals, Antique Brad, mini glue dots, Finial Press embossing folder, XL Oval punch

SC008/11 : LANGUAGE OF FRIENDSHIP

This week's challenge at Sunny Challenges and Creations, is to use the following sketch, and specific colours (Marina Mist, Cajun Craze and Crumb Cake), on a card or scrapbook page.

One of my many new stamp sets that hadn't seen ink is "Language of Friendship".  It is a beautiful set, that co-ordinates with the Bird Builder punch, and Boho Blossoms punch.  Gotta love stamps that have complementary punches!

I had some time in my craft room last night, after preparing for this weekend's Christmas card class, and came up with a simple card (that I think is really quite sweet).  I stamped the flowers on the base card in Crumb cake ink, and sponged the edges.  I then stamped the flowers in Marina Mist ink on Whisper White card, punched them out using the Boho Blossoms punch, and adhered them to a panel of Crumb Cake card.  I put this card inside my Square Lattice embossing folder, and through the Big Shot, to creat the inlaid embossed panel.  The band across the middle of the card is two punched borders, one stacked above the other.

Stamps: Language of Friendship, Happiest Birthday Wishes

Card: Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Cajun Craze

Ink: Crumb Cake, Marina Mist and Cajun Craze stampin' pads

Other: Marina Mist 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch, Bird Builder punch, Boho Blossoms punch, white gel pen, sponge dauber

HAPPIEST BIRTHDAY WISHES FOR MY BOY

Ethan, my baby (even though he HATES me calling him that!) is 11 today.  He's almost as tall as his mother, but not too grown up for me to steal lots of cuddles ... even if his arms aren't involved.

The birthday boy requested a card that was "Crumb Cake, White and Blue".  "Blue" is pretty general, when it comes to Stampin' Up! colours, and I'm not sure if these are the blues Ethan had in mind, but here's the card I made for him.  The new hostess stamp set called Happiest Birthday Wishes features prominently - LOVE this set.

Here's a close-up of the sentiment.  Four Frames is one of my FAVOURITE new stamp sets; it can be customised in so many ways.  I stamped off some stars in Crumb Cake, overstamped the sentiment from Happiest Birthday Wishes, then used my trusty Stamp-a-ma-jig to position the frame over the top.  I punched it out with the Decorative Label punch, sponged the edges, and mounted it with Stampin' Dimensionals.  Cool, yes?

Stamps: Extreme Elements, Happiest Birthday Wishes, Four Frames, Pennant Parade

Card: Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Tempting Turquoise textured

DSP: Crumb Cake Patterns Designer Series Paper, Good Morning Sunshine (retired)

Ink: Crumb Cake and Tempting Turquoise stampin' pads, Pacific Point stampin' pad and marker

Other: Mat Pack and Paper Piercing Tool, Decorative Label punch, Cupcake Builder punch, Petite Pennants Builder punch, Stripes embossing folder, sponge dauber

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, my little man!!  Thanks to Renee Van Stralen for the idea for this card :)

STAMPIN' UP!'S "BIG TOP BIRTHDAY" PAPERS

The new "Big Top Birthday" Designer Series Papers, from Stampin' Up!, are a surprise favourite of mine.  I love the bold, bright colours, and gorgeous designs.  This is really quite an admission from someone who is not a circus fan, and has a downright dislike for clowns!!

Some of the papers have large designs, that would be great for scrapbooking.  Since I'm not a scrapbooker, I thought I'd show you how easy it is to make cards with little effort - letting the paper do all the work.  I was inspired by some cards made by my friend Tina.  By adding a few little embellishments, and a stamped sentiment, I was able to create some pretty cute and happy cards in next-to no time.

Stamps: Teeny Tiny Sentiments

Card: Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White

DSP: Big Top Birthday Designer Series Paper

Ink: Tempting Turquoise stampin' pad

Other: Word Window punch, Modern Label punch, Real Red satin ribbon, Basic Rhinestones, mini glue dots

Stamps: Curly Cute

Card: Real Red, Whisper White, Tempting Turquoise

DSP: Big Top Birthday Designer Series Paper

Ink: Tempting Turquoise stampin' pad

Other: Circle Fire and Circle Ice Rhinestone brads, sponge dauber, paper snips, Fancy Favor box die (to create fancy edge on the card front), Mat Pack and Paper Piercing tool

Stamps: Happiest Birthday Wishes

Card: Real Red, Whisper White

DSP: Big Top Birthday Designer Series Paper

Ink: Tempting Turquoise stampin' pad

Other: 1/2" circle punch, sponge dauber, stampin' dimensionals, Brights brads, Circle Fire brad, Mat Pack and Paper Piercing tool, paper snips

BLACK AND WHITE FAREWELL CARD

One of Ethan's mates from school is about to return to New Zealand to live, and Ethan asked me to make a farewell card.  My brief was to use black and white.

It's a simple card, but I love it, and hope the young man (who will be sorely missed) does too.  I've used Stampin' Up!'s new silver mini brads on this card, and they are FABULOUS - they're not much bigger than pin heads, and are great, low-profile, embellishments for cards.  I can see I'll be using lots of these!

Stamps: Extreme Elements, For My Family

Card: Basic Black and Whisper White

Ink: Basic Black stampin' pad

Other: Stripes embossing folder, Timeless Type Alphabet sizzlits dies, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Silver Mini Brads, Mat Pack and Paper Piercing tool, Tombow multi liquid glue

WELL WORN, PERFECTLY PENNED MALE CARD

A friend of ours, who doesn't visit my blog (as far as I know!), is about to celebrate a birthday.  It's a very special day on our calendar, as our second son was born on the same day (albeit some 34 years after Darren was).

I decided to cut into my brand new pack of Stampin' Up!'s "Well Worn" papers, and put some ink on my new "Perfectly Penned" stamp set.

In hindsight, I should've done a bit more tearing, to reveal larger sections of the bottom layer of paper, but, for a first attempt at playing with these papers, I'm not unhappy with how the card turned out.

Stamps: Extreme Elements, Perfectly Penned, Texture jumbo wheel

Card: Early Espresso, Naturals Ivory

DSP: Well Worn and Cajun Craze Patterns Designer Series Papers

Ink: Early Espresso stampin' pad and marker, Soft Suede and Not Quite Navy stampin' pads

Other: Regals brads, sponge daubers, Mat Pack and Paper Piercing tool, edge distressing tool

JAI #85 : JUST ADD ..... BABY

This week over at Just Add Ink, my sweet friend Patrice has set a "baby" challenge.

I was "tickled pink" (pardon the pun) with the very cute little birthday card I received from my friend Chris.  She inspired me to use my Scallop Envelope die, that doesn't often see the light of day.  I am loving all the possibilities that this style of card opens up.  The Scallop Envelope is the perfect size to adorn the front of a 10cm x 10cm card.  Here's what I came up with .... and I had a ball making it!

.... and a close-up of the subtly stamped background:

Stamps: Baby Bundle, A to Z, Teeny Tiny Sentiments

Card: Crumb Cake, Pretty in Pink smooth & textured, Confetti White, Wisteria Wonder

DSP: Flirtatious Specialty Designer Series Paper

Ink: Crumb Cake and Wisteria Wonder stampin' pads, Pretty in Pink stampin' pad and marker

Other: Scallop Envelope die, Heart to Heart punch, Word Window punch, paper snips, sponge daubers, blender pen, stampin' dimensionals, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Neutrals brad