JUST ADD INK #48

After having "stamper's block" for a few weeks (Christmas card overload, I'm sure you understand!) I got so much pleasure out of sitting down to make a birthday card for a friend last night.  What bliss it was to pause amidst all the pre-Christmas and pre-holiday "busy-ness", to have a play!

The challenge at Just Add Ink this week is to use the following sketch as a starting point for a papercraft project:

I was pretty excited to see those gorgeous big scallops, because I've just bought a Jumbo Scallop Die; perfect for creating an edge like in the sketch.  I flipped the sketch, and came up with this bright number:

Stamps: Very Vintage jumbo wheel, Flight of the Butterfly, Butterfly Prints, Sincere Salutations

Card: Daffodil Delight, Whisper White, Basic Black

DSP: Daffodil Delight Patterns Designer Series Paper

Ink: Daffodil Delight stampin' pad, Basic Black stampin' pad and marker

Other: Stamp-a-ma-jig, Butterfly Punch, Wide Oval Punch, Lots of Tags sizzlits, Beautiful Wings embosslits, Square Lattice embossing folder, Vintage Brads, Mat pack and paper piercing tool, sponge dauber, MFT Jumbo Scallop die

Well, friends, this will be my last  blog post for 2010.  Time for me to sign off and be with my boys; we are off on a big adventure the day after Christmas, and I will not be blogging again until mid-January.  Stay safe over the festive season, and Merry Christmas to you all!

Christine xx

"BELLA TOILE" WEDDING CARD

My niece, Krystal, married her fiance Archie on Saturday.  It was a very emotional, but happy, day; so uplifting to see a young couple with a future full of hope and love ahead of them.

The wedding invitation was quite formal, in black and white, so I used that as a starting point for the card I made for the happy couple.  I stamped Bella Toile in Basic Black ink on Whisper White card, then coloured in the flourish design with a silver glitter pen.  I used Stampin' Up!'s beautiful rich Cherry Cobbler colour to add highlights.  I hurriedly photographed the card (in bleak weather!) before giving it to them on Saturday; here it is:

Stamps: Bella Toile, Teeny Tiny Sentiments

Card: Basic Black, Brushed Silver, Whisper White

Ink: Basic Black stampin' pad, Cherry Cobbler stampin' pad and marker

Other: Gelly Roll silver pen, Word Window punch, Modern Label punch, Basic Rhinestones, Whisper White satin ribbon. mini glue dots

JUST ADD INK #46

This week's challenge at Just Add Ink is to "just add .... critters" to a papercraft project.  I struggled with this one ..... I sooooo wanted to use my owl punch, or "Aviary" stamp set, but was determined to use a stamp set that has been neglected for a while.  I decided upon the cute little hedgehog from "Fun & Fast Notes", one of the first Stampin' Up! sets I bought.

I am having  a lot of fun making tiny embellishments with the new "Itty Bitty Bits" stamp set, and co-ordinating punches.  I like how the four-petal flower I've used kind of complements the flower border stamped along the bottom of my card (that stamp's from the hostess stamp set "Because I Care").

Stamps: Fun & Fast Notes, Teeny Tiny Sentiments, Itty Bitty Bits, Because I Care

Card: Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Concord Crush, Chocolate Chip, watercolour paper

DSP: Chocolate Chip Patterns Designer Series Paper

Ink: Jet Black Staz-On inkpad, Chocolate Chip stampin' pad and marker, Concord Crush stampin' pad and marker, Crumb Cake stampin' pad and marker, Blush Blossom marker

Other: Top Note die, Wide Oval Punch, Nestabilities, Word Window Punch, Modern Label Punch, Itty Bitty Shapes Punch, Basic Rhinestones, aquapainter, Concord Crush poly-stitched ribbon, mini glue dots, sponge dauber, Stamp-a-ma-jig

INKSPIRATIONS COLOUR CHALLENGE #50

I'm back, with blog post number 3 for the day!  This week Makeesha's challenge is to use the following colours on a papercraft project:

Because I'll be working tomorrow (boo hoo), I grabbed the opportunity today to make a simple friendship card that fits this challenge.  My personal challenge was to leave all the edges of the card "un-sponged"; it wasn't easy!  I've inked up my new "Love Defined" stamp set again; I'm loving it!  The background is stamped in Versamark ink, and I've used markers to ink up the little Rich Razzleberry flowers (from Itty Bitty Bits - another gorgeous new set).  The marker colour is a little softer than the bold ink from my juicy inkpad; I wanted a softer look to complement the ribbon colour.  Stampin' Up!'s taffeta ribbons are all slightly lighter in colour than the other styles of ribbon.  The tiny little flowers have been punched out using one of the new Itty Bitty Shapes punches - too cute!

I've taken this photo in fading light outside, so it's a bit out of focus, but hopefully you can still see all the details.

Stamps: Love Defined, Perfect Punches, Itty Bitty Bits

Card: Tempting Turquoise (smooth and textured), Whisper White

Ink: Versamark inkpad, Pear Pizzazz stampin' pad and marker, Tempting Turquoise marker, Rich Razzleberry marker

Other: Top Note die, Curly Label punch, Itty Bitty Shapes punch, Beautiful Wings embosslits, Rich Razzleberry taffeta ribbon, Basic Rhinestones, 2-way glue pen and Dazzling Diamonds, stampin' dimensionals, mini glue dots

CURTAIN CALL COLOUR CHALLENGE: {ACT 58} ... second card!

I'm back, as promised, with another card made using the following colours from Stacey's Stamping Stage:

Again, I have used a Crumb Cake base, and polka dots - two of my favourites!  Here is what I came up with, using the cute toadstool stamp from "Funky Four":

Stamps: Funky Four, Tiny Tags

Card: Crumb Cake, Basic Gray, Whisper White, Concord Crush

DSP: "In Colour" patterns Designer Series Paper (hostess pack)

Ink: Concord Crush and Crumb Cake stampin' pads, Staz-On white inkpad, Basic Gray marker, white gel pen

Other: Pinking Hearts border punch, Basic Black button (from Neutrals selection), Basic Black taffeta ribbon, Medium Jewelry Tag punch, sponge dauber, Beautiful Wings embosslits, mini glue dots, Nestabilities, Mat Pack and paper-piercing tool

I've had a lot of fun combining these colours, and hope that my cards bring a smile to your face.

CURTAIN CALL COLOUR CHALLENGE: {ACT 58}

Look at this fabulous colour combination provided by Stacey this week:

The possibilities, with these colours, almost give me heart palpitations!!  LOVE them.

Here is my first attempt with the colour combo.  I was dying to use my new "Take A Sip" Stampin' Around Wheel; it pairs perfectly with the tiny cup from the new "Itty Bitty Bits" stamp set released in Australia today.

Stamps: Take A Sip wheel, Sincere Salutations, Confetti, Itty Bitty Bits

Card: Crumb Cake, Concord Crush, Whisper White

DSP: Whisper White Patterns Designer Series Paper (from the Neutrals stack)

Ink: Crumb Cake stampin' pad and marker, Basic Gray stampin' pad, Basic Black stampin' pad, Concord Crush stampin' pad and marker, white gel pen

Other: Wide Oval punch, Lots of Tags sizzlits, sponge dauber, Whisper White 1/8" taffeta ribbon, Concord Crush poly-stitched ribbon, Itty Bitty circle punch, mini glue dots, Tombow multi glue, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder

I'll be sharing with you shortly another card that I have made using this colour combination, so please check back in later!