BLOG HOP - STAMPIN' UP! AUTUMN-WINTER MINI CATALOGUE

Today I am taking part, with 6 friends who are also Stampin' Up! demonstrators in Australia, in a blog hop to showcase products from the gorgeous new Autumn-Winter Mini catalogue (that runs through until the end of July).  You can view the catalogue by clicking on the picture in my blog's sidebar .... or, if you don't already have a demonstrator, and would like a hard copy sent to you (Australia only),  please email me.

You may have come to my blog from the ever-sweet Nikki Sadler's blog, but if not don't fret!  You can take part in the 'hop' by following the link at the bottom of each blog post, and you can make your way around all 7 blogs that way.

I have chosen to focus on a couple of stamps that make it super-easy to make cards for the males in our lives.  I know a lot of people struggle when it comes to making cards for men, but I love making them (probably because in my corner of the world I am rather outnumbered by males!), so I hope to give you some ideas.  Stampin' Up! have increased their range of A La Carte (single) stamps .... each of the featured stamps in my post today costs less than $15.
The first two cards I'd like to share have as the focal point the new Motorcycle stamp, that costs only $13.95.  I love that it packs just as much punch, when stamped as a line image, as it does when it's coloured in.  First up is a card in autumnal tones; I drew inspiration from the colours in the luscious Autumn Spice Specialty Designer Series Papers (seriously beautiful).  I have created More Mustard ribbon by using a marker to colour Whisper White taffeta; cool, hey?!

Stamps: Motorcycle, Bring on the Cake

Card: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Old Olive, Naturals Ivory

DSP: Autumn Spice Specialty Designer Series Paper

Ink: Early Espresso stampin' pad and marker, Crumb Cake stampin' pad, More Mustard marker

Other: Circles #2 Bigz die, Tasteful Trim XL Bigz die, Whisper White taffeta ribbon, Color Spritzer tool, Word Window punch, paper snips, Sticky Strip, Circle Nestabilities

My next card uses the same Motorcycle stamp, and Bring on the Cake stamp set (fantastic birthday sentiments in that set - I just love it), also in the Autumn-Winter Mini.

Stamps: Motorcycle, Bring on the Cake

Card: Crumb Cake, Basic Black, Cherry Cobbler textured, Very Vanilla

DSP: Newsprint Designer Series Paper

Ink: Basic Black, Cherry Cobbler and Crumb Cake stampin' pads

Other: Neutrals and Regals brads, Linen Thread, Mat Pack and Paper Piercing tool, Stamp-a-ma-jig, stampin' dimensionals, paper snips, stamping sponge

Now for a couple of cards using the Sail Away stamp, that is $14.95, and the perfect size for a card front.  This, too, is another stamp that looks great 'just stamped' (no colouring in required).  In this first card, I have stamped the yacht directly onto a piece of Blueberry Crisp paper - don't you think it looks like the perfect, slightly stormy, sailing background?  I paper-pieced the sails, by stamping the image again onto a co-ordinating paper from the same pack, and cutting out just the sails, then sticking them over my original image.  I think this adds a bit of lightness and interest, so the panel doesn't look too gloomy!  The sentiment is stamped on a wide ric-rac die cut from the new Tasteful Trim Bigz XL die, to mimic waves.

Stamps: Sail Away, Bring on the Cake, Sanded

Card: Sahara Sand, Not Quite Navy, Pacific Point

DSP: Blueberry Crisp and Botanical Gazette Designer Series Papers

Ink: Not Quite Navy and Sahara Sand stampin' pads

Other: Tasteful Trim Bigz XL die, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Crop-a-dile, Jumbo Eyelets (pewter), kitchen string, sponge dauber, stampin' dimensionals

My last card also uses the Sail Away stamp.  I have used the colours from a striped sheet of paper in the Play Date pack - totally 'out of the box' for me, but I love how it turned out!

Stamps: Sail Away, Seeing Stars, Teeny Tiny Sentiments

Card: Chocolate Chip, So Saffron, Whisper White, Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive

DSP: Play Date Designer Series Paper

Ink: Versamark inkpad, Old Olive stampin' pad, Tempting Turquoise stampin' pad, So Saffron stampin' pad

Other: White embossing powder, Word Window Punch, Modern Label punch, Top Note die, Square Lattice embossing folder, Circles brad, Whisper White 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, paper snips, stampin' dimensionals

Next stop on our blog hop is the blog of my talented friend Judy May; I am sure she has something very beautiful to share today!!

If you lose your way, check back in here, as I've listed below all of the participants in today's blog hop.  Enjoy visiting all of our blogs, and please leave us some comments, so we know you've been to visit. 

HAPPY EASTER, everyone!!

Ros Davidson
http://www.rosdavidson.typepad.com/


Di Dunk
http://www.stampartbydi.typepad.com/


Nikki Sadler
http://www.inkyart.com.au/


Christine Blain (c'est  moi)
http://www.christineblain.blogspot.com/


Judy May
http://www.judymay.typepad.com/


Alisha Watson
http://www.ratherbstampin.typepad.com/


Kathryn Ruddick
http://www.katlodesigns.com/