JAI #124: A COLOUR CHALLENGE

This week at Just Add Ink, Mae has set a stunning colour challenge, and you are going to LOVE the variety of samples from the Design Team.

I've gone for my favourite kind of card - one for the boys.  These are GREAT colours for a masculine project.

Stamps: Extreme Elements, Grunge Rock

Card: Marina Mist textured, Early Espresso, Wild Wasabi, Naturals Ivory, Very Vanilla

Ink: Early Espresso stampin' pad and marker, Marina Mist and Wild Wasabi stampin' pads

Other: Labels Collection Framelits die, In Color Glimmer brads, Mat Pack and paper piercing tool, Tasteful Trim Bigz XL die, Houndstooth embossing folder, stampin' dimensionals, sponge daubers, multi-purpose liquid glue, Fishtail banner dies (not SU!)

Make sure you go to Just Add Ink to see the rest of the Design Team's creations with this gorgeous colour combination.  We hope you play along with us - we'd love to see how you use these colours on a papercraft project!

ATS "MAKE YOUR MARK" CHALLENGE 1

There is a new challenge blog happening over at Addicted to Stamps, and I am scraping in at the eleventh hour with an entry for the very first challenge - to use markers on a papercraft project.

I've had another play with my new Frightful Sight Designer Series Paper - it constitutes most of my card's design.  I have inked up the sentiment with my Stampin' Write Markers, in colours that match the patterns on the DSP.

Here it is - simple, but I think a pretty cool 'boy' card:

Stamps: Happiest Birthday Wishes

Card: Cajun Craze, Basic Black, Old Olive

DSP: Frightful Sight Designer Series Paper

Ink: Cajun Craze, Basic Black, Old Olive and Basic Gray markers

Other: Glimmer Brads (Basics and In Color), Tasteful Trim Bigz XL die, Mat Pack and paper piercing tool

I look forward to taking part in more of Kylie's challenges.  You should check out the challenge site, too!



STAMPIN' UP!'S FRIGHTFUL SIGHT DSP

Today I received a Stampin' Up! order, including a packet of Frightful Sight Designer Series Paper (thanks to my newest recruit, Joy, this paper was FREE - woohoo!). 

Ethan, my youngest, has need for a birthday card for a boy turning 11 ... I thought a spidery/ghosty/batty card might be in order, but boy, was I wrong.  Apparently the birthday boy LOVES food, and has parents who own a bakery.  Ethan decided I should make a card with a cupcake on it!!  Determined to still use my new paper, this is what I came up with:

Also in my delivery today was a new toy - the Diagonal Scoring Plate for my Simply Scored tool.  This super-duper item will be available to buy in July, as a special advance-purchase from the new catalogue due out in a few months.  We demonstrators are able to get it a little early (one of the many perks of being a demonstrator!).  Check out the cool texture I added to the die-cut edge:

Here's the list of products used on this card:

Stamps: Bring on the Cake, Grunge Rock, Create a Cupcake

Card: Cajun Craze, Basic Black textured, Old Olive, Basic Gray, Cherry Cobbler

DSP: Frightful Sight Designer Series Paper, Cajun Craze Patterns Designer Series Paper

Ink: Cajun Craze stampin' pad, Old Olive stampin' pad and marker, Basic Black stampin' pad

Other: Tasteful Trim Bigz XL die, Cupcake Builder punch, Color Spritzer tool, Square Lattice embossing folder, Simply Scored Diagonal Scoring Plate (available 1st July), sponge daubers, Decorative Label punch, Flag die (not SU!)

DD #8: STAMPIN' UP!'S BABY BUNDLE IN GREENS

I love this week's monochromatic challenge over at Dynamic Duos -  greens are a favourite of mine.

I've done a complete 360-degree turnaround, with River Rock. When Stampin' Up! first introduced it as an In Color a few years ago, I didn't like it at all. Once it made its way into our core colour range, and I played with it more, I grew to really love it.  It really is beautiful, paired with Always Artichoke.

Here's my card for this week's challenge:

Stamps: Baby Bundle, Short & Sweet, Confetti

Card: Confetti White, River Rock textured, Whisper White

DSP: River Rock and Always Artichoke Patterns Designer Series Papers

Ink: Always Artichoke and River Rock stampin' pads

Other: Always Artichoke seam binding, Clear Circle die, Word Window punch, Modern Label punch, Owl Builder punch (tiny heart), Basic Rhinestones, sponge daubers, Stamp-a-ma-jig



BLOG HOP: STAMPIN UP! BAKER'S TWINE

Today I'm taking part in a little blog hop, with five other friends who are also Stampin' Up! demonstrators.  The theme of our blog hop is "baker's twine" ... hopefully once you've done the rounds of our blogs, you'll have lots of new ideas for using this great, versatile embellishment.  Stampin' Up! offers bakers twine in white, as well as 7 colours (and I'm hoping for even more in our new catalogue in a few months' time!).

You may have come to me via Ros Davidson's blog .... but if not, don't worry - you won't miss any of the stops if you just follow the link at the end of each participant's blog post.

As well as featuring baker's twine on my cards, I'm showcasing Stampin' Up!'s Reason to Smile stamp set, that is an exclusive set available only until the end of June.  It's FREE if you place a $125 order, or you can buy the set - but only until 30th June.

I've gone for "blues" on my first card today, teaming Island Indigo and Pool Party (two of Stampin' Up!'s gorgeous In Colors that we have in our range for another year) with my good-old-favourite Crumb Cake.

You have probably noticed that I love to add mini bows, made with baker's twine, to my cards.  Today I have a little variation on that theme, adding a little bow to the top of a circle that has baker's twine as a frame.  I love this subtle accent - take a look:

Stamps: Reason to Smile, Happiest Birthday Wishes

Card: Crumb Cake, Whisper White

DSP: Crumb Cake, Island Indigo and Pool Party Patterns Designer Series Papers

Ink: Crumb Cake and Island Indigo stampin' pads

Other: Island Indigo baker's twine, In Color Designer Printed brad, 1 3/4" Circle punch, 2 3/8" Scallop Circle punch, Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer punch, Boho Blossoms punch, Scallop Edge border punch, sponge daubers, Tombow liquid glue, Mat Pack and Paper Piercing Tool



The second card I have to share with you today is using the colours Calypso Coral and Pear Pizzazz - two more of the colours that are in the range of baker's twine.

Stamps: Reason to Smile, Happiest Birthday Wishes
Card: Confetti White, Pear Pizzazz, Calypso Coral
DSP: Calypso Coral Patterns Designer Series Paper
Ink: Pear Pizzazz stampin' pad and marker, Calypso Coral stampin' pad and marker, Certainly Celery marker (for spritzing)
Other: In Color Designer brads, Dotted Scallop Ribbon border punch, Calypso Coral baker's twine, Pear Pizzazz baker's twine, needle, Labels Collection Framelits die, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Color Spritzer tool, Mat Pack and Paper Piercing tool, Stampin' Dimensionals, sponge dauber

It's now time to hop on over to Alisha Watson's blog, to see what fabulous ideas Alisha has come up with; I know she'll inspire you.

There are six of us taking part in the blog hop today.  Here's a full list, in case you lose your way, or need to come back later to visit us all!  Please leave some comment love, so we know you've been :)

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


Christine Blain http://www.christineblain.blogspot.com  (you're here!)

Alisha Watson http://www.ratherbstamping.blogspot.com.au

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

Kathryn Ruddick http://www.katlodesigns.com

Tina Gillespie http://scissorspapercard.blogspot.com

JUST ADD INK #123 : A SKETCH CHALLENGE

This week at Just Add Ink, Mae has come up with another great sketch to challenge us!  Here it is (sorry about the blurriness - not quite sure what happened there):

I opted to make a little (10.5cm) square card, using Peach Parfait as a dominant colour.  I had a little office clip in orange, that was perfect for my colour scheme.  My Stampin' Up! Color Coach suggested I team Baja Breeze and Riding Hood Red with Peach Parfait.

In spite of a near-disaster of the "white gel pen" kind, I managed to complete my card. (I'm sure most papercrafters have had many headaches with white gel pens ... just when I found one that has been reliable, it threatened to run out of ink as I was trying to create my faux stitching.  Crisis was averted, thankfully, but another one is going on my SU! order today!)

The Baja Breeze pocket is raised up using Stampin' Dimensionals, so the little insert can be pulled out:

Stamps: Best of Everything

Card: Peach Parfait, Whisper White, Baja Breeze

DSP: Peach Parfait Patterns Designer Series Paper

Ink: Peach Parfait, Riding Hood Red and Baja Breeze stampin' pads, Peach Parfait marker

Other: Word Window punch, Corner rounder punch, 1 1/4" Circle punch, 1/2" Circle punch, Modern Label punch, Peach Parfait poly-stitched ribbon, mini glue dots, sponge daubers, Mat Pack and Paper Piercing tool, white gel pen, stampin' dimensionals, Cherry Cobbler baker's twine, office clip (not SU!)



Please check out the rest of the Design Team's beautiful samples at Just Add Ink.  We hope to see you join in on our challenge.

DYNAMIC DUOS #7: STAMPIN' UP!'S AIN'T LOVE GRAND

I have been out of my creative groove for a few weeks, since Stampin' Up! Convention, and have really missed playing along with my favourite weekly challenges.  Tonight I've had a chance to play in my craft room, and it feels great!

I've made a card for this week's Dynamic Duos challenge.   The challenge is to "use Melon Mambo with Black and as a dessert option, use ribbon if you would like to!"

I have inked up my Ain't Love Grand stamp set for, oh, the second time ever!  I wanted a sweet line image that could be white-embossed, and I've opted to paper-piece the balloon.

Can you see what I've done with the Basic Black satin ribbon?  It's subtle, but it is embossed with hearts - so cute!

Stamps: Ain't Love Grand

Card: Melon Mambo, Basic Black, Whisper White

DSP: Melon Mambo Patterns Designer Series Paper

Ink: Versamark inkpad, Melon Mambo stampin pad

Other: White embossing powder, Labels Collection Framelits die, Itty Bitty Shapes punch, Basic Rhinestones, Basic Black satin ribbon, Adorning Accents embossing folder, Melon Mambo scallop dots ribbon, mini glue dots

JAI #122 : JUST ADD .... DELYS

This week's challenge at Just Add Ink is to CASE one of the gorgeous creations of Delys Cram, one of the fearless leaders of our Design Team.  Scrolling through Delys' blog brought up loads of cards I could happily have CASEd, but I ended up settling on this one.  I have barely used my Posy Punch stamp set - it was high time to get it inky!

I chose the colour combination of Poppy Parade, Tangerine Tango, Daffodil Delight and Crumb Cake, to provide a completely different look to Delys' card.  This was intentional, because when I CASE someone's work, I am pretty literal in my interpretation, so I had to do something a little different!

Here's my version (with, I might add, not a single sponged edge in sight!):

Stamps: Posy Punch, Grunge Rock

Card: Crumb Cake, Tangerine Tango textured, Whisper White

DSP: Poppy Parade Patterns Designer Series Paper

Ink: Crumb Cake, Daffodil Delight, Poppy Parade and Tangerine Tango stampin' pads, Versamark inkpad

Other: Lace Ribbon border punch, Fancy Flower punch, Clear Rhinestone brad (gem removed), stampin' dimensionals, white embossing powder, 3/4" circle punch, paper snips

I love it, and might just have to play some more with this stamp set, I think!

Please make sure you check out the rest of the Design Team's samples over at Just Add Ink.  We'd love to have you join us in this week's challenge!

JAI #121: JUST ADD ...PEARLS

Hello, friends!  After a week's absence, I'm back with a card (that I was despairing wouldn't get made ... gee, Stampin' Up! Convention saps a girl's energy!).  Convention was a blast.  I got to spend time with a number of special friends, including several of my fellow Just Add Ink Design Team members; we had so much fun together.

Patrice has set this week's challenge at Just Add Ink, to add pearls to your papercraft project.

I have used one of the stamps from Reason to Smile, which is a new stamp set available exclusively in June.  It's a two-step floral stamp set, which I can see I'll have a lot of fun with.  The 'solid' flower stamp has very fine surface detail that yields a really subtle result.  I stamped this in Blushing Bride ink on Whisper White card, before over-stamping the outline flower in Basic Gray.

Stamps:  Reason to Smile, Happiest Birthday Wishes

Card: Basic Gray, Blushing Bride, Whisper White textured and smooth

DSP: Twitterpated Designer Series Paper

Ink: Blushing Bride and Basic Gray stampin' pads, Versamark inkpad

Other: White embossing powder, Blushing Bride pleated satin ribbon and Stitched-Poly ribbon, Basic Pearls, 1 3/8" Circle punch, Scallop Circle punch, Basics Glimmer Brad, Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, Mini Glue dots, stampin' dimensionals, sponge daubers

Be sure to check out the rest of the Design Team's creations over at Just Add Ink - they are GORGEOUS!!

STAMPIN' UP! CONVENTION SWAPS

I have scheduled this blog post to publish while I'm away this weekend, attending Stampin' Up! South Pacific's annual Convention.    (Just quietly ..... WOOHOO!!!) This year Convention is being held in Canberra, and there are more than 450 Stampin' Up! demonstrators from around Australia and New Zealand attending.

There are many highlights of Convention, several of which I'll share with you in coming days, with photos.  One of the great parts is 'swapping' with others - we make a card front, or 3-D papercraft item, using Stampin' Up! products, and the idea is to make multiples.  This allows us to swap our creations with others, who in return share their ideas.  I detest making multiples of anything; the mass-production process really detracts from the enjoyment of creating.  However, I broke it down into manageable 'bites' this year, making three different designs.  This allowed me to get to 100 swaps without having a breakdown!  I have gone with tags, rather than cards, this year, and thought I'd share them with you.

My first tag is a very simple one, in soft colours, letting the beautiful Attic Boutique Designer Series Paper do all the 'talking'.  The tag was finished with a coating of Champagne Mist shimmer spray, but unfortunately the sparkle doesn't show in the photo.

Stamps: Clearly For You

Card: Pretty In Pink, Very Vanilla

DSP: Attic Boutique Designer Series Paper

Ink: Pretty in Pink and Soft Suede stampin' pads

Other: Two Tags die, Modern Label punch, sponge dauber, Basic Pearl, Chantilly Crochet Trim, Subtles Flower brad, Champagne Mist shimmer paint (mixed with Isocol to make shimmer spray)

Next I designed a masculine tag, and made as many as I could until I ran out of the checked Well Worn Designer Series Paper:

Stamps: Up, Up & Away; Short & Sweet

Card: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Cajun Craze

DSP: Well Worn Designer Series Paper

Ink: Not Quite Navy, Early Espresso, Cajun Craze and Crumb Cake stampin' pads

Other: Two Tags die, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Tasteful Trim Die, Word Window punch, paper snips, sponge dauber, Blue denim ribbon, Linen Thread, Tombow liquid glue

Lastly, I made a tag using some of the In Colors that will retire when our new catalogue comes out.  I've used Mixed Bunch stamp set, and the inlaid embossing technique:

Stamps: Mixed Bunch, Teeny Tiny Sentiments

Card: Concord Crush, Peach Parfait, Whisper White, Pear Pizzazz

Ink: Concord Crush and  Pear Pizzazz stampin' pads

Other: Blossom punch, Blossom Petals Builder punch, Word Window punch, Modern Label punch, Petals-a-Plenty embossing folder. 3/4" circle punch, Dotted Scallop Ribbon border punch, Basic Rhinestone, Concord Crush ribbon, Lucky Limeade baker's twine 

I hope you're having ALMOST as much fun as I am this weekend!  I'll be back soon, to share pics of my few days of excitement.

JAI #120 : AN INSPIRATIONAL PHOTO

This week at Just Add Ink, Jodene has provided an inspirational photo to set our creative juices flowing!  Here's the gorgeous pic:

My eye was drawn to:

• the vertical panelling on the wall;
• the soft, pastel, colours;
• the touches of yellow; and
• flowers in a vase.

Here is my 'inspired' creation:

Stamps: Four Frames, Best of Everything

Card: Crumb Cake, Whisper White

DSP: Attic Boutique Designer Series Paper, Wisteria Wonder Patterns Designer Series Paper

Ink: Daffodil Delight, Crumb Cake, Wisteria Wonder and Pool Party stampin' pads

Other: Brights brads, Mat pack and paper piercing tool, 1/2 " circle punch, Pool Party seam binding, Wisteria Wonder baker's twine, Petite Pennants Builder punch, Stripes embossing folder mini glue dots, sponge daubers, Decorative Label punch, Tombow liquid glue

Make sure you check out the rest of the Design Team samples over at Just Add Ink.  We've all interpreted this photo differently, and you'll just love the ideas everyone has!

We hope you'll play along with us this week.