JAI #133: STAMPIN' UP!'S BETSY'S BLOSSOMS

Nikki has set us a great challenge at Just Add Ink this week.  We want you to add .... MUSTARD & METALLICS to your papercraft project.

Now, I thought our recent challenge to incorporate Garden Green was a tricky one!  I hardly use Stampin' Up!'s More Mustard, although I do love the richness of it.  I decided to go one step further and challenge myself to use only More Mustard, and a neutral, on my sample.

My card was made with a new stamp set, called Betsy's Blossoms, that will be available to purchase from tomorrow - woohoo!  As a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, I was able to pre-order this set; one of the many GREAT things about being a demonstrator.

Ready for a More Mustard overload????  Here it is!

Stamps: Betsy's Blossoms, Betsy's Blooms Stampin' Around wheel (both available 1st September), Memorable Moments (also new!), Just Believe

Card: More Mustard, Very Vanilla

Ink: Versamark inkpad, More Mustard stampin' pad and marker

Other: Dotted Scallop Ribbon border punch, Modern Label punch, Labels Collection Framelits, Petals-a-Plenty embossing folder, Very Vanilla seam binding, Color Spritzer tool, Clips assortment, Silver mini brad,  mini glue dots, sponge dauber

Be sure to check out the rest of the Design Team's samples .... and we hope you'll join in the challenge!



SC 055/12: NEW STAMPIN' UP! CHRISTMAS GOODIES

Today is my final post as a Guest Designer for Sunny Challenges & Creations - a bit sad!  I've really enjoyed being part of the Design Team for the month of August, and would like to thank Vicky, Kris and Gwen for having me on the team.

This week's sketch challenge is to be used to make a Christmas card.

It just so happens that I have a few new Christmas products in my stash, thanks to Stampin' Up! allowing us demonstrators to order items in advance of their release on 1st September.  I really love the "Be of Good Cheer" Designer Series Paper, so that forms the basis of my card.  The fun sentiment is from a new stamp set called Wacky Wishes (which is free with an order over $300).  Gumball Green, one of the five scrumptious new In Colors coming on 1st September, also features heavily on my card.

Stamps: Snow Swirled, Wacky Wishes (available 1st September)

Card: Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla, Gumball Green

DSP: Be of Good Cheer Designer Series Paper

Ink: Cherry Cobbler and Gumball Green stampin' pads

Other: Labels Collections Framelits die, Regals brads, Gumball Green stitched satin ribbon, Mat Pack and Paper Piercing Tool, Dotted Scallop Ribbon border punch, Stampin' Dimensionals, mini glue dots

We'd love to have you join us for this Christmas challenge.  Make sure you check out the rest of the Design Team's samples for inspiration!



JAI #132 : STAMPIN' UP!'S BEAU CHATEAU

Mae has come up with a great sketch for this week's Just Add Ink challenge:

With only a week left of our current Stampin' Up! catalogue, it's time for me to use up some of the Designer Series Papers that I am guilty of hoarding.  The card I have to share today was made with the lovely Soft Suede and Pink Pirouette paper from the Beau Chateau pack.

To create the flower, I used my Blossom punch to punch out 5 flowers, from a mixture of Pink Pirouette cardstock, Pink Pirouette paper and Beau Chateau paper.  I used an Antique Brad to hold all the layers together, before spritzing each layer with water and scrunching, then unfolding, each layer.  The edges of the petals were sponged with Crumb Cake ink.

Stamps: Elements of Style, Kindness Matters

Card: Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Pink Pirouette (textured and smooth)

DSP: Beau Chateau and Pink Pirouette Patterns Designer Series Papers

Ink: Soft Suede, Pink Pirouette and Crumb Cake stampin' pads

Other: Blossom Punch, Victoria Crochet Trim, Adorning Accents embossing folder, Antique brad, Mat Pack and Paper Piercing Tool, Large Oval punch, Basic Pearls, sponge daubers, edge distressing tool

Make sure you pop over to the Just Add Ink site, to check out the Design Team samples - varied, and gorgeous!  We'd love to have you play along with us.

DD #16: STAMPIN' UP!'S TOOL SHED

It has been a little while since I've been organised enough to play along with the challenge at Dynamic Duos, and I've missed it!  I'm pleased to say that I have had some time in my craft room today, and made a card for this week's colour challenge:

It is Father's Day in the southern hemisphere next month, so I thought these colours would work great for a masculine card.  Here's what I came up with:

Stamps: Tool Shed, Teeny Tiny Sentiments

Card: River Rock (smooth and textured), Whisper White, Basic Black

Ink: Basic Black and River Rock stampin' pads, Basic Black marker

Other: Mat Pack and Paper Piercing tool, Word Window punch, Modern Label punch, Decorative Label punch, Square Lattice embossing folder, Basics Glimmer Brads, sponge daubers, edge distressing tool, Basic Black taffeta ribbon, Linen Thread, mini glue dots



SC 54/12: MAGICAL MASKING TECHNIQUE

This week's challenge at Sunny Challenges & Creations, is to use the sketch below, plus a nifty little technique called Magical Masking, to create a card.

Prior to being issued this challenge, I'd never heard of Magical Masking!  Here's a link to a tutorial on Splitcoaststampers:

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=all&si=TLC373&what=keywords

You need to start with a piece of glossy cardstock.  Lay a strip of masking tape, sticky side down, on an inkpad to pick up colour, stick the tape down on the glossy cardstock, and pull it up quickly (as if it's a wax strip on your leg, or elsewhere!).  The cardstock will have ink cover that looks a bit textured.  The idea is to repeat these steps until your glossy card is covered.

Since this is my first time attempting the technique, I'm not sure of my level of success, but I'll show you anyway!  I worked with a piece of glossy card that I'd cut using my Beautiful Butterflies die, and I applied strips of ink in Perfect Plum and Wisteria Wonder.

Here's what I came up with:

Stamps: Elements of Style

Card: Glossy White, Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Perfect Plum, Wisteria Wonder

DSP: Flirtatious Specialty Designer Series Paper

Ink: Crumb Cake, Perfect Plum and Wisteria Wonder stampin' pads, Whisper White craft stampin' pad

Other: Scallop Circles #2 die, 1 " Circle punch, Beautiful Butterflies die, Boho Blossoms punch, In Color Designer brad, Scallop Edge border punch, Wisteria Wonder ruffled ribbon, Crumb Cake taffeta ribbon, Basic Pearls, sponge daubers, Mat Pack & paper piercing tool, masking tape, mini glue dots

Thanks to the ladies at Sunny Challenges & Creations for this great challenge.  I'm really enjoying being a Guest Designer this month.  Please be sure to check out the rest of the Design Team samples, and play along with us this week!



JAI #131 : HENRY THE OWL FOR DAD

This week's challenge at Just Add Ink, set by Tina, is a colour challenge incorporating my LEAST used colour in the Stampin' Up! family. 

Although my image is blurry, you can probably guess (given my love of Neutrals) that Garden Green is the challenging colour!  I'm surprised how good it can look, now that I've ventured to use it, though. 

I was astounded to find recently that I had completely missed a couple of items in our Stampin' Up! catalogue (that we've had for almost a year!).  I was envious that Vicky Hayes had used a stamp called Henry, in the UK catalogue ...... and delighted when I found that we actually have it too!  Oh dear; I'm not quite as eagle-eyed as I thought I was!  "Henry" is a builder wheel, but I have unmounted the rubber, and converted it so I can use it as a long stamp, on an acrylic block - much more user-friendly to my mind.  Henry allowed me to create the fabulous argyle pattern on my card, and on the owl's vest - too cute, don't you think?!

Stamps: Woodgrain, Henry Builder wheel, Texture jumbo wheel, For My Family

Card: Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Garden Green

Ink: Versamark inkpad, Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip and Garden Green stampin' pads

Other: Clear embossing powder, Owl Builder punch, Large Oval punch, Scallop Oval punch, Tasteful Trim Bigz XL die,  Mat Pack & Paper Piercing tool, 5/16" Neutrals brads, Linen Thread, Stampin' Dimensionals, Multipurpose Liquid Glue, sponge dauber

Make sure you check out the rest of the Design Team's gorgeous samples for this colour challenge.  We'd love to have you play along with us!

MY BIRTHDAY "SHRINE"

Last week I celebrated my birthday (a few times, thanks to dear friends!).  I was very spoilt with messages, cards, flowers and love. I thought I'd share with you, before the gorgeous flowers die,  the little 'shrine' I created on our dining table:

It's much more important for a girl to display pretty cards and flowers , than be able to have meals at the table, don't you think?!

It is a bit hard to capture just how many beautiful handmade cards I've received - but there are lots.  The table could almost pass as a shrine to Stampin' Up!, rather than just my birthday, I think!

I am feeling very well-loved at the moment :)

SC 053/12: BIG TOP BIRTHDAY

My second week as a Guest Designer at Sunny Challenges & Creations has indeed brought a challenge my way.  Working with angled, or tilted,  panels is outside of my comfort zone, so this sketch was a good challenge for me!

I love Stampin' Up!'s Big Top Birthday Designer Series Paper - so bright, and happy.  Both this paper, and the stamp set I used (Party This Way) will be retiring from Stampin' Up!'s range at the end of this month - a bit sad, as they're GREAT for kids' birthday cards.

Stamps: Party This Way

Card: Basic Black, Whisper White, Tempting Turquoise, Daffodil Delight

DSP: Big Top Birthday Designer Series Paper

Ink: Real Red, Tempting Turquoise and Daffodil Delight stampin' pads, Jet Black Staz-On inkpad

Other: Real Red satin ribbon, Neutrals brads, Mat Pack and Paper Piercing tool, Scallop Edge border punch, Large Oval punch, Square Lattice embossing folder, White Baker's Twine, sponge dauber, mini glue dots

We'd love to have you play along with this birthday challenge this week.  Make sure you check out the rest of the Design Team's samples, for inspiration.

JAI #130: JUST ADD ...... BLUE & BLING!

This week at Just Add Ink, Nikki has set a great challenge ... to use blue, and bling, on our card/scrapbook page.  The possibilities are endless!  You'll see how much of a variety the Design Team have come up with .... and we'd love you to join us. 

My first thought was to use a soft blue, like Bashful Blue, but I decided to make a card for a teal-loving friend who needed a bit of a lift, so I went with Island Indigo.

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

Stamps: Delicate Doilies, Tagtastic

Card: Glossy White, Island Indigo

Ink: Island Indigo and Whisper White stampin' pads, Versamark inkpad

Other: Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer punch, XL Oval punch, Dotted Scallop Ribbon border punch, Mat Pack and Paper Piercing tool, Designer Printed brad, Brights Glimmer brad, Circle Ice brad, Basic Rhinestones, sponge dauber, seam binding (not SU!)



I based this card on one of the very first cards I made using Delicate Doilies - you can see it here.  That card, in neutrals, stands out to me as one of my all-time favourite cards, and I've been meaning to try similar cards in different colours.  I'm really pleased with how this came out, and must try the design in some more colours!  Nothing quite like CASEing yourself, is there?!

 

SC #052/12 : STAMPIN' UP!'S UP, UP & AWAY

I am really pleased to announce that, for the month of August, I have a guest spot on the Design Team at Sunny Challenges & Creations!!  I've been following, and playing along with a number of the challenges on, this site since it started a year ago, so I am honoured to be a Guest Designer this month.

This week's challenge is to use the sketch below as a starting point, for a masculine project.  This is the first sketch I have ever designed, and I must say I'm pretty happy with myself! LOL.  With Father's Day coming up (at least in the Southern Hemisphere) next month, it's a good time to think about card/s needed for that day.  Or, you might just like to make a card for another special male in your life.  Here's the sketch:

..... and here is my card, using Up, Up & Away (a great stamp set for 'the boys'):

Stamps: Up, Up & Away, For My Family, Texture jumbo stampin' around wheel

Card: Early Espresso, Very Vanilla, Marina Mist

DSP: Letters to Santa Designer Series Paper

Ink: Crumb Cake stampin' pad and marker, Early Espresso, Marina Mist and Real Red stampin' pads

Other: Color Spritzer tool, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Jewelry Tag punch, Square Lattice embossing folder, Linen Thread, Brights brads, Mat Pack & Paper-piercing tool, stampin' dimensionals, jumbo brad (Very Vanilla), flag dies (not SU!), sponge daubers, edge distressing tool

Make sure you check out the rest of the samples from the Design Team, and we hope you play along this week!



JAI #129 : A SKETCH CHALLENGE

This week at Just Add Ink, we have a great sketch that Mae has developed:

I've broken out my new Berry Blossoms Designer Series Paper for my Design Team sample this week.  This paper is bright, and fun, and has loads of polka dots - what's not to love?!

I have taken a couple of liberties with the sketch, but hope you can still see the inspiration I drew from Mae's design.   The patterned paper (Calypso Coral polka dotted layer) has been used in place of the vertical panel to the left of the sketch, because I liked that there were flowers reaching up from the bottom of the panel.  I've also altered the scale of the overlapping panel, and placement of my butterfly (just because I didn't want the embellishment to get lost amongst all the dots!).

Stamps: Tiny Tags

Card: Calypso Coral, Whisper White

DSP:  Berry Blossoms Designer Series Paper

Ink: Calypso Coral stampin' pad and marker, Lucky Limeade stampin' pad, Early Espresso stampin' pad and marker

Other: Mat Pack and Paper-Piercing tool, Beautiful Wings embosslits, Beautiful Butterflies Bigz die, In Color Designer Printed brads, Paper Daisies, Neutrals brads, Whisper White organza ribbon, Scallop Edge border punch, Dotted Scallop Ribbon border punch, Jewelry Tag punch, sponge daubers, mini glue dots

Be sure to check out the rest of the Design Team samples - they're all very different, and gorgeous!