STAMPIN' UP'S "TEA FOR TWO" FOR STB #7

This week's challenge at Seize the Birthday is to make a feminine birthday card based on this sketch:

 

 

 

I wanted to have a play with Stampin' Up!'s gorgeous Tea For Two Designer Series Paper, so that formed the basis of my card, and determined my colour choices.  I like the fact that the sketch looks to be a square; I don't often make square cards, but today have created one that's 13cm square.

 

How cool is it that the flower in Stampin' Up!'s "Oh, Hello" stamp set matches the flower on the sheet of paper I've used?  Take a look:

 

 

 

 

Stamps: Oh, Hello; Bring On the Cake

Card: Island Indigo, Very Vanilla, So Saffron

DSP: Tea For Two Designer Series Paper

Ink: So Saffron and Sahara Sand stampin' pads, Island Indigo and Old Olive markers

Other: Ovals framelits, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Artisan Embellishment kit, 7/8" Natural Cotton ribbon, Island Indigo ruffled ribbon, Old Olive Scallop Dots ribbon, sponge dauber, paper snips, stampin' dimensionals

 

 



SC 73/13: STAMPIN' UP! SALE-A-BRATION CARD

The current challenge at Sunny Challenges & Creations is to use the sketch below to make a card, using something from Sale-A-Bration.  This is an exciting event that goes until 22nd March, whereby for every $100 of Stampin' Up! product you buy, you earn something for FREE!  The card I've made uses almost all free products (just the cardstock and ink are from my stash).

Here's the sketch:

 

 

and (sunglasses recommended) here's my card:

 

 

 

Stamps: Quint-Essential Flower, Vintage Verses (both SAB freebies)

Card: Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White

DSP: Sycamore Street Designer Series Paper (SAB freebie)

Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Tangerine Tango, Pool Party and Island Indigo stampin' pads

Other: Sycamore Street Ribbon & Button pack (SAB freebie), glue dots, stampin' dimensionals, Stamp-a-ma-jig, 2 3/8" Scallop Circle punch, 1 3/4" Scallop Circle punch, 1" Circle punch, 3/4" Circle punch, 1/2" Circle punch

 

Make sure you check out the Design Team's samples over at Sunny Challenges & Creations; there's some great inspiration for using Sale-a-Bration products!

 

 

 

 

 



JAI #154 ... JUST ADD : A POP-UP CARD

This week's challenge at Just Add Ink provided me with the opportunity to make my first EVER pop-up card.  I am a little "3-D challenged" and tend to play it fairly conservatively with my card folds, so I was definitely outside my comfort zone with this one!  Thanks, Delys, for the challenge.  No, really!

The card I ended up making was quite different to what I originally had in mind, but it is perfect to give my brother-in-law for his birthday this week.  I made my "pop-up" following the instructions in this tutorial:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WnKCNoGzUc


Here's the front of the card:

.... and when you open it up, this is what pops up:

...... and a side-view:

I used two little paper buttons to cover up the "Word Windows" punched in the white inside panel of the card.  It probably would've been cleaner to use a craft knife to cut some slits in the card lining, but my craft knife and I are not friends!

I'd originally planned to stamp the sentiment on the front of the card, and have the cluster of presents pop up when the card is open, but the reality wasn't anywhere near as great as the picture I had in my head!  Reversing the placement of these two things worked much better.


Here's a list of products used to make this card:

Stamps: Non-SU! presents stamp, Bring On the Cake

Card: Early Espresso, Whisper White

DSP: Parker's Patterns Designer Series Paper

Ink: Basic Black craft stampin' pad, Versamark inkpad, Marina Mist, Cajun Craze, Early Espresso, Not Quite Navy and Cherry Cobbler markers, Sahara Sand stampin' pad

Other: Clear embossing powder, Early Espresso embossing powder, Not Quite Navy taffeta ribbon, Early Espresso 1/4" stitched grosgrain, Neutrals brads, sponge dauber, Ovals framelits, Sweet Buttons embosslits, Word Window punch, stampin' dimensionals, glue dots

 

 

 

Make sure you check out the rest of the Design Team's samples over at Just Add Ink - as always, some gorgeous cards.  We'd love for you to make your own pop-up creation, and join in the fun.  If you don't have your own blog, you can email a photo of your creation (instructions on the Just Add Ink website), and we'll link it up for you.

 

 



STB # 6 : STAMPIN' UP! TEENAGE BOY BIRTHDAY CARD

This week's sketch at Seize the Birthday is to be used to make a masculine birthday card.

I used the sketch to make a card for my son's friend, who is turning 13.  Those of you who are regular visitors to my blog will know that I LOVE making masculine cards.  I've broken open my new packet of Parker's Patterns Designer Series Paper, from the Stampin' Up! Seasonal Catalogue ... and just love it for a 'boy' card.  Here's what I made for the teen:

Stamps: Wacky Wishes, Memorable Moments

Card: Not Quite Navy, Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White

DSP: Parker's Patterns Designer Series Paper

Ink: Crumb Cake and Not Quite Navy stampin' pads, Marina Mist and Cherry Cobbler markers

Other: Window Frame Framelits, Festive Paper-Piercing pack, Natural Trim ribbon, Tasteful Trim XL Bigz die, sponge daubers, Naturals Designer Button, Cherry Cobbler baker's twine, glue dots, stampin' dimensionals, Color Spritzer tool

 

 

 

JAI #153: STAMPIN' UP!'S EASY EVENTS FOR BABY

This week at Just Add Ink,  we have a great colour challenge, set by Nikki.

This one REALLY had me thinking!  So Saffron is one of the Stampin' Up! colours that I use the least .... but, after a bit of deliberation,  I decided it'd be perfect for a baby card.

Stamps: Easy Events

Card: So Saffron, Whisper White

DSP: So Saffron and Midnight Muse Patterns Designer Series Papers

Ink: Midnight Muse  and So Saffron stampin' pads and markers

Other: Large Delicate Doilies Sizzlits die, White Tea Lace paper doily, 2 1/2" Circle punch, Needlepoint Border embossing folder, Midnight Muse stitched satin ribbon, Whisper White 1/4" stitched grosgrain ribbon, glue dots, paper snips, sponge dauber

 

 

 

The rest of the Design Team have come up with some fabulous creations using this colour combination.  Make sure you check them out, at Just Add Ink; and we'd love for you to play along!

 

 

 



STAMPIN' UP! POP-UP POSIES IN POOL PARTY

I have another card in my Pop-Up Posies 'series' to share with you.

Here's one using one of the Pool Party flowers from the Pop-Up Posies Designer Kit.

 

 

.... and a close-up of the flower, which I stamped with Beyond Plaid, in Pool Party ink:

 

 

 

Stamps: Just For You (part of the Pop-Up Posies Designer Kit), Beyond Plaid

Card: Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Pool Party Core-dinations

DSP: Print Poetry Designer Series Paper stack

Ink: Pool Party, Crumb ckae and Basic Gray stampin' pads

Other: Pop-Up Posies Designer Kit, Pool Party baker's twine, Victoria Crochet trim, Basic Pearls, Delicate Designs embossing folder, Large Scallop edgelit die, Fancy Fan embossing folder, sanding block, multipurpose liquid glue, sponge dauber

 

 

 



STAMPIN' UP!'S POP-UP POSIES : CALYPSO CORAL CARD #2

I have to share with you today another card that is the result of my play with my new Pop-Up Posies Designer Kit.  The kit contains 'ingredients' to make 9 gorgeous tags - lots of layered flowers, designer brads, embossed tags and a cute "Just For You" stamp.

I love how this card turned out.  Hubby says it's very "in your face", which to me means I'm on a winner! LOL.  I'll let you be the judge!

..... and a close-up of the flower, so you can see how I stamped it, using Calypso Coral ink, with my Netting background stamp:

Stamps: Netting, Just For You (Pop-Up Posies Designer Kit), That's the Ticket, Itty Bitties

Card: Naturals Composition DSP, Very Vanilla, Basic Black

DSP: First Edition Designer Series Paper

Ink: Crumb Cake, Calypso Coral and Basic Gray stampin' pads, Jet Black Staz-On inkpad

Other: Pop-Up Posies Designer Kit, Basic Pearls, Calypso Coral ruffled ribbon, Artisan Embellishment Kit, Finishing Touches edgelits die, Ticket Duo builder punch, Honeycomb embossing folder, sponge dauber, stampin' dimensionals, Stamp-a-ma-jig

 

 

 



STAMPIN' UP!'S "SECRET GARDEN" FOR S.A. #4

This week stilladdINKtive challenges has a beautiful colour combination, and a sketch challenge - you may use either, or both, and I've chosen to use both.  Here they are:

My first thought was to try to think 'outside the box', and not use florals .... but, I opened up my new Secret Garden stamp set and framelits bundle from Stampin' Up!, and couldn't resist.  So much fun, having framelits to perfectly match stamped designs.

I have used three of the flowers from the stamp set.  I created a patterned background on the top half of the oval using one of the outline flower images;  the larger flower was embossed in Early Espresso on Bashful Blue designer series paper; and I've 'stamped off' the small solid flower on my sentiment oval.  I've used Stampin' Up!'s utterly adorable Flower Trim (also new in our Seasonal Catalogue), snipping just one flower off to decorate my stamped flower centre.  A Basics Glimmer brad secures them together.

Here's a close-up of the focal flower, that I spritzed with Champagne Mist shimmer spray:

Stamps: Secret Garden, En Francais, Made For You

Card: Very Vanilla, Bashful Blue, Crumb Cake

DSP: Bashful Blue Patterns Designer Series Paper

Ink: Crumb Cake and Early Espresso stampin' pads, Bashful Blue stampin' pad and marker, Versamark inkpad

Other: Early Espresso embossing powder, Secret Garden framelits, Ovals framelits, Champagne Mist shimmer spray (shimmer paint mixed with Isocol), Large Oval punch, Natural Trim ribbon, sponge dauber, glue dots, stampin' dimensionals

 

 



STB #5: STAMPIN' UP!'S POP-UP POSIES CARD

This week's challenge at Seize the Birthday is to make a feminine birthday card based on this sketch:

This afternoon I was having a play with my Pop-Up Posies Designer Kit, from Stampin' Up! - and ended up with some very cute tags.  I paired one of them with the gorgeous Tea For Two Designer Series Papers, to create this card:

 

Stamps: Just For You (from the Pop-Up Posies DesignerKit)

Card: Very Vanilla, Calypso Coral

DSP: Tea For Two Designer Series Paper

Ink: Crumb Cake and Basic Gray stampin' pads

Other: Pop-Up Posies Designer Kit, Artisan Embellishment Kit, Basic Pearls, sponge dauber, glue dots

 

 

 

JAI #152 : JUST ADD HEARTS

With Valentine's Day on the horizon, Kim suggested this week's Just Add Ink challenge of "Just Add Hearts".

Stampin' Up! has a LOAD of gorgeous new products that are heart-shaped, so I had fun playing with a couple of new toys for this challenge.  It wasn't until I uploaded the photo of my card that I noticed the 'unclean' fold at the top of the card ....  I'm a bit embarrassed, because I am rather particular (okay, VERY)!  One of my mantras, when I teach classes, is that our cards are handmade - they're not meant to be perfect.  Now it's my time to embrace this, very publicly.

Stamps:  Collage Curios, Papillon Potpourri, Hearts A Flutter, Itty Bitty Banners

Card: Sahara Sand, Very Vanillla, Primrose Petals

DSP: More Amore Specialty Designer Series Paper

Ink: Primrose Petals and Basic Gray stampin' pads

Other: Hearts A Flutter Framelits die, 1" Circle punch, Bitty Butterfly punch, Soda Pop Top (flattened in the Big Shot), In Color Dahlia, Stripes embossing folder, Bitty Banners framelits die, Pink Pirouette and Basic Gray Two-Tone ribbons, Needlepoint Border embossing folder, sponge dauber, glue dots, sticky strip

Be sure to check out the beautiful samples that the rest of the Just Add Ink Design Team have come up with.  We hope you'll link up your own "hearts" creation on the Just Add Ink blog.

PP # 131 : STAMPIN' UP! FLOWERING FLOURISHES

I have inked up my new Flowering Flourishes stamp set for the first time, to make a sympathy card for a dear fellow crafter who has been dealt some very difficult cards lately.

I'm entering this card in this week's challenge at The Paper Players; it has been way too long since I've played along with them, so one of my resolutions, starting off the year, is to rectify that.

Here's the card I made, with pops of Stampin' Up!'s beautiful Daffodil Delight (although I didn't realise until I'd finished that the ribbon is actually So Saffron - oh well!).  The subtle addition of two white butterflies has some significance, that I hope will be special to the recipient.

 

Stamps: Flowering Flourishes, Teeny Tiny Sentiments

Card: Crumb Cake, Whisper White

DSP: Daffodil Delight Patterns Designer Series Paper

Ink: Crumb Cake stampin' pad

Other: Beautiful Wings embosslits, Lacy Brocade embossing folder, Word Window punch, Modern Label punch, sponge dauber, White Organza ribbon, So Saffron taffeta ribbon, glue dots, Fancy Flower punch, 5-Petal Flower punch (retired), Boho Blossoms punch, Basic Pearl, Multipurpose Liquid Glue, Sticky Strip

 

 

 

 

 

 

ETA:  The lovely, and supremely talented, Joanne Leddy is responsible for making me addicted to creating these gorgeous paper flowers.  You can see her easy-to-follow tutorial HERE.

 

STAMPIN' UP!'S "MORE AMORE" HEART BIRTHDAY CARD

I am in love with so many of the new products in Stampin' Up!'s Seasonal Catalogue.  If you haven't checked it out yet (where have you been??!!), you can view this beautiful catalogue online by clicking on the link in my blog sidebar ------------------>.

One of the sheets of paper in the More Amore Designer Series Paper pack is a 12"x12" page of laser-cut hearts.  I have cut one of the hearts out to feature on the card I'm sharing with you today.  The colours on my card (and in the papers) are Pool Party, Very Vanilla and Primrose Petals - teamed with my go-to colour, Crumb Cake.

Check out the cute little embossed edge, courtesy of one of the two Needlepoint Border Textured Impressions embossing folders - so sweet!  The lace is from the Artisan Embellishments Kit, that contains a variety of pretty things that I am determined to not hoard.

The Pool Party panel has been embossed with the Chevron embossing folder, then lightly sanded, to bring out the contrasting core of the fabulous Core'dinations cardstock.  It's a subtle, but nice, detail, don't you think?

I must give credit to Joanne Leddy for sharing her tutorial, on how to make FABULOUS paper flowers .... they are great fun, and easy, to make.

 

 

As a finishing touch, since a 'girly' card can't go wrong with a bit of sparkle, I spritzed the entire card with Champagne Mist shimmer spray.  Here's a closer look:

 

 

 

 

Stamps: En Francais, Perfect Punches

Card: Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Pool Party Core'dinations

DSP: More Amore Specialty Designer Series Paper

Ink: Crumb Cake stampin' pad and marker, Primrose Petals marker

Other: In Color Dahlia, Chevron embossing folder, sanding block, XL Oval punch, Needlepoint Border embossing folder, Owl Builder punch (tiny heart), sponge dauber, Artisan Embellishment Kit, Fancy Flower punch, 5-Petal Flower punch (retired), Boho Blossoms punch, Champagne Mist shimmer paint (mixed with Isocol), stampin' dimensionals, Multipurpose Liquid Glue

 

 

 

 



DD #38 and SC #072/13 : STAMPIN' UP!'S BORDERING ON ROMANCE

I have had a lovely weekend in my craft room, and have really enjoyed playing along with some challenges that I've been neglecting.

Dynamic Duos has this colour challenge for the week:

As we're nearing Valentine's Day, Sunny Challenges & Creations have set a theme of "love", which I decided was a perfect complement to the colour challenge I was working with.


Here's the card I am entering in both challenges (and yes, the edges are distressed, not just tatty!):

Stamps: Bordering on Romance, Itty Bitty Banners, Sweet Essentials

Card: Real Red smooth and Core'dinations, Whisper White

Ink: Real Red stampin' pad and marker, Pretty in Pink stampin' pad and marker, Crumb Cake stampin' pad and marker, Jet Black Staz-on inkpad

Other: Window Frames framelits, Word Window punch, Bitty Banners framelits, Large Scallop Edgelits, Delicate Designs embossing folder, Pretty in Pink Scallop Dots ribbon, Pretty in Pink satin ribbon (retired), Basic Pearls, sponge dauber, Stampin' Distress tool, Lacy Brocade embossing folder, sanding block, Beautiful Wings embosslits, glue dots

 

 

Come back tomorrow, and I'll have another card to share with you.  I've been quite productive, and have a few cards to put on my blog in the coming week!

 

 



STAMPIN' UP!'S THE OPEN SEA FOR STB #4

Over at Seize the Birthday, this week it's all about male birthday cards, using this sketch:

 

 

 

I've used one of my all-time favourite masculine stamp sets from Stampin' Up! to make this card:

 

 

 

Stamps: The Open Sea; Bring on the Cake; Up, Up & Away

Card: Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Island Indigo

DSP: Festival of Prints Designer Series Paper stack (retired)

Ink: Crumb Cake stampin' pad, Island Indigo stampin' pad and marker, Early Espresso stampin' pad and marker, Bashful Blue marker

Other: Apothecary Accents framelits, 1 1/4" Circle punch, Argyle embossing folder, sponge daubers, Linen Thread,  Naturals Designer Buttons, Natural Trim ribbon, glue dots, Stampin' Dimensionals, banner die (not SU!),, Color Spritzer tool

 

 

 

 

JAI #151 : NEW STAMPIN' UP! GOODIES!

This week at Just Add Ink, our challenge, courtesy of Tina, is to make a "shaped card".  When I told Ethan (my 12-yr-old) that I had to make a shaped card, he said "well, a rectangle's a shape, isn't it?!".  Oh, so I could've just taken my tried and true route after all???

I had a couple of ideas that just didn't make the cut.  In the end, I put to use my Ovals Framelits, that are new from Stampin' Up!, along with some pretty new items from the Artisan Embellishment Kit.  The colour scheme I've used is Primrose Petals, Crumb Cake and Very Vanilla.  Although the photo doesn't show it, the die-cut butterfly is spritzed with Champagne Shimmer spray.

Stamps: Teeny Tiny Sentiments, Four Frames, Parlor Prints, Collage Curios

Card: Primrose Petals, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla

DSP: More Amore Specialty Designer Series Paper

Ink: Primrose Petals stampin' pad and marker, Crumb Cake stampin' pad

Other: Ovals Framelits dies, Occasions Paper-Piercing Pack, Piercing mat & tool, Beautiful Wings embosslits, Modern Label punch, Artisan Embellishment Kit, Linen Thread, sponge dauber, Basic Pearls, Stampin' Distress tool, glue dots, Color Spritzer, Champagne shimmer spray

The rest of the Just Add Ink Design Team have some FABULOUS shaped cards to inspire you - please make sure you take a look!  We'd love to have you play along with us, too.