JAI #184: JUST ADD BOWS

Our challenge this week at Just Add Ink is to "just add bows" to a papercraft project.

I LOVE to tie bows, but wanted to think a little differently to my usual use of ribbon bows.  A happy discovery, in my neglected stash of non-Stampin' Up! products, was two little bow dies (one to cut a solid bow, and one to create an outline).

Here's what I came up with for this challenge:

Stamps: Delightful Dozen

Card: Crisp Cantaloupe, Very Vanilla smooth and Core'dinations

DSP: Birthday Basics Designer Series Paper

Ink: Crisp Cantaloupe stampin' pad and marker, Crumb Cake stampin' pad

Other: Hearts Collection framelits, Occasions Paper-Piercing pack, Paper-piercing tool, Stampin' Pierce mat, basic pearls, sponge daubers, Pistachio Pudding stretch ruffle trim, Tasteful Trim XL Bigz die, stampin' dimensionals, Petals-a-Plenty embossing folder, sanding block 

 

 

 

There are some AWESOME samples from the rest of the Design Team at Just Add Ink - make sure you check them out!  We hope to inspire you to play along with us this week.

 

 



STAMPIN' UP!'S "SIMPLY FABULOUS" SIMPLY SENT ... PART 2

Today I have four more cards to show you, using Stampin' Up!'s "Simply Fabulous" Simply Sent kit.  If you haven't seen yesterday's blog post, you might like to start there.  I made 8 cards using this kit, and have shared already the first 4 I made. 

Here are the rest:

Oh dear - the colour's rather bright, and wrong, on that last card!  It's a soft pistachio green, not a fluorescent lime green, in real life!  I hope you can see beyond that aberration; Blogger seems to be having a bit of a 'conniption', because the colour's pretty true in my saved photo.

If you'd like to know any of the supplies I've used on these cards, please feel free to email me.

The lovely kit, containing 8 cards and matching envelopes (which have pretty polka-dot print inside, by the way!), costs only $22.95, and is available in my online shop here.

I hope I've inspired you to check out the Simply Sent kits in the Stampin' Up! catalogue.

STAMPIN' UP!'S "SIMPLY FABULOUS" SIMPLY SENT .... PART 1

Have you noticed the Simply Fabulous Simply Sent kit on page 161 of our current Stampin' Up! catalogue?  I must admit that I have a tendency to skim past these sorts of products ...  but I'm here to tell you, that this kit is aptly named.  It's fabulous!  If you want to make some quick cards, with the trademark Stampin' Up! "wow" factor, this product is for you!

The kit comes with 8 laser-edged cards (single layer), which I've adhered to folded card bases; they could also be used as postcards.  There are 8 envelopes, some ribbon, rhinestones and heart stickers - enough delightful 'bits' to make 8 cards, for only $22.95.  The colours are Pistachio Pudding and Smoky Slate - and what a combination!

Using various Stampin' Up! products, I've made up 8 cards with minimal effort, and today would like to share 4 of them with you.  If you'd like further details about any of the stamps/products I've used, just email me, and I'll be happy to share.  For now, I'll just share the pretty pics!

 

 

 

You can find this lovely little kit in my online store here.

Come back tomorrow afternoon to see the other four cards I made using the Simply Fabulous Simply Sent kit!

MERRY MONDAY #75, TAKE TWO: STAMPIN' UP!'S ORNAMENT KEEPSAKES

Today my sons are not home, and hubby is holed up in his study, so I am "getting my craft on"!  I've managed to put a few loads of washing on and change bed linen as well, so a pretty productive day all round.

I shared earlier today a card I'd made, using Stampin' Up!'s Ornament Keepsakes, for this week's Merry Monday challenge.  I had a couple of extra ornaments stamped, embossed and die cut, so will make some more cards.  One of them has found its way onto a card that I am also going to enter in Merry Monday Christmas Card Club #75.  Here's the brief:

.. and here's a cleaner, simpler, card that I came up with:

Here is a closer view of the shimmery centerpiece on the ornament:

 

Stamps: Ornament Keepsakes, Delightful Dozen

Card: Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla, Champagne Glimmer Paper

DSP: Jolly Holiday Designer Series Paper (retired)

Ink: Versamark inkpad, Early Espresso stampin' pad, Crumb Cake stampin' pad

Other: Holiday Ornaments framelits, Ovals Collection framelits, 7/8" Scallop Circle punch, 1/2" Circle punch, Metallic brad, sponge dauber, Stylish Stripes embossing folder, Cherry Cobbler stampin' emboss powder

STAMPIN' UP! ORNAMENT KEEPSAKES FOR MM #75

Check out the beautiful challenge from Lesley for Merry Monday this week:

My first thought was to use the luscious Champagne Glimmer Paper from Stampin' Up!, but my card went in a completely different direction to my initial plan!  There's LOTS of embossing on this card, which I think gives a rather regal effect. 

I inked up my Beautifully Baroque embossing folder with Gold Encore ink, and ran it through my Big Shot with Very Vanilla card in the folder.  I liked the look of that, but decided I wanted a bit more 'random' coverage, with shimmer ... so I sprinkled gold embossing powder over the embossed card, and heat set it.   You can see the shimmer in this close-up shot:

..... and here's the card in its entirety.  The ornaments, background and sentiment are all heat-embossed; I really went to town with this technique today!

 

Stamps: Ornament Keepsakes, Merry Little Christmas

Card: Early Espresso, Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler

Ink: Versamark inkpad, Encore Gold inkpad, Gold Stampin' Dazzle marker

Other: Beautifully Baroque embossing folder, Holiday Ornaments framelits, Chalk Talk framelits, Gold stampin' emboss powder, Early Espresso stampin' emboss powder, Cherry Cobbler stampin' emboss powder, Regals brads, paper snips, Early Espresso stitched grosgrain ribbon, Gold Glimmer brad (dipped in Versamark, and gold-embossed)

 

 

 

JAI #183: STAMPIN' UP! CHRISTMAS COLLECTIBLES

It's that exciting day of the week, when the new Just Add Ink challenge goes live!  This week, Tina has come up with this sketch for us to use on a papercraft project:

Here's my take on the sketch ('cos you just can't amass too many Christmas cards, at this time of year!):

Stamps: Christmas Collectibles, Wishing You

Card: Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White

DSP: Season of Style Designer Series Paper

Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive, Crumb Cake and Early Espresso stampin' pads

Other: Christmas Ornament punch, Chalk Talk framelits, Bitty Banners framelits, Brights brads, Neutrals Candy Dot, Brights button, sponge dauber, paper snips, stampin' dimensionals

 

 

 

Make sure you check out what the other Design Team members have created, over at Just Add Ink.  We look forward to seeing what you make, using this sketch!

 

 



STAMPIN' UP!'S EVERGREEN FOR MERRY MONDAY #74

For this week's Merry Monday Challenge (scraping in at the eleventh hour!), I've made a simple Christmas card using Old Olive and Whisper White, with Crumb Cake touches.  Stampin' Up!'s Woodgrain is stamped on the Crumb Cake Deco Label, and the Whisper White layer has been embossed with Stampin' Up!'s Woodgrain embossing folder.

Stamps: Evergreen, That's the Ticket, Woodgrain

Card: Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Old Olive

DSP: Season of Style Designer Series Paper

Ink: Old Olive and Crumb Cake stampin' pads

Other: Deco Labels framelits, Ticket builder punch, Brights buttons, Linen Thread, Woodgrain embossing folder, Scallop Edge border punch, sponge dauber, glue dots

 

 



JAI #182: STAMPIN' UP!'S SKETCHED BIRTHDAY

Paula has set this week's Just Add Ink challenge, and boy was it a challenge for me!  The theme this week is to "Just Add a Frame" to your papercraft project. 

I made it more difficult than it needed to, by trying to create something that just wasn't "my style".  After labouring for two days over a card I really didn't like, I decided to simplify things, and go with what I know and love - a "boy" card!

This card may or may not be for a very special young man in my life (depends on whether he happens across it on my blog - I'm hoping not!). 

I used Stampin' Up!'s Square Framelits to create a simple square frame for the focal stamped image.  It's simple, but so much more attractive than what I was trying to make initially (that big hot mess ended up in the rubbish)!

Stamps: Off the Grid, Memorable Moments, Sketched Birthday

Card: Soft Sky, Chocolate Chip, Watercolour Paper

DSP: Sweater Weather Designer Series Paper

Ink: Timber Brown Staz-On inkpad (not SU!), Chocolate Chip stampin' pad and marker, Soft Sky stampin' pad and marker, Soft Suede marker, Crushed Curry and Tangerine Tango markers

Other: Square Framelits, Naturals Designer button, Subtles button, 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" Circle punches, Natural cotton ribbon, Soft Sky seam binding, Linen Thread, blender pens, sponge daubers, glue dots

 

 

 

Make sure you check out the AMAZING samples that the rest of the Just Add Ink Design Team have created for this week's challenge.  We look forward to having you join in the fun, too!

 

 



SWEET LITTLE BOTTLES, DECORATED IN STAMPIN' UP!'S IN COLORS

I recently purchased, from a homewares shop, some very cute little glass bottles.  As soon as I saw them, I thought they'd be great to decorate.  I bought 5 bottles, with the intention of showcasing Stampin' Up!'s new In Colors.


Take a look at the fun I had, with Stampin' Up!'s papers, stamps, punches, dies and embellishments:

Closer views, firstly of the bottles decorated in Coastal Cabana and Pistachio Pudding:

..... and Crisp Cantaloupe, Baked Brown Sugar, and Strawberry Slush:

All of the goodies I used are from Stampin' Up!  I won't list them all here, but if you have any questions, please don't be afraid to ask.  These sweet little bottles make me happy every time I look at them; I hope they bring a smile to your face, too.

JAI #181: STAMPIN' UP!'S BLOOMING WITH KINDNESS ANNIVERSARY CARD

Take a look at the gorgeous colour challenge we have for you, over at Just Add Ink:

I was very tempted to make a Christmas card, but decided the beautiful flower image from Blooming With Kindness would look stunning stamped in Bermuda Bay. 

 

 

 

Stamps: Blooming with Kindness, Express Yourself (hostess set), Gorgeous Grunge

Card: Bermuda Bay, Basic Black, Whisper White, Silver Glimmer Paper

DSP: Basic Black Patterns Designer Series Paper

Ink: Bermuda Bay stampin' pad, Basic Blac marker, Jet Black Staz-On inkpad, Versamark inkpad

Other: Silver stampin' emboss powder, Circles framelits, Beautiful Wings embosslits, 1/8" Silver ribbon, 1/8" Bermuda Bay taffeta ribbon, glue dots, Adorning Accents edgelits

 

 

The rest of the Just Add Ink Design Team have come up with some amazing creations using these colours, so make sure you check them out.