JUST ADD INK #77

I am feeling much happier now that I'm getting back into my normal routines, post-holiday.  I've made a card for this week's sketch challenge at Just Add Ink.   Woohoo!  I've really missed playing along at JAI.   Here's the sketch to use as a starting point:

Being the rather 'literal' girl I am, I was inspired by the flower in the bottom corner.  On my card, I've replaced one of the squares with a dramatic, shimmery, flower.  Here's what I came up with:

Stamps: Very Vintage jumbo Stampin' Around wheel, Because I Care, Always Elegant, Love & Care (sentiment)

Card: Melon Mambo, Basic Black, Whisper White

Ink: Melon Mambo and Basic Black stampin' pads, Basic Black marker

Other: Two-Step Owl punch (tiny heart), Basic Rhinestone, Basic Black satin ribbon, 1 1/4" square punch, 1 3/8" square punch, Scallop Squares Duo Bigz Die, sponge dauber, 1 3/4" x 7/8" Oval punch, Scallop Oval punch, Fancy Flower punch, 5-Petal Flower punch, Boho Blossoms punch, Champagne Mist shimmer paint (mixed with rubbing alcohol to make a shimmer spray), Metallic brad, mini glue dots, Sticky Strip

STAMPIN' UP!'S "FRENCH FOLIAGE" IN PINK

I would like to share with you a card that is on its way to a friend, who lives too far away, who is in the fight of her life at the moment.  I wanted the card to be a bit soft and girly, but with an earthy feel as well; I like the symbolism of nature, and renewal, and hope.

I've used Stampin' Up!'s French Foliage stamp set (one of my absolute favourites from the current Autumn Winter mini catalogue), but with non-autumnal colours.  I really love how it turned out.  I had to photograph the card inside, because the weather is SO bleak in Melbourne.  It doesn't show clearly, but I used my crimper to add a bit of texture to the sentiment oval. (I've also straightened up that second pearl!)

Stamps: French Foliage, Because I Care (hostess set)

Card: Blushing Bride, Sahara Sand, Confetti White

DSP: Blushing Bride Patterns Designer Series Paper (hostess pack)

Ink: Blushing Bride and Sahara Sand stampin' pads

Other: Basic Pearls, Wide Oval punch, Lots of Tags sizzlits die, Eyelet border punch, sponge daubers, Crimper, paper snips

JAI #69 : JUST ADD FUSSY CUTTING

The challenge at Just Add Ink this week is to use "fussy cutting" in a papercraft project.  Essentially, this means cutting around an image, or images .... the more intricate the better!  I haven't gone terribly intricate, but I did enjoy the bit of cutting I did to make today's card. 

Here's a close-up of my two favourite features of my card.  Check out the shimmer (can you see it??), and the gorgeous waffle pattern I created using my Stampin' Up! Crimper.  Both techniques are so easy to do, but really add a special 'something', don't you think?

Here is the card I made.  I'm loving these colours together, I must say.

Stamps: Because I Care, Silhouette Sentiments (both hostess stamp sets)

Card: Baja Breeze, Whisper White smooth and textured, Watercolour Paper

DSP: Rich Razzleberry Patterns Designer Series Paper

Ink: Jet Black Staz-On inkpad, Rich Razzleberry stampin' pad, Baja Breeze stampin' pad and reinker, Old Olive and Always Artichoke stampin' pads

Other: Aquapainter, paper snips, 1 3/8" x 5/8" Oval punch, Basic Pearls, stampin' dimensionals, Whisper White 1/8" taffeta ribbon, Crimper, mini glue dots, Tombow Multi glue, Frost White shimmer paint (mixed with Isocol to make shimmer spray)

INKSPIRATIONS COLOUR CHALLENGE #70

I've managed to cross off my "to do" list a few things that had to get done today, so decided I'd whip up a quick little card to give myself a break from the chores.

I am really pleased I've had a chance to play along with this week's Inkspirations Colour Challenge, as I'm in a bit of a "purple patch" this week ..... just loving using purples on my projects.  (Tune in on the weekend for more, when I'll be joining in a blog hop focussing on Stampin' Up!'s Color Coach!)

 .... and here is the 10cm square card I made, using up little strips of Designer Series Papers in Blushing Bride, Perfect Plum and Sahara Sand:

Stamps: Because I Care (hostess set)

Card: Very Vanilla, Perfect Plum, Sahara Sand

DSP: Perfect Plum, Blushing Bride and Sahara Sand Patterns Designer Series Papers (including hostess pack)

Ink: Sahara Sand and Perfect Plum stampin' pads

Other: Beautiful Butterflies Bigz die, Very Vanilla taffeta ribbon, Modern Label punch, Basic Pearls, sponge dauber, Finial Press embossing folder

INKSPIRATIONS COLOUR CHALLENGE #62

As much as I love Stampin' Up!'s Daffodil Delight (such a bright,happy, yellow), I found this week's colour combo at Inkspirations a real challenge:

I'm having fun playing with my new stamps, that I was able to pre-order from the Autumn/Winter Mini catalogue (effective 1st April).  LOVE the Strength & Hope set, so I decided to make a little 10cm x 10cm card with it.  I photographed this just before losing natural daylight, but I think you'll be able to see the details clearly enough.

Stamps: Strength & Hope (*available 1st April), Because I Care

Card: Daffodil Delight, Regal Rose textured, Whisper White

Ink: Daffodil Delight stampin' pad, Regal Rose stampin' pad and marker, Early Espresso stampin' pad

Other: Daffodil Delight taffeta ribbon, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Basic Rhinestone, edge distressing tool, mini glue dot

JUST ADD INK #46

This week's challenge at Just Add Ink is to "just add .... critters" to a papercraft project.  I struggled with this one ..... I sooooo wanted to use my owl punch, or "Aviary" stamp set, but was determined to use a stamp set that has been neglected for a while.  I decided upon the cute little hedgehog from "Fun & Fast Notes", one of the first Stampin' Up! sets I bought.

I am having  a lot of fun making tiny embellishments with the new "Itty Bitty Bits" stamp set, and co-ordinating punches.  I like how the four-petal flower I've used kind of complements the flower border stamped along the bottom of my card (that stamp's from the hostess stamp set "Because I Care").

Stamps: Fun & Fast Notes, Teeny Tiny Sentiments, Itty Bitty Bits, Because I Care

Card: Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Concord Crush, Chocolate Chip, watercolour paper

DSP: Chocolate Chip Patterns Designer Series Paper

Ink: Jet Black Staz-On inkpad, Chocolate Chip stampin' pad and marker, Concord Crush stampin' pad and marker, Crumb Cake stampin' pad and marker, Blush Blossom marker

Other: Top Note die, Wide Oval Punch, Nestabilities, Word Window Punch, Modern Label Punch, Itty Bitty Shapes Punch, Basic Rhinestones, aquapainter, Concord Crush poly-stitched ribbon, mini glue dots, sponge dauber, Stamp-a-ma-jig

INKSPIRATIONS COLOUR CHALLENGE #46

This week Makeesha has set a challenge to use these colours in a papercraft project:

I had to make a birthday card for someone very dear to me, and decided these colours would be a good starting point.  It may not look like I've used Poppy Parade (because it is such a vibrant colour in real life), but I have!  I wet some watercolour paper before adding colour, to dilute the Poppy Parade and Baja Breeze that I used to watercolour the hydrangea.  I'm surprised, but really pleased, with the softness of colour that resulted. 

Stamps: Very Vintage jumbo Stampin' Around wheel, Pocket Silhouettes, Because I Care (hostess set)

Card: Baja Breeze (smooth and textured), Very Vanilla, So Saffron, Watercolour paper

Ink: Baja Breeze stampin' pad, Jet Black Staz-on inkpad, Poppy Parade stampin' pad, Pear Pizzazz and Old Olive stampin' pads

Other: Aquapainter, sponge dauber, Beautiful Wings embosslits, Word Window Punch, Button Latte (retired), Very Vanilla 5/8" and 1/4" grosgrain ribbons, Top Note die, Mat Pack and paper-piercing tool, mini glue dots, Tombow multi glue, paper snips