JUST ADD INK #55 - JUST ADD LOVE

I made a happy discovery this afternoon when I decided to make a card for this week's Just Add Ink challenge.  The theme this week is to "just add love" to a papercraft project.  Well, since I've already made a Valentine's Day card for my beloved, and have decided not to make one each for the other two littler loves of my life (since previous efforts have not been appreciated), I chose to make a card for one of my very special girlfriends.  I am blessed to have a number of loving, supportive friends who help to make my life a truly happy one.  For this reason, I like to make 'friendship' cards.

The 'happy discovery' I mentioned, was some Martha Stewart eyelet cards (with adorable matching, lined, pink eyelet envelopes) I bought in the States a few years ago, and had put away because I thought they were too pretty to use .... I'm sure I'm not the only one who's done that!  Life's too short to not use our special things every day, don't you agree?  The cards are single layer, and - how's this for serendipity? - the perfect size to fit on top of Stampin' Up! note cards!!  Yippee!!  Not only that, but check out how close in colour the card is to Stampin' Up!'s Blushing Bride ribbon and paper.  I found a brad, in my extensive stash (my Mum commented the other day that walking into my craft room is like walking into a shop, LOL), that was the perfect colour to use.  I whipped up this card in about 10 minutes, which is SUPER quick for me ... my cardmaking endeavours often stretch to an hour or more!

Stamps: Bella Toile, Picture This (hostess set, retired)

Card: Whisper White note card and cardstock, Martha Stewart eyelet card

DSP: Greenhouse Gala and Blushing Bride Patterns Designer Series Papers

Ink: Blushing Bride and Pear Pizzazz stampin' pads

Other: Word Window punch, Modern Label punch, Fleurette II, Birds and Blooms sizzlits die, Basic Rhinestones, sponge daubers, Blushing Bride stitched-poly ribbon, pink brad, mini glue dots

"BELLA TOILE" WEDDING CARD

My niece, Krystal, married her fiance Archie on Saturday.  It was a very emotional, but happy, day; so uplifting to see a young couple with a future full of hope and love ahead of them.

The wedding invitation was quite formal, in black and white, so I used that as a starting point for the card I made for the happy couple.  I stamped Bella Toile in Basic Black ink on Whisper White card, then coloured in the flourish design with a silver glitter pen.  I used Stampin' Up!'s beautiful rich Cherry Cobbler colour to add highlights.  I hurriedly photographed the card (in bleak weather!) before giving it to them on Saturday; here it is:

Stamps: Bella Toile, Teeny Tiny Sentiments

Card: Basic Black, Brushed Silver, Whisper White

Ink: Basic Black stampin' pad, Cherry Cobbler stampin' pad and marker

Other: Gelly Roll silver pen, Word Window punch, Modern Label punch, Basic Rhinestones, Whisper White satin ribbon. mini glue dots

A BEAUTIFUL WEDDING!!

We were privileged to be invited to the wedding, yesterday, of our friends, Rachel and Aaron.  It's been a LONG time since I attended a wedding, and both of our boys were so excited about getting dressed up in suits.  Jack and Ethan were the only children invited to the wedding, and they made me as proud as always!

I am pleased to say that I introduced Rachel to Stampin' Up! last year, hee hee.  I knew she was using Blushing Bride cardstock, the Bella Toile stamp, and Basic Black ribbon to create the wedding bonboniere (using Stampin' Up!'s pillow box die, no less!), so I made our card to tie in with the theme.

Firstly, here's a photo of the bonboniere on our table:

And here is the wedding card I made:

Stamps: Bella Toile, Perfect Punches

Card: Shimmery White, Basic Black, Blushing Bride

Ink: Blushing Bride and Basic Black stampin' pads

Other: Basic Black satin ribbon, Modern Label Punch, Basic Rhinestones, Pinking Heart border punch (*NEW - out 1st December!), mini glue dots, Tombow multi glue

Here's the happy couple signing the marriage register (aren't they beautiful?!):

A rare photo of me, with my two handsome sons:

... and a gorgeous photo of all three of my "boys" (that's Andrew, my hubby, between Ethan and Jack):

Here's one more shot of the happy couple, Rachel and Aaron, at their wedding reception:

It was a very rainy day, but nevertheless a happy, relaxed and highly enjoyable one.  Rachel and Aaron are such a loving couple; they have a  very bright married future ahead of them.

CURTAIN CALL COLOUR CHALLENGE #56

This week at Stacey's Stamping Stage, the challenge is to use the following gorgeous colours together in a papercraft project:

I found this colour combination really enjoyable to work with, and came up with another friendship card (that I get so much pleasure out of making, and giving!).  Shocking photography, but I hope you can see it well enough.

Stamps: Sanded, Bella Toile, Hello Again, Friends 24-7

Card: Pear Pizzazz, Whisper White

Ink: Pear Pizzazz, So Saffron, Peach Parfait stampin' pads and markers, Chocolate Chip stampin' pad

Other: Peach Parfait poly-stitched ribbon, Top Note die, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Nestabilities, stampin' sponge, mini glue dots, 3/8" circle punch (*NEW* in upcoming Summer mini)

CURTAIN CALL COLOUR CHALLENGE #54

Take a look at this gorgeous colour combination that Stacey has come up with this week:




Here is the card I made (which is NOTHING like the original ideas I started out with!). 

Stamps: Wonderfully Worn, Bella Toile, Tiny Tags, A to Z

Card: Crumb Cake, More Mustard, Cajun Craze, Pumpkin Pie, Very Vanilla

Ink: More Mustard, Cajun Craze, Pumpkin Pie and Crumb Cake stampin' pads

Other: Beautiful Wings embosslits, Medium Jewelry Tag punch, sponge dauber, Antique Brad, Very Vanilla 1/8" taffeta ribbon, Scallop Edge punch, stampin' dimensionals

This is just a very quick post, as I have to go to work (darn it - really interrupts my stamping time!).  I hope that, wherever you are, you have a lovely day!

"TECHNIQUE" BLOG HOP

Today I am taking part, with 4 fellow Stampin' Up! demonstrators, in a "Technique" blog hop (just a "mini blog hop this time!).  Each of us is showcasing a different technique to use in your stamping and/or scrapbooking, so hopefully you'll get some new ideas!

You may have come from the gorgeous Nikki Sadler's blog, but if not, don't worry!  You can start here, and do a 'loop' by clicking on the link at the end of each participant's post, until you've covered all 5 stops.

The technique I have chosen to focus on today is PAPER PIECING.  This technique is ideal for using with line image (rather than solid) stamps.  It's an alternative to colouring in an image, and is a cute way to highlight a portion of a stamped image, to co-ordinate with patterned papers used on your project.

It's very easy to do.  Simply stamp your desired image onto cardstock, and stamp it again on patterned paper.  (Alternatively, you could stamp it onto other coloured card - either plain, or that you've stamped with a design.)  Cut the paper image out, and stick it over the top of the base image; voila - instant colouring!


For my first card, I have stamped several of one of the "Fifth Avenue Floral" flowers on a Whisper White panel.  I've chosen to highlight just one of the flowers in red (I do love red, and polka dots - did you know?!), using "Play Date" Designer Series Paper.  This is a very simple design, but the paper piecing makes the flower really "pop", don't you agree?

Stamps: Fifth Avenue Floral, Bella Toile, Upsy Daisy

Card: Whisper White, Real Red, Crumb Cake, Basic Black

DSP: Play Date Designer Series Paper

Ink: Crumb Cake stampin' pad, Jet Black Staz-On inkpad, Real Red and Basic Black markers

Other: Sponge dauber, Basic Black brads (from Neutrals assortment), Stamp-a-ma-jig, Mat Pack & paper-piercing tool (for placement of brads)

Next up is a Christmas card, using Jolly Holiday Designer Series Paper.  I stamped the Christmas tree (from the ever-versatile "Fun & Fast Notes" set) on Very Vanilla card.  I stamped it again on the Old Olive spotty paper, and cut around just the foliage before adhering it to my card.  I coloured the trunk, pot and star with markers.

Stamps: Fun & Fast Notes, Contempo Christmas, En Francais

Card: Very Vanilla, Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler

DSP: Jolly Holiday Designer Series Paper

Ink: Cherry Cobbler stampin' pad and marker, Jet Black Staz-On inkpad, Chocolate Chip marker, Daffodil Delight marker

Other: Wide Oval punch, Old Olive 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, Scallop Edge punch, mini glue dot

Lastly, I'd like to share with you a birthday card I made with a young boy in mind.  Again I've used "Play Date" Designer Series Paper - this time, the striped "boyish" paper.  I love that each pack of Stampin' Up!'s Designer Series Paper contains such a variety of designs, that complement one another so well.  The nose of the rocket is paper-pieced with Real Red cardstock on which I had stamped a star.  Pretty cute little rocket, don't you think?

Stamps: Seeing Stars, Pun Fun, Party Hearty

Card: Chocolate Chip, Tempting Turquoise (textured), Real Red, Crumb Cake

DSP: Play Date Designer Series Paper

Ink: Versamark inkpad, Tempting Turquoise, Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip, So Saffron and Real Red stampin' pads

Other: Top Note die, sponge daubers, Buttons #5 Sizzlits die, Scallop Circle punch, 3/4" circle punch, 5/16" silver brad, Crystal Effects

Next stop on today's blog hop is the blog of the super-creative Amy Buchanan.  This girl blows me away with her ideas!

Here's a list of all of us taking part today:

Judy May

http://www.judymay.typepad.com/

Nikki Sadler
http://www.inkyart.com.au/

Christine Blain
http://www.christineblain.blogspot.com/

Amy Buchanan
http://www.fashioninggreatimpressions.com/

Tina Gillespie
http://scissorspapercard.blogspot.com/


Have fun checking out everyone's creations, and please leave us comments so we know you've been to 'visit'!

JUST PEACHY THANKS

I'm working my way through the new colours of ink and cardstock that arrived on my doorstep a couple of days ago.  It's so exciting to have new colours in the Stampin' Up! range; change is a good thing!

The dominant colour I've used on the card I have to share with you today is Peach Parfait, one of the five "in colours" that will form part of Stampin' Up's colour offerings for two years.  I have been using rather a lot of orange and green in my cards lately, but this orange is a softer colour than you've seen on my recent cards. 

After stamping the Bella Toile background (isn't it a gorgeous stamp?!), I used an Aquapainter to subtly draw some of the ink colour in from the outlines.  The cluster of flowers was created by stamping the flower images from Punch Potpourri (a new hostess stamp set - ask me how you can get this for FREE!), then punching them out using the Boho Blossoms punch.  A bit of sponging, some ribbon, and a punched-out sentiment, complete the card.  Simple, but (I hope you agree) pretty.

Stamps: Bella Toile, Perfect Punches, Punch Potpourri

Card: Very Vanilla, Basic Gray, Peach Parfait

Ink: Peach Parfait and Basic Gray stampin' pads

Other: Boho Blossoms punch, aquapainter, stampin' sponges, Very Vanilla taffeta ribbon, Scallop Oval Punch, Basic Pearls, stampin' dimensionals, mini glue dot