DD #12 : STAMPIN' UP!'S FLOWER FANCY, TAKE 2

I have made another card for this week's Dynamic Duos challenge:

My original plan was to create a card with a glossy Poppy Parade-coloured flower ... but the Crystal Effects I applied to my coloured image didn't want to dry.  It's now a full two days ... the flower is dry and ready to be added to a card! 

When I applied Crystal Effects over the centre of the flower, that I'd coloured with a Basic Black marker,  the ink bled, giving a soft, cloudy look that I really like!  To draw the eye in, I added a cute Kaisercraft Sparklet to the centre.  The layers behind the flower have been embossed with my Square Lattice embossing folder, to complement the texture of the flower centre.

Here's the finished card:

Stamps: Flower Fancy, Field Flowers

Card: Basic Black, Whisper White, Poppy Parade

DSP: Basic Black Patterns Designer Series Paper

Ink: Versamark inkpad, Poppy Parade stampin' pad and marker, Basic Black stampin' pad and marker

Other: Black embossing powder, Crystal Effects, Large Oval punch, Bird Builder punch (small heart), Basic Black scallop dots ribbon and taffeta ribbon, Square Lattice embossing folder, 2 3/8" Scallop Circle punch, Fun Flowers die, sponge dauber, mini glue dots, Kaisercraft Sparklet, embossing folder (not SU!)

DYNAMIC DUOS #12: STAMPIN' UP! FLOWER FANCY

This week at Dynamic Duos, there is a GLORIOUS colour combination!

Poppy Parade is a gorgeous orangey-red, that looks really elegant with black.  In addition to the colour challenge, we have the option of using punches on our project.

I had an idea in mind, using a bold, glossy flower - but I covered the flower in Crystal Effects over 24 hours ago, and it's still not dry!  It's a bit chilly here at the moment!  So, "Plan B" kicked in, and here's what I came up with:

...... and a close-up of the cute bow I created, courtesy of my new Bow-Easy (now I see what the fuss is about!):

Stamps: Flower Fancy, Just Believe

Card: Poppy Parade, Basic Black, Whisper White

DSP: Mocha Morning Specialty Designer Series Paper

Ink: Poppy Parade stampin' pad and marker, Basic Black marker, Versamark ink pad

Other: Black embossing powder, Basic Black satin ribbon, In Color Glimmer brad, Mat Pack and paper-piercing tool, Word Window punch, Modern Label punch, Lace Ribbon border punch, Corner Rounder punch, butterfly punch (not SU!), mini glue dots

Well, I certainly 'went to town' with the "dessert option" of punches - I used 5 punches on this card!

If my glossy flower ever dries, I'll see if I can come up with another card for this challenge .... but in the event I don't, at least I had fun with this one!



JUST ADD INK #87 COLOUR CHALLENGE

It is with a heavy heart that I relinquish my spot as a Guest Designer for Just Add Ink, I must say!  I've had a ball being part of the team for the past 5 weeks .... thank you, my JAI friends, for the honour.

My last submission for this month is based on this GORGEOUS colour scheme that Nikki has come up with:

Love, love, love these colours!!  Crumb Cake is my "go to" neutral, and I love all of the new In Colors that Stampin' Up! has introduced to our range.  Playing with these colours gave me the opportunity to use some of the adorable Designer Printed Brads that are new to us .... SO cute!!

Here's my card, that used a few new products:

Stamps: Flower Fancy, Happiest Birthday Wishes

Card: Crumb Cake, Pool Party, Whisper White, Watercolour Paper

Ink: Versamark inkpad, Crumb Cake, Pool Party and Calypso Coral stampin' pads

Other: Aquapainter, White embossing powder, Beautiful Wings embosslits, Basic Pearls, Dotted Scallop Ribbon border punch, Designer Printed Brads (Pool Party), Paper-Piercing tool, sponge dauber

COLOR ROUNDUP CHALLENGE #29 - FLOWER FANCY

Here is the colour combination Holly at Rubber Redneck has come up with this week:

I've gone for a bit of a wildflower look, using one of the stamps I rarely use from my Flower Fancy set.  I've added foliage along the bottom of the main panel, using my newly-acquired Just Believe set.  The sentiment is also from Just Believe.  Here is the photo, taken on a very dreary Melbourne autumn day:

Stamps: Flower Fancy, Just Believe

Card: Rose Red, Whisper White, Wild Wasabi textured

DSP: Elegant Soiree, Sweet & Sour and So Saffron Patterns Designer Series Papers

Ink: Jet Black Staz-On inkpad, Wild Wasabi stampin' pad and marker, Baja Breeze marker, Rose Red stampin' pad and marker, So Saffron marker

Other: Neutrals brads, Mat Pack and Paper Piercing Tool, sponge dauber, stampin' dimensionals, Stamp-a-ma-jig, paper snips

CURTAIN CALL COLOUR CHALLENGE #52

I have decided to try, for the first time, a Curtain Call colour challenge.  I just LOVE colour challenges, and got to have a little bit of time in my craft room last night.  Take a look at the stunning colours to be incorporated in a papercraft project:

Stampin' Up! has never released the colour Bermuda Bay in Australia.  Next choice I think would be Taken With Teal - however, I was rather ruthless in selling off all my retiring inkpads and cardstock when our new catalogue came out recently!  So, poor third choice (which really doesn't do the trick, but I gave it a go anyway) was Tempting Turquoise.  Here is my card, photographed in full sunshine just because it's Spring and we LOVE seeing the sun!!  This is Melbourne after all - it snowed not too far away from us just 3 days ago!

Stamps: Bella Toile, Flower Fancy, Sincere Salutations

Card: Tangerine Tango, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Tempting Turquoise

Ink: Chocolate Chip stampin' pad and marker, Tangerine Tango stampin' pad, Tempting Turquoise marker

Other: Whisper White taffeta ribbon, retired Chocolate Chip ribbon, Scallop Trim border punch, Colour Spritzer tool, Basic Rhinestones, Beautiful Wings embosslits, Stamp-a-ma-jig, sponge dauber



JUST ADD INK #26

This week the team at Just Add Ink is encouraging us to use EMBOSSING on our projects.  Heat embossing is a really simple technique that can make a card look professionally finished ... it was the first "WOW" moment I had with stamping some 14 years ago.  Back then, I gold-embossed anything and everything, but my tastes have taken a more subtle turn over the years!  I've chosen to clear-emboss on my card for this week's challenge.

I started off with a colour scheme that was inspired by this gorgeous card - I would never have thought to pair Sahara Sand with Regal Rose, but don't you think they look made for each other?  I was also inspired to use some of my vast collection of silver decorative brads from Stampin' Up!  So, using my much-loved "Flower Fancy" stamps, I clear-embossed, onto Sahara Sand card, the small outline flower to create a background (just on the lower 2/3 of the card).  I also clear-embossed the flower onto Whisper White card, and overstamped the sentiment in Staz-On ink (there's a close-up, that's possibly photographed way-too-close-up, below!).

I won't ramble on too much about the methods I used, but I do want to add that I was pleased to find that three of my circle punches were the perfect size to make backing circles for the three different-sized brads.  I roughed up the edges with my fingernail.





and the sentiment panel:







In hindsight, it would have been better to stamp the sentiment first, and emboss the flowers over the top.  Oh well - you live and learn! :)



Stamps: Flower Fancy, Upsy Daisy (sentiment)

Card: Sahara Sand, Regal Rose, Whisper White

Ink: Versamark inkpad, Sahara Sand stampin' pad, Jet Black Staz-on inkpad

Other: Clear embossing powder, Circle Punches: 1/2", 3/4", 1", Regal Rose 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, silver brads from Hodgepodge Hardware and Flower Brad assortment, Mat Pack and paper piercing tool, dimensionals, sponge dauber

  

"FLOWER FANCY" in red

Boy, I come up with some really imaginative titles, don't I?

In honour of this month's Stampin' Up! promotion on Two-Step Stampin', I have been giving my "Flower Fancy" stamp set a good work-out.  I cannot tell you how much I LOVE this set!!  Well, I can, but your eyes would probably glaze over before I was through.

I hope you like this bright, cheery, "get well" card I made.  In my eyes, you just can't go wrong with red!  I also think it's really cool that there was enough natural light to photograph this outside; it has been so overcast and windy lately.  So, here's to a lovely day in Melbourne, and to cheering up someone who needs it:





Stamps: Flower Fancy, Teeny Tiny Sentiments

Card: Real Red textured, Whisper White, Basic Black

Ink: Jet Black Staz-on inkpad, Real Red and Old Olive stampin' pads

Other: Eyelet Border Punch, stickers from "I Wish" Simply Scrappin' Kit, Small Oval Punch, Large Oval Punch, Red Gingham Ribbon, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Playground Designer Buttons, dimensionals, mini glue dots

TWO-STEP STAMPIN'

This month's special offer (and it's a goody!) from Stampin' Up! is 20% off a number of Two-Step Stampin' sets.  Two-step stamping is a very easy technique, and a fun way to layer images, or create scenes.




There are EIGHT fabulous stamp sets on sale this month.


"Loads of Love" (p. 39 of the main catalogue), normally $39.95, is only $31.96.

"Big Bold Birthday" (p. 42), normally $53.95, is now $43.16.

"A Rose is a Rose" (p. 78), normally $66.95, is on sale for $56.56.

"Playful Petals" (p. 86), normally $52.95, is only $42.36.

"Cheep Talk" (p. 98), normally 47.95, is $38.36 throughout July.

"Wonderful Favourites" (p. 115), normally $39.95, is $31.96.

"Tiny Tags" (p. 14 of the Autumn-Winter Mini Catalogue) is on special, in both the wood-mount and clear-mount options.  Wood-mount, normally $38.95, is now only $31.16.  Clear-mount, normally $28.95, is $23.16.

"Cottage Garden" (p. 31 of the Autumn-Winter Mini) is also on special in both the wood-mount and clear-mount options.  Wood-mount, normally $32.95, is now $26.36.  Clear-mount, normally $24.95, is only $19.96.


Two-step stamping is a heap of fun, and creates lovely results (it does help to have a trusty Stamp-a-ma-jig on hand!  This great tool is the best $22.95 you could ever spend!  Let me know if you need one, to help get the most out of your two-step stamps.)  Email me if you'd like to order some of these fun stamps - you won't be disappointed!  NB: Postage & handling costs, of $5.95 or 5% of order value (whichever is greater) do apply.


I've been doing a bit of two-step stampin' myself, with my newly-acquired "Flower Fancy" set.  You'll be seeing a lot of Flower Fancy creations from me, but today I'll share just one - we're about to head off for a weekend away, and I've been telling the boys to hurry up and get ready (best take my own advice!).



 Stamps: Flower Fancy, Teeny Tiny Sentiments

Card: Kraft, Very Vanilla, Not Quite Navy

DSP: Urban Garden Designer Series Paper

Ink: Not Quite Navy, Sahara Sand

Other: Sponge dauber, Oval Punch, Large Oval Punch, Paper Piercing tool & Mat Pack, Linen Thread, Baja Breeze corduroy brad (retired)



I hope you'll pop in to visit again over the weekend, to check out my, and my team members', "Christmas in July" creations - time again for our first-Saturday-of-every-month blog hop!