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

"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 ADD INK #30

The wonderful girls over at Just Add Ink have combined their regular weekly challenge with a little helping hand for Hudson.  The Design Team have come up with the most incredible submissions this week - you MUST go check them out!  Gorgeous, delightful, and awe-inspiring - and I'm talking about the women themselves, not just their amazing projects.

The theme of this week's challenge is to "Just Add Wheels".  I am pretty darn proud of myself, because, having had limited opportunities to stamp 'just for fun' lately, I've been able to kill three birds with one stone (figuratively speaking, of course).  This month I'm running  a couple of classes with a 'wheels' theme, in aid of the "Helping Hudson" fundraiser.  One of the cards we made fits the bill perfectly for the JAI challenge.  The third bonus is that this card is intended for a very dear friend of mine, who is in the happy position of having just become a grandmother for the very first time.

I've incorporated a Stampin' Around wheel (Fast Flowers was used to create the gorgeous background on the main panel), two circles to hold and mat the image, and a pram which, of course, has wheels.  How cool is that for meeting the criteria?

Stamps: Fun & Fast Notes, Fast Flowers stampin' around wheel

Card: Confetti White, Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink

Ink: Regal Rose stampin' pad, Pretty in Pink stampin' pad, standard ink cartridge and marker, white gel pen

Other: Mat pack and paper piercing tool, Pretty in Pink taffeta ribbon, Whisper White 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, Word Window punch, sponge dauber, Circles #2 Sizzix die, dimensionals, Clear Rhinestone Brad (gem popped out), affixed with Crystal Effects

I'm hoping to fit in some more stamping time this weekend, so you never know, you might even see another post from me before the end of tomorrow!  Thanks for visiting my blog, and I hope you have a wonderful, relaxing weekend.

IT'S A *PINK* BABY!!

Happily, I had to make a 'girl baby' card for some special people this past week.  Our warehouse manager and his wife became parents for the first time, to baby Charlotte. Yippee! How sweet!!  Since we have around 30 employees, and I wanted everyone to be able to write in the card, I made a big card from one A4 sheet of cardstock, folded in half.  I'd told my sister about it, and she wanted to see the card, so I thought I'd be my usual show-offy self, and share it with everyone! Here it is, in all its pinkness:





Stamps: Fun & Fast Notes, Punches Three

Card: Whisper White, Pretty in Pink, Watercolour paper

DSP: Candy Lane

Ink: Pink Pirouette stampin' pad, Pretty in Pink marker, Jet Black Staz-On inkpad

Other: White brads (from 5/8" Neutrals assortment), 1 1/4" Pink Pirouette grosgrain ribbon, Wide Oval Punch, dimensionals, Scallop Edge Punch, paper piercing tool, sponge dauber, Nestabilities



That yummy wide ribbon, in Stampin' Up!'s Summer Mini catalogue, is available only until the end of this month, so if you don't have it yet, but would like some, be sure to get your order in to me!  (Unless of course you have, or are, your own demonstrator!) 

The Jumbo Brads I've used at the top of the card are still available for purchase, even though they are not listed in a current catalogue.  They cost $13.50, for 32 brads (8 each of Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla and Silver).  I think they're a pretty cool embellishment, so thought I'd just let you know they're still available!

I am hoping to get some time in my craft room, to make a few more cards to show you, in the coming days, so please keep checking back.  I will again be taking part in my team's blog hop on the last day of the month.  This month we'll have some beautiful creations to show you, using new and exciting Stampin' Up! products, so make sure you mark the 31st March in your diary, to visit all the participating Art With Heart team blogs!

One "male" card, and one decidedly pink one!

The other day I posted a photo of the card I'd made for my brother, Mark.  Today I have another Trendy Trees card to show you; I made this for my other brother, Dean, whose birthday is in a few days.  Yay me - actually getting a card made and posted BEFORE the event!  So, my brothers' birthdays are only a week apart; but, hey, my sister's and my birthdays are only a DAY apart!  Mum and Dad must have wanted to cut down on birthday party costs by combining for our entire childhood; precision planning on their part, don't you think?

I am really pleased with this card.  Started off not knowing what I was going to make, but once I'd chosen the colour scheme (Basic Gray, Kiwi Kiss and Not Quite Navy) it all came together quite smoothly.  The Urban Garden paper, and the fantastic Trendy Trees and jumbo eyelets, made it easy - love all those elements (just in case you hadn't noticed!).  Loving these colours; they are great for guys' cards, don't you think?



Stamps: Trendy Trees, Occasional Greetings, Linen background (retired)

Card: Basic Gray, Kiwi Kiss, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White

DSP: Urban Garden

Ink: Basic Gray, Not Quite Navy, Kiwi Kiss, White craft

Other: Crop-A-Dile, pewter jumbo eyelets, Kiwi Kiss 5/8" striped grosgrain ribbon, stamp-a-ma-jig, edge distresser, sponge dauber, dimensionals



The photo on that card is a bit dark (I always leave it until night-time to remember to photograph my cards, but hey you can see it alright).  Nothing dark about this next one - a little over-the-top pink number. 

I got the Fast Flowers wheel with my starter kit, and wasn't sure how I wanted to use it, but realised it is designed to co-ordinate with Fun & Fast Notes (a great collection of cute images and sentiments).  I used the wheel to create the little pink panel on which the bird is mounted -  see how the cute little flowers complement the flower in the bird's mouth?  Sweet.  I paper-pieced the bird, by first stamping her (has to be a girl, with that colouring!) in Basic Gray on Whisper White card, then stamping again in Basic Gray on Bella Rose paper.  I stuck the cut-out paper version onto the card; love this easy technique that saves colouring in! I have used the same Designer Series Paper in the background.  Anyway, enough talking - here's the card:



Stamps: Fast Flowers wheel, Fun & Fast Notes, Pocket Silhouettes (sentiment), Cute & Curly, Weathered background

Card: Whisper White, Basic Gray, Pink Pirouette

DSP: Bella Rose

Ink: Pretty in Pink, Basic Gray, White craft, Certainly Celery

Other: Pink Pirouette 5/8" striped grosgrain ribbon, curly label punch, rectangle nestabilities, mini glue dots, flat-back pearls (from Pretties Kit), dimensionals, aquapainter



That's it for today, folks - hope you like them!  I had a lot of fun making them (especially the 'boy' one, I have to say, because sometimes male cards can be a bit tricky, can't they?  I get a bit tired of the fishing and tool themes.)  I am feeling a bit under the weather, with a cold (thanks darling son for sharing those germs around), but plan to have a couple of early nights so that I am in fine form for a big stamping night with my lovely friends on Friday night - can't wait!

'Til next time - thanks for visiting, and I love reading your comments, my lovely friends :)