INKSPIRATIONS COLOUR CHALLENGE #54

How's this? Two blog posts in one day!  I have made a card for Makeesha's Inkspirations challenge this week, using the following colour combination:

In stark contrast to my last card, I managed to use only ONE stamp set to create this card.  Stampin' Up! makes it very easy to put together a project using one set; the stamps in each set go so well together, as well as (just as I've shown) with many others!  I'm on a bit of a butterfly kick at the moment, and the ones I've stamped tonight didn't escape the shimmer spritz treatment that is another of my favourites.  I used the "Rock and Roll" technique to create the dual-coloured butterflies.  First I inked up the butterfly stamp with my Blushing Bride stampin' pad, then I rolled the edges of the inked stamp in Early Espresso ink.  Pretty, don't you think?  I am loving the gorgeous Petals A Plenty embossing folder I received for Christmas, too.  All in all, I'm pretty happy with this card.  Apologies for the (lack of) photographic quality; I made the card on a whim tonight, and needed to photograph it tonight because, boo hoo, I have to go to work tomorrow.

Stamps: Great Friend

Card: Very Vanilla, Early Espresso

DSP: Blushing Bride Patterns Designer Series Paper

Ink: Blushing Bride, Early Espresso and Pear Pizzazz stampin' pads, Frost White Shimmer Paint (mixed with rubbing alcohol, to make a shimmer mist)

Other: Stamp-a-ma-jig, paper snips, Very Vanilla taffeta ribbon, Basic Pearls, stampin' dimensionals, Petals A Plenty embossing folder

"JUST ADD INK" CHALLENGE #33

The girls over at Just Add Ink have posted a sketch challenge this week.  I LOVE taking part in the challenges, but I must say I have a really hard time with sketch challenges; I'm so much more of a "colour challenge" girl!  Here's the sketch, to base a papercraft challenge on:

.... and, here's my (rather loose) interpretation, of the sketch.  Couldn't resist using more of the gorgeous new Greenhouse Gala Designer Series Papers.  I can see I'm going to have to order me another pack of these papers very soon!

Stamps: Great Friend, Friends Never Fade

Card: Whisper White, Certainly Celery, Rose Red

Ink: Basic Black, Certainly Celery and Rose Red stampin' pads

Other: Greenhouse Gala Designer Series Paper, 1 3/4" Circle Punch, White jumbo brad 5/16", Certainly Celery 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, sponge dauber, Mat Pack and Paper Piercing Tool, white gel pen, paper snips

We've had a lovely family day so far (and still a few hours to go ...), to celebrate Father's Day.  This morning, after letting Andrew (and the teenager who doesn't 'do' mornings) have a bit of a sleep-in, we visited the fabulous Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne.  LOVE the deli and fresh food section .... what a great place to visit.  We've paid a visit to Andrew's Dad (mine's in Western Australia, as he usually is at this time of year, enjoying the warm weather on Father's Day), and are now home in time to be sheltered from the miserable weather that's just come over!  I hope that all the Dads in your lives are enjoying their special day, too.

AAAAAAH..... SPRING!

Today we had a sure-fire sign of Spring being in the air; what a beautiful, sunny day in Melbourne.  It's so nice to feel the warmth of the sun again.  Here's my card for today:



Stamps: Great Friend

Card: Very Vanilla, So Saffron, Certainly Celery

Ink: So Saffron and Certainly Celery stampin' pads, Staz-On jet black ink pad, Versamark ink pad

DSP: Tea Party

Other: Certainly Celery 5/8" and 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, Ice Circle and Clear Circles rhinestone brads, 1 3/8" circle punch, scallop circle punch, sponge dauber, dimensionals

Aren't these colours nice and "spring-y"?  Stampin' Up! has a FABULOUS promotion this month, which allows you to get the following ribbon bundle for FREE!



With every order of Stampin' Up! product to the value of $100 or more, you can receive TWO rolls of ribbon absolutely free!  If you love ribbon as much as I do, this is enough to cause heart palpitations!!

These ribbons are not available to buy, and are on offer only for the month of September.  The bundle comprises one roll (9.144m) of Certainly Celery 5/8" poly-twill ribbon, and one roll (9.144m) of So Saffron 5/8" grosgrain ribbon. The width of the ribbons is the same as the wider ribbon on my card above.

So Saffron co-ordinates with, and complements, so many colours and Designer Series Papers in our current Idea Book & Catalogue.  It is a beautiful, soft yellow (not quite as bright as in the amateur photograph of my card!).  Certainly Celery is, as you can see, also a lovely soft colour.

If you agree that these ribbons are "must-haves", please email me - I'd be happy to take your order!

BROWN AND TEAL PLANTS

My post title today conjures up images of rather sickly flora, but that's not really the picture I wanted to convey!  Last night I was getting ready to go to bed, at what was a reasonable time, when I had a burst of inspiration to create with the colours Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip and Taken With Teal.  Since I have been a bit tired to make much in the way of cards this week, I decided to grab the opportunity to create (and in the process I stayed up way too late).

The key focus of my first card is the divine stamp set Organic Outlines.  The small flower on the oval panel is also from this set - I just stamped it off four times (!) on scrap paper before stamping it on Very Vanilla card, so it produced a subtle impression.  I love the look of a soft image over-stamped with a sentiment.  All of the stamps used on this card are from Organic Outlines set.



Stamps: Organic Outlines

Card: Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Taken with Teal, Very Vanilla

Ink: Close to Cocoa stampin' pad, Taken with Teal stampin' pad and marker, Chocolate Chip stampin' pad and marker

Other: Sponge daubers, wide oval punch, chocolate chip taffeta ribbon, scallop edge punch, ice circles rhinestone brads, dimensionals

Please excuse the totally un-thought-out photography; I didn't even notice the rather gawdy contrast with the green walls until I uploaded the photos, and I'm altogether too lazy to re-take and upload the shot (our computer is soooooo sloooooow)!

For my second card, I used another of my favourite stamp sets, Pocket Silhouettes, that has been rather neglected lately.  This is a great little set; I had a lot of fun making this card.  For the rhinestone centre in the felt flower, I didn't want the bulk of a brad, so I splayed the prongs of the brad wide open, and removed the rhinestone from its claw setting (sounds complicated, but it was very easy).  This was a tip I found on Mary Fish's Stampin' Pretty blog - Mary's a bit of a Stampin' Up! guru, and has lots of simple and fun tips to share.



Stamps: Pocket Silhouettes, Great Friend

Card: Chocolate Chip, Taken With Teal, Kraft, Very Vanilla

Ink: Chocolate Chip stampin' pad and marker, Taken With Teal stampin' pad and marker, Sahara Sand stampin' pad

Other: Felt flower from Flower Fusion Too, ice circle rhinestone brad (removed from casing), scallop circle punch, dimensionals, stamp-a-ma-jig, Valet Ribbon

I am looking forward to having some 'play time' over the weekend, as work is pretty stressful at the moment.  Have half a day of my eldest son's football tomorrow, but other than that very few commitments - just how I like it!  I must get my craft room tidied up a bit so I have some space in which to stamp.  I'll be back soon to share some more cards. Thanks for visiting!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME .... :)

I've had a super-happy day today, celebrating my *ahem* 41st birthday.  Despite the fact that I had to go to work, I still managed to enjoy my day!  I have been very spoilt, by dear friends hand-delivering flowers, cards and chocolates (which have been stashed away, out of hubby's reach!).  My darling little 8-year-old made me a gorgeous card (hijacked by his brother and father, so they wouldn't have to worry about getting me a separate one, bless them) and even made the bed for me this morning!  Ethan was so sweet, about wanting to do 'all my jobs', and couldn't get enough of singing 'happy birthday'.  His enthusiasm was infectious, and it truly made me feel special.  Jack (13) has (somewhat reluctantly, under duress from his pouting mother) made me cups of tea this evening, although I suspect he will now use that as 'ammunition' and expect something in return!  Kids - gotta love 'em!

Our house looks somewhat like a florist's, and the perfume of the flowers is divine.  It's so nice to have a 'girly' touch to our house, as with two sons and a husband I do often feel a little overwhelmed by the testosterone.  Unfortunately, my camera battery died just as I decided to document the evidence of the love my friends feel for me.  I will, in the light of day tomorrow, take some photos, and promise to share them on here soon!

My sister, Lynda, turned 40 yesterday, and we had a big family dinner last night to mark the special occasion.  I am so proud to be part of the family I have; I love my sister and brothers, parents, nieces and nephews to bits, and we always leave it too long between get-togethers.  I was so focussed on remembering to take all Lynda's presents along to the restaurant (I was co-ordinator of a HUGE stash of Stampin' Up! goodies that the family all gave her) that I totally forgot to take my camera!!! I'm relying on my siblings and parents to come up with some photos for me - hopefully I'll be able to share some of those with you too.  (Just don't hold your breath on that one!) 

I do, however, have a photo that I took earlier of the birthday card I made for Lynda, so this post won't be entirely picture-less!  I have used paper, stamps and accessories from the new Mini Catalogue, as well as some favourites from the Idea Book & Catalogue.  I'm just loving these colours, and hope you like it too! Here it is:



Stamps:  On Your Birthday, Great Friend

Ink: Baja Breeze stampin' pad; Basic Gray stampin' pad and marker; Cameo Coral stampin' pad and marker

Card: Baja Breeze, Whisper White, Basic Gray

DSP: Walk in the Park, Parisian Breeze

Other: Eyelet border punch, Basic Gray taffeta ribbon, clear rhinestone brads, Basic Gray and Baja Breeze corduroy brads, large white eyelet (WeRMemoryKeepers brand), crop-a-dile, dimensionals, sponge dauber

I'll be back with 'my' birthday photos over the weekend, as I prepare to continue celebrating turning a year older!  I am going out for a meal with friends tomorrow night (a girls' night out while the boys are at the football), and am also looking forward to stretching my birthday out to Tuesday, when my special 'stamp group' friends and I are going to 'do lunch'.  I am very blessed to have so many lovely friends; life is good!