DD #99 : STAMPIN' UP!'S ANOTHER GREAT YEAR

The current challenge at Dynamic Duos really called out to me, because it includes a colour I've been neglecting for a long time - Rich Razzleberry.

Here's the challenge:

 

 

I've let the large sentiment from Another Great Year take centre stage on my card.  It's gold-embossed, and the banners are coloured with a Rich Razzleberry marker.  I wanted to add some teensy flowers, but wanted them to be subtle, so used Creped Filter paper, and inserted a brad into each flower centre.

 

The light was not great for taking this photo - I got home from work when the natural light was fading, and, joy of joys, one of the fluorescent overhead lights in my craft room had decided to stop working!

 

 

 

 

Here's a better shot that shows the lovely sheen of the gold embossing:

Stamps: Another Great Year, Banner Blast

Card: Rich Razzleberry, Basic Black, Whisper White

DSP: Polka Dot Parade Designer Series Paper

Ink: Versamark inkpad, Basic Black craft stampin' pad, Whisper White craft stampin pad, Rich Razzleberry marker

Other: Gold stampin' emboss powder, Clear stampin' emboss powder, Essentials Paper-piercing pack, Paper-Piercing tool, Banner punch, Owl Builder punch (tiny heart on banner), Itty Bitty shapes punch, Neutrals and Brights brads, Tasteful Trim Bigz die, Creped Filter Paper, Sticky strip, sponge dauber

 

 

 



STAMPIN' UP!'S REV UP THE FUN : JACK IS 18!!

This time 18 years ago, I became a Mama for the first time.  Wow - where have those years gone??!!  (The lament of every mother, I'm sure.)

Because I am ridiculously detail-oriented (sounds much nicer than  "anal", don't you think?), I have scheduled this post for the exact time Jack was forced into the world!  He was almost 2 weeks overdue, and still had to be induced .... a cautiousness (reluctance?) that remains in his personality.

It's rather customary for me to make Jack a cricket-themed birthday card, but this time I'm getting some more use out of the fabulous Rev Up the Fun stamp set, as he'll be sitting his driver's licence test next week.  The car he'll be driving looks nothing like the one on the card, but he likes turquoise, so the appealing colour will just have to be enough for him!

Stamps: Rev Up the Fun, Gorgeous Grunge, Off the Grid, Express Yourself, Memorable Moments

Card: Early Espresso, Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White, Silver Foil paper

Ink: Early Espresso, Tempting Turquoise and Crumb Cake stampin' pads, Versamark inkpad

Other: Silver and Tempting Turquoise stampin' emboss powders, Metallic brads, 1/2" Circle punch, Tasteful Trim XL Bigz die, Neutrals candy dots, sponge dauber, 1 1/4" Circle punch, 1 3/8" Circle punch, 1 1/2" Circle punch (not SU!), Label Bracket punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig, stampin' dimensionals, multipurpose liquid glue

 

 

 

 

Here's a photo of the birthday boy, at a family celebration a few days early ... his "baby", Cricket the dog, had to get in on the action (hopefully Ethan won't notice that he's been cropped out of this pic!):

 

 

 

 

 

 



JAI #184: JUST ADD BOWS

Our challenge this week at Just Add Ink is to "just add bows" to a papercraft project.

I LOVE to tie bows, but wanted to think a little differently to my usual use of ribbon bows.  A happy discovery, in my neglected stash of non-Stampin' Up! products, was two little bow dies (one to cut a solid bow, and one to create an outline).

Here's what I came up with for this challenge:

Stamps: Delightful Dozen

Card: Crisp Cantaloupe, Very Vanilla smooth and Core'dinations

DSP: Birthday Basics Designer Series Paper

Ink: Crisp Cantaloupe stampin' pad and marker, Crumb Cake stampin' pad

Other: Hearts Collection framelits, Occasions Paper-Piercing pack, Paper-piercing tool, Stampin' Pierce mat, basic pearls, sponge daubers, Pistachio Pudding stretch ruffle trim, Tasteful Trim XL Bigz die, stampin' dimensionals, Petals-a-Plenty embossing folder, sanding block 

 

 

 

There are some AWESOME samples from the rest of the Design Team at Just Add Ink - make sure you check them out!  We hope to inspire you to play along with us this week.

 

 



STB #2: TEENAGE BOY CARD

Here's this week's sketch at Seize The Birthday ... the challenge is to create a masculine card, and the timing was perfect because I had to make a card for a special young man (waaaaay overdue for his birthday, but I'm sure it'll still be appreciated!).

I created an irregular-shaped central panel using my Top Note die from Stampin' Up!  After cutting a Top Note, I turned the die cut around 90 degrees, and cut again.  I then kept turning the die cut and putting it through my Big Shot, to end up with the shape below (I wanted it to be 'imperfect' for my boy's card).  I like how the ribbon treatment ended up looking like a little bow tie.

 

Stamps: Netting, Memorable Moments, Wacky Wishes, Owl Occasions

Card: Riding Hood Red smooth and textured, Basic Gray, Naturals White 

DSP: Twitterpated Designer Series Paper

Ink: Riding Hood Red and Basic Gray stampin' pads, Basic Gray marker

Other: Top Note die, Basic Gray taffeta ribbon, Tasteful Trim die, Finishing Touches Edgelits die, Basic Gray striped satin ribbon (reversed), In Color Printed Designer Brads, sponge dauber, 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" Circle punches, glue dots, Stampin' Dimensionals

JAI #136 : JUST ADD ... CHILDREN/ KIDS' CARDS

This week's challenge, set by Delys, at Just Add Ink is to make a card or other papercraft project with a child in mind.

This was a very timely challenge for me, because my youngest, Ethan, turned 12 just yesterday.  Even though my second lovely young man is growing up far too quickly for his Mum's liking, I'm sure he won't mind me focussing on him for my "kid's" card this week. 

Stampin' Up!'s Clockworks stamp set is a new favourite of mine - it's helping me get over losing Extreme Elements, that retired when our new catalogue came out a few weeks ago.  It is a great set to use to create backgrounds, which is how I used it on Ethan's card - randomly stamping four of the images on Naturals White card, using Island Indigo, Baja Breeze, and Sahara Sand inks.  I spritzed the background panel with Sahara Sand marker, and my Color Spritzer tool, before embossing the piece of card using my new Argyle embossing folder.

To create the sparkly balloon, I inked up the solid balloon (from Up, Up & Away) in Baja Breeze, "rock and rolled" the stamp in Island Indigo ink, and added Basic Gray stripes.  After cutting around the balloon, I pressed it (ink side down) into my Versamark inkpad, and applied and heat-set Iridiscent Ice embossing powder.  I love the subtle, not-too-girly result!

Stamps: Clockworks, Memorable Moments, Up Up & Away

Card: Naturals White, Basic Gray, Island Indigo, Vellum cardstock

Ink: Island Indigo, Baja Breeze, Sahara Sand and Basic Gray stampin' pads, Sahara Sand marker, Versamark inkpad

Other: Argyle embossing folder, Tasteful Trim XL Bigz die, In Color Printed Designer Brads, Labels Collection Framelits, sponge dauber, Island Indigo baker's twine, Iridescent Ice embossing folder, paper snips, Color Spritzer tool, mini glue dots, stampin' dimensionals

 

 

 

The rest of the Just Add Ink Design Team have come up with some fantastic kids' cards - be sure to check them out!  We hope you'll join us with your own creation this week.

STAMPIN' UP! BLOG HOP : MASCULINE THEME

Today I'm taking part in a blog hop, with 7 other friends who are also Stampin' Up! demonstrators in Australia.  The theme of our blog hop this time is "masculine projects" - right up my alley!

You may have come from Sue Madex's blog, but if not, you can catch up with Sue's creation once you've 'hopped' around the circuit (list of participants is at the end of my post).

I've made a couple of cards using Stampin' Up!'s Frightful Sight Designer Series Papers.  I love the colours in these papers - Basic Black, Basic Grey, Cajun Craze and Old Olive.  They get me out of my usual habit of gravitating towards browns and blues for male cards.

First up is a card I made for hubby's nephew, whose birthday was last week.

To make the 'medallion' for around the sentiment, I used my Scallop Circle punch, rotated the punched shape and punched again (to 'sharpen' the rounded scalloped edges), then snipped the edges by hand to give the shape a less uniform look.

Stamps: Up,Up & Away

Card: Basic Gray, Cajun Craze, Whisper White, Basic Black, Old Olive

DSP: Frightful Sight Designer Series Paper

Ink: Cajun Craze and Old Olive stampin' pads, Basic Gray stampin' pad and marker, Sahara Sand stampin' pad and marker, Jet Black Staz-on inkpad

Other: Timeless Type Alphabet dies, 1/4" Circle punch, 1 3/8" Circle punch, Scallop Circle punch, paper snips, Tasteful Trim Bigz XL die, Color Spritzer tool, Stamp-a-ma-jig

My second card is perhaps suited to an older male - I think the background paper makes it look a bit conservative (despite my use of the ever-cool Extreme Elements stamp set!).

Stamps: Extreme Elements, Texture jumbo Stampin' Around wheel, Happiest Birthday Wishes

Card: Basic Black, Whisper White

DSP: Cheerful Treat Designer Series Paper

Ink: Cajun Craze, Old Olive, Basic Black and Basic Gray stampin' pads, Jet Black Staz-on inkpad

Other: 2 1/2" Circle punch, Perfect Pennants Bigz die, Top Note die, Basics Glimmer brads, sponge daubers, Mat pack and Paper Piercing tool

Next on the blog hop today is Kathryn Mangelsdorf - you must check out what she has made, and continue on to visit all 8 of us.  We'd love some "comment love", so we know you've been to visit!

Here's a complete list of everyone taking part in the blog hop today:

Ros Davidson http://www.rosdavidson.typepad.com

Sue Madex http://www.madexcreations.com

Christine Blain http://www.christineblain.blogspot.com (you're here!)

Kathryn Mangelsdorf: http://klm55.blogspot.com

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

Di Dunk http://www.stampartbydi.typepad.com

Alisha Watson http://www.ratherbstamping.blogspot.com

Tina Gillespie http://scissorspapercard.blogspot.com

We hope you get some inspiration for cards for the boys and men in your life!

DD #10 : STAMPIN' UP!'S AWASH WITH FLOWERS

It has been a few weeks since I've played along at one of my favourite challenge sites, Dynamic Duos.  Time management hasn't been my forte lately (okay, ever), and I've not managed to juggle things as well as I had for a while there!  I'm pleased to say that I had a fairly productive time in my craft room yesterday, prepping for upcoming classes, and making a couple of much-needed cards.

Here's the yummy colour combo at Dynamic Duos this week:

I hadn't used Rich Razzleberry for a while until, funnily enough, I'd just made a card with it before seeing this challenge.  (You'll have to wait a week to see that one, though - keep an eye out!)  So, twice in one day I've rediscovered my love for this gorgeous colour.

Here's my card for this challenge:

Stamps: Awash With Flowers, Heard From the Heart

Card: Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White, Old Olive textured

DSP: Rich Razzleberry Patterns Designer Series Paper

Ink: Versamark inkpad, Rich Razzleberry and Old Olive stampin' pads

Other: White embossing powder, Old Olive scallop dots ribbon, Brights glimmer brads, Beautiful Wings embosslits, Tasteful Trim Bigz XL die, Mat Pack and Paper piercer, White gel pen, stamp-a-ma-jig, mini glue dots, sponge dauber



JAI #124: A COLOUR CHALLENGE

This week at Just Add Ink, Mae has set a stunning colour challenge, and you are going to LOVE the variety of samples from the Design Team.

I've gone for my favourite kind of card - one for the boys.  These are GREAT colours for a masculine project.

Stamps: Extreme Elements, Grunge Rock

Card: Marina Mist textured, Early Espresso, Wild Wasabi, Naturals Ivory, Very Vanilla

Ink: Early Espresso stampin' pad and marker, Marina Mist and Wild Wasabi stampin' pads

Other: Labels Collection Framelits die, In Color Glimmer brads, Mat Pack and paper piercing tool, Tasteful Trim Bigz XL die, Houndstooth embossing folder, stampin' dimensionals, sponge daubers, multi-purpose liquid glue, Fishtail banner dies (not SU!)

Make sure you go to Just Add Ink to see the rest of the Design Team's creations with this gorgeous colour combination.  We hope you play along with us - we'd love to see how you use these colours on a papercraft project!

STAMPIN' UP!'S FRIGHTFUL SIGHT DSP

Today I received a Stampin' Up! order, including a packet of Frightful Sight Designer Series Paper (thanks to my newest recruit, Joy, this paper was FREE - woohoo!). 

Ethan, my youngest, has need for a birthday card for a boy turning 11 ... I thought a spidery/ghosty/batty card might be in order, but boy, was I wrong.  Apparently the birthday boy LOVES food, and has parents who own a bakery.  Ethan decided I should make a card with a cupcake on it!!  Determined to still use my new paper, this is what I came up with:

Also in my delivery today was a new toy - the Diagonal Scoring Plate for my Simply Scored tool.  This super-duper item will be available to buy in July, as a special advance-purchase from the new catalogue due out in a few months.  We demonstrators are able to get it a little early (one of the many perks of being a demonstrator!).  Check out the cool texture I added to the die-cut edge:

Here's the list of products used on this card:

Stamps: Bring on the Cake, Grunge Rock, Create a Cupcake

Card: Cajun Craze, Basic Black textured, Old Olive, Basic Gray, Cherry Cobbler

DSP: Frightful Sight Designer Series Paper, Cajun Craze Patterns Designer Series Paper

Ink: Cajun Craze stampin' pad, Old Olive stampin' pad and marker, Basic Black stampin' pad

Other: Tasteful Trim Bigz XL die, Cupcake Builder punch, Color Spritzer tool, Square Lattice embossing folder, Simply Scored Diagonal Scoring Plate (available 1st July), sponge daubers, Decorative Label punch, Flag die (not SU!)

FM#60: STAMPIN' UP'S AUTUMN DAYS AND LOVELY AS A TREE

This week's challenge at The Friday Mashup is MY kind of challenge:

1. Make a project for " That special Man in your life ".
2. Or Make a project with the " Sketch ".
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a " Masculine card using the above Sketch ".

I started off with some paper from Stampin' Up!'s Well Worn selection; I just love this pack, and it's my "go to" paper for masculine cards.  I was trying to challenge myself to use the papers with River Rock and Cajun Craze patterns on, but really disliked what I came up with - that ended up in the bin!  I chose instead to use River Rock, Cajun Craze and Always Artichoke (but no Designer Series Paper), on a card for my Dad.  Here's the end result:

Stamps: Lovely As A Tree, Autumn Days, For My Family

Card: River Rock textured and smooth, Always Artichoke textured, Cajun Craze

Ink: Always Artichoke stampin' pad and marker, River Rock stampin' pad, Cajun Craze stampin' pad and marker

Other: Artichoke denim ribbon, Regals brads, Mat Pack and paper piercing tool, Labels Collection Framelits die, Square Lattice embossing folder, Tasteful Trim XL Bigz die, Color Spritzer tool, Stamp-a-ma-jig, sponge daubers, edge distressing tool, mini glue dots, stampin' dimensionals

I'm hoping to spend some time in my craft room tonight, after my boys' hours of cricket commitments (yes, it is off-season, but cricket dominates our lives all-year-round!), so stay tuned for a new card or two in the coming days!

JAI #119: A SKETCH CHALLENGE

This week at Just Add Ink, Mae has provided us with a great sketch for a card/scrapbook page:

It was my brother's birthday this week, so I used this sketch to make his card.

It's a little hard to see the detail of the background papers I've used, because I've embossed and sponged them to death, but I do like the 'grungy' look that resulted.  I've used three different pieces of Stampin' Up!'s Well Worn Designer Series Paper.  I have in my stash some Crumb Cake corduroy buttons, that are long since retired from Stampin' Up!'s range, but which come in handy for masculine cards.  The smaller buttons have been sponged with Not Quite Navy ink; I love that they can be customised!

(I'm not quite sure what's happened to the background, in the editing process - just ignore that!)

  Stamps: For My Family, Extreme Elements

Card: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Not Quite Navy

DSP: Well Worn Designer Series Paper

Ink: Early Espresso, Not Quite Navy and Crumb Cake stampin' pads, Not Quite Navy marker

Other: 2 1/2" Circle punch, Tasteful Trim XL Bigz die, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Square Lattice embossing folder, sponge dauber, Color Spritzer tool, Corduroy buttons, stampin' dimensionals, mini glue dots

Make sure you check out the rest of the Design Team's samples, for this week's challenge.  It's great to see the different ways we all interpret a sketch, and you're sure to be inspired by those talented women!

JAI #115 : A SKETCH CHALLENGE

Mae has come up with a great sketch for us this week at Just Add Ink.  I'm really warming to the infinite possibilities that a sketch provides; once I let go of my very literal way of thinking, I am able to have fun with it!

Here's the sketch that we'd like you to use, to make a card or scrapbook page:

I love to make masculine cards, and lately haven't been making many, so that was my challenge for myself - to adapt this sketch to a card for a man or boy.

I've used the colours in Stampin' Up!'s "Well Worn" Designer Series Paper as my starting point.  Only one stamp set was used on this card (VERY unusual for me, but it shows how fabulous SU! stamp sets are!) - the fun Up, Up & Away set.

Stamps: Up, Up & Away

Card: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Cajun Craze, Not Quite Navy

DSP: Well Worn Designer Series Paper

Ink: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Cajun Craze and Not Quite Navy stampin' pads

Other: Stamp-a-ma-jig, Tasteful Trim XL Bigz die, 1 3/8" Circle punch, Circles #2 die, Labels Collection Framelits, sponge daubers, Blue Denim ribbon, Linen Thread, Regals brads, Neutrals brads, Mat Pack and Paper Piercing tool, stampin' dimensionals, Tombow liquid glue

Make sure you check out all the Design Team's samples over at Just Add Ink.  There are some GORGEOUS cards to inspire you, my friends.  We hope to see you play along with us this week!

STAMPIN' UP! CHRISTMAS-THEMED BLOG HOP

Today I'm taking part, with 8 friends who are also Stampin' Up! demonstrators in Australia, in a blog hop.  We have lots of ideas to share with you, for using Stampin' Up! products to make your Christmas projects.

You may have come from the very talented Alisha Watson's blog.  If not, you can start here, and follow the link at the end of my blog post, to go on to the next 'stop'.  Please visit all 9 of us if you can, and leave us some comment love, so we know you've stopped by!

I have two cards to share with you.  The first card evolved from a flower that my friend Nikki kindly showed me how to make.  I didn't attend Stampin' Up! Regionals training this month, but by all accounts it was a "wow" event, not least of all because of Miriam Spiess's flowers!  My first attempt is not all that great, but you get the idea!

...... and a close-up of the crimped, die cut and punched panels on the spine of the card:

Stamps: Merry & Type

Card: Cherry Cobbler, Basic Black

DSP: First Edition Specialty Designer Series Paper

Ink: Versamark inkpad, Cherry Cobbler and Basic Black stampin' pads

Other: Tasteful Trim XL Bigz die, Decorative Label punch, Scallop Trim border punch, Crimper,          2 3/8" Scallop Circle punch, 1 3/4" Scallop Circle punch, Antique Brad, sponge daubers, paper snips

My second card uses a sheet of Designer Series Paper, from the "Letters to Santa" pack, that I hadn't yet cut into.  I really like the colours on this card.  I used the rock 'n' roll technique with the ornament stamp, with varying 'intensity' of rolling, to achieve two different looks.  The ornaments were inked up first in Marina Mist ink, then rolled on my Early Espresso stampin' pad.  Hubby thinks this card is too "blingy", whereas I think one rhinestone brad and four self-adhesive rhinestones is quite understated! LOL.

.... and a close-up of the ornaments and 'bling'.  (I was more concerned about two bows being "over the top"!)

Stamps: Delightful Decorations, Contempo Christmas

Card: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Whisper White, Riding Hood Red and Marina Mist

DSP: Letters to Santa Designer Series Paper

Ink: Marina Mist and Early Espresso stampin' pads

Other: Ornament punch, Cherry Cobbler seam binding, Basic Rhinestones, Ice Circle Rhinestone brad, Scallop Edge border punch, stampin' dimensionals, White baker's twine (*new - out 1st December), mini glue dots

I really enjoyed making these cards, and hope I've inspired you to try something new.

Now it's time to visit Ros Davidson's blog. 

 

Here's a list of all the participants in today's hop. 

Tina Gillespie

http://scissorspapercard.blogspot.com/

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

Sue Madex
http://www.madexcreations.com

Di Dunk
http://www.stampartbydi.typepad.com

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

Kathryn Mangelsdorf
http://klm55.blogspot.com

Alisha Watson
http://www.ratherbstampin.typepad.com

Christine Blain
www.christineblain.blogspot.com


Ros Davidson
www.rosdavidson.typepad.com

Thanks for stopping by, and have a great weekend!

STAMPIN' UP!'S BROADSHEET ALPHABET FOR A VERY SPECIAL YOUNG MAN!

Today my eldest boy, Jack, turns 16.  He is such a beautiful young man, and I look forward to seeing what his exciting future holds.  So many opportunities await ..... oh, to be young again!  (I don't really wish for that, but it is great watching our kids grow and develop, isn't it?)

Jack lives and breathes cricket.  He is so passionate about it, and is striving to play at a high level (hoping to one day wear "the baggy green" for the Australian cricket team).  I was determined to not make a cricket-themed birthday card, as I thought after three years in a row the idea might grow a bit tired!  I did, however, manage to sneak a little cricket ball onto the tag, for a pop of colour against all the neutrals.  That, in turn, inspired me to highlight one of the "16s" in Cherry Cobbler (my original idea of all Crumb Cake numbers made for a bit of a bland background).

Here's the card that the birthday boy is receiving, along with a super-duper set of headphones that are apparently a "must have" item.

Stamps: Broadsheet Alphabet, Happiest Birthday Wishes, Just Cricket (retired)

Card: Crumb Cake, Basic Black, Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler

Ink: Basic Black stampin' pad, Soft Suede stampin' pad and marker, Cherry Cobbler marker, Crumb Cake stampin' pad, Early Espresso stampin' pad and marker

Other: Timeless Type Junior Alphabet sizzlits die, Tasteful Trim Bigz XL die, Large Tag punch, sponge dauber, Silver Mini Brad, Tombow liquid glue, black adhesive dots (not SU!)