JAI #173 : JUST ADD ..... WATER

The inspiration for this week's Just Add Ink challenge came from, of all things, a humble bottle of water! 

All of the Just Add Ink Design Team members who travelled to Brisbane for Stampin' Up!'s Convention in May, stayed in apartments that had complimentary water in the fridge on arrival.  Check out the bottle label - these waters were placed there especially for us (at least we can  pretend!).

 

So, our challenge this week is to Just Add Water, to your card or other papercraft project.  You may interpret this how you like - weather it be water-related stamp images, or watercolouring, or maybe even a Sweet Treat cup filled with water.  Let's see what you come up with!

 

Here is my card, using some beautiful "watery" paper from the Sunshine & Sprinkles Designer Series Paper Pack, just retired.

 

 

..... and the inside of the card:

 

 

 

Stamps: The Open Sea, That's the Ticket, Up Up & Away (retired)

Card: Pacific Point, Marina Mist, Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede

DSP: Sunshine & Sprinkles Designer Series Paper (retired)

Ink: Pacific Point stampin' pad and marker, Marina Mist marker, Soft Suede stampin' pad, Crumb Cake stampin' pad, Soft Sky stampin' pad

Other: 2 1/2" Circle punch, Ticket Duo builder punch, Basics Glimmer Brad, Crumb Cake taffeta ribbon, Pacific Point stitched grosgrain ribbon, sponge dauber, Linen Thread, Sea Charms dies (not SU!), stampin' dimensionals

 

 

Make sure you check out the rest of the Design Team's samples. We hope to see you playing along with our challenge this week!

STAMPIN' UP!'S THE OPEN SEA FOR STB #4

Over at Seize the Birthday, this week it's all about male birthday cards, using this sketch:

 

 

 

I've used one of my all-time favourite masculine stamp sets from Stampin' Up! to make this card:

 

 

 

Stamps: The Open Sea; Bring on the Cake; Up, Up & Away

Card: Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Island Indigo

DSP: Festival of Prints Designer Series Paper stack (retired)

Ink: Crumb Cake stampin' pad, Island Indigo stampin' pad and marker, Early Espresso stampin' pad and marker, Bashful Blue marker

Other: Apothecary Accents framelits, 1 1/4" Circle punch, Argyle embossing folder, sponge daubers, Linen Thread,  Naturals Designer Buttons, Natural Trim ribbon, glue dots, Stampin' Dimensionals, banner die (not SU!),, Color Spritzer tool

 

 

 

 

STAMPIN' UP!'S "UP, UP & AWAY" IN GIRLY IN-COLORS

Today I have a sneak peek for you of a super-cute Stampin' Up! embossing folder, and a new framelits die, available to buy from 1st February .... only 2 days away!!  We have a fabulous new Seasonal Catalogue coming out on Friday, and it is chock-full of gorgeous new products.

Here's a card I recently made for my niece, for her birthday.  I've kept it pretty simple, because I just love how perfect a backdrop the clouds are for those bright balloons!

 

Stamps: Up, Up & Away; Bring on the Cake

Card: Crumb Cake, Primrose Petals, Whisper White

DSP: Birds of a Feather Designer Series Paper

Ink: Primrose Petals and Crumb Cake stampin' pads, Summer Starfruit stampin' pad and marker

Other: Stamp-a-ma-jig, Hearts a Flutter framelits die (available 1st Feb.), Itty Bitty shapes punch, Paper-Piercing mat and tool, sponge dauber, Primrose Petals and Summer Starfruit stitched satin ribbons, Cloudy Day embossing folder (out 1st Feb.), 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.

SC #052/12 : STAMPIN' UP!'S UP, UP & AWAY

I am really pleased to announce that, for the month of August, I have a guest spot on the Design Team at Sunny Challenges & Creations!!  I've been following, and playing along with a number of the challenges on, this site since it started a year ago, so I am honoured to be a Guest Designer this month.

This week's challenge is to use the sketch below as a starting point, for a masculine project.  This is the first sketch I have ever designed, and I must say I'm pretty happy with myself! LOL.  With Father's Day coming up (at least in the Southern Hemisphere) next month, it's a good time to think about card/s needed for that day.  Or, you might just like to make a card for another special male in your life.  Here's the sketch:

..... and here is my card, using Up, Up & Away (a great stamp set for 'the boys'):

Stamps: Up, Up & Away, For My Family, Texture jumbo stampin' around wheel

Card: Early Espresso, Very Vanilla, Marina Mist

DSP: Letters to Santa Designer Series Paper

Ink: Crumb Cake stampin' pad and marker, Early Espresso, Marina Mist and Real Red stampin' pads

Other: Color Spritzer tool, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Jewelry Tag punch, Square Lattice embossing folder, Linen Thread, Brights brads, Mat Pack & Paper-piercing tool, stampin' dimensionals, jumbo brad (Very Vanilla), flag dies (not SU!), sponge daubers, edge distressing tool

Make sure you check out the rest of the samples from the Design Team, and we hope you play along 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!

CARD FOR MY DAD

This month's So Shelli Creative Challenge is focussed on Father's Day, which is observed in the US and Canada next month.  Down here in the southern hemisphere, Dads have to wait until September for this celebration of them ..... but I figured I could be super-organised, and get a card ready for my father!

I pulled out my favourite masculine papers, Stampin' Up!'s Well Worn collection, and chose one of the sheets that I hadn't even cut into yet.  I tend to favour the earthy, brown-toned papers, but decided to show some love to the blue piece that has some River Rock and Cajun Craze touches.  I then reached for my "go to" male stamp set of the moment - Up, Up & Away.

Here's what I came up with:

Stamps: Up, Up & Away; Wonderfully Worn; For My Family; Texture stampin' around wheel

Card: River Rock textured and smooth, Early Espresso, Not Quite Navy

DSP: Well Worn Designer Series Paper

Ink: River Rock, Early Espresso, Cajun Craze and Not Quite Navy stampin' pads

Other: Labels Collection Framelits dies, stamp-a-ma-jig, Not Quite Navy taffeta ribbon, Early Espresso 1/8" taffeta ribbon, Square Lattice embossing folder, Regals brads, stampin' dimensionals, mini glue dots, Mat Pack and Paper Piercing tool, sponge daubers

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!

JAI # 104 : BACK TO SCHOOL

This week's challenge at Just Add Ink is to make a papercraft project with a "back to school" theme.  Here in Australia (and in New Zealand), the summer holidays are over, and a new school year has just begun.  Speaking of new beginnings, this is my very first submission as part of the Design Team at Just Add Ink!

My eldest son is commencing his VCE this year.  It's the last two years of his secondary schooling, and both Years 11 and 12 count towards the final assessment that determines entry to university/tertiary studies.  I wanted to encourage Jack to do the best he can do (I always tell him that, but I reckon he thinks I'm nagging!), so came up with this card for him, as he enters this important stage of his schooling.

I created the large star, on which the sentiment is mounted, by punching out five 'pennants' with my Petite Pennants Builder punch.  I sponged the edges of each pennant, and adhered them to the reverse side of the Riding Hood Red circle.

Stamps: Extreme Elements; For My Family; Up, Up & Away

Card: Not Quite Navy, Riding Hood Red, Crumb Cake, Whisper White

DSP: Well Worn

Ink: Crumb Cake, Riding Hood Red, Not Quite Navy stampin' pads

Other: Stamp-a-ma-jig, Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine, Blue Denim ribbon, Linen Thread, Subtles Glimmer brad, 1 3/4" circle punch, Circles #2 die, Petite Pennants Builder punch, sponge daubers, MFT Die-Namics star die

Be sure to check out the other Design Team members' samples .... there are some fabulous ideas, to inspire you with your own papercraft projects.  Have fun!

PENNANT PARADE BRIGHT AND CHEERY CARD

Tomorrow is my lovely sister-in-law's birthday.  (I'm actually blessed to have three lovely sisters-in-law; I am one lucky girl - love them all dearly.)

Despite living only a very short distance from the birthday girl, I am guilty of not always getting her birthday cards to her in time.  This year, however, I was very organised, and delivered it a day early - woohoo! 

Stamps: Pennant Parade, Happiest Birthday Wishes, Up, Up & Away

Card: Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Tempting Turquoise, Real Red, Daffodil Delight

DSP:  Big Top Birthday Designer Series Paper

Ink: Jet Black Staz-On inkpad, Real Red stampin' pad

Other: Brights button, White baker's twine, Dotted Scallop Ribbon border punch, Petite Pennants Builder punch, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, paper snips, mini glue dots, stampin' dimensionals, Tombow multipurpose liquid glue, , Scallop Square Nestabilities

JUST ADD INK #89

This week at Just Add Ink, the girls have challenged us to use this photo as inspiration:

Now that I look closely at the photo, I can see that the backdrop is water.  However, what I first thought of when I saw this, was the Serengeti!  I pictured hot air balloons over African plains at sunset.

I came across some papers in my extensive stash of unloved non-Stampin' Up! products on the weekend, so decided to put a few pieces to use on my card for this week's challenge.

My eldest boy is about to learn to drive, and in anticipation of him successfully obtaining his Learner's Permit, I made a card (which I'm pretty sure is safe from his sight, 'cos checking Mum's blog is not on his radar).  I love the new For My Family stamp set, with numerous combinations of sentiments and fonts; I can see it fast becoming a go-to set for me.  I've inked up my new Up, Up & Away stamps for the first time.  What a fun set to play with!  Here's what I made:

Stamps: Up, Up & Away; For My Family

Card: Basic Black, Peach Parfait

DSP: Kaisercraft Rewind papers

Ink: Versamark inkpad, Basic Black, So Saffron and Peach Parfait stampin' pads

Other: Black embossing powder, Tangerine Tango embossing powder, Stamp-a-ma-jig, sponge daubers, Dotted Scallop Ribbon border punch