JUST ADD INK CHALLENGE #80

After teaching a class yesterday, focussing on the Stampin' Up! Designer Series Papers that will be retiring at the end of this month, I was inspired to get out my Play Date papers that I haven't used enough.  I love the fun, cheery patterns in this pack.  I'm just a prime example of someone who buys far too much stuff, and doesn't get to using it all!  (Hands up those of you who share this affliction!)

I decided that this week's sketch at Just Add Ink would be a great one to use with my newly-acquired Petite Pocket Bigz die (for the Big Shot).  This gorgeous die is one of the select number of new products, available from 1st September, that I was able to pre-order (one of the many perks of being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator).

Here's the card I made:

...... and here is the little tag that has been tucked inside the Petite Pocket:

Isn't that just such a cute, fun, thing????  I'm in love with this new die.  It will fit a standard-sized Australian gift card, but is a bit of a tight squeeze.

These are the products I used to make the card:

Stamps: Funky Four, Bring on the Cake

Card: Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Whisper White, Bashful Blue

DSP: Play Date Designer Series Papers

Ink: Chocolate Chip stampin' pad and marker, Old Olive stampin' pad and marker, Real Red marker, Bashful Blue marker

Other: Sponge daubers, Round Tab punch, Wide Oval punch, Scallop Edge border punch,  Beautiful Wings embosslits, Real Red corduroy brads (retired), Petite Pocket Bigx XL die, baker's twine (not SU!), Stamp-a-ma-jig, Top Note die (inside card), sticky strip

BUTTON BUDDIES FOR LYNDA

I used my new Button Buddies stamp set (in the new catalogue, out 1st September), from Stampin' Up!, to make a birthday card for my sis, who rather likes 'cute'.  The pig stamp in this set definitely qualifies as cute!

My trusty Color Coach suggested the colour combo of Pink Pirouette, Early Espresso and Baja Breeze.  Gorgeous.  Forgive the rather blown-out colours in the photo, but I got all excited about a rare burst of sunshine and photographed it outside before giving the card to the birthday girl.  I stamped both the base card, and the white panel across the middle, with tiny hearts in Pink Pirouette.  After stamping and crimping the sentiment, I spritzed it with Pink Pirouette as well.

Here's the card I came up with, for Lynda:

Stamps: Button Buddies (available 1st September), Curly Cute, Confetti

Card: Pink Pirouette textured, Whisper White

DSP: Baja Breeze and Early Espresso Patterns Designer Series Papers

Ink: Pink Pirouette stampin' pad and marker, Early Espresso stampin' pad, Baja Breeze stampin' pad

Other: Crimper, Basic Rhinestones, 1/16" hole punch, spone dauber, stampin' dimensionals, pink button from stash, embroidery thread, Color Spritzer tool

COLOUR Q #97 COLOUR CHALLENGE

After many days of waiting very impatiently, I have in my hot little hands some cardstock and inks in the new "in colors" that Stampin' Up! is adding to our range from 1st September.  As a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, I get the opportunity to pre-order some of the new goodies, and I can tell you now ...... they are GORGEOUS!!

Here is this week's colour challenge over at the fabulous ColourQ site:

I've made a card that I think would be just right for a girl's birthday:

Stamps: Party This Way, Bring On the Cake

Card: Pool Party (out 1st Sept.), Basic Black, Whisper White smooth and textured, Melon Mambo

DSP: Tangerine Tango and Melon Mambo Patterns Designer Series papers

Ink: Basic Black stampin' pad, Pool Party stampin' pad and marker, Tangerine Tango stampin' pad an marker, Melon Mambo marker

Other: Blender pen, Neutrals buttons, Crystal Effects, Scallop Edge border punch, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Mini Glue Dots, stampin' dimensionals

I am off to have lunch with my sister today, to celebrate our birthdays (that fall within a day of each other).  I hope you, too, have a lovely day!

SC002/11 & CTD #154

I used to get a bit confused when I saw abbreviations like those I've used in my post title ..... thought it was some kind of secret code.  That is, until I entered the world of online challenges with my cardmaking - now it makes perfect sense!  Read on, and you too will understand (if you're a little confounded).

I have made a card for a very special friend of mine, who turned 80 a little while ago.  I only just found out that she'd passed this milestone birthday (I thought she was 5 years younger!), and couldn't let it go without marking the occasion.

There is a new Australian challenge site that has caught my eye - Sunny Challenges & Creations.  The challenges are a 'double-edged sword', in that a sketch is provided ...... but you also have to use a certain Stampin' Up! stamp set when making your creation.  I'd planned to take part in their inaugural challenge, but completely forgot the second part of the challenge (really, two things is not that hard to remember?!), and the card I made didn't fit the bill.  This time I've been more careful!

Here's this week's sketch, that is to be used with the Friends 24-7 stamp set - a favourite of mine, that I'm sad to see retire from Stampin' Up!'s range at the end of this month.

This challenge relates to the SC002/11 in my title - Sunny Challenges' 2nd challenge for 2011.

When I saw this week's colour combo at The Color Throwdown, I knew it'd work perfectly for the card I had in mind.  Here's challenge #154 at The Color Throwdown (hence the reference to CTD #154 - makes perfect sense now, doesn't it?!).

..... and here is the card I made tonight (and photographed late, so apologies for the colours - in real life it looks so much nicer!):

Stamps: Friends 24-7

Card: So Saffron smooth and textured, Basic Gray, Whisper White

DSP: Play Date Designer Series Paper

Ink: Basic Gray, So Saffron, Daffodil Delight and Old Olive stampin' pads

Other: Blender pen, Boho Blossoms punch, Curly Label punch, Neutrals brads, Basic Pearls, sponge daubers, Timeless Type alphabet sizzlits die, oval Nestabilities

A SNEAK PEEK, WITH CREDIT TO MY COLOR COACH!

I decided last night to have a play with my Button Buddies stamp set - a gorgeous new set debuting in Australia/NZ at the beginning of September.  One of the great perks of being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator is the ability to earn some sets for free, and to pre-order others before their official release.  Button Buddies is one of the sets I came home from Convention with in May, and I have exercised incredible restraint (if I may say so myself!) and only just inked it up now!

My starting point for these cards was some Daffodil Delight buttons, that I got for free with last month's Stampin' Up! promotion.  I checked my Color Coach, and decided to go with the suggestion to use Daffodil Delight, Night of Navy and Old Olive together.  I never would've come up with this combo on my own, but I love the look.

I'm entering these cards in this month's So Shelli Creative Challenge.


This first card also uses another little stamp set (containing a couple of sweet sentiments) that will be out 1st September:

Stamps: Button Buddies, It's Your Day (both available 1st Sept.)

Card: Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Night of Navy

DSP: Old Olive and Night of Navy Patterns Designer Series Papers

Ink: Night of Navy stampin' pad and marker, Old Olive stampin' pad and marker, Daffodil Delight marker, Crumb Cake stampin' pad

Other: Ice Cream Parlor buttons, Word Window punch, Modern Label punch, Daffodil Delight taffeta ribbon, Circles #2 die, Scallop Squares Duo die, sponge daubers, stampin' dimensionals, mini glue dots

I've used the same colours on my second card, but changed things around a bit.  I am rather partial to the little scalloped mat I put behind the sentiment (can you see it?).  I used my SU! Scallop Envelope die to cut a Crumb Cake envelope, then cut off the envelope flap and just used that portion.  Don't you think it looks cute?!

Stamps: Button Buddies, Teeny Tiny Sentiments

Card: Crumb Cake, Whisper White smooth & textured, Old Olive textured

DSP: Night of Navy Patterns Designer Series Paper

Ink: Night of Navy stampin' pad & marker, Old Olive marker, Daffodil Delight marker, Crumb Cake stampin' pad

Other: Ice Cream Parlor buttons, Word Window punch, Daffodil Delight taffeta ribbon, Scallop Envelope die, Scallop Squares Duo die, sponge daubers, mini glue dots

JUST ADD INK #79 : JUST ADD TEARING OR DISTRESSING

Ethan has been invited to a friend's 12th birthday party next weekend.  He came to me with a very specific brief, on what sort of card he'd like me to make for the birthday girl (seems he's a bit too busy immersing himself in his Harry Potter books, to make the card himself .....).  Using Extreme Elements, I was to come up with something in pink, purple and white.

I haven't given my Extreme Elements set any love for a while, so I was up for the challenge!  It's such a fun set to play with.

Because I've distressed the edges of the main panel with a paper distressing tool (ie my Stampin' Up! paper snips, opened!), and I've torn a layer of card, I think this card qualifies as an entry in this week's Just Add Ink challenge.   Oh, plus I've used my Color Spritzer tool, to grunge it up a bit. 

Ethan's happy with the end result, so my job is done!

Stamps: Extreme Elements, On Your Birthday

Card: Melon Mambo, Regal Rose, Whisper White, Elegant Eggplant

Ink: Melon Mambo stampin' pad and marker, Regal Rose, Perfect Plum and Elegant Eggplant stampin' pads

Other: Crimper, Basic Rhinestones, paper snips, sponge dauber, Color Spritzer tool

INKSPIRATIONS COLOUR CHALLENGE #80

For the past few days, I've been a bit intimidated by this week's Inkspirations colour challenge!!  I decided to bite the bullet and have a go, after being inspired by a masking technique my friend Helen showed me on one of her gorgeous cards.

I've come up with a very simple little note card, using just splashes of colour on a mostly white 'canvas'.  Because I've made, and photographed, this card at night, I apologise that you really have to squint to see the details!  I added a Whisper White scalloped border to the bottom of the card.  The central panel was masked off with a Post-it Note, and stamped with Pocket Silhouettes.  Sweet little Itty Bitty Flower punchies add a bit of embellishment.  The edges of the Pear Pizzazz mat have been distressed a little.

Stamps: Sincere Salutations, Pocket Silhouettes

Card: Whisper White, Pear Pizzazz, SU! Note card in Whisper White, Peach Parfait

DSP: Concord Crush Patterns Designer Series Paper

Ink: Concord Crush, Pear Pizzazz and Peach Parfait stampin' pads

Other: Stamp-a-ma-jig, Scallop Edge border punch, Itty Bitty Shapes punch, Basic Pearls