SC 005/11 - SKETCH CHALLENGE

In between running errands, and preparing for my class this weekend, I managed to fit in a bit of play time today.  I've made a card for this week's challenge over at Sunny Challenges & Creations.

The starting point for challenge entries, is to use the following sketch, and incorporate Marina Mist (one of Stampin' Up!'s beautiful blues) in your project.

I have in my hot little hands some of the beautiful Paisley Petals Designer Series Paper that will be on sale from 1st September, when Stampin' Up!'s new catalogue goes live.  I was lucky to receive some as a gift a little while ago, but I've held off using it until now.  My card is rather simple and understated; I thought it'd be suitable for a sympathy card, or (as the sentiment says) just a "thinking of you" card.

Stamps: Trendy Trees

Card: Early Espresso, Marina Mist, Whisper White

DSP: Paisley Petals Designer Series Paper (out 1st September!)

Ink: Early Espresso stampin' pad

Other: Word Window punch, Modern Label punch, sponge dauber, Marina Mist satin ribbon, Basic Pearls, Lace Border punch (available 1st September), mini glue dots

JAI #82 : JUST ADD SOMETHING FROM YOUR STASH!

This week's challenge at Just Add Ink is to use something from your stash of papercrafting supplies, that has sat unloved for some time.

I've managed to incorporate several "why did I even buy those?" items on my card.  In all honesty, I do know why I bought them ..... I have a compulsion to buy just about everything in the Stampin' Up! catalogue.  I have bought, but neglected:

• Cottage Garden stamp set
• Heard From the Heart stamp set
• Sunny Garden Designer Series Paper
• Paper Daisies
• Daffodil Delight taffeta ribbon

...... and, here they are, all sitting harmoniously together on a card:

Stamps: Cottage Garden, Heard From the Heart

Card: Poppy Parade, Whisper White

DSP: Sunny Garden Designer Series Paper

Ink: Poppy Parade stampin' pad

Other: Stamp-a-ma-jig, Daffodil Delight taffeta ribbon, Brights brads, mini glue dots

BLOG HOP - RETIRING STAMPIN' UP! PRODUCT

Today I am taking part, with six other Stampin' Up! demonstrators, in a little blog hop.  We want to share with you some projects using products that will retire when our current Idea Book & Catalogue finishes on 31st August.

You may have come to my blog after visiting my creative friend Alisha Watson.  If you haven't, no problem - just follow the link at the end of my blog post, onto the next stop on the circuit.  You can hop from one blog to the next, until you've visited all seven.  Hopefully you'll get some great ideas, will NEED to order some of the retiring products before they are gone forever, and will leave us some comments to let us know you've been to visit!  Enjoy!

On my first card I've used the fabulous Occasional Greetings stamp set - a firm favourite in my collection, that I will be very sad to see go.  It's a great all-occasion stamp set.  I have also used Woodland Walk Designer Series Paper (love the earthy tones in that paper).  All the "DSP" packs in the current Stampin' Up! catalogue will retire on 31st August, to make way for new selections.  (NB:  The Patterns stacks, that contain 40 sheets of 12" x 12" paper, will not be retiring.)

Stamps: Occasional Greetings, Lovely As A Tree

Card: Chocolate Chip, Not Quite Navy, Sahara Sand

DSP: Sahara Sand and Certainly Celery Patterns Designer Series Papers, Woodland Walk DSP

Ink: Chocolate Chip stampin' pad, Certainly Celery stampin' pad, Sahara Sand stampin' pad and marker, Not Quite Navy stampin' pad

Other: Metallic brads, Square Lattice embossing folder, Itty Bitty Shapes punch, Mat Pack and Paper-Piercing tool, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Aquapainter, sponge daubers, paper snips, mini glue dots

Another great stamp set that is retiring shortly is Pun Fun.  This set is full of fun images, and sentiments.  I've paired it with some retiring Designer Series Papers, to show you how cute it can look using the paper-piecing technique.  Here are a couple of simple little 10cm square cards:

Stamps: Pun Fun, Short & Sweet, Confetti

Card: So Saffron, Peach Parfait, Whisper White

DSP: Sunny Garden Designer Series Paper

Ink: So Saffron stampin' pad, Peach Parfait stampin' pad and marker, Jet Black Staz-on inkpad

Other: Peach Parfait stitched-poly ribbon, Word Window punch, Square Lattice embossing folder, sponge daubers, Scallop Square Duo Bigz die, paper snips, mini glue dots

Stamps: Pun Fun, Tiny Tags

Card: Chocolate Chip, Real Red, Whisper White

DSP: Play Date Designer Series Paper

Ink: Jet Black Staz-on inkpad, Real Red stampin' pad, Chocolate Chip marker

Other: 1 3/4" Circle punch, 2 3/8" Scallop Circle punch, Circles #2 die, Jewelry Tag punch, paper snips

That's it from me today, so it's now time to check out what Ros Davidson has to share.

Here's a list of all participants in today's blog hop:

Ros Davidson

http://www.rosdavidson.typepad.com

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

Kathryn Ruddick
http://www.katlodesigns.com

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

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

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

Christine Blain (that's me)
http://www.christineblain.blogspot.com

STAMPIN' UP!'S "FRENCH FOLIAGE" - ISLAND INDIGO

I am LOVING that a teal colour (Island Indigo) will be added back into Stampin' Up!'s colour range, come 1st September.  I was a big fan of the old Taken With Teal, so this colour makes my heart happy.

Browsing through a linen catalogue the other day, I was inspired by a colour combination that looked like River Rock, Island Indigo and Pear Pizzazz in Stampin' Up!-speak.  You know we demonstrators don't think in terms of red, blue, yellow, orange, green, brown, etc., don't you??!!

Out came my trusty French Foliage set, that creates fabulous collage panels, no matter what colours you combine, and here is the end result (with splashes of Basic Gray).  Disclaimer:  my head appears to have been on crooked when I took the photo!

Stamps: French Foliage, Clearly For You, Perfect Punches, En Francais

Card: Basic Gray, Whisper White, Island Indigo, River Rock

Ink: Island Indigo, River Rock, Pear Pizzazz and Basic Gray stampin' pads

Other: Round Tab punch, Basic Gray corduroy buttons and Designer button (both retired), sponge daubers, Square Lattice embossing folder, stampin' dimensionals, baker's twine (not SU!)

JAI #81 : MORNING CUP GIFT CARD SET

This week's colour challenge at Just Add Ink had me stumped for a bit, until I made the decision to finally ink up the Morning Cup stamp set I have had for a while, and hadn't used.  I had a lot of fun 'watercolouring' (using a blender pen, and inkpads) with these colours:

I decided to also show some love to my neglected Scallop Envelope die; so cute, but seldom used in my household.  I cut out two envelopes, from Bashful Blue card, and trimmed the bottom flap on each.  I then joined the two envelopes to make a tiny box, and cut off the scalloped flap from the front. 

This sweet little box is the perfect size to hold 6 gift or note cards, 7.5cm x 7 cm in size.  Here's a top view (with the cards arranged in a pretty pattern of colour - Very Vanilla, Bashful Blue and Peach Parfait) ....

Sorry about the less-than-fabulous lighting in these photos.  It was TOO sunny on our front deck (I am happy to report that Spring is on its way!), so I set up around the side of the house, in the shade.  I had to very hurriedly photograph the little cards, as gusts of wind seemed to pick up every time I tried to stand them up.  They look pretty cute in real life, if I may say so!

Stamps: Morning Cup, Teeny Tiny Sentiments, Tiny Tags, Bring on the Cake

Card: Bashful Blue smooth & textured, Cajun Craze, Peach Parfait, Very Vanilla, Watercolour paper

DSP: Cajun Craze and Bashful Blue Patterns Designer Series Papers

Ink: Jet Black Staz-On inkpad, Bashful Blue stampin' pad and marker, Peach Parfait stampin' pad and marker, Cajun Craze stampin' pad, Versamark inkpad

Other: Word Window punch, Medium Jewelry Tag punch, Decorative Label punch, Large Oval punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, Scallop Circle punch, 1 3/4" circle punch, Circles #2 die, 2 3/8" Scallop Circle punch, Itty Bitty Shapes punch, Boho Blossoms punch, Basic Pearls, sponge daubers, stampin' sponges, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Two-Step Owl Punch, Frost White shimmer paint (mixed with Isocol to make shimmer spray), blender pens, Neutrals brad

CREATIVE ELEMENTS - POPPY AND CORAL

Reading the title of this post, you could be forgiven for thinking I'm referring to two females.  However, I have combined a couple of Stampin' Up!'s colours to feature in my post today.  What a duo I've found in  Poppy Parade and Calypso Coral!  Calypso Coral is one of five new "in colors" that is being added to Stampin' Up!'s range on 1st September, when our new catalogue goes 'live'.  Creative Elements is one of my favourite new stamp sets from the new catalogue.

I am always inspired by the bold, clean, graphic creations of Dawn McVey - she has such a way with colour.  My starting point for this card was feeling inspired by Dawn's first card that you'll see if you click on her name. 

Most of the colour you see on my card is Poppy Parade.  I have stamped the flourishy frame, and a few little 'bits' (I think they're buds) from Style Beautiful, in Calypso Coral.  The other stamped images are Poppy Parade, and I used a blender pen with Poppy Parade ink to colour the outline stamp.

Stamps: Creative Elements and Four Frames (out 1st September), Clearly For You, Style Beautiful

Card: Crumb Cake, Confetti White

DSP: Poppy Parade Patterns Designer Series Paper

Ink: Crumb Cake, Poppy Parade and Calypso Coral stampin' pads

Other: Sponge dauber, Decorative Label punch, Poppy Parade stitched-poly ribbon, Designer Frames embossing folder (out 1st September), Basic Pearls, stampin' dimensionals, mini glue dots, blender pen

SNEAK PEEK OF DELICATE DOILIES AND POOL PARTY

I have in my possession several new goodies, pre-ordered in readiness for the 1st September launch of Stampin' Up!'s new Idea Book & Catalogue.  Feeling a bit overwhelmed, and not sure where to start with some of my products, I decided a good old blog surf was in order.  When I stumbled across this stunning card by Lucy Abrams, I was instantly inspired.

I started out with a card base of Soft Suede, which I stamped using the smallest doily stamp from the new Delicate Doilies set.  I've used a couple of the other doily stamps, and Whisper White craft ink, on the main panel of Pool Party card (isn't it a gorgeous colour?).  I've used a new embossing folder, some new paper, and a new butterfly stamp, for my central image.   LOVE how this card turned out.

Stamps: Delicate Doilies, Creative Elements (both available from 1st Sept.), Sincere Salutations

Card: Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Pool Party

DSP: Beau Chateau Designer Series Paper (available from 1st Sept.), Soft Suede Patterns Designer Series Paper

Ink: Soft Suede and Pool Party stampin' pads, Whisper White craft stampin' pad

Other: Tasteful Trim Bigz XL die, Victoria crochet trim, Beautiful Wings embosslits die, Wide Oval punch, Designer Frames embossing folder (available 1st Sept.), Antique brad, sponge dauber, Mat Pack and Paper Piercing tool, mini glue dots, stampin' dimensionals