Monday, March 12, 2012

STAMPIN' UP!'S FLOWER BURSTS FOR OUR CREATIVE CORNER

This week I am playing along, for the first time, in a challenge over at Our Creative Corner.  The challenge is to:

  Play along with us in a game of papercrafting tic-tac-toe. Choose "three in a row" on the Tic-Tac-Toe board and make sure you work those elements into your papercraft project.





I've chosen the vertical column of Flowers, Yellow and Glitter.  It's a little hard to see in my photo, but in addition to using Stampin' Up!'s silver Glimmer Paper, I've used Dazzling Details to affix silver pearls to the flower centres.

Do you think it's "brad overkill" on this card??  I love using brads, but think I might've got a bit carried away!



Stamps: Field Flowers, Nature Walk, Elements of Style
Card: Basic Black, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White, Silver Glimmer Paper
DSP: Flirtatious Specialty and Daffodil Delight Patterns Designer Series Papers
Ink: Daffodil Delight, Old Olive and Basic Black stampin' pads
Other: Flower Burst embosslit die, Whisper White organza ribbon, Beautiful Wings embosslits, Neutrals brads, sponge dauber, corner rounder punch, 3/4" and 1" circle punches, stampin' dimensionals, mini glue dots

Friday, March 9, 2012

JAI #108 : COLOUR CHALLENGE

Nikki has come up with this week's challenge at Just Add Ink,  to use these gorgeous colours together on a papercraft project:




I've run with the idea of Pool Party being a great bird's egg colour, and come up with this:




Stamps: Nature Walk, French Foliage, Established Elegance, Teeny Tiny Sentiments
Card: Early Espresso, Pool Party, Whisper White
Ink: Pool Party stampin' pad and marker, Island Indigo stampin' pad and marker, Early Espresso stampin' pad and marker
Other: Color Spritzer tool, Edge distressing tool, Island Indigo ruffled ribbon, Square Lattice embossing folder, Word Window punch, Modern Label punch, aquapainter, stampin' dimensionals, mini glue dots, sponge dauber


Make sure you check out the rest of the Design Team's samples over at Just Add Ink.  We hope to inspire you, to play along with us this week!

Friday, March 2, 2012

JAI #107: JUST ADD .... NIKKI SPENCER!

This week's challenge at Just Add Ink is to case one of the gorgeous creations of the equally gorgeous Nikki Spencer, one of our Design Team members.

I decided to CASE this card, as I own, but haven't used, Stampin' Up!'s Build A Blossom stamp set and co-ordinating Blossom Petals Builder Punch.  I love the reds used by Nikki, but challenged myself to go with a blue colour scheme, as I rarely reach for blues.


Here's my version:



As you can see, I've used my standard top-fold A5 sized card (as opposed to Nikki's square).  I have difficulty tilting panels on my cards, so I placed the sentiment straight; perhaps I need to work on that neurosis!


Here's a closer look at the sparkly butterfly that is perched on the satin ribbon.  The stamped image was coloured in with markers, then spritzed with Champage Shimmer mist (shimmer paint mixed with rubbing alcohol).



Stamps: Build A Blossom, Kindness Matters, Field Flowers, Four Frames
Card: Marina Mist, Whisper White
DSP: Marina Mist Patterns Designer Series Paper
Ink: Bashful Blue stampin' pad and marker, Marina Mist stampin' pad and marker, Wild Wasabi and Basic Black stampin' pads
Other: Decorative Label punch, Blossom Petals Builder punch, Framed Tulips embossing folder, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Antique Brad, Champagne Shimmer paint, Basic Pearls, Crimper, sponge dauber, Bashful Blue satin ribbon, sticky strip, mini glue dots, paper snips

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

STAMPIN' UP!'S SUMMER SOLSTICE SYMPATHY CARD

One of my several unused stamp sets, is Summer Solstice.  It is a beautiful set, that of course I HAD to have ... and it has been sitting on my shelf unloved for a few months.

Last night I had a dream that involved black embossing on Crumb Cake (I know I'm not alone in dreaming about cards!).  I had a clear picture in my mind of a simple card that I wanted to make - paring it back to the basics, to let the stamps do the talking.  I haven't used any Designer Series Papers, or anything beyond simple embellishments on this one, and I'm really happy with the way it came together so easily.




Stamps: Summer Solstice
Card: Crumb Cake, Whisper White
Ink: Versamark inkpad, Whisper White craft stampin' pad
Other: Black embossing powder, White embossing powder, corner rounder punch, Whisper White satin ribbon, Basic Rhinestones, sponge dauber, mini glue dots

Monday, February 27, 2012

SC 0029/12: EXTREME ELEMENTS/GRUNGE ROCK - BLUE VERSION

This week's challenge at Sunny Challenges & Creations, is to use this colour combo on a papercraft project:





I had to make a birthday card for a special young man, and, rather than re-invent the wheel, thought I'd CASE myself - since I was rather pleased with this card I made in recent days.


Here's the version I've come up with, to fit in with the colour challenge:



Stamps: Extreme Elements, Grunge Rock
Card: Night of Navy, Bashful Blue, Very Vanilla
Ink: Night of Navy and Bashful Blue stampin' pads, Basic Gray stampin' pad and marker
Other: Blue Denim ribbon, Silver mini brads, Mat Pack and paper piercing tool, edge distressing tool, 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" circle punches, Color Spritzer tool, sponge daubers, Timeless Type Alphabet sizzlits die, Square Lattice embossing folder

STAMPIN' UP! EXTREME ELEMENTS & GRUNGE ROCK FOR A 5OTH

Stampin' Up!'s Extreme Elements stamp set has long been a favourite of mine, for male cards especially.  I've combined stamps from that set, with Grunge Rock (a new-to-me stamp set, that I am loving) - how great does the sentiment look?  This card is for my brother-in-law, who recently celebrated his half-century.

My trusty Color Coach suggested I combine Always Artichoke, Crumb Cake and (would you believe it?) Bashful Blue.  I must say I rather like how these colours work together.



Stamps: Extreme Elements, Grunge Rock, Texture jumbo Stampin' Around wheel
Card: Always Artichoke and Bashful Blue textured card, Crumb Cake
Ink: Crumb Cake, Bashful Blue and Always Artichoke stampin' pads
Other: Timeless Type alphabet dies, 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" circle punches, edge distressing tool, sponge daubers, Linen Thread, Artichoke denim ribbon

Saturday, February 25, 2012

STAMPIN' UP! SALE-A-BRATION BLOG HOP

I have actually posted twice in two days (I know - I must be getting back into the groove finally!).  If you're here to see my Just Add Ink post for this week, please scroll down!  Thank you :)


Today I'm taking part in a little blog hop with friends - there are only 7 of us participating this time around.  Some fellow Australian Stampin' Up! demonstrators and I would like to share with you our creations made with Sale-A-Bration products.  These are products that can be earned for FREE, with every order of $100 worth of product (until 31st March).  The freebies on offer this year are the best we've ever had, and hopefully today you'll get lots of inspiration for using them on your own projects.

You may have come to my little corner of the world from Nikki Sadler's blog.  If not, just start from here, and follow the links around all seven blogs.

My first card showcases the stamps from Elementary Elegance along with some of the yummy paper from the Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Paper pack.  I've chosen the colour scheme of Peach Parfait, Very Vanilla and Crumb Cake, from the paper.



Stamps: Elementary Elegance
Card: Peach Parfait, Very Vanilla, Vellum cardstock
DSP: Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Paper
Ink: Peach Parfait stampin' pad and marker, Crumb Cake stampin' pad, Basic Black stampin' pad
Other: Curly Label punch, Itty Bitty shapes punch, Everyday Enchantment brads, Basic Pearls, Color Spritzer tool, stampin' dimensionals, paper snips, Very Vanilla velvet ribbon, Scallop Edge border punch, sponge daubers, mini glue dots



Whilst I adore the vintagey stamp sets offered this year,  I thought I'd step outside that comfort zone a bit and show a simple way of using Outlined Occasions - also one of the free sets.  I think the sentiments from this set look great just stamped as outlines, but you can also colour in the words for a different look.  I've paired the stamped sentiment with Big Top Birthday papers, for a crisp, fun card.



Stamps: Outlined Occasions
Card: Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White, Real Red
DSP: Big Top Birthday Designer Series Paper
Ink: Real Red and Tempting Turquoise stampin' pads
Other: Scallop Edge border punch, Tempting Turquoise 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, Brights brads, 1/2" Circle punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig, sponge dauber, mini glue dots


The next stop on today's blog hop is the blog of Tina Gillespie.  Please check out what everyone has made; we all have different styles, and I'm sure you will get some great ideas today.

Here's a complete list of everyone participating in today's blog hop.  Don't forget to leave a little comment love for everyone, so we know you've been!





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

Christine Blain http://www.christineblain.blogspot.com

Tina Gillespie http://www.scissorspapercard.blogspot.com/

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

Kathryn Ruddick http://www.katlodesigns.com

Sue Madex http://www.madexcreations.com