DD#21: STAMPIN' UP!'S PERFECTLY PRESERVED

It has been WAY too long since I played along with the gorgeous colour challenges at Dynamic Duos.  Time to rectify that!

Check out this week's colour challenge:

This was one challenge I just had to enter, because Certainly Celery is one of the few Stampin' Up! colours that I hardly ever use.  I am a lover of greens, but as a general comment, I find Certainly Celery to be a bit 'washed out' for my liking.

These colours made me think of Granny Smith apples.  Maybe because I had my Perfectly Preserved stamp set on my desk, I had apples on my mind!  Here's what I came up with (using the "rock and roll" technique on the apple stamp):

 

Stamps: Perfectly Preserved

Card: Crumb Cake, Certainly Celery textured (retired), Very Vanilla

DSP: Always Artichoke Patterns Designer Series Paper

Ink: Crumb Cake, Certainly Celery and Always Artichoke stampin' pads, Versamark inkpad

Other: Cannery Framelits die, Bitty Banners Framelits, Finishing Touches edgelits, sponge daubers, green brads (from retired SU! stash), Always Artichoke and Crumb Cake seam binding, mini glue dots, stampin' dimensionals, Stamp-a-ma-jig

 

SC 060/12: SKETCH CHALLENGE, WITH EMBOSSING

The challenge this week, at Sunny Challenges & Creations, is to create a papercraft project based on the sketch below.  The second component of the challenge is to use embossing on your project.

I have had a lovely time playing with some new products, as well as showing some love to an 'old favourite' stamp set that I haven't used for a while.  On my card, I have used dry-embossing (using the new Woodgrain embossing folder with Core'dinations cardstock), and heat-embossing (using the new Early Espresso embossing powder on the tree).  So, I've got the "embossing" component covered!

Stamps: Serene Silhouettes, Itty Bitty Banners, French Foliage

Card: Naturals White, Raspberry Ripple, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso Core'dinations cardstock

Ink: Versamark inkpad, Early Espresso stampin' pad and marker, Crumb Cake stampin' pad, Raspberry Ripple stampin' pad and marker

Other: Early Espresso embossing powder, Raspberry Ripple stitched satin ribbon, Labels Collection Framelits, Bitty Banners Framelits, Woodgrain embossing folder, Dotted Scallop Ribbon border punch, Linen Thread and needle, Festive Paper-Piercing pack, sponge dauber, mini glue dots, stampin' dimensionals, paper snips

 

 

We'd love to have you play along with us at Sunny Challenges & Creations this week.  Make sure you check out the rest of the Design Team's samples, for inspiration!

 

 

 



BLOG HOP : STAMPIN' UP'S ANNUAL CATALOGUE

Today I am taking part, with six other Stampin' Up! demonstrators, in a blog hop, showcasing products from Stampin' Up!'s new Annual Catalogue.  Our new catalogue came out in Australia and New Zealand, along with the fabulous new Holiday Catalogue, at the beginning of September - and boy, am I having fun playing with my new toys!!

You may have come to my blog from Ros Davidson's blog, but if not, don't worry - you can do a full circle, and get to visit the blogs of everyone involved in the 'hop' today, just by clicking on the link at the end of each participant's blog post.

I have a couple of cards to share with you today.  I'm a bit excited about the first one, because I've used a medium that's new to me, in cardmaking.  I can't sew, and was a bit unsure what to do with the cute Summer Smooches fabric I received as a 'freebie' at Stampin' Up! Convention this year.  I decided to try adhering some fabric to a piece of cardstock - so I simply covered a piece of Whisper White card with my Anywhere Glue Stick (which has square edges, making it super-easy to cover a card panel).  I smoothed a piece of bright, flowery fabric over the card, and ran it through my Big Shot, using my trusty Top Note die.  Check out the cute result, below!  The sweet little sentiment is from a lovely new stamp set called A Fitting Occasion.

Stamps: A Fitting Occasion

Card: Real Red, Whisper White

DSP: Summer Smooches Designer Series Paper

Ink: Versamark inkpad, Tempting Turquoise and Real Red stampin' pads

Other: Summer Smooches Designer Fabric, Top Note die, Lucky Limeade ruffled ribbon, 1" Circle punch, Curly Label punch, sticky strip

My next card features Summer Starfruit, one of the five new "In Colors" that will be in Stampin' Up!'s range for two years.  I've watercoloured one of the images from the new hostess stamp set called Summer Afternoon, and teamed it with some gorgeous Comfort Cafe paper, which has Summer Starfruit, Cajun Craze and Soft Suede patterns - love it!

Stamps: Just Believe, Summer Afternoon

Card: Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Summer Starfruit, Cajun Craze, watercolour paper

DSP: Comfort Cafe Designer Series Paper

Ink: Timber Brown Staz-On (not SU!), Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, Summer Starfruit, Cajun Craze and Old Olive stampin' pads

Other: Blender pens, Regals brads, Victoria crochet trim, Lots of Tags sizzlits, Itty Bitty shapes punch, Basic Pearl, sponge dauber, mini glue dots

The next stop on the blog hop today is Nikki Sadler's blog.  We'd love it if you visited each of our blogs, and left us a comment so we know you've been.  We hope to inspire you to use your new Stampin' Up! products in different ways.


Here's a complete list of all the people taking part in today's blog hop, in case you lose your way at any point:



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

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

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

Margaret Knoops http://www.purplebuttons.wordpress.com

Tina Gillespie http://scissorspapercard.blogspot.com

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

Sue Madex http://www.madexcreations.com


 Enjoy "hopping"!

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 059/12: AN EASEL CARD

This week's challenge at Sunny Challenges & Creations is to make an easel card, incorporating this sketch:

 

 

I found a very cool tutorial on Andrea's blog, showing how to make cute little square easel cards - you get three cards out of one 12"x12" sheet of cardstock.  This tutorial appealed to me, because I am rather challenged when it comes to anything other than a "normal" fold card!  I have always admired easel cards made by others, but thought they weren't for me - well, look out world.  Now that I know how to make them, there's no stopping me!  LOL.

 

Here's what I came up with, thanks to some adorable new Stampin' Up! products:

 

 

 

The card front props up against a stamped oval, raised up with Stampin' Dimensionals.  The little stockings were coloured direct-to-rubber with markers, and are from the super-cute new Owl Occasions stamp set (as are the sentiment and present stamps).

Here's a clearer view of the inside of the card:

..... and the front of the card, when it's closed:

Stamps: Owl Occasions

Card: Baja Breeze textured, Soft Suede, Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler

DSP: Snow Festival Designer Series Paper

Ink: Cherry Cobbler stampin' pad and marker, Soft Suede stampin' pad and marker, Baja Breeeze marker

Other: 1 1/4" Scallop Circle punch, Scalloped Dotted Ribbon border punch, 1" Circle punch, XL Oval punch, Cherry Cobbler seam binding, Stamp-a-ma-jig, stampin' dimensionals, mini glue dots, sticky strip

 

 

 

I had a lot of fun making this card, once I got over my "easel phobia", and hope you will do the same!  We'd love to have you play along.  Make sure you check out the rest of the Design Team's samples, too!

 

 

 



JAI #135 : A "PERFECTLY PRESERVED" COLOUR CHALLENGE

This week at Just Add Ink, Kim has set us a colour challenge:

My first thought was to make a flowery card, but I decided instead to have a play with a few new products to make a fun little 10cm x 10cm card.  It's very simple, but I think cute - and I had a lot of fun making it.

 

Stamps: Perfectly Preserved, Itty Bitty Banners

Card: Old Olive, Whisper White, Real Red, Pink Pirouette

Ink: Real Red and Pink Pirouette stampin' pads, Jet Black Staz-On inkpad

Other: Cannery Set Framelits, Bitty Banners Framelits, Large Scallop Edgelits, Delicate Designs embossing folder, Adorning Accents embossing folder, Fashionable Hearts embosslits, white baker's twine, sponge daubers, stampin' dimensionals

 

 

Make sure you check out the rest of the Design Team's samples .... and play along with us!  We'd love to see your card/scrapbook page, or 3D item, made with these colours.

 

 

 

SC 58/12: A BLACK & WHITE CHALLENGE

This week at Sunny Challenges & Creations, we have a sketch AND colour challenge for you.

I have never felt very comfortable making cards in just Black and White - I am always tempted to inject some colour.  However, I've stuck with the brief, and found that it's not quite as difficult as I'd made it in my own mind!

I have had a play with a gorgeous new stamp set from Stampin' Up! - it's called Serene Silhouettes.  I white-embossed, on Basic Black card, the circular image.  A second stamp from the set was used to stamp on the striped paper, in Basic Black ink.

Stamps: Serene Silhouettes, Teeny Tiny Sentiments

Card: Basic Black, Whisper White

DSP: Basic Black Patterns Designer Series Paper

Ink: Versamark inkpad, Basic Black stampin' pad, Jet Black Staz-On inkpad

Other: White embossing powder, 1 3/4" Circle punch, Perfect Pennants Bigz die, Beautiful Wings embosslits die, Basic Black scallop dots ribbon, Word Window punch, Modern Label punch, sponge dauber, Basic Rhinestones, Stampin' Dimensionals, Multipurpose Liquid Glue

 

 

Please visit the Sunny Challenges & Creations site, to be inspired by the rest of the Design Team's samples, and to join in the fun!