JAI #69 : JUST ADD FUSSY CUTTING

The challenge at Just Add Ink this week is to use "fussy cutting" in a papercraft project.  Essentially, this means cutting around an image, or images .... the more intricate the better!  I haven't gone terribly intricate, but I did enjoy the bit of cutting I did to make today's card. 

Here's a close-up of my two favourite features of my card.  Check out the shimmer (can you see it??), and the gorgeous waffle pattern I created using my Stampin' Up! Crimper.  Both techniques are so easy to do, but really add a special 'something', don't you think?

Here is the card I made.  I'm loving these colours together, I must say.

Stamps: Because I Care, Silhouette Sentiments (both hostess stamp sets)

Card: Baja Breeze, Whisper White smooth and textured, Watercolour Paper

DSP: Rich Razzleberry Patterns Designer Series Paper

Ink: Jet Black Staz-On inkpad, Rich Razzleberry stampin' pad, Baja Breeze stampin' pad and reinker, Old Olive and Always Artichoke stampin' pads

Other: Aquapainter, paper snips, 1 3/8" x 5/8" Oval punch, Basic Pearls, stampin' dimensionals, Whisper White 1/8" taffeta ribbon, Crimper, mini glue dots, Tombow Multi glue, Frost White shimmer paint (mixed with Isocol to make shimmer spray)

COLOR ROUND UP COLOR CHALLENGE #34

This weekend Ethan, my youngest, is going to the 11th birthday party of one of his friends.  Of course,  a card is needed .... although Ethan's a pretty great cardmaker himself, he'd much rather spend his time watching WWE on tv (heaven help us), or playing PS3 with his brother (in those moments when they decide they really do love one another).

The colour combination put forward by Holly at Rubber Redneck this week is, I think, perfect for a boy's card.

I got out my Extreme Elements stamp set (I haven't used that for a while, have I?  Been getting too busy with butterflies on my cards, I think!).  It's THE best set for a masculine card.  I've also made use of my fabulous new Stampin' Up! crimper (that thing is seriously heavy-duty - love it!), and trusty Square Lattice embossing folder, to add a bit of texture.  The lightly distressed edges on the cardstock mats were achieved by running my fingernail along the edges.

Here's the birthday boy's card:

Stamps: Extreme Elements, Wonderfully Worn, Bring on the Cake

Card: Marina Mist, Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler

Ink: Marina Mist and Cherry Cobbler stampin' pads, Whisper White craft stampin' pad

Other: Sponge daubers, Star punch, Small star punch (retired), Neutrals brad, Crimper, Square Lattice embossing folder

COLOR Q CHALLENGE #86

Phew - I've just scraped in with this week's Colour Q Challenge, which ends in a few short hours:

Tonight I decided to show some love to my had-to-have, but sadly neglected, gorgeous Owl Punch.  This little guy has been sitting on a rail, without being used, for some time.  Here is what I came up with, using these colours:

Stamps: Hello, You; Friendly Words jumbo Stampin' Around wheel

Card: Early Espresso, Whisper White, Real Red textured, So Saffron textured, Daffodil Delight

DSP: Play Date Designer Series Paper

Ink: White Staz-On Opaque inkpad, So Saffron stampin' pad, Early Espresso stampin' pad and marker

Other: Two-Step XL Owl punch, Mat Pack and Paper Piercing tool, Early Espresso 1/8" taffeta ribbon, sponge daubers, Scallop Edge border punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Real Red corduroy buttons (not available in Aus.), stampin' dimensionals, mini glue dots

STAMPIN' UP! COLOR COACH BLOG HOP

Today I am taking part, with six friends who are also Stampin' Up! demonstrators in Australia, in a blog hop.   You may have come from Ros Davidson's blog, but if you're starting here, that's okay too.  At the end of each blog post will be a link to the next 'stop', so just click on those links to make your way around all seven of our blogs.

Our focus for today's blog hop is Stampin' Up!'s handy-dandy tool called the Color Coach:

This is a fabulous tool to help with your creativity, and to stretch you outside of your comfort zone!  On the back of the swatches of card (in Stampin' Up!'s entire colour range), are suggestions of complementary colours, and of combinations that you probably never would have thought to put together!  My cards today are a case in point (of the latter).

As much of a 'green' girl as I am, I struggle to use Garden Green in my projects.  I was bound and determined to do something with this colour combination, suggested to me by the Color Coach:

Although I felt a bit uncomfortable at first, combining these colours,  I'm quite happy with the end results.  I have two cards to show you, so you can see these colours can actually work together (those gurus at Stampin' Up! really know what they're talking about!).

Stamps: Motorcycle, Extreme Elements, Occasional Greetings, Pocket Silhouettes

Card: Garden Green, Tangerine Tango, Whisper White

Ink: Jet Black Staz-On inkpad, Garden Green and Bashful Blue stampin' pads, Tangerine Tango and Basic Gray markers

Other: Blender pens, Stampin' Sponges, Crop-a-dile, Jumbo Pewter Eyelets, Top Note die, Square Lattice embossing folder, Scallop Oval punch (for mask to create clouds), paper snips

...... and one for a younger boy:

Stamps: Pun Fun, Extreme Elements, Seeing Stars, On Your Birthday

Card: Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Tangerine Tango, Garden Green

DSP: Tangerine Tango and Garden Green Patterns Designer Series Paper

Ink: Jet Black Staz-On inkpad, Crumb Cake, Bashful Blue, Tangerine Tango and Garden Green stampin' pads

Other: Word Window punch, Modern Label punch, 1 3/4" Circle punch, sponge daubers, Mat Pack and Paper Piercing tool

I also had a play with another colour combination.  I'd decided I wanted to use Cajun Craze, but not with the usual my autumnal-toned 'suspects'.  Here's the challenge I took up, from the Color Coach:

My first card turned out like this:

Stamps: En Francais, Friends 24-7, Trendy Trees

Card: Very Vanilla, Always Artichoke textured, Perfect Plum, Watercolour paper

DSP: Cajun Craze and Perfect Plum Patterns Designer Series Papers

Ink: Jet Black Staz-On inkpad, Always Artichoke and Perfect Plum stampin' pads

Other: Blender pens, Beautiful Wings embosslits, Crochet Trim, Word Window punch, sponge dauber, Whisper White taffeta ribbon (coloured with a Cajun Craze marker)

Before I show you my last card, I'll just issue a "purple alert"!  My usual tactic of subtle background stamping just flew out the window with this one.  Here is the second card I made using the same colour combination of Cajun Craze, Perfect Plum and Always Artichoke:

Stamps: Love & Care, Because I Care (both hostess sets)

Card: Perfect Plum, Always Artichoke, Watercolour paper

Ink: Perfect Plum stampin' pad and marker, Always Artichoke stampin' pad and marker, Cajun Craze stampin' pad and marker

Other: Beautiful Wings embosslits, Eyelet border punch, Basic Pearl, Scallop Oval punch, 1 3/4" x 7/8" Oval punch, sponge daubers, water spritzer

If you don't already own a Color Coach, I'd encourage you to get one; it has helped me out of many a 'slump', and I have had a lot of fun using colour combinations that at first seem a bit unusual.  It costs $28.95, and if any of us on the 'hop' today is your usual Stampin' Up! demonstrator, we'd be happy to help you out.

Now it's time to hop on over to my friend Kristine's blog.  She will no doubt have something gorgeous to show you!  If you lose track of who to visit, you can check back in here, as I've listed below all of the participants in today's hop.  Thanks for stopping by!

Ros Davidson

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


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


Kristine Thompson
http://www.inkspotcreations.typepad.com/
Di Dunk
http://www.stampartbydi.typepad.com/


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


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


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

INKSPIRATIONS COLOUR CHALLENGE #70

I've managed to cross off my "to do" list a few things that had to get done today, so decided I'd whip up a quick little card to give myself a break from the chores.

I am really pleased I've had a chance to play along with this week's Inkspirations Colour Challenge, as I'm in a bit of a "purple patch" this week ..... just loving using purples on my projects.  (Tune in on the weekend for more, when I'll be joining in a blog hop focussing on Stampin' Up!'s Color Coach!)

 .... and here is the 10cm square card I made, using up little strips of Designer Series Papers in Blushing Bride, Perfect Plum and Sahara Sand:

Stamps: Because I Care (hostess set)

Card: Very Vanilla, Perfect Plum, Sahara Sand

DSP: Perfect Plum, Blushing Bride and Sahara Sand Patterns Designer Series Papers (including hostess pack)

Ink: Sahara Sand and Perfect Plum stampin' pads

Other: Beautiful Butterflies Bigz die, Very Vanilla taffeta ribbon, Modern Label punch, Basic Pearls, sponge dauber, Finial Press embossing folder

COLOR LAB COLOUR CHALLENGE #41

I must admit I found this week's Color Lab challenge a real challenge!!  (Surely that's a good thing?!)

I was going okay with the three main colours, having chosen to make a simple card using one of my new favourites, the Create A Cupcake stamp set.  However, I had a hard time figuring out how to incorporate a touch of Perfect Plum.  I have a lot of trouble pairing Perfect Plum with Concord Crush!!  In the end, I managed to add a tiny touch of plum, using little heart punchies to highlight the sentiment.  Here's my card:

Stamps: Create A Cupcake

Card: Pear Pizzazz, Concord Crush, Pale Plum, Whisper White textured and smooth

Ink: Versamark inkpad, Pear Pizzazz, Concord Crush and Blushing Bride stampin' pads

Other: Stamp-a-ma-jig, 1 3/4" circle punch, 2 3/8" scallop circle punch, 1/16" hole punch, Build A Cupcake punch, Word Window punch, Two-Step XL Owl punch, Blushing Bride ribbon, Mat Pack and paper piercing tool

This is one of the cards we'll be making in my Autumn-Winter Mini class this Saturday.  I have one spot left in the class, if you'd like to come - just email me at stampwithchristine@gmail.com!

COLOUR Q CHALLENGE #85

Love, love, love the colour challenge over at ColourQ this week.  Take a look:

I must admit that the combination of greys, with brown, threw me a little, but I am pleased with how my little (10cm square) card turned out:

Stamps: Apple Blossoms (hostess set), En Francais

Card: Peach Parfait, Sahara Sand textured, Basic Gray, Chocolate Chip

DSP: Peach Parfait Patterns Designer Series Paper (hostess pack)

Ink: Versamark inkpad, Peach Parfait, Sahara Sand and Chocolate Chip stampin' pads

Other: Beautiful Wings embosslits, Jumbo brad, Spiral punch, Chocolate Chip taffeta ribbon (retired), sponge daubers, Stamp-a-ma-jig