Sunday 29 April 2012

Simply Stampin' Challenge Top 3

I was very surprised and chuffed to be in the Top 3 for this week's Simply Stampin' Challenge.  This is my card made with the Stampin' Up "Tea Shoppe" stamp set that I entered in the challenge.  I was trying out the  technique of making the Gingham Look background using the Stripes embossing folder which I thought went perfectly with the tea cups.



Saturday 28 April 2012

Spiced Paisley - Emboss Resist Technique

I had a really great afternoon today trying different techniques and ideas.  Some came out absolutely horrible (these have been recycled) as the colours that I put together did not work or the stamp set was not suitable for the technique that I was trying. 

I was inspired to try the emboss resist technique by a card made by Heather Telford.  This is the first time I have used this techinque, and I madly went through my goodies to make sure I had the clear embossing powder required.  I was in luck, so I got to creating. 

The stamp set used is the Spiced Paisley set from Stampin' Up which was featured in the Summer Mini Catalogue and the colours are Perfect Plum, Night of Navy and Whisper White. 


 Card 1 - This is actually the last card I made to use up all the left
over bits and pieces and I like this one the best, go figure.

 Card 2 - This is the first card I made using a centre panel design.  The
only navy coloured ribbon I had was a grossgrain ribbon which was
a little bit stiff for the look I was after, but it looks okay.

 Card 3 - I used the same sketch as the previous card, but I placed
it off-centre and also offset the heart emblishment.

Card 4 - Basic sketch but I wanted to showcase the beautiful
effect of the emboss resist technique.  It looks so pretty and it
would have been a shame to hide it behind embelishments.


Attic Boutique

Work has been quite hectic this week so I have not had time to play in my craft room.  But today is Saturday and no work, yipee, so I had time to get my crafting fix.  It has been a really gloomy and overcast day here in Perth today, with the rain finally arriving about 4pm so it was an ideal day to play with paper and ink.

I have been playing with the Attic Boutique DSP featured in the Autumn/Winter Mini Catalogue, this DSP is so pretty and elegant.  The sketch for this card was inspired by a card made by Sharon Johnson.  I have added the ribbon flower and altered things up, but the basic sketch is the same.  I like the tag as the centre element and just had to add some butterflies, these have been missing of late on my creations.

Sunday 22 April 2012

A Cup of Thanks

The challenge this week at Simply Stampin' Challenge is based on the following colours:


All products used on these cards are from Stampin' Up.

I saw the technique several weeks ago of inking up the Stripes Embossing Folder with one colour embossing this and then using another colour and embossing this piece sidways to create a gingham look piece.

I was having a bit of trouble incorporating the Pink Pirouette into my card for the challenge, however I have used it as a mount behind the Very Vanilla cardstock.  On the gingham piece I have used Soft Suede and Marina Mist embossed on Very Vanilla.  The stamp set I have used is "Tea Shoppe" from the Autumn-Winter Stampin' Up Mini Catalogue.

I had an epiphany (had to look up how to spell this) today and realised that the Punch Windows Magnetic Movers and Shapers Die set co-ordinated with the Scallop Oval, Modern Label and Full Heart Punches.  I only realised this when I was making my labels for the cards and accidently put them together, and voila I had a layered label.  I thought I was so clever, until I read the catalogue and it advised this.  I am probably the only person who did not know this.  Anyway something learned a day makes it a good day.  So I now have more options for layering labels which is great.

This is my card for the Simply Stampin' Colour Challenge.



As I had the Striped Embossing Folder and brayers inked up I decided to make 2 more cards.  I was quite please with the end result and I even managed to use offcuts from my stash which was even better.

I have use the "Tea Shoppe" set again for these extra cards as well as I thought that they could go into my ideas for card classes.  They are only basic and I resisted the urge to ink the edges as I was trying to keep the cards clean and simple for a beginners class.

The sketch design for the second card I cased from Deconstructed Sketches.  The rest of the card has been design by me.  The gingham piece was made using the Soft Suede and Pink Pirouette embossed on Very Vanilla cardstock.


The third card is all my design and creation.  Again the colours used are Soft Suede, Pink Pirouette and Very Vanilla.



 


Bordering on Romance

I have been asked by some friends and work colleagues to start card classes using Stampin' Up products. The thought is a bit daunting as I have never taught card classes in this format before.  But I am willing to give it a go.  I have attended enough classes over the years to figure out how to manage it.  Organisation is the key, but not one of my strong points.

I have been playing around with techniques and ideas for card sets for these classes.  On this set of cards I tried the "Faux Mother of Pearl" technique.  I designed the card set around one stamp set "Bordering on Romance" as I was trying to show case the stamp set and what could be achieved from the one set.   The sentiments are from the "Sincere Salutations" and "Teeny Tiny Sentiments" stamp sets.  I think these two stamp sets are good additions to any stampers stash, as they have so many sentiments in the set.

The colour scheme for this set is just a little bit blue, using Night of Navy, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White and Old Olive (just a touch of this).  Blue and white go so well together.

The "Faux Mother of Pearl" finish is made by sponging Shimmer Paint (I used Frost White) on Whisper White cardstock with a piece of scrunched up plastic wrap.  I then sponged Not Quite Navy lightly over the cardstock which gave it the blue tone.

The photos do not do justice to the finished technique, but it gives a beautiful shimmering effect.

I have used the Edgelits Dies to create the edging on two of the cards and the scalloped edge on the other.  I love this die set, as the piece that you cutoff for one card can be used as a border for the next card.  This minimises waste and offcuts.  By making 3 cards in a set minimal offcuts and waste are created.

On the 3rd card I used the flower border stamp in the "Bordering on Romance" set and the scalloped Edgelits die to create the scalloped border piece.  The die and stamp do not quite match, but it is close enough to give a pretty finish.  I coloured the daisies with Not Quite Navy and Old Olive Stampin' Write Markers.



Wednesday 18 April 2012

Faux Patina

Splitcoaststampers Weekly Inkling #308 this week shows Angie Leach's tutorial on "Faux Patina".  What an amazing technique.  In the tutorial Angie used the colours of Marina Mist, Crumb Cake, Always Artichoke and Early Espresso which created a beautiful finish.

This is my sample of the "Faux Pantina" technique using Bravo Burgundy, Crumb Cake, Always Artichoke and Early Espresso and gold embossing powder before I cut it up and made my card.  It looked too pretty to cut up, but I did and made 3 amazing cards (I think they are amazing anyway) which I have entered into challenges.  I know I will be using this technique in the future and experimenting with different colour combinations.


Card 1 - MOJO Monday #31

I have entered this card in the Mojo Monday Challenge based in the following sketch:




Card 2 - Freshly Made Sketches #31

I have entered this card in the Freshly Made Sketches challenge based on the
following sketch:




Card 3 - Simply Stampin' Challenge #55

I have entered this card in the Simply Stampin Challenge based on the following sketch:




Monday 16 April 2012

Just 4 You

I was going to practice my colouring with Distress Inks that I learnt on the weekend tonight, but when I got home from work today and found out my order from Stampin' Up had arrived I just had to play.  I was waiting patiently (not) for this order as it contained the "Mixed Bunch" stamp set and the Blossoms Punch.  Oh goodie more gadgets for my stash.

I have used the colours of Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Whisper White and Blushing Bride on this card set.  My Mum commented "do you like browns and pinks" when I showed her my finished cards.  I have no idea what gives her that impression.

 
Card 1 - The edge on this card was created by using the new Edgelit Die in the new
 Autumn-Winter Mini Catalogue.  I cased this sketch for this card from Judy May's
recent post on Just Add Ink.  I have used the offcuts from this card on Card 3.


Card 2 - The flower was inked with Blushing Bride, Crumb Cake and Early Espresso
Stampin' Write Markers and stamped on Whisper White cardstock and
punched using the fantastic new Blossoms Punch.

Card 3 - I used the offcuts from Card 1 on this card.  I put the
Crumb Cake portion through the Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder
and then sponged Early Espresso over the dots to give them
a highlight.

Card 4 - Simple Card using the leftover cardstock.

Thursday 12 April 2012

Fabulous Florets

I am still making Mother's Day cards for my friends and team mates at work.  I won the Fabulous Florets stamp set at the WA Stampin' Up Regionals last September, and I have not used it very much so I decided to have a play with it.

These cards are made using all Stampin' Up products and the colour scheme is Perfect Plum, Sahara Sand, Whisper White and Always Artichoke.

You just have to love the "En Francais" background stamp.  I have been using it constantly as the background for my Mother's Day Cards as it seems to go with everything.



To make the flowers, I sponged Perfect Plum on the Whisper White cardstock
and got the effect of different shadings.  I then stamped the flower using
Perfect Plum and then cut them out and layered them on the stems
which had been stamped direct onto the Whisper White which had previously
been stamped with the "En Francais" background stamp using Sahara Sand.


On the second card I put the layered card topper through the Square Lattice
embossing folder, then cut it into sections and layered onto Perfect Plum cardstock.
I really like the effect.

 The third card in the set is a quick make, using up the offcuts.


Wednesday 11 April 2012

Mother's Day Card Set

I have been asked by a few friends at work to make them some Mother's Day cards, so I got out the "Happiness Shared" stamp set from Stampin' Up as the stamp set to design my cards around.  The other stamp sets I have used are "Kindness Matters', "Blessed Mother", "Teeny Tiny Sentiments" and "En Francais".  All products used on these cards are from Stampin' Up.  The colour scheme is one I saw a while ago and just loved.  It is  Basic Black, Cherry Cobbler, Sahara Sand and Whisper White.  My colouring is "Kindy Colouring" but it looks okay with the black stamped outline showing through on the roses.  Hopefully the girls at work will like them.


On my first card I put the Cherry Cobbler seam binding ribbon through the Finial Press
embossing folder.  This was a technique that was featured on Stampinconnection.  It
does not show up very well in the photo but it is very effective.



The last card is very simple.  I was trying to stick to my new rule of making
3 cards in a set so that I do not end up with a lot of offcuts for my stock pile.


Monday 9 April 2012

Freshly Made Sketches #29

The challenge this week at Freshly Made Sketches is based on the following sketch:


For my card I have used the sketch in a vertical format instead of the horizontal format.

This cute little elephant is from the "Elebration" stamp from Stampin' Up. I know that most elephants are grey, but with a bit of artistic licence I reckon mine could be brown from all the dust that he collected in his travels.


Elebration



Thinking of You ...

Today is the last day of my holidays and I have to go back to work tomorrow, so I thought I would make the most of my playtime left.  I saw the "Spotlight" technique at Splitcoaststampers recently and liked the effect that spotlighting part of the stamp created.  So naturally I had to have a go.  I wanted to use all Stampin' Up products on this card, so off I went searching through my Stampin' Up stamp stash and discovered, to may dismay, that I currently do not have many stamps that lend themselves to this technique.  I settled on the "Happiness Shared" stamp set as I thought I could just "Spotlight" part of the large rose stamp. It worked okay but a larger stamp would have worked better. 

The card is quite simple but I liked the finished "Spotlight" effect, I am still coming to grips with colouring with Stampin' Up products.  I am waiting for the watercolour paper in my next order to arrive, so hopefully this will improve my colouring as at present the card pills if you colour too much.  I also stepped out of my colour comfort zone when I was deciding on what colours to use and I have gone with Whisper White, Basic Black and So Saffron.


Lately I have noticed that when I make a card, I only make one of that colour scheme and I end up with all the left over cardstock and my file of cardstock off cuts is getting out of hand (I do use them up eventually), so this time I decided to make two more cards on the same colour scheme and theme to use up the leftover cardstock.  It worked a treat and I even managed to use up some of my previous leftovers. 

These are the two other cards I made using the same colour scheme of Whisper White, Basic Black and So Saffron and the "Happiness Shared" stamp set.


Friday 6 April 2012

JAI #112 Colour Challenge

The challenge this week at Just Add Ink is a colour challenge:

Pinks and browns go so well together and make such a pretty combination.

Stamps - Fabulous Florets, Teeny Tiny Sentiments, Music Note Wheel
Paper/Cardstock - Very Vanilla & Crumb Cake Neutrals DSP, PInk Pirouette, Chocolate Chip,
Very Vanilla and Crumb Cake Cardstock
Ink - Chocolate Chip & Crumb Cake
Other - Basic Jewels Pearls, Word Window Punch, Crumb Cake Seam Binding Ribbon



Wednesday 4 April 2012

JAI #111 - Just Add Easter

I made these little Easter baskets for the challenge this week at Just Add Ink .  I am going to give them to my team members at work for Easter, hopefully they will enjoy them.



I cased the basket from Sharon Field, who is one very talented crafter.  Sharon had made the basket into a Valentine Basket, so I used the base basket design and then decorated it to fit the Easter theme.  As I do not have any, I mean any, Easter image stamps apart from a little Easter sentiment stamp (must rectify this), I was a bit stumped as to how to decorate the baskets.  I decided to make some little easter eggs using a small oval punch, and punching out ovals from the white card that had been put through the Bigshot and the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder.  I then punched out several co-ordinating small ovals, cut them in half and layered them on the white ovals, with a finishing touch of inking the edges.

I also wanted to use the Scallop Dots Ribbon on the baskets and as I only had 2 colours in this ribbon I was a bit limited to the colour schemes that I could make.  I also tried punching the handle edges with the Scalloped Edged Border punch, but I think I like the plain handle best.



Sunday 1 April 2012

Perfect 3 at Perfect Sentiments Challenge

Howzat! I made the Perfect 3 at Perfect Sentiments Challenge PSC24 this week with my Thank You card.