Happy birthday sis!

I've finally found a bit of time to blog! The kids have been hogging the computer lately - I think I'll have to ration them LOL! Here's the card I made for my sister's birthday last month.

I've started with a base of naturals ivory cardstock and a layer of melon mambo designer paper. I embossed a piece of espresso core'dinations cardstock using the vintage wallpaper embossing folder, then sanded the surface. This removes the top layer of cardstock to reveal the inner core to give a distressed, antique look. I also added some dotty scalloped ribbon, turned over to hide the dots! The sentiment has been stamped using espresso ink onto a die cut of ivory cardstock, and flowers stamped in melon mambo ink have been cut out and adhered using dimensionals. Flower centre pearls and a snippet of crochet trim add the final touch.

Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

• Stamps: Everything Eleanor, Sincere Salutations (retired)
• Ink: Early Espresso, Melon Mambo
• Cardstock: Naturals Ivory, Early Espresso core'dinations
• Other: Labels Collection Framelits, Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, Cheerful Treat Designer paper (retired), Scallop Dots ribbon, Crochet Trim, basic pearls, dimensionals.

Double whammy

Sit down and take a deep breath. I’ve managed to participate in TWO challenges AND get a photo taken before the challenges close! I think that’s a first for me :) The two challenges are the ColourQ challenge 137:

       

and also the Freshly made sketches 37:

I flipped the sketch to landscape and started with a crumb cake card base and added a subtle background using the swirl from Everything Eleanor and second generation stamping. I inked the stamp, then stamped onto a piece of scrap paper before stamping on the card – this produces a paler impression. I used the very vintage wheel with razzleberry ink onto white cardstock, then sponged a little crumb cake ink on the edges to soften them a little. This has then been trimmed and added to a navy layer with one scalloped side.

The label shape from Everything Eleanor has been stamped with bashful blue ink on white cardstock, and the sentiment added using navy ink. This has been trimmed and attached to the card using dimensionals. Two razzleberry coloured flowers have been cut out and attached to the top right hand corner of the label. A pearl in the centre of each flower finishes the card off.

Products used (all Stampin’ Up!):

• Stamps: Everything Eleanor, Sincere Salutations
• Ink: Crumb Cake, Rich Razzleberry, Night of Navy, Bashful Blue
• Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Night of Navy
• Other: Scallop Edge border punch, Basic Pearls, Stamp-a-ma-jig, dimensionals.

Another challenge card

Today's card was inspired by another colour challenge - this time it was the Just add Ink colour challenge 112, to use the following colours:

I've used pink pirouette, crumb cake and chocolate chip inks to stamp several of the images from the spiced paisley set. I also stamped one of the images using versamark, then used heat and powder and dazzling diamonds glitter to add a little sparkle to the background layer. Next I embossed this layer using the square lattice embossing folder to add a bit of texture, and added to a chocolate chip mat and a crumb cake card base.

A strip of chocolate chip cardstock, cut with the lace ribbon border punch, provides a background for the gorgeous lace crochet trim. A double-loop bow of the lace has also been added using an antique brad.The sentiment has been stamped in chocolate chip ink onto an oval of vanilla cardstock, and added to the fabulous vintage-looking frame (cut with one of the tags dies in pink pirouette).

And I thought I was on time to post to the challenge blog! Unfortunately I forgot the time difference between here and Oz ;) Here’s a closer look at the glittered paisley - unfortunately you lose a lot of the glitter when it is embossed.

Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

• Stamps: Spiced Paisley, Sincere Salutations
• Ink: Pink Pirouette, Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip, Versamark
• Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Pink Pirouette, Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip
• Other: Lace Ribbon border punch, Lots of Tags Sizzlits die, Extra Large Oval punch, Victoria Crochet trim, Antique brads, Heat and Stick powder, Dazzling Diamonds glitter.

Happy birthday sis!

Here's the card I made for my sister's birthday several weeks ago, using the gorgeous Beau Chateau designer papers. I must admit that I completely ignored these papers in the catalogue but then I saw them 'in the flesh' and they are fabulous! Not sure about the rooster on one of the papers, but the advantage of double sided papers means I don't have to use him ;)

I started with a square cardbase of Natural Ivory cardstock, added the brown DSP, then cut the pink DSP to the right size before tearing one side and inking with soft suede ink. Some vanilla 1/4" grosgrain ribbon has been layered onto a strip of suede cardstock (cut with the dotted scallop ribbon border punch).

I have used a designer frames embossing folder on more of the ivory cardstock, torn round the outside of the frame and inked using soft suede. The sentiment has been stamped with suede ink onto an oval of pink cardstock and added to the inside of the frame.

My sister loved it but in hindsight, I wish I'd added some pearls for a bit more bling!

A new home

Here's a 'new home' card made using one of the wheels that is retiring this month. I must admit that I often forget about my wheels as they are stored on a high shelf and 'out of sight' certainly seems to be 'out of mind' for me. I think a re-organisation of my craft space is called for (so that I can get new catty stash in there!)

Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

• Stamps – Neighbourhood wheel, Four Frames, Sincere Salutations
• Ink – Early Espresso, Soft Suede, Cajun Craze
• Cardstock – Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Whisper White
• Other – Decorative label punch, Mat pack, Paper piercing tool, Markers, dimensionals.

Stamping not camping!

I've just about recovered from our little camping trip to the Thames Valley. The weather was lovely the day we travelled down, torrential rain on the way back, and somewhere in-between while we were there. We still managed to get to Legoland, which was the main purpose of the trip, but the folding camper and awning took 2 days to dry afterwards. Don't you just love camping in the rain ;)

Needless to say, I was glad to be home (and dry) and getting inky again. Here's the result!

Olive card base with a layer of white cardstock and tangerine designer paper. The image has been stamped in olive ink and coloured using inks and the aquapainter. When dry, glitter has been added to the flowers to add a bit of sparkle. The image has been trimmed and added to the card base.

The sentiment has been stamped in tangerine onto a scalloped oval, then added to the olive dotty frame label layer with dimensionals. A layer of pleated olive grosgrain ribbon underneath the sentiment adds a finishing touch.

Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

• Stamps – Fresh Cuts, Sincere Salutations, Four Frames
• Ink – Old Olive, Tangerine Tango
• Cardstock – Old Olive, Whisper White
• Other – Decorative Label punch, Scallop Oval punch, Old Olive 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, Multipurpose glue, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, Aquapainter, dimensionals.

Believe in birthdays

I have used this Just Believe stamp set so many times that I can't believe (sorry, no pun intended!) I haven't posted a card featuring this set on the blog yet. I've used it in various colourways for birthdays, good luck and get well wishes, and it lends itself to many different stamping techniques.

Markers have been used to colour the main image (crumb cake, cherry cobbler, daffodil delight), which has then been mounted onto a scalloped mat of cherry cardstock. The circular flower image has been stamped in cherry and cut out using a 1 1/4" circle punch, then mounted on a 1 3/8" circle of crumb cake cardstock. This has then been layered onto a daffodil scalloped circle using dimensionals. The sandy speckles wheel, inked with crumb cake ink, has been rolled over the crumb cake card base to provide texture, and the sentiment stamped in cherry ink. Several basic rhinestones have been added to the flowers for a bit of bling.

Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

• Stamps - Just Believe, Sincere Salutations, Sandy Speckles standard wheel
  
• Ink - Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler
  
• Cardstock - Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler, Daffodil Delight
• Other - Markers, Scallop Edge Border punch, Scallop Circle punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, Basic Rhinestones, dimensionals.

A card for sis!

Sorry for the lack of posts recently, my crafting time has been taken up with preparing for the Stampin' Up! convention which took place last weekend. I haven't even had chance to download the photos I took from the camera yet! In the meantime, here's the card I made my sister for her birthday.


Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

• Stamps: Ornate Flowers, Sincere Salutations
  
• Ink: Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze
  
• Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White
• Other: Greenhouse Gala designer paper, 1 3/4"circle punch, 1/2" Pear Pizzazz stitched poly ribbon.
  

Not much stamping on this one!

The large two step bird punch is fab for creating quick and easy cards like this one. Two different patterns from the To the Nines paper collection have been used to make the bird, with another paper used as an accent. The leaves have been punched from sage cardstock, and the sentiment stamped in chocolate chip ink.


Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

• Stamps: Sincere Salutations
  
• Ink: Chocolate Chip
  
• Cardstock: Kraft, Chocolate Chip, Sage Shadow
  
• Other: To the Nines designer paper, Two step Bird punch.
  

Bright balloons

Looks like I spoke too soon about the weather, it's cold and miserable again today - oh the joys of an English spring! Recovering from a night shift with a 4 year old in the house doesn't add to my sense of well-being either, roll on September and full time school! Here's a card that would be suitable for a child made using the balloon from Crazy for Cupcakes.

The card base is saffron which has been stamped with the blower stamp using saffon ink. The balloon has been stamped twice on watercolour paper using black Stazon, coloured with re-inkers and an aquapainter then this layer matted onto green cardstock. A turquoise scallop circle with green and white layers provides a mat for the sentiment, stamped in black on green cardstock. Two little 'tabs' have been added to the top left of the panel using saffron striped grosgrain ribbon.

The colour inspiration for this card is the Rainbow Sherbert designer paper, combining turquoise, saffron and two shades of green. I don't have this paper as the colours are out of my comfort zone, but seeing them together on this card may change my mind - they look very bright and 'zingy'! And now is the ideal time to stock up on your designer papers, as they are the subject of the May Stampin' Up promotion - buy any three packs of Designer Series paper and get one FREE!

Products used (Stampin’ Up! unless stated otherwise) :

• Stamps – Crazy for Cupcakes, Sincere Salutations
• Ink – black Stazon, So Saffron, Green Galore, Tempting Turquoise
• Cardstock – Watercolour paper (non -SU), So Saffron, Green Galore, Tempting Turquoise
• Other – Aquapainter, circle punches (1", 1 1/4", 1 3/8", scallop), So Saffron 1/2" striped grosgrain ribbon

Spring has sprung!

It actually feels like spring has finally arrived in the North East, so I was inspired to make a card using spring-like colours. Very simple card, ideal for mass production if you've got a few birthdays (or other occasions) coming up. The gorgeous Tea Party designer paper (available in the new mini) has been added to an amethyst card base, after creating a scalloped edge on both layers. The sentiment has been stamped in black Stazon on white cardstock with a pink mat, and the striped ribbon wrapped round the cardstock and tied in a knot. The striped ribbon is also from the new mini, and is lovely and soft - perfect for tying. It's available in So Saffron, Pretty in Pink and Bashful Blue.

The flower has been stamped in black Stazon, coloured with re-inkers and a watercolour brush, then cut out. A small pink brad has been added to the centre and the flower petals curled slightly, then added to the white panel using dimensionals.

Products used (Stampin' Up! unless stated otherwise):

• Stamps - Playful Petals, sincere Salutations
  
• Ink - Black Stazon, Almost Amethyst, Pretty in Pink, So Saffron
  
• Cardstock - Whisper White, Almost Amethyst, Pretty in Pink
  
• Other - Tea Party designer paper, So Saffron 1/2" striped grosgrain ribbon, Scallop Edge punch, brad (non-SU), dimensionals.

Goodbye Sale-a-bration!

Well the Sale-a-bration promotion is over but hopefully you got at least one free set ( don't you just LOVE free stuff?!) The promotion in March is for 25% off chipboard - not quite as good as free but which other companies come up with as many different promotions as Stampin' Up! do? There's link on the right for further details on the chipboard promotion.

Here's a card I made with one of the SAB sets, Botanical Blooms. My background stamps have been sadly neglected recently as I try to use my designer papers, so I dusted off the Paisley background to use in this card.


Products used (all Stampin’ Up!):

• Stamps – Botanical Blooms, Paisley, Sincere Salutations
• Ink – Pumpkin Pie, Apricot Appeal, Always Artichoke, Mellow Moss
  
• Cardstock – Very Vanilla, Always Artichoke
• Other – 1/4" grosgain ribbon (Pumpkin Pie, Always Artichoke), Gold brads