Sunday, January 31, 2016

Can You Case It? #105 - Colour Challenge

It's getting to that time of year, can't you start to feel the love in the air! Yep, it's not long now till Valentine's Day!

I was really inspired by this weeks colours at Can You Case It?, black, red and white/neutral, to make a Valentine's creation.


My card this week started with the Gold Heart acetate card from the Sale-a-bration Freebie - Memories in the Making Project Life Speciality Card Collection. These speciality cards are not only perfect for Project Life but also for your cards as well.


The rest of the elements just went on from there with the Hello You Thinlit Dies and the Crazy About You stamp set. After adding elements, taking some off, moving the placement of the words and hearts, I was finally happy with the finished result. Love all that Red Glimmer.


Are you inspired to take the challenge? These colors are totally scream Valentine's Day and you will love creating with them! I can't wait to see what you make!

Head on over to the Can You Case It? site to see what the other Designers have created. I'm sure you will 'love' them!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

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Friday, January 29, 2016

Global Design Project #GDP020 - CASE-ing Connie Collins

With my kids back to school after a 7 week break, I've finally got some time to myself to have some 'me' crafting time. Not crafting because I have to but just to have a play and use some new products. My happy place! Uninterrupted crafting time! I've cruised a few of the card challenge blogs and the Global Design Project #GDP020 challenge for this week jumped right out at me and I had to have a go.

This weeks challenge we are CASE-ing (Copy And Selectively Edit) the super talented Connie Collins and taking whatever inspires us from her card.
I was loving the black stripes and the gold hearts on her card so that is where I started and my card then evolved from there. I've used the new and possibly my new favourite stamp set, (I think my favourite changes from week to week. HA! I do love them all though!) Picture Perfect.

This is such a gorgeous stamp set that involves layering two,three or even four images to make one beautiful image. Lots of step stamping.


One the best things about this stamp set is that you only have to use one colour for each beautiful image. It just involves some 'stamping off' of ink to get the gradients in colour. I started with the smallest image full strength ink, the second image stamped off once and then the third image stamped off twice. And because this stamp set is photopolymer its so easy to line up the images and get them layered.


I've used Melon Mambo and Bermuda Bay for the flowers and then for the leaves I used Old Olive. I really love how the flowers turned out and really can't wait to have a play with the other images that came in the set.


Thanks so much for stopping by!


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Just Add Ink #296 - Just Add Nature

I just had to have my first play with this new stamp set, Grateful Bunch, for this weeks Just Add Ink Challenge, brought to You by team member Di Barnes - Just Add Nature. 

At first I was so drawn to this stamp set just for that line of lace! Isn't it pretty! I'm really drawn to pretty elements like that! Upon looking at the set even more I'm loving the flowers and the other elements. I'm also loving that it also has a co-ordinating punch for those flowers. I have some more ideas for this stamp set so watch this space!


The row of lace along the border I've embossed with Black Stampin' Emboss Powder and this makes  the black more defined and more dare I say it more 'black' and bold. Sometimes when stamping with just black ink it doesn't come out as 'black' and dark as I want it. So using the Black Stampin' Emboss Powder really draws out that dark colour.


I've highlighted all that black darkness with some little bright pops of colour using Hello Honey and Calypso Coral. Just pretty! Its all finished off with some Venetian Crochet Trim, Burlap Ribbon, Linen Thread and some Gold Metallic Thread. Lots of my favourite trims and embellishments.


I hope that you've enjoyed this project and it gets you inspired to play along with our challenge. Be sure to pop on over to the Just Add Ink site, check out what the Design Team created and share your nature creations with us! So looking forward to seeing what you make!

Thanks so much for stopping by!



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Monday, January 25, 2016

Can You Case It? #104- Sketch Challenge

Hello and Welcome! It's time for a Can You Case It? challenge for another week. This week we have a sketch challenge.


As per my usual I've changed it up a little. I just couldn't resist.  I did start out with the basic design elements but the ideas just kept flowing to what my card ended up being.


I've used the new Going Global Stamp set and the Going Places DSP stack. These are perfect for some male cards. Its also a perfect set to make some Valentine's cards that are a bit more male appropriate. I couldn't resist putting a Red Glimmer Heart on it. Might save this one for my hubby for 14th February.  That sentiment just speaks volumes to me because I've said to him I would be lost without him. Aww! 

Make sure you check out the rest of the Can You Case It? Design Team and then enter your creation for a chance to be this weeks Top Pick. Looking forward to seeing your creations.


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Monday, January 18, 2016

The Stamp Review Crew - Endless Birthday Wishes Edition

http://stampreviewcrew.blogspot.com/2016/01/stamp-review-crew-endless-birthday.html

Yep! It's Monday! So that can mean only one thing! It's Stamp Review Crew Time!! Whoop Whoop! The crew have already have had one hop already for 2016 that I wasn't able to participate in so this is my first hop back for 2016 and I'm so excited to be back for the year! This review we are using a set that has been around for a bit but still amazing (what SU set isn't amazing, right?), Endless Birthday Wishes. This is a fabulous set with lots of words and a couple of images.

I've used the cake image for a bit of a chalkboard look and then cut a few of the words to give it a bit of a fun a modern feel. I used White Stampin' Emboss Powder rather than just stamping the image in Whisper White Craft Ink to give the image a clean and crisp look. Sometimes when you swipe the cardstock with the white ink for the chalkboard look, if you have stamped your image in ink it can smudge and I didn't want that to happen.


This was one of those cards that I had a lot of the pieces cut out already for another card that really wasn't coming together when I tried to make it round 1 but with a bit of a rethink and the use of another stamp set I was able to put it all together round 2. Some times if a card isn't coming to you put the pieces aside and an idea will come to you down the track to put it all together.




If you are following through on the hop Click on the Next button below to bring you back to the start with Martha Inchley


http://www.inchofcreativity.com/2016/01/stamp-review-crew-endless-birthday.html

Or If you are hopping in reverse click here to hop on to Wendy Weixler.

http://wickedlywonderfulcreations.blogspot.com/2016/01/stamp-review-crew-endless-birthday-wishes-edition.html

To see the full list of participants visit the Stamp Review Crew site.

Thanks so much for Stopping By!

 If you live in Australia and would like to purchase and of these items used then just click on the image and you will be directed to my online store.
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Friday, January 15, 2016

Just Add Ink #294 - Just Add Something New Blog Hop

http://just-add-ink.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/just-add-inkadd-something-new-blog-hop.html

Hello and Welcome back to Just Add Ink for 2016! We are kicking this year off with a blog hop of all the Design Team Members with the theme - Just Add Something New. With all the new products from the new Stampin' Up! Catalogues that won't be hard to use and play with some new and fabulous products. But if you don't use SU products you can join us with whatever new products you have.

You may have come from Trish's blog or you may be starting here. Wherever you have started you are in for a crafting treat!

To make the blog hop extra special the design team have donated new SU! SAB items as prizes to the winner and two honorable mentions participants. 

Please note, to be eligible, you must ........
:Create a "NEW" project using "SOMETHING NEW TO YOU".
:Leave a comment on all the design team blogs. 
:Be or become a follower Of the JAI challenge blog.
:Blog your project exclusively linked to Just Add Ink. 
Entrants that link to additional challenges will be ineligible. 
Prizes are open to both international and AUS/NZ participants.

My 'Something New' is the Birthday Blooms stamp set, which is just perfect to watercolour, and a little bit of the Birthday Bouquet DSP.


I embossed the image with White Embossing Powder on Watercolour Paper and then coloured it in using an aqua painter. I really like this way of watercolouring with the embossed lines. It just means you don't have to be so particular when you are colouring and it just makes it a little 'easier'



I used Pink Pirouette and Melon Mambo for the flower and Old Olive and Mossy Meadow for the leaves. The stamens in the middle I used Daffodil Delight.

The image I then fussy cut by hand and then accented it with some Gold Metallic thread, Crochet Trim and some 1/8" Gold Ribbon. It really didn't need much else to accent it.

I really hope that you enjoyed my 'Something New' and I hope that you will be inspired by the rest of the Design Teams 'Something New'.

Click on the next button below to see what crafty goodness the fabulous Narelle Farrugia has created. You are in for a treat.

Remember to enter your 'Something New' creation at the Just Add Ink Blog. Got to be in it to win it!

http://narellefarrugia.com/2016/01/15/just-add-ink-294-just-add-something-new/

http://springblossomjourney.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/just-add-ink-blog-hop-294-something-new.html


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Sunday, January 10, 2016

Can You Case It? #102 - Sketch Challenge

When I first saw this Thinlit Die set and co-ordinating stamp set all the way back in November last year at the Stampin' Up! On Stage event I gasped! I was so taken aback at this beautiful set and knew that it was on the very, very, very top of my must have wish list. I couldn't pass up the chance to finally have my first play with it after all the busyiness of Christmas and New Years for this weeks Can You Case It? sketch challenge.

 Again I've used some creative interpretation and changed the sketch up. As I say sketches are a guide or a starting point for inspiration. I've kept the basic elements of the sketch but changed it up, just a little.

How stunning is that die cute rose?? I've die cut the out of Kraft Card stock and then die cut the inlaid pieces with the new Love Blossoms DSP stack. It's lots of stunning colours like Blushing Bride, Crumb Cake, Garden Green, Rose Red and Whisper White. Its amazing!


I've accented it with some Gold Metallic Thread, Kraft Corrugated Card Stock, Whisper White Seam Binding Ribbon and some Vellum.


You'll be seeing alot more of this die from me. Its amazing!!!

I really hope that you have been inspired by my creation today and don't forget to come and visit the Can You Case It? page to see the rest of the Design Teams fabulous creations! Make sure that you enter this weeks challenge enter your creation to for your chance to be one of the the Design Team Members Winning Picks.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

elow is a list of all the items that I used in this project. If you live in Australia and would like to purchase and of these items used then just click on the image and you will be directed to my online store.
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Sunday, January 3, 2016

Can You Case It? #101 - Colour Challenge

Welcome and Happy New Year! I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends and brought in the new year with a bang!

We have our first Can You Case It? challenge for 2016! We are starting off this year with a colour challenge.


The colours suggest a winter theme but it is definetly not winter here in Australia that is for sure. We had our first day over 40c (104F) the last week and I was sweltering. It didn't get below 30c (86F) over night and it was so hot and stuffy. But that is the Australian summer for you and you have to expect days like that! So with that I've decided to stay away from a wintery card and create something a little bit fun a quirky.


I've used Blackberry Bliss and Pool Party to create a water colour wash background on Watercolour Paper. I wet the paper first with an Aqua Painter and then 'washed' the ink over the paper.


I then picked up some ink from the lid of the Stampin' Up! Ink Pad with an Aqua Painter and tapped it so that the ink would 'flick' on the paper. You could use some of the images from the stamp set Gorgeous Grunge to create a similar look.


I've then created a frame using the Tags and Labels Framelits and tied some strips of ribbon around the edge of the frame. Just for something fun.

Make sure you check out the rest of the Can You Case It? Design Team and their use of these beautiful colours. Make sure you leave us to comments and love as we really enjoy what you all think of our creations and enter in this weeks challenge.

Thanks so much for stopping by!


Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog