Monthly Archives: May 2009

The Rose

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I was lucky enough to win the Fifth Avenue Floral Stamp Set at the recent Stampin’ Up! Convention at the start of May, and have to admit that I have hardly used any of my other sets since I got it.  I have used it for bleach stamping, embossing and also in this card, watercolouring.  I used a fairly tradition approach to watercolouring for this particular card, but if you are interested in seeing some done in a different way using the same stamp set, why not have a look at Larisa’s blog, she has made an absolutely stunning card and I am sure it will inspire you to try out something different.

The colours for my card today, were from a colour challenge set by Alisa Tilsner, a fellow Stampin’ Up! demonstrator.  Once again, these colours are not ones I would think to put together myself, and took me a little while to get used to, but they look stunning together.  The colours are Rose Red, Perfect Plum, Old Olive and Whisper White.  So why don’t you have a go and make a card with these colours, it is a great way of seeing things in a different way and creating something you might not have done otherwise.  I’m not entirely sure that I have ever seen a rose in these colours, but I think it worked out ok.  And yes, the rose has been coloured using Rose Red ink with an aqua brush, and because I have used quite a lot of water in places, it has made quite a pale pink.  And then I have used Perfect Plum (again, washed down quite a lot to blend it in) in the centre.

Stamp Sets: Fifth Avenue Floral, Baroque Motifs.

Cardstock: Whisper White, Rose Red, Perfect Plum textured, Watercolour paper, Holiday Treasures Designer Series Paper.

Inks: Rose Red, Perfect Plum, Versamark, Black Stazon.

Accessories: Clear Rhinestone Brads, White Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Embossing buddy, Powder Pal, White Taffeta Ribbon, Paper snips, Dimensionals.

Artwork copyright Chris Parker-Barnes

Images copyright 1990-2009 Stampin’ Up!

Fiji Sunset Scrapbook Page

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I have been a bit slack recently with both my blog posts and doing more scrapbooking, so I thought I had better do both in one hit! :)

This scrapbook page is the result of a sketch which I received as part of a “challenge”, and while I really liked the sketch, it wasn’t a really straight forward, simple one (well, not for me anyway!) so I was a little apprehensive about completing it and entering my work.  However, once I got started, it all fell into place very easily.  I think it helps that Stampin’ Up! have so many gorgeous patterned papers, they make scrapbooking just so easy.  Anyway, to cut a long story short, I won that particular challenge, to my complete surprise.  There were many other gorgeous entries.

And yes, I did cut all those little flowers out by hand :)

The photos were all taken when my husband and I were in Fiji for a holiday in 2004.  The sunsets over there were just magnificent and very memorable, I really don’t think these photos do them justice, but they serve as a reminder of all the times we sat drinking cocktails in the pool, or sat in the open air restaurant eating our dinner, and watched the sun set over the sea.  Hmmmmmm might be time to go back for another holiday :)

Cardstock: Tempting Turquoise, Basic Black, Whisper White  and Real Red (for the Title), Pink Flamingo Designer Series Paper.

Ink: Summer Sun, Pumkin Pie.

Accessories: Paper Piercing Tool and Mat Pack, Rub Ons, Sponge Daubers, Computer and printer for the Title, circle punches, paper snips.

Artwork copyright Chris Parker-Barnes

Images copyright 1990-2009 Stampin’ Up!

Wedding Card

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The original idea for this card came from Gay Hunter, a lady who started off doing some of my classes and has become a customer and friend.  She came to me one day saying that she needed to make a Wedding Card for some friends and wondered if I would help her with it.  She had an idea for the design, which we tweaked a little, and here is the end result.  I think it is absolutely stunning as a wedding card, so well done Gay, don’t stop with this one, I’ll have to get you on here more often as my “Guest Designer” :)

I do apologise for the photo, it was taken at night as turned out a bit glarey, but you get the idea!

Stamp Sets: Baroque Motifs, A Wish for Peace

Cardstock: Whisper White, Brushed Silver

Inks: Versamark

Accessories: Silver Embossing Powder, Embossing Buddy, Powder Pal, Heat Tool, Paper Snips, Dimensionals, Ribbon from Gay’s personal stash!

Artwork copyright Chris Parker-Barnes and Gay Hunter

Images copyright 1990-2009 Stampin’ Up!

Your own business for only $150!

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Would you like to be in business for yourself?  Maybe you need some extra cash to pay the bills, or save up for something special.  Or do you like the thought of getting your stamping or scrapbooking supplies at 20% discount.

Which ever way you want to go, Stampin’ Up! can accommodate you and the style of business you would like to have, and until the end of May, you can join this amazing company for only $150. 

And it doesn’t matter where in Australia you live, you can join my team and also have your stamping supplies delivered to you.

The $150 to join not only includes some business supplies, access to the demonstrator website (which is worth it’s weight in gold), a monthly newsletter which includes cardmaking and scrapbooking ideas, techniques and business building ideas, and many, many other benefits, but it also includes these products:

Alphabet Stamp (or equivalent) – $77.95

Simply Scrappin’ Kit – $36.95

12 x 12 Assorted Textured cardstock pack – $21.95

Classic Stampin’ Pad – $11.95

Craft & Rubber Scissors – $37.95

Now, it is possible that I can’t count, but it seems to me that the value of all of those products adds up to more than the $150 that you pay for them!  So which ever way you look at it, that is a good deal and well worth considering.

Just contact me to find out more information, but don’t delay too long, this offer ends on the 31st May 2009.

This post will stay at the top of my blog during May, so scroll down for some card and scrap page posts!

Convention

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Yes, I have been missing in action for a few days now, but I do have an excuse! :)   I have been busily preparing for the Stampin’ Up! convention which was held here in Canberra on Friday and Saturday (1st and 2nd May), and wow, what an amazing couple of days it has been.  Now my head is just spinning with the ideas and information.  And one of the really fun parts of convention (and indeed many other papercrafting get togethers) is doing “swaps”, where all the participants prepare numerous cards which we then swap with one another.  It is a fantastic way to get new ideas and see stamp sets and accessories used in ways that we may not have thought of.  More ideas to keep my head spinning for weeks!  And it is, of course, a wonderful way to meet and get to know some of my fellow stampers. 

I just thought I would share with you the cards I made for my swaps.  I did three different designs based around the same idea, and in all made 100 of them to swap.

Stamp Sets: A Rose is a Rose, On Your Birthday.

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Mellow Moss, Riding Hood Red, Pink Pirouette.

Inks: Mellow Moss, Riding Hood Red, Always Artichoke.

Accessories: Crimper

 

 

 

 

The details for the second card are pretty much the same, except for the addition of some of the gorgeous Riding Hood Red Taffeta Ribbon, and some paper piercing.

 

And for the third card I have used the spiral punch, Mellow Moss Taffeta Ribbon, and the Stamp-a-ma-jig to line up the two colours in the rose.

 

Artwork by Chris Parker-Barnes

Images copyright 1990-2009 Stampin’ Up!