Gorgeous Pink

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Winter has certainly arrived today here in our little town in Southern New South Wales, Australia.  We have every heater on in the house, and lots of warm snuggly clothes on.  It is cold, rainy, windy, stormy, and very dreary.  Definitely a day to stay inside.
So I thought I should make a card that is nice and bright and cheery.

My card today features another retiring stamp set, the very versatile Happy Birthday Gorgeous.

Pink HB Gorgeous Card
Other than those few Old Olive leaves, the only colour I have used on my card is Melon Mambo.  I have used the technique called “Stamping Off” to reduce the amount of ink on the stamp, making it into a lighter colour, and making it look like a number of different pink colours have been used, instead of just the one.
Then I have used Two Step stamping to stamp the raised flowers which I have fussy cut and layered over the top.

Tomorrow is the big day, the day when our gorgeous new Stampin’ Up! catalogue goes live, so make sure you come back, I have some cards made with new goodies to show you.
Happy stamping!  And stay warm if you are in the southern states of Australia.
Chris

Gingham Kitty

Just the one card today, featuring the very cute Pretty Kitty Stamp set, which is retiring tomorrow.

Gingham Kitty

I have watercoloured around Kitty, leaving her white, and coloured the flowers using either Stampin’ Blends or Stampin’ Markers, and used the Gingham Gala papers (also retiring tomorrow) from the Occasions Catalogue.
Inspiration for this card came from the current sketch challenge at Freshly Made Sketches.
Happy Sunday stamping!
Chris

Sheet Music Stamp

Sheet Music Card Set

Only a few days to go until the new Stampin’ Up! Annual Catalogue goes live, with all the new goodies.  And believe me, there are lots of gorgeous goodies in this one!
In the meantime, I am going to be sharing some cards using a few of the retiring ones, and today I enjoyed some carfty time making these cards with the Sheet Music background stamp.
As a musician, I love this stamp, it is real music, not just random notes, and it is so gorgeous for cards and scrapbook layouts, so I am personally sad to see this one retiring.
It will be one that stays in my personal stash though.
Here are the individual cards….
Sheet Music Card 1Sheet Music Card 2Sheet Music Card 4

And then I decided to go with some colour, and chose my favourite, Highland Heather.
The gorgeous butterfly is fussy cut from some retired Designer Series Papers, but they are too special to give away, so I am still using them.
Sheet Music Card 3

I am going to share my cards to some card Challenges:

Global Design Project – Birds, Bees and Butterflies
Stampin’ Up! Only Challenges – Masculine Project
CAS Colours and Sketches – Sketch Challenge with a focus on the sentiment
Fusion Card Challenge – Sketch Challenge
TGIF Challenges – Make a Set of Cards

I hope you are having a crafty weekend.
Happy Stamping!
Chris

Final Hugs

Hugs From Shelli Card 7
I have enjoyed sharing with you all the different cards I have made using the Hugs From Shelli Paper Pumpkin kit, I’m sure there are a lot more I can come up with, but since today is the last day it is available to buy, I will share something different after today.

Both of these cards use some of the patterned paper that was on the inside of the envelopes.
Hugs From Shelli Card 8
I was trying to get the flowers on the pink card to curve around a little more but it didn’t quite work out, but it’s still pretty.
The flowers have been stamped with Stazon ink and coloured with an Aqua Pen and ink pads, and then I fussy cut the flowers.
Yes, I did fussy cut all of those flowers!  Actually it didn’t take all that long, and I find colouring and cutting quite relaxing.

Well, it’s Friday afternoon here in Australia, and I have a new stamp set which arrived this afternoon, so I am going to have some fun playing with that over the weekend.
I hope you have a crafty weekend, too.
Happy stamping!
Chris

Lots of Hugs

Yes, you guessed it, today I have some more cards that I made using the Hugs From Shelli, Paper Pumpkin kit.
I may seem to be a little obsessed with this kit!
But actually I really just love it, and enjoy the challenge of creating new ideas.

Hugs From Shelli Pink Flowers

I have used half of one of the original card fronts, and layered it over some Shimmer White cardstock which has been embossed using the retiring Petal Pair embossing folder.  And then popped one of the Die cut flowers that came in the kit, over the corner.  That little bit of Old Olive cardstock and ribbon just helps the leaves pop a little.

The next two cards use the same colour combo, of Pool Party and Crumb Cake.

Hugs from Shelli Card 5Hugs From Shelli Card 6

The first uses the Country Floral Embossing Folder in the background, and the second the Tin Tile Embossing Folder – both of them carrying over to the next catalogue.  Yay!!!!
Both of these cards make use of the envelopes from the kit, which I have cut up to create the sentiment layer, and also the patterned papers.
The top card just uses one envelope, and the second card has used one plus the flap off a second.

I have also used the stamp set to create a completely different look….

Hugs From Shelli Yellow Flowers
I have stamped the flower image repeatedly on a piece of white cardstock, using Early Espresso ink, then coloured each flower with Stampin Blends.
The gorgeous little bird is part of a stamp from a new stamp set called Free As A Bird.  It is a beautiful stamp set, part of the Bird Ballad Suite.

I hope there is something there to inspire you to get creative today.
Happy Stamping!
Chris

Vintage Hugs

Hugs From Shelli Vintage 2
I just had to do it!
I had to make a Vintage style card out of the gorgeous Hugs From Shelli Paper Pumpkin kit, I just couldn’t help myself.
The different elements in the kit do lend themselves to a vintagey feel.
Hugs From Shelli Vintage 3
I have used the retiring (sadly) Sheet Music background stamp to add some music images onto the background of the lighter coloured parts.  To do this, I didn’t mount the stamp onto a block, but just splodged some ink (that’s a technical term, by the way) onto part of the stamp and then rolled it, kind of randomly, onto the cardstock.

The edges have been distressed and then sponged with Early Espresso ink.
And I have coloured the main birds nest image.  The nest and leaves were coloured with Stampin’ Blends (Alcohol Ink Markers) in Old Olive and Crumb Cake, the eggs were coloured using Blender Pen and ink pad in Balmy Blue, and the tiny flower dots were coloured using a Flirty Flamingo Stampin’ Write Marker.

Hugs From Shelli Vintage 1

I’ve added some of the new, soon to be released Scalloped Lace Trim, some of the gorgeous Velvet ribbon that was in the kit, and some pearls, and then fussy cut one of the stamped bird images from the kit, which has also been coloured with Crumb Cake.
I enjoyed make the card so much that I decided to make a bookmark to match it.

Hugs From Shelli Vintage 4
These ones have been sent off to someone who I know will appreciate them, but I really loved them, so decided to make myself a book mark, too.
After all, I need heaps of bookmarks to go inside the new catalogue!!!!
Hugs From Shelli Vintage 5
Instead of using the gorgeous Pretty Peacock for this one (as I did above), I have used Rococo Rose, both of these are new In Colours, and I can’t wait to use more of these colours.  So gorgeous!
Hugs From Shelli Vintage 6

I may attempt to use something other than the Hugs From Shelli kit soon, maybe…….

It’s so gorgeous, and I am making the most of it for this month, so only a couple more days to go 🙂
Happy stamping!
Chris

Hugs From Shelli Paper Pumpkin

Paper Pumpkin kits have only been available in North America, but this month we have been able to get the May 2019 edition here in Australia.
And I am so happy about it, because it is beautiful!
I held a class on Saturday, and we made the four different cards that are in the kit.
I have slightly modified them from the originals, adding some layers to them, but keeping them at the smaller gift card size, so that they can still go inside the gorgeous envelopes.
HugsFromShelliPPCards
Such gorgeous colours, and I love the font used for the words.
Here are the cards individually…
HugsFromShelli Card 2HugsFromShelli Card 4Hugs from Shelli Card 3HugsFromShelliKit Card 1

All of the ladies doing my class loved this kit, well, what’s not to love?  It’s just gorgeous!
It’s a one off in Australia, and only available while stocks last, so if you would like to order one, just pop over to my online store.
I have heaps more cards that I have made using this kit, so stay tuned.
Happy stamping!
Chris

Hugs and Tissue Paper!

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Have you seen the May 2019 Paper Pumpkin kit, called Hugs From Shelli?
We don’t normally get the Paper Pumpkin kits in Australia, so this was extra special for us, and I have been enjoying making some different cards using the various elements that are in the kit.
The kit was beautifully packaged, with some tissue paper wrapped around everything.  Tissue paper that was coloured to match the kit.
I had to use it, it’s just too gorgeous to throw out.
It would be lovely for gift wrapping, of course, but I love the challenge of finding a way to use it on my cards.
Hugs and Tissue Paper Card
So, I have taken a piece of the tissue paper, big enough so that it can be wrapped around to the back of the first layer of your card, in this case, my layer was 9.5 x 13.8 cm, and the tissue paper about 3 cm bigger on both sides.

I have then stamped all over the tissue paper using the flower stamp from the kit.  Since I don’t own a Petal Pink ink pad (yet!), I have stamped the image using Blushing Bride ink, and stamped randomly all over the tissue paper.

Then I have crumpled up the tissue paper (once the ink was dry!) and then flattened it out again.  This gives the tissue paper some lovely texture and some added interest.

I have popped a tiny bit of glue around the outside edge of the Whisper White cardstock which I used for this first layer, and then laid the tissue paper over the white, using the glue to keep it nice and straight and flat.

Then I turned the whole layer over, and using some Tear and Tape, pulled the edges of the tissue paper over to the back of the cardstock and stuck it down on the back.
Then I have simply layered it onto some Crumb Cake, and then Soft Suede cardstock, and added the stamping and embellishments as you can see, from the kit.
Hugs and Tissue Paper 2

Such pretty colours, and a totally gorgeous kit to enjoy some creative time with.

I’m going to add this one in for the current Global Design Project sketch challenge, #GDP190.

Send me a message if you live in Australia and would like to get your hands on one of these Hugs From Shelli Paper Pumpkin kits, I believe there are still some available.
Happy stamping!
Chris

New Catalogue Blog Hop

Tonight the Art with Heart team are sharing creative products using supplies from the upcoming 2019 – 2020 annual catalogue. If you would like a copy of the brand new annual catalogue, contact any of the girls on the blog hop and we will get in touch with you.
May-blog-hop

There are just so many gorgeous new goodies, new ideas, new inspiration in the 2019 – 2020 Stampin’ Up! Annual catalogue, and so many that I want to create with.
But I decided to just choose the one that I love most (athough there are a few that are competing for that first place), the gorgeous new Designer Series Papers called Perennial Essence.
I love the colour combination in these papers, and the beautiful designs, and so I have made a series of cards using the papers.

May Bloghop 2

Such divine colours!!  Of course I love them with all the purples and pinks.

May Bloghop 1

Flirty Butterflies

I had planned to do some different projects for you but life got in the way, so you will have to wait a little longer for the other’s that I had planned.

Now it’s time to hop on over to our next participant, the very talented, Rachel Woollard.

If you find a broken link or have come to this blog hop from a different entry point, you can view the participants below:

Christina Barnes

Happy Stamping, and enjoy hopping along,
Chris

Colour Creations – Soft Suede

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This week’s Colour Creations challenge is to use Soft Suede.

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I’ve gone with lots of texture from embossing folders on my card again today, this time using the Layered Leaves, and the Woodland embossing folders.
The colour combination is Crumb Cake, Merry Merlot and of course, Soft Suede.

Colour Creations Soft Suede

And there is just a little Early Espresso ink in the background behind the trees of the Woodland embossing folder.  So to get that effect, I have swiped the ink pad across the raised part of the folder, before placing the cardstock in the folder and then running it through the Big Shot.  The darker background just helps to make those trees pop a little.

Make sure you check out some more inspiration using Soft Suede by going over to Cathy’s blog where you can find the links.

Happy stamping!
Chris