Category Archives: Cards

Origami Leaf

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I am having so much fun playing with embossing folders, and creating a lot of different textures and interest on my cards.   I like texture, especially on the masculine cards.
Origami Leaf

This card uses a combination of Pinewood Planks embossing folder, and Woodland, two of my all time favourites.  And I am very happy to be able to tell you that both of them are carrying over to the new catalogue.
I thought it would be fun to play along with the current challenge at The Male Room, which is “Anything Goes” with an optional twist of using Origami.  So I made an origami leaf using some Vellum to go with the “wood” theme of my card.
It’s just a very simple folded triangle, very easy to do.  I’m not sure that I am entirely happy with it, I wondered if it would be better with two leaves, but didn’t want them to over power the rest of the card, so left it just like that.

Happy stamping!
Chris

More Botanical Butterflies

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I really enjoyed making the card from a couple of posts ago, this one here, so I thought I would make another card, same layout, same set of gorgeous papers, very different card…..

Butterfly Note

Such a gorgeous set of patterned papers, it was sad that Botanical Butterflies DSP was only available for such a short time.
The little butterfly has been fussy cut from the paper, and the greenery and oval are die cut from the Wonderful Floral Framelits which are in the current Occasions Catalogue, which ends very soon, on the 3rd June.

If you love these Dies as much as I do, then make sure you get hold of a set before they disappear.  You can find them in my online store here, and make sure you use the monthly code for May 2019 when you put your order through:  D4FQM4W6

Happy Stamping!
Chris

Quick and Easy cards

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I have a heap of old “Project Life by Stampin’ Up!” cards, which I haven’t used and decided it was time to do something with them.
I tried the Project Life style of scrapbooking but in the end I love the traditional way.
And I am planning to do some scrapbooking soon, so I promise to share the pages when I get back into it.
In the meantime……

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I have kept the cards nice and simple because I am planning on donating these to Combat Cards, an Australian organisation which sends the cards over to our troops stationed in various countries so that they can send handmade cards home to their loved ones.
Combat Cards requirements are that the cards don’t have too many layers, or lumpy bits, and no sparklies either.
The Project Life cards are a great way to create gift cards quickly and easily.  Most of these have just had a greeting stamped on to them and that’s all the stamping involved.

I’m not sure what you call Quick and Easy cards, are they Queasy cards?

Happy stamping!
Chris

The Creative Flow

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It’s back!
A few weeks of stress and worry after my son hurt his finger and had to have surgery, plus all the follow up and travel that went with it, well, let’s just say it was a pretty stressful time.  And my creativity usually takes a bit of a nose dive when things get stressful.
So it’s always a good feeling when the creativity starts to flow again, and things just go together and work out.
Bronze Happy Birthday
I made this card this morning, using some of my favourites papers from Sale-a-Bration from earlier this year, called Botanical Butterfly Designer Series Paper.  They are not available any more, unfortunately.
The twine is one that I have had since I first started as a demonstrator back in 2008, and I love it so much that I still have some in my stash.
I have coloured the stick on dots using a Bronze marker.
And, that gorgeous Happy Birthday Die, I am a bit sad that this one is retiring, but I am sure I will be able to find another favourite.  Or maybe two, or three!
So the combination of those elements made a fairly quick and easy card to put together, but I think it turned out ok.
So here is my question, masculine or feminine???

Happy stamping!
Chris

New Catalogue Goodies

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Today is an exciting day for Stampin’ Up! demonstrators, with the start of the pre-order for the 2019-2020 Annual Catalogue.  It is a much anticipated day for all demonstrators, when we get to to order some of the new goodies so that we can prepare some samples and classes for when the catalogue is released in June.

There are just so many gorgeous new things in this catalogue that it really is difficult to choose a favourite, but I will share some of my favourites with you over the coming weeks.
So here is the first one, a must for those of us who enjoy making masculine cards.  The stamp set comes with a coordinating Die set, and some matching Trinkets.
Come Sail Away 1
The Stamp Set is called Sailing Home, and the papers are called Come Sail Away.  Love them and I can’t wait to play with them some more.

I hope you are getting some craft time in your day today.
Happy stamping!
Chris

Colour Creations – Smokey Slate

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This week’s Colour Creations colour is Smokey Slate.

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I haven’t made a masculine card for a while, so thought this was the perfect colour for it.
For those of you have been following along for a while, you will probably remember that I really enjoy making masculine cards.  I know many people find them difficult but I enjoy designing and making them, and inspiring you to as well.
I have combined the Smokey Slate with Basic Black, Basic Grey and some of the Graceful Glass Designer Vellum which I have layered over the top of the Smokey Slate.  This Vellum is another of the retiring products which I am sad to see go – it is gorgeous!
Smokey Slate Masculine

The Basic Grey has been run through the Big Shot in the Cable Knit embossing folder which gives such a lovely texture to the card.
I am not entirely happy with the word panel, it’s not quite what I would like but I had limited options.  I may still take it off and change that part when I have a few more stamps and supplies.
For some more inspiration on using this great colour in your projects, just click here.
Happy stamping!
Chris

Colour Creations – Shaded Spruce

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This week’s Colour Creations colour is the gorgeous green called Shaded Spruce.
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I love this colour!!
I thought I would use up some of the Designer Series Papers called Garden Impressions which retires soon.
I have used the particular patterned papers that have Shaded Spruce on them, in particular, the stems and leaves, and some of the splodges.
I have made a set of three cards, using the same layout, just with some slight variations to change the look of the cards.
This set shows how easy it can be to take a simple layout and make cards that are completely different.

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I have added a layer of white cardstock with a strip of the patterned paper to the inside of each card.

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If you would like to see some other inspiration using Shaded Spruce, make sure you pop over to Catherine’s post where you can find everyone’s links.

Happy stamping!
Chris

The Blues

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It’s been a pretty traumatic and full on few days for my little family.
On the Thursday before Easter, my son injured his finger quite badly, while using a bench grinder in his workshop.
Needless to say, most of our Easter has been spent either in one hospital or another or travelling interstate so that he could have surgery on it.
But we are home and he is doing really well.
And I really needed some time to wind down, so……
I did some stamping, of course!
Monochromatic Butteflies

I made my card using a monochromatic colour scheme for the current Global Design Project challenge.
The photo isn’t great because it is a very cloudy day here, but the base card is Night of Navy and I have used the gorgeous Balmy Blue for everything else.  The white layer also features the Subtle Embossing Folder, although it’s a little hard to see it in the photo.
And of course those gorgeous butterflies from Butterfly Gala, along with the coordinating punch, which I am very happy to say, is carrying over to the next Annual Catalogue.
The butterflies have been coloured using Balmy Blue ink and Blender Pens.

Hope you are having a crafty Easter.
Happy Stamping!
Chris

Colour Creations – Sahara Sand

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This week’s colour creations uses the very versatile and perhaps slightly under-used colour Sahara Sand.

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It’s a great neutral colour, that combines so well with all sorts of other colours and combinations.
I have combined it with Bermuda Bay and Flirty Flamingo!

Sahara Sand Colour Creation
I have used the Happy Birthday Gorgeous stamp set, and the gorgeous oval die which comes from the Wonderful Floral Framelits Dies.  It’s a bit of a favourite!
And to finish the card off, some paper piercing around the top edge.

If you would like to see what the rest of the team have made using Sahara Sand, you can find the list here.

Happy Stamping!
Chris

Colour Creations – Real Red

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I am joining in with the Art With Heart Colour Creations Blog Hop this week, and we are using Real Red on our projects.
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My ink colour pallete is rather limited at this stage, so I am having to rely on the cardstock I have on hand, and some bits and pieces that my lovely upline, Judy May, has sent to me, so that I can keep the creativity going.
Judy sent me this gorgeous heart and the “Happy” word, both in Real Red, so they were perfect to use for this Blog Hop.
Real Red 2019

The heart is Die cut using the absolutely gorgeous Be Mine Stitched Framelits dies, which I just love!!  So gorgeous.  Definitely on the Wish List!

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Isn’t it pretty?
So many beautiful die available, I want them all.
I also love Embossing Folders and this one is another particularly lovely one, it’s called Layered Leaves.   Another one on my Wish List!

If you would like to see what the rest of the Blog Hop team have made using Real Red this week, you can find the list here.

Happy Stamping!
Chris