Category Archives: Cards

More Reverse Masking

Posted in A Wish for Peace, Cards, Lovely as a Tree, Snow Swirled by

I have had a couple of comments regarding the reverse masking so here are two of the cards that we made in the class on Thursday night.

The first is a card inspired by the incredibly talented Claire Daly, who I find so much inspiration from, I just love her work and I am sure you will too, so check out her website, and you will find the original of this card if you click on her Christmas Cards area.  I have made mine a little more simple, left off ribbon and brads but I just love the combination of the two stamp sets used here, and the way it looks like snow on the spire of the church and on the trees.  I am starting to get in the mood for Christmas already! 🙂  It is hard to see in the photo, but the tree which is outside the oval masked area is glittery.

Stamp Sets: A Wish For Peace, Lovely as a Tree, Snow Swirled.

Cardstock: Baja Breeze, Whisper White, Chocolate Chip.

Inks: Baja Breeze, Always Artichoke, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Silver Encore.

Accessories: Sponge Daubers, Markers, Oval Reverse Mask, Scallop Circle punch for the corners, Two-way Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds.

Ok and for the second card….

I got a little carried away with sponging the chocolate chip around the top (my three year old says it is a storm cloud!) and then when I tried to fix it I made it worse (of course!) – a lesson to be learnt, which I should know by know – never try to fix things up, it only makes them look worse.  Anyway, you all need to know that I am only human 🙂  Truth is, I was too busy chatting!

Stamp Set: Lovely as a Tree

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Kraft, Chocolate Chip.

Inks: Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke

Accessories: Sponge Daubers, Oval Reverse Mask, ribbon from my own stash.

I do hope these inspire you to try something a little different.

Chris

Reverse Masking

Posted in A Kind Word, Cards by

Today’s card uses a technique called reverse masking.  Last night I held a class where we made three reverse masked cards, and this is not one of them! 🙂  However, I will post some of the cards we made in the class, but I wanted to share this one today, because it is so cute! 🙂  The card itself was a thank you card for one of my lovely hostesses who had a workshop recently, and I know her daughter just loves A Kind Word stamp set, and I don’t blame her! 🙂  Normally I watercolour the images from this stamp set, but this time used some sponging in the background to create the colour, and felt that was enough. Although I did just have to add some of those gorgeous felt flowers as well! 🙂

Stamp Sets: A Kind Word, Occasional Greetings

Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue, Whisper White

Inks: Black Stazon, Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue.

Accessories: Certainly Celery 1.6cm Grosgrain Ribbon, Piercing Tool and Mat Pack, Sponge Daubers, Felt Fusion and Felt Fusion Too, Soft Subtles Brads.

If you are interested in learning more about doing reverse masks, feel free to email or give me a call.  But why not give it a go, there are so many possibilities, and I will be back soon with some more ideas from last nights class.

Father’s Day

Posted in Cards, Lovely as a Tree, Weathered by

Just a very short post today, but I thought I would share a card I made today for Father’s Day.  For those of you in different countries, we celebrate Father’s Day this coming weekend, the first Sunday in September.

I really like these colours for a male card, they are nice and earthy and masculine. It is a little hard to see in the photo, but I have used the Weathered Background stamp over the main card base to give it a little more texture and interest.

Hope you like it, and I will try to be back tomorrow with another card.

Stamp Sets: Lovely as a Tree, Weathered, Occasional Greetings.

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Always Artichoke, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip.

Inks: Always Artichoke, Close to Cocoa, Versamark.

Accessories: Linen Thread, Spiral Punch, Scallop Circle Punch (to make the inverted corners), Paper Piercing Tool and Mat Pack, Markers

Black and Gold Wedding

Posted in Cards, Greetings Eight by

Two posts in one day! That must be a record for me 🙂 Well, actually I realised just how much of my work hasn’t been going up on my blog recently.  But at least I have been taking photos of them before I send them to the recipient 🙂

My husband is one of my biggest supporters when it comes to my business, and he recently asked me to make a Wedding card for one of his work colleagues.  It was a little difficult to take a good photo of this one, so I hope it comes out ok.

One thing that you can’t see very well, is that there is gold embossing around the edge of the punched out heart.  To do this I have used a versamark pen (non-Stampin’ Up!) which you should be able to get from your local stamping or craft supplier.   Not only are they good for doing this sort of edging but also for patching up any little places that you miss when you stamp with your versamark ink pad. Or you could try using it for some embossed freehand writing or doodling.

Stamp Set: Greetings Eight

Cardstock: Basic Black, Whisper White, Vellum Cardstock

Ink: Versamark

Accessories: Scallop Edge Punch, Full Heart Punch, Gold Embossing Powder and Heat Tool, Gold and Black Organdy Ribbons (Non Stampin’ Up!)

Petal Party

Posted in Cards, Petal Party by

If you weren’t there, then you really missed out on a good afternoon on Saturday.  We made 16 (yes, that does say sixteen) cards in the afternoon, all using the Petal Party Simply Scrappin’ Kit.  We had lots of fun and had heaps left over from the kit to take home for more card making or scrapbook pages, or whatever takes your fancy really 🙂  I just love these kits, everything goes together beautifully, the cardstock, Designer Series Papers and gorgeous Die Cut Stickers, to make beautiful cards or scrapbook pages.

I won’t show you all 16 of the cards we made, just a couple.  But if you did missed out, make sure you have a look at my Upcoming Events page or give me a call or email to make sure you don’t miss out on any more of the classes that are coming up.

Card 1:

Stamp Set: Fresh Cuts

Cardstock: So Saffron, Whisper White

Ink: Basic Black

Accessories: DSP and Stickers from the Petal Party Simply Scrappin’ Kit, Large Oval Punch, Scallop Oval Punch.

How easy is that!

Card 2:

Stamp Set: Occasional Greetings

Cardstock: Old Olive and So Saffron

Ink: Basic Black

Accessories: DSP and Stickers from the Petal Party Simply Scrappin Kit.

(Sorry, the photo came out a little crooked!)

Both cards are Artwork copyright Chris Parker-Barnes

and Images copyright 1990 – 2009 Stampin’ Up!

Once again I find myself apologising for the being MIA for so long, but I have had quite a lot going on.  I recently found out the my Mum has had a return of the cancer that she had removed around 4 years ago only it has spread into other areas of her body.  She has decided not to have treatment for it, mainly because she saw how sick treatment made my Dad before he passed away.  So we are busy doing all those things that we try not to think too much about at other times, like updating wills etc and making sure everything is in order.  It is a difficult time for her (and the whole family) as she lives on her own, and we don’t know how long it will be before she gets too ill and weak to be on her own.

On a more positive note, lots of stamping and workshops have been on the go, which is giving me some good things to focus on as well. And as always, my Mum is very supportive of my stamping business and would want me to continue through thick and thin.

But I do have lots of cards etc to share with you so I will try to get back real soon and post some more.

In the mean time, happy stamping!

Chris

Spring Mini Launch

Posted in Cards, Soft Summer by

Once again, I have to apologise for being a very slack blogger!  I know I promised more photos from the Snow Swirled Christmas event, and I will get to them, I promise 🙂

I have had a very busy week, and had my Spring Mini Launch yesterday afternoon, so I will also share some of the projects we made.  The first one is a card using the beautiful new stamp set called Soft Summer.  This is another of the two step stamps which make it so easy to make gorgeous floral features on cards and scrap pages.  I also made this card up in two different colour combinations so that you can see how easily you can change a few things around and make a totally different look.  I can’t decide which one I like the best, although at the moment I have a slight preference for the yellow one.  Leave me a comment and tell me which is your favourite. 🙂

Stamp Sets: Soft Summer (Spring Mini Catalogue).

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Riding Hood Red, Washington Apple DSP

Inks: So Saffron, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Riding Hood Red.

Accessories: Markers, Paper Piercing Tool and Mat Pack, Sponge Daubers, Riding Hood Red Taffeta Ribbon, Rich Regals Brads, Flower Fusion.

Artwork copyright Chris Parker-Barnes

Images copyright 1990-2009 Stampin’ Up!

Stamp Set: Soft Summer

Cardstock: Whisper White, Pale Plum, Perfect Plum, Pink Pirouette Patterns DSP.

Inks: Pale Plum, Perfect Plum, Old Olive.

Accessories: Markers, Paper piercing tool and Mat Pack, Sponge Daubers, Flower Fusion Too, Soft Subtles Brads, Whisper White Grosgrain Ribbon.

Artwork copyright Chris Parker-Barnes

Images copyright 1990-2009 Stampin’ Up!

For some reason, my blog doesn’t seem to like having two photos today, so sorry about the way it has gone a bit wonky, I have tried fixing it but to no avail.  But anyway, you get the idea! 🙂  Happy stamping everyone,

Chris

Good Cheer

Posted in Cards, Christmas, Good Cheer by

Another card to have a look at today, using another new stamp set from the Spring Mini Catalogue.  Only a couple more days to wait until you can order these.  Sorry for the very short post, but I have rather a lot on my plate at the moment, with the Snow Swirled Christmas Stamp Extravaganza happening this coming Saturday, and my mini catalogue launch party the following weekend.  Don’t forget to contact me if you would like to come along and see more of the mini catalogue products or if you would like me to send one of the catalogues out to you.

Stamp Set: Good Cheer (available 1st August 2009).

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Real Red, Glorious Green.

Inks: Real Red, Glorious Green, Basic Black, Close to Cocoa.

Accessories: Markers, Colour Spritzer Tool, Cutter Kit, Bold Brights Brads, Real Red 1.27cm Striped Grosgrain Ribbon.

Artwork copyright Chris Parker-Barnes

Images copyright 1990-2009 Stampin’ Up!

New Designer Series Papers

Posted in Cards, Designer Series Paper, Flower Fusion, On Your Birthday, Rub-ons by

Here is the next in the series of sneak peeks from the Spring Mini Catalogue which is being released this coming Saturday, 1st August 2009.  This card features the gorgeous new DSP called Parisian Breeze, and which I made for Larisa‘s birthday.  I’m sure she won’t mind me sharing it with you all 🙂

The Parisian Breeze Designer Series Paper is another which is printed on textured, cover-weight cardstock, which makes it ideal not just for cardmaking but is also fantastic for scrapbooking.  I will have to try to come up with a scrapbook page using it very soon!

Stamp Set: On your Birthday.

Cardstock: Close to Cocoa, Parisian Breeze DSP, Urban Garden DSP.

Ink: Chocolate Chip.

Accessories: Scallop Edge Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, Sponge Dauber, Paper Piercing tool and Mat Pack, Paper Snips, Chocolate Chip 2.5cm Double Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon, Laughter and Love Rub ons, Clear Rhinestone Brads, Flower Fusion Too.

Artwork copyright Chris Parker-Barnes

Images copyright 1990-2009 Stampin’ Up!

Bella Bleu Card

Posted in Baroque Motifs, Cards, Designer Series Paper, Pocket Silhouette by

The Bella Bleu Designer Series Paper is another which I just adore but have hardly used, so again, I thought it was time I used some instead of admiring it 🙂  I tried to make a card in a vintage style, since I think this paper lends itself particularly well to vintage, and also because I don’t do a lot in this style.  I’m not really sure if I succeeded, but I like the end result anyway.  Hope you do, too.

Sorry this is such a short post, but it has been a busy day (again), but I will be back soon with more cards.

Chris

Stamp Sets: Baroque Motifs, Pocket Silhouettes.

Cardstock: Kraft, Not Quite Navy, Bella Bleu DSP.

Inks: Not Quite Navy

Accessories: Scallop Square Punch, Sponge Dauber, Vintage Brads, Kraft Tafetta Ribbon.

Artwork copyright Chris Parker-Barnes

Images copyright 1990 – 2009 Stampin’ Up!

Watercolour Blooms

Posted in Bloom Away, Cards, Designer Series Paper by

These cold wintery days in Canberra are good for one thing, and one thing only….. stamping! 🙂 The weather here has been bitterly cold and miserable, and I am looking forward to seeing more and more flowers starting to bloom.  We have some beautiful Camelia’s in bloom in our garden and there is gorgeous yellow wattles starting to show themselves, which is a sure sign that spring isn’t all that far away.  Today I have really enjoyed watercolouring some of the Australian native flower stamps from the Bloom Away set.  I am holding a class in August where we will be making this card, along with three others using the Bloom Away set.  Go to my Upcoming Events page to find out more details, and make sure you contact me to book in.

Stamp Set: Bloom Away

Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Watercolour paper, Bella Rose Designer Series Paper.

Inks: Black Stazon, Chocolate Chip, Riding Hood Red, Kiwi Kiss, Always Artichoke.

Accessories: Chocolate Chip Double Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon, Linen Thread, Scallop Edge Punch, Sponge Daubers, Paper Piercer and Mat Pack.

Artwork copyright Chris Parker-Barnes

Images copyright 1990 – 2009 Stampin’ Up!