Category Archives: Challenges

Sketch Saturday #758

Posted in Cards, Challenges by

Hi and welcome back to another Sketch Saturday challenge.
Here is the new sketch for our inspiration, a lovely sketch that you could do so much with, or keep very simple.

The only issue I had with this sketch was deciding which of the many ideas I would use for my Design Team card for today.

I have used a piece of the Perennial Lavender Designer Series Paper over some Crumb Cake cardstock for the background, and I have lightly inked the edges of the DSP with some Crumb Cake ink, just to take away the white of the cut edge.
And I have done the same with the layer of Melon Mambo paper which comes from the Countryside Rose Designer Series Paper, a paper which was only available to Stampin’ Up! Demonstrators but I loved the colour of it behind these flowers.
The flowers and leaves come from the Fully Flowering Ephemera Pack, so are already cut and coloured for you.

Thanks for stopping by today, and I hope you will share your projects with us at Sketch Saturday.
Happy Stamping, and don’t forget the sale on Designer Series Papers which has only a few days left, and you can make the most of by clicking here.

Happy stamping,
Chris

The Crafty Addicts Challenges – Colour Splash Card

Posted in Cards, Challenges by

The Crafty Addicts is back again this month with an open challenge, meaning we want to see any and all of your cards, there’s no restriction as to what you can use, just craft away and share with us.
My card for this month is one that was a bit of an experiment, I’m not too sure that I am happy with the colours, they are for a colour challenge, and I’m not sure I would normally put them together. But it’s always fun to play with colour.

I have used the Foursquare Decorative Masks and some Masking Paper. Each section has been masked, then coloured with ink and blending brushes. Then the masks removed and replaced to create a new area to sponge in a different colour. The circle mask I left there during that process of colouring the background. I’ve then simply used a ruler and black marker to draw the lines in between each colour.
It looks a whole lot more complicated that it really is. Masking is one of my favourite stamping techniques.
And just to add to all the masking going on, I decided to mask the sentiment which comes from the Sending Smiles stamp set, they are two different stamps, I’ve masked half of the strip of cardstock and stamped the word birthday, then masked over the stamped word, and stamped the word hugs.
The colours used are Azure Afternoon, Granny Apple Green, Lemon Lolly, Crushed Curry, and Flirty Flamingo.

Come on over to The Crafty Addicts challenge site where you can see what the rest of the Design Team have made this month. And do share your creations, we love to see what you’ve been crafting.
Happy stamping
Chris

You can click on the images below to go to my online store or click here, or if you prefer to use your device with the QR Code, you can find it below. Don’t forget about the amazing joining offer, if you live in Australia I would love to welcome you to my team, feel free to email or leave a comment if you would like more information.

Product List
Foursquare Decorative Masks
[161285]
$17.50
Stampin' Up! Masking Paper
[155480]
$12.25
Blending Brushes
[153611]
$23.00
Sending Smiles Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)
[158701]
$39.00
Sending Dies (English)
[159271]
$58.00
Add All to Cart

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Critters Challenge

Posted in Cards, Challenges, Masculine by

I made a card!
It has been quite a while since I did any crafting.  Or blogging for that matter.  Time to get back into it though now that life has settled down.
Today’s card is for the current challenge at The Male Room, which is to make a project with the theme of Critters and/or Bugs.

My card uses some lovely new goodies which will be available in the new Stampin’ Up! catalogue which goes live in two days time.
The stamp set is a very cute Hostess set called Love You Lots.  I think I love this little frog lots!  It’s a really gorgeous stamp set.
The papers are also new, a stack called Playful Palette, which features some of the gorgeous new In Colours, in this case, the green is called Emerald Envy, and the blue is Dapper Denim.
There is one more new stamp set which I have used here, another Hostess set called Time of Year, which features these fantastic banners.  A very useful set to own.
That’s it from me for now, however, I will actually be back a little later with….. yes, another card!!
Happy stamping!
Chris

Freshly Made Sketches #65

Posted in Cards, Challenges, Christmas by

Sharing a card today that I have made for my sister, who owns a farm with lots of apple trees.  And I have used the sketch from this week’s Freshly Made Sketches.

I have used a combination of the Perfectly Preserved and Polar Party Stamp Sets, along with the Be Of Good Cheer patterned papers in some traditional Christmas colours.
Here is the sketch:

FMS Final 65-001

Hope you are finding time to do some Christmas stamping too.
Happy Stamping!
Chris

Recycle It… With a Pop of Green!

Posted in 3D, Big Shot, Challenges, Our Creative Corner by

Another really great challenge this week at Our Creative Corner.

So, what did I recycle?
Well, I had an old tin that originally had some yummy chai tea in it, and I didn’t want to throw away the tin once the tea had been used, but didn’t quite know what to do with it.  But it has had a makeover and now holds my paper clips!
So the tin has been recycled for a new use, and I have used some denim from the pair of my son’s old jeans that I started cutting up a few weeks ago!
Actually I think I have also “recycled” some of the recent challenges as well 🙂 – last week’s challenge was to use some office supplies (check – there is a paper clip on the lid), and the previous week was to use denim (check).
I have also used the very yummy Twitterpated patterned papers, and a tiny bit of the new Comfort Cafe patterned papers, just poking out from under the denim.  And of course, those butterflies… the top two layers use the Beautiful Wings Embosslits, and the larger blue butterfly is the Beautiful Butterflies Bigz Die, through the Big Shot.
Check out what the rest of the Design Team have made for this challenge, and if you have any questions about this project, feel free to send me an email.
Happy stamping!
Chris

Our Creative Corner – Dressed in Denim!

Posted in Cards, Challenges by

This week’s challenge at Our Creative Corner is a Dressed in Denim Recipe Challenge from Paula.  Here is what she says:

Paula here again….I’m an Arkansan.  We wear jeans all the time… work, church, play, even weddings. You name it, we can make the denim work.  So dress it up or dress it down but use 3 ribbons or twine, 3 buttons or brads, and some denim (either real or faux via printed paper or a technique) on a project.

 

Great challenge, Paula! 🙂

My card uses, as promised, a sneak peek at some goodies from the new catalogue (rubbing hands together). Along with some denim, I have used the gorgeous Comfort Cafe DSP, which has been cut using the Scallop Squares Duo die.  The greeting uses the new Bitty Banners Framelits die, also available on the 1st Sept. Oh and those yummy buttons are also new, Naturals Designer Buttons which have a lovely wood look to them, and they are threaded with some Early Espresso Baker’s Twine.

The denim fabric in this project (which is from an old pair of jeans belonging to my son -shhhhh!) has been adhered to some card stock using the Multipurpose adhesive sheet, before running it through the Big Shot.  This helps to keep the fabric in shape and also stops in from fraying so easily.

Make sure you check out what the rest of the Design Team have made for this challenge.

Hope you will join us with this week’s challenge.
Happy stamping!
Chris

 

 

 

“What Not to Stamp” Makeover Challenge

Posted in Big Shot, Cards, Challenges by

This was lots of fun!!  This week’s challenge at Our Creative Corner comes from Lori Rider.  The challenge is to go hunting through those old cards, you know the ones….. that you made when you first started stamping or the ones that just didn’t quite work, or what Lori calls “cringe-worthy” cards 🙂  Then choose one or two things about that card that you do like and use those on a new card.  Ahhh but, you have to show us the old card, and the makeover card.  So have fun with this one.  I know I did!

So here is my cringe-worthy card – one I made very early on and is about the second post on my blog, wayyyyyy back about 4 years ago.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And for my makeover card I have used the grid technique for the background again, a similar layout, and various shades of pink.

The grid is so much easier now that we have the diagonal score plate, much easier than the old way using a ruler and bone scorer!!  I have then added some ink to the cardstock by inking up one of my large clear blocks and lightly stamping that directly onto the card stock.  I have then used a slightly darker pink (Pretty in Pink) to stamp the swirls.  I have used the lovely, elegant stamp set “Elements of Style“.  The main image has been double stamped, first with Pretty in Pink ink, and then over the top and slightly off-set in  Rose Red.  This gives the outline a slightly blurry look.  Then I have coloured using a blender pen.  But be wary when you are using this technique as the Rose Red ink can bleed very easily, so I just dotted the colour inside the outline and have “worked” the colouring as little as possible.  The butterfly is from “Kindness Matters”, and it has been edged with the darker colour, using a marker.
Like I said, I really did have fun with this one, and I hope you’ll play along this week too.  Make sure you check out all the other transformations from the rest of the Design Team.
Happy stamping!
Chris

Our Creative Corner Colour Challenge

Posted in Cards, Challenges, Our Creative Corner by

Well, here it is!  My very first Design Team post with Our Creative Corner!
Sharon Wheet over at Designs by Sharon has set this week’s challenge, which is:
Create a paper craft item and use the challenge colors:  Navy, Pink, and whatever other color you decide.  You pick the missing color, any color; Kraft, Yellow, River Rock, Gray, Metallic, etc.  (Neutrals don’t count: black, white, cream, or brown).

For my card, I have used the colour Pool Party (one of my all time favourites), with Navy and Pink, and I love the way these colours go together.  I have also used the stripes on the containers in the photo for inspiration.

You can check out what the rest of the very talented team have created here.  And I hope you join us with a creation of your own.
Happy stamping!
Chris