Category Archives: On Your Birthday

Sketch Frenzy Friday

Posted in Cards, Designer Series Paper, On Your Birthday, Seaworthy by

I know it’s not Friday – although with the lifestyle we lead, sometimes I have no idea what day of the week it is! 
Sketch Frenzy Friday have some great sketch ideas to use for your card making, and I have used the sketch from last weeks challenge for this card.
The yacht is from the Seaworthy Stamp Set (page 79 of the catalogue).  I have used markers to ink the stamp up, and then done some very light watercolouring using a blender pen.  The greeting is from On Your Birthday (page 107), and the DSP is Well Worn – fantastic papers if you are making cards for the men in your life. 
I will be back tomorrow with some more inspiration using the new DSP – they are all so beautiful, I could spend all of my days making “stuff” with them! 🙂

Happy stamping!
Chris

Pretty Butterflies

Posted in Baroque Motifs, Cards, Designer Series Paper, On Your Birthday by

Firstly, thanks everyone for all of your lovely comments, it is lovely to hear from some old friends, and some new ones!  I had a really relaxing weekend and am feeling a heap better today.  And I did some stamping over the weekend, so things are looking up!
Here is one of the cards I made over the weekend, I really enjoyed making this, and it is so pretty in real life.

The details are a little hard to see in the photo, but I have stamped the swirl from Baroque Motifs straight onto the Whisper White Card base using versamark ink, then used Heat and Stick powder and Dazzling Diamonds to give it a very pretty sparkle!  There is a strip of the wonderful new In Colour Rich Razzleberry down the right side, and some of the Cottage Wall DSP, both of them scalloped with the Scallop Edge Punch.  I have also used the same DSP for the butterflies which have also been punched out.  And the greeting is from On Your Birthday using Rich Razzleberry ink.  A pretty easy card really, and a good way to use up some of those scraps of cardstock.
And on the subject of punches, don’t forget that tomorrow is the last chance to four punches at 30% discount.  Contact me for more details or to place an order.  Payment and orders must be placed with me no later than 5pm tomorrow, and I can ship your order to anywhere in Australia. 
Hope you get some stamping done today!
Chris

Cinema Saturday Challenge

Posted in Big Shot, Cards, On Your Birthday, Vintage Vogue by

In recent times I have really been struggling to find my “mojo”.  It’s not surprising, I suppose, with everything that has been going on, but stamping has just become a struggle rather than something that I love to do.  So, it was definitely time to get back into some of those challenges that I enjoy doing, in the hope that things might start to pick up a little.
And what better way than to go back to one of my favourite challenges, Cinema Saturday Creative Challenges.  And it just so happens that this week’s movie is Sense and Sensibility, which is a movie that I just adore.  I am totally into period movies and books, but this one is definitely a favourite.
The challenge is to create a card, inspired by the movie, and which is a CAS Card, meaning Clean and Simple. Here is what I came up with.

I have used some plain Whisper White cardstock for the base, stamped the greeting in the yummy new Soft Suede ink, then run it through the Big Shot using the Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder, just to give the background a nice subtle texture.  The heart is Bashful Blue cardsock, punched out with the large Heart Punch, and then stamped using the Vintage Vogue stamp set from the new mini catalogue, in Old Olive ink. I have stamped the small flower also from Vintage Vogue onto white cardstock with Bashful Blue ink, cut out the flower, and then sponged around both the flower and heart using daubers and Soft Suede ink.  The button is from the Playground buttons from the previous mini (ie retired) and has a tiny piece of white cardstock threaded through, just to give that finishing touch.
It was quite a quick and easy card to make but I know just who to send this one to!  Thanks for stopping by.  I will be posting some of the items that we will be making at tonight’s catalogue launch, so make sure you come back and have a look at those.
Happy stamping
Chris

Matching Card

Posted in Big Shot, Cards, On Your Birthday by

There, I told you I would be back today with the card that matches the box from yesterday’s post.  But only a very short post today, as I have a busy day.  It is my lovely husband’s birthday today!

Anyway, here is the card, using the wonderful new Cottage Garden stamp set, which comes in both wood mount and clear mount.  I have the clear mount version. And I have used the colours of the Cottage Wall Designer Series Paper, which are Old Olive, Orchid Opulence, the new Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White, and of course a little bit of white embossing for the greeting and some dazzling diamonds for the centres of the flowers.
And, I must not forget the all important Big Shot and Top Note Die, which I have used to cut out the white layer.  Both the Big Shot and Top Note Die will be available through me from Stampin’ Up! from 1st April – how exciting is that??? 🙂
Hope you have a lovely day! Chris

I am still here…

Posted in Cards, Heartfelt Thanks, Lovely as a Tree, On Your Birthday, Seeing Spots by

… but phew, what a week… or two!
Some of those dreaded “change of season” bugs hit our household full force over the last couple of weeks.  My poor husband had a week off work (totally unheard of) and my son was sick with it as well – at the same time, of course.  And then just when they were starting to get over it, I got sick with a very nasty tummy bug that saw me visiting the emergency unit of the local hospital.  Fortunately it was only a short stay, and I managed to escape the hospital the same day that went in.  But recovery has been a bit of a slow process, and I am now on some medication which seems to be helping, although not quick enough for my liking.  Being unwell is just soooo not me, especially when my mind is willing but my body just isn’t.
So, needless to say, I have a million more ideas running around in my head, but have only had the energy to make a few of them.

I did promise to share some more of the cards I made using the Seeing Spots Stamp Set, which I will do shortly.  And I also have to share some of the excitement of the amazing new Autumn /Winter Mini Catalogue which goes live on the 1st of April, but as a demonstrator, I have been lucky enough to see.  Actually, I have spent quite a few hours with it firmly adhered to my forehead!  It is gorgeous!!!!!  I desperately need the lotto gods to bless me with very large amounts of cash that I can spend on all of the mini catalogue, because to honest, I think I could buy every single thing in it.
I will come back with another post with some details on the new clear mount stamp sets, but in the meantime, some cards.

As well as Seeing Spots, this one uses the lovely Nature’s Nest Stamp Set which is only available until the end of this month.  And the greeting is from the Sale-a-Bration set Vintage Labels, again only available until the end of the month.
Cardstock is Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue, Chocolate Chip and Whispers White.

This second card uses the Heartfelt Thanks Stamp Set, in the colours of  Barely Banana, Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery and Chocolate Chip.

And this last card using an all time favourite of mine, Lovely as a Tree, along with On Your Birthday for the greeting.  The colours are Barely Banana, Certainly Celery, Chocolate Chip and Whisper White.

Hope you are getting lots of stampin done, and for those of you in Canberra, enjoy your long weekend!
Chris

Vintage Labels

Posted in 3D, A Rose is a Rose, Cards, Designer Series Paper, On Your Birthday, Sale-a-bration, Vintage Labels by

Firstly, I would like to thank everyone for all the lovely comments I have received over the last two days, it is always good to get comments on my blog and know that other people are getting inspiration and ideas from my projects.
I do hope you enjoyed all the wonderful projects on your way around the blog hop, I certainly did, and now have many more ideas and new things to make 🙂  I think I need to find an extra day each week, just to fit in all the new projects I want to make!!

And now I would like to share another project which features the wonderful Vintage Label Stamp Set, and one of my all time favourite stamp sets, A Rose is a Rose.  This time a card, with a matching bag and candle, just perfect for giving to someone special.

Stamp Sets: Vintage Labels (Only availabe during Sale-a-bration), A Rose is a Rose, On Your Birthday.

Cardstock: Real Red, Basic Black, Whisper White, Pink Flamingo DSP.

Inks: Basic Black, Real Red, Kiwi Kiss.

Accessories: Basic Black Grosgrain Ribbon, Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/4 inch Circle Punch, Scallop Edge Punch, Paper Snips, Paper piercing tool and Mat Pack, White Tissue Paper, Heat Gun.

Artwork copyright Chris Parker-Barnes
Images copyright 1990-2010 Stampin’ Up!

Happy Australia Day, and happy stampin,
Chris

Punch Flowers

Posted in Cards, Designer Series Paper, On Your Birthday by

I am currently busy making Swaps for our regional Stampin’ Up! training night which is on this coming Wed evening.  Last year I went up to Sydney for this event as they didn’t have one here in Canberra, and it was fantastic.  I came home full of new ideas and inspiration.  So I am excited to be attending again this year without having to travel.  I will show you the card I made for the swaps later in the week.
Here is a cute card made with easy punched out flowers which look much more complicated than they really are.  All I have done is punched out two flowers using the scallop circle punch, one in white and one in the pink DSP.  Then I have cut into each side of the scallops to create petals and layered the white and the pink together.

Stamp Set: On Your Birthday

Cardstock: Basic Black, Whisper White, Sweet Always Designer Series Paper.

Ink: Basic Black

Accessories: Scallop Circle Punch, Eyelet Border Punch, Clear Rhinestone Brads, Soft Subtles Brads, Flower Fusion.

Until next time, happy stampin’!
Chris

Artwork copyright Chris Parker-Barnes
Images copyright 1990-2009 Stampin’ Up!

Flower Pots

Posted in Big Shot, Cards, Garden Whimsy, On Your Birthday, Season of Joy, Uncategorized by

Thank you to the lovely ladies who came over this morning to make Flower Pot cards, I had a really good time.  It is always good to be able to do some stamping with other people instead of just on my own.  And I thought I should share the two cards that we made this morning.
I have seen various versions of these flower pot cards around on blogs and websites, but I have no idea who to give the credit to for the original version, but thank you, who ever you are! 🙂 These are just sooooo cute and super easy to make.  I have used my Big Shot to create the spots on the pots but you could easily decorate the pots with a background stamp to give it a bit of “life”.

Stamp Sets: Garden Whimsy, On Your Birthday.

Cardstock: Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Rose Red, Regal Rose.

Inks: Rose Red, Regal Rose, Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate Chip.

Accessories: Big Shot, Embossing Folder, Mellow Moss Taffeta Ribbon, Markers.
Artwork copyright Chris Parker-Barnes
Images copyright 1990 – 2009 Stampin’ Up!

And the second card is a slider card which goes inside the pot.  I just love this one!

Stamp Sets: On Your Birthday, Season of Joy.

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Really Rust, Haiku Designer Series Paper.

Inks: Chocolate Chip, Really Rust and Pumpkin Pie.

Accessories: Big Shot, Embossing Folder and Flower Cutting Die, Scallop Edge Punch, Very Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon, Vintage Brads.

Artwork copyright Chris Parker-Barnes
Images copyright 1990-2009 Stampin Up!

Shaving Cream Fun! :)

Posted in Cards, On Your Birthday, Seaside by

No, shaving cream is not just for shaving!  And if you weren’t here for the class last night, you missed out on heaps of fun!

We used the shaving cream technique to colour some white cardstock to give a watery look, to use as the background for our cards, and here is the end result.

Stamp Sets: Seaside, On Your Birthday.

Cardstock: Baja Breeze, Whisper White.

Inks: Sahara Sand, Black Stazon, and Baja Breeze and Kiwi Kiss Reinkers.

Accessories: Shaving Cream, Cork, paper snips, dimensionals.

All you need to do, to make these unique and unusual backgrounds is:
Spray shaving cream into a tray (a clean meat tray or container lid is ideal) and make sure there is enough to cover the bottom of the tray.
Smooth it out then put some random drops of ink colour from some reinkers.  Use a paddle pop stick or equivalent to create swirls of colour in whatever form you choose.
Lay a piece of cardstock over the shaving cream and push down so that it is covering the cardstock.  Lift the cardstock out and place, shaving cream side down onto another piece of cardstock and again push down to “sandwich some of the shaving cream out.  This creates two pieces of cardstock which will probably be quite different.
Wipe all of the shaving cream off the card using some paper towel and you should be left with two pieces of cardstock with interesting patterns and smelling very nice!  Leave aside to dry.

So don’t miss out on the fun, come along to some of my classes and you just never know what we might be playing with next!

Keep stampin,

Chris

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!