Just Add Ink Challenge

Posted in Designer Series Paper, Watercolouring by

This week’s challenge from Just Add Ink is a fantastic one, and it is to find a card on Kathy Tanner’s blog that inspires you and create something based on it.  So, I have made my card based on the layout that Kathy used for her card, and also the watercolouring.  And if you can’t find inspiration on Kathy’s blog, then there is just no hope for you!
I haven’t done any watercolouring for a long time, so it was time to get the Aqua brush out!
The stamp set I have used here is Simply Soft, a hostess set, and the papers are from the current mini catalogue, called Spice Cake.

Well, that’s it for today. I do have plenty more stamping to share with you, but another day!  We are all suffering from lack of sleep here due to the heat (no air conditioning!) so time to head off to bed to try to catch up.  Also time to move to a new house with air conditioning!  Stay tuned……
Happy stamping!
Chris

Everyday Enchantment

Posted in Designer Series Paper, Sale-a-bration by

Firstly, let me wish all you Aussie’s a Happy Australia Day!
Just a quick post today, to share another card made with the gorgeous Everyday Enchantment papers.
Often, when I am lacking inspiration (which seems to be happening regularly at the moment) I go to the blog of the very talented Jenny Moors, Stamping Moments.  Jenny does some fantastic and very reasonably priced stamp classes, and when I need that bit of inspiration, I buy one of her classes and just follow along with her instructions.  Most of the time, it gets me back into the flow of things.
So, this particular card is part of her Fresh Vintage stamp class, although as often happens with me, not quite exactly the same!
So thank you Jenny, for your ongoing inspiration. 
The card uses the Fresh Vintage Stamp Set and of course, the Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Papers, both available from the Sale-a-Bration catalogue.
Happy Stamping!
Chris

Sale-a-Bration is here!

Posted in Big Shot, Designer Series Paper, Sale-a-bration by

This time of year is always exciting for us in the Stampin’ Up! family, because it’s Sale-a-Bration time!  Every year, Stampin’ Up! bring out a range of new goodies that are only available during the Sale-a-Bration promotion, and they are always gorgeous, however I do think this year they have done especially well.  Not only lovely stamps, but papers and accessories too (rubbing hands together) – love it!

You may have noticed that I like my patterned papers – just a little bit.  Ok, if you must know, I am completely addicted to them, and have rather a large stash. However, I am determined to use them!

So, what about this paper, isn’t it just gorgeous?  I love the old-fashioned look about it and the combination of colours.  It’s called “Everyday Enchantment”, and like the co-ordinating stamp set (“Fresh Vintage”), it is exclusive to the Sale-a-Bration promotion, so won’t be available after 31st March. 
The colours are Pool Party, Poppy Parade, Lucky Limeade, and a touch of Peach Parfait.
I have used the Finial Press and Designer Frames Embossing folders, and just masked off the edge of the oval frame to make sure the inked image stayed inside the oval.  The stamp was inked with markers, and the edges of both ovals sponged with some Poppy Parade ink to give the edges some definition.

If you would like to know more about how you can get yourself some of these gorgeous but exclusive products, feel free to contact me and I’ll give you the details.  dotdotstamping@gmail.com
In the meantime, happy stamping!
Chris

 

Merry Christmas!

Posted in 3D, Big Shot, Boxes, Christmas by

Just thought I would share this with you.  I made it to put a few choccies in for my son.  I also thought I should use it for the Just Add Ink latest challenge, which is Fancy Packaging! Definitely time to start getting back into the challenges that I so love to take part in.  It’s always good for getting the creative juices flowing!

This is made using the Big Shot with the Pillow Box Die, and I have used the yummy new sparkly silver cardstock which is available in the current Mini Catalogue, for the belt buckle.

I hope you will forgive me for being absent for a while, I have had some health issues but back on track now and I have quite a few things to share with you, as I have been doing some crafty stuff!
But in the meantime, have a wonderful Christmas tomorrow, and stay safe.
Merry Christmas, and happy stampin!
Chris

Just Add Ink 89

Posted in Cards by

This week’s challenge at Just Add Ink is an inspiration challenge which looks like this:
Gorgeous photo!!  And here is my card based on the photo:
The background layer is just some sponging on white cardstock.  Then I have stamped the gorgeous Medallion in Tangerine Tango on a separate piece of white cardstock and cut all the way around it, then layered it over the sponged layer.  Then I have heat embossed with black embossing powder some stalks of….. something…. 🙂 using the Autumn Days stamp set, and the flowers are from the Vintage Vogue set.  There is a thin strip of So Saffron DSP along the bottom which is a little hard to see in the photo, and a strip of Not Quite Navy cardstock which was torn along both edges. 

I had a lovely box full of new goodies arrive today, so watch this space, I can’t wait to get ink on them!

Happy stamping!
Chris

 

Busy, busy….

Posted in Cards, Designer Series Paper by

It’s been a while since I have had time to stamp – Jamie and I had a quick trip up into the Flinders Ranges to go on the steam train that runs out of Quorn, called the Pichi Richi Railway.  We had a ball!
But back home and back to life including stamping!!
Today’s card is another Clean and Simple Stamping sketch (FTL 162), and again I have used one of the new Designer Series Papers, this time Just Add Cake, which I have combined with the stamp set Up, Up and Away!

I am not entirely happy with this card, I think I should have done the second balloon in orange instead of green, just to brighten it up a little.
The balloons have both been stamped onto the white cardstock base, and then I have stamped a second one, cut it out and layered it over the top of the first.  It is probably a bit hard to tell from the photo, but this does give the card some nice depth.
I hope you are enjoying the beautiful weather (well, it is here anyway!).
Happy stamping,
Chris

SFF093011

Posted in Cards, Designer Series Paper by

I have used the very pretty Flirtatious Speciality DSP for this challenge from Sketch Frenzy Friday, it is just gorgeous paper for those girly cards.

The colours are Pretty in Pink, a touch of Melon Mambo and a new favourite for me, Wisteria Wonder.
The greeting comes from the Up, Up and Away! stamp set, which is going to be a very versatile and useful set. (Watch this space!!)  And of course, a little bit of necessary bling, with some half back rhinestones.
That’s it for me for today.  Happy Stamping!
Chris

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

Top Note Bag

Posted in 3D, Big Shot, Designer Series Paper by

I thought I should make a bag to go with my Domestic Goddess card from my last post, I like making these, they are so cute, and really quite easy, as long as you have a Big Shot, of course.
Well, I’m keeping this short and sweet today, it’s a public holiday here and there are some things that we want to go and explore today.  So, happy stamping!
Chris

Domestic Goddess!

Posted in Cards, Designer Series Paper by

No, that wouldn’t be me….. there are too many other things to do in life, like stamping for instance!  However, I love the colours in the Domestic Goddess Designer Series Papers, really bright and cheerful, and work in perfectly with this weeks colour challenge from Just Add Ink.

The colour combination is Crumb Cake, Pool Party, Calypso Coral and Whisper White.  Now, two of those colours are brand new In-Colours from Stampin’ Up! and I don’t have any inks for those colours yet, so that did make this a bit of a challenge.  But I have used the DSP and the Ruffled Ribbon, then stamped the image in Crumb Cake.  The stamp is the individual stamp called Share a Cup.

Hope you are having a great Friday.
Happy Stamping!
Chris