Technique Blog Hop – Masking

I am starting to get back into some group crafting and sharing, which is exciting, and a bit confronting, after such a long time of crafting on my own.
My first Blog Hop today, is with the Crafty Collaborations group, and we are focusing on the technique of Masking, one of my all time favourite techniques because it can be done in so many ways.
Today, I have decided to keep my card very simple, and I’ve featured the leaf stamp from the Sale-a-Bration set Beautifully Happy.

I have used my Stamparatus to keep everything lined up, and used a one inch strip of scrap paper across a piece of Basic White cardstock, as a mask.

I’ve then inked up my stamps with Soft Seafoam Ink, and using a Sponge Dauber, added some Shaded Spruce and a tiny touch of Cajun Craze ink around the edge of the leaves.

Once I felt I was happy with the leaves, I removed the mask, and stamped a sentiment from the Wildlife Wonder stamp set.

This is such a simple technique, but so effective. I’ve layered this onto some Shaded Spruce to frame the main layer, and then onto a Soft Seafoam card base.

Here is where you will find the other’s taking part in the Blog Hop.
Happy Hopping, and Happy Stamping!
Chris

Try Stampin on Tuesday Sketch # 547

This week at Try Stampin on Tuesday, we are using this sketch for our projects, with the option of adding some Metallics.

For the background of my card I have used some of the Symbols of Fortune Designer Series Paper which has the gold foil embedded in it.
The circle element is a die cut from the Encircled in Beauty Dies, with a strip of the Layering Designs Vellum to the right.

The main stamped image I have kept soft and subtle by using Stampin’ Write Markers to colour the stamp from the Elegantly Said stamp set. The colours I have used are Fresh Freesia for the flower, Soft Succulent for the leaves, and then some Basic Grey and Smokey Slate.
Make sure you come over to Try Stampin on Tuesday blog to see what the rest of the Design Team have created with this sketch, and please join in, we love to see your creations.
Happy stamping!
Chris

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Stampin’ Up! Crane of Fortune – Kylie’s Demonstrator Training Blog Hop March 2022

Thank you for joining us for our Stampin’ Up!® Demonstrator Training Program Monthly Blog Hop! We are so happy that you could join us today for this blog hop for ideas and creative inspiration. We are a group of Stampin’ Up!® Demonstrators from around the world that are taking part in training that is helping us to build a successful Stampin’ Up!® business and reach some goals we have set. We really appreciate your support.

You may be starting here or have come from another blog – either way you can find the link list at the bottom of this post so that you can see every blog post today.

For my card today, I have chosen to feature the Crane of Fortune Stamp Set paired with the New Horizons Designer Series Paper in a Book Fold Card.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!
As mentioned at the top, this is a blog hop so make sure you ‘hop’ around to all the amazing projects on this hop! Click on the links below to visit them.

1. Kylie Bertucci – Australia  
2. Beth McCullough – Stamping Mom – USA  
3. S. Kelli McConkey – InkyHandsWarmHearts – USA  
4. Angie McKenzie – USA  
5. Julia Zimmer – Germany  
6. Rachel Aziamadi – Scrapinium – France / Germany  
7. Jessica Hart – Australia  
8. Dawn Bourgette – Dawn’s Creative Chalet – USA  
9. Beverley Evans – Australia  
10. Nancy Reynolds – USA  
11. Diane Evans – Stampin With Diane (Canada)  
12. Angela Meiritz-Reid – Stamping Beauty NZ  
13. Anne Marie Jakubiec-Canada  
14. Robbie Rubala – USA  
15. Rookaya Parak – Canada  
16. Theresa McEntee-Theresa’s Treasures-USA  
17. Mo Rootes – UK  
18. Tracy Held – Trace Of Creativity, Australia  
19. Cheryl Hurst – Australia  
20. Christy Gridley – Christy’s Stamping Spot – USA  
21. Sandie – stampwithsandie.blogspot.com – UK  
22. Trish Soliman – Australia  
23. Diane Gardner – DeeDeesDazzles.com – USA  
24. Melva Peters – Stamping With Melva – Canada  
25. Janice Piechowiak – USA  
26. Kelly Taranto – The Late Night Stamper – USA  
27. Judith Patterson – USA  
28. Candace Birch, Knotty Birch Studios, Idaho, USA  
29. Jenna Moore – Jenna’s Crafting Studio – Canada  
30. Denise Cox – Birdsnest Designs – Canada  
31. Laurie Bellard – Lauriebstamping – USA  
32. Rebecca Nutley – Australia  
33. Leonie François – Prulleke – the Netherlands  
34. Verna Mullen – StampinNotes – USA  
35. Mandy Witherby – Australia  
36. Laurie Bradshaw  
37. Julie Brown – USA  
38. Jessica Brigden -JessBCreativeCardiology – USA  
39. Sue Sanders, USA  
40. Bonnie Sanche – Bonnie Creates – Canada  
41. Teah Woodward – Stamp with Teah – US  
42. Jan Bassett – USA  
43. Theresa Conway-Hayes – USA  
44. Lesley Seabrook Canada  
45. Heidi Collins, On Y Go! Stamping – USA  
46. Marilyn Pearen-Creating Art With Marilyn -Canada  
47. Robyn Lawton – Australia  
48. Kate Bolt U K  
49. Jennifer Blaschak-Card Zen by Jen- USA  
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The Male Room Animals Challenge

For the month of March at The Male Room Craft Challenges, the focus is on projects featuring Animals.
The Stampin’ Up! Wildlife Wonder stamp set fits the bill perfectly!
And I have gone a little different with my card, and used the Book Fold design, which is quite easy but a little different to a standard card.

The Wolf is stamped directly onto some of the New Horizons Designer Series Paper, along with some very soft and subtle images of the flower spikes. The strip of wood-look paper on the left is from the In Good Taste Designer Series Paper.
If you have been following along with my projects recently, you will know that I have started stamping the reverse side of the card:

And decorated the inside of the card with some strips of the same Designer Series Papers but left quite a lot of room for writing a message to the recipient.

I have left my card without a sentiment. For some reason I am feeling the need to create blank cards, cards that can be sent without a specific reason or sentiment attached, but more as a way of staying in touch.

Happy stamping
Chris.

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Try Stampin on Tuesday Sketch #545

Here is this week’s sketch at Try Stampin on Tuesday.

I have used the Pattern Party Designer Series Paper for my card for this sketch, the only stamping is the sentiment.

The flowers have been fussy cut from the Designer Series Paper and then coloured. There are so many different ways to colour images but I thought I would try something a little different with these flowers because I wanted them to pop out from the card, so I wanted some nice colour intensity, but because it’s DSP, I didn’t want to be doing too much blending or brushing.
So I have used the Wink of Stella, and some Polished Pink ink, which I put onto the smallest of our clear blocks. The liquid in the Wink of Stella makes it easy to put the colour down and also adds that lovely glittery shimmer at the same time.

Pretty!


I hope you will pop over to Try Stampin on Tuesday to see what the rest of the Design Team have done with this great sketch. And maybe you will share your own creation with us.
Happy stamping
Chris

Stampin’ Up! On The Horizon Masculine Card

I am loving experimenting with the Layering Designs Vellum right now. Have you seen it? It’s one of those items in the Mini Catalogue that is kind of hiding in plain sight, on Page 33, and which is a gorgeous addition to all sorts of projects.
My card today is a simple masculine card, featuring the trees from the On The Horizon Stamp set, paired with the Beauty of the Earth Designer Series Paper.

That strip of Vellum changes the entire look of the card but is such a simple addition.
Vellum can be difficult to stick down, you can see tape or glue through the Vellum, but in this case, I have used the tiniest dab of glue in the corners, just behind some of the pattern, as well as some glue in the area behind the main image. And that is enough to keep it in place.
You could always add some brads, or twine to hide glue, but this has worked really well.

Happy stamping
Chris

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Stampin’ Up! Crane of Fortune

Hello again and welcome back.
The Stampin’ Up! Crane of Fortune stamp set is the set I have used for my card today, in particular the pretty flower image.
I stamped the flower with Fresh Freesia ink, and then to add some vibrancy and intensity to the colour of the centre of the flower, I have added some Rich Razzleberry ink using a Blending Brush, just gently and with a very small amount of ink, but it makes that colour pop out just a little more.


In the background I have used a layer of the Sale-a-Bration Simply Marbleous Designer Series Paper, and one of the Heart and Home Doilies.
The sentiment is from another Sale-a-Bration item, the Special Moments stamp set.
My card was inspired by this week’s Just Add Ink sketch challenge.


Happy stamping!
Chris

New Horizons

Stampin’ Up! New Horizons is the most beautiful and amazing Designer Series Paper, and when it finally arrived here in Australia I popped an order through for it as soon as I could. And I am certainly not disappointed.
I made a very quick and easy card earlier today, and decided to just let the paper speak for itself, it really doesn’t need anything else. I haven’t even added a sentiment, although of course it would still look great with any sentiment you choose.

On the topic of new horizons, I have been offered a position in a local retail outlet, selling some of my other craft items, which is an exciting prospect for me, since I don’t only love paper crafting, but also sewing and crochet. Paper craft were the one thing they have plenty of, so I had to be satisfied with selling other items, such as my crocheted cuffs and button bracelets and octopus, and hand sewn and hand embroidered cuddly bunny. There is plenty more that they will be selling so I am busy getting everything prepared for the start of next month.

Oh, I almost forgot to remind you, if you are in Australia, Sale-a-Bration has been extended by an extra 2 weeks, so you have until the 16th March to get some of those gorgeous free goodies that weren’t available here in the first two weeks or so.
Happy stamping, and happy crafting!
Chris

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Try Stampin On Tuesday Sketch #543

Here is the sketch for this week’s challenge for Try Stampin On Tuesday, along with an extra challenge to make something see through.

I am using the Stampin’ Up! Calming Camellia stamp set for this card, along with some of the Heart and Home Designer Series Paper.

It’s always difficult to take photos when there is Window sheet involved, however, the right hand side of the front of my card is Window Sheet which the small squares have been adhered to.
The Camellias have been stamped in Fresh Freesia ink and then coloured with White Craft Ink and Blender pen. I love the subtle look of this technique.

The inside is stamped with leaves and swirls in the lovely soft green Soft Sea Foam which you can see behind the Window Sheet panel.

And I have also stamped on the back of the card.

The small squares and ovals have been die cut with the retired (unfortunately) Stitched Shapes Dies.


Such a fun sketch!
Why don’t you make a card using this sketch and share it with us at Try Stampin On Tuesday, we love to see all your ideas.
Happy Stamping!
Chris

Stampin’ Up! Happy Hedgehogs

My card today features the Stampin’ Up! Happy Hedgehogs stamp set, without the Hedgehogs!

It’s been a difficult couple of weeks for me, I have struggled with quite a lot of what is still going on around the world. I am sure there are many who are also struggling with what has become a long and drawn out situation which none of us would have chosen.

I’m not going to get into politics or even my beliefs, all I am going to say is that while I know there are many who are suffering a lot more than I am, I don’t believe there is a single person on the planet at the moment, who doesn’t need the sentiment on my card.
Happy Hedgehogs is such a cute stamp set, and I have chosen to colour the tree and butterfly with watercolour pencils. The coloured image is combined with a panel which has been embossed with the wonderful Hive Embossing Folder and one of the gorgeous Bumblebee Trinkets.

It’s not always easy to stay positive right now, but that is my message today, just hang in there.
Happy stamping!
Chris

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February Host Code:

CHY3YYAM

Use this host code when you order, and if you order $90 or greater you will receive a free gift from me!  If your order is $250 or over, please do not use this code, you’ll still get a free gift – your choice of any item valued up to 10% or your order (excluding shipping costs) from the 2021-22 Annual Catalogue or January-June 2022 Mini Catalogue!  That includes some of the Host Exclusive items. (Australian orders only please).
And don’t forget to add your FREE Sale-a-Bration item, only available until the end of February, when your product order totals $90 or above.

***Make sure that you can see my name on the final checkout page listed as your Demonstrator when you order so that you know that you’re ordering with me and you’ll get my rewards!