Add some Texture!

One of my favourite ways of adding texture and interest to cards, and other projects is with Embossing Folders.  I think I am addicted to them!
This week’s Just Add Ink challenge is to add some texture to a project, so I did! 🙂

This card was inspired by one I saw on Pinterest recently (it didn’t have a name on it, so unfortunately I can’t give the person credit for their idea), and since I am also currently addicted to my Blendabilities, I thought I should combine the two.
The background was embossed with the Beautifully Baroque embossing folder, and the butterflies from the Papillon Potpourri stamp set were masked, stamped in Black Memento Ink and then coloured with the Blendabilities.
I am also going to enter this one into the SUO Challenges, where the current challenge is to use Markers or Blendabilities 🙂

Happy stamping!
Chris

Festival of Trees Tags

Very quick post today, I just wanted to share with you some ChristmasTags I made recently, using the Festival of Trees stamps and matching punch.

Festival of Trees

Such a cute set, and very easy to make lots of Christmas gift packaging and cards.
Promise I’ll be back with more soon!

Happy Stamping!
Chris

Just Add Ink #233

This week at Just Add Ink is a sketch challenge…. my favourite type of challenge!
And yes, I have finally done some stamping!
Here is the sketch:

I have used some of the papers from the Trim the Tree paper stack for this card, which I just love, but then I have always loved traditional Christmas colours.  The stars are from the Be The Star stamp set, and have been embossed in gold onto Cherry Cobbler Cardstock, and layered over some gold foil.

Cooma Craft

After weeks of being too unwell to do much of anything, it is really lovely to feel like doing some crafting, and to have the energy to do it! 🙂

Happy stamping!
Chris

Just Add Ink Challenge

This week’s challenge at Just Add Ink is this gorgeous bright and cheerful photo, full of rainbow colours.

So I really had to use a rainbow on my card 🙂

I adore this cute little image from the Life’s Adventure Hostess stamp set, and thought he would look quite cute sitting under a rainbow.  I have coloured the image using a Blender pen and ink, then stamped the rainbow using the Work of Art stamp set.  Then there are just a few small finishing touches which are not so easy to see in the photo….. I have done some paper piercing around the edge but only where the cardstock is still white, so not over the rainbow.  And then added some rain drops using Crystal Effects.
Hope your weekend is crafty!
Happy stamping!
Chris

Make My Monday Tags and Toppers

Today’s card is a something a little different, for me at least.  I found yet another new challenge and thought it would be fun to play along, but I wanted to do something completely different.  The challenge is from Make My Monday Challenges, and it is to use Tags and Toppers.

So I have used a stamp set that is not in the catalogue, just to confuse you! 🙂 Actually, it was part of a promotion which Stampin’ Up! ran recently for demonstrators, and which I got for free (just one of the many perks of being a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator!!)  The stamp set is called “Good Greeting” and has heaps of fabulous and useful greetings, not just Christmas ones.
So, I have stamped the greetings around the white layer of cardstock, and then run this layer through the Big shot with the star embossing folder (a bit of a sneak peek, even though you can’t really see it very well in this card).
I have then made a tag and punched the top with the Scallop Tag Topper Punch, and used some Washi Tape to decorate the tag.  The colours I have used are real red, Pool Party and Crushed Curry.
And that’s it really, pretty easy 🙂

If you would like to find out how you can also earn the Good Greeting stamp set for free, get in touch with me and I’ll give you the details.

Happy stamping!
Chris

Kinda Eclectic Quick Cards

A couple more very quick and easy cards, this time using the Kinda Eclectic stamp set.

These could be in any colours you choose.  For this card I have chosen some of my favourite Stampin’ Up! colours – Rich Razzleberry, Pool Party and Crisp Cantaloupe.  I have coloured the rhinestones using Blendabilities to match the colours.
Or how about his colour combo for a Christmas card?

 

This time I have used Real Red, Garden Green and Crushed Curry.

Try your own favourite colours, and just have fun mixing and matching colours.
Happy stamping!
Chris

Just Add Ink Sketch Challenge

I just love a sketch challenge…..

JAISketch004

So many ideas, so little time!  So, I thought I show you some new goodies which will be available at the end of the month in the Holiday catalogue – yep, lots of Christmas goodies!

The very cute Santa is from a new Photopolymer stamp set called Get Your Santa On.  As you can see, Stampin’ Up! polymer stamps stamp up nice and clearly, and are really easy to use. Santa has been coloured using Blendabilities.  I have also used a new patterned paper and the gorgeous punch which punches out all those little stars along the bottom.  Love it!

Make sure you head on over and check out all the inspiration and great ideas using the sketch at Just Add Ink.

Happy Stamping!
Chris

August Stamps in Your Letterbox

The feature stamp set for the month of August and for Stamps in Your Letterbox is Kinda Eclectic (Page 164 of the Catalogue). This is a really versatile stamp set and heaps of fun to use, so for those of you who are signed up for Stamps in Your Letterbox, you are in for a treat this month!

Today I am sharing a pouch card which I have made using not only Kinda Eclectic, but also the Envelope Punch Board.  The card fits into one of our standard size envelopes so that you can send it in the mail.

 

The card itself is a flat card, like a post card, but there is plenty of room for writing on it, and it slides into a decorated pouch made using the Envelope Punch Board.

 

I have used some of the bright and cheery papers from the Sweet Taffy Designer Series Papers (Page 186), and the “Birthday Greetings” comes from the Four You Stamp Set.  They are a little hard to see in the photo, but I have added a little bling with some Sequins (Page 208) on the butterflies, along with some Thick Baker’s Twine (Page 207) around the top of the card to make it easier to pull the card out of the pouch.

It’s not too late to take part in Stamps in Your Letterbox for August, just contact me to sign up, and you can find out more information here.

Happy Stamping!
Chris

CCC06

Creative Challenge Club‘s challenge No 6 this week, is a colour challenge to use the colours Bermuda Bay, Crushed Curry, Basic Black and one other colour.

I have chosen Melon Mambo for my extra colour, only because I wanted to use my Blendabilities 🙂 well, ok, not the only reason, I also like the bright summery colours – winter is a bit dull here in Australia at present.

The gorgeous flowers on this card from one of the current Hostess Sets called I Like You (on page 237 of the Catalogue).  They are an outline stamp, so perfect for colouring!

On the note of Blendabilities, the remainder of the colours will be available to order this coming Friday (1st August 2014), so contact me if you would like to get some, or all of the gorgeous colours to play with! 🙂

Happy stamping!
Chris

CASE-ing The Catalogue

This week’s challenge at CASE-ing The Catty Challenges is to use the Memory Keeping Section (Pages 24-41) of the catalogue to inspire a project.
While I was tempted to share some Project Life pages for this challenge, I liked the idea of creating a masculine card based on the picture at the bottom right of Page 31.

I have used the Post Card stamp for my background, which is a stamp that I love but which has not had enough use!  I have done some faux stitching around the edge of the postcard in Early Espresso, and done some off-set layers to make it a little different.  The main image is from the Traveler stamp set, along with a few left over bits and pieces of the Typeset Specialty papers (Page 184), some Gold Fancy Foil Designer Vellum (Page 193), some Chevron ribbon and Linen Thread (Pages 206-7).

**Quick update:  Feeling special, thanks to the ladies at CASE-ing The Catty Challenges, who chose my card as their Top Case! 🙂

Hope you are having a crafty day!
Happy stamping!
Chris