Just Add Ink Sketch Challenge

Posted in Cards, Masculine by Chris

Hi and welcome back.
For those who have been following along with my blog posts for a while, you will know just how much I enjoy taking part in challenges, and I do particularly enjoy a Sketch challenge.
So I decided to use the current Just Add Ink challenge to inspire my card today. Here is the sketch:

My card features the mushroom image from the Inspirational Sketches stamp set.
I was a little sad when the new Catalogue first came out, I thought that this gorgeous stamp set had retired, but you will find it sneaks in with some images on pages 110 and 111.
I am very glad it’s a current stamp set, it’s a lot of fun to use.

I have used some Grey Granite cardstock as my base, and the background layer has been embossed with the Timber Embossing Folder, and then I have run the Grey Granite ink pad over it to highlight the embossed parts.
I have taken one of the large die cut circles from the Spotlight on Nature Dies, cut it in half, and then stamped the image in Grey Granite.
The red mushrooms were stamped in Black Memento ink, which I stamped off on scrap paper before stamping onto the cardstock, just to make the outline a little lighter. The image as been coloured with Stampin’ Blends in Crumb Cake for the stems, Ivory for the underneath of the mushroom caps, and Dark and Light Real Red.
And yes, the image was fussy cut (I love fussy cutting!).
The white dots….. there are several ways to achieve the white dots on the mushroom caps, which do make them look more realistic. If you have White Craft Ink, you can use a stylus, dip that into the ink on the ink pad, and dab it onto the image. You may have to do this several times to give a good coverage.
Alternatively, you can use a white gel pen or similar and that is much easier to do.
Did you know that Stampin’ Up! used to sell these? I’m talking way, way, way long ago in the deep dark past, not long after I first joined as a demonstrator. And believe it or not, I still had one that I bought from Stampin’ Up!. It doesn’t work any more, not surprising, since they do dry out after a while.
Perhaps it’s time to do a very big clean out.

Happy stamping!
Chris

tams# 89142

Product List

Inspirational Sketches Cling Stamp Set (English)

[162684]

Spotlight On Nature Dies

[163580]

Timber 3 D Embossing Folder

[163094]

Gray Granite Classic Stampin' Pad

[147118]

Real Red Stampin' Blends Combo Pack

[154899]

Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

16Jun2024

Colour Challenge

Posted in Cards by Chris

I do love a card challenge. I’ve been on many Design Teams over the years of papercrafting, and still am now, and I love using different challenges to give me a way to challenge myself and create something different. I guess that’s why they are called a challenge, right?
I have three cards to share with you today, all of them made with the same set of colours which are the current Global Design Project Challenge (#GDP449). The colours are Peach Pie, Shy Shamrock and Petunia Pop, all from the new In Color range (2024-2026). They are all gorgeous colours, but not ones I would normally put together.
To add to the challenge, I created three different style of cards, and I’ll explain why shortly.
Here’s the first card.

I was recently listening to a recorded interview between two of our wonderful Australian Stampin’ Up! Demonstrators, Kylie Bertucci and Maheswari Rajaguru, and part of the discussion was around what style of papercrafter they were. That discussion has given me a lot to think about, and so I used this challenge to play with some different styles.
This first card is not one that I like very much, not one that I am at all happy with. However I wanted to use the rather neglected Planted Paradise stamp set in a different way along with using the challenge colours. I don’t think the card showcases my style, however I am sure the person who I send it to in the mail will enjoy receiving it.

The second card is more like my style….

This card features the Magnolia Mood bundle (don’t forget Bundles are currently on sale!). The Magnolia has been stamped onto watercolour paper and then coloured with inks and water painter. I love colouring, whether that’s with Blends (alcohol markers), pencils or ink, or a combination, I love the process of colouring. And so that is a large part of my style. I also love nature, plants, flowers, birds, butterflies, animals, and these are things that I am more drawn to than anything else.

Card number three also features some colouring:

This card is probably the most indicative of my style of papercrafting, colouring plus lots of layers, texture and interest, such as paper tearing, distressing and sponging. The card features the Inspirational Sketches Stamp set, Perennial Lavender Designer Series Paper, and leaves from the Stippled Roses Dies. While I have used the colours from the challenge, I have also used a lot of Crumb Cake to soften the colour combination.
So what would you call my style of crafting? Vintage with a touch of modern. ?? What are your thoughts? Which is your favourite card?

In the end, I feel that one of the things I really do enjoy doing, is creating cards in different styles, sometimes it feels good to make a Clean and Simple card, other times I love to put the time into creating a vintage style card that might take me days to put together.

Thanks for hanging around, as you can tell, there has been a lot of thought and introspection in recent times, and not just about crafting.
I hope you are having a crafty weekend.
Happy stamping!
Chris
PS Don’t for to make the most of the extra 10% discount of Bundles for the rest of May. Browse through my online store here.

2Jun2024

Card Sketch Ideas

Posted in Cards by Chris

Hello and welcome back.
Did you know that on Page 22 of the Annual Catalogue, at the bottom of the page, there are 22 sketch ideas for making cards?
I have used one of these sketches for my inspiration today, the sketch on the top row, 5th along from the right hand side, and I have used this to create a clean and simple masculine card.

My card features the bird from the Inspirational Sketches stamp set. The image has been stamped with Black Memento ink onto Crumb Cake cardstock, and then coloured with watercolour pencils in Basic Black, Basic White and Early Espresso.
I also created a reel on my Facebook page, showing how I coloured the image, which you can find here.
While you are on my Facebook page, make sure you follow me so that you can get updates when I post there, which is generally more often than I do here, at least at the moment.
I have then modified the sketch a little, extended the panel with the main image and added a layer behind it, to create a different look altogether.

I hope you are enjoying a crafty Sunday wherever you might be.
It’s a chilly day here, the start of winter, and we have the fire going, so I will be enjoying staying warm in front of the fire today, and perhaps creating something different.
Happy stamping!
Chris

tams# 88714

Product List

162684

$44.00