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

Stampin’ Up! Butterflies and Flowers Layering Decorative Masks – Purple Butterfly Card

These Masks make it so easy to create gorgeous cards and are a lot of fun to use as well.

I made this card during my Wednesday morning Facebook Live this week, using the Stamparatus to anchor the cardstock and mask in place while I was sponging the colour onto the background.
The Butterfly is sponged and then fussy cut.
You can see how I made this card Live here. I also mentioned during my Live that I will no longer be doing two Lives per week on Facebook, but will only be doing the Wed morning one. So make sure you Like my Facebook page, I love to have some more interaction there
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Do you have a favourite item from the new Mini Catalogue? Pretty difficult to choose just one, but these Masks are up there amongst my favourites.

Happy stamping,
Chris

Product List

Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

January 2022 Host Code: BTZ4CRW
Use this host code when you order online, and if your order is $50 or greater you will receive a free gift from me!  If your order is $250 or over, please do not use this code, but you’ll still get a free gift.  The free gift will be your choice of any item valued up to 10% of the value of your order, from the 2021-22 Annual Catalogue or January – June 2022 Mini Catalogue!  That includes some of the Host Exclusive items, PLUS you get your choice of Sale-a-Bration items as well.

Stampin’ Up! New Catalogues

Woohoo today is the exciting day, when not only the January – June 2022 Mini Catalogue starts, but so does the new Sale-a-Bration catalogue, both with sooooooo many gorgeous new goodies.
So here are the links to both catalogues in case you haven’t got yours yet?


4 January 2022 – 30 June 2022
Download | Shop Online

And the PDF for Sale-a-Bration.

If you don’t have a hard copy and you live in Australia, please reach out to me and I will send them to you.

You have probably seen some of the samples I have been sharing over the last month so pop a comment below and let me know what your favourite new product is? That’s if you can choose just one.

Orders can now be placed through my online store for the items from the new catalogue so head on over and get yourself some new goodies!! And don’t forget to make sure your product order totals at least $90 (before shipping) so that you can get yourself a FREE Sale-a-Bration item (or two!).

If you would like to collect some orders from friends and family who are crafty, or if you would like to host an online stamping party, the Host sets from the new catalogue (and the Annual one as well) are just gorgeous! Let me know, I am happy to help you organise that – they are so much fun to do.



Happy stamping. And happy shopping!
Chris

Stampin’ Up! Butterflies and Flowers Layering Decorative Masks – Quick and Easy Card

My Happy Rainbow Card!
We have had some very hot summer days here in my part of Australia, but storms came over last night and today is heavy, humid and very dreary. At least it’s not cold though. And I woke this morning wanting to create something bright and colourful but since I have a lot happening today, it needed to also be quick to make.
So here it is, my Happy Rainbow Card.

My card features the new (available tomorrow!!) Butterflies and Flowers Layering Decorative Masks (that’s a bit of a mouthful) which are sensational and I absolutely love and am enjoying using in heaps of ways.
I seem to be saying that about a lot of things from the new catalogue!
For this card, I have simply placed the daisy mask over a piece of Thick Basic White cardstock (you could use standard white but I find the thick is easier to manage for this), worked out my colour order, grabbed my blending brushes and blended the inks from bottom left to top.
5 minutes from start to finish is not an exaggeration, and it’s so pretty and cheerful.
The colours are inspired by the new Sale-a-Bration FREE Designer Series Paper (which I don’t have yet) called Sunshine and Rainbows – Granny Apple Green, Mango Melody, Flirty Flamingo, Melon Mambo and Bermuda Bay.

I will be doing a Facebook Live on Wed morning – 5th January at 10.30am (EADT Sydney Time) and using these masks to create a card, so please join me. Make sure to Like my page while you are there so that you get notifications of my posts and events.

The Masks will be available from my online store from midnight tonight!
With shipping delays around the world, there are some products that are not going to be available immediately. This is changing daily as items come in, however can I please ask that you understand this is out of my control and also out of the control of Stampin’ Up!, this is a global issue which is effecting the movement of products of all sorts, so there is absolutely nothing we can do to change the situation, other than to enjoy the things we can get, eg these gorgeous masks!

Happy stamping!
Chris

Product List

Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

January Host Code:

BTZM4CRW

Use this host code when you order, and if you order $50 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 July-December 2021 Mini Catalogue!  That includes some of the Host Exclusive items. (Australian orders only please).

***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!

Stampin’ Up! Gorgeous Leaves One Layer Card

I was having a play with the Stamparatus today and also wanted to have a last inking of the Gorgeous Leaves stamp set before it retires, although I think this will be one that stays in my stash, at least for a little while.

I have made a Sympathy card (although you could really add any sentiment to this one) in a one layer card, so just thick white cardstock as a card base, no other layers, and stamped directly onto the base.

I have used my Stamparatus grid paper to line up the sentiment and make sure it was very straight. Then used a piece of scrap paper, again, lined up along the grid paper, and then placed the stamped images where I wanted them, inked them up and stamped using the Stamparatus. So easy!!
To create several colours on one stamp, I have stamped in the main colour first, then using a Sponge Dauber, sponged a different colour around the edge or down the centre.
The colours I have used are Merry Merlot, Cajun Craze and Crumb Cake.
The sentiment comes from the Special Moments stamp set, available FREE during Sale-a-Bration starting 4th January 2022. Not long now!
It was a very quick card to make, no cutting layers and lining things up, and it’s much more fun to be getting inky instead of cutting cardstock layers!!

Happy stamping!
Chris

Product List
Stamparatus
[148187]
$85.00

Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

January Host Code:

BTZM4CRW

Use this host code when you order, and if you order $50 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 July-December 2021 Mini Catalogue!  That includes some of the Host Exclusive items. (Australian orders only please).

***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!

Stampin’ Up! Calming Camellia Sketch Challenge

The Calming Camellia stamp set is the Host set in the upcoming Sale-a-Bration catalogue (January 2022) and just soooooo beautiful! I think I need to add a few more “o” to that soooooooooo. It really is a stunning stamp set, and so I had to get it inky!

I have stamped it in Pale Papaya and combined it with some of the Heart and Home Designer Series Paper. Loving this colour as well, so pretty.
The only way to get this set right now, is for you to join Stampin’ Up! as a demonstrator, and if you are in Australia, I would love to have you in my Stampin family, so reach out to me for more info, or click the link.
The set will be available from the 4th January 2022, with a party or personal order over $500, so start collecting those orders now, and contact me to ask about having an online cardmaking or scrapbook party with your friends and family.
Happy stamping!
Chris

Masculine Monday Friendly Hello

You may think I am a little obsessed with the Friendly Hello stamp set. You would be correct! It is so gorgeous and lovely to work with. It’s so pretty, with those gorgeous flower images and pretty colours in the matching Designer Series Paper. However, I wanted to show that it can be used for more neutral or even masculine cards, so used it during my Masculine Monday Facebook Live this morning.
This is the original design that I put together before I went Live…..

And I decided to use the same elements but change the layout…. there’s nothing like improvising during a Facebook Live, it keeps it interesting!!

For the second card, I fussy cut the bird after stamping it, to remove the flowers and make it more masculine.

Which do you like better?
If you prefer not to watch video on Facebook, you can find many of my Facebook Lives now on my youTube channel, make sure you Subscribe so that you know when something new has been added.
While the stamps and Designer Series Papers I have used for this card are not available until January 4th 2022, make sure you check out what’s available in the Clearance Rack, there are some great specials available.
However, if you really want this gorgeous stamp set, and you want it right now (and if you live in Australia), I would love to have you join my family of demonstrators, and you can join my team here. As a new demonstrator you have early access to all of the upcoming new goodies!!

Happy stamping!
Chris

2016 Sale-a-Bration!

2016 Sale-a-Bration has started!! This is such an exciting time of year for me as a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator, with soooo many gorgeous new goodies to share, and lots of free things for you to earn as well, all of them gorgeous, of course!
So, without further ado, here are the new catalogues.  Feel free to click on them to view them online, or if you would like a hard copy, just send me an email or leave a comment, and I will send one out to you (Australia only, please).

The new Occasions Catalogue has too many gorgeous goodies in it…….

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And then, when you buy just $90 from either the new Occasions, or the Annual catalogue, you get to choose free yummy stuff from the Sale-a-Bration Catalogue.

SP_Week 1

You can choose a free item for every $90 order that you place, so trust me, with all the gorgeous stuff in the Occasions catalogue, it won’t take you long to get hold of all the Sale-a-Bration freebies.

To make the most of this years Sale-a-Bration, contact me to book a time for a free stamping get together, class, party, workshop…. whatever you would like to call it.  Or, get together some of your crafty friends, work out a group order between you and earn the benefits. Or thirdly, talk to me about joining Stampin’ Up! as a demonstrator, whether that’s as a business or hobby, you will get heaps of benefits.
And, of course, if you would like to place an order, just send me an email.
Enjoy browsing the catalogues, and happy stamping!
Chris

Something old, something New!

I am a little late with my post for the newest Crafty Boots challenge, as we had a couple of severe storms here yesterday which had our internet out for quite some time.   But all is well, and so here it is……

This fortnight, our challenge theme is “Something old, something New”.  I have chosen to use some “old” stamp sets and dies, along with some “new” papers from our Sale-a-Bration catalogue, and I have made 2 children’s cards.

Both cards use the new “Irresistibly Yours” Designer Series Papers from the Sale-a-Bration catalogue, as a background.  I have then coloured the paper using inks and an aqua brush.  While this has made the paper quite wet, it does dry well, and can be straightened easily if it warps, by placing under a large book or similar.  I, however, was trying to get them done quickly and so didn’t give them enough time to dry well before making up my cards, and so they are still a little warped around the edges.

Here are the cards, one at a time:

As you can see, the ink colours the background, and allows the glossy pattern to emerge.  In the case of the first card, the glossy pattern is the dots.

I have kept the cards simple to allow the background colours and patterns to be more of a focus.  The glossy pattern on this card is the small stars.

This is a great challenge which you could interpret in lots of ways, so why not make up your own project using “Something old, and Something New” and share it with us at Crafty Boot Challenges.  We love seeing what you come up with.

Happy stamping!
Chris

Sweet Sorbet

Using more of the Sweet Sorbet Designer Series Paper today, and of course my fabulous Envelope Punch Board, to create another cute gift set.

The card also features the Love You More stamp set (#131853 Clear, #131850 Wood), which is available during the “Whole Lot of Love” promotion until the 27th January 2014 or until sold out.  And while this set is a Valentine‘s set, I think this particular one has a whole lot of other uses! 🙂

And I have lined one of the standard white Stampin’ Up! envelopes with the papers to match the set.

This cute little pouch can be made in a number of different sizes using the same sized piece of patterned paper, just changing where the punches are made to create the different sizes and shapes.  It just uses a belly band around to keep the pouch closed, but is so quick and easy to make – perfect for those last minute gifts.

 

The idea came from a fellow demonstrator from the UK Michelle Last, you can see her blog and video on how to make the pouches here.  Thanks for sharing Michelle, love how simple and easy your instructions are.

Hope you are celebrating the holiday season with some crafting time too!
Happy stamping!
Chris