Just Add Ink Sketch Challenge

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

Product List

Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

CASE-ing the Catty – Case a Bundle

Hi. If this is your first time visiting, welcome to my crafting blog.

I am honoured to have been asked to do a Guest Design spot with the CASE-ing the Catty crew this week, and we are taking our inspiration from the Bundles on Pages 57 – 73 of the Annual Catalogue.

I have chosen the Happy Birthday card in the centre of Page 60 (see below) as my inspiration.

I have used the layout of the card but changed nearly all of the various aspects. My card features the Thoughtful Expressions stamp set along with some Country Woods Designer Series Paper – a new favourite of mine.

The stamped images have been inked with Memento Black ink, and then coloured with Stampin’ Blends initially to create base colours. The hummingbird was coloured with Bronze, Crumb Cake and Pool Party Stampin’ Blends, with just a touch of Blueberry Bushel. The flowers and leaves with Old Olive, Flirty Flamingo, Poppy Parade and Daffodil Delight.

After the Stampin’ Blends I have coloured over the top with Stampin’ Up! Watercolour Pencils to increase the intensity and vibrancy of colour.

Next up on the Blog Hop is Rebecca.

You can find our challenge on Facebook, come and join in the fun, we love to see what you have been creating.

Thanks for joining me today, and I hope you enjoy the inspiration from all the blog hoppers.
Happy stamping!
Chris

Product List
Thoughtful Expressions Cling Stamp Set (English)
$44.00
Country Woods 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper
$21.75
Bronze Stampin' Blends Marker
$7.75
Pool Party Stampin' Blends Combo Pack
$19.25
Watercolor Pencils Assortment 1
$32.00

Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

Stampin’ Up! Everyday Details

I’ve been enjoying some quiet time recently while I recover from a nasty flu that took hold a few weeks ago. Sitting and colouring has helped to keep me occupied and creative. So now I’m putting together some cards and notebooks using the coloured images.

This one features the Everyday Details bundle, which you can purchase from my online store: https://www.stampinup.com.au/products/everyday-details-bundle?demoid=4020972

While the stamp set is continuing on into the new Annual catalogue, the dies are not, so they are only available for a short time.

I’ve coloured the image with Stampin’ Blends in Pool Party, Shaded Spruce, Bubble Bath and Daffodil Delight.

Happy stamping,

Chris

Colour Creations Stampin’ Up! Blueberry Bushel

This week’s Colour Creations Blog Hop is featuring Blueberry Bushel, and I have two contrasting projects to share with you today.
My first card is a simple fun fold card, where I have paired the Blueberry Bushel with some Parakeet Party. As a former professional musician, the stamp set Enjoy The Rhythm was one I had to have, but it has been sadly neglected recently, so I thought I should use it for this challenge. The drum kit has been coloured with Stampin’ Blends, and I have used some Glorious Gingham and Bright and Beautiful Designer Series Papers.

My second card is more in a vintage style, and features the gorgeous Everlasting Beauty stamp set, which I have watercoloured using a Water Painter and ink.

I have stamped the background layer, tone on tone with Crumb Cake ink, before distressing the edges. The focal image is stamped on Fluid 100 watercolour paper in Stazon ink, and watercoloured with Blueberry Bushel and Mossy Meadow inks, with a wash of Crumb cake ink around the outside of the image.

Next along on our blog hop is the talented Tina Gillespie. Hop along to see what Tina is sharing to inspire you with today.

If at any time you find a broken link, please go to the blog of our Colour Creations host, Catherine Proctor, who will have a list of all of the participants in the Blog Hop.

Thanks for stopping by.
Happy stamping, and happy hopping,
Chris

Product List
Enjoy The Rhythm Cling Stamp Set (English)
$37.00
Blueberry Bushel Stampin’ Blends Combo Pack
$17.50
Glorious Gingham 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper
$18.50
Bright & Beautiful 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper
$21.75
Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad
$11.50

Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

Product List
Everlasting Beauty Cling Stamp Set (English)
$46.00
Fluid 100 Watercolor Paper
$15.75
Water Painters
$23.00
Scalloped Contours Dies
$61.00
Classic Matte Dots
$12.25

Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

Stampin’ Up! Softly Sketched Online Card Class

This morning’s Facebook Live is now also available to watch on YouTube.
The cards I made during the Live feature the Softly Sketched stamp set and the Faux Tile Technique.
If you are in Australia and would like the card kits posted to you for free, all you need to do is to place an order at this link, of $30 or over of product (shipping costs are extra) before midnight on Sunday 6th August.
Feel free to leave a comment or send me an email if you have any questions.
Enjoy!
Happy Stamping,
Chris

Product List
Softly Sketched Cling Stamp Set (English)
$42.00
Scalloped Contours Dies
$61.00
Painted Texture 3 D Embossing Folder
$17.50

Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

Colour Creations Stampin’ Up! Basic Gray

This week’s Colour Creations featured colour is Basic Gray, a colour I often overlook but which is such a versatile colour. And I love it with Fresh Freesia, which I have used for my cards today.

My first card is very simple, with the tree image from Happy Hedgehogs stamp set, stamped in Basic Gray and the butterfly in Fresh Freesia.

I’ve then stepped the card up by colouring the tree with Stampin’ Blends. Yes, you can colour with Stampin’ Blends when the outline image is stamped with a waterbased ink, as long as you don’t blend the outline ink. I don’t use the brush end of the Stampin’ Blends for this, and keep the colouring very simple.

I have used Stampin’ Blends in Fresh Freesia, Daffodil Delight (for the flower centres) and Shaded Spruce. I’ve also added a strip of Masterfully Made Designer Series Paper in Fresh Freesia behind the main panel, and added some silver dots for some bling.

My second card also features the Happy Hedgehogs stamp set, this time the cute little birdie.

The card base is Basic Gray again for this card, and for the background, I have used one of the Artistic Mix Decorative Masks and a Blending Brush and Basic Gray ink, very lightly brushed on to create a subtle background.
The bird is stamped in Basic Gray and coloured in the same way as the second card. The circles were Die cut using the unfortunately retired Stitched Shapes Dies.

We made these cards today in my monthly Card Class, which was a lot of fun.

Next along in our Blog Hop is the talented Tina Gillespie.

If at any time you find a broken link, please go to the blog of our Colour Creations host, Catherine Proctor, who will have a list of all of the participants in the Blog Hop.

Thanks for stopping by.
Happy stamping, and happy hopping,
Chris

If you live in Australia and would like to purchase the items used to make my card today, you can click on the indiviual items listed below to go straight to my online store, or click here.
Alternatively, you can use your device to scan the QR code below. And don’t forget the fantastic July Promotion, spend $90 (before shipping) and receive a voucher to spend next month. I always love this promo, it’s the best!!

Product List

Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

Stampin’ Up! Translucent Florals Part 3

In the past two days I have been sharing some of the wonderful projects myself, along with other Stampin’ Up! demonstrators around the globe, were making together as part of the Creativity Now event.
I shared the first project with it’s stepped up version along with my own alternative here.
And the second project and alternative here.

For project 3, I only made my own version of the project, using similar aspects but changing a few things.

I have embossed the piece of white cardstock using the Elegant Eucalyptus Embossing folder and mounted it onto a piece of Fresh Freesia cardstock before adhering it to the white cardbase.
The flowers and small leaves are pieces of Vellum Basics which have been coloured on the reverse side using Stampin’ Blends, in Shaded Spruce and Fresh Freesia. The flowers have then been die cut and layered together using glue dots.

I hope you have been inspired by all the projects we created together at our online event. I know I am inspired.
If you would like to chat and interact with me, make sure you come on over to my Facebook page where you will find more inspiration and ideas.
Happy stamping!
Chris

Product List

Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

Foursquare Decorative Masks

I prefer to call these Stencils, I think that’s what they always used to be called. Whatever you prefer to call them though, these are an amazing and versatile tool for making all sorts of papercraft projects.
My card uses these masks, as well as the technique of masking to create a card that looks like it has three panels on the front, but is, in fact, just one piece of Basic White cardstock.

I have masked off the three sections first, and sponged ink through the Decorative Mask with Fresh Freesia, Coastal Cabana and Daffodil Delight inks using Blending Brushes.
I have then inked the image from the Quiet Meadow Stamp set with Tuxedo Black Memento ink, and masked off the outside of the three panels before stamping.
The images have been very lightly coloured using Stampin’ Blends, as have the Rhinestone Jewels.

I am having a lot of fun with these Decorative Masks, and I am also in the process of creating a Tutorial / Class featuring them, so watch this space for that.

Happy stamping!
Chris

Product List

Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

Stampin’ Up! Natural Tone Blends coming soon!

I am sharing a bit of a sneak peek today of a new product which will be available from 1st Feb 2022.
The new Natural Tone Stampin’ Blends!

These will be fantastic for skin tones as well as for animals and, well…. just a great addition to current collection of colours.
They are available as a preorder for demonstrators right now, so if you are interested in getting these now and would like to get a minimum of 20% off your craft purchases, contact me, or you can join here.
These will be available from my online store from the 1st Feb 2022 – start planning your projects!

Happy stamping
Chris

Black and White with a pop of colour!!

In my post yesterday I shared some cards using Designer Series Paper, including a bright and cheerful birthday card. Today’s card uses the reverse side if that same paper, from the Host DSP called Pattern Party.

The black and white flower patterned paper has simply been coloured using Flirty Flamingo Stampin’ Blends. Another quick and simple card.

I might pop a rhinestone or two on this one, just to add some bling!!

Happy stamping,

Chris