Just Add Ink Challenge!

Well I'm finally entering my first challenge!  Yes very slack that it's only now, a few years into my papercrafing addiction that I'm letting myself be challenged. This Just Add Ink challenge has inspired me to step way outside my comfort zone..... Monique would be proud of me, I'm using two murky greens!

The colours are....Always Artichoke card base, Pumpkin Pie scalloped edge and butterflies, Old Olive backing strip and Rose Red cropped top note.  I've added some stick on pearls and a sentiment stamped on very vanilla.

Hope you like my interpretation

Woven Paper

I've used this technique a few times with Christmas papers and it just looks stunning.  It came to mind when I was looking at the Lap of Luxury papers so I went to town and created three cards, two featuring the Lap of Luxury DSP and one wiht the Love Letter DSP.  

I'm pretty happy with the way they turned out.  What do you think?

This card features the strips of Lap of Luxury DSP, Just Believe stamp set, Stamp n Write markers in Concord Crush, Blushing Bride and Pear Pizzazz and Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die.  I've used Concord Crush and Shimmery White. 

This version uses River Rock, Lap of Luxury DSP and the new Paper Flowers and I've also used the Shimmer Paint in a spritzer bottle with a small amount of water to spritz some champagne glitter on the ivory flower, then added a few drops of Elegant Eggplant ink into the spritzer and sprayed the smaller flower purple.   This adds the most amazing glitter on the flowers.  Leave them to dry before you put the card together, I've used a sentiment from a retired set and the large oval punch to punch it out. 

Keeping with the same theme, I've used Newsprint DSP and Love Letter DSP along with Riding Hood Red base.  The flowers are again spritzed with Champagne Shimmer Paint and reinker, this time Riding Hood Red and I've used an antique brad for the flower centre.

Two Step Owl Punch

This little fellow is a little bit outside my normal style but he's just tooo cute and I had to have him.

I've put my own twist to a card featured on page 105 in the IB&C. 

I've also cased a card (right)  in the demonstrators monthly newsletter which uses some of the little pieces that this punch can press out.

Just Believe

This stamp set is in the silhouette theme and when I was surfing for inspiration, I came across this card and just had to case it, as per usual when you're casing you add your own flavour to the project.

I've used a side step card pattern here in Basic Black, using the Stampin' Write markers I've inked up the image in Basic Grey and Cherry Cobbler then stamped this onto Whisper White.  Using the Beautiful Wings Embosslits folder in the Big Shot, I've pressed out butterflies in Cherry Cobbler cardstock and adhrered them to the card.  The shadow behind the sentiment is the same stamped image but stamped off three times to remove most of the ink from the stamp so it achieves a shadow effect .

Elements of Style

Soft Romantic florals are a feature of the Elements of Style stamp set, and I'm a sucker for romance!  I've used the floral stamp twice here and to stay in keeping with that romantic feel I've added soft satin bows....Hope you like them.

Working with the crispness of black and white this card just came together with a minimum of fuss.  Perfect Polka Dots embossing matted on Basic Black.  Adding a soft bow with the Satin and Organza ribbon.  I've used the new Modern Lable punch and Word Window punch for the sentiment.

I've stamped the flower bouquet around the card front to make a stunning backgroun in Rich Razzleberry ink.  The ribbon here is Rich Razzleberry satin ribbon and I've used an Antique Brad to secure the bow and then glue dots to adhere it to the ribbon strip.  Sentiment comes from Short & Sweet and I've added just a bit of Bling with a couple of small stick on Rhinestones.

Just Like Christmas!

Getting your hands on the new items in a Catalogue is so exciting it's just like Christmas!  However for me this week it's been so hectic that I didn't get to 'play' until Saturday night and my parcel arrived on Thrusday.  

Then of course there is the decision time... which ones to use first, that's hard, and there are still stamp sets I haven't used yet.  But here are my latest offerings.  Some are my creative bent when CASE'ing work from www.splitcoaststampers.com   one of my favourite sites for inspiration.

Enjoy.

These two cards feature the level 1 Hostess set 'Punch Potpourri' I've used Concord Crush (an new 'In Colour') and Shimmery White card stock with just a touch of Old Olive thrown into the mix.  The flower centres are Crystal Effects with a dusting of the Green Glitter from the Fine Super Nova glitters.  I've poped a round Ice Rhinestone on the ribbon bow and done a tiny pearl for the birds eye.  I love this Shimmery White, (which is slightly off white or winter white), I'm sure I'll be using much more of this card stock in my future creations...it truly is beautiful.

Then it comes to Cherry Cobbler, I love this rich deep red, I've matched it here with Very Vanilla and Sahara Sand, I've coloured the satin and organza ribbon with Sahara Sand ink so it just blends into the background.  The Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder adds such a lovely dimension to this card.  I've stamped the vine from Style Beautiful onto the Cherry Cobbler before punching out the wing and the heart, I've gone over this with Crystal Effects to give a shine and deepen the colour.  Love the look of this colour combo  another one I'll probably reach for often!

New Ideas Book & Catalogue 2010/11

Finally it's here and live!  Thanks to Monique, who sent me the code, the IB&C is now a link on the right hand side of this page.  I just Love, Love, Love some of the new stamp sets and accessories....I'll be making some of the cards featured in the catalogue to show you all how easy they are!

My order should arrive next week so I'll be having a play with the new colours as well.  Can't wait to get my hands on all this yummy new stock!

Fast & Fabulous

I borrowed this set from a Karen a fellow demonstrator when we got together for a stamping morning and came up with these three quick cards.  Must have been a Razzleberry and White day!

I made the brads for this one by punching out 1/4 inch circles and putting a dab of Crystal Effects on them.

The Bracket edge is from the Curly Lable punch, just make a pencil mark on the underside of the punch for where you want to line up the cardstock and you can then get a nice straight edge.

I've added a tiny bit of bling with a few stick on rhinestones which actually cover up a little touch of ink that got stuck on the edge of the stamp.  I must trim the edges on that stamp!

Amour!

I'm in a swap with a few friends and this month we had to use a new stamp set that we were able to pre order from the new Ideas Book and Catalogue 2010/11 so I went for Artistic Etchings with lots of stamping and embossing.

Background 1 - Sahara Sand CS and Ink using Sanded and En Francois background stamps.

Background 2 - Basic Black CS and Versamark ink using I {heart} Hearts, Simply Said and Priceless Clear embossed the images.

The rest is pretty easy, using a 1cm circle punch, I turned it upside down and used the markings in side to snip a corner out of the layers......stamped the Eiffle Tower with versamark tapped on black ink and then embossed with clear embossing powder (this is much easier and less messier than using black embossing powder)

The heart is punched out in Whisper White and Black and layered showing a tiny edge at the top in black.  sponged Riding Hood Red on the edges and used a Riding Hood Red ribbon to add a touch more colour.

More Top Note!

I just love this top note die, here I've cut it out three times then cut each one into varying strips which are then layered on another top note, quite effective I think.  I stamped the leaves flourish from Vintage Vogue by stamping it off first to get a softer image.  The sentiment is from A Beautiful Thing set.

The flower is made using the Scallop Circle punch and scoring each of the scallops across the whole circle, then cut one scallop down to the centre of the circle and accordian fold the scores, three of these glued together then a brad in the centre and you're done!

Birthday wishes for a dear friend

rThis is a card I made recently for a dear friend who is in Canberra, yes it is prety much a copy of ones I've made previously using the rubbing alcohol technique but the finished look of this card is just sensational.  This time....shock....you will not see purple anywhere near the card!  I've used reds and yellows which are more her colours.

Hope it inspires you to create.

Rock n Roll

I've just completed my first customers newsletter and included a techniques corner here's the completed project using the Rock n Roll technique of rolling your inked up stamp in a second colour.

Sorry about the cutting mat background!  I've used More Mustard and Rich Razzleberry on a Whisper White base.  The Butterfly is from Garden Whimsy and the text is from the Level 2 Hostess Only set Asian Artistry from the current Mini Catalogue.

Till next time.

Happy stampin'

Market goodies

I've been quite busy lately making up some goodies for the market stall.  I've made tonns of gift card holders and these cute little mini pizza boxes with 6 little 3 x 3 gift cards inside. I've got 8 sets made, I hope that I sell a few!

I'm hoping to find some more time this week to make a few individual cards for sale as well, but I'm back at work this week so I don't like my chances of having much time.  Might have to do a bit of a production line!

Blake's School Music Night

Just had to post this pic of my grandson Blake, very nonchalant on stage at his school music night.  He's becomming quite an accomplished guitarist although heavy metal is his first choice he'll play other genres. 

He gets his musical talent from his mother who plays guitar, piano/keyboard, flute and drums while his grandmother (that's me) plays the guitar badly but I play the stereo really well!!!

Frosted Rose

Ok so I also tried the same effect with Silver embossing powder and love it just as much as the Gilded Rose!

I've added a splash of bright colour with the red.  Hope you enjoy trying this for yourselves

Cheers for now

Kasey