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Thursday 30 March 2017

Stampin Up Convention Perth 2017

Hello Crafty Friends,

Im Soooooo excited! Only a few more days until my first convention and I have been a busy little bee sorting out my swaps.

 
Look at box of organised happiness! What's inside?

My own stamp camp! Lol All six containers have the ingredients for a different card. All card stock cut, images stamped and coloured, die cuts and sentiments completed ready to be put together.
 
I will share my swaps with you soon. Right now I am working on a little easter egg treat box for the 28 team members I am attending the conference with. Each box contains 9 mini chocolate eggs to munch on while we are ooohhhing and ahhhhing at convention.
 
 

 
Tuesday 28 March 2017

Birthday Blooms

Hello Crafty Friends.

I have a new favourite stamp set, which to be honest I didn't really gravitate to when the Annual Catalogue came out many moons ago. But as my desire to colour more has grown I am finding the stamps that require colouring in are on my favourites list at the moment.


The image on the card above has been stamped in Archival Black on Sahara Sand card stock and coloured using an Aqua Painter and White Craft Ink.  Many layers of white ink were applied to achieve the depth I wanted. The sentiment from the Tin of Cards was white heat embossed on black card stock and tucked in behind the stamped flower image before adhering to card front. a few accessories were added in the same colour scheme and adhered to a whisper white card base.
 



This card was the inspiration for one of my card swaps at the April Stampin 'Up! Convention. As the sequins are retired I did have to alter it slightly.
 
I started with a whisper white card base, added a layer of Island Indigo and then put aside while I worked on the flower. Using Shimmery white cardstock I stamped the large flower from Birthday Blooms with Archival Black and coloured using an Aqua Painter and Island Indigo, Wisteria Wonder and Old Olive Inks.
 
On Whisper White the sentiment Best Wishes from Blooms and Wishes stamp set was stamped in the lower right corner before using the Layering Squares Framelits to cut a square in the centre. Using the next size up Square die and the larger scalloped edge die I cut a frame from Wisteria Wonder cardstock and adhered using Tombow. The Whisper White cardstock was then adhered to the Island Indigo card front with foam strips and then the flower attached using Tombow and Dimensionals.
 
I am off to create ten of these beauties to swap with other crafty Stampin' Up! Demo's. Back soon with a few more cards using this stamp set. Until then,
Happy Crafting x
 

 
Monday 27 March 2017

Jar of Love

Good Day Crafty Friends.

Today I made a card to send to a friend I haven't heard from in a while. Plus I really wanted an excuse to play with a new bundle I received recently. The Jar of Love bundle is just stunning! Why I left it so late to get I will never know! But one has it in her hot little hands now so its all hands on deck.





I started with a card base of Mint Mocaroon and added a strip of the matching glitter cardstock from the SAB glitter pack. On Whisper White I stamped the Jar, waterline and background leaves. The sentiment is from Tin of Cards and was heat embossed in white on black card stock.
 
The flowers and bow were stamped using Melon Mambo stamped off for the background colour and full strength for the highlight stamp. I added a few retired sequins and adhered some flowers with dimensionals and others with Tombow.
 
I can see many cards being made with this bundle in my near future. I cant wait to make a heap of cards with these pretty flowers, but these will have to wait until after convention on April 8th as I am currently busy making my swaps.

Happy Crafting x


 
Saturday 25 March 2017

Custom Tee

Hello - Welcome back or thanks for visiting my blog for the first time. Hope you are having a crafty day wherever you are in the world.
  
One of the wonderful ladies I often craft with online, is going through a rough patch at the moment so thought I would make this card and send it to her to remind her just how awesome she is.


 

Today I felt like stamping a lot - some days I feel like getting extra inky opposed to just die cutting with a stamped sentiment. I used a Whisper White card base and card front. On the card front I stamped the background Here is a close up. Can you see the background stamp?! It's the little arrow from the Tee Shirt Builder Stamp set.  I've stamped it in Bermuda Bay & Wisteria Wonder. I liked it so much I used it to make another card shown a little later in the post.
 

 

I cut a large circle from Island Indigo card stock using the Layering Circles Framelits and stamped the sentiment near the bottom in Archival Black ink. The sentiment I used is from the Bookcase Builder stamp set - I just adore the mix of fonts. The 3 T Shirts were stamped and die cut using the Custom Tee Bundle.



 

 
Using the same little arrow stamp from the Custom Tee stamp set but this time I stamped in lines across a small piece of Whisper White card stock. I used Wisteria Wonder, Smoky Slate and Bermuda Bay Ink. 

I cut three little square panels and the slightly larger scalloped shape in Smoky Slate card stock using the layering squares Framelits. The sentiment from the Bookcase Builder set was stamped in Smoky Slate and cut out using the Project Life Dies. 
 
That's it for today crafty friends, hope you make time to get into your crafty space and create something for someone you are thinking of or a special friend who could do with a cheerful card.

Happy Crafting x


 
Tuesday 21 March 2017

Shabby Chick Birthday Blooms

Giddaye and Welcome to my blog. Today I have a card to share that is something I would not normally create. I was asked by the Teen for a Shabby Chick Card - with little notice, my first attempt at any such theme and totally outside my comfort zone!!
 
With 30 minutes warning I was able to quickly whip together this card using some scrap pieces of card stock.
 
I started with a card base in Sahara Sand. The next layer is whisper white which I stamped using the Timeless Textures and Gorgeous Grunge Stamp sets in Pink Pirouette, Sahara Sand and Pool Party inks.  Next I grabbed my box of scraps and pulled the three pieces of card stock to coordinate with the ink colours I had used. Using a pair of scissors I scraped the edges of the cardstock before using a sponge to apply Sahara Sand to the distressed edges.





The Birthday Blooms image was stamped using Archival Black on Sahara Sand card stock, and coloured using an Aqua Painter and Crumb Cake ink.
 
I adhered the Pink and Blue distressed card stock to the whisper white and then added a Detailed Doily before adding the stamped Birthday Blooms image.
 
Using the natural Bakers Twine I tied a bow and then added a bead to the bow ends before attaching behind the whisper white card stock. Added a few pearls to match the beads and time was up! Teen was ready to leave house and barely had time to write a message inside lol
 
Wish I had more time to create something more 'shabby chickish' but as this was my first attempt and considering the time constraint I didn't think I did too badly if I do say so myself. This is definitely a style I will endeavour to attempt more of in the future - perhaps researching ideas on Pinterest first.
 
Hope I have inspired you to get into your craft space and try a style of card that is outside your norm. Until next time, Happy Crafting x

 
Monday 20 March 2017

Rad Dad

Good Day Crafty Friends, thanks for stopping by. Today I have a card to share that could be used for Fathers Day or a Rad Dad's Birthday.
 
My hubby is a Rad Dad! He is not the biological father of my daughter but has been her Dad for over 10 years. In my mind and my daughters, my Hubby is a Rad Dad. He is selfless, loving, caring and is the rock of our family unit. This card was made for my partner Dan.


 
I picked 3 stamps from the Custom Tee stamp set - Rad Dad, #1 and All Star Champ. Using Bermuda Bay, Pool Party and Tempting Turquoise inks I randomly stamped the images onto Whisper White Card stock. Then to fill in the white spaces I used the little star in Wisteria Wonder.
 
I then mounted the stamped WW onto Black card stock. Cut a strip of Black card stock to  cover the length of the card before placing die cuts and sentiments over the top.
 
Using the T Shirt Builder Framelits I cut a Tee out of black card stock and then heat embossed the sentiment from the SAB Designer Tee stamp set. The love was die cut using the sunshine wishes thinlits and adhered with dimensionals so it was slightly raised above the sentiment underneath.
 
This card would be easy to reproduce for any occasion by simply swapping out the stamps for the required occasion and replacing the die cuts with what you have available in your crafting stash.
 
Hope you have time to get into your crafty space today and are inspired to make a card for that special Rad person in your life.
 
Happy Crafting x
 

Keeping it Simple

Hello, thanks for popping in and checking out what I have been upto recently in my craft room.
 
I felt a like my mojo slept in this morning, so when I entered the craft room today to make some cards I knew they were going to be clean n simple and therefore fast and easy!

I decided to use the Paisley & Posies stamp set. I had some Island Indigo card stock on my desk from a previous project so started from there.

 

On Whisper White card stock I randomly stamped a few of the smaller images using Island Indigo, Bermuda Bay, Smoky Slate, Dapper Denim, Tempting Turquoise, Wisteria Wonder and Pool Party. 

Using the layering square Dies I cut three prices from my stamped card front. Using the die the next size up I cut another set of plain Whisper White to mount the smaller squares to.

The sentiment is from the Bookcase Builder Stamp Set and was stamped in Island Indigo and die cut using the Project Life Tags and Labels Dies.

You could add ribbbon or some bling but I decided to leave mine plain and simple.  When making these kind of cards I often stamp an entire sheet of A4 cardstock and use as DSP. Its a great way of coordinating what inks you have in your collection to what cardstock you have available.

Hope I have inspired you to get into your crafty space and make some simple cards using a favourite stamp set of yours.

Happy Crafting x

 
Saturday 18 March 2017

Beautiful You & Med Moments

Today I have another card using the wonderful Beautiful You stamp. This time I mixed up it with the Mediterranean Moments stamp set - both available from the Stampin'Up! Occasions 2017 Catalogue.

 

The card front has been embossed using the Happy Hearts Embossing Folder. Both Beautiful You & Med Moments were stamped using Archival Black ink and then coloured using White Craft Ink and an Aqua Painter.

The hearts and love You Lots sentiments are from the lovenotes bundle as is the little arrows on the card front. 
 

I have used Sahara Sand, Black and Whisper White card stock.

 

Joseph's Coat Technique

Another one of my favourite sponging techniques that has such an awesome wow factor is the Joseph's Coat Technique.

 

It's not overly apparent to the non card maker how this effect is achieved as it just looks like black card stock with some coloured shapes attached. But as a card maker I find the process from start to finish is absolutely amazing.

If you haven't tried this technique you must give it a go at least once, it's not overly technical, its just sponging and heat Embossing. 

You start by randomly sponging an array of colours on white card stock. Then using CLEAR embossing powder heat emboss some images - I used the Balloons and Clouds from the Lift Me Up Stamp Set. 

At this stage it's difficult to see where you have embossed but when you are satisfied you have enough on your card front, take your Momento Ink Pad and apply it directly over the entire card (yes put ink pad flat on the card and smear or drag). Make sure you have scrap paper down as you will need to start off the card with ink pad flat down so you get the edges.  I glided it over a few times ensuring I got full coverage. Then take a rag or paper towel and rub the excess ink from the heat embossed images. Viola! 

 

For this card I used Daffodil Delight, Flirty Flamingo, Bermuda Bay and Peakaboo Peach for the sponging underneath. I also used a die cut balloon embossed in silver and the sentiment from the Bookcase Builder Stamp Set. As I made a bit of a boo-boo I chopped it off and then mounted this to a piece of Flirty Flamingo card stock before adhering to the Black Card Base.

 

This card I stepped up a tad and added another layering of heat Embossing - this time in white, so its double embossed. All I did was once I had finished the steps to complete the Joseph's Coat Technique was add the three sentiments from the Sealed with Love Bundle by heat embossing in white. 

 

I put a white card stock matt behind it and heat embossed the sentiment in white on the Black card base. 

Every time I do this technique I think gosh why have I not done this on such n such, this would look great with so n so stamp set, and away I go - may need to reink my Momento Ink Pad again soon lol

Hope my cards have inspired you to get into your craft my space and try the Joseph's Coat Technique or any technique you haven't attempted in a while. 

Happy Crafting xx
Thursday 16 March 2017

Bokeh Effect

One of the sponging effects I adore for soft backgrounds is the Bokeh technique.

 

Aren't they just stunning! They are reasonably easy to make - just a little inky.  Just take some white card stock, sponge randomly in a few chosen colours, then using different sized circle stencils sponge in white. I didn't have a stencil so just cut a few different sized circles using Dies and Punches on Cardstock and used that as my stencil.


I used Daffodil Delight, Pool Party and Marina Mist Inks and sponged randomly before applying White Craft Ink using the circle stencil. The Mediterranean Moments stamp was inked in Black Archival and coloured using the Water Colour Pencils. The Happy Birthday sentiment was heat embossed in white. Black Card Stock was used to matt before adhering to Pool Party card front.

 

When sponging I often use the same three colours - Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie and Melon Mambo. They blend well together and is a bright and impactful colour scheme.  The card below is an example of this colour combo.

 

Pineapples!! I love them! Raw and on Pizza!! When I lived in Queensland we drove a Motorhome from the Sunshine Coast upto Airlie Beach and saw many Pineapple Planations, Banana Fields and Sugar Cane Crops. The Pineapples were the sweetest, freshest and cheapest I have had the pleasure of experiencing. Whenever I see Pineapples it reminds me of this fun trip and the memories.

 

Using the same technique - laying colours down with sponges then applying circles in White Craft Ink, I then just placed it directly onto a black card front, heat embossed the sentiment in white and attached the die cut Tee using a dimensional. The Tee was made using the Custom Tee Bundle and the Pineapple from the Pop of Paradise stamp set. 

Hope my cards have inspired you to get into your crafty space and try the Bokeh effect on some of your card fronts. 

Happy Crafting xx
Wednesday 15 March 2017

Home Sweet Home


The Sweet Home bundle makes the cutest 3D houses and just as cute cards. I recently had new neighbours move in so decided to welcome them to the neighbourhood with a card using this bundle.


On a Whisper White card base I stamped the flowers and foliage from the Blooms and Wishes stamp set, in Flirty Flamingo, Sweet Sugar Plum and Pink Pirouette. Let it dry - use heat tool if need be. If you don't let the ink from the stamping dry the next stage won't be overly successful (trust me I learn these things the hard way lol). Next heat emboss one of the leaf stamps in gold embossing powder - ensure you use your static powder/embossing buddy so you don't get the embossing where you don't want it.


Then I stamped the house from the Home Sweet Home set in Flirty Flamingo using Melon Mambo for the roof and door accents. The sentiment was also stamped in Melon Mambo. Use the door Die to make the cut for the front door. Adhere this to a piece of Whisper White that has been embossed using the Large Polka Dot Embossing Folder and backed with Crumb Cake card stock. Now simply adhere to card front using dimensionals/foam dots and add some bling for the door handle.

 
Tuesday 14 March 2017

Beautiful You Mirror Technique

Mirror Technique is easier than it looks. I just stamped the image onto the plastic sheet of my Stamp-a-majig and then aligned it to where I wanted the mirror image and pressed firmly.  I used Archival Black ink as I wanted to use the new water colour pencils to colour the image in.

 

The hearts on the card base was achieved using the Die from the Love Notes Bundle, which I also used the arrow Die from. The die cut word Hope is from the Sunshine Wishes Thinlits.



Pool Party and Black card stock were used with the image water colouring done on Shimmery White card stock. I also used some scrap DSP from the Cupcakes and Carousels Paper Stack. 

Hope my card has inspired you to get into your crafty space and pull out your favourite stamps and apply some ink to them. 

Happy Crafting x
 
Monday 13 March 2017

Paisley and Posies

Have been a fan of Paisley since I was little. I have pictures of me as a wee nipper in the 70's dressed in Paisley. 

My dad had the most amazing Paisley shirt - wonderful cuffs, extravagant collar and loud bright colours.  My sister and I borrowed the shirt loads during the 90's for the popular at the time "hippy parties".  Also have the best photo of my dad and his sibling in their 20's, all in flares, my Dad proudly sporting this shirt. 

Plus, being a huge PRINCE admirer (RIP purple royal one) I adore Paisley, hope to visit Paisley Park in America one day. Definitely on the bucket list! So of course I had had had to get the Paisley and Posies Bundle from the Stampin Up 2016-17 Annual Catalogue.



The card above is a simple and elegant one using Whisper White & Slate Grey card stock. I used Slate Grey ink to stamp the pattern and heat embossed the sentiment in silver.  A couple of silver sequins and it's done.

Look at all the Dies that comes in this bundle!  Even without using stamps you can embellish like crazy.



My partner loves the Crumb Cake card stock so I whipped up this card for him using my favourite background card front technique. Sponging in a few colours then using the same colours, I stamp various images from sets like Gorgeous Grunge, Birthday Celebrations, Work of Art etc. Let this dry, then I heat emboss pattern stamps such as the Paisley and Posies over the top usually in Gold or Silver. 

 

Below is another example of my stamped backgrounds and Paisley and Posies stamp set, this time using just a strip of my stamped background. Blue tones and Silver Heat Embossing were used as I knew the card I wanted to put the strip on was going to be Smoky Slate.  The Wood Grain Embossing Folder was used for this card as was the Die from the Paisley & Posies Bundle. 

I heat embossed the sentiment from Blooms & Wishes in Silver on Vellum and adhered using a glue dot as I was placing the Die cut and ribbon over the top. Some silver rhinestone jewels and 3 glitter card stock flowers on the bottom of the card and it's done!

 

This was among one of the first projects I used the Paisley & Posies Bundle on. It's a Cantilever Sewing Box designed to hold cards and envelopes. I used gold heat embossing powder and Versamark on Pool Party card stock and cut some of the images using the Dies. I also used the Flower Dies from the Botanical Builders Framelits.

 

I have a tutorial for this box in another post a just look for Cantilever Sewing Box.

Hope my projects have inspired you to get into your crafty space and make some cards or 3D projects or both! 

Happy Crafting x


Sunday 12 March 2017

Ombré Beautiful You

I just adore the Beautiful You stamp set, like seriously I cannot stop playing with it! Plus, I went a little crazy when I first pulled it out, and stamped way too many images as I was on a roll with my white craft ink and felt I needed to use up the huge puddle I had created. 

 

For this card I used water colour paper and taped it down to a board using Frog Tape (my partner uses it in his line of work and in my opinion is better than painters tape plus it's free for me - not for him lol)

I then used a wide paint brush and lightly applied water to the bottom third. Applied Ink then let dry and repeated the process twice more in different tones.

I used Melon Mambo, Sweet Sugarplum and Blushing Bride inks with an aqua painter to make the ombré effect on the background.

The Sunshine die cut is actually the negative of the Sunshine Wishes Die, so it's in two pieces and is adhered to the card with dimensionals.

 

The lady is stamped in Black Archival Ink on Sahara Sand card stock and coloured in using White Craft Ink with an Aqua Painter. I used the Alphabet Labeller stamp set to make the letters for the Hello and fussy cut them before adhering with dimensionals. The small hearts are made using the Owl Builder Punch.
 
Hope you have a crafty day x

 

Saturday 11 March 2017

Beautiful You & Succulents


Who doesn't love rainbow coloured things?!?! I do anyways and I love sponging my own backgrounds. I especially love using cheerful, bright colours like the ones used in the card below. Bermuda Bay, Daffodil Delight, Peekaboo Peach and Flirty Flamingo.




The lady from the Beautiful You stamp is one of my absolute favourites from the 2017 Stampin' Up! Occasions Catalogue. I've used it again on this card, stamped in Black Archival ink and coloured with White Craft ink and an Aqua Painter. The frame surrounding her was made using the Layering Square Framelits.

 
 
After sponging I splashed lightly with water and let dry before adhering embellishments. The congrats Die is from Sunshine Wishes and the succulents from Oh So Succulent bundle. Pink Bakers Twine and a few drops of the fine tip glue as clear droplets were the only other items added. 

I have another card using the Beautiful You stamp set to share with you tomorrow. Until then, 

Happy Crafting x

 
Saturday 4 March 2017

Shutter Card

I was on a roll today and made quite a few moving parts cards. I hadn't made a shutter card in quite a while and found it fun and the easy compared to the other cards I was attempting in today's  mad crafting session.



I wanted to make a card using the sentiment "Happy Birthday, Gorgeous" from the Beautiful You stamp set.
 
What better way to highlight a sentiment than to make a Shutter Card.

 
 
Tutorials for this type of card are all over the internet and it would be far easier you follow a video tutorial than me try to explain it with photos.

 

I have used the following card stock: Black for the base, camera mechanism and inside panel. Whisper White to matt the front and inside panels before adhering DSP - From the Carried Away DSP in the Sale-a-bration catalogue. Melon Mambo, Blushing Bride and Cucumber Crush for the Botanical Blooms Die cuts.

The "for you" sentiment is from the Blooms & Wishes stamp set.

My daughter is not normally fussed by any of my creations but she loved this one. She played with it for quite a while and even showed a friend on snap chat lol So there you go, this one was popular with the Teens.

Hope I've inspired you to get into your crafty space and create something you love. 

Happy Crafting xx

 



Friday 3 March 2017

One Sheet Wonder Set of Cards 1-14

Good Day Crafty Friends,

As promised, here is the breakdown of the cards made from my One Sheet Wonder Post. If you missed this post you can find the details by clicking here.

one sheet wonder, set of cards, osw template, stampin up, sunshine wishes, beautiful you, bookcase builder, owl builder punch 

All products listed are available from the Stampin' Up! Annual 2017 & Occasions 2017 catalogues. 

DSP used is from the Falling in Love 12x12 pack. Black cardstock was used to matt every piece of DSP and cut all the Dies. White cards fronts with some backed in black. Black Archival Ink. Black & White Bakers Twine & Rhinestone jewels. 

one sheet wonder, set of cards, osw template, stampin up, sunshine wishes, beautiful you, bookcase builder, owl builder punch 

Card 1.
Avant Garden stamped direct onto DSP. Sentiment from Bookcase Builder.  Wood Embossing Folder on card front.  Rhinestone jewels.

 
Card 2.
Sentiment from Paisleys and Posies.  Die cut flower using Sunshine Wishes Thinlits. Black & White and White Bakers Twine.

 
Card 3.
Sentiment and Balloon die from Lift Me Up Bundle. Rhinestone jewels on balloon die.

 
Card 4.
Elephant image (minus the mouse) from the Love You Lots Hostess set stamped directly onto DSP. Balloon Bouquet punch for the two small balloons. Congrats die cut from Sunshine Wishes Thinlits. Bakers Twine. Rhinestone jewel.

 

Card 5.
Sentiment from  Watercolour Wings. Small butterfly die cut from Bold Butterfly. Framelits. Leaves from Avant Garden. Rhinestone jewel on Butterfly.

 
Card 6.
Beautiful You lady stamped directly onto DSP. Delicate Details lace stamp. Sentiment from Tin of Cards. Layering Ovals dies to cut out sentiment. Rhinestone jewel on her ring finger.

 
Card 7.
Love and flower die cut from Sunshine Wishes Thinlits, small sentiment from the So Very Much sale-a-bration set. Rhinestone jewels.

 
Card 8.
Heart dies cut from Sealed with Love Bundle & Sunshine Wishes Thinlits. Sentiment from Bookcase Builder. Rhinestone jewel.

 
Card 9.
Hello stamp is from Tin Of Cards, Sunshine die cut from Sunshine Wishes Thinlits and the little arrow is from the Love Notes Framelits (Sealed with Love Bundle) Rhinestone jewel for the "i" in Sunshine.

 
Card 10.
Sentiment from Water Colour Words and Owl Builder Punch to punch out Owl. Line of rhinestone jewels.

 
Card 11.
Avant Garden flower stamped onto white card front. Stamp an extra and fussy cut. Sentiment stamp from Avant Garden and Triple Banner Punch used for cutting flag. Delicate Details stamped directly on the DSP and Bakers Twine run down through the middle. Small die cut from Paisleys & Posies. Position everything and then adhere fussy cut flower (middle flower in pic - covers banner). White Bakers Twine.

 
Card 12.
Die cut flower and sentiment from Paisleys and Posies Bundle. Rhinestone jewels.

 
Card 13.
Delicate Details lace stamp directly onto DSP.  Small butterfly die cut from Bold Butterfly Framelits. Sentiment from Blooms & Wishes. Black & White Bakers Twine.

 
Card 14.
Avant Garden flower stamped directly onto DSP. Sentiment from Blooms and Wishes. Black and White Bakers Twine.  Die cut from Sunshine Wishes Thinlits.

Thanks for visiting. Hope I inspired you to get into your craftroom and craft up a batch of cards from a sheet of 12x12 DSP.

Happy Crafting