Be Inspired Blog Hop - April - Watercolour

Hello Crafty Friends,

I am super excited to be joining my first Be Inspired Design Team Blog Hop. The Be Inspired Design Team are a group of extremely talented Stampin' Up! Demonstrators from all over the globe, uniting once a month to share themed creative and inspiring projects.  You are currently visiting Jackie Aitken in Western Australia - Hello and Welcome.

If you are following the Hop, you may have arrived here having just visited Janneke de Jong in the Netherlands. Thanks for joining us. Our theme for today's hop is WATERCOLOUR - yay!!! I do love me some watercolouring.

I have two cards to share with you today, created using two different types of water colour mediums.

The first card has had the main image white heat embossed onto Shimmery White Card Stock and then colour applied with Watercolour Pencils. An aqua painter with no water in the tube was used to blend the colour from the water colour pencils by dipping the tip of the Aqua Painter into water and brushing off any excess water onto scrap paper.

When working with such bright colours I like to really make them pop by teaming them with black and hints of metallic's like below with silver accents in the ribbon and embellishments.

The second card uses Stampin' Up!'s Classic Ink in various colours applied with a wet Aqua Painter. To achieve the vivid tones, ink has been applied several times, drying with a heat tool in between layers and ink application. The splashes and little pools of ink are easy to achieve by blowing the ink around with a Heat Tool.

Once dry, the water colour card front has been embossed using the Subtle Embossing Folder. Glimmer White card stock has been used to Die Cut the "Happy" Thinlit which has been stacked on a few layers of plain white card to achieve a little bit of height. A couple of epoxy heart embellishments have been added which of course the photo does not show very well but trust me when I say they are there and look amazing.

Thanks so much for stopping by today.  We appreciate the time you have invested to visit our Blogs. Up Next in the Blog Hop is super talented Cathy Caines with her inspirational water colour creation. Enjoy x

Blog Hop Participant List

Nadine Hößrich

Janneke de Jong

Jackie Aitken - you are here

Cathy Caines

Carolynn Sander

Emma Goddard

Stesha Bloodhart

Until next time, stay awesome and stay crafty xx

Stamping Sunday Blog Hop - Amazing Life

Good Day Crafty Friends,

Welcome to February's Stamping Sunday Blog Hop. You are currently visiting Jackie Aitken in Western Australia. If you are following the Hop, you will have arrived here having just visited super talented Tami Hewlett, and prior to that, Cheryll Miller and Sara Levin.  

This month the talented Design Team are showcasing the "Amazing Life" Stamp Set. Such a versatile set with both large and small sentiments plus a few super cute images that tie in perfectly with the greetings. And in case you weren't aware, this is the Stamp Set that coordinates with the adorable Stitched Rectangle Framelit Dies.

This year the Stamping Sunday Design Team will be doing things a little different. Some of us will still continue with the usual format of card and 3D project, others will take on the new challenge theme of creating projects for the Beginner, Casual and Avid crafters.

I absolutely adore anything with stitching and when I saw the Amazing Life Stamp Set it was instant love.  The stitched detailing on the flower and clover are ever so sweet and look right at home when using any form of stitched framelits.

I have chosen to use the fun birthday cake image for all three cards, with the beginners version featuring just this and the fun greeting "Life's too short to say no to cake".

Supplies: Whisper White Card Base, Tuxedo Memento Black Ink, Daffodil Delight and Flirty Flamingo Stampin' Blends.

Nothing can be simpler and yet more effective than an image repetitively stamped to create a basic background for a card. The birthday cake from Amazing Life stamp set has been stamped multiple times onto a Whisper White Card Base in Black Ink.  The teeniest bit of colour has been added with a few Stampin' Blends to the word "cake" and on the candles. Nothing a beginner could not handle. 

Please don't assume all beginner stampers cannot do a particular technique, they possibly just need to be reminded they have the skill or may have learnt something similar in a different craft and are just being shown a different version/way which they are not familiar with. 

Supplies: Whisper White Card Base, Flirty Flamingo, Whisper White and Black Card Stock, Tuxedo Memento Black Ink, White Heat Emboss Powder, Mini Dimensionals, Smoky Slate & Flirty Flamingo Stampin' Blends.

Adding an embossed card front is a great way to provide texture and interest without being too time consuming. DSP is another great way to "step it up" by adding layers and coordinating patterns/designs. I decided to take it right back to basics and design a card that is quick to replicate, and even enabled some of the colouring and construction to be done outside the craft room.

I stamped a whole heap of the birthday cake images onto panels of whisper white card stock and was able to colour them with two Stampin' Blends while waiting in between appointments, at the hairdressers etc.  This panel has been cut down and then layered with a panel of Blushing Bride and then Black Card Stock.To finish the card a simple White Heat Embossed sentiment has been die cut with the coordinating Stitched Rectangle framelits and added with mini dimensionals.

Next up is a creation for the Avid Level card maker.

Supplies: Whisper White Card Base, Blushing Bride, Whisper White, Black Card Stock, White Heat Emboss Powder, Tropical Chic DSP Pack, Smoky Slate & Flirty Flamingo Stampin' Blends.

The card I have created for the Avid Crafter definitely is a case of having time not necessarily that any components of the card are difficult to create. The Pocket Card requires an Envelope Punch Board, DSP, Colouring and Fussy Cutting. Again, the fussy cutting I was able to complete while "on the go" - not necessarily something you have to be confined to a craft room table to complete.

I love Pocket Cards, they are such a fun way to give the recipient a keepsake while giving a gift card that gets thrown away after its all used. 

Supplies: Whisper White Card Base, Blushing Bride, Whisper White, Black Card Stock, White Heat Emboss Powder, Tropical Chic DSP Pack, Smoky Slate & Flirty Flamingo Stampin' Blends.

I made an extra card for the Avid Crafting Level - A sponged shaker card. Again, nothing difficult or any amazing new techniques, just some time and possibly spreading it over a couple of crafting sessions, as I like to let my sponging completely dry overnight before I touch it and leave fingerprints on the sponged area or all over what was once nice clean whisper white card stock.

Supplies: Whisper White, Shimmer White Card Stock, Metallic Sequins, White Embossing Powder, Melon Mambo, Flirty Flamingo Ink, sponges. 

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Up next in the Blog Hop is Ashley Fifer with her stunning and creative projects. Be sure to follow the Hop all the way through for loads of wonderful inspiration using the Amazing Life Stamp Set. The Stamping Sunday Design Team are so amazingly diverse with their creations so there is sure to be something that tickles everyone's fancy - we may even convince you to purchase the Amazing Life Stamp Set if you haven't already.

Participant Blog Hop List







Thanks so much for stopping by today, we appreciate the time you have taken to visit our blogs. Until next time stay awesome and stay crafty

Stampin'UP! Artisan Design Team Blog Hop - Sale-a-bration - Painted Seasons

Good Day Crafty Friends

Welcome to the Stampin' Up! Artisan Design Team Sale-A-Bration Blog Hop. You are currently visiting Jackie Aitken in Western Australia.  Today, the Artisan Design Team are showcasing items from the Sale-A-Bration Coordination Promotion. The Sale-A-Bration Coordination promotion features brand new products that coordinate perfectly with select Sale-A-Bration items. These products are available for a limited time only.

What is Sale-A-Bration? Only the best crafty sale ever!!! During Sale-A-Bration, get FREE products when you Shop, Host or Join.

SHOP

HOST

Starting 3 January, hosts with qualifying orders can receive additional Stampin’ Rewards. Below are the markets, qualifying amounts and additional Stampin’ Rewards.

JOIN

Starting 3 January, recruits who join Stampin’ Up! as an independent Stampin’ Up! demonstrator during Sale-A-Bration can choose from two offers. These offers are IN ADDITION to the regular Starter Kit offering.

Stampin' Up! are the connoisseurs of coordination and this years Sale-A-Bration (SAB) promotions does not disappoint. The Coordination promotion has so many fantastic new items that you are going to want to get your hands on. For those that are not fans of fussy cutting, this promotion offers matching dies for the SAB first release stamps sets - Hello Cupcake, So Hoppy Together and Lasting Lily. These are available to purchase until 31 March.

Call Me Cupcake Thinlit Dies (150072)

Hop Around Framelit Dies (150073)

Lily Framelit Dies (150071)

Plus there is also the More Than Words Stamp Set (150069) and coordinating Story Label Punch (150076) These items coordinate perfectly with images from the SAB catalogue items.

But wait there's more!!! Some gorgeous new released items that can be earned for FREE with a qualifying purchase such as the All Adorned Stamp Set (149728), Country Floral Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (149698) and Painted Seasons Bundle (150349), which I will be showcasing with you today.

The Painted Seasons Bundle includes the Stamp Set (149722) and 12" x 12" Designer Series Paper Pack (149574). These can be earned for FREE with a qualifying purchase - Level 2. In addition, you can purchase the coordinating Four Seasons Framelits Dies (150074). I have three cards to share with you today. All use the stunning Floral DSP sheet from the Painted Seasons Bundle.

The Painted Season Stamp Set has 7 Disinktive Cling stamps which produce the most lovely and realistic images. I have used the large floral stamped image on all three cards, stamping the flowers in Calypso Coral and Powder Pink inks with the foliage stamped in Call Me Clover and Early Espresso (stamped off).

To provide some contrast to the busy DSP I have added panels of Whisper White card stock. The white space enables the eye to locate the clustered layers in the centre of all three cards. All the Whisper White panels were created with the border thinlit die from Be Mine Stitched Framelit Dies.

I just adore the wooden Butterfly Elements and have included them on two of the three cards shown today. All three cards also have hints of Gold Glimmer Paper and/or Gold Mini Sequin Trim/Gold Metallic Thread.

The sentiments for all three cards have been created using the Amazing Life Stamp Set. Two of three greetings have been white heat embossed onto Black card stock.

I have set myself a goal this year to create 200 Birthday cards!! Say What?!? Its proving to be easier than I thought, as I currently like to make a sets of cards in every crafty session. Sometimes, I simply take a card design and repeat it in different colours, finishing with a birthday sentiment. Or I create a series of cards with matching DSP or the same bundle.  This is helping to build up that stash of cards rather quickly, with these three making the current total stand at 23/200.

Are you loving the Painted Seasons bundle as much as I do? Fellow demonstrators can preorder these stunning products in the Sale-A-Bration promotion from 1 February. If you are a customer, mark your calendars for March 1st.

Check out all the incredible creations the Stampin' Up! Artisan Design team have created with the wonderful assortment of products from the Sale-A-Bration Coordination promotion.

Be sure to follow the Blog Hop all the way through for creative inspiration using the exciting new products. Next up in the hop is Jennifer Picard with her stunning creations - enjoy!

2019 Artisan Design Team Blog Roll

Angela Meiritz-Reid

Ashley Van Camp 

Aurélie Fabre  

Emma Goddard 

Jackie Aitken 

Jennifer Picard 

Kaylee van Es 

Lauren Alarid 

Maike Beimler 

Manuela Geiswinkler 

Mikaela Titheridge 

 Narelle Farrugia 

Rochelle Blok 

Stesha Bloodhart 

Sylwia Schreck 

Tanya Rees 

Thanks for stopping by today, we appreciate the time you have invested to visit our blogs. Be sure to check back here again soon, I have many more creations made using the Painted Seasons Bundle to share with you.

Until next time, stay awesome and stay crafty 

Just Add Ink #441 - Inspiration

Good Day Crafty Friends,

Welcome to Just Add Ink Challenge #441.  One of our Design Team members, Jo Stubbings,  has chosen the most divine Inspiration Photo for us all to play along with this week. 

Would you like to join us? Use the photo below as inspiration behind a new creation and share it with us at the Just Add Ink Challenge Blog. 

Aren't the colours in that photo just yummy....and those cupcakes....oh my!!!! I have taken inspiration for my cards from the soft pastel colour palette of the cupcakes icing/frosting. A rainbow of delicate pretty colours that reminds me of unicorns, or something a unicorn would eat lol.

I love the Subtle colour family - it was the first collection of Ink Pads and Card stock I purchased when I started stamping a few years ago. I just adore Pink - especially pastel Pink. And I love it teamed with Soft Sea Foam (swoon). This collection of cards uses colours from the Subtle colour family.

The first card I made was a little 4"x 4" note card. I had a piece of Soft Sea Foam left over from a previous project which I decided to score, fold in half and use as a card base.

Such a little cutie, but it looked so small and insignificant when I was taking the photos for this blog post, so I put the camera down, went back upstairs and quickly made two other cards that could accompany the little note card.

The water coloured hearts were left over from a project I didn't end up using - these were created using the Meant To Be Bundle.  I whipped the whisper white card front through the Big Shot with the Subtle Embossing Folder before adhering the Blushing Bride Stitched Rectangle die cut frame with foam strips.  A heat embossed sentiment from the Butterfly Gala has been added over the frame and die cut hearts.

I liked the colours and frame from the second card, I decided to repeat these elements in the third card. This time I used the Tufted Embossing Folder for the card front, which has been slightly cut down and lined with Gold Foil Card stock before adhering to the Whisper White card base. The gold heat embossed and water coloured images have been created using the Floral Frames Bundle and the heat embossed sentiment is from the Amazing Life Stamp Set.

Be sure to stop by all the Just Add Ink Design Team members blogs for more inspiration using this weeks Just Add Ink Inspiration photo.

We would love for you and your crafty friends to play along, if you have a blog you can add your creation to the Just Add Ink gallery here. Don't have your own blog? No problem! Just send us an email  to  just-add-ink@hotmail.com with a photo attachment. We will upload it to our challenge entry blog for you.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Until next time stay awesome and stay crafty.

Everything I used to create the cards in today's blog post can be found in the supply list below.

Product List

Floral Frames Clear-Mount Bundle [148406] $75.50	Rectangle Stitched Framelits Dies [148551] $61.00	Be Mine Stitched Framelits Dies [148527] $61.00
Meant To Be Cling Stamp Set [148626] $42.00	Layering Squares Framelits Dies [141708] $58.00	Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder [109129] $8.75
Card Stock A4 Blushing Bride [131287] $14.75	Whisper White A4 Card Stock [106549] $17.00	Soft Sea Foam A4 Cardstock [147012] $14.75
Gold Foil Sheets [132622] $7.00	Basic Black A4 Card Stock [121688] $14.75	White Stampin' Emboss Powder [109132] $8.75
Subtle Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder [143706] $17.00	Basket Weave Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder [146841] $16.00	Tufted Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder [146335] $16.00
Pearl Basic Jewels [144219] $8.75	Flirty Flamingo Classic Stampin' Pad [147052] $13.00	Highland Heather Classic Stampin' Pad [147103] $13.00
Soft Sea Foam Classic Stampin' Pad [147102] $13.00	Heat Tool [129056] $50.00	Big Shot [143263] $159.00
Paper Snips Scissors [103579] $17.00	Foam Adhesive Strips [141825] $14.00	Stampin' Dimensionals [104430] $6.00
Liquid Multipurpose Glue [110755] $7.00	Aqua Painters [103954] $20.00