A colourful landscape

This was another card made for the inspiration challenge, using the inspiration image shown in the previous post. I cut a curved piece from some scrap paper before I cut into the Designer Series Paper – I wanted to make sure it was right! The card base is one of the Greeting Cards I bought by accident before Christmas. Still finding them useful!

Stamps: Trendy Trees, A Bit of Birthday Cheer
Cardstock: Whisper White, Only Orange
Paper: Pink Flamingo
Ink: Only Orange, Basic Black
Accessories: ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon - Tempting Turquoise, Mat Pack, Paper Piercing Tool, Stamp-a-ma-jig®

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A taste of summer

The sun came out yesterday, giving us a tantalising glimpse of warmer weather to come! So what better time to post this bright and cheerful card, which reminds me of summer.

This was for an inspiration challenge on In Love With Stamping. There were four brightly coloured cushions (see below) and, using them as inspiration, I made this card. Hardly any stamping on this one – just the word “Celebrate” from the A Bit of Birthday Cheer stamp set. You don’t need much with such fabulous paper as this from the Pink Flamingo collection.

The accent is another faux button – read how to make one here.

Stamps: A Bit of Birthday Cheer
Cardstock: Summer Sun, Cameo Coral, Tempting Turquoise
Paper: Pink Flamingo
Ink: Basic Black
Accessories: Die Cut Blooms, Five Petal Punch, ¾” circle punch, linen thread, Crystal Effects®, Striped Grosgrain Ribbon - Real Red, Scallop Edge Punch

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Look, no stamping!

This is another card made for the same sketch challenge. It went a bit wrong but, as you know, there are no mistakes in rubber stamping. I cut the curve on the wrong edge of the Designer Series Paper – it was supposed to go the other way. But never mind, it works just as well this way. There is no stamping at all on this project – the image is just cut from a piece of Tea Party Paper. You can’t see too well on the photo but there are dots of Crystal Effects® on all the So Saffron circles on the image. I applied these with a cocktail stick – didn’t want to risk squeezing too much out in one go.

The ribbon is made from three pieces: one goes all round the card with the join at the front. The second is just a flat loop, with a third short piece wrapped around it. The two joins are at the back. I don’t like to see joins, as you’ve probably guessed.

The fancy edge is made with the Scallop Edge Punch and the Crop-A-Dile™

Cardstock: Pretty in Pink (textured), Certainly Celery
Paper: Tea Party
Accessories: 5/8” Grosgrain Ribbon - Certainly Celery, Crystal Effects®, Rhinestone Brads, Scallop Edge Punch, Crop-A-Dile™

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Matchbook card

Another of the Design Team challenges on In Love With Stamping was a sketch. I couldn’t work out from the picture if it was a curve or straight lines so went with a curve – using a plate to draw around. This is a matchbook-style card – not sure if the second picture explains that better or not. The circle element is only stuck down at the bottom, so the striped flap can tuck behind it.

The curved scalloped edge is a fun challenge. You scallop a narrow strip of cardstock and then snip from the straight side towards the scalloped edge – but not all the way, obviously, or it would fall apart. Then I applied adhesive to the Almost Amethyst curve and gently manipulated the strip until it became a curve, sticking it down as I went. The back looked a bit ugly so I covered it with another piece of curved cardstock.

Stamps: Circle Circus, A Bit of Birthday Cheer
Cardstock: Almost Amethyst, Certainly Celery, Elegant Eggplant, Whisper White
Paper: Tea Party
Ink: Elegant Eggplant, Almost Amethyst
Accessories: 5/8” Grosgrain Ribbon - Certainly Celery, 14/” Grosgrain Ribbon - Elegant Eggplant, 1 ¾” circle punch, 1 1/8” circle punch, 1 3/8” circle punch, Scallop Edge Punch

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Fun treat pouch

I have to thank SU demonstrator Monica Gale for this idea – which I blatantly copied for my 3D demo at my Sale-A-Bration workshops. I’ve seen this little pouch before but had never made one until I saw what Monica had done with this stamp set. I did try to make my version significantly different but failed miserably - I ended up changing the paper and the ribbon and that’s about it.

The pouch is made from a 6”x6” square of Designer Series Paper – although obviously you could use a larger piece... as long as it is square.

You can see Monica’s instructions on YouTube, here. There are some cool tips, including the clever bow and the tag to hold the cellophane bag closed.

Stamps: Happy Moments
Cardstock: Whisper White, Regal Rose
Paper: Kaleidoscope
Ink: Regal Rose and Night of Navy markers
Accessories: Striped Grosgrain Ribbon - Pretty in Pink, Word Window Punch, Filigree Brads, Rhinestone Brads, Small Flat Cellophane Bags

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Business as usual...

Sorry about that "blip" on Monday. Hopefully near-normal service has now been resumed!

This – or a variation of this – is the Make & Take for my Sale-A-Bration workshops this month and last. It uses the very lovely Happy Moments stamp set, which you can earn free if you place an order of £45 or more before the end of February.

The image is stamped on a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock and coloured using Watercolour Wonder™ crayons. It’s the Taken with Teal frame which is popped up in this case – which leaves room for the ribbon to go behind it. The card on the left is very simple but can be stepped up if you have more time - like I have done for the card on the right.

This time I actually stamped the Polka Dot background stamp on the Taken with Teal piece – unfortunately I picked up the wrong ink pad (Tempting Turquoise) and the spots have disappeared! I've rounded the corners, tied a standard knot in the ribbon, added a Word Window and a Filigree brad. All fun elements but a bit too time-consuming for a workshop situation.

Stamps: Happy Moments
Cardstock: Rose Red, Taken with Teal, So Saffron, Very Vanilla
Ink: Basic Grey
Accessories: Striped Grosgrain Ribbon – So Saffron, Eyelet Border punch, 1 ¾” circle punch, Watercolour Wonder™ crayons – Rich Regals.

Stepped-up version: As above, plus Word Window Punch, Filigree Brads, Polka Dot background stamp (!)

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Clerical error

Ah. Well as two people have kindly pointed out, I'd already posted that card! The weird thing is, I did scroll down to check!

Will sort out some new posts later - I have lots of projects still to show you!

Kaleidoscope tin

I can’t remember what came in this tin but it was given to me by a teacher at my son’s school who, like me, struggles to throw away potentially useful objects! The lid was embossed so I had to cover the inside, too, but that’s no problem. I love this Kaleidoscope paper - it is so fab you don't need much else to embellish it.

What's the tin for? Well, eventually... when I get round to it... I could make a set of square cards to go inside.

Cardstock: Pixie Pink (textured), Gable Green, Only Orange, Tempting Turquoise
Paper: Kaleidoscope
Ink: Whisper White craft
Accessories: On Board Chipboard – So Tweet, ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon - Tempting Turquoise, corner rounder

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Yummy colours!

I made this for the colour challenge on In Love With Stamping – a gorgeous combo of Bordering Blue, Close to Cocoa, Very Vanilla and Old Olive. A really simple card but the textured card gives it a lift, I feel.

To make a shorter word window, punch out a word window as normal then attach it lightly to a piece of scrap paper and punch again. Simple!

Oh, nearly forgot - there are Crystal Effects on the bird only, applied with a cocktail stick!

You can see what the rest of the team made by clicking here. And don't forget that you can earn this set free if you hurry - click here for details.

Stamps: Happy Moments
Cardstock: Bordering Blue (textured), Old Olive (textured), Close to Cocoa, Very Vanilla
Ink: Close to Cocoa
Accessories: Gold eyelets, Word Window Punch, Crop-A-Dile™, Crystal Effects®

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Ribbons, ribbons, everywhere

One of my challenges as a member of the In Love With Stamping Design Team was to produce a project featuring five or more ribbons. They didn’t all have to be different but I am a bit literal sometimes so couldn’t help myself.

This card features six different ribbons. I also wanted to see if I could use lots of different shades of green on the same card – green is notoriously difficult to match up but I think they go together quite well. They are all my favourites, of course: Old Olive (naturally), Always Artichoke, Certainly Celery and Mellow Moss.

I wheeled the Whisper White strip using the Funky Forest wheel and Certainly Celery ink then layered it on some strips of cardstock from my scraps box. I end up with loads of narrow strips – they look useless but they most definitely are not. So there’s an Old Olive strip at the top of the white, a Certainly Celery strip, scalloped, at the bottom of the white. If you’re struggling for cardstock you could even make the Always Artichoke layer from two narrow strips instead of a larger piece.

The trees from Trendy Trees are stamped in various greens and cut out, then popped up on the white strip. The Mellow Moss word window completes the scene.

The pieces of ribbon are those little bits that I insist on saving, much to everyone’s amusement. I told you they’d come in useful one day!

Sorry the photo is a bit bleached out – I struggle for light at this time of year.

Stamps: Trendy Trees, Funky Forest wheel
Cardstock: Whisper White, Always Artichoke, Old Olive, Certainly Celery
Ink: Certainly Celery, Old Olive, Always Artichoke
Accessories: Scallop Edge Punch, Word Window Punch, Stampin’ Dimensionals
Ribbons: Mellow Moss taffeta, ¼” Always Artichoke grosgrain, 5/8” Old Olive grosgrain, Moss gingham, 5/8” Certainly Celery grosgrain, Striped Old Olive Grosgrain Ribbon

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Blog changes and another house card

I’ve made some changes to the blog which you may or may not have noticed. I now have pages! I want to make my tabs look nicer but that sounds like it might be hard so it can wait. But along the top you can see my new tabs which will take you directly to info about, among others, Sale-A-Bration, Help For Haiti and my events. So click around and let me know what you think!

Meanwhile, here’s another card made with Good Neighbours. Click the Sale-a-Bration tab (!) to find out how you can get your hands on this set for free!

This started off as a standard card but then I scored down the centre of the front panel and folded it back on itself. Very simple but gives the card lots of dimension. This is one of Kelly’s favourite colour combinations at the moment so I thought I’d give it a try.

Stamps: Good Neighbours
Cardstock: Close to Cocoa, Mellow Moss, Basic Gray, Very Vanilla
Paper: Patterns – Bashful Blue
Ink: Bashful Blue, Close to Cocoa, Basic Grey, Mellow Moss
Accessories: Eyelet Border Punch, Mellow Moss taffeta ribbon, pale blue gingham, moss gingham

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A cute stamp set that's free!

I do adore this stamp set. It’s very, very cute and you can earn it for free during February if you spend £45 or more. Click the Sale-A-Bration link to find out how!

I made this card with one of my downlines, Kelly, who is a very inspirational stamper. Check out her blog, here.

You stamp the house pieces separately, so a Stamp-a-ma-jig® comes in very handy. I stamped the house itself in Rose Red, the roof in Basic Gray and then the tree next to it in Old Olive. It’s all punched out using the 1 ¾” circle punch and simply rested under the ribbon, popped up on Stampin’ Dimensionals. A really easy card.

Stamps: Good Neighbours, Polka Dot background stamp
Cardstock: Old Olive, Kraft, Whisper White
Ink: Old Olive, Rose Red, Basic Gray
Accessories: Scallop Edge Punch, Striped Grosgrain Ribbon – Old Olive, 1 ¾” circle punch

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Cutting the grass

Oh, I love this card design. And I can say that because I totally copied it from Kelly, one of my downlines. She is a really clever stamper and totally shakes my ideas up because I do tend to get stuck in a rut sometimes. You can see her version of this card here. Please visit and leave her a comment!

I changed the colours but kept the design the same. You can’t quite see the white clouds but they are there, honest!

Someone asked me how I made the “grass”. Did I have a special tool because I surely couldn’t have made all those cuts by hand? Er, unfortunately, yes I did cut them by hand. It soon became evident that it was a bad idea but there was no going back!

To find out how you can earn this fab stamp set for free, please click here.

Stamps: Good Neighbours, A Bit of Birthday Cheer
Cardstock: Bashful Blue, Old Olive, Whisper White
Ink: Old Olive, Rose Red, Basic Gray, Whisper White craft
Accessories: Pale blue gingham ribbon

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Yes, another chipbird...

It’s hard to tell on this photo but the branch of chipboard is Old Olive and the bird is... wait for it... Bordering Blue. Yes, the pale one from Rich Regals. It’s embossed with clear embossing powder which, strangely, only serves to make it even darker.

What a difference from the last project, on which the bird was also inked in Bordering Blue! The difference was this time the ink was applied directly to the bare chipboard, whereas on Tuesday's journal, there was a layer of Whisper White craft first.

As the bird turned out so dark, to liven it up a bit, I added some white gel pen (then heated it gently again to set – don’t know if it worked though, I daren’t touch it).

Stamps: Happy Everything
Cardstock: Pumpkin Pie, Always Artichoke
Paper: Kaleidoscope
Ink: Bordering Blue, Old Olive, Really Rust
Accessories: Always Artichoke marker, White gel pen, Black marker, clear embossing powder, So Tweet Chipboard

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Chipbird journal

You may or may not have noticed from the pink logo on the left that I am now a member of a Design Team! Shocking, eh?

The Design Team is over on In Love With Stamping and I have to come up with several projects every month for six months. How very scary.

One of the first challenges was to produce something using the colour combination Old Olive (hurray!), Close to Cocoa, Bordering Blue and either Whisper White or Very Vanilla.

So, as I needed a last-minute gift (is there any other kind with me?), I made this journal.

To get the chipboard bird this lovely Bordering Blue, I first inked it with Whisper White craft ink all over, then heat set it. Next I inked it with Bordering Blue ink - to do this, it's safer to use a brayer, just in case the craft ink isn't fully dry. You don't want it to contaminate your Bordering Blue ink pad! (Ask me how I know.) The wing used the same method but Brocade Blue ink and the bird's eye is simply inked with a black marker.

Next I took a gamble and pressed the whole lot into my Versamark pad. To be honest, my Versamark is so old and grubby that it doesn't matter but it didn't seem to make it any worse. Then I used clear embossing powder to give it this lovely sheen. I used several layers - if you work quickly you can sprinkle new powder on before the previous layer has set and it saves having to add new Versamark.

To make the journal itself, I used this method mainly because, by the time I'd added all my layers, the cover wouldn't fit in my Bind-it-All!

Why not check out the other Design Team creations in the gallery, here?

Stamps: Pocket Silhouettes
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, textured Bordering Blue, Close to Cocoa (inside)
Paper: Spiced Cider
Ink: Whisper White, Bordering Blue, Brocade Blue, Close to Cocoa
Accessories: 5/8" Grosgrain ribbon - Old Olive, 1/5" Grosgrain ribbon - Chocolate Chip, Stampin' Write journaller, clear embossing powder, heat gun, So Tweet Chipboard

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