Calm Christmas for Just add Ink

Today's card is yet another Christmas card - well it IS that time of year :-) and this time for the challenge over at Just Add Ink this week.

This card does actually lend itself quite well to mass production so it may find its way to a number of letter boxes this year :-) I do like the colour combo of Pool Party and Mdnight Muse!

The dove stamp is first inked with Midnight Muse ink before the branch is wiped clean and coloured with an Old Olive Marker.

Card Stock: Pool Party, Midnight Muse, Whisper White

Stamp: Calm Christmas

Inks: Midnight Muse, Pool Party Old Olive (Marker)

Accessories: Big Shot, Pretty Print EF, Pool Party Seam binding, Frosted Finishes Embellishments, dimensionals, Glue dots, Basic rhinestones

Happy stamping until next time,

Jan

Paper Craft Crew Sketch #60

Its Grand Final Day here in Melbourne - yes really should be a Public Holiday as its crazy about town in the morning with everyone getting ready for a BBQ and then once Kick off of the footy starts at 2 o'clock its really quiet! So for a non- footy fan like me:-) it's the perfect time to sit down and create my take on this week's sketch from the Paper Craft Crew.

I also wanted to have a go at the Painter's Tape background technique and here it is.

Traditional colours for a change :-) I love this striped DSP from last year's Be Of Good Cheer Pack so took my colour queues from here. The Stocking is punched with the (retired) Stocking punch and stamped with a snowflake from Snow Swirled..it could be said that the theme of this card is "Retired!"

At least the colours and the Merry are from the current catalogue :-)

Card stock: Garden Green, Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla, Gold Foil

Designer Series Paper: Be of Good Cheer (retired)

Stamps: Snow Swirled (retired)

Ink: Primrose Petals (Cherry Cobbler seemed too dark), Gumball Green (for the same reason), Encore Gold

Accessories: Big Shot, Expressions Thinlit Dies, Adorning Accents Dies and Embossing folders, Stocking Punch (retired) Star punches (both SU! and retired), Rich Regal brads (retired), cotton wool, non-SU Gold ribbon, Masking tape

Happy Stamping until next time,

(and Congratulations Hawthorn!!!)

Jan

Spring Is In the Air and PP #164

Its another gorgeous day - the sun is out and it is quite windy. There have been reports of bush fires in New South Wales and Queensland this week so hopefully it will not be another bad fire year. We have been blessed with such a mild winter that the grasses and bush have grown well.

Today's card is for a sketch from the Paper Players

Spring also is the season for some serious Christmas Card making so here is what I came up with.

I love this Winter Frost Designer Series Paper so that is where I started from for the colours and got out the new(to me!) Pool party embossing powder for the greeting. The Angel is stamped in Bermuda Bay ink and then Clear embossed too. And the bottom of the white layer is cut with the Adorning Accents Framelits and then put through the Big Shot with the same named Embossing Folder. Both have been in my stash for a while but so much easier to use now with the Magnetic Platform!

Card Stock: Smoky Slate, Whisper White, Pool Party, Silver Glimmer Paper

Designer Series Paper: Winter Frost

Stamps: Rejoicing with You, Calm Christmas

Inks : Versamark, Bermuda Bay

Accessories: Big Shot, Adorning Accents Framelits and Embossing Folders, 21/2' round punch, Pool Party Ribbon, Circle cutting system (non SU!)

Also today our Pink Taree Bottlebrush tree came into flower - it really is a bright pink!! Traditionally Bottlebrushes are mainly red but I love this different version which blooms each Spring and Autumn.

And today we also are thinking of Sally's best doggy friend Monty and his family today. Monty is having surgery to remove a small tumour from his neck. We hope you will soon be up and about and running around as well as ever Monty - and enjoying lots of cuddles and rest in the meantime :-)

Happy stamping until next time,

Jan

Clockworks Grunge

My brother in NZ has a big round birthday coming up so I needed a card I could add some numbers to...I ended up making two cards in differing colours and as this one is numbers free....Yes! I've put the other card in the mail :-) Hopefully I will be able to share that with you at a later date after the big day.

The background is stamped using both the large and small backgrounds and then the wheels added. The raised wheels are first stamped and then coloured with markers before being cut out by hand - no fancy punches for this yet but I'm hopeful for the future!!! And the Greeting is Stamped in Versamark and Real Red inks then Clear Embossed to help it stand out.

The clock face was stamped in Silver Encore Ink and the Outline with Basic Grey onto Smoky slate card stock and a brad holds the acetate clock face in place - punched with a 11/4' circle punch.

Card Stock: Real Red, Smoky Slate, whisper White, Window sheets

Stamps: Clockworks

Inks: Real Red, Smoky Slate, Basic Grey, so Safron, Versamark

Accessories: 11/4" Circle Punch, Metallic Brads (retired), Clear EP, Heat Tool

Happy Stamping until next time,

Jan

Six Sided Sampler for Just Add Ink

Its another lovely Melbourne Spring Day - so yes, that means warm and sunny one minute and cool and overcast the next but so far no rain so not quite the Four Seasons in One Day we are so well known for having. Today's card is for a sketch challenge over at Just Add Ink -#183

I had wanted to try to do a Christmas Card - but the attempt of using the triangles of Pennant Parade didn't really work with the sketch - they just didn't sit so well together.. well, not at ALL well together :-) So instead I decided to start with the DSP from Polka Dot Parade and a male card was born.

The Paper clip ribbon detail is inspired by the new ribbon clips in the current Holiday Catalog and I discovered they are much harder to make than I had thought! The knot here is tied and the ends tucked under the clip and secured with a Glue Dot.

Card Stock: Early Espresso, Whisper White

Designer Series Paper: Polka Dot Parade and a retired piece for the Espresso banner

Stamp Sets: Six Sided Sampler, Itty Bitty Banners

Inks: Early Espresso, Crumb Cake

Accessories: Big Shot, Itty Bitty Banners Framelits, Hexagon Punch, Clips Assortment ( for the paper clip), Chocolate chip ribbon, Neutral Brads (retired)

This morning the dogs had fun at the Park as always....

Not quite sure how they got from resting quietly to this:

But it made for a fun time for all watching!!

Happy stamping until next time,

Jan

Reversing the Snowflake

After making the PCCCS #59 card I had some spare snowflake pieces to use up....

So I kept the same design - Smoky Slate base and the gorgeous Winter Frost specailty DSP and changed the ribbon to Pool Party and the Merry to Slate....and also turned over the squares under the ornaments.

So this ended up as being a two for one kind of challenge - one challenge, two cards! It was hard to choose which one to enter but in the end went for the one with more bling:-)

Card Stock: Smoky Slate, Whisper White, Silver Glimmer Paper

Designer Series Paper: Winter Frost Specialty

Stamps: Ornament Keepsakes

Accessories: Big Shot, Snowflake die, Holiday Ornaments Framelits, Expressions Thinlits dies, Frosted Finishes Embellishments, Basic Rhinestones, 13/8' Square Punch, Pool Party Seam binding, Retired pool party ribbon.

Today was a beautiful, warm day of 24 degrees - yes, Spring is here! And so Sally's friend's Monty came with us to the park to have a play. 

And yes, this is play - just like puppies! Monty on the ground is loving every minute of it! He will often lie on the ground on his back inviting Sally to come and play with him :-)

Happy Stamping until next time,

Jan

Paper Craft Crew Sketch #59

Hard to believe it is Monday already - where has the time gone! I have been working on a few cards over the weekend as I have a couple of family birthdays coming up still. But today it is time to show a card I made for the Sketch over at Paper Craft Crew this week.

I took inspiration from a card by Glenda and used some retired and some current SU! Products.

From the Glimmer Paper to the Rhinestones the theme for this card is definitely BLING!!

I started from the Snowflake - alternating layers of the Silver with Whisper White and putting together with dimensionals and topping with the Frosted Finishes Embellishments.

The christmas baubles are from the now retired Holiday Ornaments bundle - and using the framelits this year with the new Magnetic Platform is so much easier than the Post it notes that we were having to use last year to keep the framelits in place!!

Card Stock: Smoky Slate (base), Whisper White, Silver Glimmer, Pool Party

Designer Series paper: Winter Frost specialty

Stamps: Ornament Keepsakes

Inks:Bermuda Bay, Pool Party, Silver Encore

Accessories : Big Shot, Snowflake die (retired) Holiday Ornaments Framelits (retired), Expressions thinlits dies, 13/8' Square Punch, Basic Rhinestones, Frosted Finishes Embellishments, Non SU Ribbons

Happy stamping until next time,

Jan

Just Add Ink #182

When the power went off today it seemed to be the perfect time to sit down and look at completing this page in my Epic Day Journal. The challenge at Just Add Ink this week is to Just Add Frames...and as an added bonus I think Just add CUTE is true here too! This photo is of my gorgeous niece Nikita taken just after she woke from a nap - note the sleep tousled hair :-) while she was visiting with her family from NZ earlier this year.

 

For the Frame I used the Square Framelits and a technique for lengthening the size of frame by only passing the framelit half way or so through the Big Shot before repositioning the framelit to the desired length with the top cutting portionUNDERNEATH the card stock so as to just cut the sides and bottom. I cut the inside part of the frame with my paper cutter( not being game enough to try it with the smaller squares this time!) and then embossed it with the Chevron EF and adding with dimensionals.

The little banner is created with the Hearts a Flutter Framelits and Hexagon punch..and a little Papillon Potpourri butterfly - my new favourite set! This came together more easily than I expected - and love how SU! products are so well colour co-ordinated! From the Inks and Papers to the Washi tape!!

Products Used:

Epic Day Journal

Card Stock: Crumb cake, Very Vanilla

Designer Series Paper: Epic Day, Hearts Amore Specialty

Inks: Calypso Coral, Island Indigo, Gumball Green

Stamps: Papillon Potpourri, Flower Shop, Ciao Baby

Accessories: Big Shot, Squares Framelits, Hearts a Flutter Framelits, Bitty Butterfly Punch, Hexagon Punch, Pansy Punch, 7/8'scallop circle punch. Epic Day Washi tape, Linen Thread,Basic Rhinestones, Non SU Coloured rhinestones

Happy stamping until next time!

Jan

Away to Paris

A good friend of mine is going on holiday to Paris and a few other places this week so it was a nice opportunity to make her a card. We will miss seeing her and her gorgeous doggies on our walks to the Park but she deserves a wonderful trip :-)

The DSP is from the retired Fan Fair pack and have been holding onto the Eiffel Tower piece for just such an occasion! This was another attempt for the Paper Craft Crew but am not entering this one - one entry is enough! But the sketch was an inspiration and it WAS a challenge to mix the Vintage inspired paper to the more modern All Around the World stamp set too- but a fun one of course :-)

Card Stock : Night of Navy, Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake

Designer Series Paper: Fan Fair

Stamps: All Around the World

Accessories: Big Shot (does any card these days NOT have it??) Print Poetry EF, Oval Framelits, Crumb cake Seam binding ribbon, Basic Rhinestones, Dimensionals, Glue Dots and a lot of fussy cutting  :-)

Now time to deliver this card! 

Have a happy and relaxed Sunday and happy Stamping until next time.

Jan

Black, White and Red all Over.

Its such a beautiful spring day today here in Melbourne!
 The sun is shining with some warmth and the spring flowers are starting to bloom....which brings out the bees and the butterflies.

So today's card is one I will be sending home to NZ to a special sister who loves butterflies - and shoes:-)

The design is based on a challenge, this time from the Paper Craft Crew  PCCCS #50 but I am not sure if it will be accepted as I changed the sketch a little....

 The Shoe is from the Fabulous You stamp set and is stamped in Encore Silver ink after the Greeting is Clear embossed first - so is stamped in Versamark ink and then the Real Red ink before applying the Clear embossing powder to Happy Birthday.

The butterflies are from Papillion Potpourri a set which has just come this week so this is  its first outing :-).  Many more to come I think! The black Monarchs are stamped in Black Stazon ink and then coloured with Markers and Blender pen in the case of the sliver and punched with the co-ordinating punches. How I love a stamp with its own punches or framelits for quick and easy cutting!

Card Stock: Basic Black, Whisper White, 

Designer Series Paper: Silver Glimmer Paper, Polka Dot Parade

Stamps: Fabulous You, Sassy Salutations, Papillon Potpourri

Inks: Real Red, Encore Silver, Black Stazon

Accessories: Big Shot, Oval Framelits, Elegant and Bitty Butterfly Punches,Basic Rhinestones, Red Polka Dot ribbon (retired)

Now for a happy Spring story!

Last week whilst at a local Park walking my dog Sally with a friend and her dogs we heard a sound like a stone dropping  - it was a little chick falling from its nest! As we saw it's Mum coming down to check on it we realised it was an Indian Miner bird which is considered a pest here so knew that no local Wildlife group would want to help it. So I decided to put it up in a nearby tree and its Mum did come over and alight on the branch so we hoped and prayed it might be ok - it didn't look that great. The next day we arrived and headed to the tree and yes! There was the chick looking bright eyed and healthy and a few more fluffs on its chest as no feathers yet. The next day I missed going to the Park and my friend sent me this lovely photo of "our chick" which looked so much bigger again!

The next day however, it was gone! We saw a feather at the base of the tree and were quite sad that it had done so well....yet the following day we saw it with its Mum! Hopping around the leaf litter looking for insects! So it was wonderful to see how with just a little help and prayer from us and a very diligent  and attentive mother it has grown and survived!

So on that happy note...

Happy Stamping until next time!

Jan

Hope Framed Art

I saw a wonderful framed Swallowtail based frame on Cindy Beach"s blog recently and decided to give it a go. I found a frame I liked and then started on the Swallowtail colouring. I realised as it was time to put it all together that my frame was a little larger than Cindy's so I needed to come up with an idea to cover the join in card stock.

I did borrow the wonderful Typeset Jumbo Bigz dies from wonderful Christine, and I changed the word from Cindy's "SOAR" to "HOPE". After all, I am always saying I "hope" so that is the word for me:-) And while talking to Christine I was inspired to use the now retired border punch to cover the card stock join.

The Swallowtail is stamped on Coaster Board and coloured with Markers.

And stamped the DSP with Clock works in Encore Gold Ink and the Collage Curios (retired) butterfly and placed inside a Soda Pop Top after running through the Big Shot.

Now its hanging in the Hall and does look as long as it belongs there!

Card Stock: Coaster Board, Coastal Cabana, Silver Glimmer Paper, Modern Medley DSP

Stamps: Swallowtail, Clock Works

Inks, (Markers: Pistachio Pudding, pool, Party, Island Indigo, Rich Razzleberry) Encore Gold, Stazon Black

Accessories: Big Shot, Soda Pop Tops, Black Brads, Typeset Jumbo Bigz Dies

Happy Stamping till next time, 

Jan

 P.S WOW, my blog Heading has re appeared all on its own as hoped :-)

The Paper Players 162

Hello this is my first time of attempting to enter a challenge for The Paper Players. I was inspired by the colour combo as Rich Razzleberry is one of my all time favourite colours....and Pool Party a new favourite! In the end it was a challenge indeed especially to decide on the embellishments!

Card stock: Basic Black, Pool Party, Whisper White and Polka Dots DSP

Stamps: Chalk Talk

Inks: Pool Party and Rich Razzleberry (Marker)

Accessories: Big Shot, Chalk Talk Framelits, Honeycomb EF, Simply pressed clay, Basic Rhinestones, Hang up Cute Clips, Black Satin and Pool Party ribbons, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, Corner Rounder Punch

To add a bit of texture I ran the DSP through the BS with the Honeycomb EF - although it is hard to see in the photo. I also made a larger tag layer in black using the Corner Rounder punch and paper snips for the top details.

And the Clay flower was made by sprinkling Dazzling Diamonds into the hold before inserting the Clay and then colouring with a Marker. 

I did try multi coloured buttons and roses but the Razzle one looked the best :-)

I must admit I am not sure about the Cute Clip though.

Happy stamping until next time and hopefully my blog's title will find its way home!

Jan

Blog problems...

Somehow have lost the blog Heading!!
Am working on fixing it but would be grateful for any advice..have even tried another Template to no avail so please be patient :-)
It does seem to be working fine on the Mobile site so I am not sure what has happened

Blog Resurrection!

It's been a long time since my last post but its Spring - my favourite time of year! So as the creative juices are starting to flow again I thought it might be time to resurrect this blog. It has had a little make over today :-) and I also hope to take part in some fun creative challenges.

So here we go...
Today's offering is for  Just Add Ink #183 

...and WOW! successfully posted image :-)
 If you don't have a Blog you can enter by email (details on their website) which is how I entered this week as wasn't sure if I'd have the blog working in time. 
This is my first ever Challenge entry and I look forward to seeing what others have made  and to be challenged to step outside my comfort zone

As always, all products used are from SU! unless otherwise mentioned.

For the background I used the Jumbo Wheel, Shop Around and sponged the edges with some Encore Silver ink.

The tags are created using the Chalk Talk Bundle - I used a marker to colour the Thank You and the same sized framelit as used for the swirl image to cut it and  a 1 3/8' circle punch to create the window which is layered with Dimensionals - of course! (yes, I tend to use a lot them!!)

Card stock: Basic Black, Whisper White, Silver Glimmer Paper

Stamps: Chalk Talk, Shop Around Jumbo Wheel

Inks: Bermuda Bay, Basic Black, Encore Silver

Accessories: Big Shot. Chalk Talk Framelits, Black Satin Ribbon, Basic Rhinestones, Non-SU black rhinestones.

Well, its time to take my gorgeous Sally for her evening walk and play with her best friend, a blonde Golden Retriever some years younger than her called Monty. 

Here's a little picture of them before they launch into tumbling and rolling around :-)

Happy stamping until next time,

Jan

P.S Its been such a long time between posts... its quite interesting looking back!