Beachey Vibes for JAI #778

Happy Friday everyone and welcome to another new Challenge week at Just Add Ink! 

It's been a hot week here in Melbourne with temps in the 40's so this week's image of a beach seems so perfect!

This week's Just Add Ink Challenge is a Colour and Inspiration Challenge suggested by Nikki. You can choose to base your project on either the Image or use at least 3 of the colours or both. Our design team have all created some lovely projects to inspire you and we hope that you will join us.

For my card, I was inspired mainly by the image - the beach and sand and the starfish and shells. So I created a beachey background and then coloured some of the Notes &Totes dies to create a bag and bits and items to take or find at the beach. And as well as the image, I also managed to include 3 of the colours. 

To colour the tote itself, I used a retired stamp on the white card stock and added some Coastal cabana pieces cut with the trimmer. The bottle and sunglasses are coloured using Blends and the starfish and sentiment are coloured using Copics. 

The sentiment is from a long retired set called Sunshine Sayings that comes in handy often in Summer.

The 3D effect of the tote is quite special and I'm so glad that I had the chance to try out these products before buying them.

Thanks for popping by today and taking the time to leave a comment. It's always very much appreciated.

I hope that you will enjoy this challenge and especially for those experiencing snow, you can perhaps dream of warmer things. Whereas here was me wearing an ice filled vest the other day to keep cool! 

So I look forward to seeing all your projects at Just Add Ink this week.

"Til next time,

Jan

 

Just Add Ink #777 Blog Hop - Just Add Something Seasonal

 

Happy New Year and WELCOME to a new Just Add Ink Challenges year! As usual we are starting things off with a Blog Hop from the whole design team. 

So a special welcome if you have just arrived from the lovely Nikki Spencer and her very pretty card and perhaps you may like to grab a cuppa (or maybe you already have one) whilst you take a tour of all of our team's projects.

For the first challenge of 2026 we're asking you to "Just Add Something Seasonal."

What do we mean by Seasonal? Yes, it could be weather related - which is of course different in every hemisphere. But it also could be that it's almost Valentines Season - and here in Australia it's wedding season as well. Or you may have a personal Season to share. Hopefully our design team projects will inspire you to pop on over to the Just Add Ink blog and join with us in this first challenge of the year.

For my card, I have chosen Sunflowers. Yes, it is Summer in Australia and I really do love sunflowers and have many growing in my garden each Summer. I collect the seeds from the flowers each year so that I have plenty for the following one. There are giant ones along the backyard fences and some dwarf plants in pots too. So this was an easy choice for me!😊

The 3D Sunflower EF (an Online Exclusives product, still available) is something I have made a few cards with but this is my first attempt at colouring it realistically. You can use all sorts of methods. 

I was inspired by a technique by Claire Daly who first used a brayer to add ink to the debossed (background or downward) area of the EF before colouring the raised petals and leaves.

So I've added some Balmy Blue ink using a brayer to the flat areas of the debossed (downward ) side of the EF before using it with Basic White card stock. I was a bit light with this so went back over it adding some more of the ink using a sponge on the Basic White card.

For the focal images, I've used a combination of Stampin Blends and Copics and suddenly we have this bold, amazing image with big pops of colour!  I love the way it looks like the flowers have the hot Summer's sun shining on them (and haven't we had a few days like that here already!)
Finally, a sentiment from a retired Sunflower set was used and a touch of ribbon, twine and sprinkling of rhinestones and we have our first card of 2026!

Next you're off to see the fabulous Chantell Randall and her amazing project - Enjoy!

I hope that you feel inspired to join in the challenge with us and start the year creatively! If you get lost along the way you can pop by Just Add Ink to find a full list of our team taking part or see below.

Card stock: Basic White, Basic Black.

Inks: Balmy Blue, Versamark, Blends, Copics

Stamps: Celebrate Sunflowers (retired).

Accessories: Die Cutting Machine, Sunflower 3D EF, White EP, Old Olive Grosgrain ribbon, Linen Thread, Basic Rhinestones.

Here is the full  Blog Running List if you get lost along the way:

1. Lou Kitzelman

2. Kerry Parkinson

3. Tristan Dawes

4. Tina Gillespie

5. Narelle Farrugia

6. Nikki Spencer

7. Jan McQueen - You are here.

8. Chantell Randall

9. Joanne Stubbings

'Til next time,

Jan