JAI 28 - Just add a man card

Hi again,

welcome to my Just Add Ink DT post. The challenge this week is to just add masculine. But wait there's more - you also need to use a set colour combo, here it is.


My featured DT card was actually the second one I made for this challenge, my first one (which you can scroll down and see below) was a more sort of traditional male card kind of more targeted for my Dad. But then I started thinking I wanted to make something that reflected how my DH plays with the kids. They love attention, as any kids do and playing with Dad is definitely a highlight for them. So that was one starting point. The second inspiration point was a card posted by Dawn McVey way back in Dec 2009, however I can't link you to it as it has been removed from her blog for publication but perhaps you can take that as a sign that I do have good taste ;) Ok in Dawn's card she used horizontal strips of little repeated images to build the card and it looked really cute. Now I know I am rambling on and that is because I am a bit insecure about my end result but all of my lovely JAI colleagues assured me that it was good so I'm stomping on those insecurities and here is the card.


I started with a Baja Breeze base, cut A frame, stamped that with Polka Dots in Chocolate Chip. Then I cut three strips of cardstock, stamping a different repeating image on each. Since DH likes to play ball games with the kids I used the ones I found in Family Favourites - I would have liked to add a kite stamp though. Oh and one very important point I tailored the football to look like an Aussie Rules footy using a marker to ink up the stamp. You definiteIy don't want to get the wrong football on your hubbys fathers day card! I did have a little fun with the stamping trying to add some movement. The images were simply finished off with a little bit of colouring and some crystal effects on the cricket balls. The final touch is to add the D is for dad medallion. I used my Sizzex Timeless Type alphabet die (sooo love these) to cut a large D for Dad and then did some fiddly inking up of the b is for birthday stamp from Party Hearty to get my end result. The Kraft circle base was a 1 3/4 circle punch and I cut the choc chip mat using my Circle Scissors Plus. The inside I also finished off simply to match the front.

Now onto my orignal DT submission.

OK so here I started off again with a A frame Baja Breeze base. Then I added a mat of Chocolate Chip which was stamped with Sanded. This was layered with some Kraft DSP (from Urban Oasis). The edges of these two mats were distressed and also sponged with choc chip around the edges. I also added some piercing detail to the top and bottom of the Kraft DSP. Now for the image panel I started with Baja again, stamped that with Sanded, distressed and sponged the edges. I stamped and embossed the sentiment at the bottom, above that added a few loops of linen thread and above that the image. I inked up my tree stamp in Versamark, then in Chocolate Chip, and stamped on Kraft, then embossed with clear embossing powder. I distressed and sponged the edges of this, added a vintage brad to each corner and then mounted the image up on dimensionals above the Baja layer. The inside was finished off very simply to match.



Thanks so much for visiting, and please play along this week and link your manly creation back to Just Add Ink!



Kim


D is for Dad
Recipe: All SU!
Stamps: Party Hearty, Polka Dot, Family Favourites
Cardstocks: Baja Breeze, Kraft, Chocolate Chip, Real Red
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Timeless Type alphabet dies, Circle Scissors Plus, 1 3/4 circle punch, Small Heart punch, Crystal effects, Aquapainter, Double sided tape, Dimensionals

Father's Day
Recipe: All SU!
Stamps: Lovely as a Tree, Sanded, Teeny Tiny Sentiments
Cardstock: Baja Breeze, Kraft, Chocolate Chip, Rustic Ivory
Ink: Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip, Versamark
Accessories: Urban Oasis DSP, Linen Thread, Vintage brads, Mat pack and piercing tool, Clear embossing powder, SNAIL adhesive, Double sided tape, Dimensionals

Inkspirations 33 - Nature and Nuture

Hi all, this week Makeesha Byl (welcome back Keesh :) posted a great sketch for her weekly challenge, so great in fact that I couldn't help myself and made two cards!! There is something about sketches with circles or ovals that really appeals to me. Having said that my favourite of my two cards this week - doesn't have either ;) Here's the sketch. My first card was inspired by one that Nicole Heady posted back in June for the USA father's day. I love the effect she got and couldn't resist having a go. Here's what I came up with. I started with a square Chocolate Chip base and layered that with some PTI paper. For the image panel I started with some Rustic Ivory cardstock, stamped fine text over it in Old Olive and then over that stamped my tree in Versamark. I then clear embossed the tree, then got a sponge and started sponging Old Olive over the embossed tree till I got the depth of colour I wanted. Almost at the same time the sponge would also remove the ink from the embossed image so the tree started to pop out. To remove any excess ink I just went over carefully with a clean tissue. The tree panel was then cut with a Spellbinder Large Label, and mounted on some Choc Chip cardstock. The finished tree panel was laid over three strip of twill that I SNAILed down to the DSP, then frayed the ends and then stitched zig zag over. I really love the earthy atmospheric feel of this one. It even got an approving hmm from my DH! OK now for a change of pace here is card two. I'm back to girl's birthday cards again for this one. Here it is. I started by rifling through my DSP collection for a pattern that was suitably girly and would be good for paper piecing. Having settled on this DSP, I got out my stamp, stamped her on Whisper White and also onto the DSP. Then I proceeded to trim out her bow, dress and shoes from the DSP. I used the two way glue pen to stick the DSP onto the stamped image base. Then I got my aquapainter and coloured the rest of her in. Once all that was done I could add the crystal effects to her bow, collar and shoes. I also stamped the cake onto Pink Pirouette and DSP, cut out alternating DSP layers, adhered those, then added crystal effects icing and candle flame - blinged up with a sprinkle of dazzling diamonds. The central image was cut out with an oval die, sponged around the edges with Pink Pirouette, and then layered onto a scalloped oval mat of Riding Hood Red. Rather than three horizontal bands, as per the sketch I have ended up going with two and a half. The top and bottom are strips of DSP laid over scalloped Riding Hood Red. The half ;) is a bow of RHR taffeta from which two little sentiment tags hang. As a final detail I also pierced all the scallops. The large Pink Pirouette mat below was wheeled with the Happy Birthday wheel in Pink Pirouette so it adds just a subtle pattern and message at the same time. I even managed to get it all mostly straight! That was laid over a white mat and then finally the RHR base. I can't deny this wasn't fiddly but every now and again I like to play around with something that is fiddly and I think the fiddling paid off. Thanks for visiting and working your way through the saqa. Don't forget to drop by this Friday when my next Just Add Ink DT card will be posted. Kim Nature Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted Stamps: Through the Trees (PaperTrey Inc), Background Basics Text Style (PaperTrey Inc) Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Rustic Ivory Ink: Old Olive, Versamark Accessories: Turning a New Leaf DSP (PTI), Spellbinders Large Labels, Clear embossing powder, Sponge, Twill Tape, sewing machine, SNAIL adhesive, double sided tape, Dimensionals Nuture Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted Stamps: Anna Mae(Our Craft Lounge), Happy Birthday, Teeny Tiny Sentiments, Tiny Tags Cardstock: Riding Hood Red, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White Ink: Pink Pirouette, Riding Hood Red, Chocolate Chip, Blush Blossom Accessories: Bella Rose DSP, Medium Jewelery Tag, Scallop Border punch, Mat pack and piercing tool, Riding Hood Red taffeta ribbon, Oval and Scalloped Oval Nestabilities (Spellbinder), Crystal effects, Dazzling Diamonds, Silver cord, SNAIL, Double sided tape, Two way glue pen, Dimensionals

Just Add Ink 27 - Cupcakes

Hi everyone,
yep I've been a busy girl but I couldn't resist playing along with the sketch challenge this week from Just Add Ink. Here's the sketch

I'm still on a birthday card roll - so the first thing that came to mind was cupcakes, as I know that my Mr 2 and Miss 5 both think they are good! So here is the result.


Being intended for a 4-5 year old girl I had to put pink in there and so I went with one of my favourite colour combos - Regal Rose and Close to Cocoa (so so sooo sad that this is retiring). I decided to tranisition my cupcakes from all Regal Rose to all Cocoa, with two mixed ones in between. A little something was added to each cupcake - candle, birthday number or just lots of crystal effects and dazzling diamonds. Since I wanted the cupcakes to take the stage I kept the background pretty simple - white embossed with the Perfect Polka Dot folder. But I added a bit of extra texture by sewing pink zig zag all around the edges - my first time trying zig zag - and oh my I do like it :) I just ran a strip of Regal Rose grosgrain under the cupcakes (which were mounted up on dimensionals) and finished it off with a large rhinestone brad. I decided to leave the sentiment off as I felt it would have cluttered the front up too much and there are enough clues that let you know what the card is intended for ;)The inside was finished off to match. This one did get the thumbs up from my Miss 5 - yeh!


Its a great sketch so why don't you pop over to Just Add Ink and join in the fun!





Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Party Hearty
Cardstock: Regal Rose, Close to Cocoa, Whisper White
Ink: Regal Rose, Close to Cocoa
Accessories: Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Timeless Type alphabet Sizzlets,Regal Rose wide grosgrain ribbon, Fire Rhinestone, sewing machine, Crystal effects, Dazzling Diamonds, SNAIL adhesive, Double sided tape, Dimensionals

Inkspirations 32 - A Wish

Hi all,
well welcome back :) This week Makeesha Byl has a colour challenge - a very yummy colour combo indeed. Here it is.

I'm still on a push to make lots of birthday cards (and just as well as my Miss 5 has three birthday party invitations this weekend !!) so when I saw the combo that Keesh put up I knew that was the way to go. Here is the result.



A card I saw earlier in the week by Dawn McVey in this post caught my eye, and so I decided to try and use that as my sketch starting point. I also pulled out a stamp from my stash that had yet to see ink but is quite cute so I thought it could work - my Miss 5 however was not to happy as she says she doesn't have a face!! Despite the lack of face I went ahead anyway! To stamp the image on watercolour paper I used a little trick I've picked up from DanielleDaws who usually embosses her images onto the watercolour paper - and it works a treat!! - thanks Danielle - as the embossed lines really reduce and any bleed of colour from one area to another. Anyway having embossed the image, I then got out my aquapainter and watercolour wonder crayons - slowly adding depth to the image. I did use a bit of choc chip marker at the end to get extra colour into her hair and then blended it in. Having coloured her in - I then also decided to do some paper piecing - so thats how it ended up a mix of the two but I think it combined the bit of the best of both. The final touch was to add dazzling diamonds to her wings -can't go past a little bling. I used my circle nesties to cut her out, as well as a choc chip frame. The image was laid over some dotty Saffron DSP (from Tall Tales) which I pierced around the edges, then adhered to a Regal Rose mat and then Choc Chip base. Finishing elements for the front are a strip of Regal Rose ribbon, embellished with some buttons and the sentiment tag, using my new Sizlet tags. I had a bit of fun with the inside stamping some fluttering dotty butterflies and adding a pierced flight trail from the "happy birthday".
Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless stated
Stamps: A Little Birthday Cheer, Teeny Tiny Sentiments, Flight of the Butterfly, Pippi (Swiss Pixies)
Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Regal Rose, Very Vanilla
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Regal Rose, So Saffron, Versamark
Accessories: Watercolour paper, Watercolour Wonder crayons, Tall Tales DSP, Sweet Always DSP, Sizzlets Lots of Tags, Circle Nestabilites (Spellbinders), Mat pack and piercing tool, wide Regal Rose grosgrain ribbon, Raseberry Fizz and Lemon Tart buttons (PaperTrey Inc), Word Window punch, Boho Blossom punch, So Saffron brad, embroidery thread, Clear embossing powder, Dazzling Diamonds, Two way glue pen, SNAIL adhesive, Double sided tape, Dimensionals

JAI26 - just add embossing

Hi there,
well welcome to my first offical post as a member of the Just Add Ink design team! Luckily for me this week the challenge is to add one of my favourite techniques - just add embossing.
Here is what I came up with. Heat embossing is darn hard to capture with photography so I hope you'll be able to see what I'm talking about below.



I used two different techniques that involved heat embossing to make this card. Firstly on the background DSP mat I first inked up my stamp in Versamark and then the coloured classic ink (Rich Razzleberry in this instance). I stamped that direct onto the DSP and then sprinkled over clear embossing powder and then used the heat gun.

The second technique is called emboss resist and I used this to create the top image panel. In this case I stamped my daisies using Versamark only onto the DSP, then sprinkled over clear embossing powder and then used my heat gun embossed the image. Now that the daisies were embossed I inked up my brayer with Rich Razzleberry and rolled over a thick coat of ink, then carefully wiped the Razzleberry off the daises, which because they are embossed resist the ink.

I matted the top image panel on a mat of scalloped Whisper White, made using my Scalloped border punch, this is mounted up on dimensionals above the base layers. Threaded below the top panel is some White Taffeta, with a bow on the bottom left of the top panel. The base DSP layer is mounted on a mat of Whisper White and a base layer of Rich Razzleberry. The inside is finished off simply to match by stamping off Upsy Daisy in Rich Razzleberry.

So this week why don't you give it a go and - just add embossing and then link your creation back to the Just Add Ink challenge post!

Thanks so much for visiting,

Kim

Recipe: All SU!
Stamps: Upsy Daisy
Cardstock: Rich Razzleberry, Orchid Opulence, Whisper White
Ink: Versamark, Rich Razzleberry
Accessories: Cottage Wall DSP, Scallop border punch, White Taffeta ribbon, Chit Chat rub ons, Brayer, Clear embossing powder, Heat Gun, Dimensionals, SNAIL adhesive, double sided tape

Inkspirations 31 - Sweet Always Birthday

Hi everyone,

I'm back this week with a card for Makeesha Byl's weekly challenge. This week it was a sketch.


And here is my card...




This took me two takes - although I was pretty happy with my first version but Miss 5 gave it the thumbs down, and since its intended as a birthday card for one of her friends I thought I had better have a second go. I did find this sketch rather challenging, its definitely not one that came to me naturally and as a consequence I did jiggle the width of some of the layers around but I figure that still counts. Being a little girls card pink was the way to go so I pulled out my Sweet Always DSP and found two patterns to mix and match for the different layers, then layered those onto a Very Vanilla mat and then a Rose Red base to up the pink factor. For the other three horizontal layers on the card I added two vanilla punched borders (Apron Lace - love it), and a strip of wide Rose Red ribbon. All of those were adhered in the right order (well the one I'd settled on ;) then sponged around the edges with Regal Rose and then I stitched around the edge of the panels with pink sewing thread. To finished off the card I added a flower/ sentiment embellishment, as per sketch. I punched a 2" scalloped circle in Rose Red, then sueded the layers apart, on top of those I added two Pink Piruoette Felt Fusion Too flowers, then the circle sentiment, another Rose Red fusion flower then a rhinestone brad. The final touch - some Old Olive greenery. The inside was just finished off simply to match.

Thanks for visiting :)

Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Think Happy Thoughts
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Rose Red
Ink: Regal Rose
Accessories: Sweet Always DSP, Felt Fusion, Felt Fusion Too, Two Step Bird Punch, 1" circle punch, Apron Lace border punch (Fyskars), 2" circle scallop punch (EK Success), Fire Rhinestone brad, sewing machine

Inkspirations Challenge 30- 4 You

Yep back again,

I've had ideas churning around in my head and just had to get some of these ideas down onto paper. Makeesha Byl's challenge this week was a colour challenge. A nice combo of colours so I couldn't resist :).

The combo does include Kraft, which if you read my previous post blogged today you'd know is not my favourite to work with. But I know colours can stand out well on a Kraft background so that is what I tried to do with this card, which I think is quite different from anything I've posted (or done) before. So without further ado here is the result...





I had several starting points for this card...I wanted to keep it simple no layers (shock horror)... I wanted to use the cosmos like flower from Fifth Avenue Floral, and I wanted to use my Prismacolor pencils as they will lay the colour ontop of the Kraft... and lastly flowers+vase.

Sooo I started with a Kraft base cut square about 12 x12 cm (4'6), rounded two of the corners, than faux stitched using the white gel pen to make a frame (except for the corner where the flowers were to go). For the flowers I stamped three onto Kraft, coloured the central dots with the white gel pen, then used the Prismacolour pencils to create Razzleberry centres that blend out to white at the tips. I then cut the three flowers out. I also made a vase using some Cottage Wall DSP, using the curly label punch to get the curves below the rim. To finish the vase I tied some linen thread around it and threaded a sentiment tag onto it, using Tiny Tags which was perfect, lucky for me it arrived on my doorstep that day ;) Having worked out where I wanted the flowers and vase to go I then added in my flower stems direct to the Kraft base, coloured them in and then added all the flowers and vase mounted up on dimensionals. The inside was finished off very simply to match using another cosmos flower and some DSP leaves.

Hope you like it and thanks for visiting,

Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise mentioned
Stamps: Fifth Avenue Floral, Tiny Tags
Cardstock: Kraft, Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black, Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive
Accessories: Medium Jewelery Tag punch, Corner rounder punch, Linen Thread, White Gel Pen, Cottage Wall DSP, Curly Label punch, Prismacolor pencils, Aquapainter, Dimensionals, Double sided tape

Just Add Ink 24 - Loads of Love

Hi all,

well its not my week on yet at Just Add Ink but I couldn't resist playing along with the sketch challenge this week. Its such an interesting one - very simple so it leaves a lot of room for interpretation. Here's it is.

The idea for the card just popped into my head and seemed to be perfect for something I could give my hubby to tuck into his suitcase (he's heading off on a work trip soon). Being a boy card I kept it simple - perfect for the sketch.


Kraft is actually a "colour" I find really hard to work with, may'be since it often seems an unappealing cardboard shade but I do like it paired with red and white. So I started with a Kraft base then added a red layer then white. To finish that layer I got out the sewing machine and just went around the edges to make a frame. The stitching turned out more textured than I expected/wanted as the stitch tension was a bit loose. I'm kind of working these things out as I go.

I decided to go with Copics to colour my little ute (pickup) cause I wanted a bright red to contrast with the white. So I stamped the ute using Memento Tuxedo Black, then using R27 and R29 coloured the car. I used T1, N2 and a dark grey (sorry can't remember that one) to colour the car in. I used the same reds for the big pile of hearts. I trimmed both hearts and car out and mounted them on dimensionals above a Kraft circle element on the bottom LHS. The inside was finished off very simply with sentiment and with a bit more of the ute, coloured again with Copics.

I'm pretty happy with how it turned out - despite some issues with my colouring, stitching and a smudgy fingerprint that Mr 2 added to the front white panel when he snagged the card while I was photographing another one. I think my hubby will get the idea that we love him and miss him which is the important thing!

Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Loads of Love
Cardstock: Kraft, Real Red, Whisper White
Ink: Real Red
Accessories: Circle Scissors Plus, sewing machine, Copics (R27, R29, T1, N2, ?), Dimensionals, Double sided tape

The news is out

Yep, that beautiful little pic above says it all :)

A couple of weeks ago Just Add Ink put out a call for more Design Team members so I put together a bio, with some trepidation, and sent it off. A week later I got an email back titled "sorry" (now someone at Just Add Ink obviously has a cheeky sense of humour!! - Amanda, Danielle who's going to fess up). I looked at that and thought oh well you can only try - right! Only to open it up and find it continue with sorry...it took me so long but we'd like you to join to Design Team!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WoooHooo - how exciting was that - and still is. I've enjoyed starting to get to know the other team members over the last week and am really looking forward to joining them soon with my own DT contributions.

So don't forget to drop past Just Add Ink every Friday to see what fabulous challenge has gone up.

Thanks for visiting and sharing the news,

Kim