Just add Ink 53 - Just add inspiration

Hello there,

welcome back to another Just Add Ink challenge. Our challenge this week just brings a smile to my face because it feels so happy, its......an inspiration challenge using the photo below and to add bright bursts of colour.

Flowers obviously spring to mind, especially this time of year down under - that combined with upcoming birthday festivities - did I mention that Miss almost Six's birthday is in one more sleep?? :) With both of those in mind I remembered a fabulous project a lovely SU! friend of mine (Di Barnes) posted last year and decided to have go at that. To be honest I was tempted to do a straight CASE of Di's project (you can see it here) as I thought it was gorgeous (and I even had the Bloom die cuts) But in the end I decided to do my spin on it - so what am I going on about - think sweet treat flower wands!



I started by punching out a 1 3/4" circle and using dotto to stick that down to some Whisper White cardstock, then I inked up my large petal and stamped around the punched circle. (This was my solution for mimimising cutting instead of each individual petal I cut out the whole flower). For the large petals I discovered it was best to stamp a couple of mm's out from the punched circle. For the smaller petal it was best to stamp as close to the edge of the punched circle. After stamping three large petal circles in Daffodil Delight and three in Melon Mambo, and small petals circle in Daffodil Deight, Melon Mambo, Pumpkin Pie and Orchid Opulence I trimmed them out from the larger sheet of cardstock. Now the 1 3/4" circle punch has no trouble reaching into the middle of the smaller petal flower but couldn't reach into the middle of the larger petal circle (My solution was to use a 1 3/4 circle die I had to cut the middle out).

OK now it was time to assemble, I placed a large petal flower over a sweet treat cup (I usually add a bit of Tombow on the cup rim so that my flower would stay in place), then used my piercing tool to make a hole, then pushed a wooden skewer up into the sweet treat cup. Having added dimensionals to the back of the smaller petal flower I then add that to the sweet treat cup (over the skewer). All there is to do then is to tie on a long length of green ribbon (for leaves), fill the cup with something yummy and colourful (Smarties) and then adhere another die cut circle over the back of the cup to keep the sweets in. Now my next challenge will be to come up with a boys alternative - I'm thinking stars....

The flowers wands definitely met with approval from my Miss almost 6 so it looks like they will be part of the party loot.

Thanks for visiting and don't forget if you have time why don't you join in the challenge too this week.

Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Something Sweet, A Little Treat
Cardstock: Whisper White
Ink: Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Melon Mambo, Orchid Opulence (R)
Accessories: Sweet Treat cups, wooden skewers, 1 3/4" circle punch, 1 3/4" circle die (PaperTrey Inc - Limitless Layers 1 3/4"), Circle nestabilities, Tombow, Dimensionals, Green satin ribbon (craft store)

Inkspirations 54 - Tree of Love

Hi all,

ahhh I loved the colour combo Keesh set on first sight last Friday night (for this weeks Inkspiration challenge). But what to use it for? Here's the colour combo so you can see if it has as much appeal for you.


Now my DH is not a valentines man - at all!! But we do have our anniversary (first date (Feb) and then wedding (April) I might add they were 6 years apart!) coming up. So I decided to make a card for him. I remember last year blogging that I wasn't sure he would like the card I made for him then, this was it, and I feel the same way this year. But I like how it turned out so at least one of us will ;)Oh I should mention that I used the Sweet Sunday sketch challenge 98 sketch from a few weeks ago. Ok here is what I came up with.



I started with a square Early Expresso base and layered that with Very Vanilla stamped with a woodgrain pattern in Pear Pizzazz. Over that I added a large strip of Early Expresso, with large scallops on one side and impressed with a woodgrain pattern. Then I layered some Pear Pizzazz ribbon over that. For the main image I stamped the trunk portion of a PTI tree (Through the Trees) in Early Expresso, then punched out lots of little hearts in Blushing Bride and Pear Pizzazz to add as "leaves". I SNAILed the hearts in place or mounted some up on dimensionals. I also added one stamped Early Expresso heart as an accent to the tree (covered in cyrstal effects). At the base of the tree I stamped some small text to ground it and then add two falling "leaves" one stamped with love and the other with you. The tree image was cut out with a circle nestability (prior to adding all the leaves of course) and I also cut a Expresso mat for it. Then I trimmed a fraction off the right side and added it to the base layers with dimensionals. I finished off the inside to match, by cutting a circle then stamping the woodgrain over it, then peeling the circle away and adding one little Expresso heart.

Hope you like it too :)

Thanks for visiting,

Kim

Recipe:
Stamps: Tiny Tags, Teeny Tiny Sentiments (SU!), Through the Trees, Background Basics Woodgrain, Background Basics Text Style (PTI)
Cardstock: Early Expresso, Very Vanilla, Pear Pizzazz, Blushing Bride
Ink: Early Expresso, Pear Pizzazz, Blushing Bride
Accessories: Large scallop border die (PTI), Woodgrain Impression plate (PTI), small heart punch (SU!), Pear Pizzazz Stitched Polyribbon, Circle nestabilities (Spellbinder), Crystal effects, SNAIL adhesive, Double sided tape

Just Add Ink 52 - Just add a sketch

Hello there,

Hope you all had a good week. I’m wrapping mine up with a half day today as we have some family coming to visit, my Mum and Dad, as you can imagine the kids are very excited about their grandparents visiting even though they only saw them about 3 weeks ago. (Smile – Don’t you just love how excited they get about everything - it makes living so joyful!).

Ok onto the new Just Add Ink challenge – this week we have a sketch for you. Here it is.

From the very beginning something about this sketch said “bag or pocket” to me. But I ignored it for quite a while only converting my card to a pocket card literally as I was sticking it all together! I also dug through my retired DSP stash and pulled out some lovely old bright springy type paper. So here it is.

With the insert pulled out (urk - sorry about the colour tones in this one)


I started by flipping the sketch upside down and then since I had settled on using some of the Petals and Paisleys DSP I started with a Pretty in Pink base (originally cut as a horizontal card – I just chopped off the back when I converted it to a pocket), layered that with some Tempting Turquoise. Layered some DSP at the top, and stamped matching flowers on the bottom. I used a Martha Stewart border punch to create the top of the pocket and used my Top Note die, to cut more DSP that was added to the bottom. To embellish that I added a die cut felt flower and some Pretty in Pink wide grosgrain ribbon. Having decided to make the card into a pocket I needed an insert for a message, so I cut some more DSP and Whisper White with the Top Note die, SNAILed them together and folded it in half. That slipped into the pocket and even echoes the border and bottom top note curves – magic!!

My Miss almost Six (we are on a countdown at the moment – every morning it’s how days till my birthday Mum!) thought this was pretty good (smile again) so it’s another card I can add to my birthday party stash!

Thanks for visiting,

Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted

Stamps: Polka Dot and Petals (R), Short and Sweet

Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White

Ink: Regal Rose, Fresh Snow (PaperTrey Inc)

Accessories: Petals and Paisleys DSP, Top Note die, Border punch (Martha Stewart), Corner Rounder punch, Word Window punch, Felt, Ice Rhinestone, Filigree brad, Sticky Strip, Double sided tape (X Press), SNAIL adhesive

Inkspirations 53 - Froggy Thoughts

Hi all,

despite Keesh posting a really nice sketch I was stumped this week. No aim or image was capturing my imagination. In fact I had pretty much decided to just skip this week when all of a sudden I discovered purpose and image!! First here is the sketch for the Inkspiration challenge this week.


First up purpose - its kind of a serious one. My Dad is going to have some surgery soon, and he will be in hospital for a good week and then will have a several months of recovery. So I decided to make him a card that he can get while he is hospital to, I hope, cheer him up a bit. I went poking through all my DSP looking for something blokey but cheerful and happened on Good Morning Sunshine and it seemed perfect. (Funnily enough I have hardly used any as I just couldn't figure how to use it, but this weekend I used it to make two cards for Dad - I'll be posting the second in a few weeks). Ok after all that rambling here is the card.



Ok a Pacific Point base, cut square (4 1/2 inches/ 11.5 cm), layered with some birdy DSP, this was pierced around the edge. Then I layered a panel with another DSP, and cut the panel base for the image in Pacific Point. For the image I stamped the "frog" image in Versamark on watercolour paper, then embossed with black embossing powder. I watercoloured the image using ink pad lids and my aquapainter. I also pierced around the edge of the image panel and watercoloured up to that to make a border. Once the colouring was dry I added some clear glaze to the frogs eye and light blue glaze to the centre of the flowers. To finish it all off I pulled out some more of my retired stash - some Pacific Point ribbon and a Kiwi Kiss corduroy button, tied and adhered those below the image, as per the sketch, and added a sentiment. The inside was finished off with another frog inside.

So something to cheer my Dad up and hopefully you too :)

Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise mentioned
Stamps: A Flower for all Seasons, Trendy Trees
Cardstock: Pacific Point, Kiwi Kiss (R), Whisper White
Ink: Pacific Point, Kiwi Kiss (R), Daffodil Delight, Versamark, Going Gray (R)
Accessories: Watercolour paper, Black embossing powder, Word Window punch, Pacific Point striped grosgrain ribbon (R), Kiwi Kiss corduroy button (R), Good Morning Sunshine DSP (R), Light blue and Clear Glaze Pen (non SU!), SNAIL adhesive, Double sided tape, Linen Thread

Just Add Ink 51 - Just Add Monochrome

Hi there,

how did you go with the Just Add Ink colour challenge last week ?? I saw some awesome entries as I was browsing through the entries. Ok we have a new challenge for you this week and its also about colour - Just Add Monochrome. I do tend to migrate to greens and blues so I knew it was going to be one of them but which one. In the end I couldn't get green out of my head so this is what I did with it.


I started by inking up my large leafy stamp in Certainly Celery, then rock and rolling it in Old Olive. Then I carefully trimmed it out. I wanted a feature panel for the leafy branch to spread across, and then DSP behind that. So I set to work sorting out the layout and layers. In the end I settled on a crosshatched pattern from the Celebration DSP. I couldn't resist adding some Celery and Old Olive buttons to embellish the branch, and to the striped Old Olive grosgrain. The inside was just simply stamped with another rock and rolled branch like the front to finish it off.

Ahh I love greens and I do really like this card - yippee :)

Thanks for visiting,

Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Vintage Label (R), Turning a New Leaf (PaperTrey Inc)
Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Old Olive, Whisper White
Ink: Certainly Celery, Old Olive
Accessories: Bright and Subtles buttons, Striped Old Olive grosgrain ribbon, Celebration DSP, White embroidery thread, Dimensionals, SNAIL adhesive, Double sided tape (X Press)

Inkspirations 52 - Flying By Birthday

Hi all,

ahh time to get back into the groove with challenges :) This week was the first week back for the Inkspiration challenge and well I had to play along. This week it was a colour challenge - here are the colours Keesh picked.

I decided to start working on building up my stash of birthday cards as I suspect I will need a few as the year rolls on as the kids attend birthday parties. I also had a super cute little aero-go-buzzer (otherwise known as a plane) stamp that I thought would be perfect. So here's what I came up with.



I started with a Baja Breeze panel and embossed that with the Cuttlebug Rellie Rave folder - makes a nice swirly background - think swirly winds. OK then I stamped the outline plane image - coloured it in using Riding Hood Red, Peach Parfait and a tiny touch of Baja Breeze. The trimmed it out. Next I cut some lovely fluffy white clouds out of white PTI felt. I used Tombow to stick my clouds to the embossed panel and then added my little plane up on dimensionals. To finish the front off I added a birthday banner embellishing it with some Baja Breeze buttons. The front panel was mounted onto a white mat and then a Baja base. The inside was simply stamped with the solid plane travelling across the card.

Kind of simple but a good one for boys I think - may'be even big boys ;)

Thanks for visiting,

Kim

Recipe:
Stamps: Fly Away, Curly Cute
Cardstock: Baja Breeze, Whisper White, Peach Parfait
Ink: Riding Hood Red, Peach Parfait, Baja Breeze
Accessories: Cloud dies (PaperTrey Inc - PTI), White felt (PTI), Cuttlebug Rellie Rave embossing folder, Button Bouquet buttons (SU! retired), red embroidery thread, Tombow, Dimensionals, Double sided tape (X-Press)

JAI 50 - just add a colour combo

Hi all,
well welcome to the first Just Add Ink challenge for 2011!! Goodness I just realised in a few weeks I will have been blogging for two years!! It's been so much fun, and you could say has changed my life (I now have my own lap top as one example - lol). So I am definitely looking forward to this year. Back to the challenge we have a lovely colour combo for you this week. Check it out.


I decided to make a birthday card - but what to use. The Pear Pizzazz said greenery of some kind - flowers?? but then I had another idea.



I started by colouring the large branch in with my markers (I usually try to be really strict with colour challenges - but this time I gave myself some lee way to use some Chocolate Chip for the branch). I used my Stamp-ma-jig to stamp the two branches to make a nice big party perch. Next I stamped my owl in So Saffron, then the birdies in Riding Hood Red and Elegant Eggplant. Then I inked up a bunch of party hats so I could pick which ever ones I decided were right. The poor owl looks like he had about enough for the night - I hope its not his party!! The two birdies continue their chat on the inside too. May'be Mr Owl has gone to bed by then :) The birds, owl and party hats are all mounted up on dimensionals over the branch. That was matted onto Elegant Eggplant with a Scallop Trim border. Oh and of course I added a big bow of Ridging Hood Red taffeta. This was mounted onto a Pear Pizzazz base stamped with Polka Dot, and the sentiment. The final touch was to add some Dazzling Diamonds to the party hats - cause a party card has to have some sparkle!

Thanks for visiting, don't forget to give the colour combo a try we would love to see what you make of it!

Kim

Recipe: All SU!
Stamps: Cheep talk, Fox and Friends, Party Hearty, Polka Dot (R), A Little Birthday Cheer (R)
Cardstock: Pear Pizzazz, Elegant Eggplant, Whisper White
Ink: So Saffron, Riding Hood Red, Pear Pizzazz, Elegant Eggplant, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Scallop Trim border punch, Riding Hood Red taffeta ribbon (R), Dazzling Diamonds, Two way glue pen, Dimensionals, SNAIL adhesive, Double sided tape (non SU!)