Merry Monday #55 My favourite angel

Hello there,
have you ever on first sight knew you just had to have a certain stamp? Well I felt that way the first time I saw this angel (luckily enough I love the rest of the stamp set too!). This is her first outing this year but I'm sure it won't be the last.  The reason she came out was this weeks Merry Monday challenge is a tic tac toe challenge and one of the squares was angel. I decided to go straight through the middle - die cuts + paper piercing + angel.

Somehow blue seemed to be the way to go so I dug through my DSP stash till I found something that said christmas/angel to me. Add a touch of paper piercing and faux stitching, some shine with embossing and crystal effects and finished it all off with some ribbon and twine. That pretty much sums it up. The next few weeks are going to be busy so not sure I'll get the chance to make any christmas cards. If not once things level out I'll try and add to my stash.

Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Love Lives Here: Holiday (PaperTrey Ink)
Cardstock: Not Quite Navy, Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobler
Ink: Not Quite Navy, Early Expresso, Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobler, Versamark
Accessories: Love Lives Here: holiday dies, Mega Mat Stack 3 die, Linen/Canvas impression plate (PaperTrey Ink), Bella Blue DSP (R), Owl builder punch, 1/2" circle punch, Cherry Cobler embossing powder, Cherry Cobler seam binding, Cherry Cobler bakers twine, white gel pen, Mat and piercing tool, Crystal effects, Dimensionals, Double sided tape (X press)

JAI 159 Just Add a Bunny

Hello and a very Happy Easter to you all,
as you could probably guess we have an Easter themed challenge for you this week at Just Add Ink. This week we would like you to Just Add a Bunny. I've been wanting to ink up the very sweet Storybook Friends images for a while and I decided this was the time to ink up the bunny and make a baby card. I was originally aiming for a gender neutral card but I think in the end it definitely ended up a bit more on the girly side. See what you think.

I pulled my colour combo from the Tea for Two DSP - I thought the soft pastels would be really lovely for a baby card and went with a patchwork panel at the top and some embossing below. A lot of different elements went into this card but I think they all work together. I certainly loved how it turned out :)

I wish you all a happy and relaxing Easter. I'm planning on doing some out of season "spring" cleaning, some stamping ;) and eating some chocolate - of course - I think Lindt bunny is on the menu - yum yum! Don't forget to check out the rest of the DT's bunny offerings too for some great ideas.

Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless noted otherwise
Stamps: Storybook Friends, Tiny Tags, Itty Bitty Banners
Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Calypso Coral, So Saffron, Whisper White
Ink: Calypso Coral, Whisper White, Versamark, Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Accessories: Tea for two DSP, Embossing folders (Stripes, Designer Frames, Needlepoint Border), 1 1/4" square punch, Extra large oval punch, Jewelery Tag punch, Itty Bitty Shapes punch, Labels Collection Framelits, Bitty Banner Framelits, Copic markers, Victoria crochet trim, Calypso Coral ruffled ribbon and bakers twine, Vintage trinket, Jewels - pearl, White embossing powder, Gold leaf pen, sewing machine, Dimensionals, Double sided tape (X Press)

Merry Monday #54 Holiday Hugs Snowman

Hello there,

well I'm just managing to squeeze my entry for Merry Monday's snowman challenge this week (sadly I was just too busy last week to play along :) But I couldn't resist the lure of a snowman. 

Here's what a came up with.

My snowman options weren't huge but I did manage to unearth this MFT one from my stash and as soon as I pulled the Spice Cake DSP out I knew what my colour palette was going to be.  I did realise as I was photographing it that it was missing one thing - sparkle! I'm definitely in favour of Christmas=sparkle. So I think I'll be adding some to the snowflakes! Sorry short and sweet tonight - its been a busy week and I'm tired. I'll be heading to bed real soon! 

Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted

Stamps: Holiday Hugs Snowman (My Favorite Things), Tiny Treats: Christmas, Winter Snow Globe (PaperTrey Ink)

Cardstock: Soft Suede, Pool Party, Whisper White

Ink: Soft suede, Whisper White, Pool Party, Rich Cocoa (Memento)

Accessories: Spice Cake DSP (R), Paper doilies, Jewelery Tag punch, Soft Suede dotted grosgrain ribbon (R), Pool Party bakers twine, Copic markers, Circle nestabilities (Spellbinder), Sycamore street button, Piercing tool and mat, SNAIL adhesive, double sided tape (X Press)

  

JAI 158 Just add a sketch

Hello there,

hope you had fun going green last week :) This week at Just Add Ink we have a great sketch challenge for you. Our early Autumn flush of roses hasn't really showed up yet, probably because we had such a long dry spell, but despite that I still had roses on my mind. Luckily roses were also going to be perfect for making my MIL a birthday card. Here's the sketch.

Here's the rosey result ;)

Apricot appeal was my colour starting point, I still have small amount in my stash and I tend to pull it out for my MIL - she really has a thing for this shade. I guessed that Regal Rose and Rose Red would work with Apricot Appeal to make beautiful roses and I must admit I loved how they turned out! (So did my MIL). The sketch of course was my guide for the layout and I added lots of girly details and texture. Stamping the roses took a while but it was a fun card to make and one worth enjoying once it was done :) 

Don't forget to check out the rest of the DT. There are lots of fabulous ideas for the sketch. Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Apothecary Art, This Sweet Life (Paper Trey Ink)
Cardstock: Rose Red, Apricot Appeal, Whisper White
Ink: Apricot Appeal (R), Regal Rose, Rose Red, Certainly Celery, Old Olive
Accessories: (This Sweet Life dies, Wrought Iron impression plate, Filigree border die, Large scalloped border die) PaperTrey Ink, Apricot Appeal pattern DSP (R), Sponge, Paper doilies, Jewels - pearls, Dimensionals, Double sided tape (X Press)

JAI 157 - Just add green

Hello there,

this week we have green on our minds at Just Add Ink. Yes, just in time for St Patrick's Day our challenge this week is to Just Add Green. BUT it has to be more than just a dash of green! The first thing that crossed my mind was leaves, foliage and flowers and then BAM!! this completely different idea popped into my head. To be honest I still feel a bit borderline about this one - but then I usually do about any CAS cards I make. Keeping it CAS/ one layer is really challenging for me!

Like I said one layer - eeek! My idea was to have a cascade of staggered green chevrons, each level pointing to part of the sentiment. As I said I feel a bit uncertain about this one, yet at the same time I kind of like it - I like the patterned chevrons and I like the colour punch of the hot pink and that little touch of embossed detail. 

Do go and check out the wonderful array of green creations the rest of the DT has come up with. Thanks for visiting,

Kim


Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Oh, Hello
Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Whisper White, Melon Mambo
Ink: Certainly Celery, Old Olive, Garden Green, Melon Mambo
Accessories: Needlepoint border embossing folder, Itty Bitty shapes punch, Corner rounder (R), Stamp-ma-jig, Pink Sorbet twine (The Twinery), Jewels - rhinestone, Dimensionals, Double sided tape (X Press)

Merry Monday #52 Two toned tree

Hello there,
luckily we had a putter around at home afternoon today, which means stamping for me :) It also meant I could finish off my card for this weeks Merry Monday challenge. I had the basic concept worked out a few days ago but I must admit it took more fiddling than I expected to finish it. The colours were not a natural for me I've got to say but in the end I came up with something I liked. Here are the colours.

And here is my end result.

The two toned tree was inspired by this weeks PTI Make it Monday challenge for two toned flowers. I thought it would be a fun idea to translate that to a christmas tree. Sadly the photos don't capture the sparkle  - you can see it - just not how it brightens the colours. At the last minute my hoarding instincts kicked in and I replaced the Cherry Cobler buttons I was going to add to the tree with stamped punched baubles covered by epoxy domes, it makes posting it less troublesome and I liked how it looked too!

Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Everything Eleanor, Tree Trimming Trio (PaperTrey Ink)
Cardstock: Always Artichoke, Cherry Cobler, Very Vanilla
Ink: Always Artichoke, Cherry Cobler, River Rock, Early Expresso
Accessories: Hearts a flutter framelits, Lacy Brocade embossing folder, Word Window punch, 1/2" circle punch, Corner rounder punch (R), Christmas tree die (PTI), Fine Linen patterned paper (PTI), Cherry Cobler tulle, Dazzling Diamonds, 2 way glue pen, pinking shears, sewing machine, Dimensionals, Epoxy domes, Double sided tape (X Press)

JAI 156 Just add a colour combo

Hello there,

thankfully this weekend was a bit more relaxed than the last few - mostly. I did try my first zumba class - and survived - lol!  With no events planned I seized the chance to use some new stamping goodies, which is what I also did for this weeks Just Add Ink challenge. And this week we have a colour challenge for you.

How to mix these colours did take a bit of pondering.But I knew I needed a thank you card for a friend so that was the goal.

I was itching to play with my honeycomb folder so that came out, I rubbed some white ink over the embossing to bring the pattern out and then dripped and sprayed a shiny spray mist over it. The thanks went centre stage in a recessed oval accented with a flourish and some flowers. Some ribbon and buttons finish it all off. So sweet, CAS - my way that is and with lots of texture - love that!

Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Oh, Hello, Vintage Labels
Cardstock: Bashful Blue, Raseberry Ripple, Whisper White
Ink: Early Expresso, Bashful Blue, Raseberry Ripple, Whisper White
Accessories: Honeycomb embossing folder, Ovals Collection framelits, Naturals Designer Buttons, Early Expresso bakers twine, 1 1/4" Bashful Blue stitched grosgrain ribbon (R), Calico Shine spray ink (Mister Huey), Jewels - pearls, Dimensionals, Double sided tape

Merry Monday #51 Tic Tac Go

Hello there,
well another week has zipped past! I actually had this card made for this weeks Merry Monday challenge way back on Tuesday but this has been my first chance to post it! This week the challenge was a Tic Tac Toe square. I found this a bit easier to get a handle on second time round and had an idea to work with by the time I finished my morning walk! Here are the options.

 And this is what I came up with using the top row - red/ dry embossing/ ribbon.

The cute option on the tic tac toe square stuck in my mind so I couldn't help but pull out this Santa to colour, and I really like red combined with crumb cake and white. Finally I'd added this Santa to a tag last Christmas and that led to the card design :)

Thanks for dropping by!
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Itty Bitty Banners, Teeny Tiny Sentiments, Holiday Button Bits (Papertrey Ink), Postmarks (PTI), Mat Stack One Collection (PTI)
Cardstock: Real Red, Crumb Cake, Whisper White
Ink: Real Red, Crumb Cake, Versamark, Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Accessories: Bitty Banner Framelits, Chevron embossing folder, Linen/Canvas impression plate (PTI), Scalloped circle nestabilities (Spellbinder), Copic markers, Pewter eyelet (R), Piercing tool and mat, Pinking shears, 1/4" Real Red Stitched grosgrain ribbon, retired ribbon, Pure Poppy vintage button (PTI), White bakers twine, Dimensionals, Double sided tape (X Press)

JAI 155 Just add a sketch

Hello there,
welcome back for a new Just Add Ink challenge. This week we have a sketch for you.

I had one of those eureka moments when I was thinking about this sketch. I wanted to make an anniversary card for my DH (we clocked up a significant anniversary this year). I also wanted to play with letters and negatives and I suddenly realised I could make the tabs in the sketch work with the whole idea of an arrow (love=heart=arrow!!!). This is how it all turned out.

It was just shear luck that the placement of the U on the BigZ die was in just the right place that I could cut it out as a negative at the bottom of my DSP panel - sometimes you do get lucky :). I let the letters do the talking on this one just adding lots of subtle detail (impressing/embossing texture onto much of the layers).

Do go check out the rest of the DT for some fabulous inspiration for this great sketch!!

Thanks for visiting,

Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted

Stamps: none

Cardstock: Real Red, Whisper White, Basic Black

Ink: None

Accessories: Typeset Alphabet BigZ, Timeless Type Alphabet Sizzlet (R), Heart Collection Framelits, Fashionable Hearts Embosslits, Linen and Canvas Impression plate (PaperTrey Ink), Get to the Point die (PTI), Summer Smooches DSP, Pure Poppy vintage button (PTI), Charcoal bakers twine (The Twinery), Double sided tape (X Press), Dimensionals