JAI 238 Just add a sketch

Hello there,
my card today was all about creating a dusky/dawn standing on the beach feel. Which turns out to be very appropriate as the kids and I went swimming a couple of times last weekend. Not at dawn I might although my beloved little munchkins did wake me up at dawn - urgh! Anyway this week the challenge at Just Add Ink is to Just Add a Sketch - here it is.

Even though I designed the sketch I decided to turn it 90 degrees - go figure - lol!

I wanted the chevron embossing to be graduated so rather than running the whole panel through my BigShot I pulled out my rolling pin and started at the top of the folder with lots of pressure then decreased the pressure the further I went down. However, the watercolour panel was intended to be the star - super simple to do with re inkers and a little water - and lots of fun too. The final touch was to emboss that wonderful big sunburst. 

I'm hoping you'll find this sketch fun and very versatile too - hope you can join in the fun at JAI this week. Don't forget to check out the rest of the DT too for lots of wonderful inspiration!

Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless noted otherwise
Stamps: Kinda Eclectic, Afterthoughts
Cardstock: Island Indigo, Crushed Curry, Whisper White
Ink: Island Indigo, Bermuda Bay, Pool Party, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Real Red, Versamark
Accessories: Chevron embossing folder, Watercolour paper, Crushed Curry and White embossing powder, Doubled sided tape (X Press), Dimensionals

JAI 237 Just add clear block stamping

Hello there,
well I was busy busy busy this week! But even if you are having a week like me do try and find the time to join us at Just Add Ink this week because we have a fun challenge - this week it is to Just Add Clear Block stamping. This is the technique where you ink up your actual block and use it as a stamp. The JAI DT have lots of fabulous examples of how you can use this technique and here is what I came up with.

And here is how I did it.
1) I inked up (I literally just patted my ink pads on the block) my largest clear block with green, blue and brown ink in roughly the pattern I wanted (I used the cover image of my World Map stamp set as a guide).

2) Spritzed with just the finest mist of water. Then I stamped.
3) Once dry I stamped my map image over the top. You can see the ink colours are not a perfect match for land/sea but it still looks good!

This was my Dad's birthday card this year - in his young days he rode a motorcycle. So I thought this would appeal to him. Most unusually for me I went with a very rich dark colour scheme but it seemed to suit the card so I went with it.

Hope you can join us. Thanks for visiting,

Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless noted

Stamps: World Map, Teeny Tiny Sentiments, Motorcycle

Cardstock: Cherry Cobler, Basic Black, Naturals White, Vellum

Ink: Bermuda Bay, Old Olive, Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, Tuxedo Black (Memento), Versamark

Accessories: Top Note BigZ die, Starburst framelits, Spiral Border punch, Black and White embossing powder, Cherry Cobler baker's twine, Dimensionals, Double sided tape (X Press), Vellum tape (Scotch)

JAI 236 Just add inspiration

Hello there,
we came home from a week away to a lovely almost summer like day perfect for slipping back into home life (and for doing washing) and then it was life back to normal this week as the kids went back to school. Luckily enough I was able to get my project for this weeks Just Add Ink challenge done before we left - just as well cause I sure haven't had time to do any crafting since we got home! 

This week the challenge is to Just Add Inspiration. Nikki found the great pictures to get us inspired this week.

I had a new feather set to play with, which was going to be perfect - and play I did getting very inky :)

I wanted to create a graduated background so I started by pulling out my brayer (I did say get inky) and worked my way through a whole spectrum of blues. All that wide open blue space made me a bit unsettled so I ended up overstamping text in versamark. I brought more colour in with my feathers - the green and gold from the inspiration photo. Then added more gold - and even pulled out my sewing machine! 

I had quite a bit of fun putting this one together :) Do check out the rest of the JAI DT for some inspirational inspiration! Hope you join us.

Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Four Feathers, Dictionary, Happy Day (R)
Cardstock: Night of Navy, Soft Sky, Whisper White, Basic Black
Ink: Not Quite Navy, Island Indigo, Lost Lagoon, Pool Party, Soft Sky, Pear Pizzazz, Wild Wasabi, Versamark
Accessories: Four Feathers framelits, 2 1/2" circle punch, Gold Fancy Foil Designer Vellum, Tea Lace Paper Dollies, White and Gold embossing powder, Gold Baker's twine, Gold thread, Sewing machine

JAI 235 Just add a colour combo

Hello there,
the flowers I used this week remind me of my garden at the moment. We have had a succession of trees blossom through a delightful array of pinks. Sadly the spring blossoms are gone but a lovely hue of bright green has settled over the garden and soon enough I will have roses too.  The challenge we have for you this week at Just Add Ink (with a little artistic license) is perfect for flowers - this week we want you to Just Add a Colour Combo.

I needed a birthday card for a pink loving friend so I pulled out my markers and got to work. Sweetbriar Rose has a real classic botanical art feel so I was aiming to capture that feel. 

I considered colouring the image direct on the pink cardstock but decided it would be too difficult to get the tones I needed for the colour challenge. So instead I stamped and then coloured the image on white cardstock then fussy cut it out. To finish the card off I added lots of little details to create a (blinged up) vintage botanical feel.

Do check out the rest of the DT for some gorgeous colour inspired creations. Hope you can join us.

Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Sweetbriar Rose, Express Yourself
Cardstock: Strawberry Slush, Blackberry Bliss, Pink Pirouette, Very Vanilla, White (X Press Blending)
Ink: Strawberry Slush, Blackberry Bliss, Soft Sky, Pink Pirouette, Crumb Cake
Accessories: Labels collection framelits, Spiral border punch, First Edition DSP (R), Copic markers, Piercing tool and mat, Gold sequin trim, Venetian crochet trim, Gold Baker's twine, Tombow multi, Dimensionals, Double sided tape (X Press)

JAI 234 Just add Baby

Hello there,
I've had a lovely week this week. It's been warm and that has meant cups of tea in the garden and the school holidays has meant time to have cups of tea in the garden :) The deal I made with the kids was that I'll take them out for activities in the morning and the afternoon we'd be at home and they'd have to occupy themselves.  What are you going to be doing Mum? they asked. Stamp was my answer!! Cause I'm on holiday too - lol!

This week we have a very useful challenge at Just Add Ink  - it's Just add Baby. One of the girls on the JAI DT is expecting her first bub very soon (how exciting!!) and to celebrate we decided a baby challenge was the perfect thing :) So please join us and show us your baby projects.

Since we don't know if bub is going to be a boy or girl I made one of each.

Here's the girl version

And the boy version

As you can see they both follow the same plan but I just changed up the colours and decorative details on each. The concept started with knowing I wanted to do an emboss resist effect with the big scale sentiment. I've been pulling out a watercolour paper a bit recently and it's been fun to combine it with reinkers and seeing how it all turns out! I carried the themes through to the inside using the new SU! stencils to created the sponged spotty/starry patterns.

Do check out the rest of the JAI DT for lots of baby inspiration! Hope you can join us.

Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless noted otherwise
Stamps: Big News
Cardstock: Soft Sky, Early Expresso, Blushing Bride, Rose Red, Very Vanilla
Ink: Island Indigo, Lost Lagoon, Soft Sky, Early Expresso, Rose Red, Crisp Cantaloupe, Blushing Bride, Versamark
Accessories: Watercolor paper, Apothecary Accents framelits, Starburst framelits, Large Polka Dot and Lucky Stars embossing folders, Hearts and Stars and Dots and Stripes stencils, Early Expresso and Gold baker's twine, Gold sequin trim, 2013-15 In color sequin assortment, White and Gold embossing powder,Tombow multi,  Dimensionals, Double sided tape (X Press)