JAI #309 Just add Inspiration

Hello there,
with the beginning of school again life has returned to its normal pattern here which is rather nice (especially as it means some stamping time for me ;) It has also meant I had time to break out some new stamps I received at OnStage. This weeks challenge - Just Add Inspiration - at Just Add Ink - a lovely serene photo from Jodene was perfect to make a special Mother's Day card for my MIL. Here's the inspiration photo.

The new stamp set was perfect as my MIL loves her cat and this gave me the option to add one!  

I have pulled the very fresh colour palette from the inspiration photo and also tried to add in a knit texture background that echoes the chevrons in the picture. Construction was very simple, colour the images, trim out the different pieces and arrange them. It wasn't essential but I had to make sure the cat was comfortable so I added a pillow for it to rest against (My old fur baby certainly loves having something to snuggle into).

What inspires you in the inspiration photo? We'd love you to play along with us. Don't forget to check out the rest of the DT projects too!

Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Sitting Here, Mixed Borders, Teeny Tiny Sentiments
Cardstock: Whisper White, Thick Whisper White, Blushing Bride
Ink: Blushing Bride, Watermelon Wonder, Pool Party, Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Accessories: Tipped Tops dies (PaperTrey Ink), Copic markers,  Pool Party and Calypso Coral seam binding, Silver thread, Dimensionals, Fine tip glue, Wink of Stella clear, Sparkling Clear sequins (Pretty Pink Posh), Tear and Tape

OnStage Sydney Display Samples Swirly Bird Emerald Envy

Oops! forgot to post these last night!
Today it's the turn of Emerald Envy.
I loved how it looked with Kraft - you might notice that ;)

Used the birdy, 'nest" swirl and eggs for this one.

This one was all about backgrounds - using part of the 'kite' and also the splatter stamp - great for masculine cards.

I couldn't go past a dinosaur card when using Emerald Envy. (Can you spot the part of the kite I used in the card above?)

For this simple little PL page I used the bird and boat as they tied in so well with the pictures.

Thanks for visiting,
Kim

OnStage Sydney Display Sample Swirly Bird Peekaboo Peach

Hello there,
here is today's installment. It's all about Peekaboo Peach!

A big swirl adds great detail to the sun. It's also easy to add extra definition to the bird by using a fine tip black marker.  (I paired it with Marina Mist here)

A cascade of little flowers using the little swirl stamps (the greens I used for the leaves were Wild Wasabi and Garden Green)

Tiny swirls make great little flowers to decorate a tag on a mini treat bag.

The inside where you can include a message and gift card.

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Finally, using the dotty splatter stamp to make a background.

Thanks for visiting,
Kim

OnStage Sydney Display Samples Swirly Bird Flirty Flamingo

Well this is somewhat unexpected but then so was the phone call I got a few weeks before the OnStage event in Sydney. I was delighted to be asked to be a display stamper at the Sydney event. The time line was challenging - two weeks to create twenty projects - four each for the new incoming in colors (2016-18). Stampin Up! sent me a new stamp set - Swirly Bird and the new in colors and I set to work. It wasn't hard, Swirly Bird has a lot of potential as I hope you'll see. Below you will find the cards I made to showcase the new colour Flirty Flamingo - possibly my favourite of the new colours. Drop by each day to see the next set of four projects.

Little flowers make a fun background

Swirls make a great atmospheric background

I used the back of the stamps for this one

Then right way around for this one to make flowers!

Thanks for visiting,
Kim

JAI #307 Just add a colour combo

Hello there,
I'm delighted to say that this Saturday I get the chance to spend the day catching up with some special friends and getting the first look at the new annual SU! catalogue at the SU! OnStage event in Sydney. The crafty chatter will be non-stop this weekend :)

But I had to be sure to leave something here for you and the challenge at Just Add Ink , this week a colour challenge from Nikki, was perfect to make something rich and textured (well that's the way mine turned out ;). Here are the colour's.

As you can see I am really planning ahead here (although I will have to remember to give it to DH in September!). The colours were a perfect match to the Going Place suite so once the idea popped into my head I went with it. Being a masculine card I tried to add in a lot of texture (I was rather chuffed with how my mini star shaker turned out) and subtle bling. I just love that I can customise sentiments with the Alphabet Rotary stamp too :)

The design team have come up with a fabulous array of gorgeous cards so please do go check them out. Hope you can join us.

Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Going Global, Alphabet Rotary
Cardstock: Basic Gray, Smokey Slate, Delightful Dijon, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Gray, Smokey Slate, Versamark
Accessories: Circle collection framelits, Starburst framelits (R), Bountiful Banners die (PaperTrey Ink), World Traveler embossing folder, Going Places DSP, Triple banner pumch, Bitty Banner framelits, White and Gold embossing powder, Gold glimmer paper, Itty Bitty Accents punch, Hung Up Clips (R), Sewing machine, Window sheet, Dimensionals, Tear and Tape

JAI #306 Just add sympathy

Hello there,
well we have just about made it out of the cough zone at home. Just in time for school holidays too. Since my stamping time tends to get contracted during the holidays I have been trying to get ahead with some projects and this week's Just Add Ink challenge from Jan - to Just add Sympathy was first on the list. Sadly I will more than likely need to use this one this year as a long term family friend is struggling with cancer :(

I started by having a bit of a rummage through Pinterest for sympathy cards and discovered from that, that what appealed to me was lots of white and a little touch of green. So that's where I started. I also liked the idea of incorporating the sunburst die and decided to double layer it (the top layer is Shimmer White) to give it greater presence. Then I softened the strong lines by using vellum foliage. Knowing I will have to use this does make me sad but I'm also glad that I'm prepared.

Sympathy cards are tough to make and tough to give but are important to provide comfort and support to those who have lost someone they loved.

Hope you can join us. Please do check out the rest of the DT for some wonderful inspiration.

Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Turning a New Leaf (PaperTrey Ink), Sending You (PTI)
Cardstock: Whisper White, Shimmer White, Basic Gray, Vellum
Ink: Pear Pizzazz, Basic Gray
Accessories: Circle framelits, Sunburst thinlets die, Turning a New Leaf dies (PaperTrey Ink), Doubled ended banner dies (PTI), Linen thread, Dimensionals, Tear and Tape, Staples

JAI #305 Just add a sketch

Hello there,
I hope you all enjoyed some time off and chocolate over Easter. I had both :)  and there is still plenty of chocolate left, even the kids will take quite a while to eat through their stashes! Especially since they both got sick over Easter and appetites were lagging for a few days (it's when they don't want to eat chocolate that you know they are really not feeling well!)

Anyway on to this week's Just Add Ink challenge (which has nothing to do with chocolate, although it's entirely possible some was consumed during it making ;). This week Tina has a sketch for us. 

And here is what I made of it.

Oops meant to add a small flower to the inside but never got around to it!

Those rectangle boxes did I admit take some pondering but I finally came to a solution which I liked. Then I did some more pondering about the background, three background mats later I finally sorted that out too - so I wouldn't say this card came easily. The only 'easy' part was water colouring the flower! The finishing touches are of course some bling in the form of subtle black glimmer paper and not so subtle red sequins.

Don't forget to check out the rest of the DT projects - they're gorgeous! Hope you can join us.

Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Birthday Blooms, Crazy About You
Cardstock: Real Red, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: Real Red, Cherry Cobler, Daffodil Delight, Garden Green
Accessories:  Go Wild DSP, Chevron embossing folder, Water color paper, Aquapainter, Black glimmer paper (R), Black and White embossing powder, Red sequins (non SU!), Fine tip glue pen, Dimensionals, Double sided tape