JAI 172 Just add Inspiration

Hello there, 
well with the beginning of the new Stampin Up! year here in the South Pacific we (Just Add Ink) thought it would make a great challenge to kick it off using the new catalogue front cover as an inspiration challenge. 

So this week we want you to Just Add Inspiration - it might be the colours, the banners, the flowers, the frame or even the shoes. You can take it where you want - that's the fun of an inspiration challenge!

And this was the outcome.

I couldn't resist the frame - and I just love this ornate one I pulled out to use to frame the birthday cake - well cupcake - which I glittered up - of course ;) The inspiration pic also inspired the bunting. I love the stripy banner I used, but to change it up a little I used a different framelit to cut it and it worked perfectly! Blushing Bride was the perfect pink to use for this and I must admit it is fast becoming a firm favourite of mine! 

Thanks for visiting and don't forget to check out the rest of the DT for fabulous inspiration ideas and welcome Louise and Susan for their first DT pieces too.

Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Create a Cupcake, Papaya Collage, En Francais, Hearts a Flutter
Cardstock: Blushing Bride, Daffodil Delight, Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Rose Red
Ink: Crumb Cake, Blushing Bride, Rose Red, Versamark
Accessories: Cupcake builder punch, Hearts a Flutter framelits, Bitty Banner framelits, Boho Blossom punch, Itty Bitty shapes punch, Blushing Bride DSP (R), White embossing powder, Multipurpose adhesive sheet, Dazzling Diamonds, Jewels - rhinestones, Brights button, White Baker's twine, 1/8" circle punch, Dimensionals, Double sided tape (X Press)

JAI 131 Just add a colour combo

Hello there,
hope you all had a good week and perhaps added some blue and bling to it ;) Mine was blue in another way. I spent two days at home with a tummy bug - not exactly my ideal way to pass time but on the upside it meant I got two days of blissful peace at home (because the kids, thankfully healthy, were packed off to school/ child care). Moving on, as did the tummy bug, this week at Just Add Ink we have a great colour challenge for you. The inclusion of Garden Green aroused some gasps of horror in the DT but I actually don't mind it although I don't pull it out often. So here is the colour combo.

Unfortunately I had to make a sympathy card and I thought these colours were suitable for this as I wanted something muted but not depressing. So this is what I came up with.

I wanted to keep things simple and not fussy but add depth to it. So I started by creating the background by stamping the text, and then inking up my stripes embossing folder and impressing both pattern and ink over the text. (Awesome effect I might add!!) The transfer from light to dark panels was covered with a bit of scalloped border and lace. The flowers were dead simple, Crumb Cake stamped over with Chocolate Chip then trimmed out and mounted over the stems. I did try to gently stamp off the lower ends of the stems so that the sentiment text stamped over would stand out just that little bit more. Aside from finishing off the inside to match that's about it.

Thanks for visiting and don't forget to go check out the rest of the DT for inspiration on using this colour combo,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: En Francais, Field Flowers, Little Labels (PTI)
Cardstock: Chocolate Chip,  Crumb Cake, Garden Green, Very Vanilla
Ink: Chocolate chip, Crumb Cake, Garden Green
Accessories:  Adorning Accent Edgelit die, Stripes embossing folder, Classic oval nestabilities (Spellbinder), Brayer, Victoria lace, Sponges, Dimensionals, Double sided tape (X Press)

Inkspiration 56 - A rose for you

Hi all,

this week I feel busy, like seriously up to my eyeballs busy! My Miss 6 is starting "big" school and I have had to sew all the name tags into her clothes (I'm not a natural born seamstress folks), I have made invitations to the kids birthday party (just simple but it takes time), Mr almost 3 has got a cold and needs lots of Mumma cuddles (OK no complaints from me about that - I love my cuddles). I still have to wrap all his presents (he will be Mr 3 on Saturday!) Oh and I'm preparing for my first workshop in a year!! Looking forward to it though :) AND now I have Mr almost 3's cold - sniff sniff drip :( Hmm doesn't sound like that much but trust me I'm finding it hard to find time to breathe!! (but that could just be my drippy nose - lol).

OK now onto the stamping (which I did manage to squeeze in and I'm so glad I did) as ooh I have got to tell you Makeesha set a gorgeous colour challenge this week!! A really nice combo to play with, here it is.


I have been meaning to try making a rose using the Fancy Flower punch for a while, and one of my fabulous Just Add Ink DT colleagues (Tania Gould) has posted a fab tutorial about it so I decided Cherry Cobler was just the right colour and went from there.




I've been feeling very vintagey lately so bear with me if I post alot along that theme. For this card I decided to make a scalloped circle easel card, so I cut one Baja Breeze circle for the top and a joined scallop circle card base also in Baja. Cut a Cherry Cobler mat and then a Whisper White one. I cut some Parisian Breeze DSP for the bottom half of the front, and stamped En Francais on the top half (Baja Breeze stamped off once.) Then I added a thin strip of Newsprint DSP rumpled along the join between the two. I also sponged Cherry Cobler around most of the layers.
I used Tania's tutorial to make a rose out of Cherry Cobler, I crumpled all the bits before rolling them into shape. I also sponged Cherry and a light coating of Black on the edges of the petals, once it was all put together I also gave the rose and the black swirls a light misting with Silver Glimmer Mist (a Secret Santa pressie from Tania - how appropriate is that ;)) Then added a pearl. I continued the vintagey, swirly feel through to the inside. Not sure who it's going to yet but I have two possible lovely ladies in mind - I might have to toss a coin!

I have to admit I really like how this one turned out - hope you like it too :)

Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU!(unless otherwise noted)
Stamps: En Francais, Teeny Tiny Sentiments, Vintage Labels (R)
Cardstock: Baja Breeze, Cherry Cobler, Whisper White Basic Black
Ink: Baja Breeze, Cherry Cobler, Basic Black
Accessories:Scallop circle BigZ die, Fancy Flower punch, Large Oval punch, Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Swirls and Scribbles sizzlet, Lots of Tags sizzlet, Newsprint DSP, Parisian Breeze DSP (R), Jewel - pearls, Crystal effects, Silver Glimmer Mist, Dimensionals, Double sided tape, SNAIL adhesive, sponge

A Little Something

Hi all,

sorry for the absence lately - I've been busy, busy, busy.

Busy at home (almost finished my swaps for convention - two more sleeps till I head off to Sydney - yahooo :), busy at work, and on top of that sick as well. Not alot of fun when your busy :( But feeling much better now....

Since I won't be posting a challenge card again this week, I dug a little something out of my archives. I made some bookmarks to go with family Christmas presents last year, using the template in the SU! demo magazine late last year. They slip over the corner of the page you are up to. My apologies for the crappy photos but I took them late at night just before I was going to wrap up the presents.

The scallop trim you see on all the book marks is actually made by punching out scalloped squares, tucking them into an internal layer, making sure they are level and overlapping.

Finally I want to finish by posting some blog awards I received recently. First the Sunshine award from the lovely Susan Hogan - thanks for your kind words Susan :)

The beautiful blogger comes from the lovely and talented Gardenia Pepworth - thanks so much :)



For the award I have to tell you 10 things about me
1. I love dark chocolate
2. I was really proud of myself yesterday for hemming two pairs of pants, since I've been using my sewing machine recently on cards I figure I should also use it for its intended purpose ;)
3.I have a chocolate Burmese cat who snuggles into bed with me every night.
4.My favourite colours are blue and green
5. I love reading fantasy/sci fi and will read the same book again and again. I've just started on my Terry Pratchetts again.
6. I started going to the gym this year, and despite regular chocolate intake ;) have lost 5-6 kilos so far - very happy about this!
7. I'm going to my first SU! convention in 3 days and am very excited about meeting so many of the creative people I've met through my blog.
8. I've almost finished knitting a jumper for my wonderful Miss 5, that was another project put on hold while I was making swaps.
9. I had to get my first pair of glasses this year
10. Lastly but most important I have wondeful family and home - my handsome hubby, a gorgeous Mr 2 and beautiful Miss 5 and my wonderful parents as well. Dad is even picking me up from the bus when I arrive in Sydney for convention!

Wheww that was hard. Ok there are some really talented lovely people I would like to pass the awards on to.

Sam Post

Makeesha Byl

Kate Lewis
Liam Pucher
Since Gardenia Pepworth sent me the Beautiful Blogger I can't pass it back but I can send on the Sunshine Award with thanks!

Thanks ladies for the inspiration and thanks to all my visitors I'll look forward to getting back to the regular programing ;) so to speak once Convention is over.

Bye...

Kim

Something old something new

Hi there all,

back this week with another combined challenge. I decided to use the colour combo that Makeesha Byl posted as her challenge this week together with the Just add Ink vintage challenge. See Keesh colour pic below and do go check out the DT examples for both challenges they are just awesome!

The colour combo said boy to me and at first I was thinking of a birthday card, but having just found out a recently that a friend is expecting a baby boy I had babies on my mind. Then when I put babies and vintage together I decided to try and put together a vintage pram gift "box". So here it is.

I started by cutting out two scallop circle using my BigZ die, then I cut out a bit less than a quarter to give the pram shape. Then I "vintaged" the scallops up by first stamping with Linen and then EnFrancais (both stamped off once first), lastly I sponged all the way around the edges - all with Bashful Blue. I made up the template for the pram body, on the run so to speak. I wanted it to be big enough so that you could tuck a little gift in there (some baby socks or choccies for Mum) although you might want to reinforce the wheels depending on the load. So its about 2 inches wide, and I made sure I had a little hood as part of the inside box too. I stamped all over the box body with Linen and En Francais and then stuck it all together with sticky strip. Remembering to add some Red grosgrain as the "hand" of the pram. Some pleated red grosgrain on top of the hood finished off the box. Next I stamped the baby stamp from Punches Three in Real Red and just sponged around with Red and Old Olive, added some star brads and Old Olive branches as a bit of a garland, then stuck that onto the pram with dimensionals. Lastly the wheels, I punched out four Real Red circles, used my bone folder to score, a bit of spoke pattern onto each and then added a large green button, tied with linen thread on. I attached the wheels using sticky strip.

I must admit I was really happy with the end result (and so are my kids they have been trying to steal off with it to play ever since I finished it).

My exploration of 3D will continue Thursday this week when I am part of an ESAD Mothers Day Blog Hop so please tune back in then.

Thanks for visiting,

Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Punches Three, En Francais, Linen (R)
Cardstock: Bashful Blue, Real Red, Old Olive, Whisper White
Ink: Bashful Blue, Real Red, Old Olive
Accessories: Scallop Circle BigZ die, Two Step Bird Punch, Wide Oval Punch, 1 3/8 inch circle punch, Wide Real Red grosgrain ribbon, Star Brads (The Paper Mill), Ripe Avocado buttons (PaperTrey Inc), Linen thread, sponge, Dimensionals, Sticky strip, bone folder

Vintage Fifth Avenue

Hello there everyone,

I’m coming to you today (as usual) with Makeesha Byl’s weekly challenge. This week it was a colour challenge, the combo sounded interesting but what to do with them. This was Keesh’s colour pic.

For some reason the colours made me think vintage - may’be because they were all slightly muted tones. I wanted a big flower feature and the only rose I have is Fifth Avenue Floral – quite modern in style – so what could I do but vintage it.

I started by stamping the large rose three times in Ruby Red onto Very Vanilla. Then I inked up my Linen background in Ruby Red, then stamped it off twice then stamped over the roses. Next I inked up my En Francais in Ruby Red, stamped off once then stamped over the roses. I trimmed the flowers so the final one would have three layers, then using a sponge dauber I added depth with Ruby Red around the edges of the petals. I also sponged the edges on the back side so that when I curled the petals a bit you would get glimpses of the Red. The flower layers were mounted on top of each other using dimensionals. The final touch was to add some little vanilla pearls to the centre. The flowers was mounted onto a Very Vanilla panel that I had stamped with first Linen and then a tiny script text, in Mellow Moss. I distressed the edges and sponged around them with more Mellow Moss. Some little leaves, for the rose, were also stamped onto this layer in Mellow Moss. I used some of the Bella Bleu paper for the panel down the bottom, distressed and sponged, separating that from the upper panel with a border of Brocade Blue. The bottom edge had been punched with the Eyelet border punch. Over the top I layered ruffled Vanilla grosgrain ribbon, that was sewn on. All of these panels were layered onto a large Brocade Blue layer, again distressed and sponged, then that was attached to a the Very Vanilla base, sponged around the edges with PTI Chamomille ink. The final touches are a largish Vanilla grosgrain bow, with a nice big button tied with linen thread and an oval silver hodgepodge frame, to house the sentiment (Mother). The crystal effects I put over it has unfortunately made it a rather blurry. Perhaps I could argue that this suits the whole vintage effect? It is readable and I do like the lacquered layer (mind you I also can’t remove it without destroying the card!!). I might try using some red stazon on acetate and laying that over and see how that looks. End result I kind of like it which is a good end for something that is not my normal style and somewhat out of my comfort zone. So thanks for the challenge Keesh (and the bonus – I have one Mothers day card done already!)

Thanks for visiting,

Kim

Recipe: All SU unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Fifth Avenue Floral, En Francais, Botanical Blooms (R), Linen (R), Background Text Style (PaperTrey Inc), Mother stamp from local stamp store
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Brocade Blue
Ink: Ruby Red, Brocade Blue, Mellow Moss, PTI Chamomille
Accessories: Eyelet border punch, distressing tool from Cutter Kit, wide Very Vanilla grosgrain ribbon, Bella Bleu DSP, Silver Hodgepodge, Pearls (Kaiser), button (Spring Rain from PaperTrey Inc), Linen thread, Crystal Effects, dimensionals, SNAIL adhesive, Double sided tape, Glue dots

Three times the inspiration

Hi there everyone,

Not quite sure what got into me this week, but in the little snippets of free time I managed to grab from work and looking after my two darling little munchkins I made three cards for Makeesha Byl’s first challenge for 2010. I must have really missed doing them – waving hi Keesh. This was a colour challenge – so here is Makeesha colour selection.


Card One

Sorry about the crooked card but it was the best pic

This was my original idea for the challenge. But it has evolved from my original concept. OK I started with a Very Vanilla base, stamped that with En Francais in Cameo Coral (originally I had planned to keep it plain but I struggle with keeping to the clean and simple). The image panel has four flower stems stamped in Chocolate Chip. The flowers are a mix between stamps and buttons, some of the buttons have pink rhinestones adhered and some are threaded with coloured thread and a couple of buttons I left plain. The finishing touch for the stamped buttons was some dazzling diamonds which gives them a real glittering glow. The top of the image panel I scalloped with the scallop edge punch and at the bottom I added a base of Cameo Coral, used the Apron Lace punch (originally I had planned for the lace pattern to be at the bottom but it just looked better this way so thats how it ended up). Then I wanted to try making a pleated ribbon embellishment to go over this. I started by putting on some double sided tape then carefully pleating my ribbon over. That attached the ribbon but it still needed to be stitched flat. This was my first time trying to sew on cards, and I like it! It won’t happen too often as I have to haul my machine out of a cupboard plug it in etc etc but it’s certainly worth it sometimes. The inside was just finished off simply.

Card Two

This one came to me in a flash of inspiration while I was putting my Mr almost Two to bed. I realized that the colours could work really well for a tree going through all the seasons. It was actually a very quick card to make. I just stamped my tree trunk four times then inked up the tree top, progressively in So Saffron and then Cameo Coral. I decided to add the sentiment to the “winter” panel. Then a quick punch, punch, punch, punch and I had my images. I made a Choc Chip base – its just a small note card really, about 3 by 3"2'. I scored a line up the top and two below where the tree panels would go. Then I added a Saffron brad to the o in “you” and mounted all the panels on dimensionals. To give the whole card a lift I added dazzling diamonds to all the little leaves on the trees – nice. The inside is just simply stamped with another tree.

Card Three

Another crooked card - sigh

This one was quite experimental for me, but I certainly had fun trying new stuff and I think it turned out quite well. I started by getting out a selection of grosgrain ribbons in Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla and So Saffron. I laid them out and decided on a transition from lighter to darker moving from top to bottom. I got a panel of cardstock the right size covered it with double sided tape then stuck all my ribbon down. Next more experimenting with the sewing machine – I stitched a border all the way around the panel. Tucked all the ribbon ends under and that was done. I decided to go a bit flamboyant for embellishments (not naturally me). I made three “poofy” paper flowers, I seen them on Dawn McVey’s blog recently and she made a little video and how she makes them. I used a mix between Vanilla stamped with Cameo Coral (mostly stamped with En Francais) and some Cameo Coral stamped with Cameo Coral. The biggest flower was made using my scallop circle punch, the two smaller one by using the smallest scalloped circle nestability die. There are five layers to each flower. I finished each off with threaded buttons. In the top left corner I added the sentiment – a rub on – it worked no problems although I was a bit nervous about transferring it to ribbon. To highlight that and balance the big flowers I added three buttons, two just threaded and one finished with a bow. I used DMC embroidery thread for all the buttons (I have quite a stash as my embroidery is a rather neglected hobby of mine at the moment). I didn’t check what the DMC numbers were – sorry. I was just trying to find the best match I could. Hmm I should mention the base, the ribbon panel was adhered to a base of Cameo Coral stamped with En Francais. Ok final touches , a couple of leaves to add to the flowers, stick everything down, glue dots for the buttons and I am upgrading the flower adhering method to sticky strip the double sided tape can’t handle the weight of the flowers in this heat – did I mention our air conditioning broke Saturday afternoon. Its already 30oC in the house at 1 PM today – urggghhhhhh.

Thanks for visiting and sticking through the post - see you soon I hope

Kim

PS: Cameo Coral is growing on me - who would of thought!

Recipes: All SU unless otherwise noted
Card One
Stamps: En Francais, Eastern Blooms, Everyday Button Bits (PaperTrey Inc)
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Cameo Coral
Ink: Cameo Coral, Chocolate Chip, So Saffron
Accessories: Button Latte buttons, buttons from assorted craft pack from Spotlight, Kaiser Pink Rhinestones, So Saffron grosgrain ribbon, Scallop Edge punch, Fiskars Apron Lace punch, Two way glue, Dazzling Diamonds, DMC embroidery thread, Double sided tape, dimensionals, Tombow glue (stick buttons down), a sewing machine.

Card Two
Stamps: Trendy Trees
Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, Cameo Coral
Ink: So Saffron, Cameo Coral, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: 1 ¼ inch square punch, So Saffron brad, Dimensionals, Two way glue, Dazzling diamonds

Card Three
Stamps: En Francais, Floral (R), Petals Pizzazz
Cardstock: Cameo Coral, Very Vanilla
Ink: Cameo Coral, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Grosgrain ribbon – Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, So Saffron, Scallop Circle punch, Scalloped circle nestability, Scalloped Edge punch, Chit Chat rub on, Assorted buttons from craft selection (Spotlight), DMC embroidery thread, Glue dots, silver brads, Double sided tape, dimensionals, a sewing machine, no dazzling diamonds ;)

The Starry Sea and Message in a Bottle

Hi there,
well when I first saw the sketch for this weeks challenge from Makeesha - I broke out in a sweat - I kid you not. What was I going to do with this! Here's the sketch so you can see what I mean.

It was seriously challenging, yes I know that is the point! Tag, luggage tags, windows all flashed before my eyes and then for some strange reason I thought "hey the central element could be a bottle". Next step from there was what goes in bottle - ships and messages of course!! Now I really did not mean to do two cards this week, but I just had to follow the two ideas up, and well this month I am really just concentrating on Keesh's challenges. So my "official" card is the one below but keep going if you want to see my second idea for the sketch.

Well the family friend who was expecting a baby had a boy, so I needed another baby card so I decided to use my ship in a bottle idea for this one. The Baja base is double layered, so the two silver brads don't show through to the inside, the top Baja layer was clear embossed with the Classic Stars wheel, and I also embossed stamping first with white craft ink and then using white embossing powder, the star, ship and sentiment from Nursery Necessities. The star and ship are raised up on dimensionals and so is the DSP sail. I created the waves by using the small oval punch on an angle, once that was SNAILed on to the Baja layer I paper pierced the wave pattern. The create the thread at the top of the bottle, I used my bone folder and the track on my cutter, then used a gel pen to highlight the thread, wiping most of it back with a slightly damp cloth. Some ribbon finishes it off. Now, here is card two.

Ok, well card two is my version of a message in a bottle. Once again the base layer (Sahara) is double layered so that the brass brads won't show through to the inside). I stamped that with Sanded in Sahara, the message is En Francais stamped in Not Quite Navy onto Confetti White, then scrunched up a bit and the top corner rolled over and stuck down with glue dots. Behind the bottle I white embossed (most of) the Something Fishy wheel onto Not Quite Navy, used the small oval punch again to create waves, paper pierced just below the waves and then layered that onto a Confetti layer. A white embossed sentiment (I figured if you're stuck on an island and putting a message in a bottle you are certainly thinking of someone!), a Sahara "cork" and some hemp twine finish it off. Hope you liked them :)

To finish once again big thanks go to Sam, who I borrowed more stuff from. Ta!!
I also want to say a special hello to Keesh who has sent me over an award - thanks lovely lady:)

To check out the other design team creations click on the links below.
Karen
Cindy
Renee
Kirsty
Amy

Recipe: (All SU unless otherwise noted)
"Starry Seas"
Stamps:Nursery Necessities, Classic Stars
Card Stock: Baja Breeze,Basic Grey, Whisper White
Ink: White Craft, Versamark, Baja Breeze
Accessories: Urban Garden DSP, Silver hodgepodge, Kiwi Kiss satin ribbon, white and clear embossing powder, white gel pen, Corner Rounder punch, Small Oval punch and small Star punch, Piercing tool and mat pack, Dimensionals, SNAIL adhesive, double sided tape.

"Message in a Bottle"
Stamps: En Francais, Sanded, Something Fishy
Card Stock: Sahara Sand, Confetti White, Not Quite Navy
Ink: White Craft, Not Quite Navy
Accessories: White embossing powder, Brass Bo Bunny brads, Corner Rounder punch, Small Oval punch, Piercing tool and mat pack, hemp twine, Glue Dots, Dimensionals, SNAIL adhesive, double sided tape.