JAI 160 Just add inspiration

Hello there,
I hope everyone enjoyed the break at Easter. I love having the luxury of some time at home just to putter around and get some of those - I'll do one day - jobs done. And some chocolate to go along with it doesn't hurt either ;) This week at Just Add Ink we have a Just Add Inspiration challenge for you. Here's the pic.

Just recently, all of sudden in fact, Autumn just kicked in. I must admit I love Autumn weather - that cool tingle in the morning and the warm, but not too warm sun during the day - just lovely! Anyway that's what this photo made me think of. But what I really wanted to add in was lots of that texture and then some tinges of colour. I went with pink (cause this was going to a friend who likes a hint of pink) and I reckon if your squint there is a hint of pink in the inspiration photo.

I wanted to bring in texture through embossing but also using some lovely natural ribbon. I even stamped a lace pattern on one! I also inked up the embossing folders to get some extra contrast. I must admit I couldn't resist using a doily too - have you noticed them popping up? Definitely a favourite with me at the moment. It was fun to build this one to play with the elements and I did love mixing and matching all the bits.

Hope you get the chance to play along and see where inspiration leads you - a good starting point is to check out the rest of the DT for some fabulous ideas.

Thanks for visiting,

Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted

Stamps: Delicate Dollies, Oh Hello, Viola's Lace, Vintage Labels (R)

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Sahara Sand, Very Vanilla, Soft Suede

Ink: Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Vintage Cream (PaperTrey Ink)

Accessories: Hearts a Flutter framelit, Two step Bird punch, Corner rounder (R), Embossing folder (Lacy Brocade, Delicate Designs), Natural 7/8" cotton ribbon, Natural 7/16" Trim ribbon, Blushing Bride pleated satin ribbon (R), 5/8" Flower trim, Vintage trinkets, sewing machine, SNAIL adhesive, 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)

Merry Monday #50

Hello there,

well its been a busy day and several since I actually made this card for Merry Monday's challenge this week. An interesting one to create an elegant Christmas card!

Elegance to me has overtones of detail and richness, but some should be subtle. I had two elements pop into my mind straight away (stamp set and DSP) and this is how they came together.

The colours were a big part of creating the sense of richness for me. Continuing with that theme I embossed all the ornaments, and for the first time experimented with colouring the glimmer paper with reinker. I ended up with VERY brown fingers but it worked (excited wriggle here ;) and I got just the right level of toned down bling. A little of playing around with placing ornaments and all done. End result - an elegant Christmas card - well to my tastes anyway :)

Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Ornament Keepsakes, Mixed Medley
Cardstock: Cherry Cobler, Early Expresso, Very Vanilla
Ink: Versamark, early Expresso reinker, Cherry Cobler marker
Accessories: Candlelight Christmas DSP, Holiday Ornaments Framelits, Lacy Brocade embossing folder, Dotted Scallop Ribbon border, 1 1/4" scallop circle punch, Silver glimmer paper, Cherry Cobler embossing powder, Festive paper piercing pack, Early Expresso twine, Double sided tape (X Press), Dimensionals

JAI 144 Just add music

Hello there,
goodness I can't tell you how good it feels to sit down and write this post. We spent four days of this last week without phone and internet  - and while at times that was somewhat liberating it also felt like a decent into the dark ages! But I'm back in time to let you know about this week's Just Add Ink challenge. This week we want you to Just Add Music. Lots of scope and fun to be had with this one!

Now at this time of year I'm finding my thoughts turning more and more to Christmas, and an integral part of my memories of Christmas, particularly as a child, are of the music - the Christmas carols to be exact. So I just had to design a Christmas card that included music.

Heavens knows why but after years, and I do mean years, of avoiding Always Artichoke I was seized by the desire to use it, and its muted tones seemed to suit the vintagey feel I thought music would add. So that was what determined the colour choice. To generate that vintage feel I sponged all the edges and roughed the base mat up a bit. I added texture by embossing the tag that was used to mat the ornament, rubbing some white craft ink over it to bring out the pattern. Then finished off the card with a few focal layers and some little snippets of seam binding and lace.  The inside was finished off to match. So, pretty simple but fun to make - and you will definitely get inky :) Do go check out the rest of the DT for some fabulous ideas on how you can add music this week!

Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Ornament Keepsakes, More Merry Messages, Music Notes
Cardstock: Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake
Ink: Always Artichoke, Crumb Cake, Bashful Blue, Whisper White craft
Accessories: Two Tag BigZ, Lacy Brocade embossing folder, Holiday Ornaments Framelits, 1" circle punch, Double ended banner die (Papertrey Ink),  Jewels - pearls, Sponge, Double sided tape (X Press), Dimensionals