Hello there,
ooh we had some icy starts this week so the inspiration picture I put together for this weeks Just Add Ink challenge is really very apt! This week using inspiration from the picture we want you to think Christmas in July. It's never too early to get started on those Christmas cards and projects!
Here's my Christmas creation.
I embossed the poinsettia onto vellum twice, trimming out the inner petals as a top layer. I used alcohol markers on the back side of the vellum to add the colour. On the vellum you push the ink around rather than blend it but filtered by the vellum any blotchy bits aren't really obvious. To make the colours brighter I backed each layer of the poinsettia with whisper white. To make the centre pop I used white gel pen. I have to say I'm delighted I got to add another Christmas card to my stash!
Hope you can join us this week! Do check out the rest of the Just Add Ink DT for some fabulous inspiration.
Thanks for visiting,
Kim
Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Joyful Christmas, More Merry Messages, Dictionary, Background Basics: Medallions (PaperTrey Ink)
Cardstock: Real Red, Strawberry Slush, Whisper White, Vellum
Ink: Real Red, Strawberry Slush, Basic Gray, Versamark
Accessories: Cherry Cobler and White embossing powder, White Gel pen, Alcohol markers, 5/8" organza ribbon, Dimensionals, Double sided tape (X Press)
Hello there,
oh my we have a fun challenge for you this week at Just Add Ink! This week Paula has challenged us to Just Add a Shaker. You can have so much fun with this one! Do check out the rest of the DT for a fabulous array of fun and inspiring shakers to get you going.
For a change I was inspired by our wintery weather (yes its still freezing cold!!!) or may'be its the first hint of desperation knowing I have a lot of Christmas cards to make and have, so far, only a handful! So a Christmas card is what it turned out to be.
I couldn't resist the challenge of making a double shaker. So I die cut about 6-7 snowflake layers, then die cut the centre out of all of them using the next smallest snowflake die. (You do need to line all the internal cuts up the same so that the centres will align). Then glue all the layers together. While that was drying I arranged a whole bunch of clear mount Christmas sentiments on a large block and stamped my whisper white mat. That done I could glue my snowflake shaker on. Then add a narrow strip of foam tape around the entire border of the whisper white mat. Now its time to add all the bits you want to shake :) I think the hardest thing is not to add too much! Then I carefully added my window sheet to cover both shaker compartments up. The last thing I had to do was add the navy border trim and silver snowflake die cut on top of the window sheet. The last touch a large rhinestone in the middle of the snowflake shaker.
The die cutting was a little fiddly - but overall this was a quick and fun card to make. It was also a definite hit with the kids - sparkly and interactive!
Thanks for visiting,
Kim
Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Festive Flurry, More Merry Messages, Greetings of the Season, Evergreen
Cardstock: Night of Navy, Smokey Slate, Whisper White, Brushed Silver
Ink: Night of Navy, Smokey Slate, Silver Encore
Accessories: Festive Flurry Framelits, Silver Foil Sheet, Window Sheet, Silver Glass Stampin Glitter, Silver glimmer paper, Large rhinestone basic jewel, Jewels - rhinestone, Sequins, Foam tape, Multipurpose Liquid glue
Hello there,
well it won't be long now till Christmas will be upon us - just five sleeps to go! So I'm pretty sure most of us are working to finish off Christmas projects intended as gifts to family, friends and co-workers. So that's what we want you to add this week at Just Add Ink - Just add your Christmas projects. And because we know how crazy busy life is at the moment we are running this challenge for two weeks.
We have a bunch of teenage nieces and nephews in the family and my go to Christmas present for them for the last few years is a gift card that lets them choose what they like and I just make sure the packaging is something to let them know they are special. Here's how they got packaged up this year.
And a couple of close ups of the two different colour variations.
Many months back a tutorial by Tanya Bell for a gift card holder popped up on my Pinterest feed. I went and had a look and discovered a fab and very easy way to make a great gift card holder using the Pop n Cuts die. Of course you can embellishment them for any occasion - in this case Christmas!
So when you do get a chance to take a breath before or after Christmas do join in and show us what you have been up to. If you want some last minute inspiration check out the rest of the JAI DT right now!
Thanks for visiting and a Merry Christmas to you and all your families. Not quite sure what my blogging schedule is going to be like over the next couple of weeks - I might be back I might not - so take care, have fun and take some time to relax!
Kim
Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Festive Flurry, More Merry Messages
Cardstock: Island Indigo, Smokey Slate, Pool Party, Crumb Cake, Real Red, Whisper White
Ink: Versamark, Island Indigo, Real Red
Accessories: Festive Flurry Framelits, Card base Pop n Cuts , Season of Style DSP stack, Winter Frost DSP stack, 1/8" Silver and Real Red taffeta ribbon, Silver and Red glimmer paper, 1" circle punch, Sticky Strip, Dimensionals, white embossing powder
Hello there,
well finally I've managed to squeeze a Christmas card out of July to add to Merry Mondays July challenge. I actually made this one nearly two weeks ago but between school holidays, being away because of school holidays, and then dealing with sick kids - again! that was as far as I got. It's a simple one but hope it has a touch of elegance too. The design was influenced by this Merry Monday sketch.
I
pulled out a retired SU blue for this one - Blue Brocade and then ransacked my DSP collection for some patterns to match. A bit of satin ribbon and subtle embossing on the front panel once I'd stamped the sentiment finished it off.
If a miracle happens I might just pull one more Christmas card for July off - but don't hold your breath!
Thanks for visiting,
Kim
Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: More Merry Messages, Vintage Labels (Papertrey Ink)
Cardstock: Blue Brocade, Very Vanilla
Ink: Blue Brocade(R)
Accessories: Linen/Canvas impression plate (PTI), Fishtail Flag and Fishtail Layers Stax (My Favorite things), Bella Bleu DSP (R), Very Vanilla satin ribbon (R), Jewels - pearls, Double sided tape (X Press), SNAIL adhesive
Hello there,
bright and funky sprang to mind when I saw the sketch for this weeks Merry Monday challenge, not sure why, may'be just as a counter balance to mid winter chill and an over supply of opportunistic germs that have been visiting our house. Here's the sketch.
And here is what I came up with.
I tinkered pulled apart bits of this a couple of times over the last few days to finally end up with something I was reasonably happy with. I quite like the colours, particularly the green embossing over the pink, but it was just getting the balance between DSP patterns and "white" space right that took a while. I also used this card to play around with one of SU! new in colours, Strawberry Slush, a lovely bright pink :) I wanted to finish off with some sparkle - so threaded all the buttons with silver cord and added a silver star to top the tree.
Thanks for visiting,
Kim
Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Everything Eleanor, More Merry Messages, Tree Trimming Trio (PaperTrey Ink)
Cardstock: Strawberry Slush, Wild Wasabi, Whisper White
Ink: Strawberry Slush, Versamark
Accessories: Christmas Tree die (PTI), Wild Wasabi embossing powder, Merry Mini punch, Fishtail Flag stax and Fishtail Flags Layers stax (My Favorite Things), Hibiscus Burst vintage buttons (PTI), SNAIL adhesive, Christmas Carnival DSP (Kaiser), Silver glimmer paper, Silver cord (R), Dimensionals, Tombow, Double sided tape (X Press)
Hello there,
just squeaking in once again with this week's Merry Monday challenge. Here's the sketch. Which I flipped.
I pulled out an old SU! set (one of my first ever Christmas sets) for this and decided to do a bit of therapeutic paper piecing.
I wanted little fun pops of colour against the Crumb Cake background and honestly I don't think you can go wrong with polka dot paper! A few embossed snowflakes, paper piercing, button and twine finish it all off. Most unusually no bling!! Somehow it seems bright and fun enough with out it.
Thanks for visiting,
Kim
Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: More Merry Messages, Sleigh Full of Toys (R)
Cardstock: Real Red, Whisper White, Crumb Cake
Ink: Real Red, Basic Black, Versamark, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Marina Mist, Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry
Accessories: Polka Dot Parade DSP, Neutrals DSP stack, Dotted scalloped border punch, White embossing powder, Crumb Cake button, Cherry Cobler bakers twine, Mat and piercing tool, , White gel pen, Aquapainter, Dimensionals, Double sided tape (X Press), Tombow multi
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
