JAI #292 Just add inspiration

Hello there,

well you can probably guess Christmas crafting is in full throttle here (when I can squeeze some in!) I will have to admit to not sending any Christmas card yet - eeek. But the good news is that I have another one to add to the stash courtesy of this weeks Just Add Ink challenge. This week Nikki has a great Christmas inspiration challenge for us. Here's the pic.

And here's what I made.

It's pretty clear what I pulled from the inspiration picture, the aqua/ silver colour scheme and I loved those diagonal stripes, but you needn't be as literal as me. It was fun though, taking the inspiration picture and putting it back together in my own way.

Hope you can join us this week. Don't forget to check out the rest of the DT's inspired creations.

Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted

Stamps: Tree Trimming Trio (PaperTrey Ink), Teeny Tiny Sentiments

Cardstock: Pool Party, Lost Lagoon, Whisper White, Shimmery White

Ink: Versamark

Accessories: Bitty Banner framelits, Banner framelits, Softly Falling embossing folder, Christmas tree die (PaperTrey Ink), Gold Fancy Foil Designer Vellum, Pool Party and Silver embossing powder, Silver cord (R), 8mm Silver sequins (Beads Neez Hobbysew), Sewing machine, Fine Tip Glue pen, Doubled sided tape (X Press), Dimensionals

Merry Monday 68

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)

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)

JAI 90 - just add a sketch

Ooh its so hard to capture the sparkle in the project I have for you today!! But oh my it is so pretty and funnily enough adds some texture too as its embossed sparkle. Ok more on that later. First up let me introduce you to this weeks Just Add Ink challenge. This week we have a sketch for you. Here it is.

It occured to me I could replace the oval with another shape - and the shape of my choice - a Christmas tree. I've been wanting to make this felt Christmas tree card for nearly a year now - yah!

So my starting point was to cut a Christmas tree from felt and then arrange and stitch on some little buttons to be "ornaments". The colour palette was based off the DSP I used for the scalloped element. A bit non traditional but I liked it. I didn't want to pull too much attention away from the tree so I kept the background neutral, instead running an old SU Christmas wheel over with versamark and then embossing with glittered embossing powder. So not only does it seriously sparkle but you catch glimpses of Christmas sentiments as well. I finished the card off by adding a tree trunk, and a little taffeta bow with little sentiment tags.

I'm really pleased I finally got the chance to make my felt Christmas tree card!! Perhaps you might use this weeks sketch to get some project you've been wanting to do - done!

Thanks for visiting,

Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted

Stamps: Teeny Tiny Sentiments, All About Christmas (R), Tree Trimming Trio (PaperTrey Inc)

Cardstock: Old Olive, Whisper White

Ink: Versamark, Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Christmas Tree die and large scalloped border die (PaperTrey Inc), Simply Chartreuse felt (Papertrey Inc), Sweet Blush, Spring Rain and Pure Poppy vintage buttons (PaperTrey Inc), Christmas Carnival DSP (Kaiser), Medium Jewelery Tag punch, Old Olive 1/8" taffeta ribbon, Irridescent Ice embossing powder, Sticky Strip, Dimensional, Double sided tape (X Press)

Inkspirations 50 - A Little More Christmas

Hi all,

this week Makeesha set a colour challenge I just couldn't resist - even though I was up to my eyeballs busy - we are well and truly in that mad crazy run up to Christmas! So want to see the tantilising colour selection? - here it is!

I was still in a Tree Trimming mood but wanted use the biggest Christmas tree in the set (PTI has a die for this tree but sadly mine is currently lost in mid Pacific limbo - ah well may'be it will arrive next week). My idea for the card kind of evolved as I went along but this is how it ended up.



Starting with a white base, I layered that with a Razzleberry mat, then added a white mat. I used a long Christmas sentiment stamp to add a Tempting Turquoise border all around the edges of this layer. Then I added another white mat - this one embossed with a swirl pattern to tie in with the tree image. For the tree itself I inked up the stamp with Pear Pizzazz and stamped on Whisper White, then masked the bottom so I could add a Choc Chip base. Then I trimmed the whole tree out and SNAILed it down over the embossed layer. I also added a strip of Pear Pizzazz ribbon to ground the tree. To finish the tree off I added a Turquoise star, and button and two Razzleberry buttons. The inside was finished off very simply with a decorated sentiment.

Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Crazy for Christmas (R), Tree Trimming Trio (PaperTrey Inc), Vintage Labels (PTI)
Ink: Pear Pizzazz, Tempting Turquoise, Rich Razzleberry, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Swirl cuttlebug embossing folder, Tempting Turquoise and Rich Razzleberry buttons, small Star punch (R), Silver brad, Pear Pizzazz 1/2" poly ribbon, white embroidery thread, SNAIL, Double sided tape

JAI 45 - just add a sketch again

Hi there,

well I'm back again with that second card for this weeks Just Add Ink challenge. Its such a versatile sketch and very user friendly so I hope you'll have a go this week too :) OK here is the sketch again.


Now I came up with the idea for this one as we were driving back from Melbourne (a 10 hour trip - especially when you need to make playground stops). I should mention my DH was doing the driving which is why I had the leisure to ponder card designs ;) I wanted to try two things a pink and red combo and a glittered Christmas tree. Here's what came out of that.


I started with a Cherry Cobler base, layered that with a Blushing Bride embossed with Vintage Wallpaper, I also rubbed my versamark ink pad over all the raised embossing. Like the first card I added a strip of 1 1/4" striped Riding Hood Red grosgrain across the middle. The focal image was layered over the ribbon, and I created that by stamping the pine tree from Lovely as a Tree in versamark, then adding heat and stick powder, heating that then pouring over fine red glitter. It looks lovely - so sparkly and you actually get remarkably good detail. But even with the heat and stick powder you get continual glitter shed - so this card goes more in the one off category rather than mass produce if you know what I mean. Oh and I used Pink Pirouette for the tree panel. I stamped the sentiment twice on the tree panel, and layered it onto a scalloped rectangle Cherry Cobler mat (got to love nestabilities!). I did love how this one turned out so I'm glad I got the chance to make.

Well I hope you've enjoyed my little mini Christmas card bonanza week ;) Don't forget if you have the chance - why don't you join us at Just Add Ink this week too!

Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise specified
Stamps: Lovely as a Tree, Tree Trimming Trio
Cardstock: Cherry Cobler, Blushing Bride, Pink Pirouette
Ink: Versamark, Cherry Cobler
Accessories: Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, Classic and Scalloped Rectangle nestabilites (Spellbinder), Fine red glitter (Martha Stewart), Heat and Stick powder, 1 1/4" striped Riding Hood Red grosgrain ribbon, SNAIL adhesive, Dimensionals, Double sided tape

Inkspirations 49 - Trimming the tree

Hi all,

weeelllll its been a long time since I've been able to do an Inkspiration challenge. But then of the last 7 weeks I've only spent 2.5 at home!!! So finally reunited with all my stamping stuff the urge to get creative hit last night and I kept going till I was done as I knew I wouldn't get the time today. So what challenge did Makeesha set - well a sketch, here it is.


So what did I do with it - what else but a Christmas card - of course ;) I had two starting points - I wanted to use SU! Dashing DSP (retired) and a PaperTrey Inc Christmas set I had bought last year and not inked up yet (opps - last night was the night to remedy that!). Here's what I came up with.


The colours from the DSP dictated the scheme - so I went with a Very Vanilla base, then layered that with an Old Olive mat, then added some dotty patterned DSP. For the long vertical element of the sketch I used an old jumbo wheel (All About Christmas) - giving me panel and sentiment all in one! Because I wanted my Christmas tree to be the star I kept both the panel elements of the sketch Old Olive on Vanilla. For my Christmas tree I stamped it in Real Red on Very Vanilla, then used my largest oval nestability to cut it out, and also cut a scalloped Olive mat for it. Then I added a Choc Chip base for the tree and decorated it with buttons and a star. The final element of the card was to add three red buttons at the end of the long vertical panel, over some scalloped Olive edging. Oh and unusual for me - I finished off the inside of this Christmas card - stamping the same tree, but in Olive (stamped off first), and adding a Red sentiment over the top - and of course a star!

So to finish up I wanted to say thanks for visiting :)

Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise specified
Stamps: All About Christmas (R), Tree Trimmimg Trio (PaperTrey Inc)
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Old Olive
Ink: Old Olive, Real Red, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Dashing DSP (R), small star punch (R), Scallop border punch, Classic and Scalloped Oval Nestabilities, Old Olive button, Spring Moss, Ripe Avocado, Pure Poppy buttons (PaperTrey Inc), DMC embroidery thread, Tombow, Dimensionals, Double sided tape