A bit of holiday button fun

Well hello there,
most unusually there is a change in the programming this week ;) Why? Well as I'm slowly catching up on my blog browsing (I was so busy before Christmas my Google Reader was up to 700 - yikes!) I came across an idea and a challenge, Brandi Wiggins-Cote's January Squareheaded Pinterest challenge. The challenge was to make a button bracelet - I figured this would be something fun to do with my Miss almost 7 especially since we are on school holidays at the momment. The chance to sit down and tip buttons all over the table came up yesterday and the end result was alot of fun, a delighted daughter and a button bracelet for me and two for her! Here's the pic's.

I used an elastic thread for her bracelets, not that durable but makes it easy for her to get the bracelets on and off. For mine I used some PTI dark chocolate twine and PTI buttons. The glass beads, there are two on my bracelet were ones I had in my stash acquired at a craft fair a few years ago. High time I used them - eh!! The bracelets are pretty simple but considering it took all of about 10 minutes (or less) to make each one I reckon thats OK!

Right normal blog programming will now resume ;)

Thanks for visiting,

Kim

JAI 95 - Bah Humbug

Bah Humbug? Well not exactly - lol! But we do have a Christmas challenge with a twist for you this week at Just Add Ink.  Our challenge this week is to make a Christmas card but NO Christmas images allowed, NO traditional Christmas paper allowed! We want you to stamp a Christmas greeting and have some fun with some non traditional stamps. So get your thinking caps on ;) and see what fun ideas you can come up with.  I made a couple of "Bah Humbug" card versions as swaps for the Canberra regionals so I just stepped one up a bit as my offering this week. Here it is.

Just realised that I didn't get around to doing the inside for this one - oops! I'm somewhat distracted at the momment juggling lots of ready by Christmas crafting projects - not to mention the usual everyday business of work and family life. I've enjoyed using some different Christmas colour combos and this is another one I wanted to try - Old Olive, Perfect Plum and Riding Hood Red. My starting point was the idea of a button tree, so I cut myself a rough template, dottoed that down onto my white mat and started stamping buttons :) I used a Christmas sentiment stamped twice to create the trunk of the tree. To dress it up I added a few real buttons, some rhinestones and some star shaped brads, a Old Olive taffeta bow, and lastly to top the tree a glittery star (Boho flower punch). A scalloped border, with piercing detail down the right finishes it all off.

Do check out the other design team members they will all have some wonderful inspiration for you, and then perhaps you can have some fun and see what you come up with!

Thanks for visiting,

Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted

Stamps: Button button, Teeny Tiny Sentiments

Cardstock: Old Olive, Perfect Plum, Whisper White

Ink: Old Olive, Perfect Plum, Riding Hood Red

Accessories: Scallop border punch, 1/2" circle punch, Boho Blossom punch, Old Olive 1/8" taffeta ribbon, Jewels- rhinestones, Mat pack and piercing tool, Green glitter cardstock (Spotlight), Star Brads (The Paper Mill), Dimensionals, Double sided tape, Dotto, Sticky Strip, Tombow multi

JAI 56 - Just add a sketch

Hello there :)

well its time again for a new Just Add Ink challenge. This week we have a great sketch for you. Here it is.


This is actually the second card I made for my Dad, after he had an operation recently. I was aiming for something cheery but still blokey - hopefully this will hit the spot.



I started with a Choc Chip base, then layered on some retired Good Morning Sunshine DSP. Down the bottom I just used Whisper White and stamped the sentiment. Next I added a scalloped lattice embossed border across the card, with some satin Daffodil Delight ribbon layered over the top. Then it was time for the main panel. For this I started by stamping some Kiwi Kiss flower stems, and then matching flowers in Daffodil Delight, the bottom one is popped up on dimensionals. Each flower was embellished with a different button. I decided to add a bit of whimsical touch and so added a bee to fly across the top of the flowers - another button, some cardstock and vellum. Lastly I mounted that all on a Kiwi base and added a small lattice embossed scalloped strip down the side. The inside was finished off with some more flowers.

So this one will be on its way to my dear Dad soon and hopefully it will bring some sunshine with it!

Thanks for visiting (again) its been busy round here lately ;)

Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Blooming Buttons Bits, Baby Button Bits (PaperTrey Inc)
Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Kiwi Kiss, Vellum
Ink: Daffodil Delight, Kiwi Kiss (R), Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Lattice embossing folder, Scalloped border punch, Daffodil Delight, Early Expresso button, Kiwi Kiss corduroy brad (R), Daffodil Delight satin ribbon. small heart punch, 1/2" circle punch, Linen Thread, Dimensionals, Double sided tape, Tombow adhesive

Little sweet pea - Inkspirations # 25

Hi everyone,

well finally today marks the return of regular programming!! I had a wonderful time at convention met so many people (still have so many to meet) but more about that in another post. Hopefully I will also be able to post my swaps this week so I'll give you a run down then. The end result was I came home, happy and tired and have spent all week playing catch up (well I guess that's what happens when Mum goes off to play for the weekend!).

Anyway I was really delighted to get back into creating (since for the previous few weeks I had been flat out just putting together my swaps. Some friends are expecting a baby boy imminently so I wanted to make a baby card for them, and luckily for me Keesh's Inkspiration challenge this week was a lovely sketch that was just perfect for what I had in mind. Here's the sketch.

And here is my card.

A side view to show the embossing

And the inside


As the Dad to be's profession is as a horticulturist I wanted to use something that referenced that - I had just the perfect stamp in mind for it. I started by stamping my pea pod image in Old Olive on Whisper White twice, one I cut out with the circle scissor plus, then cut mats for it in Certainly Celery and Bashful Blue. The second pea pod I trimmed out, so I could mount it above the first, after I had added three blue buttons to be the "peas". The circle mats were adhered to a card base, that started first with Bashful Blue, then Certainly Celery and then retired Spring Break DSP. I stamped (Versamark and Old Olive) and embossed some lovely leafy sprigs on the DSP so they would pop out from beneath the circle mats. To finish off the card I added some Basful blue ribbon and the sentiment, white embossed on Certainly Celery. The final touch some blue buttons thread with Old Olive cardstock, which had the ends curled.

As usual I finished off the inside simply to match the front.
I was quite pleased with how it came out - so what do you think? Is it a good baby card?

Thanks for visiting I'll be back back again soon I hope!

Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Baby Button Bits (PaperTrey Inc), Turning a New Leaf (PTI), Studio Style (PTI)
Cardstock: Old Olive, Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, Whisper White
Ink: Old Olive, Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, Versamark
Accessories: Circle Scissors Plus, Word Window punch, Clear and White Embossing powder, Spring Break DSP (R), Spring Rain buttons (PTI), Bashful Blue stitched grosgrain ribbon, Tombow, Dimensionals, double sided tape.

Rustic Daisy

Hi all,

well I'm back to post my challenge card this week. I was able to combine two great challenges again this week. The inspiration challenge set by Makeesha Byl and a sketch challenge from the Just Add Ink team.

Well the picture certainly set me on a path of thinking about brown tones, contrasted with some lighter details. After some pondering I decided on using Upsy Daisy and the emboss resist technique. Here's the result. (Weirdly the Choc Chip actually looks purple in this first shot).

Unfortunately in the first shot you can't see the embossing so here is a second shot to show you that.

And of course the inside, nice and simple I just stamped off Upsy Daisy laterally.

I started with a Very Vanilla base, I inked up Sanded with Soft Suede, stamped off once, and it was still quite dark on the Vanilla but I was happy with how it looked. It toned down the brightness of the base. For the main panel I started with a Soft Suede base. I wanted larger softer scallops (in contrast to the scallop border punch along the base of this so I used my corner rounder punch. Then for the feature panel I started by spritzing the Very Vanilla cardstock with Choc Chip and Close to Cocoa to get some speckle detail. Then inking up my Upsy Daisy stamp in Versamark I stamp it over the speckles. Then clear embossed it. Next I sponged Soft Suede alonge the bottom edge, lighter as I got further in. Next I used Choc Chip at the very top of the panel, lightening that the further I went down and layering it with Close to Cocoa. Once I was done with all the sponging, I capefully wiped any ink off the daisies. The embellishing detail for the main panel is a string of buttons, that are all tied and knotted together with the same embroidery thread, then Tombowed in place. The main image panel was mounted up on dimensionals. Lastly the sentiment was stamped (in Suede) on the base Very Vanilla layer, in a word window shaped ink free space (made by stamping the background over a temporarily adhered word window punched shape).

Hope you like it more than my beloved Miss 5 who said it wasn't "pretty" and that I had used "yucky" colours! Luckily enough I have a somewhat different opinion of the end result :)

Thanks for visiting,

Kim

Recipe: All SU unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Upsy Daisy, Trendy Trees, Sanded
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Soft Suede
Ink: Soft Suede, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Versamark
Accessories: Colour spritzer tool, Corner rounder punch, buttons (local craft shop), vanilla embroidery thread. Tombow, sponges, Clear embossing powder, Heat Gun, Dimensionals, Double sided tape, SNAIL adhesive.

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 ;)

Pink, plum and burgundy

Hi there,

The guideline for the second Creatalicious challenge was to use pink or plum with burgundy and green oh and some ribbon or lace. I did include the green but I also changed it to pink and plum and here is the result.

And here's a side view to show you the layering and a glimpse of the inside.

To balance out using several colours I started by using a white base. I stamped out several flowers in a mix of Pink Pirouette, Pale and Perfect Plum and Bravo Burgundy, mostly onto Whisper White but I did stamp two Perfect Plum ink onto Pale Plum cardstock flowers. Then I punched or trimmed them out and layered them up in a sort of descending cascade from right to left. I decided on using Kiwi Kiss as the green as it seemed to lift and brighten the whole colour combo – so I stamped three leaves and fitted those into the flower cascade. The ribbon component is a bow of Kiwi Kiss satin added onto the largest layered flower. To finish off the flowers I added some retired buttons (Pretty in Pink and Burgundy) and some pale pink brads. To balance out the flower cascade I’ve added the sentiment in the top LHS corner, framing it with a little paper piercing.

I finished off the inside with a little simple stamping and masking of flowers.

Hope you like it – I must admit I thought it was an unusual colour combo but I am quite happy with how it turned out. It’s certainly making me think about using my Plums and Burgundy inks a bit more frequently.

Thanks for visiting.

Kim

Recipe: All SU unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Petal Pizzazz, Short and Sweet
Cardstock: Whisper White, Pale Plum
Ink: Pink Pirouette, Pale Plum, Perfect Plum, Bravo Burgundy, Kiwi Kiss
Accessories: Scallop circle punch, Kiwi Kiss satin ribbon, Soft Subtle and Riche Regal buttons (R), Bo Bunny pale pink brads, Mat pack and piercing tool, Dimensionals, SNAIL adhesive.

Button Birthday

Hi there,

well as usual late on a Wednesday afternoon with a very clingy Mr1 by my side (any typos are because he keeps trying to grab the keyboard) I am posting my card for Makeesha's latest challenge - in this case it was an inspiration challenge. Here is the inspiration pic.

The whole mugs of soup said Autumn to me. Autumn here in Canberra is full of colour and every where you go at the momment you see the whole spectrum from green, burgandy, red, orange yellow and brown. Its just breath taking sometimes and we are starting to get that lovely chill in the air in the mornings and evenings. So to create Autumn I first stamped some Chocolate Chip card stock with the Weathered background stamp then freehand cut out a tree. (I did use the tree from the US set Branch Out as inspiration). Then I selected a bunch of little buttons in Autumn shades and scattered them across the tree. Thats the nub of it anyway. So here's the card...

The inside was just finished off simplying with a layered strip of Pumpkin card stock and Close to Cocoa DSP.

Recipe:
Stamps: Weathered, Birthday Whimsy
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pie
Card Stock: Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White
Accessories: Close to Cocoa DSP, Wide grosgrain Chocolate Chip ribbon, Narrow grospgrain Pumpkin Pie ribbon, Buttons from Earth Elements, Neutrals and Soft Subtle packs, Dimensionals, SNAIL adhesive.