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

JAI 143 Just add a colour combo

Hello there,
well its the end of another busy week, which is good, as that means I'm on my way to the Stampin Up! regional Heartfelt event in Sydney - yippee! But before I head off for my little mini weekend away I wanted to let you know about this weeks Just Add Ink challenge. This week we have a colour challenge for you. Here are the colours.

The first thing these colours said to me was man card, although you most certainly can make a gorgeous girl card with them. Just check out the rest of the DT to see some awesome examples!

I started by picking out some of the bolder balloon patterns and stamping my balloons. Then I worked out where they were going to go and punched out my clouds (using circle punches - a nifty idea I picked up from Pinterest) from the overlay so you can see the embossed clouds below. Having cut a Marina panel originally as the overlay I changed my mind as I decided it was a bit bland and instead used Marina Mist ink and my brayer to create a graduation of colour. I finally worked out how to using my brayer and get that gradual change of colour with no streaks - delighted about that and with the end result. Given its a guy card I kept the embellishments simple - just a tiny bit of scalloped trim and linen thread to accent the sentiment (a last minute assembly addition!). This one goes into storage for my FIL birthday next year - wish I could say I was that prepared for some of my closer deadlines!!

Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Up, Up and Away
Cardstock: Sahara Sand, Early Expresso, Whisper White, Marina Mist
Ink: Marina Mist, Early Expresso, Tangerine Tango
Accessories: Punches (1 1/4", 1" and 3/4" circles; dotted scallop ribbon border), Square Lattice embossing folder, Linen thread, Brayer, Dimensionals, Double sided tape (X Press)

JAI 142 Just add a sketch

 Hello there :)
anyone notice the weather getting warmer (or colder - depending on where you are of course)? Our garden was looking a bit like a lush jungle before DH spent the weekend doing some taming. I must admit I didn't help I was too busy doing some scrapbooking - yippee! But I did admire the result! Now did you have fun with that lovely colour combo last week? Well this week at Just Add Ink we have a sketch for you. Here it is.

 I needed to make a rather overdue baby card and as it happened I also hadn't inked up a new stamp which was just perfect for the job.

Hmm do you think it might be for a girl ;) 
I decided to go the classic soft pink and brown path and of course you can't go wrong with polka dots! As the background was busy I went simple with my ark image and embossed it. I added little embellishing bits and pieces - like the glossed and glittered heart and baby tag and that was it. This one is winging its way to the UK.

You'll be sure to find some awesome sketch inspiration checking out the rest of the Just Add Ink DT so don't forget to drop past their blogs! Thanks for visiting.
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Two by Two, Tiny Tags (Papertrey Ink)
Cardstock: Pink Pirouette, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White
Ink: Pink Pirouette, Chocolate Chip, Versamark
Accessories: Chocolate embossing powder (Zing), Happy Spots patterned paper (PTI), Pink Pirouette 1 1/4" grosgrain ribbon (R), Early Expresso twine, Cupcake builder, Owl builder, Small Heart, Scalloped border (punches), Double ended banner die (PTI), Pinking shears, SNAIL adhesive, Dimensionals, Double sided tape

JAI 141 Just add a colour combo

 Hello there,
well this week at Just Add Ink we have a colour challenge for you and it has a lovely soft feel just perfect for vintage girly stuff! Since I needed a birthday card for a friend it was well timed for me :) Here are the colours.

 And here is what I came up with - a mix of old and new!

Lots of layering of embossing and ink , it was fun to just play around and see how it turned out. Luckily for me it looked good ;) To soften the flowers, once I stamped them I just grabbed my aquapainter and lightly spread the ink from the stamped image. The rest is pretty straightforward, some sponging and lots of embellishing details to give that vintagey feel. It's fun to create a full on girly card sometimes :) Now that's not to say these colours have to vintage! Why don't you join us at Just Add Ink this week and see what you come up with.

Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise indicated
Stamps: Elements of Style, Tiny Tags
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake, Winter Wisteria
Ink: Winter Wisteria, Crumb Cake
Accessories: Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, Stripes embossing folder, Classic Oval nestabilities (Spellbinder), Finishing touch edgelets, Medium Jewelery Tag punch, Crumb Cake seam binding, Winter Wisteria twine, Dimensionals, Double sided tape (X Press)

JAI 140 Just add chevrons

Hello there,
well life is returning to its familar patterns here with the return to school and I'm hoping that means I will be able to return to my familiar patterns of stamping :) I did seize the chance before the chaos of the holidays to prepare something for this weeks Just Add Ink challenge which is - Just add chevrons. Sounds like fun doesn't it! Here is what I came up with in a late night change of mind brainstorm.

This was not what I originally had in mind, in fact my plan was to have used the thin border chevron die cuts. But as I cut them and then lined up my rainbow of colours (did you pick the rainbow sequence ?) I noticed the pattern of the negatives, and then my eye fell on my floral framelits - and so this card came about. With the idea there I just had to make it and so once I had my Mr 4 asleep I pulled out all my bit and pieces and got to work. I was a happy camper when it was done :) Tired but happy. Actually just looking at the colours makes me smile.

Hope you can have as much fun as me when you add chevrons this week! Don't forget to check out the awesome ideas that the rest of the JAI DT have come up with.

Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Daydream Medallions, Vintage Labels (R)
Cardstock: Daffodil Delight, Whisper White, Basic Black
Ink: Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Basic Black
Accessories: Floral Frames Framelits, 1 3/8" circle punch, Classic circle nestabilities (Spellbinder), Chevron border die (Papertrey Ink), Brights, Subtles, Regals pattern stacks, Brights buttons, Linen thread, Old Olive grosgrain ribbon (R), SNAIL adhesive, 2 way glue, Dimensionals, Tombow multi

JAI 139 Just add something brand new

Hello there,
well I've been enjoying a lovely week spent with family in Sydney this week, which has included a visit to the zoo, beach, and lots of playgrounds - of course :) However before I left I did manage to squeeze in some crafting with some of my new SU! products, and its the new bit that's key for this weeks Just Add Ink challenge which is Just Add something brand new! Now I'm sure you can manage that :) This is what I came up with.

 

So what did you think of the inside? - a bit of fun isn't. I've been saving up this die to use just for this card. A friend of mine said recently she's discovered that boys (big and small) want their cards to be interactive - so true!! and this card is my DH's birthday card so it had to have/ do something special. (I think he liked it). As for the new, well there's a bunch of stuff - the paper and ribbons banners are all brand new and I think I can count the HAPPY die as well. I also finally got to indulge in the banner trend - I had fun making those :) Aside from the banners the rest of the front was pretty simple - a little bit of embossed texture and then some doodling around the edge with a white gel pen. The inside was really a lot simpler than it looks - the fussiest bit was working out how to add the balloons.

 

So do you think you can have some fun with some new crafting goodies this week - please join us if you can :)

 

Thanks for visiting,

Kim

 

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Tiny Tags, Think Big Favorites 12 (PaperTrey Inc)
Cardstock: Island Indigo, Real Red, Crumb Cake, Baja Breeze, Whisper White
Ink: Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Island Indigo
Accessories: Summer Smooches DSP, Linen/Canvas Impression plate (PTI), Movers and Shakers: Poppers die collection (PTI), Tiny Tag die (PTI), Fishtail Flag STAX (My Favorite Things),White gel pen, Linen Thread, Daffodil Delight and Real Red 1/4" stitched grosgrain ribbon, Cherry Cobler twine, Silver brads, SNAIL adhesive, Double sided tape, Sticky strip

JAI 138 Just add a colour combo

Hello there,
I have to admit I suggested the colour combination for this weeks Just Add Ink challenge and then thought what on earth have I done!!! However having seen what the rest of the DT have come up with I'm glad I did! If you didn't like Summer Starfruit before you will after this challenge! In my case some new stamps to play with were inspiration enough to get the creative juices going ;) Here's the colour combo.

And here is what I came up with.

This card came together really quickly, which was delightful and rather surprising, especially when I had no idea how to do the box pleating! Basically I laid my DSP on the score board and just started scoring and folding and miraculously it worked - although I have managed to hide, by sheer chance rather than skill, a couple of boo boos! The swirl from Everything Eleanor is definitely a new favourite too!

Summer starfruit is still growing on me but I am glad this challenge made me take it for a test drive ;) Hope you can join us.
Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Everything Eleanor, Occaisional Quotes (R), Background Basics: Houndstooth (PaperTrey Ink),
Cardstock: Basic Grey, Summer Starfruit, Whisper White
Ink: Summer Starfruit, Basic Grey
Accessories: Boho Blossoms punch, Summer Starfruit stitched satin ribbon, Urban Garden DSP (R), Jewels - rhinestones, Dimensionals, SNAIL adhesive, Double sided tape (X Press)