JAI 196 Just add your Christmas projects

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

JAI 195 Just add a colour combo

Hello :) How is everyone trekking in this crazy pre-Christmas season? I'm feeling a bit worn and have yet to send out a Christmas card - eek! (I will though). This week at Just Add Ink we have a lovely colour challenge for you. The colours are sweet and festive (in a summery way) and we also included an inspiration photo to go along with them (although you can just use the colours). And don't think you can't use the colours for a Christmas card - I did!

Here's what I came up with using the photo for inspiration.

Heavens knows why but I came up with the idea of using the chevron border punch to make a snowflake while I was at the gym. (I do find walking on the treadmill can be a good time to think ideas through especially if the guys have beaten me to the gym and put sport on the tv (boring!)). The outcome is a bit out there for me but I do like it and I do really like the colours. I'll be pulling them out for a non-traditional Christmas colour combo next year for sure again!

Hope you can join in this week. Do check out the rest of the DT for some wonderful idea.
Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Delightful Decorations (R), Festive Flurry
Cardstock: Soft Skye, Calypso Coral, So Saffron, Blushing Bride, Whisper White
Ink: Soft Skye, Calypso Coral, So Saffron, Blushing Bride
Accessories: Chevron border punch, Festive Flurry framelits, Northern Flurry embossing folder, Silver glimmer paper, Soft Skye seam binding, Silver cord (R), 1" and 1 3/8" circle punches, 1 1/4" scallop circle punch, Jewels - rhinestones, Dimensionals, Double sided tape (X Press)

JAI 194 - Just add Santa

Hello there,
well this week marks the beginning of Christmas party season for our house and we'll be ending it with decorating for Christmas (the kids can't wait (smile). One of the real pleasures of parent hood is their infectious delight and enthusiasm). It is kind of nice to have a bit of a change of pace and some fun as well so I'm looking forward to some Christmas activities! At Just Add Ink this week we can help you out with this too as we have a Christmas themed challenge for you - this week we want you to Just Add Santa.

I used a Merry Monday sketch from earlier this year to put together a slightly quirky Santa Christmas card. 

Christmas and music go together so it wasn't hard to pick out a DSP pattern to work with Santa, and of course you can't go past ho, ho, ho either :) 

Hope you can join us this week! Do check out the rest of the JAI DT they will be sure to get you inspired for the beginning of the Christmas season.

Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Santa's List, Oh, Goodie!
Cardstock: Real Red, Basic Black, Very Vanilla
Ink: Real Red
Accessories: Modern Medley DSP, 1" and 1 1/4" circle punches, Clear embossing powder (I embossed the Santa on the front while the ink was still wet), ribbon (R) and silver hodgepodge (R), Dimensionals, Double sided tape (X Press)

JAI 193 Just add inspiration

Hello there,

I'm starting to feel caught up in the Christmas rush this week (although I'm not panicking - yet) but as we have our first end of school year event on, AND it's less than four weeks to Christmas (EEEKKK - ok may'be panicking a little) it is very appropriate that the new challenge at Just Add Ink  this week is one perfectly suited to all those Christmas projects we are working on. This week it's an inspiration challenge. Here's the pic. 

And here is what I came up with.

I was so delighted when SU! said they were going to sell this stamp in our market! I just love that it can be 2D and 3D and 3D is the way I went for these Christmas ornaments. I had a lot of fun mixing and matching colours and patterns for this and then adding the bling :) What you can't really tell from the photos is that the ornaments are double sided. TIP: To make them extra sturdy I have an acetate layer sandwiched between the two layers of DSP and I also triple layered dimensionals under the centre of the star to keep it supported.

Hope you can join us this week at Just Add Ink and do check out the rest of the DT for  fabulous and festive star inspired ideas!

Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Christmas Star
Cardstock: Whisper White, Crumb Cake
Ink: Real Red, Night of Navy, Versamark
Accessories: Season of Style DSP, Silver glimmer paper, White embossing powder, Acetate, Frosted Finishes embellishments, Classic circle nestabilities (Spellbinder), Silver cord (R), Tombow multi, Dimensionals, Hot glue gun

JAI 192 Just add a colour combo

Hello there,

are you ready for another Just Add Ink challenge? I sure hope so because we have a great colour combo for you. My Christmas crafting efforts are building up steam at the moment but I didn't go down that path this week instead I decided to make a thank you card. It's always useful to have a few of those after Christmas or for the end of year school wrap up too! Here's the colour picks.

And here is what I came up with.

I've flipped back to a cleaner modern style this week. I had originally intended to not even mat the mosaic stamped panel on the front but my love for mats (and CAS phobia) kicked in at the last minute and I added a very thin border of Tangerine Tango. I did love being able to mix stamped and embossed patterns adds that extra touch of something special!

Do check out the rest of the JAI DT for some fabulous colour inspiration!
Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Mosaic Madness, Oh Hello
Cardstock: Whisper White, Tangerine Tango
Ink: Tangerine Tango, Island Indigo
Accessories: Labels collection framelits, Modern Mosaic embossing folder, Dotted scallop ribbon border punch, Island Indigo bakers twine, sequins, Tombow multi, Dimensionals, Double sided tape (X Press)

JAI 191 Just add a sketch

Hello there,
it's Friday and that means it's time for a new Just Add Ink challenge and this week the challenge is to Just Add a Sketch. This is a great sketch and you can make some beautiful cards using it - just check out the rest of the JAI DT to see what I mean!

I went back to a bit of shabby vintage for this one and had a lot of fun layering up all the different die cut doilies. Mixing the layered doilies with the pink and red leafy accents just makes it feel real girly. And of course there had to be a butterfly to top it all off!

Do join us this week and see what you can make of this fun sketch!
Thanks for visiting,
Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Dictionary, Blooming with Kindness
Cardstock: Basic Black, Blushing Bride, Cherry Cobler, Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake
Ink: Basic Black, Crumb Cake
Accessories: Beautiful Butterfly BigZ die, Delicate Dollies sizzlet, Parisian Lace Doily die (PaperTrey Ink), Bird Builder punch, Elegant Butterfly punch, Fancy Fan embossing folder, Modern Medley DSP, Blushing Bride DSP (R), Cherry Cobler seam binding, Linen thread, Jewels - rhinestones, Dimensionals, Double sided tape (X Press)

JAI 190 Just add masking

Hello there,
You know how things just stick in your head sometimes - well I knew I had seen a favourite blogger of mine - Betsy Veldman do a special masking technique. I chased up the memory for this weeks Just Add Ink challenge. Why? Well cause it was a rather cool idea and this week the challenge is to Just Add Masking. You can find the link to Betsy's tutorial here (on Nicole Heady's blog) and here is my take on it.

One of the things I think is so interesting about this is how you can create so much depth and still have a single layer. Of course I couldn't resist adding a popped up flower to frame the sentiment. I also used some more traditional masking to add in the leaves on the front.

I'm pretty sure I'll revisit this technique. Thanks for visiting and don't forget to check out the rest of the DT for lots of masking inspiration!

Kim

Recipe: All SU! unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Rosie Posie, Fillable Frames #1 and #4 (PaperTrey Ink)
Cardstock: Winter Wisteria, Rose Red, Whisper White
Ink: Winter Wisteria, Rose Red, Garden Green, Crumb Cake, Basic Black
Accessories: Rosie Posie dies (PTI), small heart punch, Linen/Canvas impression plate (PTI), Crumb Cake seam binding, Winter Wisteria ruffled ribbon, Linen thread, Jewels - rhinestone, Dimensionals, Double sided tape (X Press)