Friday, November 24, 2017

#TGIFC135 | Ombre Technique

Hello friends and a big welcome to you! Today for new new challenge over at TGIF Challenges we have a technique for you, Ombré.

I'm sure you've all seen cards with the Ombré look and I for one am a big fan. But if you aren't sure what Ombré is here is a definition for you googled from the Internet.

ombre

  om·bre
The definition of ombre is the French word for color that is shaded or graduated in tone.
An example of ombre is the color of a dress that is light gray at the top, medium gray in the middle and dark gray at the bottom.

I've gone for an Ombré Christmas card and mixed it up with the Eclipse Technique. Super easy and so fun!


I first started this card with trying to sponge 3 different colour greens on a piece of Shimmery White cardstock to get the varying shades of colour from light to dark. But as I was trying to get the colour sponged across the cardstock it just wasn't working or looking very good. So that idea was scrapped. I then thought to, again using the Sponge Brayer, sponge just one colour of green - Garden Green, over the Merry Music Specialty Designer Series Paper. Because this DSP is white with the black print, it is perfect to add colour too so it co-ordinates with whatever project you are creating.

I just started with the colour at the bottom of the DSP and then rolled the Sponge Brayer, back and forth and then also moving it up the DSP, keeping the darkest concentration of colour at the bottom, thus creating the Ombré look.
 

 The next part of the card was to die cut the 'Joy' letters for the Eclipse part of the card. Once the letters were cut out of the DSP I then cut 3 more of each letter out of Basic Black cardstock and layered them all together. This layering of all those Basic Black cardstock adds to the effect of the technique, creating more of a shadow.


I popped the letters up as well with some Mini Stampin' Dimensionals and then added some ribbon and trim while layering the 'Merry Christmas' from the Teeny Tiny Sentiments. Last but not least I punched out some pieces from the Holly Berry Builder punch to add to that Christmas feel.

. If you are after some inspiration for this challenge check out all the fabulous creations from the rest of the TGIF gals and I'm sure you will get the creative ideas flowing. I do hope that you will join us this week for this fabulous Ombré technique.

Just on a side note, this is my last challenge with the TGIF crew. I'm stepping down from the design team to have a break after this most momentous and most fabulous year.  I'm so very thankful to have been part of the TGIF DT and I hope that my creations have inspired you one way or another. I'll still be blogging and creating but just having a little bit of time to recharge. Thank you to all you who support me. Love to you all!

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Monday, November 20, 2017

Stamp Review Crew | Painted Harvest

Hello and a big welcome to you! Thank you for joining us on another Stamp Review Crew Blog Hop. You may have just joined me from Mickey Roberts or you have started here with me. Either way, you are in for a creative treat with lots of fun stamping ideas.

https://stampreviewcrew.blogspot.com/2017/11/painted-harvest.html

If you are joining us for the first time we are a group of International Stampin' Up! demonstrators that show one Stampin' Up! stamp set at a time, every first and third Monday's of the month. Be sure to make your way around the hop by clicking the next button at the bottom of each post. If you get lost along the way click on the banner at the top of each post and that will lead you to the list of hoppers so you can continue seeing all the fabulous creations.
Today we are hopping with the very popular set Painted Harvest. If you just search Stampin' Up! Painted Harvest in Pinterest I'm sure you wont be short of inspiration when it comes to this fabulous set. 

This set is a two-step stamp set with the images looking like a they have been watercoloured. Super gorgeous, super pretty and super fun! A great thing about this set too is that it has a co-ordinating punch, the Leaf Punch, to easily punch out those leaves for a quick card.


I've teamed up the Painted Harvest Stamp Set with the Wood Textures DSP stack for a country/rustic look. I do love anything rustic and I think the sunflower image works beautifully with the Wood Textures DSP.


To get a brighter, more yellowy looking sunflower I first stamped the first,larger image in So Saffron in and then the second smaller layer in Crushed Curry. I felt this colour layering gave a more realistic yellow for the sun flower.


For the leaf I first stamped Wild Wasabi for the lighter layer and then teamed it up with Garden Green for the darker layer and then punched out the leaves with the Leaf Punch. So quick and easy. Love it!


I accented the sunflower with the Night of Navy Gingham Ribbon and the Jute Twine to add to that country look and then used the small leaf Framelit from the Lantern Builder Framelits Dies for a little Gold Glimmer embellishment. Just pretty!

Check out my other blog posts here and here for some more Painted Harvest inspiration. 

Just on a side note this is my last hop with the Stamp Review Crew. I have decide to step down from the crew and have a break. Its been a crazy busy year and I'm so very thankful for the opportunities that this year has brought. I've been with the Crew since Dec 2014 and have loved every minute of it.  I'm so thankful to Tanya Boser who invited me to be part of this fabulous crew way back when. She saw something in my creations and wanted me on the crew and well the rest is history. Thanks a million Tanya and thank you for having me and like my card says today 'I am thankful for you'!!!! 

Now on to the ever fabulous crew leader Tanya Boser to see her Painted Harvest creations.

https://tinkerin-in-ink.blogspot.com/2017/11/src-painted-harvest.html
Tanya Boser
http://www.paperconversation.com/2017/11/stamp-review-crew-painted-harvest.html
Mickey Roberts
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Friday, November 17, 2017

Stampin' Up! Artisan Blog Hop | Merry Little Labels

Hey there friends! So glad you could join us today for the Stampin' Up! Artisan Design Team Blog Hop.  This week the team are hopping with the Merry Little Labels Stamp Set. A fabulous festive set to make gorgeous tags for all your festive gifts and packages.

http://www3.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?dbwsdemoid=4009899&productID=146030


I've created some super cute Mini Treat bags, perfect for gift cards or a small but 'big' gift like jewellery. I'd love to get jewellery in a special gift bag like these that's for sure!


I die cut the pieces of the bag using the Mini Treat Bag Thinlits dies and then ran the front panel of the bag through the Big Shot to emboss with the Pinewood Planks Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder. I love the added texture and the deeper impression that these embossing folders give! Once all the front panels were embossed I put all the pieces of the bags together with the fabulous Tear & Tape.


I used the colours from the Merry Little Christmas DSP, Basic Black, Old Olive and Whisper White, to carry through that whole festive feel. It's such a gorgeous colour combo for your festive creation. Even though there isn't a hint of red in this festive look it still has that Christmas feel.


 I've accented each bag with strips of the Merry Little Christmas DSP punched with the Triple Banner Punch and then some of the black and gold embellishments, ribbons and trims from both the Annual and Holiday Catalogues. Jute Twine, 7/8" Striped Ribbon, Gold Mini Sequin Trim, Black Mini Sequin Trim, Gold Metallic Thread and Gold Library Clips.


Such a fun little treat bag and so easy to create too. Change up the colours and the DSP accents for a festive look of your own.

Now fly on over the Canada to the amazingly creative, Shannon Lane for her gorgeous creations! She is always an inspiration with her cards a creations! 

https://crushoncolour.blogspot.com.au/2017/11/artisan-nov-2.html

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Live in Australia?
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 Recreate these treat bags at home using the following Stampin' Up! products. Click on the images below to see the product information and to shop from my online store.

Thursday, November 9, 2017

Stamp to Share International Design Team Blog Hop | Hearts Come Home

Why hello there!! It's time for another Stamp to Share Blog Hop. We are a group of Stampin' Up! demonstrators from all around the world, sharing what we love ... Stampin' Up!


Today's hop has a very festive and Christmas feel with us using either the Ready For Christmas Bundle or the Hearts Come Home Bundle. Two gorgeous bundles and hard to choose which one to use. But as you've probably already seen in the posts heading I've gone with Hearts Come Home.


How cute is this set??? Loving all those building edgelits and they are fabulous for layering one in front of the other to create a fun little town scene.

I've made a card front 'bauble' for my creation today using one of the building edgelits and the gorgeous 'Joy to the World' sentiment. Loving that beautiful font!


 The first part of the card was actually to make the base layers. The card base is Crumb Cake and then layered on that is a piece of DSP from the Christmas Around the World DSP. I used that DSP because the white splatters on the DSP looked like snow falling and was a gorgeous contrast colour to the white die cuts.


I cut the circle out of the Shimmery White layer first and then embossed the whole front panel with the Softly Falling Embossing Folder. This embossing folder design is another element to add to the falling snow theme.


I die cut one of the building thinlits to create that bauble scene and painted Clear Wink of Stella over the die for some more shimmery goodness. The stars were die cut with the small star thinlit piece from the Edgelits set and as well the star die from the Card Front Builder Die set. 

The card is finished off with that fabulous Joy to the World, embossed on Basic Black card stock with White Stampin' Emboss Powder, and treated with Whisper White Craft ink for that chalkboard look.

I hope that I've given you some more inspiration with this fun set. Now on to my gorgeous friend, Paula Dobson in New Zealand. She has one fabulous card to show you!



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Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Count My Blessings Instagram Tip

Today's post is a tip to help you in your card making and creating. A part of being on the Stampin' Up! Artisan Design Team is to supply tips and tricks using the fabulous Stampin' Up! products for their Instagram Account. Click Here to see this tip in Instagram. 
This is an oldie but a goodie. You may know about this fabulous tip but sometimes its good to be reminded of some of the tips that we sometimes forget. This tip also helps you to make your crafting and creating products more versatile.

Do you have a sentiment that is too long for your label punches? Did you know that you can make these punches longer to fit those things that are too long your punched shape? It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3!


 1. Stamp your image or sentiment on your cardstock and then trim your cardstock down so that it is just smaller than your punch shape.


 2. Slide your piece of cardstock in through the side of the punch and then when the piece of cardstock is half way through, lift it up so that the other end is sitting on top or outside the punch. You’ll have one end of your cardstock in the punch and the other sitting out. Punch the end.


 3. Repeat the process from the opposite side and punch the other end. This way you’ll be able to have any label punch at any size you want.


This is the card that I then made with the longer label punch. I love the simplicity of this card and yet at the same time the statement it makes with that fabulous Buffalo check DSP from the Merry Little Christmas DSP.


Finished off with some of my favourite trims and embellishments for a quick card.

I do hope that you were able to understand my explanation on how to do this tip. I'm not always the best at describing things in words. If you have any questions about today's fun tip please leave a comment for me and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

Thanks so much for stopping by!
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 Recreate this card at home using the following Stampin' Up! products. Click on the images below to see the product information and to shop from my online store

Monday, November 6, 2017

Stamp Review Crew | Eastern Beauty

Welcome, Welcome. Its the first Monday of the month so that can mean only one thing, it's Stamp Review Crew time. This time we are hopping with the Eastern Beauty Stamp set from the Stampin' Up! 2017 - 2018 Annual Catalogue.

https://stampreviewcrew.blogspot.com/2017/11/eastern-beauty.html

 If you are joining us for the first time we are a group of International Stampin' Up! demonstrators that show one Stampin' Up! stamp set at a time, every first and third Monday's of the month. Be sure to make your way around the hop by clicking the next button at the bottom of each post. If you get lost along the way click on the banner at the top of each post and that will lead you to the list of hoppers so you can continue seeing all the fabulous creations.

 It's been a while since I joined in with the Stamp Review Crew hop. Not cause I didn't want to. Any excuse to create and get crafty, right. No its only been because I didn't have any of the sets from the last couple of hops. While I would love to own each and every stamp set from each and every Stampin' Up! catalogue. We can only dream right? It's just not always possible.

http://www3.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?dbwsdemoid=4009899&productID=145308

I'm so very happy to be joining in on today's hop using the Eastern Beauty Stamp set.  Ive actually focused on one of the images from the set and one of the sentiments. By using this floral looking image that gave me another chance to have a play with the NEW Stampin' Blends Alcohol Markers. Yes again! I can't put them down! I just want to colour everything!! Have you seen the Blends yet or had a play with them? They are fabulous. Check them out here to see what the fuss is about!


I've used three of the darker blends colours - Night of Navy, Bermuda Bay and Cherry Cobbler, and coloured them on Crumb Cake cardstock. Yes, you can use them on Crumb Cake. I actually saw my friend Cathy Caines in a blog post last week showing them coloured on Crumb Cake and instantly loved the look!


To colour in the image I first did a very light colour of the light marker, trying not to go over the colour too much and then with a swiping type motion coloured in with the dark marker. I didn't actually blend the colour as I wanted the lines of the darker marker to be seen over the lighter marker. I felt this gave the image a little bit more texture and definition. 


To finish off each card I then splattered the Basic Black Marker over the whole card front and then  added my favourite DSP and Ribbon of the moment for a fun look. That Buffalo Check DSP and 7/8" Striped Ribbon goes with everything! Love it!!!

I hope that I've given you a different idea to use this stamp set and the Blends Markers. Now on to Stesha Bloodhart for another fabulous idea using the Eastern Beauty Stamp set!

https://stampinhoot.com/2017/11/stamp-review-crew-brings-eastern-beauty/

http://www.heartsdelightcards.com/2017/11/stamp-review-crew-eastern-beauty-review.html
Thanks so much for stopping by!
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 Recreate these cards at home using the following Stampin' Up! products. Click on the images below to see the product information and to shop from my online store


Friday, November 3, 2017

Stampin' Up! Artisan Blog Hop | Stampin' Blends

Why hello there! It's time again for the Stampin' Up! Artisan Design Team Blog Hop! And this hop we are using the ALL NEW - STAMPIN' BLENDS!!!! Super exciting to be showing you all the Stampin' Blends Alcohol Markers. Woot, Woot!!


These are Stampin' Up!'s premier alcohol markers. Stampin' Blends are a high-quality, dual-tip marker that come in 12n of Stampin' Up!'s exclusive colours, each with a light and a dark shade. Maybe you don't think of yourself as an artist, but you don't need to be because these beautiful markers make it so easy to blend colours and create gorgeous works of art.

I love, love, love colouring whether being with ink and Aqua Painters or watercolour pencils, the Stampin' Blends just add to that colouring love that I have. I'm not going to be able to put the Blends down! They are so good!

I've created three Christmas cards for you today using the Seasonal Lantern Stamp Set and the Lantern Builder Framelit Dies.  This stamp set has lots of open line art work which makes it perfect for colouring with the Stampin' Blends markers and a chance for lots of colourful creativity.


I've teamed up the coloured images with the Merry Music Specialty Designer Series Paper for that full Christmas creation. Now is the perfect time to get going on the Christmas cards because before you know it Christmas will be here. The more you can create now the less stressful the Christmas period will be for you.


When using the Blends, Tuxedo Black Memento ink works best as it doesn't bleed when colouring with the markers and the Stampin' Up! Thick Whisper White cardstock is the best cardstock to use.

How you colour with the markers comes down to personal preference. I like to put a little bit of the dark colour down first and then blend and colour with the light marker. Others like to colour each section with the light marker and then add the darker colour. Its up to you how you use them. There is no right or wrong. 

The more you go over with colour the darker the saturation is going to be so if you want the graduation of colour, especially when using the light markers, less is more. A lighter touch also helps to get less bleeding of the colour outside the lines of the artwork.


Get your hands on these fabulous markers and get colouring. The more you colour with the Blends the more confident you will be with your colouring and your creativity. Practice makes perfect!

The markers are available for you NOW to purchase and for you to get creative with. Check them out here at my Australian Online Store and contact me for more information on these fabulous markers. 

Now on to Shannon Lane in Canada, the Queen of Colour, and her fabulous Blends creation!

https://crushoncolour.blogspot.com.au/2017/11/artisan-nov-1.html


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Live in Australia?
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 Recreate these cards at home using the following Stampin' Up! products. Click on the images below to see the product information and to shop from my online store

Just Add Ink #384 | Just Add Inspiration

Hello, Hello. It's that time again for another Just Add Ink Card Challenge. We've got a gorgeous Inspiration picture for you. It's bright, fun and almost has that summer vibe. It's only 4 weeks till summer here in Melbourne and I for one can't wait!


I was inspired by the flowers in the picture, as well as those gorgeous colours of yellow and blue. I've pulled out an older stamp set, Rose Wonder, as it is perfect to use with the new Stampin' Blends Alcohol Markers that I really wanted to have a play around with too.


I stamped with the Tuxedo Black Memento ink the rose image on Whisper White Thick Cardstock and let that dry for a few minutes before colouring with the Stampin' Blends. When colouring with the blends I like to put a little bit of the dark colour down first and then blend and colour with the light marker. Others like to colour each section with the light marker and then add the darker colour. It all comes down to personal preference as to how you colour with them.


This originally was going to be a birthday card but I changed it up at the last minute for a friend who is going through a tough time at the moment and needed some happy snail mail to let them know I am thinking and praying for them.


Because I wanted to keep the rose image as the main focus of the card I kept the trim and embellishments to a minimum with just some Basic Black Baker's Twine and some gold sequins from the Metallics Sequin Assortment.

All finished off with the 'You're In My Thoughts and Prayers' sentiment embossed with White Stampin' Emboss Powder on a Basic Black banner.

Make sure you check out the rest of the Just Add Ink Design Team and what inspired them with the inspiration picture. Lots of fabulous creations from everyone!! While you are there check out how you can enter your creation! I'm so looking forward to seeing what inspires you!

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Live in Australia?
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 Recreate this card at home using the following Stampin' Up! products. Click on the images below to see the product information and to shop from my online store.