JAI 788: Colour and Inspiration

 Hi!

Hello, and welcome to another challenge from Just Add Ink. This fortnight we have a Colour & Inspiration Challenge, suggested to us by Nikki.

It's a wet, windy, cold evening here in Adelaide as I write this post, and the cat snuggled up in a blanket is the perfect image to describe where I'd like to be. Although, being human, I'd like a cup of tea and a good book with me as I snuggle!

I'm definitely a blue girl, so this colour scheme was right up my alley. I don't have any suitable cat themed things in my stash, so I decided to go with birds instead. I fussy cut these birds from a sheet of Flight & Airy DSP. The backing DSP is also from the same pack. The watercolour effect is so pretty!

I'm not sure why I chose to make a sympathy card. I (fortunately) don't have need for one at the moment, but it never hurst to have a few in the stash, just in case. The sentiment is from Heal Your Heart, cropped with a Tasteful Labels die. I layered it over a Layering Ovals diecut, that I embossed with my Subtle DTIEF. It's hard to see in the photo!

The inside of the card includes both another bird and another sentiment from the supplies that I mentioned that I used on the front of the card.

What will you take inspiration from in this fortnight's challenge? You can see what the rest of the Design Team have created over on the Just Add Ink blog. You can also find our challenge gallery there when you're ready to link up your card.

Bye for now,

Tina

JAI 787: Just Choose Two

 Hi!

Thanks for joining me for the new Just Add Ink challenge. This week Tristan has suggested a Choose Two Or More challenge.

Hmm, which ones of patterned paper, animals, people, twine or shadows will you choose? I've been reading a lot of library books lately, and one of them had the paper that I've used in it. A previous reader must have been using it as a bookmark and left it in the book. It's very pretty, so I decided to put it to use on my card.

The daisy-like flowers are very delicate and pretty, don't you think? So, one element down, now for another.

Hehe, I decided to stretch the meaning of 'shadow' to include a shadowed sentiment. The blue layer under the birthday die cut is a shadow! I wanted it anchor it on the card with a Stitched Shaped Oval die cut, but cardstock ones were just too much for the card. Vellum to the rescue!

I used an offcut strip of the paper from the front to finish off the inside. I'd usually add a strip to the bottom, but as the paper was long and thin, I thought I'd add the strip to the side for something different. The sentiment is from Uniquely Creative's Sweet Sentiments stamp set, which coordinates with the Sweet Sentiments dies that I used on the front.

We'd love to see which two - or more - you choose for your card. You can see the rest of the Design Team cards over on the Just Add Ink blog, where you can also add your card to our challenge gallery.

Bye for now,

Tina

JAI 784: Just Add A Sketch

 Hi!

Thanks for joining me for the new Just Add Ink challenge. This week we have a sketch for you, designed by Tristan. The smaller circles made me think of bubbles, but I ended up going in a different direction with my card.

Would you believe that I used five different lots of dies on my card? I was a little surprised when I looked at my stack of supplies! I'd be very impressed if you can name them all.

I started by using Stitched Greenery to create the background of the card. I love the subtle texture it provides. Stitched Leaves was used to crop the leaves, and Pierced Blooms for the flowers. Stylish Shapes was used for the circle, and Textured Notes for the sentiment banner. Phew - did you know all of those?

I used most of the same supplies to finish off the inside of the card. I had a tiny offcut of the Stitched Greenery background, which I layered under another bloom and leaf. The sentiments that I used on my card, both front and inside, are from Simply Said. It felt a bit strange to only use one stamp set after all those sets of dies.but you have to draw the line somewhere!

We'd love to see what you do with this fortnight's sketch. You can see what the rest of the design team created over on the Just Add Ink blog. You'll also find our Linky there, where you an add your card to our challenge gallery.

Bye for now,

Tina

JAI 782: Choose Two Or More

 Hi!

Welcome to the new Just Add Ink challenge. This time around, it's a Choose Two Or More challenge, with the options suggested by Lou.

There are *lots* of different ways to embellish your card on that list! I went deep diving through my stash, and in the dark, dusty depths I found a handful of flower rhinestone brads, which gave me my two choices in one embellishment. My friend Rachel said to me once: work smarter, not harder!

The different colours in the brads made me think of a rainbow, which decided my paper choice for me. The dotty paper and both rainbow papers are from the Sunshine And Rainbows DSP pack. Aren't they so bright and happy?

The sentiment is from the Saying Something Ephemera Pack. It's so handy for quick and easy cards, and works really well with the colours in the DSP.

I used another of the ephemera sentiments on the inside of my card, over the top of a scrap of DSP from the front. I love it when a card comes together so easily!

Which two (or more!) will you choose from the selection we have given you for our challenge? So many fun options, it's going to be tricky to make a choice! When you're ready, pop on over to the Just Add Ink blog, where you'll see what the rest of the Design Team chose. You can also add your card to our challenge gallery.

Bye for now,

Tina

JAI 781: Just Add Wings

 Hi!

Hello, and welcome to the new Just Add Ink challenge. This week we have a challenge suggested to us by Kerry, and it's to Just Add Wings.

My first thought was to use a fairy, and then I thought about a plane. However, while browsing for any plane stamp sets I may have, I found this cutie-patootie little dragon, who most definitely has wings. Sold!

He's from the Inspiration Squad stamp set, and was coloured using my Stampin' Blends. I fussy cut him and popped him up over a Stitched Shapes circle die cut that had been stamped with a sentiment from Simply Said.

This was all popped up over some DSP from the Lily Pond Lane pack. The predominant colour is Pretty Peacock, one of my all-time favourite SU colours.

The inside of my card was finished off with a left over strip of DSP and a sentiment from the Inspiration Squad stamp set. I love the handwritten font in this set. 

Of course, as soon as I finished my card, I thought of all the pop culture stamps I have that have space ships *with wings* that I could have used! Oh well, another time!

I'd love to see what you think of when you're asked to Just Add Wings. Pop on over to the Just Add Ink blog to see what the rest of the Design team have thought of. You can also add your card to our Linky to enter the challenge.

Bye for now,

Tina

JAI 779: Just Add A Sketch

 Hi!

Welcome back to the newest Just Add Ink challenge. This time around it's a sketch challenge, designed by Jan.

My first thought was of a polaroid photograph! What fun would that be to incorporate into a card? Ultimately, though, I went in a very different direction.

I decided to use my Stitched Shapes Dies to create some dimension in my card. I started by stamping the flowers from Pretty Perennials and the leaves from Beautiful Friendship in Strawberry Sluch, Powder Pink, Garden Green and Mint Macaron. I do love the watercolour look of the images!

I then cropped the image with the largest square die. I glued the die cut piece to my card base and then popped up the rest using Dimensionals. I love the idea of the main part of the image being inset rather than popped up. A sentiment and a scattering of sequins finished off the front of the card.

I used similar stamping on the inside of the card. I really loved revisiting these older stamp sets!

What do you see in the sketch? You can see what the rest of the Design Team created over on the Just Add Ink blog. You can also add your card to our challenge gallery when you are ready. I can't wait to see what you make!

Bye for now,

Tina

JAI 778: Just Add Colour & Inspiration

 Hi!

Thanks for joining me for the second Just Add Ink challenge of the year. I can't believe that January is nearly gone!

Hasn't Nikki put together a fabulous mood board to inspire our creativity? You can choose to be guided by the image, the colours or both. I went with both!

My first thought was of the long-retired Waves Of The Ocean DSP. The piece I used on my card was a scrap in my pack that was the exact look I was going for. I paired it with an Ink Road Stamps set, called Samantha.

I coloured the mermaid in with my Stampin' Blends, and then used some Copper Metallic Enamel Effects on her crown. I also used it around the sentiment to help draw the eye across the card. I haven't played much with the Enamel Effects bottles, and now I'm wondering why? They are so much fun to use!

We'd love to see what you come up with for this fortnight's challenge. You can see what the rest of the Design Team made over on the Just Add Ink blog. You'll also find our Linky, where you can add your card to the challenge gallery.

Bye for now,

Tina