Festive Friday #16: Mother's Day

Hi!

Yay!  It's Friday, which means it's Festive Friday time!  This week Nicole has challenged her Design Team to inspire you with cards for Mother's Day using punched flowers on them.  I decided to use a wonderful Joanne Leddy designed flower on mine.  I make lots of these flowers - they are so pretty!

Don't you love how this gorgeous flower takes centre stage?  It sits on a base of Twitterpated DSP.  Love that DSP!  I used more of it on the inside of my card:

I hope you can find time to play along with us this week at Festive Friday Challenges.  Remember, you need to make a Mother's Day card using punched flowers.

Stamps: Field Flowers, Cottage Garden, Well Scripted (retired)
Ink: Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz
DSP/Cardstock: Twitterpated DSP, Pear Pizzazz, Blushing Bride, Whisper White
Other: Fancy Flower Punch, 5-Petal Flower Punch, Boho Blossoms Punch, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Pear Pizzazz Glimmer Brad, Basic Jewels Rhinestones, Paper Snips

Bye for now,

Tina

Stamp A Memory May Challenge: summer fun

Hi!

Today I'm back with my layout for the new Stamp A Memory Challenge.  This month you have a gorgeous photo to inspire your scrapping.  Here's the photo:

Isn't she a cutie!  I took my inspiration from the colours in the photo.  I have had a photo sitting on my desk waiting to be scrapped since January.  The main colours in the inspiration photo - blue, pink and yellow - were basically the same as the colours in my photo so it fitted perfectly with the challenge!  Here's my layout:

My colours are probably slightly brighter than the ones in the inspiration photo!  I went with Temping Turquoise, Daffodil Delight, Regal Rose and a splash of Tangerine Tango.

I used the Circle Circus bubble stamp to carry the water theme from the photo onto the page.  The Daffodil Delight pompom trim was a cute little feature too.  I used some floral paper from the Sweet Stitches DSP pack and the flowers from Cottage Garden to bring the floral pattern from the inspiration photo into the layout.

I can't wait to see how you are inspired this month!  Why don't you pop on over to Stamp A Memory to see what the other Design Team girls have come up with?

Stamps: Circle Circus, Cottage Garden
Ink: Tempting Turquoise, Regal Rose, Daffodil Delight, Tangerine Tango
DSP/Cardstock: Sweet Stitches DSP, Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White, Daffodil Delight
Other: Big Shot, Timeless Type Alphabet Die, Lots Of Tags Sizzlits, Paper Snips, Sponge Daubers, Daffodil Delight Pompom Trim, Corner Rounder Punch, Scallop Border Punch

Layout 14: A Day At The Zoo

Hi!

Well, I'm mostly staying on track with my 100 layouts in 2011.  This is about Week 7 of the year and I've completed 14 layouts - not too bad!

Today's layout is another double page about Hudson and I at the Adelaide Zoo.  We were invited to attend the Special Children's Christmas Party in 2010 and we had a fantastic time.  Hudson got very spoilt!

Here's the left hand side of the layout.  Not sure what's going on with the weird faded look on the bottom of the photo - it certainly doesn't look like that in real life.

These photos of the animals were so vibrant.  The Chocolate Chip Woodland Walk DSP really makes the colours in the pop right off the page.

Stamps: Cottage Garden
Ink: Wild Wasabi, Garden Green, Crumb Cake Marker
DSP/Cardstock: Woodland Walk DSP, Garden Green, Wild Wasabi, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla
Other: Big Shot, Timeless Type Alphabet Die, Scallop Border Punch Paper Snips

Catch you later,

Tina

Tropical Cottage Garden

Hi!

Today's card was made using the newest sketch at Card Patterns.

I had a few ideas in mind but they all felt very heavy.  In the end I went with a light, summery card.  It's been lovely lately in Adelaide with temperatures in the mid to high 20's.  Perfect weather!

So instead of a strip of DSP I used a chain of flowers and I swapped the three circles for the three butterflies.  The flowers took a while, but I think they were worth the effort.  They are two separate stamps and each flower was masked.  I then trimmed around the chain and popped it up on dimensionals.  Doesn't it just scream 'lazy summer' to you?

Stamps: Cottage Garden, Curly Cute
Ink: Daffodil Delight, Poppy Parade, Concord Crush
Card Stock: Whisper White, Daffodil Delight, Concord Crush
Other: Paper Snips, Dimensionals, Stamp Positioner, Post It Note

Catch you later,

Tina

A Special Card

Hi!

I was asked to make this card by a friend who was sending it to another friend.  She asked only for it to be 'something special'.  When I showed her what I'd come up with she was very happy.

Here's the card closed.  I've never made a card this shape, so it was fun to try a new idea!

Here is the inside of the card:

I used a mix of retired and new products on the card.  I love the retired Cottage Wall DSP and the matching (still current) Cottage Garden Stamp Set.  I also used the lovely new Organza ribbon to tie the card shut.

Stamps: Cottage Garden, Baroque Motifs

Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive

DSP/Card Stock: Cottage Wall DSP (retired), Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White, Old Olive textured

Other: Pretties Kit flowers, large clear rhinestone brad and half pearls (retired), Organza Ribbon, sponge daubers

Catch you later,

Tina

Simple Thanks

Hi!

Last night I needed to make a thank you card in a bit of a hurry.  I'm totally loving the new In Colours, so I got them out again to have a play.  The matching Hostess DSP pack is fabulous - I used a sheet of Blushing Bride as the background on the card.

I punched the bird out of Blushing Bride card stock and then stamped the flower trio from Cottage Garden over the body only in Blushing Bride ink.  Quick and simple!

Stamps: Cottage Garden

Ink: Blushing Bride

DSP/Card Stock: In Colour Hostess DSP, Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz, Very Vanilla

Other: Two-Step Bird XL Punch, Very Vanilla 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon

Catch you later,

Tina

Simply Sweet Cottage Garden

Hi!

Today's card is a CASE of a card in the latest issue of Australian Cardmaking, Stamping and Papercraft magazine (Volume 16 Number 5). Vicki Kendrick did a beautiful job of her masked cards on page 80 of the mag. I haven't done much masking, so I was keen to have a go and polish up on some new skills. I was also after some inspriation for an Art With Heart team challenge: two step stamping.


Very simple and very sweet, if I do say so myself. I made a smaller sized card than she did, as I used a smaller flower stamp. I used SNAIL to adhere the bottom of the flowers, but I didn't stick down the top of them. It adds just a little bit of dimension without having to use Dimensionals.

Stamps: Cottage Garden
Ink: Regal Rose, Rose Red, Certainly Celery
Card Stock: Whisper White, Certainly Celery
Other: Paper Snips

Catch you later,

Tina

Bella Rose in a Cottage Garden

Hi!

Today was a day of mixed feelings for me. My daughter Ada started school today, which she was very excited about. Neither of us was very upset about this big event as she's been ready for school for a long time. About mid morning I did have a little ponder about how grown up she's getting. I do miss her, but it's time to let her spread her wings a little further. And she's got big brother Alex to show her the ropes at school!

So now it's just me and Hudson at home during the day. It sure feels quiet after having all 3 children home over the holidays! I'm hoping to get into a new routine of housework in the morning and then me-time in the afternoon while Hudson has a sleep. This routine worked well today and I managed to make a card for the latest Just Add Ink challenge, which was to add embossing.

After a few false starts this is the card I came up with:


Totally different to the card I had in my head when I sat down at my craft desk! That's just how it goes some days - you go where the mojo takes you. It doesn't show up well in the photo but the strip down the side is Bella Rose DSP. I used the same DSP under the top Kiwi Kiss panel. I punched the scallop oval into the Kiwi Kiss to reveal the DSP and sentiment below.

Stamps: Cottage Garden
Ink: Old Olive, Regal Rose
DSP/Card Stock: Bella Rose DSP, Kiwi Kiss, Chocolate Chip
Other: Big Shot, Polka Dot Embossing Folder, Paper Snips, Scallop Oval Punch, Dimensionals, Sponge Daubers, Stamp Positioner

Well, must dash as school's out soon and I can't wait to see how Ada's first day went.

Catch you later,

Tina

Cottage Garden Thank You

Hi!

I had the weekend 'off' from study, so I tried my best to get a lot of crafting done. I didn't as much as I would have liked done, as I was busy shopping for fixtures for our new bathroom. I did get a card done for the current Just Add Ink challenge.

This week it was a colour challenge:



Interesting! They are all very strong colours. Here's what I come up with:



I was quite pleased with the finished card. I stamped off the Melon Mambo ink once before stamping the card because I wanted to reduce the intensity of the colour just a fraction. The butterfly has 2 layers. The top one is attached with a small rhinestone brad and the wings were bent up a little. The Elegant Eggplant panel was raised on dimensionals.

Stamps: Cottage Garden
Ink: Melon Mambo, Elegant Eggplant
Card Stock: Taken With Teal, Elegant Eggplant, Whisper White
Other: Small Rhinestone Brad, Paper Snips, Sponge Dauber, 1/4" Elegant Eggplant Grosgrain Ribbon, Dimensionals, Chit Chat Rub on (retired)

Catch you later,

Tina

Art With Heart Women In Our Lives Blog Hop

Hi!

Welcome back to another Art With Heart Blog Hop. The theme for this blog hop is Women In Our Lives. You may have just come from Judy May's blog, but if you've started here that's OK - just keep going until you get back to where you started. There are 14 stops along the way.

The Art With Heart team is led by Claire Daly and it is a very talented team that I feel privileged to be a part of. Talk about Inspirational Women - they're all an inspiration to me!

Today I chose the women in my family as the women in my life who inspire me. My mum and my 3 sisters are all incredible women who have achieved so much. I decided to do a layout inspired by them. The photo is from Christmas 2006. Unfortunately it's the most recent photo I have of us all together. The layout is based on Sketch 35 from the blog Got Sketch.



Here's a close up of the title. I googled scrapbooking titles and came up with 'We Will Shine'. I thought it was a perfect accompaniment to the journalling I had in mind.



Next is a close up of the flowers. I first stamped the stem stamp along the edge of the Old Olive card stock. I stamped it one way, turned the stamp 180 degrees end stamped it again so it looked more like a vine along the edge of the DSP. Each of the flowers was stamped, fussy cut and adhered to the page, some with Dimensionals.



Finally a close up of the journalling block. I achieved this shape by cutting a Top Note Die and then carefully placing it back on the die, but at right angles to the first cut. I cut 2 of these shapes - One in Garden Wall DSP and One in Rich Razzleberry. I cut along the perforations of the DSP shape so I could matt it on the Rich Razzleberry. I love the shape it gives, and it was better for this page as I didn't have enough journalling to fill a whole Top Note.



Stamps: Cottage Garden
Ink: Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry, Orchid Opulence Stampin' Write Marker
DSP/Card Stock: Cottage Wall DSP, Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, Orchid Opulence, Whisper White
Other:Big Shot, Stampin' Up Top Note Die, Stampin' Up Timeless Type Junior Alphabet Die, Paper Snips, Dimensionals, Stamp-A-Ma-Jig

So that's it for me! You're now off to Kathryn Manglesdorf's blog. If you're not a Stampin' Up Demonstrator you could win some blog candy. All you need to do is leave a comment on every blog before 6 am Monday 3rd May and then email Nikki Saddler (nikki@inkyart.com.au) to let her know you've commented on each blog. Good Luck!

Here's a list of the other blog participants in case a link is broken:

Kathryn Manglesdorf
Alisha Watson
Nicole Rouillon
Kathryn Lowe
Ros Davidson
Nikki Sadler
Tanja Westwood
Kristine Thompson
Sue Madex
Gayatri Murali
Christine Blaine
Di Dunk
Judy May

I hope to see you for the next Blog Hop - we have them on the last day of every month.

Catch you later,

Tina

My First Workshop

Hi!

I ran my very first Stampin' Up! workshop on Sunday. I had a fabulous time and the whole experience confirmed that I made the right decision to become an Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

I thought I'd share with you the cards we made. Brooke, my hostess, wanted to have a play with Stampin' Around Wheels so we made 2 cards with the So Swirly Jumbo Wheel. I CASED the design of these cards from Roz Veevers, a very talented Stampin' Up! Demo.

For the first card, we used Ballet Blue highlights. This card was rolled straight along the card stock:



For the second card we used Regal Rose highlights and rolled diagonally across the card stock. It gives a slightly different effect:



The guests had a few options with the cards: the orientation of the final card (tall or wide) and how they were going to adhere their sentiment. The Ballet Blue card has only the Whisper White section of the sentiment raised. The Regal Rose has the whole sentiment raised. I think the guests liked being able to make a few choices.



For the third card, we made a card that was a bit more difficult. Brooke's favourite colour is purple, and as soon as she saw Rich Razzleberry she loved it. So what else could I do but get them to make a Rich Razzleberry card:




This card used a heap of different techniques and products: border punches, tearing, 2 step stamping, fussy cutting, sponging and stamping off. The ladies loved making the card, and their cards were fabulous.

So Swirly Cards:
Stamps: So Swirly Jumbo Wheel, Best Yet (level 1 hostess set)
Ink: Creamy Caramel, Ballet Blue, Regal Rose
Card Stock: Creamy Caramel, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Ballet Blue, Regal Rose
Other: Dimensionals, Sponge Dauber

Rich Razzleberry Card:
Stamps: Cottage Garden
Ink: Rich Razzleberry
DSP/Card Stock: Cottage Wall DSP, Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White, Orchid Opulence
Other: Dimensionals, Sponge Dauber, 1/4" Old Olive Grosgrain Ribbon, Eyelet Border Punch, Paper Snips

Catch you later,

Tina

Cottage Garden Candles

Hi!

I've been wanting to have another go at stamping on candles, and with my friend's birthday recently I though that was the perfect opportunity. I bought her 4 little candles and stamped an image from the Cottage Garden stamp set on each in Rich Razzleberry ink. Her favourite colour is purple, and Rich Razzleberry is such a lush purple. I'm so glad that it's coming back as a core colour in September.

Here are the candles:



Now, pretty candles need some pretty wrapping, so I decided to make a little box to put them in. I used the matching Cottage Wall DSP for the box lid:



And finally some (non SU) ribbon to finish it all off:



I'm sure she'll love it.

Stamps: Cottage Garden
DSP/Card Stock: Cottage Wall DSP, Orchid Opulence
Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive
Other: Green Satin Ribbon, Votive Candles, Tissue Paper, Waxed Paper - all non SU

Hmmm, now I'm thinking I need to make a tag to go with the box. Very conveniently the Cottage Garden stamp set has a tag stamp!

Catch you later,

Tina

Summery Cottage Garden

Hi!

When I first saw the Cottage Garden stamp set in the new Autumn Winter Mini I thought it was very pretty, but a bit limited in how you could use it. I've seen lots of samples in the new In Colours but not much else. Then I was watching my 2 year old Hudson crawling around in a pair of Hawaiian shorts and noticed that the flower on them looked a lot like the flower in the Cottage garden set. I was intrigued to see how a bright card would look. (I think it's very funny how you start seeing the world in terms of particular colours and stamps! I guess that's how you know you're addicted to stamping!)

OK, back to the flower. In a big coincidence, the challenge this fortnight at Swap Sisters is a colour challenge:



Perfect!

Here's the card I came up with:



It just goes to show that Stampin' Up! catalogues are great for inspiration, but sometimes it definitely pays to experiment and pay attention to the world around you. Inspiration comes from everywhere and anywhere!

It's a bit difficult to see in the photo, but I stamped the trio of flowers in Summer Sun Ink on the top left side of the Summer Sun card stock to give a subtle effect. I also used my markers to colour the sentiment stamp to get a multicoloured effect.

So what do you think? Does Cottage Garden work with brights just as well as the greens and purples?

Card stock: Pixie Pink textured, Summer Sun, Whisper White
Stamps: Cottage Garden
Ink: Summer Sun ink pad, Pixie Pink, Only Orange and Tempting Turquoise Stampin' Write Markers
Other: Paper Snips, Dimensionals, 1/4" Tempting Turquoise Grosgrain Ribbon

Catch you later,

Tina