A Fishy CASE

Hi!

I recently got around to purchasing the new set of Embossing Mats, and have been having some fun with them. As is often the case, I found a card to CASE for my first try with them. You can find the card I CASEd here at Kathy Maurer's blog. It was such a fun card that I couldn't resist CASEing it!

I kept the card pretty much the same - only a few minor changes. I switched the colour of the card base, simply because I didn't have enough of the colour Kathy used.  I also used some retired epoxy dots to use for the air bubbles rather than rhinestones.

Can you see better in this picture - the long swirly die from Swirly Scribbles was used to emboss the cardstock base and represent waves? Perfect for the little fishies to swim in!

Kathy didn't show the inside of her card, so I was on my own here. I couldn't resist adding more fish and using the bubbles from my favourite background stamp underneath.

Bye for now,

Tina

JAI #364: Just Add Inspiration

Hi!

It's an Inspiration Challenge this week at Just Add Ink!

Kelly selected this fabulous photo of the flowers in a gorgeous copper jug. I struggled a bit to incorporate the copper into my card, as I don't have any of the metallic paper or embossing powder, but then I remembered I have some of the stunning new Copper Trim.

I was very excited to see the brick wall in the background of the photo, as it gave me a good excuse to break open my new Embossing Paste and Pattern Party Decorative Masks. I mixed a drop of Basic Grey reinker into the paste to get the darker colour. It's quite easy to use, and makes a great textural addition to a card.

I stamped a heap of flowers from the Jar Of Love stamp set to create a bouquet for the front of the card. I also punched two strips of the new Decorative Ribbon Border punch. I love that they look like a lacy ribbon when they are laid down back to back like I have. The overlap was hidden under the Copper Trim.

I had a few extra flowers left over, so I added a smaller bouquet to the inside. I used the new In Colour, Fresh Fig as the base of my card and the feature colour. It's a colour I'm still warming to, but I love how it pairs with Sweet Sugarplum on my flowers.

What do you take inspiration from in the photo? You can see what the rest of the team have done with it, and link your creation over at Just Add Ink. See you there!

Bye for now,

Tina

A Sugarplum Jar Of Love

Hi!


I've been a bit neglectful of my poor little blog lately! Today I have a post for you that celebrates some of my favourite stamps that are carrying over to the upcoming Annual Catalogue. I could get sad about the stuff I'm losing, but let's be happy and enjoy what's staying.

I love the bouquets you can create with the Jar Of Love stamp set, and the matching dies make cropping the images so easy! I also use the bubbly image from Playful Backgrounds a lot - as the name says, it really does make a playful background on a card.

I'm really looking forward to more opportunities to play with these stamp sets for another year at least.

How about you? Are there stamp sets or other products that you're glad aren't retiring?


Bye for now,


Tina

JAI #348: Just Add Ombre

Hi!


Here we are again on a Friday, ready for a new Just Add Ink challenge!

This week Rochelle has challenged us to Just Add Ombre to our cards. I don't think I've ever made an ombre card in my life, but I was certainly willing to give it a go! Wikipedia tells me that ombre is is the gradual blending of one color hue to another, usually moving tints and shades from light to dark.

I went with Mint Macaron for my ombre background. I first watched this video tutorial by Alisa Tilsner to get an idea of the technique behind the ombre look. It's pretty easy - just load up your sponge brayer and start rolling! Stampin' Up!'s new sponge brayers are the bomb - so much easier than the old rubber brayers.

Once I has the look I was after on the background I set it aside and started work on the Jar Of Love jar and flowers. There was a lot of stamping and cutting involved, but I think that the awesome background deserves the effort.

I had a few flowers left over, so I used them to create a smaller jar of flowers on the inside.


There are soooo many ways to incorporate ombre into your card making. I can't wait to see what you make. Link it up at the Just Add Ink blog so we can see what you create.


Bye for now,


Tina

JAI #234: Just Add Inspiration

Hi!


Woo Hoo! It's Friday, which means it's nearly the weekend. I'm super excited about this weekend, because I had my new freezer delivered and Rob and I will finally have time to get it unboxed and set up. I've been wanting an upright freezer for ages, and I just can't wait to fill it up.

Of course, Friday also means it's Just Add Ink's new challenge day, another reason to be excited! This week Trish has chosen a gorgeous Inspiration photo for us to use.

Don't those flowers look beautiful? I feel like running though the grass, trailing my fingers through them as I go. Or maybe lie down among them and look for shapes in the clouds.... Before I get too carried away, I'd best get to my card!

I went fairly literal for the background of my card, with the wood grain and clouds on top, and the line stamp from Gorgeous Grunge to simulate the grass on the bottom. I added the lace ribbon, as it was sitting on my desk and I think it goes with the country theme of the card. Same goes for the Linen Thread over the top.

I finally cracked open my Jar Of Love stamps and Framelits. They are so sweet - I really love the look of the flowers. I must have had a little moment and forgot that the flowers in the pic were purple, not yellow. Oh well, I still think they look great!

I stamped and cut a heap of flowers, as I wasn't sure how many I'd use for the front. Lucky I had some left over to use on the inside!


What do you see in the Inspiration photo? You can see how it inspired the rest of the Design Team over on the Just Add Ink Blog, where you can join in the fun with your interpretation.


Bye for now,


Tina