JOY OF SETS BLOG HOP - EASEL FOLD CARD

Happy New Year everyone and welcome to a new Blog Hop from Joy of Sets members for 2019.  For those of you that don't know Joy of Sets - it is a facebook group I set up in 2017 when  I was a Stampin Up Demonstrator to be able to showcase retired stamps as well as current stamps from the SU range.  I am no longer a Demonstrator but the group is for all who love Stampin Up and as we have grown we have included a lot of other stamp companies that we love to ink.  If you would like to join the Facebook Group click on the logo above.

Our Blog Hop has been organised this month by Andrea Parr who has taken over from me and made the Blog Hop her own baby.  And what a great job she has done with lots of lovely inspiration for you all.

Her theme this month was Easel Fold card with a slight difference of using a free product.  I used some stamps I got free with a magazine.

My card is an Easel Box card which was inspired by someone on You Tube who didn't give her name or her blog which is a shame.  I used Stampin Up Soft Sky for the base card stock and some retired DSP Naturally Eclectic.  I love the colours in these papers.

 The box was made first with its little drawer so you can add some goodies  I've used a retired Antique Brad from SU for the drawer handle.  The ribbon is some retired SU.

The card is then made and clued to the top of the box - the stamps were free from a craft magazine and were small enough to use on this little box.  The buttons help to weigh it down so it stays and the little button above the Happy Birthday acts as the stop for the easel card.

For more inspiration for easel cards pop along to Andrea Parr next.

Click on the Previous button to be taken back to Vicki Milyard's blog

 

TRY STAMPIN ON TUESDAY #391

We have a double challenge for you today at Try Stampin on Tuesday

Use the Technique of Mixing up your Fonts and/ or using the sketch.  I chose to try both.

I started off with some Whisper White card stock from SU and masked off a centre panel.  I then used two Tim Holtz Distress inks - Bundled Sage and Picked Raspberry and Soft Sky from SU and sponged them onto the white card.  The set I've used is an old retired SU set called Fresh Vintage which I haven't used in such a long time - it always seems strange now using wooden stamps instead of the cling or rubber - do you find that?  In fact in some ways it's much easier - I didn't need to hunt for a block.  I used Versamark to stamp the medallion type stamp and then used some of SU's copper embossing powder which really makes it stand out against the pale inks.

I actually cheated with mixing up my fonts and used another retired SU set called Yay You.  This sentiment was already in this set - all mixed up - all I did was cut it up into three different parts.  I added it to a piece of Soft Sky card stock which had been cut using a stitched framelit.  The little flowers are also from the same stamp set - I embossed them in the Bronze onto some dark red card stock and cut them out and added them with dimensionals.

 I look forward to seeing how you interpret the challenge and whether you go for both options.



 

HAND STAMPED SENTIMENTS -COLOUR CHALLENGE #306

We have a colour challenge  for you today at Hand Stamped Sentiments

My card today uses a stamp set I won on a blog challenge - from Reverse Confetti called Bebe Bunny.  This is not the type of image I usually go for but I thought I'd have a go outside of my comfort zone and try something different. 

The paper used for the background of the card is some I had in my stash.  The pearlised doily is from Stampin Up.  I used a heart stitched die cut to cut out the heart and added the sentiment in Fresh Fig.  The little bunny has been cut out and inked in SU Inks - Retired Going Gray, Petal Pink, Mossy Meadow and Fresh Fig with a touch of More Mustard for her shoes.    The little button is also from my stash.

 

SWEET STAMPIN CHALLENGE - ANNIVERSARIES

Our challenge over at Sweet Stampin in this week is Anniversaries - I have a gorgeous little set I got from Clearly Besotted with these little umbrellas and a perfect sentiment for an anniversary.  Hubby and I will be celebrating 34 years married this year - where does the time go?  It makes me feel as old as my parents!

The set is called April Showers Again.  I used some SU Pool Party card stock for the base and Wild Wasabi for the umbrella.  The hearts are from a retired SU set called Yay You and one I haven't seen an awful lot done with .  There is some Spectrum Noir sparkle pen on the umbrella and the hearts to give it a bit of sparkle and a sparkle embellishment on top of the umbrella.  A little bit of twine finishes off the card.

STAMPIN UP ONLY CHALLENGE SUOC214 WINTER - NEW DESIGN TEAM MEMBER

2019 is starting off with a bang for me - I'm delighted to have been asked to join the Stampin Up Only challenge blog.  Although I am no longer a Stampin Up Demonstrator I still feel the love for the stamps, especially the retired ones which was why I set up my very popular Joy of Sets Facebook Group where we enjoy still using retired product.

The theme for the first challenge of 2019 is Winter.

I used the wonderful Winter Woods for this card - I loved this set as I will be able to use it not just for Christmas cards - trees stamps are just so versatile.

I started off with a piece of retired DSP from the Naturally Eclectic set.  I then used the same colour of the Night of Navy to sponge my background for the trees.  I also used an old retired colour Bordering Blue and a touch of Crushed Curry just to give it a dimension of light and a wintery feel.    I added the birds from High Tide and the sentiment is from Thankful Thoughts.  I used a retired punch and inked it in the Night of Navy.  A touch of Crushed Curry twine for the bow and some Wink of Stella over the branches of the trees finishes off the card.






 

NEW CHALLENGE BLOG - JOY OF SETS TIC TAC TOE CHALLENGE #josttt001

I'm delighted to offer you a new Challenge Blog - The Joy of Sets Tic Tac Toe Challenge Blog. Joy of Sets is my Facebook Group which started in 2017 out of my wish to continue using my old Stampin Up sets once they retired.  As a frustrated Demo at the time I disliked the way the old sets were discarded and we never got a chance to re-use them.  I'm no longer a Demo with Stampin Up but the Facebook group has continued to go from strength to strength.

It seemed fitting that we started our own Challenge Blog.  It will run monthly to start and we have decided on a Tic Tac Toe theme as this gives us a wide option of inspiration for all sorts of projects.

Our first one was designed by myself and each month one team member of our very talented Design Team will choose their own boxes.

Our Design Team hail from all around the world showing what a diverse group of members Joy of Sets is.

Here is our first challenge 

My card uses a delightful set from Clearly Besotted called Simply Scrumptious which also comes with a matching die set.  I've used the middle row of the tic tac toe - Birthday, Circle, Floral.  The inks used are Stampin Up as is the Designer Series Paper for the background.  

I hope you will have fun playing along with us and visiting our Design Team to see their take on the grid.





 

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND A NEW DESIGN TEAM

Happy New Year everyone - I hope 2019 is a peaceful year for you all.

I am starting the New Year off with another new Challenge Blog - I'm delighted to have been included on the Design Team for Sparkles Christmas Challenge which means I get to make Christmas cards all year round - woohoo.  I don't have to put my Christmas stamps away in mothballs til the end of the year.

Our first challenge for January 2019 is sparkles.

I've used a gorgeous set from Gina K Designs and Simon Says Stamp called Season of Joy - it was my go-to set this Christmas as it has everything I love - snowflakes, reindeer, those lovely mugs  and great sentiments.

I started off with using the two sizes of snowflakes from the set and inking them in Tim Holtz Tumbled Glass.  The mugs and the bauble were coloured in with Spectrum Noir pencils and I went over the writing with a white Gelly Roll pen.  I mounted this on to some silver glitter paper and embossed the sentiment in white embossing powder.  I added some liquid pearls and a touch  of Spectrum Noir glitter pen over the snowflakes and the images. 



 

HAND STAMPED SENTIMENTS #305

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Welcome back to another year of challenges from Hand Stamped Sentiments. I hope you all had a lovely Christmas time and are ready to get crafting again.  We are starting off with a sketch for you.

I've used a lovely new set from Clearly Besotted stamps for my card - It's called Simply Scrumptious and even has the die cuts to match.  I used some papers from My Mind's Eye Memorable collection for the circle and the matching papers behind.  The wreath was inked with SU Wild Wasabi and I use the die cut to cut it out.  The Strawberries were inked with Tim Holtz Picked Raspberry Distress Ink and Wild Wasabi for the tops of the strawberries.  I added a touch of Spectrum Noir glitter pen for the strawberries and some red rhinestones as I'm still in Christmas sparkle mode!!!

The sentiment is from the same set and I simply embossed it in White Embossing powder from Ranger.

I look forward to seeing what you do with this sketch and what stamps will be used now that Christmas has passed.





 

TRY STAMPIN ON TUESDAY - SKETCH CHALLENGE

Well the New Year is fast approaching - I always get a little sentimental and nostalgic at New Year. This year it is a quiet one with hubby and I are on our own. I hope 2019 is a great year for your all - I know I'm going to be very busy with the challenge blogs. My own one for my Joy of Set's Facebook group starts on 5th January so I hope you will look out for it and come and play along.

Our challenge for Try Stampin on Tuesday is a sketch challenge with the option of Happy Birthday.  Phew a non Christmas Card but fear not - the Christmas stamps are not going away thanks to the Sparkles Design Team I'm part of which is carrying Christmas through our hearts the whole year through.

But for now I've used a Stampin Up Set Watercolour Wings and it's matching thinlet.  I've used some Kaisercraft paper for the background and sponged some retired SU More Mustard ink on the edges.  The ribbon behind the Butterfly is non SU.  I used three ink colours for the butterfly - Mint Macaron, Tempting Turqoise and Bermuda Bay.  The little butterfly was cut out with an old SU punch.

There just remains one more thing for me to say and that is 

HAPPY NEW YEAR 

 

IT'S STILL WINTER THOUGH!

Oops - I'm not quite ready yet to let go of the Christmas style cards - but in fairness this is more a celebration of Winter than Christmas. My inspiration came from the challenge over at Inspired By which is as below




I used the Cable Knit embossing folder from Stampin Up for the base of  my card in white and then heat embossed the snowflakes from Gina K Designs Season of Joy set - I loved this set it was my to-to for Christmas.  Once the snowflakes were dry I used a few inks to ink up the background and make the snowflakes pop.  I started off with Tim Holtz tumbled glass but it was too pale so I added some SU Night of Navy on top.  The sentiment is from the same set and this was simply inked in black and then I ran a Spectrum Noir sparkle pen over the top of the words and also the snowflakes.

 

WHAT'S NEW FOR SWEET STAMPIN

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and received lots of new crafty goodies to play with for the New Year to come.  Our challenge over at Sweet Stampin' this week is NEW.  So I decided to get out a new stamp set which I hadn't inked yet - its called A Little Something from Clearly Besotted stamps.

Now that Christmas is over I have lots of Thank You cards to send out and this little set is going to be a great help.

I've used white on white here for the card - the inks I've used are all Stampin Up - Wild Wasabi, Melon Mambo and Fresh Fig.  I've also used a retired SU embossing folder for the hearts - just embossing the bottom part of the white card stock.  A touch of Baker's Twine and some embellishments and a touch of Spectrum Noir Sparkle pen finishes off the card.

I'm looking forward to your take on this NEW challenge.

Wishing you all a very successful and happy 2019!




 

GLITTER AND SPARKLE

My card today is all about the Glitter and Sparkle.  I was inspired by a challenge by my friend and  SU Demo Angie McKenzie on her Facebook Group Nature's Inkspirations and this was one of the four images I chose as my inspiration.

I've used silver glitter paper for the background.  The trees are cut with Stampin Up's framelits which match Winter Woods.  They have been cut twice and layered and some glitter added.  The snowbank was made with a retired embossing folder by SU.  The sentiment is from Kaisercraft Wonderland papers.

The photo doesn't really show how fabulously shiny this card is in real life.

I'm also adding this into the following challenges:

Global Design Project - T'is The Season
Make My Monday - Traditional Colours
Inkspirational - Anything Christmas
The Paper Players - It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas



 

HAND STAMPED SENTIMENTS - SC304

Another sketch for you today from Hand Stamped Sentiments - SC304





I chose to use some of these lovely Festive Chalkboard papers from Craftwork Cards - I love the image of the robin on top of all those signposts.  I used some Stampin Up Real Red cardstock for the base  and a Stampin Up Stitched Framelit for the circle.   The reindeer was stamped in Early Espresso with some red sponging around the edges. He has been given a bit of glimmer with a Spectrum Noir sparkle pen.  I'm not sure what set he is from - its a lovely winter wonderland set with images of reindeer, trees and animals but I can't remember where from and I can't find it in my searches on the internet :( 

I added a strip of some different papers from this Festive Chalkboard set and the sentiment is from Kaisercraft Wonderland.  I added some stitching with a white gel pen round the edges.

So who is getting excited now for Christmas - have you done all your shopping and preparations?  I've made my Christmas pudding and mincemeat and it's all maturing nicely.  Christmas decorations in the house will probably go up next weekend. This is my first year of having no children at home to help me as they've all grown up and have homes of their own and I'm feeling quite nostalgic.

 

TRY STAMPING ON TUESDAY - SKETCH

We have a sketch for you today over at Try Stamping on Tuesday - #TSOT387.




I started my card with some Kaisercraft background papers from their Wonderland collection - cut and pasted onto some silver cardstock.  The jar is from Stampin Up Jar of Love.  The stamps for the snow scene are from Hero Arts Winter Scene.  I've added glitter and snow in the jar to make it sparkle and some sparkly twine around the top.

The sentiment is from the same Hero Arts set and has been embossed in Silver Embossing Powder.  The little trees were punched out with a punch in the same silver cardstock.  

I look forward to seeing what you all do with this sketch.


 

TRY STAMPIN ON TUESDAY - SKETCH #TSOT386

We have a sketch for you over at Try Stampin on Tuesday for you this week. 







I've used some gorgeous Christmas Papers called Festive Chalkboard by Craftwork Cards.  I then used a Stampin Up Stitched framelit to make the circle and heat embossed some images from a small little stamp set I had in my stash.  I embossed them in Silver and then coloured them in with marker pens. I attached it all to a silver doily and added a small die cut silver snowflake in the top corner.  Grey is a very unusual colour for me to work with but I thought it complimented that chalkboard paper.

Thank you for playing along with us and I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with this sketch.

 

SWEET STAMPIN - SNOWMEN/SNOWLADIES

The challenge over at Sweet Stampin this week is Snowmen/Snowladies - that's funny I've never seen an actual snowlady stamp.  

The stamps I've used here are from an old set by Stampin Up called Flaky Friends.   I started sponging a background winter scene - making it look kind of stormy with the added greens and yellows.  I kept the colours of the snow people to two colour blues - the pale is from Kaisercraft  and is called Lagoon - the darker is Stampin Up Island Indigo.

I added lots of glitter for sparkle including some sparkly ribbon and some extra embellishments on some of the snowmen.

Over at my Facebook Group The Joy of Sets we celebrate all things Stampin Up both retired and current as well as other stamp companies.  It gives you the chance to still use the retired stock and not leave it un-inked and unloved!  There is a special give away going on for our December Challenge with a $25 voucher from Lawn Fawn.  

I'm also adding this  into the challenge at Cards In Envy who want to see our Christmas cards - they could be inundated lol!


 

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS.....

Wow it's getting busy for us crafters!  I haven't had a chance to join in any of the challenges this week.  However over on my Facebook Group The Joy of Sets we are running a Christmas Tag a day for until 16th December - there are so many gorgeous inspirational tags there that everyone has shared.  Our Challenge for December is also sponsored by Lawn Fawn - I'm so excited that they agreed to sponsor a challenge for us.  So why not head over to Joy of Sets and join in the fun.

Here are some of my Tags for the tag challenge this week.

I'm adding my tags into the challenge over at TGIF this week who are asking for anything but a card #tgifc188