TRY STAMPIN ON TUESDAY - SKETCH CHALLENGE #406

This is our sketch for you at TSOT this week -  

I used purple! It's not a colour I usually use but I had just bought some Elegant Eggplant card stock from SU and it was calling me to use it!  As it's such a bold colour I kept the rest of the stamping quite plain.  I used a retired SU set called Fresh Vintage - this is actually a wooden stamp set.  It's been a while since I used those too!  I thought I would never really get the hang of the clear stamps and using blocks but as most of us I know prefer it. 

 I used one of the stamps with Versamark to mark down the right hand side of the card stock.  I'm not sure if it shows up.  With a clear stamp that would have been easy but with a wooden one I had to get the Stamp-a-ma-Jig out of retirement also.

I used another retired product - to stamp the flower - this was a Spectrum Ink pad from SU in Fiesta colours - this has to be nearly 20 years old! but it still works and it gives you that mix of colours really easily.  I wish they would bring something similar back.  

 

STAMPIN UP ONLY CHALLENGE - CELEBRATIONS

Our Challenge this week at SU Only Challenge is Celebrations.   

My card uses Animal Outing - not a set I use very often but it does lend itself to new baby cards - this one was for my great niece who came into the world recently.  

I've used some retired DSP from the Designer Series Pack - the pretty pink and the dots works so well with this  card.  I've cut a pearlised doily in half and added it to the back of the heart.  A touch of retired Pink Powder Satin ribbon and some pearls add a delicate touchh.

 

HAND STAMPED SENTIMENTS - #313

A lovely picture image for inspiration from HSS this week.  So many elements to choose from.




I've used inspiration from the flowers and the colours to use an old SU set A Nice Cuppa.  It's been a while since this set has had any inking.  I've also added the flowers from Colourful Seasons to fill the little tea cup with pretty blossoms.  

.

SWEET STAMPIN - RECYCLING

The challenge over at Sweet Stampin this week is to use something recycled for Earth Day.  Wendy certainly knows how to set a challenge.  After lots of head scratching I came up with this.

Recently I have been using some baby wipes to clean my stamps.  They don't go in the rubbish as I am on private drainage and they can't be flushed down the toilet so I've been accumulating them.  I decided it was time for them to earn their money as a crafting medium!

I inked one of the butterflies from SU's Watercolor Wings onto one of my used wipes - as I say it just had ink on it.  I then used the framelit to cut it out and it cut really well.  I added it to some lovely Dovecraft papers I have and an SU doily behind.  A touch of pearls and a button from my stash finishes off the card.

 

TRY STAMPIN ON TUESDAY - APRIL MIX UP TSOT404

We have a double challenge for you today at Try Stampin on Tuesday - You can use the Colours, the Sketch or both.  I opted to go for both.

I started with a background card stock of SU Night of Navy.  The Stamp set I am using is SU Painted Seasons.  I used some Versamark ink to stamp some of the flowers onto the navy card stock.  I used a strip of Whisper White, sponged the edges and added some flowers to make my own background paper.  The main flower was inked in Mint Macaron and the middle I used a touch of Chocolate Chip and added some Dazzling Diamonds to make it sparkle.  I sponged the edges of the doily with Tim Holtz Worn Lipstick Distress Ink.  The little sentiment is from Jar of Love.

 

SUO CHALLENGE - SKETCH #SUOC221

We have a sketch for you today at SUO Challenge #SUOC221 and this one was designed by me.  I hope you can have fun with it.

I started off my card using an stamp from a retired SU set called Fresh Vintage - this is a wooden set.  I'm surprised how quickly I got used to working with cling stamps, photopolymer stamps and blocks - I really thought I would stick with the wood -but now sadly my old wooden blocks rarely get used.  I also used Timeless Textures as part of the background and I tried to use the same colours as the Die Cut Swirls.  These were a RAK so I wasn't exactly sure of the colours but I went with Pear Pizazz, Night of Navy and Bermuda Bay.  I added some retired SU satin ribbon behind the swirls and the sentiment is from another retired set Cottage Greetings.  I'm all about the old lol!

 

COLOUR INKSPIRATION BLOG HOP #53

I was delighted to be chosen as the winner of the Colour Inkspiration challenge #CI51 and offered the chance to be a guest designer on their blog hop. The Crew are all a group of SU demonstrators in Australia and New Zealand. A long way away from me here in the UK!  I wonder if this is the closest I will ever get to going to NZ or Australia?   

Our inspiration colours for this challenge were as below - luckily I had all these colours!

I started off with SU Timeless Textures as the background inked in Bermuda Bay, Mint Macaron and Petal Pink. I used a stitched framelit for the square and sponged it with the Bermuda Bay, Mint Macaron and Night of Navy.  The birds are from SU Wetlands.  I did a wash of Ink of Stella over the inks to make them sparkle - sadly they don't show up in the image.  The square was layered onto a strip of the gorgeous Shimmer Ribbon in Powder Pink.  The chair was cut out of the Colourful Seasons framelits - sponged with ink and also covered in Wink of Stella.  

The sentiment is from Colourful Seasons and I added some Happiness Blooms enamel dots.  It's a pet hate of mine that I don't like full stops (periods) after sentiments and sadly SU seem to do this a lot so I always have to cover them up with something!

INKspired to join the challenge? It's so easy. Firstly, get some INKspiration by hopping around to see what all of the Colour INKspiration Crew have to show you. Then you have 12 days from today to make and upload your creation to the Facebook Colour INKspiration Group. You don't have to have a blog to participate but if you do you can link back to your post. Make sure you use all of the challenge colours. You can also use Whisper White, Very Vanilla and Basic Black as well as Metallics. Not a member of the Facebook group yet? Just click here and ask to join Colour INKspiration, add the group to your favourites and share it with your crafty friends so they can join in the fun too. We can't wait to see what you create with these gorgeous colours.

Pop along to Kelly's blog to see what she has in store for you on the Hop.

If you love SU both retired and current why not come and join my Facebook Group the Joy of Sets.  It is open to Demos and non Demos alike. You can ask to join here.  We celebrate all things SU and have lots of swaps and challenges as well as RAK groups where we send out cards all over the world and spread the love.

 

HAND STAMPED SENTIMENTS - #CC312

A colour challenge for you today at Hand Stamped Sentiments #CC312

I don't have the new Call Me Clover green ink so I used Emerald Envy - which looks quite similar.  I was recently lucky to win a Painted Seasons set from Andrea Parr and knew I fancied using it for this challenge.  The flowers are so pretty.  I stamped off the Lovely Lipstick as it was a bit too bright for the flowers but add it in with the sequins.

I'm looking forward to seeing what you all do with these lovely colours and do visit the Design Team and give them some love.

I'm adding this into the Just Add Ink challenge this week because of the choice of colours.






 

JOY OF SETS TIC TAC TOE CHALLENGE #JOSTTT004

Another new month and another new Grid challenge over at Joy of Sets Tic Tac Toe #JOSTGTT004.  Our grid this month has been chosen by Nicky Leighton.  

 I chose to do the top horizontal line for my card and keep it as pure white and green as I could.  I started off with a retired SU embossing folder with those gorgeous hearts.  The little flowers have been punched out using an old Martha Stewart flower punch and I added the inside details from a small flower die cut I had in my stash.  I added some white pearls and green pearl embellishments.  The heart was cut out with a stitched hear framelit.  The little stalks are just some SU Pear Pizazz card stock and the green ink is also Pear Pizazz.  The sentiment is from a retired SU set Build a Bouquet.  A touch of gorgeous Pear Pizazz ribbon and a little heart embellishment finishes off my card.  Now, if only I had a wedding to go to! 

Do pop along and visit the rest of the Design Team and may be leave them a comment - we look forward to seeing all your lovely creations and remember - we choose a Top 3 and a Winner to be out Guest Designer for the following month.

 

SWEET STAMPIN - MELLOW YELLOW

Our challenge for you at Sweet Stampin this week is Mellow Yellow - signs of spring.  We've had a mixed bag for sure this week with the weather - glorious warmth and then the next day hailstones!  Poor old flowers and birds and insects - they must wonder what on earth is going on.

My card today uses a few stamp sets - the background is from SU called Timeless Textures and I've inked it in SU Crushed Curry, stamped off Berry Burst and Pool Party.  The sentiment is from a spring set of stamps I have from an old magazine.  The butterfly is from SU thinlets and the flowers are punched out of an old punch by Martha Stewart!  Yes, it's that old.  I've added a touch of SU Bronze Thread behind the butterfly and added some embellishments to the flowers.

Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment - I'm looking forward to seeing all your lovely Spring cards.


         

STAMPIN UP ONLY CHALLENGE - DESIGNER'S CHOICE

We were given free rein over at Stampin Up Only challenge this week to choose our own design.  Over at my Facebook Group The Joy of Sets I was recently gifted a collection of the Swirl Thinlets after I mentioned I loved them but didn't have the thinlets.  I think they are so versatile I don't know why I didn't purchase them when they were around.

So I decided I wanted to use them on my card - The stamp set is another retired set Amazing You.  I started with stamping the star burst in Powder Pink onto white card stock.  I then stamped out three of the flowers and used my inks to colour them in and cut them out.  I added a piece of the lovely Polka Dot Tulle ribbon and added a heart embellishment.  The added flower die cuts are from Lovely Flowers edgelit dies.  Some sequins and a touch of Wink of Stella finishes off the card.

I hope this inspires you to use some old sets.

 

TRY STAMPIN ON TUESDAY - #TSOT402

A sketch challenge again over at Try Stampin on Tuesday with the added challenge of making it an Easter card.

I started off my card with a background I had made but not yet used.  I used a stencil to create the background with SU So Saffron and Pacific Point.  The little easter bunny, chick, eggs and sentiment are all from a Spring set I have.  The added little bits of grasses are from SU High Tide.  The sequins are from SU and I added some tiny pearls in the middle of them. 

I don't tend to send Easter cards any more - my mum always liked to get them but sadly she's no longer with me.  I might just have to find someone to give this one too though.




 

SPARKLES CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE - FEATURE A CREATURE

Our Challenge over at Sparkles Christmas Challenge this month is feature a creature.  I love robins at any time of year - they are my favourite bird and I always have a number of families living in my garden.  Sad that they really only live a few years and they are very territorial.   

My card today uses a bird stamp I had in my stash I'm not sure where I got it from - the background branches are from SU's Colourful Seasons.  I sponged the background paper, tore the edges and added snow with a white gel pen.  

Thanks for stopping by - why not come along to the challenge and join in - a great way to add extra Christmas cards through the year.