APERTURE CARD

I'm playing along with Global Design Project #GDP177 with this card and decided to do an aperture card as I've never done one before.

GDP has a colour pallette for us to work with - 



I used a combination of thinlets from two sets for the foliage - Jar of Love and Colourful Seasons.  The butterfly is from a retired set Nature's Perfection which fits the retired butterfly punch perfectly. I coloured in the balloons on the sentiment with some of the Melon Mambo.  A touch of copper thread and some Wink of Stella on the flowers and the butterfly just gives that touch of sparkle.

I run a Facebook Group called The Joy of Sets with over 3,000 members where we celebrate all things SU both retired and current so I'm often seen using my old set.  As I'm not a Demo there is no pressure to keep using new stuff and I love to use old favourites.

GLOBAL DESIGN PROJECT - WINTER WOODS

I've turned to Stampin Up's Winter Woods for my card for the Global Design Project  #gdp160   challenge today - it's a Case the Designer challenge



I first stamped in Pear Pizazz the bare trees from an old SU set Warmth and Wonder.  I cut out the large conifer tree from Winter Woods - mainly because I don't have the matching framelits.  I used an X-Acto knife to cut a small slit in the tree and slid the greeting inside the tree.  The sentiment is also from Warmth and Wonder. 

I used a piece of burlap ribbon for the background and popped it all up on dimensionals.  The background in Soft Suede has been embossed with the holly embossing folder and I've added some non SU dazzling rhinestones in copper to add a touch of bling.  The tree is also covered in Wink of Stella.



 

MEMORIES

A step back in time on my blog today to a very old set from Stampin Up called Summer by the Sea - one of my favourites and one that hasn't been used in a long long time.  I think it dates back to 2005!!  As you may know if your read my blog regularly I am all about retired sets - that's why I started my Facebook Group The Joy of Sets - to celebrate stamps old and new - particularly Stampin' Up as they change so often.  It's such a shame I think for demos to buy the stamps and not always get a long time to use them - on my Group you can still share your products made with retired stamps!

I was inspired by Dawn Griffith to do a step card.

I wanted to keep my card with the muted colours of sand and so used Very Vanilla for my cardstock base.  I then used some SU  DSP Wood Textures for my backings and some of the papers from Kaisercraft Beach Shack which has the lovely sand on the boardwalk paper.  

I stamped both the image of the boy playing in the sand and the little girl looking out to sea possibly and kept the colours muted.  I used some old SU inks here including More Mustard, Daffodil Delight and Creamy Caramel for the sand, together with Pumpkin Pie, Early Espresso and Soft Suede.  There is also a touch of Flirty Flamingo inked off to make it very pale for the skin.  All the edges were sponged with More Mustard.  

The sentiments are from a small little set I have from Papermania and I thought they went perfectly with the imagery.  The little butterfly just finishes off the card as well as a touch of Wink of Stella on the sand to make it glisten.

I loved doing this card - it really took me back to when my children were young and a particular holiday we spent in Mexico when we lived in Houston.

I'm putting this card into the following challenges:

TIME Out Challenge - and their word prompt of Sand 
SUO Challenge - Babies and Kids 
Global Design Project - #gdp153 - Colour challenge 
Retro Rubber #rrcb94- Anything Goes





 

SHARE WHAT YOU LOVE

Challenge blogs!  There are lots of them out there and I was just musing over what I expect from playing along with them.  Is it the anticipation that your project may get chosen and clicking back on and seeing your name as the winner?  That's a great incentive I must say.  I love the fact that members of the team take the effort to come onto my blog and make a comment.  I'm on a Design Team myself and I ensure that I always comment if people have taken the time to join in.  There are a few blogs however that never seem to comment or choose winners and I'm slowly giving them a bit of a wide berth.

  Global Design Project   challenge this week is a sketch 

I wanted to use some new products from the new catalogue but I am still waiting for my order to arrive - two weeks so far - eek I'm normally quite patient!  So I decided to use some of the new Share What You Love DSP which was gifted to me.  I used some old SU punches to cut out the flowers and a retired SU embossing folder for the hearts background.  The sentiment is from an old SU set called Riveting.  The lace ribbon is also retired but the pearls are Share What You Love pearls.  A mix of the old and the new! 

 

GLOBAL DESIGN PROJECT

The Challenge over at Global Design Project this week is a Case the Designer challenge.  The card on offer is very similar to one I did last week so I thought I'd better not replicate that one and try and do something different.  Here's the challenge card:



Here's the card I did last week - quite similar. 

I steered away from the Share What You Love papers and had a look to see what other current papers I had I could use and found my Wood Textures DSP.  I've added some Burlap Ribbon and cut out a frame for the sentiment with the Stitched Framelits.  The Sentiment is from Colourful Seasons and I've added the branch from the matching Seasonal Layers framelits and a cute little button with some linen thread.

 

IN THIS WORLD

I always seem to be a bit behind the times when it comes to Stampin Up sets - I seem to fall in love with them after they've retired!  This is what happened with In This World - a set I've only just started using and I love it.  It gives me the chance to do the sort of cards I really love - which is lots of layers, inking and vintage style.

I started off with a piece of ST Cardstock in Pool Party - with some retired DSP which has been torn and inked up in Soft Suede.  I stamped the butterfly image and the key from In This World and used the dots from Painter's Palette.  The door was inked sponged and cut out and added on top of some Burlap Ribbon.  The butterfly was cut out of Bold Butterfly thinlets and the small butterfly punched out with a retired SU punch.  A touch of ribbon and thread is added to the butterfly.  The words are from the set and were stamped and cut out and added on dimensionals - very fiddly.

This card shows my love of crafting and what got me into it - I love the inking and when I first got my Big Shot it was a revelation.  Global Design Project  #143 have asked us to show what got us into crafting and this has all the elements for me.

I'm also including this into the following challenges

As You See It Challenge - FRESH - this was a fresh stamp set for me 
TGIF Challenges - Doodle - I doodled on the door adding inked bits for shading 




 

SHARE WHAT YOU LOVE....

I was so overwhelmed to be RAK'd a sample of these gorgeous papers from a member of my RAK team on my Facebook Page Joy of Sets recently.  How generous is the lovely Margaret Reuter! 

I decided to use some of these lovely papers for the challenge over at Global Design Project this week #GDP142.  They gave us a sketch to work with 

I used a retired embossing folder from SU for the background dots and some of the lovely green twine.  The little flower was fussy cut out of some of the matching papers and added to the Stitched Framelits with some Share What You Love Artisan Pearls. The sentiment is from Watercolor Wings. 

These are definitely my kind of colours and there may be lots of examples from me using this lovely Designer Series Paper.



 

KINDA ELECTIC - COLLAGE STYLE

So I have a new stamp set and am playing with it like mad - I'm late to the Kinda Eclectic by Stampin' Up! party as it's a retired set - it passed me by in the catalogue and it was only looking through Pinterest that I saw some cards made with it and realised what a lovely versatile set it is.

I've done a CAS card with it and thought I'd do more of a collage look to the set - my card is going in to the Global Design Project challenge this week which is Bring Me Sunshine.  You can't get much better than that huge sun stamp which is part of the set.

My colours on this card are all Stampin Up inks - I used Old Olive, Crushed Curry, Fresh Fig and a touch of Crumb Cake and Soft Suede for the edges and the sentiment.  I used the Banner Framelits to cut out the sentiment which comes from SU Thankful Thoughts, and you can just see the background of the stamped circles which come with this set.  I still have my SU butterfly punches which retired a while back but which fit these butterflies perfectly.  A touch of basic pearls and gold thread finish off the card.

I'm off to do some more playing with this lovely set....I hope you don't get bored seeing too much of it.




 

HEARTS COME HOME - GLOBAL DESIGN PROJECT #106

See I told you it wouldn't be long until I started using the Christmas stamps again - I'm a sucker for Christmas cards so I do hope you don't mind if I throw the odd one in here and there so early in the season - I know its still September!!!

The Global Design Project has a sketch challenge this week 







That circle just screamed the Santa and reindeer from the Hearts Come Home new set from this year's Winter Catalogue.    I only have the stamps - not the framelits to go with it but this set can still be used without them.

 I used the little dots from the set to create the snow effect and used white embossing powder.  Stitched framelits were used for the circles and the Be Merry Designer Series Paper from the main catalogue.  The gorgeous ribbon is Double Stitched Ribbon in Cherry Cobbler.  The sentiment and the tree is from the same set and was also embossed with White Embossing Powder.

There is lots of inspiration over at the challenge blog - do pop along and be inspired!

 Watercooler Wednesday

 

Sadly I had to relinquish my Design Team position at Watercooler Wednesday but that doesn't mean I can't still join in with their challenges and this week it's Marsha doing a Christmas Challenge.  Pop along to the Challenge and have a look at the fabulous work the DT do. 

I'm therefore adding this card in to Marsha's Challenge also.

HAPPY CRAFTING

 

PRETTY KITTY - GLOBAL DESIGN PROJECT #GDP084

Pretty Kitty isn't a new set - but its new to me and I'm absolutely loving it.  I wasn't sure at first when I saw it but I just love colouring in the little kitties - they remind me of the cats from the Disney Aristocats - one of my favourites when I was growing up.  I'm so pleased that its continuing another year so I'll get lots of fun out of it.

The challenge over at Global Design Project is CASEing the Designer who is Michelle Last.  I am lucky enough to have Michelle as my upline's upline and to be part of her Pinkies team.  Here's her card for us to have a play with:





 She did birds I did cats - never the twain shall meet!!! A bit of a poignant card for me really because my daughter has had one of her cats go missing.  He's a six year old chocolate Burmese and she's only had him less than a year as he was a rescue - he has a liver condition and he's been missing for nearly a week now and time seems to be running out for finding him.

I used the Stampin Write markers in the 2016/17 colours to colour in the flowers.  The Kitty was coloured in with our Watercolour pencils and a blender pen.  The Pot is coloured in with Pacific Point ink and the blender pen.  The little flowers have some basic rhinestones on them and of course a splash of Wink of Stella over the pot and the cat.

I took part of the saying and inked it with Pacific Point ink and left the last word off and add some dots.  The Thank You is from Thankful Thoughts.

I wrapped some of the Copper Metallic Thread around the card - just to finish it off.

Just in case you haven't seen all of this cute set -if you wish to purchase click on the image below

 Thanks for stopping by.  I do appreciate it.

HAPPY CRAFTING



 

EASTER BOXES - GLOBAL DESIGN PROJECT #GDP071

The Challenge over at Global Design Project #GDP071 this week is a 3D challenge.

Which is very handy for me as I'm in the process of organising some Video Tutorials for Feb featuring Easter Boxes.

Here's one of the first which is the very popular Origami Box.  This is not my invention - I first saw it on Dawn Griffiths' blog and she in turn saw it on Elaine's blog and so the internet twirls round!

For my twist on it - I've used some of our lovely DSP Stacks paper which has some gorgeous papers suitable for Spring and Easter.  This colour yellow is so vibrant you can't help but think of spring and daffodils (Welsh girl see) and I think its a really cheery box.

It takes a lot of folding but once you know where you are going with it its so easy to make and you can adjust the sizes.

I will link up the tutorial here cause its easier to see it being folded than try and describe.

For the flower on the top I punched out the same paper with the scallop punch and just cut it into a twirl.  I added some of the leaves from the Botanical Framelits, the only bit of stamping (!), and some enamel dots.

 

GLOBAL DESIGN PROJECT - SHADOW STAMPING - BEAUTIFUL YOU

The Challenge over at Global Design Project this week is a sketch.  Quite a simple straightforward sketch and sometimes these can be tricky!

We were allowed to change it round a bit so I've turned mine upside down slightly and used the Shadow Stamping Technique with the Beautiful You stamp set.  This card was all about the greys - must be the weather here in the UK.  Although the inked background for the embossing was actually Soft Sky but it turned out rather grey. She has Wink of Stella on the main image which really makes it shine.

The sentiment comes from the Love and Affection stamp set and I used the Banner Framelits to cut it out.

This technique uses Embossing resist - stamp your main image and then, using a Stamp-a-ma-Jig reposition the same image in Versamark ink.  Then simply ink over however you prefer - direct with ink and a sponge dauber or watercolouring.  You will find that the Versamarked image pops.

We will be trying this technique at class next week with my regular ladies. If you are in my area and would like to come and craft do get in touch - I hold classes regularly at my home.

 Check out my YouTube Tutorial to show how I made this card.

HAPPY CRAFTING

 

BOOKCASE BUILDER -GLOBAL DESIGN PROJECT

I'm surprised that I haven't seen much use of this new set out of the Spring Summer Catalogue yet - I quite like this Bookcase Builder set and think that it will be great for scrapbooking pages as well as cards.

The first is for the Global Design Project challenge this week which has given us a colour challenge of Delightful Dijon. Silver and another colour. I don't have any cardstock in this colour but do have some ink.  I've chosen to add Early Espresso as my extra colour and a touch of DSP from the Designer Series Stacks which are so versatile.

Once again I've done a baby card which is very unlike me.  What a gorgeous sentiment this is though - it calls out to be used.  I just love these images in this set and even if you don't use it to make bookcase, this card should show how versatile this set is.  My touch of silver comes from the Dazzling Details Silver Sparkle on the Teddy's bow.

 

 SUPPLIES

Cardstock - Very Vanilla, Early Espresso

DSP - DSP stack

Inks - Delightful Dijon, Early Espresso, Daffodil Delight

Accessories - Linen Thread, Dazzling Details Silver Sparkle, 

 
The second example is a Valentine card.

 It is certainly true in my house where our bookcases are groaning with my husband's flyfishing books and paraphanalia.  The simple sentiment says it all and hubby isn't one for lots of words so I think he'll love this.

 SUPPLIES:

 Cardstock - Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler

DSP - Serene Scenery

Stampsets - Bookcase Builder, Birthday Blooms (for the hearts across the top)

Accessories - Linen Thread - Wink of Stella (on the trophy), Enamel Shapes, Dimensionals.

 If you use this set - do pop by and let me know so I can come and have a look.

As usual all supplies can be purchased from my store if you are in the UK.

Click on the logo below to be taken direct to my store.

  

HAPPY CRAFTING

 

BANNERS FOR CHRISTMAS #GDP062

I love mistletoe and its one of the three staples of my Christmas decorations along with the Holly and Ivy which I collect from woods near my home.  Its part of my Christmas tradition and the house is festooned with it.  I'm not a lover of plastic or foil decorations - natural for me all the way.

So it makes sense that I love the mistletoe stamp from the Banners for Christmas set but, as I've said before, I've not seen it used much in blogland or Pinterest. 

The challenge over at Global Design Project this week screamed the mistletoe stamp for me.  The challenge is a sketch challenge shown below



 
 and I've turned it on its side and made it portrait instead of landscape.

I've used  Early Espresso for the cardstock and to ink up the mistletoe stamp along with some of the Presents and Pinecones DSP.

 


 I've coloured in the mistletoe with Mint Macaron and added loads of Basic Rhinestones where the berries should be to make it sparkle - I don't think it shows up very well in the photo.  The sentiment is also from Banners for Christmas making this a very versatile set.

Thank you for stopping by my blog.  All products can of course be purchased from my online store.

 

Happy Crafting 

 
 

RAK - GLOBAL DESIGN PROJECT

The Global Design Project has a great challenge this week - Random Acts of Kindness.  I've been making lots of these box cards with attached tealights - they make great presents and so far I've made a New Home one and a 60th birthday one - 

My entry for the GDP is a Christmas one.  I've used the lovely Candy Cane Lane DSP and Real Red cardstock.

 The size fits three little tea lights perfectly - I think Yankee Candles are slightly bigger than these ones though.

 I cut out the house from the DSP and attached it to one of the Merry Tag Framelits and attached to the card with some lovely Candy Cane Lane Baker's Twine.  I used  Banners for Christmas Framelits for the sentiment and the sentiment itself came from Jar of Love.

The ribbon is Very Vanilla Stitched Satin - so beautiful to work with.

The whole card is then presented in a lovely box - I used Real Red Cardstock for the base and Candy Cane Lane DSP for the top.  A belly band was made in the same DSP and I used the Decorative Label punch with sentiments from Sweet Home stamp set.

If you would like to purchase a PDF tutorial for this project for £1.50 please lick on the paypal button below.