SUMMER'S HERE

Yay - for the last two day's Summer has arrived in the UK and we are now sweltering under 30 degree heat.  The UK homes don't work well with this heat -we don't have air con and my house is definitely a winter house.  But hey - lovely to see the sun and I'm lucky enough to be able to take advantage of it.  So today I shall be crafting in the garden.

But before I go I have a few challenges to catch up with.  The first is Sam Hammond's Colour Challenge which this week was Melon Mambo, Watermelon Wonder, Cucumber Crush, and Crushed Curry.  You'll find her challenge HERE.  As its sunny outside and there are quite a few butterflies flying around my veggies I thought I would use the Papillon Potpourri set.  The beautiful rose from  Picture Perfect has also been used as the background stamp using Versamark.  

The sentiment is from the Shooting Star set.  I've popped one of the butterflies up on dimensionals after punching it out with the butterfly pun ch and added a few rhinestones for some sparkle.

I used Melon Mambo, Whisper White and Crushed Curry.

I've used the polymer stamps here and would love to know how to stop them staining when using the Melon Mambo or Watermelon Wonder.  I did try stamping with Versamark first and it helped a bit.  Any advice gratefully received.


I'm also putting this card in for the Less is More Challenge which is asking for repitition though I think I've put too much on the card and not enough "white" space.  Their Challenge is HERE

I had to have another play with the Repetition theme - I just love it.  Here I've used the Playful Backgrounds set and the Papillon Potpourri again punched out with the butterfly punch on Designer Series Paper Rich Razzleberry.  The stripes have been stamped in Rich Razzleberry Ombre Stamping Pad. The sentiment is from Shooting Star.

I'm also putting this one in for the Addicted to CAS challenge - their theme is Stripes.

 Thanks for stopping by and do leave a comment.

Happy Crafting 

 

THREE STAMP SETS - FEELING BLUE?

 I didn't think I'd have time for any more crafting before I go away on holiday but I managed to sneak one in this evening.  I don't often do blue cards but found myself drawn to all these different blues this evening.  My card is inspired by the sketch on As You See It challenge. Click on their sketch to be taken to their challenge.





I've used three stamp sets for this card.  The stripes are from the Playful Backgrounds set.  I love this set - its so versatile.  They have been stamped in Soft Sky and I used Wink of Stella over the top to make them sparkle a bit.   The dots are from Painter's Palette and the sentiment is from Picture Perfect.  I've used some of our Designer Series Paper in Subtles for the background paper and the flower which is from the Botanical Builder framelits.  One of our enamel shapes in the middle finishes the flower.  I quite like the soft colours in this card - I may find I use blue more often.

 I think you can just about see the Wink of Stella sparkle.  I think my WOS may be on its way out.  I read a great tip from someone that, once its empty, fill it with water and you can still use it!

 Happy Crafting

Thanks for stopping by and do leave a comment - I love to read what you think.

Fiona

THE NON HOP BLOG HOP!

I should have been part of the Pootlers blog hop today but due to some scheduling issues and my blog being half an hour later than it should have been I've sadly been removed from the Hop.

Here's my card anyway.

I have chosen three new sets to show you - Painter's Palette, Thankful Thoughts, and Playful Backgrounds.  I have also used Botanical Builder Framelits for the flower.

I have also used some of our new In-Colours here.  The card base is Very Vanilla.  I have added a strip of Sweet Sugarplum which has been inked in Versamark with one of the Playful Background stamps.  The Versamark gives you that lovely tone on tone effect.

The picture frame is from Painter's Palette.  The background stamp of Dapper Denim was stamped off with the inside of the easel frame from Painter's Palette.  This gives you an extra square background stamp.

Using the Botanical Builder Framelits and the Big Shot , the flower has been cut out in Dapper Denim and the leaves in Emerald Envy.  A touch of our baker's twine to hang the picture from the little pin, also stamped in Dapper Denim.


The sentiment comes from a great set Thankful Thoughts and has been inked in Dapper Denim.

All products can be purchased direct from my Store - click on the image below and take advantage of my Hostess Code for June if your order is under £150.  If your order is over £150, please do not use this code as you become the hostess and get the Rewards!

HAPPY CRAFTING

BUTTERFLIES - TGIF CHALLENGE - #38 COLOUR CHALLENGE

 I've found a new challenge site this week and it couldn't have been more apt as I've been playing with lots of bright colours recently.  I think its because the weather is so dull in the UK and I need a bit of sunshine.  So I loved the idea of playing with these three colours but..... I also found it quite difficult adding in that Pumpkin Pie.  Its not Halloween and I realise I only really use orange colours around Autumn time.  So this was a true challenge for me.

I wanted to do some watercolouring but lo and behold where oh where was my Aqua Painter when I needed it.  So frustrating - I turned everything upside down, found a few things I'd forgotten about but sadly no Aqua painter so I had to re-think.  I don't know about you but once I've set my mind on a particular project it was hard to think of something else.

So I looked at my new sets from the new Catalogue and wanted to use the Playful Backgrounds.  So far I've only used the brush strokes and the stripes from it so I thought it was time the circles or bubbles had an outing.  I stamped them in Pumpkin Pie and Daffodil Delight on a Whisper White background, mounted on to Melon Mambo. 

 Yesterday I had also been playing with a new fun technique of embossing vellum and already had these butterflies from Papillon Potpourri  ready made in the correct colours.  So on they went.

TECHNIQUE TIP

The technique I used was to firstly ink up my Brayer with Daffodil Delight and ink the vellum so that it is covered.  Then leave it to dry.  It does take quite a while or you can use a heat tool.    I then stamped the small butterflies onto the vellum in Melon Mambo ink and again waited til they were dry.  This is not a quick technique lol! 

When they are dry I used the Bitty Butterfly punch to punch them out.  Turn them over onto your Stampin Pierce Mat and, with the thin end of a stylus, rub firmly but gently over the back of them.  The vellum starts to crack and the white imaging comes through giving the butterflies an added dimension.

The large butterfly was stamped in Melon Mambo and inked in Daffodil Delight.  I used the Elegant Butterfly punch to cut it out and it was mounted onto another butterfly cut out of Daffodil Delight.  The finishing touches of Enamel Shapes in the three colours completed the butterfly.

The sentiment was simply layered and comes from the new Shooting Star set.  I thought the sentiment was quite apt for these butterflies.

 

PICTURE PERFECT ROSE

 

Playing with the Picture Perfect stamp set again but this time its the three step Rose stamp.

The challenge over at Time Out challenges this week is to use flowers or weeds - There are no weeds in my garden!!!  I tell a lie - there are lots really. I like to think of it as a natural garden - my mother-in-law says I'm just lazy!  You will find the challenge here

The Challenge over at Use Your Stuff #224, a new challenge to me, is asking for you to use inks, inks and more inks.  My card uses normal ink, marker pens and versarmark ink. You'll find their challenge here.

So my flower card today has no weeds.  I've stamped the rose using only two of the steps and then fussy cut it out and popped it on to dimensionals.  It was stamped using Night of Navy and Dapper Denim.  

The background uses two stamps sets,  Playful Backgrounds and one of the stamps from Painter's Palette.  The inks used were some of the new In-Colours, Sweet Sugarplum and Flirty Flamingo as Stampin' Write Marker pens. 

I also used some of the leaf stamps and also a touch of the Botanical Framelits for the two cut out leaves.  The inks were stamped in Garden Green and Mint Macaron.

The sentiment was clear embossed.  I used versamark on Night of Navy ink and then clear embossed.  The easiest way to emboss your ink colours.  The sentiment is from the Picture Perfect set.

The pearls on the bottom have been inked with a Dapper Denim Stampin' Write marker to blend in.  

Whisper White layered onto Night of Navy Cardstock completes the card.

Hope you like my card.

Supplies:

Card Stock                       Whisper White, Night of  Navy

Stamp Sets                        Picture Perfect, Playful Backgrounds, Painter's Palette

Inks                                    Night of Navy, Dapper Denim, Garden Green, Mint Macaron, 

Stampin Write Markers   Flirty Flamingo, Dapper Denim

Embellishments                 Perfect Pearls, Versarmark, Clear Embossing poweder

SHOP HERE 

Don't forget to add the hostess code

AS YOU SEE IT CHALLENGE #135

I found a new challenge this week to play along with.  As You See It challenge had a sketch for us to use as inspiration.  You can play along with the challenge here.

This is the sketch they gave us to work with.

I've used all Stampin' Up! naturally, some new stamps and some current stamps.

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The cardstock base is Crumb Cake, layered with Mint Macaron and Very Vanilla.  The Inks used are Watermelon Wonder and a touch of Mint Macaron on the butterfly.

The background stripes are from the new Playful Backgrounds set and I thought they suited this challenge perfectly.  The sentiment is from the Love and Affection new set and the butterfly is from the current Papillon Potpourri. A touch of Dazzling Diamonds on the butterfly adds a bit of sparkle and a touch of Mint Macaron ribbon finishes off the card.

I'm pleased with the way this turned out and really love these colours together.  Hope you do too.

 

Papillon Potpourri Clear-Mount Stamp Set

Price: £14.00

 

 

 

 

PAINTER'S PALLETTE - SHADES OF GREY - PAPILLON POTPOURRI - PICTURE PERFECT - PLAYFUL BACKGROUNDS

 

Unbelievably on this CAS card I've used a total of 4 Stampin' Up! sets on this card. Two from the new catalogue and two which are still with us. Painter's Palette,and Playful Backgrounds are new,  Papillon Potpourri and Picture Perfect are old favourites.

I'm so loving this new set which will be out in the new Catalogue called Painter's Palette.  You get a total of 9 stamps, three of which are sentiments.  I've used the easel here and the background stamps are from Playful Backgrounds and are stamped in an old SU colour Going Gray.  The Butterfly is from Papillon Potpourri and the little sentiment is from Picture Perfect both stamped in Watermelon Wonder.  My inspiration for this card was the new challenge set by Time Out challenges - you will find their challenge here.

Not long to wait now for the new catalogue launch - if you haven't ordered your new catalogue yet you get one for free if you order from me over £25.