BEST BIRDS - INKSPIRATIONAL CHALLENGE

Oh dear its looking like a Best Birds week again!  It's not intentional, honest!

The challenge over at Inkspirational this week is yet another think outside the box challenge.  Just look at this gorgeous photo of this shop window - I would love to go in there and have a mooch around.  This is our inspiration for this week's challenge.




My card really doesn't do this lovely window justice - and I'm not completely happy with it - it didn't quite evolve as it did in my head lol!

I used some of the now retiring SU DSP in Serene Scenery for the circles and cut them out with the Stitched Framelits. I spotted the duck egg blue in the picture and so used Soft Sky cardstock and ink for my card. I've used the Bird out of the Birds and Blooms Framelits to represent all those lovely feathers in the window.  It was inked in Soft Sky and Early Espresso.  A touch of a Basic Pearl is his eye.

I then spotted all those lovely bottles and things in the window so I headed for my Bookcase Builder set and had a play with some of those images.

The Sentiment came from Thankful Thoughts.  The background stars came from the retiring Botanical Blooms.  I try not to use too many sets but I just needed to in this instance.

 

STAMPIN' UP BEST BIRDS

The challenge over at Less is More is a colour challenge.  Now yellow is not my go-to colour very often so this was indeed a challenge for me.





Yellow Bird, the song, was a family favourite when I was growing up and it was one of the songs I was always requested to sing so my first choice for this challenge had to be Best Birds.  I did a colour wash of an old SU grey colour called Going Gray as my base and then stamped the crackle stamp from this set. I used the framelits to cut out the branch and the bird.  The Bird was coloured with Daffodil Delight using an SU Blender pen and popped up on dimensionals.  The sentiment is from Thankful Thoughts.

This will be one of the cards going out to my customer's this month to say thank you for shopping with me.

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



 

THANKFUL THOUGHTS - GLOBAL DESIGN PROJECT #082

I'm pleased that this set is staying for another year cause I've loved using it on my thank you cards. 

The  challenge over at Global Design Project #082 this week is a sketch challenge.

 

 I've used Thankful Thoughts for my card.  Sometimes sentiment stamps get left in the bottom of the cupboard or don't get used as the main attraction in their own right.  Here I've let it have star of the show!  I've used Succulent Garden Design Series Paper which we will be having to saying goodbye to and it is also a fond farewell to Watermelon Wonder. I liked this colour so I've used it here.  It looks big and bold and definitely has a statement to make!
 
 

 There's a touch of the Copper Metallic Thread behind the sentiment which you can just see in the close up.  Some Enamel Dots finished off this simple card.

 Thank you for stopping by my blog - please leave a comment so I know you've been to see me.

THANKFUL THOUGHTS, AVANT-GARDEN,

They say there are no mistakes in crafting, only creative opportunities.

Well, that's what happened with this card today.  I wanted to make a Thank You card and use the Thankful Thoughts stamp set.  I stamped it first in Early Espresso but it missed a bit on the stamping.  I then tried to restamp it - tricky with rubber stamps and of course it didn't work, but what it did do was create a shadow.  Which I liked.  So I re-did it and added the shadow.

I added some of the flowers from the Sale-A-Bration set Avant Garden - a FREE set if you spend £45 on either of our catalogues.  I also used some of the Botanical Builder Framelits to add a flower.

I'm not a peach lover - well not since the 1980's when I actually had it as wallpaper gulp!  But actually I think it looks quite nice against the black here and with the Early Espresso ink it gives the peach a bit more punch.

Are you a lover of Peekaboo Peach?

 HAPPY CRAFTING

 

LOVELY STITCHING

I'm taking a break from the Christmas stamps - yes honest - to have a go with another new stamp set I've purchased - Lovely Stitching.  At only £15 for 16 stamps this set is a real bargain and such a versatile set.  I haven't seen many examples of it yet in blogland so I think it needs a bit of TLC.

Global Design Project this week have set a colour challenge: Click on the image to be taken to their site.




 

 This is a good challenge for me as I have all of the colours - this isn't always the case - even for an SU Demo! 

 I've used all the colours in the inks as well as the cardstock and a touch of the Flirty Flamingo in that gorgeous Ruched Ribbon.


The Thank You sentiment is from Thankful Thoughts. Quite a simple gentle card and I'm pleased with it for my first play with this set.

 

Happy Crafting

 

 

WATERCOOLER WINNER

I'm so excited to have won the Watercooler Wednesday challenge this week - proudly displaying my badge! Here's the card that did it for me

Here's another example of a card I've done using this lovely DSP paper.  I'm not sure what kind of fold this card is - I was inspired by Dawn Griffith - as per usual.  I love watching her videos and she never fails to cheer me up.

 I've used the Thank You from the Thankful Thoughts set - and the rose on the front is from Birthday Blooms.

Still keeping on the theme of the DSP I'm including a little Tag Top Box into the challenge for Time Out Challenges.  Their theme was inspired by a photograph which gave a wealth of possibilities - I honed in on the Bermuda Bay on those tables. Click on the photo to be taken to their challenge.






I think its ok to add 3d projects instead of just cards for this challenge.  Tricky things to photograph though.  The box is made from a 6x6 piece of DPS - in this case Serene Scenery - and the SU Envelope Punch Board.  The box was inspired by Sam Hammond who has a tutorial on her blog Pootles. The sentiment is from Jar of Love.  The ribbon is grogeous Bermuda Bay Stitched Ribbon.

These little boxes would make lovely Christmas presents, with some Christmas paper - just big enough to hold some sweets or chocolates or small soaps.  Perfect for table settings.  Sorry, I'm thinking Christmas already !!!!!

SERENE SCENERY

I'm loving this 6x6 Designer Series Paper - Serene Scenery and wanted to use it again on my card for two challenges - CAS Colours and Sketches Challenge and As You See It - both have sketches.

CAS colours is the following: click on the image to be taken to their site.


 


The butterfly is from Papillon Potpourri and punched out with our large punch.  The butterfly has been coloured in with Peekaboo Peach and Sweet Sugarplum Marker Pens and a touch of Wink of Stella. The backing paper for the sentiment is another of the Serene Scenery papers and the sentiment is from Jar of Love.

As You See It Challenge also had a sketch - click on the image.


 







I've used three of the papers from the Serene Scenery pack.  The sentiments are from Thankful Thoughts.  The butterfly from Papillon Potpourri was punched out of vellum paper.  The vellum was first inked up in Crushed Curry and left to dry.  Wink of Stella ws added to the You and the Butterfly.

 

 

 YAY- BONUS TIME!   DONT FORGET OUR BONUS DAYS ARE NOW IN PROGRESS - SO IF YOU RECEIVED A BONUS VOUCHER IN JULY NOW'S THE TIME TO SPEND IT THROUGHOUT AUGUST.  JUST CLICK ON THE IMAGE BELOW TO BE TAKEN TO MY STORE.

HAPPY CRAFTING

 

THANKFUL THOUGHTS

Well what can I say about my card today - I think I was having a bit of a lightbulb gone out moment.

My plan was to join in with the Inkspirational challenge - they had given us a photo inspiration as shown below.  With me so far?





There was some great inspiration from the Design Team - mainly with buildings.  I don't have any building type stamps but I thought I would do something quirky like use word stamps upside down
 ...... like this.....

 Something a bit different don't you think?  Not really conventional to have the words going up!  The Thank You sentiment is from Thankful Thoughts - the flowers stamped are from Jar of Love and Birthday Blooms and the flower in the middle is from the Botanical Framelits.  I've used just three colours here - Very Vanilla on Early Espresso card stock.  Early Espresso Ink, Peekaboo Peach and Pear Pizazz.

However - my lightbulb moment came when I decided to watermark my card and suddenly the card turned round and looked like this: Conventional.Doh!

 

 
 

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

PINKIES BLOG HOP SHOOTING STAR, THANKFUL THOUGHTS

Thank  you  for  joining  us  on  another  Pinkies  Blog  Hop!  We're  showcasing  lots  of  gorgeous
projects using products from the new Stampin' Up!® Annual Catalogue. Simply use the
buttons at the end of each post to keep hopping!

Our theme today is New Catalogue Items.   A chance to show you  some of the wonderful new products in our new catalogue.  What can we tempt you with today?


I've used one of the sets I won at Convention - not at first glance my favourite stamp set but I must admit I'm learning to like this one.   Its taken me right outside of my comfort zone with having to think a little bit outside the box on what to do.  I have made a few masculine cards with the stars which come in the set and a few spinner cards but today I'm concentrating on the bees and the hive.

This set also comes as a Bundle with the Sliding Star Framelits Die which I must admit would make cutting out the beehive a lot easier.  But I don't have these yet so my faithful SU snippers helped in this regard.

I'm also not a great lover of insects - bees and butterflies are about my limit.  But I do adore these little bees and, of course, in real life I appreciate the work that bees do for us for our fruits and veg.  I grow a lot of veg in my garden and have some apple trees and know that without these busy little creatures I wouldn't be able to enjoy my home grown fruit and veg.

 I've used Early Espresso Card stock as the base with the stamping done on Very Vanilla.

The larger bee has had his wing coloured with A Wink of Stella.  The background paper for the bee hive was stamped with Versamark ink to give that lovely tone on tone effect of all the bees rushing to the hive.

Some Enamel shapes in Crushed Curry have been added to the bottom.  The bee was coloured in Crushed Curry and Rich Razzleberry.

 For the inside I used another of our new sets called Thankful Thoughts.  It is a set of 10 stamps with some fabulous sentiments on them.   I added another little bee cause you just can't have too many bees.

As bees are in such dire straits at the moment and seem to be dying off wouldn't it be great if we could start a Bee movement #ihelpthebees and make bee cards which somehow we could sell and put the profits towards helping the bees. If we lose our bees, we lose all our fruit and veg!

I just thought I would add this little tip - when I receive my stamps I don't use the stickers to put on the stamps but slide them inside the inner cover of the sleeve.  Then I stick my stamps to the corresponding sticker and its easy to see that all the stamps are in the right place.

Don't forget to follow on to the next blog in our great blog hop.

As usual all products can be purchased from my SU website.  Click on the image below to be taken to my store.