Merry Mojo

Just a short post tonight as I can't wait to get back to actually creating with my new items from the Holiday catalogue that is to be released on Saturday.  This card I have made to enter in the Mojo Monday challenge this week.

I kept it fairly simple, wanting the cute little gingerbread man to be the focal point.  I was pondering how to add a sentiment and decided it would be cute to make him a little flag to hold.

I used the Tiny Tags for the sentiment, needing something fairly small to fit into the flag that I cut with the Bitty Banners Framelits dies.  This is the smallest of the banners and so cute, I cut off one end and adhered to a tooth pick that I coloured with Early Espresso and chopped down to size.  A few rhinestones and a spray of shimmer mist adds a little bling.

Happy Stamping

Festive Sketch

I had some time on the weekend to make a few cards, but for some reason didn't get to upload them!  I made this one on Friday night using the sketch from Festive Friday Challenge.  

I turned the sketch on it's side because I wanted to use this stamp from Tags til Christmas, I chose not to use the "to from" on the stamp so coloured it with markers and then added the Merry Christmas from the Petite Pairs stamp set. I used the new Christmas paper Be of Good Cheer DSP - I just love the Christmas paper this year, so bright and happy. Primary colours are Gumball Green and Cherry Cobbler with Very Vanilla as the neutral.  I used one of the new Vintage Faceted Designer Buttons (love these) and a small Cherry Cobbler button as my accents.  The Vintage Faceted button has a small circle of Cherry Cobbler behind it to add some colour. 

Happy Stamping

Bright Mojo Monday

I sat down tonight and flicked through some of the challenges on my Google Reader and saw this one from Mojo Monday Challenge, I immediately knew what I wanted to do and sat down to make a quick mid-week creation.  I love it when the creativity just flows, even if it is just a simple card.

Now there is a small change from my original idea, I was going to use the square-ish die from the Apothecary Accents Framelits, but it was a bit big for what I was after.  Instead I decided on the Tag Punch.  The DSP is from Summer Smooches and the Stamp from the matching set Bright Blossoms, I chose the sentiment from Teeny Tiny Sentiments. I added a single rhinestone to the flower for just a touch of bling.

Happy Stamping

Floral Thanks

I am on fire today, all that mojo that has been hiding seems to have come back! Maybe it is the playing with new toys that has me creating so much at the moment, whatever it is, I like it!  I liked the simplicity of this sketch from Pals Paper Arts.

I used the new Floral District DSP that I got with my pre-order from the new Annual Catalogue, I love the colours and would never had put them together until I saw this paper!  I have again used two of the new dies from the Apothecary Accents Framelits for the front of the card, don't they look great layered together like this? I cut a small slit in the bottom frame and threaded the seam binding through.  The sentiment from Perfect Punches is from the current catalogue but will be carrying over to the new one too - I can see me pairing these two up a fair bit in the future.  I tried the sentiment in Baja Breeze with Tangerine Tango sponging but I think this way around looks much better.  

Happy Stamping

Almost Binned!

I have been a bit busy last night and today.  I have joined a card front swap with some other Stampin' Up! demonstrators with items coming out in the new catalogue, so I made a great card front ... I just can't show you yet or it will spoil the surprise!

What I can show you is a card I worked on this afternoon.  It started out with the three little butterflies that I coloured in using three of the new In-Colours - Summer Starfruit, Raspberry Ripple and Primrose Petals.  I wasn't really sure I liked how they turned out and they were headed for the bin, until my lovely daughter said she thought they looked amazing.  I have to say I am really happy with how it turned out, just goes to show that even scraps can become art.

Happy Stamping

Ginger Jar

Time for another play with Apothecary Accents Framelits dies,  I CASEd this card from one Sharon at Created By You.  Sharon called this a "bell jar" but I know them as ginger jars, a friend of mine had a couple of them that she had turned into bedside light bases.  For my card I chose a base of Midnight Muse with an embossed layer of Bashful Blue.

Because these jars are made of ceramics I chose to use Glossy White card stock, and because of the more juicy nature of the new style ink pads I was able to use some clear embossing powder to give it a glossy look too.  The lid of the jar I stamped and embossed as well, the touch of pearls seemed to fit right for me, although the traditional ginger jars I know didn't have them.  

Happy Stamping

More Frames

I sat down today and wanted to create again with my new toys, and knew this sketch from Stampin' Royalty would be the perfect opportunity to use the Apothecary Accents Framelits dies.

Can you believe that this card started out with the Under The Big Top stamp set and Big Top Birthday DSP and a totally different frame!  It transformed in my head to this DSP and the ballerina from Under The Big Top.  From there I just decided to not have a stamped image, just a sentiment and Curly Cute was just perfect.  Isn't it funny how things just come together sometimes?  I don't make many pink cards, but will keep this on hand for just the right occasion.

Happy Stamping

Playing with Pre-Order

One of the great things about being a Stampin' Up! demo is that I get to purchase select items from new catalogues a month before they "go live".   

There are three new items and three retiring items on this card!  The three retiring items are the Domestic Goddess DSP, the Poppy Parade card stock used as the base of the card and the Just For You sentiment from the hostess set Tagtastic.  The three new items are the cute frame in the centre from Apothecary Accents Framelits - this is a set of 4 frames of varying shapes and sizes, I can guarantee you will see these lots more on my cards in the future.  The second new item is one of the new In-Colour markers used to colour in the flowers in the sentiment, and finally, a bit harder to find, is the little triple flower stamp that I stamped in VersaMark on the base card.  I wanted something to give some life to the background card and realised that this little stamp was a great match for the flowers on the DSP.

Off to have more of a play with my new items!

Happy Stamping

Something Old and Something New

I am entering the Sunny Challenges & Creations challenge today, they have a combination of a sketch and a birthday theme.  I am behind on sending out birthday cards at the moment so I decided this was a great opportunity to kill two birds with one stone!

Speaking of birds, I just love the little bird in Betsy's Blossoms.  This was one of the sets we could buy in pre-order and I just LOVE it!  The big bursting blossom is also part of the set, as are the stamped images on the background paper.  I made 19 of these cards, using a variety of the retiring in-colours, matching the main flower image and border on the framelit to the background card stock.  Now I just have to pop them in the post and hope the recipients like them!

Happy Stamping

New In-Colour Challenge

This morning just before I left for work a Postie knocked on my front door and had my pre-order for the new Annual Catalogue.  I had time to open the box, hug my new catalogue, and then head off to work!  Talk about torture.  I was so excited to try the new In-Colours and in the new style of ink pad too, so how perfect is the Hand Stamped Sentiments challenge this week - to use all of the new in-colours.  I went in search of a sketch and settled on the Mojo Monday challenge, I figured all the layers would be perfect for the number of colours I wanted to add.

For the first time ever I now qualify for a Title Bundle - a special bundle of coordinating products that I got at a 20% discount because I promoted with Stampin' Up! the bundle this year included this cute set Betsy's Blossoms and so I was itching to ink it up.  I like the layers and the mix of stamps on this card, it certainly isn't "clean and simple" like my last card more like "bright and busy" lol.  I stamped the bird image twice, once in the new Midnight Muse, and once in VersaMark on the Summer Starfruit and then embossed with white embossing powder.  I cut the wings from the second bird and lined up on the first image, then popped the bird up on Dimensionals.  The sentiment is from Loving Thoughts, I am so glad this set is continuing in the new Annual catalogue this year.

Happy Stamping

CAS Blue Bird

I can't believe I sat down this afternoon with no mojo, and have since made two cards!  This one was a challenge for me as I struggle a bit with Clean And Simple card layouts, I have made it to enter into three challenges: Stamping 411 for the sketch, CASology with a bird theme, and Less Is More colour scheme of blue and green. 

Now that I have started brayering neutral DSP I am a bit hooked on it, it is a great way to get a good match when you don't have just the right paper around, here I have used Marina Mist.  I stamped the cute little bird from Language of Friendship in StazOn ink onto Watercolour paper and then coloured using a mix of Bashful Blue and Marina Mist.  I have to say as much as I struggle with the concept of clean and simple cards they are fairly quick to make once the planning is done.

Happy Stamping

Friendship Card

With the list of Stampin’ Up! retiring stamp sets released on 1^st August I have decided to get the most out of these sets before they go for good, so have used Vintage Vogue for this week’s entry into the Freshly Made Sketches and Dynamic Duo challenges.

I knew the combination of bright colours would be great for this set, the Wild Wasabi for the leaves and vines and the Pumpkin Pie for the flowers.  I did find that the Pumpkin Pie was just a bit to intense for the more vintage look I was after so did some stamping off to achieve a lighter shade.  I wanted to add ruffled seam binding in Crumb Cake to match the base card and finished it off with the Monogram sentiment also from the Vintage Vogue set.  I just love the vine stamp in the set for making backgrounds with and used it in Wild Wasabi for the side panel.  

Happy Stamping

Going ... Going ...

Almost gone!  

Retirement List - Stamps

Retirement List - Accessories

It is just one month out from the release of the new Annual Catalogue for Stampin' Up! and that means that the Retirement List is out with all those items that won't make it into the next catalogue. It can be a bit sad to see some of our favourites on the retirement list, but I find this an exciting time because we can't fit new items in without making some room.

This year you will notice that the Classic Stampin' Pads are all on the retirement list, don't panic, this is because Stampin' Up! have designed a new ink pad with a number of great new features - but more on that closer to their release!

The important thing to note for the Retirement List

• All items are "while stocks last" - so if you love something order it asap
• Only select Stampin' Write Markers will be available individually (Stampin' Write Markers in Colour Collections will continue to be offered)
• 12" x 12" Textured Card Stock will NO LONGER be offered
• 12" x 12" Smooth Card Stock will only be available in select individual colours and colour collections

The links above will be updated by Stampin' Up! each week day to reflect what items are still available.

If you love something don't delay and risk being disappointed contact me to place an order.

Happy Stamping