CTC #525 - CASE Kintsugi Inspirations

Welcome to another week at CASEing the Catty Sunday Blog Hop, where utilise the projects within the current Stampin' Up! catalogue to inspire our own projects each week. We also invite you to join with us in the challenge each week by using this inspiration in your own creations and uploading a photo to our Facebook page.

This week we are taking inspiration from the Kintsugi Inspirations Suite on pages 58 to 60 of the Annual Catalogue.  I loved this suite based on the Japanese tradition of repairing broken pots with gold, part of a philosophy that views breaking and repair as part of one's history, celebrating imperfections and recognising resilience. I have loved this concept since I first learned of it many years ago, so was thrilled to see this suite in the catalogue. 

I chose this card from page 60, I love the simplicity but also the way it allows showcasing of different DSP panels. 

This morning I had a chat with a fellow demonstrator this morning, the lovely Jo Weedon, and we discussed that sometimes we get caught up thinking that products should only be used with the other products they coordinate with in the catalogue, and that in doing so our creativity can be impeded. So my additional challenge for this card was to create one in which I purposefully used products from very different suites. I used the dies, sentiment and design from Kintsugi Inspirations, but the DSP and floral stamped images from a new suite that is coming out as an online exclusive next month, the Floral Charm Suite.  I love how it turned out, thanks Jo!

  

I hope you are inspired to join in the challenge this week, just use the projects on pages 58-60 of the Annual Catalogue to inspire your creativity, then post a picture of your project to the CTC Facebook page.

  

Time to hop on over and see what Peta has created this week.

Happy Stamping
Monique

CTC #524 - CASE An Annual Catalogue Technique

Welcome to another week at CASEing the Catty Sunday Blog Hop, where utilise the projects within the current Stampin' Up! catalogue to inspire our own projects each week. We also invite you to join with us in the challenge each week by using this inspiration in your own creations and uploading a photo to our Facebook page.

This week we are taking inspiration from the techniques in the Annual Catalogue, you can either do a word search in the electronic version of the catalogue, or there is a Product Techniques section of the catalogue from pages 104 - 133.

I opted to do a word search and found a technique in the "Fun With Blocks" pages 110 - 111. While I have used my block for stamping, I have never thought to use the side of the blocks to create lines!  Stampin' Up! label this "repeat it". By using multiple colours and directions you can get some really interesting effects. Though I do have some tips for this technique which I will include below.

I have been wanting to do something with my Kintsugi Inspirations Suite, having just bought it as part of the Buy One Get One 50% off promotion. I started with the vase images, knowing I wanted to create the lines to sit behind them.  Having chosen my colours (Lost Lagoon and Petal Pink) I added my block lines to a piece of the Kintsugi Inspirations DSP. The sentiment is from Inspiring Imperfections stamped onto a trimmed label from the Foiled Frames Ephemera Pack.  I added some Flower Accents from the same Suite Collection to add some sparkle. 

I would highly recommend giving this technique a go yourself. Here are some things I learned along the way that might make it easier for you.

• You can block off parts of your lines to create interesting effects. I I added a piece of post-it note to have the lines finish on an angle and love how this turned out.  
• Make sure you are stamping on a soft surface like the Stampin' Pierce Mat, it makes it much easier to get a good image.  
• I found it easier to get even spacing by looking at the edge of the block in comparison to the previously stamped line, rather than trying to look down through the block to line up the existing line. 
• Use different sized blocks for different sized lines, this sounds simple when you read it, but it took me a while to figure out how to get longer and shorter lines! 
• Finally be patient, use scrap paper to try out the technique until you feel proficient.  Where I used Post-It notes to mask off the corners, you could also use other shapes to create frames and other shapes. 

  

I hope you are inspired to join in the challenge this week, just use one of the many techniques in the Annual Catalogue to inspire your creativity, then post a picture of your project to the CTC Facebook page.

  

Time to hop on over and see what Julia has created this week.

Happy Stamping
Monique

CTC #523 - CASE Beautiful Gallery Suite

Welcome to another week at CASEing the Catty Sunday Blog Hop, where utilise the projects within the current Stampin' Up! catalogue to inspire our own projects each week. We also invite you to join with us in the challenge each week by using this inspiration in your own creations and uploading a photo to our Facebook page.

This week we are taking inspiration from the Beautiful Gallery Suite on pages 52-57 of the Annual Catalogue. I love this suite, it was one of the first things that caught my eye when I first saw the catalogue so I was excited for this challenge. 

I was inspired by the card on the lower left of the image above this card from page 52 of the Annual Catalogue, I love how the die cut frames have been positioned on the card front. 

I loved the design of the original card so kept with the sketch and changed up the colours and products used. I chose Country Lace as the base DSP, with frames cut from Basic Beige. I did think about embossing the frames, but wanted to keep things simple on this card.  Unless you are a demonstrator you probably won't recognise the other products because they are sneak peeks from the July Online Exclusive offerings, they are from the Charming Day Bundle, part of the Floral Charm Suite Collection.  I love this and can't wait for it to become available in July!

  

I hope you are inspired to join in the challenge this week, just use the Beautiful Gallery Suite projects to inspire your creativity, then post a picture of your project to the CTC Facebook page.

  

Time to hop on over and see what Judy has created this week.

Happy Stamping
Monique

CTC #521 - CASE The Colours of Florals In Bloom DSP

Welcome to another week at CASEing the Catty Sunday Blog Hop, where utilise the projects within the current Stampin' Up! catalogue to inspire our own projects each week. We also invite you to join with us in the challenge each week by using this inspiration in your own creations and uploading a photo to our Facebook page.

This week we are taking inspiration from the colours of the Florals in Bloom DSP, Strawberry Slush, Timid Tiger, Darling Duckling, Summer Splash, Secret Sea, and Petunia Pop.

Here are the colours on their own, aren't they bright and summery?

As usual when faced with a colour challenge I got out my six ink pads and started to play around with how the colours might go together.  I decided use water colouring to colour my flower pieces, stamping first in Saddle Brown Stazon, which gives a much more natural finish for organic images compared to the black Stazon.  I paired Strawberry Slush and Petunia Pop; and then Timid Tiger and Darling Duckling to colour the two flowers, and Summer Splash and Darling Duckling on the leaves. The background frame is using a die from the Impressions Abloom bundle embossed with Pressed Flowers Embossing folder all from the Floral Impressions Suite Collection.  I added some Summer Splash to the raised florals with my Stampin' Brayer to make them pop.

  

I hope you are inspired to join in the challenge this week, just use the colours of the Florals in Bloom DSP to inspire your creativity, then post a picture of your project to the CTC Facebook page.

  

Time to hop on over and see what the talented  Rochelle has created this week.

Happy Stamping
Monique