Monday, 27 February 2023

Cottage Rose for The Paper Players 629

 This month's classes are over so, after cleaning up, I decided to treat myself to a play time. For inspiration, I used the sketch at The Paper Players and got out another older favourite, Cottage Rose.



I liked the idea of a square card and started out with one idea that evolved into something else as I went along. Here's where it ended up.


 I quite surprised myself, given that I seldom use patterned paper and then usually only in small quantities, that I settled on this paper from Abigail Rose as the background for the floral cluster. I'd been going to use it as a wide border for a white, textured square ... you just never know how things will turn out sometimes!


 I did some therapeutic colouring of various images, chopped them up and then played with arranging them. The final touch was the addition of some Iridescent Rhinestone Jewels.

If you live in New Zealand and don't have a Stampin' Up Demonstrator, I'd love to be yours. I can help you with ideas, get you catalogues and provide you with Stampin' Up products. You can leave a message in the comments or contact me using any of the methods listed in the Contact Me tab at the top of the page. You can shop with me from anywhere in New Zealand by clicking on the SHOP NOW button in the sidebar or on any of the products below. 

Sunday, 26 February 2023

Plentiful Plants for CCS505

 I had a little time on (yet another) rainy afternoon, so played along with the sketch at CAS Colours and Sketches. I was amazed to see they're at challenge 505 - its seems only yesterday when I played along in their 100th challenge!


I was feeling some nostalgia for my favourite older sets so got out Plentiful Plants for this one.

I kept things very clean by partially embossing the Basic White layer with the Gingham embossing folder.


The sentiment is from Inspired Thoughts. After stamping, die-cutting and arranging my potplant, I decided it looked a bit lost on the background so added in a sliver of Cajun Craze to act as a table to ground it. The shape of it also echoes and balances the sentiment.


Finally, I added in three copper Brushed Metallic dots.

If you live in New Zealand and don't have a Stampin' Up Demonstrator, I'd love to be yours. I can help you with ideas, get you catalogues and provide you with Stampin' Up products. You can leave a message in the comments or contact me using any of the methods listed in the Contact Me tab at the top of the page. You can shop with me from anywhere in New Zealand by clicking on the SHOP NOW button in the sidebar or on any of the products below.

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Friday, 24 February 2023

Season of Chic for AYSI 293

It's time for our Recipe Challenge at As You See It! All you have to do it take the five given ingredients and cook them up into something gorgeous. You can add in other ingredients but you must use all five of the given items in some way. 

So, our five ingredients this time are: embossing folder, blossom, shades of pink, pearls and distressed paper. What an intriguing collection of ingredients.


So here's my creation,,,.

The recipe ingredients lent themselves to a shabby chic or vintage creation, so what better set than Season of Chic?


So how are the ingredients incorporated?
Shades of Pink: I've used three different pinks: Flirty Flamingo, Blushing Bride and Petal Pink
Embossing Folder: Timeworn Type for the card front main layer and for the sentiment label
Pearls: I've used Iridescent Pearls as the flower centres and embellishment
Blossom: I used the flower dies from the Chic dies and layered some in different pinks
Distressed Paper: I used Distressed Gold Specialty paper for the net backing and the flower centres, I used scissors to distress the edges of the Basic White layer, then added some ink distressing around the edges in Smoky Slate and Blushing Bride to add an aged look. I ink distressed around the sentiment as well.

 
How will you use these mystery box ingredients? You can see what the team have done by visiting the As You See It page. We're joined this time around by Guest Designer Jen Mitchell, the winner of our last Colour Challenge. You can also link up your entry at the As You See It page.

If you live in New Zealand and don't have a Stampin' Up Demonstrator, I'd love to be yours. I can help you with ideas, get you catalogues and provide you with Stampin' Up products. You can leave a message in the comments or contact me using any of the methods listed in the Contact Me tab at the top of the page. You can shop with me from anywhere in New Zealand by clicking on the SHOP NOW button in the sidebar or on any of the products below.

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Thursday, 23 February 2023

Artistically Inked for CI 138



Welcome back for our latest challenge. 

Our lovely graphic was chosen by Crew Member, Monica Formosa, and the photograph was taken by her daughter, a keen birdwatcher... and, it appears, a talented photographer as well!



If you haven't played with us before, we are a group of Stampin' Up Demonstrators from the South Pacific. Challenges are shown and entered via our Facebook Group page. If you don't belong, and would like to, click here. Don't forget to answer the three easy questions you'll be asked when you ask to join the group.

Each challenge, Top Picks and a winner are chosen by the crew and the winner offered a chance to Guest Design with us for a future challenge. We welcome Jolanda Johnstone as our Guest Designer for this challenge.

If you don't have an exact challenge colour, feel free to replace it with whatever you have that's closest, for example Crushed Curry for Daffodil Delight. Black, White, Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake, Sahara Sand and metallics are free colours, as are flesh toned Stampin' Blends.


Well, bright colours and a green - shouts floral to me! Usually I resist the shouts, but I really wanted to use this lovely set again. All my florals have been gathering dust since the arrival of the gorgeous Beautifully Happy and Dainty Delight bundle, so I felt Artistically Inked deserved an outing. 😀

I stamped and die cut some flowers in Highland Heather, some leaves in Granny Apple Green and some tiny flowers in Tahitian Tide.


I die cut a rectangle in Basic White and Tahitian Tide, using the largest of the Deckled Dies. The white one I embossed with the Painted Texture folder, then sponged with Daffodil Delight.


Then I had fun playing around and arranging the cluster of flowers. I added the sentiment, stamped in Tahitian Tide and cut with one of the Stylish Shapes dies, although I had to extend it to fit the sentiment.

The final touch was the addition of some Iridescent Rhinestones. I love these embellishments, not only because they come in three sizes, but also because they pick up colours from the surrounding areas.

We'd love to have you join in the challenge with us. Visit the Colour INKspiration site to check out the album of Crew Cards for inspiration. You can also add your entry there. We all enjoy seeing what you do with our colour palettes, so join in!

If you live in New Zealand and don't have a Stampin' Up Demonstrator, I'd love to be yours. I can help you with ideas, get you catalogues and provide you with Stampin' Up products. You can leave a message in the comments or contact me using any of the methods listed in the Contact Me tab at the top of the page. You can shop with me from anywhere in New Zealand by clicking on the SHOP NOW button in the sidebar or on any of the products below.

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