Elegant Leaves for Atlantic Hearts Challenge 695

 Let's face it. I don't really need much encouragement to abandon real life and escape into my craft room. Today, it wasn't bad weather. It was that the warm spring sunshine was filling my room with light and I'd seen a sweet sketch challenge to play along with. 😀

The sketch was the latest challenge from Atlantic Hearts Challenge. 

It enabled me to have another play with my new Elegant Leaves bundle (available from September).

I started by inking the spade shaped solid leaf stamp in Crushed Curry and adding extra colours with a sponge dauber. Over the two leaves I daubed Cajun Craze and touches of either Old Olive or Cherry Cobbler. Then I stamped over it with the vein stamp in Cajun Craze. I did similar with the smaller leaf.

I also cut a medium leaf skeleton in Cajun Craze and a small gold foil leaf skeleton. For the final foliage, I cut a small leaf trio in gold foil and the matching skeleton from Crushed Curry. I daubed some touches of Cajun Craze over that before layering the two together. 

I arranged, and attached, all of these over a stitched circle cut with Stylish Shapes. I stamped the sentiment in Cajun Craze, cut it then popped it up on dimensionals. Then I put is aside while I prepared the rest of the card.

I cut three Basic White panels, one 4cm and two 2.5cm. The narrow two were embossed using the Fern & Flora 3D embossing folder. The wider one was embossed with the Softly Woven 3D embossing folder. This folder will be available once the September-December Mini Catalogue goes live next month.

I arranged these over a panel of Basic White and adhered them before adhering the card front to a Cajun Craze card base. 

Then it was a simple matter of adhering the leafy sentiment circle to it and adding a trio of Sunset Sparkle sequins in autumn shades. And just because I love Linen Thread, I added a generous bow into the final mix. 

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 stamp with me, and shop with me, from anywhere in New Zealand. Click here.

Botanical Layers for FMS592

I had some more time this afternoon, so took on this quite challenging sketch at Freshly Made Sketches. Although I'd intended to spend the afternoon trying out new products, an idea came to mind using Botanical Layers - not new, just under-utilised!

I cut a 1 1/2 inch circle from masking paper then created a sunset sky around it using Old Olive, Daffodil Delight, Calypso Coral and a cloud shape to add some definition.

After peeling off the circle mask, it was a matter of adding in two foliage stamps from Botanical Layers.

I couldn't resist adding in some Brushed Brass Butterflies - one of my favourite embellishments.

Update: Delighted to be A Perfect Princess at Freshly Made Sketches!

The sentiment is from the new Timeless Arrangements stamp set. Lovely, isn't it?

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 here, or on any of the products below.

Product List

Botanical Layers Cling Stamp Set (English)

[158912]

$49.00

Timeless Arrangements Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)

[161521]

$53.00

Basic White A4 Thick Cardstock

[159230]

$19.00

Basic White A4 Cardstock

[159228]

$22.25

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad

[132708]

$13.75

Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad

[147090]

$19.00

Daffodil Delight Classic Stampin' Pad

[147094]

$19.00

Calypso Coral Classic Stampin' Pad

[147101]

$19.00

Blending Brushes

[153611]

$28.00

Stampin' Up! Masking Paper

[155480]

$14.75

Brushed Brass Butterflies

[158136]

$21.00

1-1/2" (3.8 Cm) Circle Punch

[138299]

$34.00

Artistically Inked for Freshly Made Sketches 581

 Clean up procrastination continues, although this time it was because clean up reminded me to play with a favourite set that hasn't seen action in a while. The gorgeous Artistically Inked stamps and dies are carrying over to the new 2023-24 Annual Catalogue and it's a die set that's worth having all by itself!

For inspiration, I used the sketch at Freshly Made Sketches.

It's a beautiful sketch. It immediately brought to mind the wonderful floral die cut from the Artistic die set.

I used blending brushes to layer on colour, using the negative of the die cut as a stencil, then popped the die cut back over the top. An easy, yet effective, technique. 

The die cut and its underlying colour demanded a simple, clean treatment for the rest of the design. So I added in a 'Happy Birthday' from the Artistically Inked stamp set. I cut it with one of the Stitched Rectangle dies (sadly retiring) but did have to do a double cut to get the size I wanted for the sentiment. 

Then I added in three Iridescent Rhinestone jewels and voila - done!

If you like this card, you can see how I did it in this video tutorial.

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. 

Update: Delighted to be a Perfect Princess at Freshly Made Sketches.

Product List

Artistically Inked Cling Stamp Set

[154542]

$51.00

Artistic Dies

[155371]

$74.00

Basic White A4 Thick Cardstock

[159230]

$18.50

Basic White A4 Cardstock

[159228]

$21.75

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad

[132708]

$12.75

Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad

[147051]

$17.00

Granny Apple Green Stampin' Pad

[147095]

$17.00

Highland Heather Classic Stampin' Pad

[147103]

$17.00

Stitched Rectangles Dies

[151820]

$74.00

Iridescent Rhinestones Basic Jewels

[158130]

$15.75

Blending Brushes

[153611]

$26.25

Stampin' Dimensionals

[104430]

$9.00

Quiet Meadow for The Paper Players 635

It's a quiet Easter Monday and, once again, I'm procrastinating about cleaning out the craft room by taking up another challenge. This time, it's the colour challenge at The Paper Players.

I had a made up trellis base on my desk, a spare made when I was experimenting with that style of card after seeing them pop up on the internet in the last month or so. I'd already embossed it with the Timber 3D embossing folder to make it look more like a trellis. It seemed too good to waste so I got out my neglected Quiet Meadow bundle.

From the base, it was a simple matter to add in some So Saffron splatters and some Sahara Sand lettering. Both these colour are retiring at the end of the month, so order quickly if they're favourites of yours. 

The frond is die-cut from Soft Sea Foam, while the flowers were cut in Basic White and sponged with Soft Sea Foam and Blushing Bride (another impending retiree colour).

The sentiment is stamped in Sahara Sand and popped up on dimensionals. Finally, three Iridescent Rhinestones finished it all off. Quick and easy. 😀

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.

You can also follow my on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

Update: Delighted to be A Cut Above at The Paper Players.

Product List

Quiet Meadow Bundle (English)

[155847]

$111.50

Basic White A4 Cardstock

[159228]

$21.75

Card Stock A4 Blushing Bride

[131287]

$19.50

Soft Sea Foam A4 Cardstock

[147012]

$19.50

Blushing Bride Classic Stampin' Pad

[147100]

$17.00

Soft Sea Foam Classic Stampin' Pad

[147102]

$17.00

So Saffron Classic Stampin' Pad

[147109]

$17.00

Sahara Sand Classic Stampin' Pad

[147117]

$17.00

Timber 3 D Embossing Folder

[156406]

$21.00

Iridescent Rhinestones Basic Jewels

[158130]

$15.75

Stampin' Dimensionals

[104430]

$9.00

Blending Brushes

[153611]

$26.25

Greatest Journey with Night Sky Tutorial

 Hello!

My latest Video Tutorial is now live. It features the Greatest Journey bundle and shows you how to turn a piece of blank card into a stunning night sky. 

Here's the link to the tutorial.

Don't forget that you can shop with from anywhere in New Zealand right here. I'm always happy to answer questions and you can reach me using the contacts tab on this blog. 

If you haven't already, subscribe to my YouTube channel so you don't miss the weekly new tutorial. 

Happy Stamping, everyone!