Quilty Christmas

For this card, made in response to The Paper Players' Sketch PP465 (see below for sketch itself), i turned to my favourite bundle from the 2017 Christmas Stampin' Up! catalogue: Quilted Christmas. Previously, I'd mainly made lovely quilted paper objects using the dies, so I explored the DSP a bit more this time.

Ingredients: Stampin' Up! paper and card, (Quilted Christmas DSP, Garden Green, Real Red, Whisper White, gold foil), Versamark watermark ink, Shimmering White embossing powder, Christmas Quilt dies, Itty Bitty Christmas stamps, Quilt Top embossing folder

Hooray!

My daughter just got engaged, and that made me notice, for the first time, how very girly a lot of engagement/wedding cards are. This card, made for CAS(E) this Sketch's challenge #345, does use pink... but I've tried teaming it with black, and making it a less 'pretty' pink, with the lovely rose gold from Stampin' Up!'s 'Everything is Rosy' bundle. As well, I've gone for an 'unsweet' sentiment.
It turns out it's difficult to capture that rose gold in a photo, by the way - you'll just have to take my word for it. And also for the off-kilter sentiments - OF COURSE I didn't do them that way because I had three attempts at making them straight first!

Ingredients: Stampin' Up card (Whisper White, Rose Gold foil, Basic Black), Sip Sip Hooray stamps, Sip and Celebrate dies, clear embossing powder.
Other (all available through Stampin' Up!): Versamark watermark stamp pad, Momento Tuxedo Black ink, Tsukineko All Purpose Ink in Rose Gold.
Other: francheville diamantes

Monarch butterfly card

Hi! The colours of Fab Friday's challenge #174: Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie and Melon Mambo, made me think of Monarch butterflies (down here in NZ where Halloween isn't nearly as much of a thing...), so that's what I went with for this card. As a base, I used the delicious sketch from Freshly Made Sketch's #407:

Here's the card:

Ingredients: 

Stampin' Up! card, (Whisper White, Basic Black, Melon Mambo), in (Basic Black, Melon Mambo), Pumpkin Pie watercolour pencil, stamps, (Butterfly Gala, Petal Palette), dies (Ornate Frames) punch (Butterfly Duet)

Also an embossing folder whose origins are completely mysterious to me, sorry. It just hangs around looking inviting in my stamping stuff. But it's kind of leafy. 

Pink bubble celebration

I absolutely loved the colour combo from CAS Colours and Sketches #341: Smoky Slate, Rococo Rose and Mint Macaron, but it took me a while to work out what to do with them. Thanks, CAS(E) this Sketch #342, for providing a great sketch as a starting point: when I saw that pair of vertical blocks, I immediately thought of champagne glasses!

Here's the card. I like the earthiness of Rococo Rose here - saves the card from being too sweet. 

Ingredients: 

Stampin' Up! card (Very Vanilla, Smoky Slate, Mint Macaron), ink, (Smoky Slate, Rococo Rose), Sip Sip Hooray stamps, Itty Bitty Greetings stamps, Sip & Celebrate dies, Layering Ovals dies, In Colour 2019-2020 DSP, Mint Macaron ribbon

Other: francheville pearls

Image inspired thanks

I loved Hand Stamped Sentiments inspiration image for challenge #322:

I was particularly drawn to the bottom image, and it started me wondering how I might achieve a similar look. The result was definitely floral, so I decided to enter it in The Flower Challenge's #36: Anything Goes, as well. 

For the background pale card, I started with Whisper White, lightly stamped in Sahara Sand, then clear embossed over the images. I finished by very gently sponging a little Sahara Sand over the card, to remove the pristine white. For the larger, pink/red background, I clear embossed the images and then sponged in Merry Merlot and Rococo Rose. I stamped and sponged white card and then die cut the sentiment, die cutting it also in Early Espresso as a backing. 

Ingredients:

Stampin' Up! card, (Whisper White, Early Espresso, Merry Merlot), ink, (Rococo Rose, Sahara Sand, Merry Merlot), Seasoned with Kindness stamps, Well Written dies.

Other: Sizzix Small Tattered Floral dies, Versamark watermark ink, francheville rhinestones. 

Not Halloween!

It's a strange time of year for those of us making cards in the Antipodes - not only are there lots of autumnal colours, but Halloween approaches - which isn't really a big thing down our way - well, not like it seems to be in the USA, anyway.
When I saw the colour combination from CAS Colours and Sketches #337: Garden Green, Soft Suede and Pumpkin Pie, I decided that I'd steer clear of the Halloween associations (even the name of the orange speaks to the season!) and go, instead, with The Male Room's #119 'Autumn' suggestion instead.
I clear embossed the orange leaves and the sentiment (thank you, Stamparatus!) to add texture. I love running my fingers over the embossing on some book covers, so it thrills me to be able to add my own.

Ingredients:
Stampin' Up card, (Whisper White, Garden Green), Grapefruit Grove foil, ink, (Garden Green, Soft Suede and Pumpkin Pie,) stamps (Totally Trees, Thoughtful Banners), clear embossing powder.
Other - Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Vanilla thanks

I'm determined to use more Very Vanilla card, since I accidentally double ordered it a while ago. The trouble is, my inclination is always to turn to white. So thanks, Global Design Project 205, for having a colour combination that made me think vanilla instead. And thanks, Freshly Made Sketches FMS401, for a sketch that got me creating!

Ingredients:
Stampin' Up! card, (Whisper White, Mint Macaron, Rococo Rose), vellum, ink (int Macaron, Rococo Rose, Memento Tuxedo Black), stamps, (Lovely is the Day, Mixed Borders), dies, (Lovely Leaves, Layering Circles, Stitched Shapes, Needlepoint Elements)
Other: francheville rhinestones

Dad's Christmas Cards

As I said a couple of posts ago, I've used the lovely Perfectly Plaid bundle from Stampin' Up!'s 2019 Holiday Catalogue to make a set of six Christmas cards for my bagpipe playing, all-things-Scottish-loving father. I used Sunday Stamp's great sketch from challenge SSC212 for this last card.
I used the same stamp to add small trees in the masked and stamped background, and then as the punched out main image. On this main tree, I added some accents with both gold and red Wink of Stella.

Once I completed the six cards, I made a gift box for them. Here's the complete set, with the box. I hope Dad likes them! 

Ingredients for this card:

Stampin' Up! card, (Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White), Perfectly Plaid stamps and DSP, Pine tree punch, gold star, Itty Bitty Christmas, Layering Circles dies, Tin Tile embossing folder.

Other: Memento Black ink, Wink of Stella in gold and red. 

Perfectly Plaid again

I've worked with this perfectly delicious bundle from Stampin' Up! a few times now, and still love using it. The 2019 Holiday Catalogue is now live, so everyone can enjoy it as much as I am!
Here, I'm using a great idea from Less Is More's #403: Metallics. Im my last post, I talked about how pleased I was with the result of double heat embossing the tree/leaves stamps in Perfectly Plaid, and I did the same thing again here. I've given them a very simple setting so they can shine.

Ingredients:
Stampin Up Thick Whisper White card, Gold embossing powder, Perfectly Plaid stamps and DSP.
Other: Memento Black Ink, American Craft Zing! green glitter embossing powder, Versamark watermark ink.

Plaid Christmas 1

I just LOVE the Perfectly Plaid Bundle in the upcoming Stampin' Up! 2019 Holiday Catalogue. My father has played the bagpipes for 70 years, (very well, I might add - it's no hardship to hear him!), and loves all things Scottish. He's also a great believer in Christmas cards, carefully handwriting messages to friends near and far. I've decided to use the bundle to make him a set of cards to send - and because he likes to get them sent early (as in the end of October!), I've started making them now, using challenges as inspiration.
All that is by way of introduction to this card, which is a response to Freshly Made Sketches 400th (Congratulations, by the way!) challenge sketch:

a satisfyingly symmetrical and appealing starting point. 

I'm super pleased with how my experiment in double heat embossing turned out - the tree in the middle's branches were embossed in gold, then leaves in green. 

The card:

Ingredients:
Stampin' Up! card (Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler, gold foil), ink, (Soft Suede, Shaded Spruce), Perfectly Plaid stamps, punch and DSP, Itty Bitty Christmas stamps, gold embossing powder.
Other: Versamark Watermark ink, American Crafts 'Zing!' glitter embossing powder in green

CASOLOGY Week 350

You know your hobby has reached new heights when you spend quality time with a friend (my good friend and card mentor Jan) working out a way to emboss a strip across the middle of a card.
Here, I've used the reverse of Stampin' Up!'s Seaside embossing folder, then very lightly sponged Pacific Point over the embossed part, as a response to CASOLOGY's Week 350: Water.

Ingredients:
Stampin' Up! card (Whisper White, Thick Whisper White), Pacific Point ink, Seaside embossing folder, Memento Black ink

Stitched Stars Preview

I found The Paper Players' challenge  PP456 really... challenging! I couldn't seem to balance all the elements. Still, it gave me a chance to make lots and lots of lovely cut outs with the 'Stitched Stars' dies from the upcoming Stampin' Up! 2019 Holiday Catalogue. The focal star uses one of the stamps, as well. Gorgeous!

Ingredients:
Stampin' Up! card, (Night Of Navy, Whisper White), Night of Navy ink, silver embossing powder, Stitched Stars and Layering Circles dies, So Many Stars and Itty Bitty Christmas stamps, Twinkly Twinkle DSP.
Other: Versamark ink

Thanks 4

For this challenge, Paper Craft Crew's PPC348, I've used the Above the Clouds stamps and punch to play a little with perspective. I think my favourite stamp in the set is the little seagulls! I love frames on cards, so was delighted by the sketch.

Ingredients: Stampin' Up! card, (Pretty Peacock, Whisper White), ink, (Crumb Cake, Balmy Blue, Pretty Peacock, Soft Sea Foam, Coastal Cabana, Pool Party), stamps, (Itty Bitty Greetings, Above the Clouds), Above the Clouds punch, Peacock faceted jewels, Subtle embossing folder
Other: Dienamics stitched rectangle frame, francheville rhinestones

Thanks 3

This card is my second play with Very Versailles. It's prompted by two challenges: the sketch from As You See It #207, and the colours in Just Add Ink's inspiration photo for #471. I'm so glad I bought this stamp set - I can see it's going to just sit quietly doing its thing on a lot of my cards.

Ingredients:
Stampin' Up card, (Whisper White, Night of Navy, Purple Posy, gold), ink (Blackberry Bliss, Seaside Spray, Night of Navy), Very Versailles stamps, In Colour DSP, Layering Circles Dies, gold embossing powder
Other: Create 365 washi tape, Versamark ink

Thanks 2

Ooh - a great sketch from CAS(E) this Sketch for challenge #336 and a gorgeous colour combination from CAS Colours and Sketch's challenge #335! And even better, I finally made a card using Varied Vases that actually worked. Somehow, I just haven't been able to execute my previous ideas with these stamps, even though I love them.
Here is the result:

Ingredients:
Stampin' Up! card (Gorgeous Grape, Crushed Curry, Whisper White), ink, (Gorgeous Grape, Crushed Curry, Whisper White, Highland Heather), stamps (Varied Vases, Vibrant Vases), Vases punch, Memento black ink

Thanks 1

I've realised my supply of 'thank you' cards is getting low, so I'm using challenges as an opportunity to stock up. Freshly Made Sketch's FMS#300, which they revisited as part of their 400th celebrations, gave me a chance to try Stampin' Up!'s Very Versailles, which somehow I just haven't got around to. I've also played around with the current in-season colours. I've been a bit slow warming to these, but I like the result here.

Ingredients:
Stampin' Up card (Whisper White, Pretty Peacock, Rococo Rose), ink (Sahara Sand, Pretty Peacock, Rococo Rose, Seaside Spray), stamps, (Beauty Abounds, Very Versailles), Dies, (Layering Ovals, Stitched Shapes), In Season DSP and faceted dots, Memento ink.

Christmas Wave

For this Christmas card, I've used the delightful 'Perfectly Plaid' DSP from the upcoming Stampin' Up! 2019 Holiday Catalogue. I've used two of the 'B' sides (for those of you old enough or cool enough to know about records/LP's) of the papers, which is why there's only one actual plaid pattern.
I was intrigued by both challenges I've used here: the colours in Hand Stamped Sentiment's #321 - Cherry Cobbler, Pretty Peacock and Soft Suede - and the sketch from CAS(E) this Sketch's #335:

Ingredients:

Stampin' Up card, (Whisper White, Pretty Peacock), ink, (Soft Suede, Pretty Peacock), DSP (Perfectly Plaid), spots embossing folder, and stamps, (Merry Mistletoe, Itty Bitty Christmas)

Other products: Die-namics Stitched Edges dies. 

Starry Night

This card is my first play with the delightful 'So Many Stars' bundle in the upcoming Stampin' Up! 2019 Holiday Catalogue. In fact, I used only the dies, since Freshly Made Sketch's Challenge #470 is "Just Add No Stamping". I've combined the challenge with Global Design Project's #203: "Sun, Moon and Stars." I foresee many happy hours playing around with these gorgeous stars - can't wait to try the stamps as well.
Note: Unfortunately, the sparkly glory of the shimmer paper hasn't photographed, and my stars look merely white!

Ingredients:
Stampin' Up! ink, (Night of Navy, Island Indigo), card (Night of Navy, Island Indigo), Stitched Stars Dies
Other products: Wink of Stella, Simon Says Stamp 'Merry Chistmas' dies, DCWV glitter cardstock

Above the clouds

I've managed to make a simple sketch from Freshly Made Sketch's 400th challenge celebration:

pretty complicated by using Stampin' Up's Above the Clouds bundle here. I do love these soft balloons, and those little clouds!

Ingredients:

Stampin' Up paper, (Night of Navy, Whisper White), ink, (Mango Melody, Poppy Parade, Night of Navy, Granny Apple Green, Balmy Blue, Smoky Slate), Above the Clouds stamps and punch, Early Espresso watercolour pencil, Happiness Blooms DSP and punch. 

Also used Memento Black Ink.

First Christmas Card of the Year

I can't believe it's already time to have a play with Christmas cards, but when you get hold of Stampin' Up's new Wrapped in Plaid Suite, what else can you do? The paper is fab, and got to show off a bit in CAS Colours and Sketch's challenge #334:

The result:

Ingredients:

Stampin' Up card, (Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler), ink (Shaded Spruce), gold embossing powder, Wrapped in Plaid stamps, punch and DSP. Also used Versamark ink