Dreaming Of Tuscany AWH - Colour Creations Blog Hop

When I was having trouble sleeping one night last week, I decided not to get up and make a card - it was too cold! - but to lie in bed and design one instead. My first task was to think of a current stamp set that would suit Basic Grey, our colour of the week. Basic Gray has been in our Neutrals range for as long as I have been a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, and it is a good alternative when black is a bit too strong.

I was imagining a scene similar to an old black and white photo and trying the images from Mediterannean Moments in my head. But each of those didn't really work for me, and eventually I remembered Tuscan Vineyard. I had thought about making it look like a photo in an album, but it ended up like this when I actually had rubber and ink in hand, wanting to add other images.

When it came time for a sentiment, 'thinking of you' from Rooted in Nature seemed a really good fit, and on the inside I've stamped a glass from Half Full, along with a sentiment from that set, ' may your glass always be half full.' Now there's a match made in heaven!!!

As for the dreaming of Tuscany - I am married to an Italian-born Australian, but I love Italy and he doesn't as much. When I say I'd like to take an apartment somewhere in Tuscany and catch the train around to different towns for a few weeks, he rolls his eyes. I do hope I get my way some time....

I've used a lot of Dimensionals here, as the oval is lifted, the black layer is also on Dimensionals and the round 'Toscana Vigneto' label is propped up on two! It has been punched with a 1 inch circle punch, a perfect fit and so easy.

While I had this set of stamps out, I decided to make a retifrom card. I really enjoy this technique, and these images really suited. This one scored a couple of Fresh Fig accents, but any colour looks good with grey.

I'm really happy to have inked Tuscan Vineyard again, and aren't we lucky to have it to play with for another year. It goes really well with Half Full, and I used that one a couple of days ago.

Now is your opportunity to pop over to the blog of Catherine Proctor, our team leader for this fun activity. You will find links to lots more of the Art With Heart Team.

 Next week our colour will be Bermuda Bay, another fave of mine, 'cos it's blue too.

2BEUMMY3
until 4th July

Tea Room Or Wine? CTC#182

Welcome back to another week of CASE-ing The Catty. The crew is made up of Stampin' Up! demonstrators from all parts of Australia and New Zealand.You are at the blog of Rachel Palmieri, Independent Stampin' Up!® demonstrator. I run classes at my home studio in South Morang, Victoria, share Stampin' Up!® products and tools at parties for my customers, coach my lovely team and create cards and the occasional 3D project.

  This week we are CASE-ing pages 13-25 of our lovely new Annual catalogue. I enjoy a cup of tea as much as a glass of wine, so this time I went with CASE-ing the sample for Half Full. I changed my background stamping to one larger wine glass, although I'm sure the row of small glasses would be relatively easy with the Stamparatus.

The banner has been repeated on my card, and the label too, but with a change in colours, it is quite a different effect. The fine spotted ribbon seems to echo the bubbles!

Tuscan Vineyard has a row of corks, which I added along with the wonderful Wink Of Stella for the sparkling wine. I didn't think I'd managed to capture it in the photos, but it seems to shine and sparkle here.

I shared this on my Facebook page last week, and popped it here too as its just so true!!!

Hop on over to Sandra now, especially all my cat-loving friends! You'll LOVE her project.

If you're placing your order for items from the Annual Catalogue, you may add the host code to your order (if its less than $250) to receive a gift from me.

2BEUMMY3
Until 4th July

Life's Big Question FMS#311

When looking for some fresh inspiration, look for a sketch. I saw this one by Jen B. one of the design team for Freshly Made Sketches and knew it would be perfect for an idea I was playing with. I've linked to FMS so you can pop over and see all the variations on the sketch that are there.

Wine is my theme for this card, and I'm a bit lucky at the moment with 3 great stamp sets current and supporting this theme. Mediterannean Moments, Half Full and Tuscan Vineyard have all contributed at least one image.

A scene from Mediterannean Moments has been stamped onto the wooden centre panel. The wine bottle is from Half Full and a luscious bunch of grapes from Tuscan Vineyard. Images have been coloured using the recently introduced Stampin' Blends.

 A wine glass from Half Full and a corkscrew from Tuscan Vineyard decorate the inside along with some witty words. Five For All was my choice of sentiments, I've used 4 out of 5 of them now. They're just a tad funny, and I like this one - although you may have to pick your target!!!  'Is this the birthday when you start asking LIFE'S BIG QUESTIONS?' and inside "Like WHY did I walk into this room?' Who hasn't done that once or twice?

                                        

Any orders in my online shop with the Host code receive a gift from me in the post. Since November is my birthday month, I am adding a handmade birthday card as well, for you to send to someon else. 

ZTQVTQPR

CTC#149 Year Of Cheer

Welcome back to another week of CASE-ing The Catty. The crew is made up of Stampin' Up! demonstrators from all parts of Australia and New Zealand. This week we are CASE-ing from the Holiday catalogue, pages 36-47.

Here's cheers to you! I've used Half Full from page 42 Holiday catalogue to CASE the card made with the stamp set above it on the same page, Hug In A Mug. Instead of a shelf with mugs, I've opted for a shelf with a bottle and glass of wine.

Adhering vellum is always a challenge and I went with 'sponging Tombow lightly on the reverse.' Not totally happy with it this time. Perhaps dimensionals on the parts with images would work just as well. When I was heat embossing the copper sentiment, I decided to put copper on the bottle top and around the edges of the vellum by wipping it across the Versamark inkpad and adding the powder.

Quite simple really, a wine bottle, fussy cut, same with the wine glass. The wooden shelf has been cut using the Window Box from Hearth & Home Framelits.

I love using the copper trim and invariably end up teasing the ends out, like a net. It's divine!

 I had a bit of fun on the inside too, and filled the bar with a massive row of wine glasses. Pretty funny, as I really can only enjoy one before I start dozing off to sleep.

The crew would love to see you CASe something from the same section of the catalogue, and you can pin your post to our facebook page.

It's time to head on over to Peta Stephen to see what she has made for the challenge.

URYS3BV2

When you shop in my online shop, remember to use the host code, as I love to send you something from the current catalogues as a thank you gift. At the end of October there will be a special draw from all September/October online orders (minimum $50 before shipping) to win a special Christmas stamp set.

Happy Anniversary CTC #116

CASE-ing The Catty this week is focussing on pages 20-31 of the Occasions Catalogue, beginning with the Succulents Suite. That stamp and paper suite is so popular, but I decided to delve a little deeper into the section to make an anniversary card. On page 28 is a simply sweet card using Mediterranean Moments. I liked that the focal image was circular and began there.

Firstly, the image was stamped using Stampin' Up! Archival Ink Basic Grey, because it is waterproof. The new watercolor pencils provided enough choice to colour this little scene before blending lightly. It was then die cut with the largest circle in the Stitched Shape Framelits.

The sentiments for this card are all taken from Falling For You, the prettiest little stamps for weddings and anniversaries which you will find on page 51 of the Occasions Catalogue. I like the font and the way this one fitted comfortably onto the Tags and Labels Framelits. As well as the linen thread, I've recycled a safety pin from a clothing purchase to attach the tag.

As we enter the second half of the Annual Catalogue's year, I'm on a mission to use up my existing Designer Series Paper (DSP) because Stampin' Up!® is always bringing out new gorgeous colours and patterns.This one is from the pack Moroccan DSP, the colours are rich and varied, just as suited to the Mediterranean as to Morocco.

 Another stamp set that hasn't seen enough ink yet is Tuscan Vineyard. The row of corks were added along the bottom of the Crumb Cake base, along with a smattering of splatters from Timeless Textures. 

As I mentioned earlier, all the sentiments are from Falling For You, and aren't these so sweet? This card is for my special person, a little later this year. We are celebrating a big anniversary, one of those that ends in '0'. I'd love to be heading to the Med. to celebrate, but sadly, not this time.  Another strip of DSP has been added inside, along with a corkscrew (Tuscan Vineyard). I really did go all out to make this card, with love.

If you'd like to challenge yourself to make something CASE-ing pages 20-31 of the Occasions catty, we'd love you to share it here on our Facebook site. You don't need a blog to share, but if you have you can leave your link when you post.

Our CASE-ing The Catty page is here, that may help if a link is broken.

Now continue on to see what the fabulous Tricia has shared this week (it's such a cute card)

Cheers, Rachel