Thumping Again with Betsy's Blossoms

I wasn't very satisfied with my last card. That sometimes happens when you create in the middle of the night when you really should be sleeping!!

It was nice enough, but the "Thumping" was a bit faint, so after a stimulating afternoon outdoors tending to my garden, I had another go at Betsy's Blossoms. This time you can definitely see the colours, can't you?
I've used exactly the same colours, Crushed Curry is the main colour again, but this time I stamped off once onto scrap paper before thumping with Lucky Limeade, Calypso Coral and Tangerine Tango. Popped a couple of leaves from the stamp set this time too, and used the Lucky Limeade as the card base. I textured a strip of Crumb Cake by embossing with the Woodgrain Embossing Folder and used some Daffodil Delight stitched grosgrain ribbon across as well before placing the Stamped Square over.

I have to show you the inside of this card though. I modified the Thumping Technique for these tiny blossoms. I stamped into Crushed Curry, stamped off once, and then rather more methodically stroked the Lucky Limeade into the centres and Calypso Coral and Tangerine Tango around the edges of the petals. I really like this effect and think I will try that again with different flowers and colours.

I will link into Freshly Made Sketches challenge again, I don't know how to remove the one already there, but they don't limit the entries, so here goes....
Rachel
By the way, here is my first card, with much less distinct colours.

Betsy's Birthday Blossom FMS93

I have been wanting to use the Thumping Technique again, ever since I had such fun back in May with this creation, even though I was calling it bouncing back then! Bouncing sounds so much friendlier!

This time I've used the large bloom from Betsy's Blossoms and inked it up with Crushed Curry. What a hot shade of yellow this is! Teamed with Crumb Cake, the Crushed Curry really does take centre stage.


After the main image is inked up, you pick up some Stampin' Markers (Calypso Coral, Tangerine Tango and Lucky Limeade were my choices) and you thump them over the surface of the stamp.  I see that I appear to have been a bit light-handed with mine, maybe its because I'm bouncing not thumping - Oh dear!
I did some background stamping with some little leaves from a Sale-a-bration set (retired) and all of a sudden this card speaks to me of Autumn. Well, we are experiencing some very windy Winter days in Melbourne, so that might have been the inspiration!

The SU linen thread adds a nice 'earthy' touch to the card, as does the Naturals button.
Happy Birthday is from Sketched Birthday, a new set I received free at Stampin' Up! South Pacific Convention last May, but only mounted and inked up yesterday. I love the border surrounding the greeting, and of course, this is another stamp that can be cut with the Bitty Banners Framelits.
 The sketch by Allisa at Freshly Made Sketches is a great one for showcasing any image or technique, there's still time for you to have a go.

I stayed bunkered down yesterday, but I'll have to venture out today for a few supplies, so best I get on with that now.
Have a great weekend,
Rachel
Postscript: I made another card a few days after with more definite thumping! Which do you prefer?

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In the Direction for CCMC251

I'm always being asked for cards for men and boys, it seems to be a challenge for everyone to make something for the fellas in their lives. I haven't made this with anyone in particular in mind, so it will just go into my stash of cards, for now.

I've used two retiring stamp sets, Word Play for the greeting and Up Up and Away for the hot air balloon. (I'm going to miss both of those sets so badly!)

The other stamp set with the map of world and compass stamps is The Open Sea, which is sticking around, thank goodness! I've seen sneak peeks of a LARGE stamp, same size as Swallowtail,  which is a map too, looks great!

I used Basic Gray, Bravo Burgundy (retiring) and Gumball Green card, with the addition to those colours of some Crumb Cake and Garden Green in the inks. The Bravo Burgundy went through the Big Shot inside the Chevron folder for just a bit of texture, doesn't really show in the  first photo, might be better in the next one.

For inspiration, I went over to Create with Connie and Mary, and used this sketch.


Hope you've enjoyed dropping by, I've loved having you call in,
See you
Rachel

CCMC244 Feeling Sentimental

This lovely set of stamps, Feeling Sentimental, will not be available in just a few hours. Such a shame, because it has been really popular as a masculine stamp, with the Phone Box/Dr Who thingy (sorry, my Dr Who expert is out tonight!), Ferris Wheel and Penny Farthing stamps.

I am entering my card for the challenge at Create with Connie and Mary, check out the other submissions too.

I will certainly continue using my stamps, and hopefully something similar might be included in the Annual catalogue, when it is released at the end of June.

 I can't remember where I read that it is possible to emboss stamping done with the new ink pads, it was on someone's blog I think, but I went back re-reading for a couple of weeks worth today, so I could credit the person who brought it to my attention, but no luck, unfortunately. I tried it today, and of course you use the clear embossing powder so the original colour shines through. I've tilted the card this way and that, to try to pick up the glistening effect with the camera, but cannot do that either.

Next I sponged the phone box with Marina Mist, before 'lighting it up' with Daffodil Yellow, and a little Crumb Cake on the ground. I did substitute the Not Quite Navy with Midnight Muse, they are quite close really, and Midnight Muse was my new, juicy stamp pad, and it needed to be new so I could heat emboss.

The background has been done on glossy card stock, using blues and a black, and is another sample for my April class "polished stone" technique. It was inspired by a card I saw on Pinterest, by Rachel Tessman, Stamp your Art Out. I'm having trouble linking to her card, but this is Rachel's website. 

Finally, I stamped just the 'hello' part from the Oh, Hello stamp set, which is available in the 25th Anniversary mini catty till the end of June.

Hope you have a great weekend and take some time to do things you like, with those you love, that's my plan anyway!!!

Take care,

Rachel

Owl Be There!!!

I have had a slightly hectic week, getting ready for convention and working. I don't usually work five days a week, but it just so happened that I needed to attend a conference for work, and since the Principal said I could have a day in lieu, which would help out with the day and a half I am absent this coming week for Stampin Up Convention in Chilly Canberra, I went along willingly! As it happens, it rained like there was no tomorrow in Melbourne on Friday, so I quite enjoyed my day of education, food and laughter!

Now on to stamping, even though it was mostly about punching for this card!
I had an order for punches last week, and as one of them was the Owl Builder Punch, I decided to use mine to make the Thank You card. There is no end to the variety of ways you can use this little fellow, and I kept him fairly simple for this small card, only adding in eyelids by half punching the largest circle, and a wing with a half circle of the smaller Scalloped Circle Punch. He is perched on a branch from the Bird Builder Punch, which my customer had also purchased. I used the Modern Label Punch and Word Window Punch for the greeting, and I think that "Thank You" might be from a retired set. I know my customer is going to love playing with her new punches.

While I was in the mood, I punched out a second owl, the VERY basic model, and added him to the centre of a row of stamped owls. Using the Stamp-a-ma-jig, I stamped the owl from the retired Punch Bunch stamp set, from 2011 Sale-A-bration. Such a shame that it was available for a short time because this set was particularly cute, with baby, birthday and general stamps in the one pack.

After mounting the Crumb Cake panel onto a strip of Pool Party, edged with the Scallop Trim Border Punch, I threaded a button from the Neutrals Collection through Early Espresso Baker's Twine and wound it several times around the join. Quite quick and easy, but cute, don't you think?

And now, I'm off to pack my bag for Convention on Webnesday - WOOOHOOO!!!!

(Freshly Made ) Sketches #35

I find a sketch is always a great help when it comes  to getting my creativity going and I have to say that I LOVE this sketch posted at Freshly made Sketches this week. So much so, that continuing my pursuit of masculine cards AND using DSP (patterned paper, for those who don't understand Stampin' Up's acronym), I whipped up TWO cards last night!

I find the three panels of the sketch a great way to show off the double sided paper, in this case I used Stampin' Up DSP 122359 Well Worn on page 129 of the catalogue. I really like this particular paper, both for cards and for scrapbooking. Since most of my scrapbooking involves travel at some ancient destination, Well Worn is very appropriate! LOL!

Of course, with the Paper Party happening all through May, I put in an order for 3 different packs of DSP qand received the 4th one FREE, so I have heaps to choose from now! It is not too late for you to order a selection for yourself either, just get in touch with me here.
With each pack containing 12 sheets of double sided paper, each one gives you 12 great choices.

The first card I made was very simple, using the DSP on a panel of Cherry Cobbler, a strip of Crumb Cake put through the Big Shot to emboss with Textured Impressions Houndstooth at the bottom of the Not Quite Navy card. The Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine has been threaded through two buttons and wound several times around the bottom strip. I stamped the Happiest Wishes on your Birthday! from a current hostess set, onto Crumb Cake and used the Curly Label Punch 119851 to punch it out. I always like to smudge ink onto the edges of paper to define the edges, so I did that to all the pieces before adhering them. Inside  I used a square of Crumb Cake with a narrow piece of the Well Worn DSP along the bottom and stamped it's your day! as the greeting inside.

I followed basically the same formula with the second card. Using a different sheet from the Well Worn DSP, I used different dimensions to cut the strips and panel, but kept the Crumb Cake strip and the base card dimensions the same. Instead of the Bakers Twine, I used ¼" Early Espresso Grosgrain ribbon and three Designer Buttons threaded with linen thread on each panel. Again I defined the edges of the panels and greeting with ink and decided to add an owl made with the Owl Builder Punch. Since my good friend Genella loves green so much, I introduced a touch of it in the branch (from the Bird Builder Punch) and the owl's waistcoat. This has all been positioned onto a card cut from River Rock. Not sure if this is a bit too busy, but I'm sure I will keep on playing with this idea over the next few days. Don't forget to check out how others have interpreted this shetch at Freshly Made Sketches, it is bound to inspire you too!

 Just a reminder, I am holding a class in masculine cards featuring a collage technique using Extreme Elements and Grunge Rock on Friday 15th June at 7 pm- 9.30pm in South Morang.