CCMC209 - The Open Sea and Word Play

I haven't had time for a challenge for a while, but this little sketch from Create with Connie and Mary appealed to me and I have been planning to use a greeting stamp for a special birthday card, so began with this sketch this afternoon.

I chose to use Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy, Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake and Vanilla and began by stamping the map of the world from The Open Sea in Crumb Cake onto the Vanilla card. I then inked up the greeting from Word Play, using markers to pick out the different words in different colours. There are 12 great large greeting stamps in the Word Play stamp set, (Page 104) this greeting says " go confidently in the direction of your dreams" which is a great one for someone about to turn 30, who lives his life very energetically! I mounted the vanilla onto Crumb cake and then stamped the card base, and a scrap of cherry cobbler with the ledger stamp from The Open Sea, and used the splodges from French Foliage as well as the compass from The Open Sea on the strip of not quite navy. I have only notched one end of that strip. Now when I came to put it all together, I couldn't layer it exactly like the sketch, maybe I need to make the card a bit bigger! I took the liberty of staggering the layers so all were visible.

Sailors Knot

I think this knot is really called the Reef knot or Square knot, but when The Open Sea stamp set was released, I looked up on the internet how to tie knots. It looks so good with stamps from this set, especially the sailing ship, but I still have to sit with the diagram in front of me, following each step very carefully!

However, for this special birthday card, it is certainly worth the trouble, and I used the strip of cherry cobbler to emphasise it. Hope you like my card, there is still a short time left to play along too.

Cheers,

Rachel

More Convention Highlights

Although there are so many exciting things happening at Convention, I think one of the main highlights would have to be the people you meet. There are the ones you already know from team meetings, and the ones you "know" from online forums.Then there are the new friends you meet at the event, and there were plenty of those. I met Margie on the plane coming up from Melbourne and we kept running into each other everywhere and I sat with her and some other friends for the "I Am Creative" class on Friday night. Unfortunately, I was having trouble with my new camera and have been able to take very few photos with people in them, my upline Sue has provided me with some.

Judy, me, Sue, Toby and Tina, posing before the awards dinner.

Margie and me

 Most demonstrators like to swap cards and other items like tags, bookmarks, matchbox folders and more, to share ideas and inspire each other. I received so many beautiful swaps, it is such a thrill to sort through them and they will keep on inspiring me for quite a while.

 These are the swaps I made for Convention, 30 of the top one using French Foliage stamp onto a Top Note Die. Mixed Blossom stamp onto Whisper White punched with the Blossom Punch and  Elegant Bouquet Embossing Folder on Wisteria Wonder put through the Big Shot. There is a layer of Rich Razzleberry behind and it is tied with Rich Razzleberry Ribbon, but some had the Wisteria Wonder Ruffled Ribbon.

 I made 20 of the card on the left, getting carried away with the Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer Punch, Postage Stamp Punch, and the Lace Ribbon Border. Mixing and matching colours and In Colour Printed Brads or In Colour Glimmer Brads, meant there was an interesting variety of colours, so I didn't get bored with my project.

And I only made 10 of the more subtle Thoughts and Prayers card, because I was running out of time. This stamp set is such a pretty one, double-mounted stamps with words suitable for get well cards or sympathy, but the sprig of flowers that I used and the simple tree on its reverse, are great for many types of cards. I used Thanks so Much from Three Little Words this time and knotted a piece of Artichoke Denim Ribbon at the bottom.

And here is a selection of the cards I received in return. Is yours here?

If you aren't a demonstrator, and would love to join me at next year's Convention in Brisbane (23-25 May 2013) contact me. It is only $169 to join and YOU get to choose the $235 worth of Stampin Up products that suit you. Free shipping on your starter kit. You don't have to do workshops or demonstate the product if you would rather just purchase for yourself the quarterly minimum ($400). You always get a 20% discount and you can drop out at any time with no obligation.

I will happily answer any further questions if you call.

Happy stamping, Rachel