Friendly Birds

Trying to share all the fun cards I've made with the SALE-A-Bration stamps before SAB ends for 2017. March 31st is your last day to place an order and score a free item (there are more than stamp sets available). Hey Chick was top of my list when I saw them previewed, and these two in particular take my fancy. Trying different ways to use them, on the pink card I coloured them using the splashes of colour stamps from Beautiful You.

I was happy with the aqua chicken on the right with just two stampings, but the girl on the left - well...she needed more. She's such a bright sticky-beak, she needed intense colour. I used nice bright shades for the mats as well, and liked the askew arrangement here.When in doubt:stamp is from another SAB stamp set, Designer Tee.

This time our chook is much more demure. She has been water coloured in soft sky and a marker used for the comb and the hatching chicks legs. The background is from retired stamp set Ghoulish Grunge and Happy Birthday is another from the SAB set Designer Tee.

My online shop is always open for business and you can choose your SALE-A-Bration freebie once your order reaches $90 before shipping. The Hostess Code until 22nd March is 2RFDUTSY

Cheers, Rachel

Moments For Wishing Colour INKspiration #03

Already our 3rd challenge at Colour INKspiration. We are a group of Stampin' Up!® demonstrators creating paper projects, inspired by Pinterest colour combinations. Loved this one as I have just returned from a lovely relaxing time at the beach with my hubby, eldest son, delightful D-I-L, and their three cherubs. So, in truth it wasn't always relaxing, but it is probably a lot better having at least one adult per child (and a spare). I'm the person who arranges crafting activities and quiet time reading, I'll leave the action to the others, thanks. So this lovely cafè scene is perfect for me...

I had the opportunity to make a card using Mediterranean Moments (they're my favourite kind of moments!!!) stamped and die cut with the Stitched Shape Framelits Dies. Have you heard that they are FINALLY back in stock? Just add  item#145372 to your order. In Australia they retail at $50.00 but I'm sure you'll get good value from them.

I love colour, but often feel overwhelmed by more than 3 colours at a time. Do you relate to that? In case the graphic is hard to read, the colours this week are Marina Mist, Soft Sky, Soft Suede, Peekaboo Peach and Whisper White. That's why I thought it would be a great challenge to participate at Colour INKspiration, and you can too (just check for the link at the end). I've developed a system of picking each of the ink pads from the shelf, and studying them, piled at the end of my table. Now you don't need to use lots of each colour, but after I had completed my sweet scene, it seemed a little bland with only the cushions water coloured Peekaboo Peach. The difference stamping a part of the sentiment from Balloon Celebration made was amazing!

Sometimes its fine to leave the card base plain, but the brick work from Ghoulish Grunge very subtle in Soft Sky on Soft Sky, with paint drops (not blood) in Marina Mist, from the same stamp set, seem to add some interest. Unfortunately, Ghoulish Grunge was a Holiday Catalogue item and is no longer available in my online shop. Such a shame, as it complements several of the Occasions stamp sets very nicely.  Don't miss out on anything you fancy in the current Occasions Catalogue.

These blogs are going to post at 7:00pm on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month. You can join in and post your creation on FB here.
Now it's time to head over to check out Bronwyn's amazing work

I hope you do join us

Happy crafting

Rachel

60th Birthday Cards - Handmade With Love

My husband celebrated a big birthday last week, which gave me excuses to make special cards and do some crafting with the grandkids.We kept the party low-key as we are a large family and rather noisy when we all get together. Unfortunately, I didn't get pictures with all the grandkids and their cards, some had also made a card at home.One d-i-l had put together an enormous card with a photo board inside of many significant family times featuring my husband. Our family definitely love the handcrafted cards!

 I really enjoyed making this Double-Z card using Marquee Messages, stamped on different coloured card, then cut and pieced. It isn't particularly difficult to do and makes an easier way of adding some colour. I have a class making this card on Friday 18th November, at my studio in South Morang, Victoria.

 This version of the Double-Z has an extra piece added to the front to accommodate the larger size of the stamp from Marquee Messages. The patterned paper is two different types of black & white spots, just for fun.

When a stamp retires, I don't neccesarily sell it, if the sentiment is significant to me. Going Global was in a mini catalogue in the last year or so, but didn't make the cut into the Annual catalogue. It still sits on my shelves, because of the sweet sentiments included.




Our sons bought a massive state of the art barbecue for my husband, and just because I was feeling creative, and really wanted to use the Sliding Star Framelit to cut the track around for a star from Superstar, I made them a group card too. The boys are mainly tradesmen, an electrician, plumber and carpenter, while my husband has worked in many trades over the years. Guy Greetings has some marvellous sentiments, very suitable for those tradie types.

In This World and Ghoulish Grunge helped to ink up the inside of the card too, with all sorts of architectural stamps. Both sides on the inside of the card were layered, which gave the 5 sons plenty of room to write messages to their dad.

 We used props for some funny photos and the youngsters really got on board with it, as did a couple of the adults. We always do this at Christmas, but we've had an early practice run this year. Below is our little group of grandies, ranging in age from 2½ - 8 years.

We know how blessed we are to have these wonderful people in our lives, and I treasure gatherings like this celebration.

Cheers everyone,
Rachel

Cookie-Cutter Cutie CTC#102

This week at CASE-ing The Catty we are looking at the Halloween section of the Holiday catty, pages 50-55. I'm not really into Halloween cards, but I do like the sketch on page 53 using the little scarecrow from Cookie-Cutter Halloween. For my first card I substituted the gingerbread man from Cookie-Cutter Christmas, equally cute and so easy to punch out with the Cookie Cutter Builder Punch. For this selling period (until January 3rd) you can Bundle & Save 10% by purchasing the Cookie-Cutter Christmas stamps with the Punch using it's special code #143493.

The sentiment and star embellishment both come from Tin Of  Tags stamps, and I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Currently featured on page 33 of the Holiday Catalogue at $37 for this stamp set, through November 1st - 31st you can buy this for $27.75. Several other stamp sets are included in this 25% discount offer, mainly for Christmas.
On my card I've alternated silver and gold star enamel shapes for a touch of bling. Enamel dots in Real Red are on his chest too, and the DSP is from Candy Cane Lane, which is part of the buy three, get one free promotion, ending 31st October. I've re-stocked and can now freely use my pretty patterned papers. I liked the scrap of colour popping out to the left of the scarecrow, and I added a splash of Crushed Curry for added interest.

I haven't used this Cookie-Cutter Christmas stamp set and punch near enough yet, so I am planning a class for November 18th where you'll have the opportunity to make the Double-Z card, and possibly decorate it with some of these cute santas, gingerbread men, reindeer or even the teddy bear. I just need to get busy making the samples. I'm also holding a Quick & Easy Christmas Class on Friday 9th December at 7pm and again on Saturday 10th December at 2pm and those cards are on my class page already.

My next card is what happens when my creativity gets slightly out of hand! Do you ever have those moments? Mostly I'm quite restrained when it comes to embellishments and even layers, I call myself a "clean & layered" crafter, but I do like to push myself beyond my comfort zone. This is one of those cards! It is still based on the same sketch, but wanting to include  Ghoulish Grunge stamps to bring in the Halloween theme, I created some flower stems based on an idea I saw on Maria Willis' blog for What Will You Stamp #84. I had hand cut some flowers stamped on DSP with Love & Affection and liked the way they complemented the background DSP (Serene Scenery)


The sentiment is from Sunburst Sayings, and there is another card featured on page 43 which uses the same drips, and this sentiment. The remainder of the card is finished with some (drips) stems, flowers and a 'happy birthday' stamped straight onto the Crumb Cake card in Dapper Denim.












I really enjoyed making this pair of cards for the challenge this week. Same sketch idea, with quite different results.

Now you are heading off to the talented Kelly Kent in West Australia. I bet she has something to dazzle you.

If you'd like to join in the challenge for October, there is a day or two left. Link up here

Cheers, Rachel