Best Fishes

The first card was made with fish from Jar Of Love and although I've used the Stamparatus to stamp in the round, it came out a little more random than I'd expected. That doesn't matter here, because it looks rather like a bowl of fish.

These fish are much more organised, swimming in single file!!! The centre piece is from Stitched All Round, a delightful stamp set in the Annual Catalogue. Everything else is from Jar of Love.

Do you like the soft colouring or the bolder colours?

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Sunflowers In The Round

The Stamparatus has opened up a whole lot of possibilities, and I had fun with Bike Ride, a stamp set which has been on my shelf for a couple of years. Once I'd mastered stamping in the round, I went to town with this, using a few different stamp sets. Here is one I made earlier with Bike Ride.and different flowers from that set. For this card, the sunflowers are very cheerful.

Blue and yellow seems a restful colour scheme, and the Tufted textured impressions embossing folder seems to echo that, like a soft, blue blanket.

You can shop day or night in my online store, or contact me to order, or ask questions about Stampin' Up! products. Check out the specials for World-Card-Making Day (available 1st-7th Oct) and the Clearance Rack while you are in store, there are new items added. Use the Host code at checkout, and there will be a little extra in the mail from me next month.

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Frosted Floral CTC198

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 the design team are focusing on pages 36-41.

On page 39 there is a snowflake card in very bright colours. I substituted big flowers from Abstract Impressions in a subtle colour palette, Gray Granite and Mint Macaron. This is a great sketch to use in so many different ways.

The Gray Granite was stamped off once for the larger image, but full strength for the thinner lines.Simple outline leaves were added in the mint, and I wanted to use the double frame label from Frosted Bouquet framelits, so framed it in Mint Macaron too. The sentiment inside it is from Stitched All Round, which has matching Stitched Label Framelits too, but the tailored one is nice for a change.

Let's just scatter some rhinestones about for interest, and I think my job is done! Happy crafting everyone and please join in with CASEing the Catty. Check out what the wonderfully talented Julia Quinn has provided for inspiration this week.

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Stampin' In The Round

The Stamparatus has been the greatest tool introduced to the crafting market since the Big Shot and I say that, depite being the owner of one of the stamp placement tools by "that other company". The size of the Stamparatus is more compact and it stacks very nicely on a handy shelf in my craft room, so I often pull it out to stamp even fairly straight forward projects. Perhaps one of its strongest selling points are the two hinged plates, so multiple stamps can be mounted and in use at the same time. 

I had been hanging to try the Stamparatus "stamping in the round" technique, or you may have also 

heard it referred to as "wreath stamping". It requires you to make a template and then by placing the same-size square of card in it and rotating, you create a wreath. To make it a bit more fun, I've used some flowers from a favourite stamp set of mine, Bike Ride. This involves two-step stamping, which is so much easier with the Stamparatus anyway, but for consistent repeat stamping like this, an absolute essential. The black outline is one stamp, the flowers are another and the leaves are a third stamp.(I have noticed that the leaves aren't perfectly aligned, I'll keep on trying!)

For some additional fun, I've stamped the background with stamps from Stitched All Round and the 'lovely friend' is also part of that stamp set. I'm dying to keep on experimenting and I'll share with you how it goes.

You can shop with me for your Stampin' Up! products by emailing me & paying in cash or direct deposit or 24/7 in my online shop using your credit card. I'm happy to give you the support you need to use your purchases successfully. Let me know if you need a Holiday Catalogue too. If you shop online and use the code below, I share the Host benefits with you.

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Colour Your Season

Colour Your Season has been a special promotion for August, and as August comes to a close, time is running out for you to add this suite to your supplies.

The frames are the only item from the suite used on this card but it is showing the graceful shape and the precise stitched finish off to perfection. The stitching leads it to co-ordinate with the other stitched framelits in the range, Stitched Shapes and Stitched Labels Framelits.

Petal Promenade DSP is the paper used here and the Tufted TIEF gives lovely soft texture to the background panel. Congrats comes from Sunshine Wishes thinlets and was cut from Sparkle Glimmer Paper. Gorgeous!!! All of these items are available in August from my online shop, or contact me to place your order. Payment by credit card or cash is required before the order is placed. Use the Host code when ordering and receive a gift of product from me in the next month.

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Thrifty Thursday #7

I'm a hoarder, I have to confess. For years I bought pretty paper and couldn't bring myself to cut it. Then I joined a group and got some help for my problem, and I've managed to cut a lot of paper into 10 cm X 14 cm pieces, or a half centimetre smaller both sides to mount onto card, and at odd moments I have a session making these cards up.

I usually use up-to-date stamps (this one is Picture Perfect Birthday) and dies to finish these cards off, but there might be retired ribbon or embellishments. In trying to finish off the Tangerine card, I mis-stamped the sentiment rather badly. Too crooked to be saved, so had another more successful attempt which you can see - YAY!

So what to do with the ruined one? Well, it could go in the recycling bag, or I could do a little work on it. I tore the middle out, stamped a piece to put behind and I now have a shabby chic card to add to this collection. Double YAY! I know that others have done this too, and I wonder if it was out of necessity or by design.

I hope this thrifty tip has inspired you to try some of your own.

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Trio Of Flowers #GDP150

         

The sketch for Global Design inspired me to stamp flowers from Varied Vases onto these delightful, lacy labels from Stitched Labels which co-ordinatewith the stamp set Stitched All Round.

I have deviated slightly from the sketch with my sentiment stamped straight to card, but perhaps the ribbon will compensate!

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Designer Series Paper AWH July Blog Hop

Tonight the Art with Heart team are sharing creative projects featuring designer series paper. This month, Stampin’ Up! have a special on designer series paper, buy 3, get 1 free! We hope our blog hop inspires you to get crafting with your designer series paper. 

This little bit of creativity has been spurred on by the fabulous Designer Series Paper special from Stampin' Up!® through till the end of July (5 more days). You can buy 3 packs, and the 4th will be free. These are current papers available for the next 11 months and they're gorgeous!! I've been keen to try some Fancy Fold cards, which usually scare me to death, but these two were quite fun.

There comes a point where you just have to cut into this lovely paper, or you'll end up with stacks of it unopened and unloved. DSP makes it super easy to make gorgeous cards with little effort. I believe that I may have overcome my "fear of cutting" phobia, as I've also recently returned to chopping up fabric! Yes, that might actually be patchwork. My friend, Sharon Davern had shared this Fancy Fold Double Triangle Fun Fold card recently, so I did check with her for the dimensions of the pattern paper layer, but really this is a very straight-forward card. The biggest decision might be the closure.
I went with the Belly-band for this card.

You could add to the fun by mixing and matching your papers, but I was happy to enjoy the blue daisies. The big label comes from Stitched All Round and the sentiment is from Abstract Impressions.

Before the end of July, I'll be ordering more of this beautiful paper, Garden Impressions. I've all but finished the whole of my first pack and its not yet one month old. It's so handy that Stampin' Up! always list the colours on the packs of paper, it makes it much easier to co-ordinate. I've used So Saffron for the base, and picked Blueberry Bushel for the daisy, even though it wasn't a listed colour. 

Daisy Delight stamp set does match with the DSP in quite a charming way, don't you think? 

Now for card two, also using paper from Garden Impressions.

This Fancy Fold card is a Gatefold card.  All these florals are so pretty, they really 'make' the card, without too much additional adornment. Detailed With Love is the stamp set with this pretty sentiment. The Stitched Shape Framelits also come in handy when it comes to die cutting labels and the ring to keep this card closed.

There are only a few days left till the end of the month, so don't delay placing your Designer Series Paper order with your demonstrator.

Now you can hop over to see what the talented Rebecca Jacovou has made with Designer Series Paper.

If you find a broken link or have come to this blog hop from a different entry point, you can view the participants below:

Rebecca Jacovou 

Caroline Manwaring

Catherine Proctor

Kate Morgan

Ros Davidson

Tina Gillespie

Kathryn Mangelsdorf

Kim Dallinger

Alisha Watson

Sharon Davern

Kimberly Hern 

Rachel Woollard
Leanne Mitchell 
Monika O’Neill
Rachel Palmieri 

Pretty Flamingo CI#38

Colour INKspiration is a fortnightly blog initiated by Bronwyn Eastley in Tasmania. The design team 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 time the challenge uses Powder Pink, Granite Grey, Berry Burst, Whisper White and Basic Black. 

Ever since the Stamparatus has arrived, I've been having a little love affair with Fabulous Flamingo. I used it initially when it was first released two years ago, but the results could be a bit 'hit & miss'! With a stamp positioning tool like the Stamparatus, it's always right. We used it at my Catalogue Launch to show the ladies how easy it is, and I will keep on sharing it, because it works so well.

While it was set up, I stamped two images. Berry Burst, second-generation, for the body and legs and Powder Pink full-strength for the top feathers.

I wasn't as happy with this card when it was finished, and I think it was the addition of black leaves, or maybe I should have had black leaves and not the Granite Gray. It probably isn't too bad really, we are often our own worst critics. The adhesive sequins in the new subtle shades really do set both these cards off a treat.

For the second card, there are no leaves. Granite Gray only appears in the water (or wet sand?) I only wish I'd managed to capture the gorgeous glint of Wink of Stella on the feathers. I've used a variety of dies from three different sets. Stitched Labels has this lovely irregular stitched plate. I was going to use the frilly label from that set too, but the sentiment from Various Vases was too long for it.

The label which did fit around the longer sentiment is from Petals & More dies. Lastly, is this lacy strip, which I cut in black. It is from the oh-so-adorable Bouncing Baby Framelit Dies.

Next up on this hop is Bronwyn Eastley, over in Tasmania.

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