Happy Father's Day

Just a very quick post today, as it is Father's Day in Australia, and I'm waiting on my sons and their families to descend for lunch. My husband loves all the fuss and commotion that having sixteen people of assorted ages come to lunch involves, and as its his day (along with three of my sons too), well, lets hope its a very happy Father's day.

The card has been made using the now-retired stamp set The Great Outdoors, which I will hang onto until Stampin' Up!® come up with a good replacement. The chair, tent and torch images are well-used with my outdoorsy crew!
Kinda Eclectic is there too, and Teeny Tiny Sentiments, for the Happy Fathers day sentiment.  I fiddled around with circle punches to provide some matching colour behind the stamped circles, but really, this was super-quick, and easy too.

Have a fun day
Cheers
Rachel

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Easter Joy (And Chocolate!) JAI#255

I abandoned my plans for this afternoon to CASE Bronwyn Eastley and make these 'Egg Thrones' . Check out Bronwyn's blog, AddINKtive designs, because she's bound to inspire you in some way too. Now mine are not as gorgeous as Bron's, but I'm a relative newcomer to 3D projects, and I would have liked more time to sit and experiment with the decorating more. Nevertheless, I'm EXCITED that I've actually achieved something for Easter giving!

And even though Bronwyn's gorgeous creation is in the gallery at Just Add Ink, for ovals or eggs, I still wanted to share my simple little 'egg' there too.

After searching online for tutorials on egg throne's to get me started, something seemed a bit 'off' with the measurements of the first one so I've spent a bit of time tweaking to sort the problem. 

The 'throne' section was a little bit too big for the front and back, which must be just under 2 inches to fit into the Tag Topper Punch. It seems fairly good now, although maybe its been adjusted a little TOO much (Elegant Eggplant thrones). I am trying to write a tutorial for future reference, so hopefully I will have it sorted soon. 

Bunnies are my plan for the next ones. How would you decorate yours?

Cheers

Rachel

Happy Father's Day JAI #230

Australia and New Zealand celebrate Father's Day this Sunday. I'm not sure why we feel a need to be different from the UK and US, but it does fit in with all our football finals, so I wonder if that has anything to do with it. My husband, who is a father to five fine young men, is not overly keen on football. He likes to fix things, garden a little, and loves to throw a rod into the ocean.

The technique used on the panel of my card is Polished Stone. Stampin' Up!® used to make a glossy card (I still have a little, but photo paper may work too). You need some reinkers in colours that suit the project, cotton balls and rubbing alcohol. The results are always different, depending on how much ink you use, and the dabbing motion used. You can contact me or Youtube it, if you'd like more details.

I bought By The Tide with my husband in mind, but I'm hoping for another outdoors/manly stamp soon because I've used this stamp set so many times!

I really like the way the seaweed stamped on the Marina Mist came out and it was lots of fun making the polished stone panel too.Teeny Tiny Sentiments has a multitude of sentiments for every occasion, incuding this one for Father's Day.

I hope you all have a lovely day, whether you are celebrating Father's Day or not,
Rachel

Wonderful Summer Flowers CTS #72 DD#98

I have some crafting time now, after driving my grandsons home to their parents yesterday. On checking out the challenges, I came across a pair that were perfect for my mood, Cas(e) this Sketch and Dynamic Duo.
I've been wanting to ink up Summer Silhouette for a while, and today was that day! Its such a fun set, and with all the different individual stamps included, you can create to your hearts content. Teeny Tiny Sentiments on a Word Window Punch piece and then a Modern Label Punch in Wisteria Wonder are the finishing touch.

So this morning, before anyone but the sun was up, I stamped, sliced and stuck away - and this was the result! I think it looks a bit like looking out a window into a garden.
I'm very happy with it, and now off to enjoy some of that Autumn sunshine.
Hope your day is as happy as mine...

Rachel

Sending Good Thoughts DD#96 & RS#108

Even I didn't think I could follow a sketch as closely as this! Just found this sketch at Retro Sketches fitted exactly with an idea I had brewing, how fabulous! I still have quite a bit of the Print Poetry Designer Series Paper stack (129312) left to use, and since it is in the clearance rack at only $7.99, more than one of my customers have taken advantage of the special price and purchased it, so maybe they're looking for some fun ways to use some. I had already cut the patterned paper into strips and mounted it onto Gumball Green when I spied a color challenge that would work with my card. Dynamic Duos have challenged this week with Gumball Green and 'your choice': - my choice is Primrose Petals
I echoed the design on the paper with an embossing folder Beautifully Baroque, and after it was attached I put it through the Big Shot again and 'ironed'  the pattern flatter for a very subtle pattern. My centre piece is a banner stamped with a sentiment from Perfect Pennants, although the last two words are covered with the mother's day greeting from Teeny Tiny Sentiments. The Word Window Punch is ever so handy and a Gumball Green banner from Bitty Banners Framelits really sets it off. In Australia, Mother's Day is early May (I actually don't know if it is the first or second Sunday, maybe my children will set me straight!) I expect I will make a good few more Mother's Day cards before then as my work colleagues like to purchase for their mothers.



We are still having very warm weather for Autumn, (30°c) but it is cool in the mornings and evening, such a lovely time of year! I have had a busy day at work, but needed good light to photograph my card.
Have a good week...
Rachel

Lovely As A Tree Sympathy FMS #129 CTD#285

Just a quick post today, I have so many chores to do and the day is racing away on me.

When I saw Jen's sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches, I knew that I wanted to use Lovely As a Tree. This stamp set has been around for about eight years now, it must be the longest of any in the Stampin' Up range! I had originally planned to place the row of trees across the horizontal strip, and I may still do that on another card when I get home from my errands. However, the colours in the Color Throwdown Challenge #285, steered me toward this design. The colours are Sahara Sand background stamped in the same shade with the large background stamp, Hardwood. There is a layer of retired DSP vertically on top, and then across is Natural Chevron ribbon and Linen Thread.After stamping the leaf in Early Espresso, and a sentiment from Teeny Tiny Sentiments it was rolled through the Big Shot, using a Chalk Talk Framelit. Next it was time to pick up the Scalloped Tag Topper Punch, to make a matt for the label in Pear Pizzazz. Finally, a Blushing Bride button and some smudged ink completed the card.

Have a wonderful weekend!
Rachel

Flowers for Mum PP#136

I mentioned in my last post that Pool Party and Lucky Limeade were my favourite colour combination, but what about when you add Regal Rose and Early Espresso? Now, that's a REAL winning combo. Have a look over at The Paper Players challenge for lots more inspiration.

I continued along the floral theme and broke out Thoughts and Prayers, such a lovely set with this graceful branch or a beautifully-shaped tree, as well as some very thoughtful greetings. I have found many uses for this set besides bereavement cards, and decided to get it inky for this project.

I've gone a bit crazy with the punches again too! Itty Bitty Shapes blossoms finished with SU Basic Pearls, Boho Blossoms punch for the Pool Party flower on the vase, and the vase itself is the Ornament punch with a flattened base, also embossed with the Fancy Fan Folder.

A tiny greeting from Teeny Tiny Sentiments, and then a simple layering of different coloured squares of card and this easy card was finished in no time.

I'm heading back to the table to make another card! Catch you again soon,

Rachel

Dynamic Duo colors#43 and Retro sketch #54

This colour selection for Dynamic Duos challenge should have been so easy for me because they are my favourite combination in the WHOLE Stampin' Up! colour range and it will be so sad to say good-bye to them both at the end of June, when we meet the NEW In-colours!

Anyway, the problem has been that I strayed from my original plan, and it all became too, too fussy, so while I won't actually throw the card in the bin (because someone, somewhere will love it) I couldn't submit it to a challenge.

Now it is late at night and only a few hours until the link closes, and I have started again. I went with this great sketch from Retro sketch with minor changes, and used the same Mixed Bunch stamp and the matching Blossom punch and then a quick stamp with one little flower centre from the Mixed Bunch (there are 3 large and 3 small in this stamp set) and I punched that out with the NEW 7/8 inch scalloped punch in the 25th Anniversary Mini catalogue. I used a Pool Party brad to finish it off, and also a little spritz with the Shimmer Paint in Frost White added to rubbing alcohol in a mister.If you look hard, you may see the shimmer mist on this flower.

 The leaf was punched using the Bird Builder punch and I also stamped a leaf in Lucky Limeade using the leaf stamp from  Nature's Walk. Some more little blossoms were punched using one of the punches from the three in Itty Bitty Punches with rhinestone centres, and a greeting wishing a Happy Mother's Day from Teeny Tiny Sentiments. I've realised that I've done heaps more punching than stamping for this card, but I'm pretty happy with it. Any other questions, you can email me, always happy to help.

You should pop over to Dynamic Duos and Retro sketches too (just click on the links) and see if that inspires you to make a card too.

Cheers,
Rachel

CCMC212 - Color Challenge

I've made a few cards today, including another masculine one for this challenge. All good, until I double-checked the colours!!

I used a large amount of the wrong shade of red and forgot about Sahara Sand, using Basic Gray instead.OOOPS!!!

A lovely card never-the-less to add to my samples, and even this one has had a slight adjustment made after I photographed it.

Just one of those days I think.

Secretly, I wanted to be at Melbourne (Vic, Australia) Regionals today, but it is only three weeks since I had surgery and I am not permitted to drive, nor am I really fit enough for that much excitement just yet.

With our new catalogue release less than a month away, I think I am safe to use Fabulous Florets, a very popular stamp returning from the Summer mini. I stamped in black Stazon onto First Edition DSP and cut it out with the Framelits Labels Collection and also used two consecutive sizes to cut the black frame. After stamping two different blossoms from Fabulous Florets onto Real Red, I fussy cut by hand, inked the edges of the petals and curled them this way and that way with a file from the Distressing Kit (retiring this month). After popping a mini glue dot on the back, I positioned the three flowers.

The shaped panel is raised on Stampin Dimensionals and sits on a square of Sahara Sand dry embossed with Perfect Polka Dots. Now, originally I had stamped the small label from Apothecary Art and cut it with the matching die. It has Faux mother-of-pearl  sponged with Shimmer Paint and tiny pearls in the centre of the teeny flowers but it photographed so badly (too sombre by far) so I decided to quickly change the tag before the light faded too much to take another photo. I think the one above, with that extra touch of Real Red in the Boho Blossom is the better version - what do you think?

Just a close-up of my fussy cut flowers - this size is fiddly but look quite good.

Now, hop on over to Create with Connie and Mary and see what everyone has made for this color challenge here.

And hopefully, I will soon hear some news/see some photos of todays event,

enjoy the weekend

Rachel

DSP on Cards

With the great promotion on DSP that Stampin' Up has on for the month of May, I figured it was time to use up some of the lovely papers I've been hoarding.LOL.And when the new catalogue is released later in the year there will be a whole new range to choose from, and those in my stash will be GONE from the range.

This sweet and simple birthday card is made using the Party This Way set on Page 39 of the current catalogue. Priced at $26.95 for a wood mount set and $21.95 for the clear mount, it is fantastic value. It is a great set of 5 stamps including "Happy Birthday", the candle, a balloon as seen on the next card, "Party This Way" and a pennant which matches the Petite Pennants Builder Punch on page 152. It can easily make an adult or child's card depending on the way you use it.

The floral strip on my card (above) is Beyond the Garden DS from the Summer mini, so is no longer available but you can use any patterned paper to help decide a colour scheme. I used Melon Mambo as the base with a Blushing Bride strip under the white panel which has been trimmed using the Scallop Trim Border punch on page 151 of the current idea book and catalogue. I did need to use the Stamp-a-ma-jig (don't you love its name?) to align all those candles. Inside has been trimmed with another strip of the same DSP edged with the Scallop Trim Border punch to tie in with the front and the greeting reads "the more candles the bigger the wish" from the retired Whimsical Words stamp set.

This is a CASE (copy & share everything) of my upline Sue Madex's card for the February Sale-A-bration Blog Hop. Blog Hops are a wonderful way to get creative inspiration and I always check into Sue's Blog regularly to see what fresh, new ideas she has. On my card you see the lovely balloon from Party This Way - can you imagine using a whole bunch of bright colours or even pastels and the "Party This Way" stamp on an arrow could easily substitute for the "Celebrate" I have used which was a Sale-a-bration bonus stamp set, Outlined Occasions.

I cased another card recently from fellow Stampin' Up demonstrator Ruth Clark whose work I greatly admire. She pays such attention to detail on both her cards and her scrapbooking pages.You can see her card in the background here with much more detail than mine, and her blog with some more fabulous cards and scrapbook LOs. She certainly helped inspire me with her use of the new (and available on special offer of buy 3 packs, get one free -only in May) Twitterpated DSP from the Autumn-Winter mini on page 13. Contact me here for your copy of the Autumn-Winter mini which sells from 1 April - 31 July.

This card is a real showcase for some of the lovely products from this mini. Besides the Twitterpated paper I added a fancy edge to the card with Edgelits Dies Adorning Accents(two in the set, the other is fancy scallop) and the  Textured Impressions Embossing Folders Adorning Accents (three to this set, two match the edges, another is tiny hearts). Then I stamped the medium label stamp from the set Apothecary Art, page 19, onto watercolour paper, cut it out on my Big Shot using the Framelits Label die ( there are 6 in the set, so plenty of options) to fit this particular stamp and watercoloured those sweet little flowers with a blender pen and Stampin Write Markers. Apothecary Art is a set of 6 quite large stamps with 4 labels in different sizes and two greetings, the "So Grateful" (above) and "Happiest Birthday". The wood mount is $63.95 while the clear mount is $50.95. On the inside of the card I used one of the border stamps from Bordering on Romance on Page 11 of the catalogue and "happy mother's day" from Teeny Tiny Sentiments on page 105 of the Ideas Book & Catalogue. It is trimmed with some Boho Blossom punched from Basic Grey card and held with a brad and a couple of our Basic Jewel pearls top and bottom of the label.

I seem very long winded today, sorry if it is too long.