Thinking of Retirement

 

At Just Add Ink this week we have a beautiful colour challenge.

I’m not sure it would even be possible to make a bad card with these colours actually.  Take a look at the rest of the design team’s work for some inspiration and then give them a try yourself.

Here is my card :

 

This card was kind of inspired by a thread I was reading on Splitcoaststampers this week.  It was all about the new stampin up catalogue (which isn’t out for ages yet but it’s always fun to speculate). It asked which 3 stampin up sets we thought would retire, which 3 we hoped would stay around in the next catalogue, which 3 sets from mini catalogues we hoped would make it in and which 3 sets we hoped would retire (never to be seen again).

Well I was really shocked and amazed that this Awash With Flowers set was mentioned by quite a number of people as one they hoped would retire.  While I admit I haven’t used it heaps (but I could say that about a lot of sets I own actually :o) I have liked each card I’ve made with it.  I really like this flower in the set especially.  Anyway the thread “made me” use it again to prove it’s a good set and not one we need to get rid of. And in the top 3 sets you would want to retire?  Unbelievable!

I guess everyone has different taste.  But I like it!

 

Ingredients :

Stamps : Awash with Flowers, Thoughts and Prayers

Card : vanilla, crumb cake, choc chip, subtles dsp stack

Ink : choc chip, crumb cake

Other : big shot, designer frames, polka dot ef, crumb cake seam binding, pearls, corner rounder punch

 

Well if you’re interested, here is what I wrote in the Splitcoast thread:

3 I think will retire
Under the big top
Season of joy
Friends never fade
Wish they would retire
Flower Fancy
Paisley Petals
Punch Pals
3 I hope stay
Field flowers
Winter post
En Francais
From minis I hope this stays
Open Sea

 

I’d be interested to know your picks for these categories. Please leave me a comment and let me know what you’re hoping retires and stays :)

Wishing you a very Happy Easter and I hope you find some time over the holiday to create something beautiful.

 

Kathy

Wedding birds

 

This is my final card for this months Splitcoast Stampers Creative Crew.

CCREW0611HF, CreativeCrew, SUO or SUM - Holiday/Seasonal Focus: *Love Birds* It wouldn't be right to have June, weddings, flowers, etc without the birds! Let this Love Birds Shower Ensemble inspire you! You do not have to do wedding cards, however you must use a bird.

 

 

I decided to try using the Awash with Flowers set in a different way.  I embossed it with silver ep on white.  It looks very pretty in real life but the photo doesn’t really capture it.

The other new thing I tried on this card was the bow.  I made a double bow from organza ribbon, attached it with a vintage brad and then used my heat gun to “melt” it a little (like I do with the ribbon flowers).  It gave it a lovely “shabby chic” look.

 

Ingredients :

Stamps : awash with flowers, teeny tiny sentiments

Card : white, black, shimmery white

Ink : versamark

Other : silver embossing powder, pearls, bird punch, big shot, tulip embossing folder, organza ribbon, antique brad, word window punch, modern label punch

 

Kathy

Tulip field

 

At Just Add Ink this week we have this photo to take inspiration from.

 

I’ll admit I did find this challenge very challenging!

But the girls’ reminded me of a field of bright red flowers and this is the card I came up with.

 

 

I used the Awash with Flowers set with Inspired by Nature to create a woodland field of spring bulbs. ( Perhaps tulips and bluebells?  Okay, you might need to use your imaginations a little!)

I paper-pieced the flowers with real red card and daffodil delight dsp from the brights stack. Then I used embroidery thread to make french knots for the flower centres and blue wildflowers. The flowers are popped up on dimensionals.

Here is a closer look: 

 

Ingredients :

Stamps :  Inspired by nature, awash with flowers, teeny tiny sentiments

Card :  bashful blue, marina mist, real red, whisper white

Ink : old olive, daffodil delight, stazon

Other :  brights dsp stack, embroidery cotton, oval punch, linen thread, dimensionals, big shot, polka dot folder, square scallop die

 

It was a challenge but I’m glad I was brave enough to take it because I really like how this card turned out :)

 

Kathy

Final one sheet wonder

 

Well my daughter’s violin eisteddfod was on this week and she got a merit certificate (YEAH!!!)

I packaged the one sheet wonder cards up in this Card Folder to give to her teacher and accompanist.  They thought they were beautiful.

It’s so nice to give and receive hand-made presents!

I got the instructions for the card folder from  

http://makeeshabyl.com.au

She has some great stuff on her blog.

The 3 cards fitted in well, but if I had put less ribbon and bling on them I could have fitted in one or two more I think.

It was very easy to make and was a nice way to package the cards.                              

 

 

This is how it looks on the inside.  The ribbon holds it closed and keeps the cards in place.

 

There are violin exams on very soon too and I’ll have to come up with another gift for them !!!  I’d better get off this computer and start thinking, umm……….

 

Ingredients:

Stamps : Awash with flowers, Apple Blossoms (level 2 hostess set)

Card : bashful blue 12”, early espresso, whisper white

Ink : early espresso, bash blue, regal rose, pip, wasabi, marina mist

Other : word window punch, lots of tags die, big shot, bashful blue ribbon, cropadile, brad, dimensionals

Awash 3

 

This is the third card from my one sheet wonder using Awash with flowers.

I really like this set, it’s a bit different to my other "flowery” ones.

It is a two-step set and I bought it in clear mount, which has made it a lot quicker and easier to use I think.

This one uses an old sketch challenge from splitcoaststampers.  I keep sketches I really like in a folder and refer to them occasionally for inspiration. I have used this one a few times because I really like the design of it.

The “Thank You” is from a new level 1 hostess set called Because I Care.  It’s a really beautiful flower set too.  If you’d like to get it for free by having a “party” please email me.

I’ve been stamping a lot this week. I hope you’ve had time to create too.

 

Ingredients :

Stamps : Awash with flowers, Because I care (level 1 hostess set)

Ink : Early espresso, regal rose, pip, bashful blue, marina mist

Card : Early espresso, pink pirouette, whisper white

Other : Pearls, dimensionals

Awash 2

This is the second card I have made with my one sheet wonder of Awash With Flowers.
I have used another sketch challenge for inspiration, this time from Stamping 411.  It’s a gorgeous one I think. It’s my first time playing along with a challenge from this site, but I often visit there because they always have such great ideas.
I made this one a Get Well card, as it’s great to have one on hand and ready for when you need one. I have made the ladies a For You, and a Thank you card also.  I’m going to include stamped envelopes too.

Ingredients :
Stamps : Awash with flowers, Thoughts and prayers
Ink : bashful blue, pip, regal rose, early espresso
Card : early espresso, bashful blue, whisper white
Other : pearls, big shot, polka dot folder, bashful blue ribbon (retired), dimensionals

one sheet wonder

I had a look at the challenge on Just Add Ink this week and it was a great sketch challenge. I decided to make a one sheet wonder using one of my new sets Awash with Flowers and use that on my challenge card.

Instead of ribbon, as in the sketch, I used my scallop edge punch to create a “ribbon-like” accent and used the new Stampin’ Up! pearls on the scallops and also on the flower centres. They really added that “special something” to the card.
I also tried out the new blue, Marina Mist, and it is a really lovely colour.
I am going to make a series of cards using the rest of the one sheet wonder to give to my daughter’s violin teacher and accompanist. The Clarence Eisteddfod is on very soon and I always like to give them a little present for their help when music exams and eisteddfods are on.  Hopefully they will like them. I will show you the other cards I come up with during the week.
Ingredients :
Stamps : Awash with flowers, Occasional greetings
Ink : Early espresso, Marina mist, regal rose, pip, bashful blue, wasabi
Card : early espresso, whisper white
Other : Scallop edge border punch, pearls