Friday 26 June 2015

JAI 268 sketch challenge - Birthday blossoms

It's new challenge time at Just Add Ink & Narelle has come up with this great sketch to try...
... & this is what I made, with just one stamp set!
This was my first play with some new goodies I've been dying to try, namely the Birthday Blossoms stamp set & Pretty Petals 6x6 DSP stack.
I stamped the flowers (watermelon wonder & calyspso coral) & leaves (old olive) on whisper white card & quickly watercoloured them with the same ink pads, trying to use as little water as possible since the stamped images aren't waterproof. You don't get the same blend-ability on whisper white as on watercolour paper but they still turn out ok if you work quickly. I fussy cut them, but you can punch them out with the co-ordinating pansy punch to make it even easier.
Then I worked on the other sketch elements, starting with a lovely floral print paper from the Pretty Petals pack (love!), watermelon wonder card panel & vanilla panel stamped with another floral image from Birthday Blossoms. I used a scrap of old olive textured card (retired) to add the sentiment - also from Birthday Blossoms. Finally I had to add some gold sequins to finish off the card - apparently I can't make anything without them at the moment ;-)

Birthday Blossoms is one of my top 5 new catalogue must haves as it includes so many sentiments I know I'll use heaps as well as pretty floral images (& you know I can't resist a pretty floral). I just have to show you them all & you'll see what I mean.
Anyhow, I hope you like my card. Thanks so much for leaving me a comment or pinning it if you do.
Please check out all the DT's creations here as they've really rocked the sketch with fab ideas. We'd love you to try the sketch & link your project too.
See you next time with a new project

Inky wishes, Di

Supplies
To see & order any items used in today's project, just click on the items below to see them in my Online Store. You can order from me if you live anywhere in Australia. I would love to be your Demonstrator if you don't already have one. Please allow "Demonstrator contact" in your preferences so I can thank you properly when you place your order.
Note - Stamp sets & bundles noted below may be available in other mount options (eg wood, cling rubber or photopolymer). I have listed the option that I used. Please check the online store if your preference is different.


Friday 19 June 2015

JAI 267 Just add typography - & sunburst template

Friday means new challenge time at Just Add Ink & this week's challenge is to just add typography, which I'm excited to say was suggested by me.
One simple definition of typography is "the practical and artistic arrangement of type and printing with type". So, I thought it would be fun challenge to make a project that uses words, text or type in a practical & creative way. So....this is what I made...
 (click on the pic for a bigger version)
My starting point was to use one of the quotes or sayings from the Feel Goods stamp set. I love both the sayings, font choice & layout, so it was perfect for the challenge. Reading the sunshine quote gave me an idea to cut a sunburst background using the text paper in our new 12x12 paper stacks & my card came together from there.

I heat embossed the sentiment with versamark & white embossing powder on so saffron card, cut it out with an oval framelit & added a little so saffron sponging to help make the sentiment pop. Then I mounted it onto some vellum card & pierced a border. You can see the glossy image better in this pic.

Once I'd pieced the background & added the sentiment panel (popped on dimensionals), I wanted to add a final little touch so I added some tiny gold embossed butterflies from Papillion Potpourri

Sunburst background template
The sunburst background with text paper enhances the typography theme. I could have made the background using the sunburst template & instructions I shared in this post. However, as I wanted the text on the paper to remain horizontal, I drew up a paper template using the same process. I used this template to cut out the so saffron card & DSP together so the pieces would be exactly the same size. Keep them all aligned so you know how they go back together. I sponged each piece lightly with so saffron ink to add a little more depth.
From this point, the actual sunburst piecing is the same as described before so see these instructions.
Alternate glueing a piece of card, then a piece of dsp onto a thin backing sheet of scrap paper until you have completed your sunburst. You'll be able to make two full sunbursts.

I mounted the sunburst background onto some soft suede (which played beautifully with the so saffron - who knew) & a so saffron base.

Good news -
I've drawn up a template for you to save you time & effort. Just save the image below & print it. The actual template should print at 10.5 x 14.8cm (a quarter A4 sheet, ie normal card front)... hopefully if your computer is behaving.
Tip: If you want to make your pieces bigger, just extend each of the cutting lines, or enlarge it when printing.
A request: please link back to this post rather than posting the template image pic on your own site, so others can see the original inspiration. You're also welcome & encouraged to pin it so you can find it later too. Thanks

Alternative gold version
I also tried using a gold sentiment on the card, but I liked how the original white embossed version worked so nicely with the white text, more. I thought I'd share it here anyway & you can make up your own mind.
So, that's my take on Just Add Typography. Now check out what the whole design team made too & I'd love you to try the challenge too.

Thanks for visiting today & I hope you're inspired to have a play with some words or type of your own. Leave me a comment if you liked my card or if you'd like more info on anything. Remember to pin it for later too.

Until next time, sending you some inky wishes,
Di

Supplies
To see & order any items used in today's project, just click on the items below to see them in my Online Store. You can order from me if you live anywhere in Australia. I would love to be your Demonstrator if you don't already have one. Please allow "Demonstrator contact" in your preferences so I can thank you properly when you place your order.
Note - Stamp sets & bundles noted below may be available in other mount options (eg wood, cling rubber or photopolymer). I have listed the option that I used. Please check the online store if your preference is different.

Friday 12 June 2015

JAI 266 colour challenge - swallowtail butterfly


I've had very little creative time in the past week so it was good to get into my stamp room to make a card for the new Just Add Ink challenge. This week, a colour challenge with a touch of gold suggested by the lovely Nikki; definitely a gal with a heart of gold.
I generally prefer silver over gold but I've been embracing gold a bit more... & I do love pink pirouette & night of navy, so this clean & simple card is what I came up with:
I was so glad my beloved Swallowtail butterfly stamp carried over to the new annual catalogue so a celebration was called for. It's hard to see in the pic but I stamped the butterfly in navy & clear heat embossed it (click on the pic to see a bigger pic & hopefully the lovely glossy finish). Then I sponged & sponged/markered it in pink pirouette. To finish the card, I added a strip of vellum to ground the 'hello', added a few more gold touches & mounted it on some more pink & navy card to finish.
I feel like making a whole lot more of these in different colours, now too.

The Design Team have created so many lovely cards with this combo so go check them out, try it yourself & share with us here too. As for me, thanks for visiting today. Leave me a comment if you liked what I came up with & remember to pin it too.

Until next time, inky wishes from me,
Di

Supplies
To see & order any items used in today's project, just click on the items below to see them in my Online Store. You can order from me if you live anywhere in Australia. I would love to be your Demonstrator if you don't already have one. Please allow "Demonstrator contact" in your preferences so I can thank you properly when you place your order.
Note - Stamp sets & bundles noted below may be available in other mount options (eg wood, cling rubber or photopolymer). I have listed the option that I used. Please check the online store if your preference is different.

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