Friday 10 December 2021

JAI 584 Just add Christmas - bay window gift card holder

Handmade Christmas gift card holder bay window card. Using Stitched Triangles dies and Heartwarming Hugs card. Card by Di Barnes - Independent Demonstrator in Sydney Australia - 2021 Christmas Mini  catalogue - fancy folds - bay window card

Hello & welcome! Today I'm sharing a fun fold Christmas card that's also a gift card holder. This is my Design Team project for this week's Just Add Ink challenge.

I've used the Stitched Triangles dies with the Heartwarming Hugs patterned paper pack to create a cluster of Christmas trees on the card front with a scored and popped out section. This is an adaption of what I now understand is called a bay window card.

Friday 3 December 2021

Hats off to my darling man's birthday

Handmade hat birthday card for guys using Stampin Up Hats Off stamp set & die bundle, Biggest Wish & Create with Friends stamp sets. Card by Di Barnes - Independent Stampin Up Demonstrator in Sydney Australia - 2021-22 annual catalogue - male cards - masculine - die cutting - colourmehappy

Hello, hello & welcome. Today I'm sharing a card I made for my darling man's birthday using the Hats Off stamp set and bundle.

Hats Off is one of those sets that is useful for so many people, ages, and occasions.

I know many of you find guy cards trickier than most, so I hope this gives you some ideas to try. I was actually inspired by this brilliant Hats Off card made by my friend, Chloe Evans.

Let's take a look at the full card.

Wednesday 1 December 2021

Quick & easy Gingerbread Christmas card set

20 Quick and easy handmade Christmas cards using Stampin Up Gingerbread and Peppermint Suite, and patterned paper, Memories and More cards. Cards by Di Barnes, Independent Stampin' Up Demonstrator in Sydney Australia - diecutting - cardmaking - colourmehappy - stampsinkpaper - Christmas to remember - 2021 Christmas Mini Catalogue
Hello & welcome! Today I'm sharing 14 (yes 14) quick & easy card designs made with the Gingerbread & Peppermint 6 x 6 inch patterned paper pack and Memories & More Cards & Envelopes,
together with the Frosted Gingerbread stamp set & die bundle. Sadly none of these goodies are carrying over, so are only available while supplies last. Shop supplies for these cards in my store now.

I made multiples of some designs resulting in 22 cards in total for one Sunday afternoon. It was a good feeling to boost my still too small Christmas card stash.

Here's how they turned out (click on pic for a bigger view).
 

Friday 26 November 2021

JAI 582 inspiration challenge - Christmas stockings

Handmade Christmas stockings card using Stampin Up Tidings and Trimmings stamp set and die bundle, Heartwarming Hugs paper and coloured with Stampin Blends alcohol markers. Card by Di Barnes - colourmehappy -Independent Demonstrator in Sydney Australia. 2021-2022 annual catalogue

Hello hello & welcome to another project share created for the Just Add Ink challenges Design Team. This week's challenge is to make a project inspired by the cosy, Christmas scene above. I still have a ton of Christmas cards to make so this was very welcome.

I decided to use the Tidings & Trimmings stamp set and die bundle from the Annual Catalogue. This has traditional Christmas images like stockings & stars with a modern twist, and a sentiment that perfectly matched the one in the challenge image. Here's my finished card.

Friday 12 November 2021

JAI 580 colour challenge - thinking of you

Handmade thinking of you card made with Stampin Up Quiet Meadow stamp set & bundle, and Meadows dies. Stitched Rectangle and Tailor Made Tags dies. Gold heat embossing. Card by Di Barnes, Independent Demonstrator in Sydney Australia - colourmehappy - sydneystamper - 2021-22 annual catalogue - card challenge - colour challenge
 
Hello Friday! It's been a long week but I'm happy to be sharing my Just Add Ink Design Team project for this week's colour challenge. The colours - Blushing Bride, Evening Evergreen and gold - gave me vintage vibes, so I chose delicate botanical themed images from the Quiet Meadow stamp set & bundle to create my card. Here's how it turned out.

Friday 5 November 2021

Notes of Cheer Kit - Quick & easy cards beyond the kit

Stampin' Up Notes of Cheer quick and easy card kit and alternate ideas. Cards by Di Barnes - Independent Demonstrator in Sydney Australia - colourmehappy - kit collection - sydney stamper - stampinupaustraliaStampin' Up Notes of Cheer quick and easy card kit and alternate ideas. Cards by Di Barnes - Independent Demonstrator in Sydney Australia - colourmehappy - kit collection - sydney stamper - stampinupaustralia

Hello and welcome! Today I'm sharing cards from the Notes of Cheer Card Kit and some alternative project ideas using basic supplies that you might like to try.

Monday 1 November 2021

Tidings of Christmas - 8 one sheet wonder cards

Set of 8 Quick and easy handmade Christmas cards - using Stampin Up Tidings of Christmas paper and Words of Cheer stamp set and bundle. Cards by Di Barnes - Independent Demonstrator in Sydney Australia - 2021 holiday christmas mini catalogue - colourmehappy - sydneystamper - stamps ink paper

Hello & welcome! Today I have not 1 but 8 Christmas cards to share with you. How did this miracle occur?

Earlier in October, our Stampin' Up! South Pacific Development Managers hosted a online Craft-a-long-a-thon event for Demonstrators in Australia & New Zealand. It was such a fun afternoon with lots of great ideas & many laughs.

One project we worked on was a set of quick and easy set of 4 cards using a One Sheet Wonder technique by cutting up a piece of patterned paper and card into simple shapes to make 4 different designs.

Making Christmas cards was an easy choice as I'm determined to get lots made & ready to send by December 1st. I chose a pretty paper print from the Tidings of Christmas pack as my starting point.
I chose to use the Words of Cheer stamps & dies bundle for my sentiments instead of a punch - as you well know I'm obsessed with the 2 layer happy die.

Once I'd made one set I had to make another using a different print in the Tidings of Christmas pack. Here's the whole set (click on pics for larger view).

Friday 29 October 2021

JAI 578 sketch challenge - happy Christmas poinsettias

Handmade Christmas card using Stampin Up Words of Cheer stamp set and die bundle, Heartwarming Hugs paper, Timber embossing folder, rectangle stitched dies, and coloured with Stampin Blends alcohol markers. Card by Di Barnes - independent demonstrator in Sydney Australia - colourmehappy - sydneystamper - 2021 holiday christmas catalogue

Hello & welcome! Today's share is my design team project for this week's sketch challenge JAI 578 at Just Add Ink and I'm still really enjoying Christmas creating with the Words of Cheer stamp and die bundle.

This card has a traditional red, green & white colour scheme but I think the Just Jade (which I love) gives a fresh and modern look with lots of texture and interest. Here's the finished card.

Friday 22 October 2021

Pink Poinsettia Christmas with Words of Cheer

Handmade non traditional Christmas card using Stampin Up Words of Cheer stamp set and bundle, Whimsy and Wonder paper and coloured with Stampin Blends alcohol markers. Card by Di Barnes - Independent Demonstrator in Sydney Australia - colourmehappy - sydneystamper - 2021 christmas catalogue
It's official, I'm obsessed with the Words of Cheer stamps and die bundle. You might have seen some images I coloured and shared on Instagram last week, and this is the first card I completed with them.

Friday 15 October 2021

JAI 576 challenge - Christmas pop up slider with Words of Cheer

Handmade pop up slider card using Stampin Up Words of Cheer stamp set and bundle, Stampin Blends markers & Tidings of Christmas paper. Card by Di Barnes - Indpendent Demonstrator Stampin Up in Sydney Australia - colourmehappy - sydneystamper - 2021 mini catalogue - 2021 annual catalogue
Hello & welcome to another project share., I'm here with my latest Just Add Ink challenge Design Team card. This week we've been challenged to add a moving element. So many choices!

I started by choosing to make a pop up slider card as my moving part. They look like a regular card when closed but give a pop up surprise. I've made lots of these over the years and thankfully wrote a tutorial last time so I didn't even have to re-figure out the measurements. Win!

I just got the beautiful Words of Cheer stamp set and die bundle too so that was an easy choice. A floral Christmas pop up slider card it is.

Here's how it looks closed.


Friday 8 October 2021

JAI 575 colour challenge - Happy Badgers card

Handmade card featuring Stampin Up Badger Besties and Biggest Wish stamp sets and watercolour pencils. Card by Di Barnes - Independent Demonstrator Stampin' Up! in Sydney Australia - colourmehappy - sydneystamper - cardmaking - stamping - 2021-22 Annual Catalogue

Hello & welcome! Today I have a sweet & fun card to share with you - my Just Add Ink Design Team project for this week's colour challenge and made for my darling man.

It's a very supply friendly card, combining the cute & new to me Badger Besties stamp set with my well used fave, Biggest Wish, plus ink and card in Polished Pink and Soft Succulent. Some gold Gilded Leafing adds a luxe touch. And no dies or punches were needed - surprise! Here's my finished card.

Thursday 30 September 2021

JAI 574 Choose Two - Sunburst Silhouette

Handmade any occasion sunburst-starburst technique card using Stampin Up Inspired Thoughts stamps & bundle, Meadow dies and Tailor Made Tags dies. Card by Di Barnes - Independent Demonstrator in Sydney Australia - colourmehappy - sydneystamper - 2021 annual catalogue - patterned paper techniques

Hello & welcome to another share. Today I have my Just Add Ink challenge Design Team project. Nikki gave us a Choose Two challenge to include sunshine, a silhouette, or stars. I chose silhouette and sunshine - using a sunburst design.

This challenge stumped me at first but once I thought about using a sunburst design (which can also be called a starburst - weird!) it came together quickly. I mixed and matched a sentiment from the Inspired Thoughts stamp set (& bundle) and dies from the Meadow dies set (& Quiet Meadow bundle) and Tailor Made Tags set. Here's the finished card.

Friday 24 September 2021

Hello card - Pierced Blooms & Greenery

Quick and easy handmade hello card using Stampin Up Pierced Blooms, Stiched Greenery dies, & Biggest Wish stamp set. Card by Di Barnes - Independent Demonstrator in Sydney Australia - 2021-22 Annual Catalogue - colourmehappy -sydneystamper

Hello & welcome to another project share.

Today I have the last card (for now) using my Pierced Blooms dies, Stitched Greenery die & Biggest Wish stamp set. This is a quick and easy design you could make a bunch of to send some lockdown love.

I've added a watercolour twist to add some depth and but it looks just as good without, thanks to the fabulous dies.

Here's the finished card.

Friday 17 September 2021

JAI 572 inspiration challenge - Gingerbread Christmas

 
Hello & welcome. Today I have a fun Christmas card in non traditional colours to share with you. This is my Design Team project for this week's Just Add Ink challenge, which is to create a project inspired by the beautiful image above.
 
Of course my first instinct was to bring out the Pierced Blooms florals again to replicate the pretty florals in the image. However, the colours reminded me of the papers in the Whimsy & Wonder pack so I went Christmassy instead, substituting star shaped cookies rom the Frosted Gingerbread bundle for the flowers. Here's the finished card.
 

Monday 13 September 2021

More Pierced Blooms - Inlaid embossing technique tutorial

Handmade thankyou card using Stampin Up Pierced Blooms dies, Biggest Wish stamps and Tasteful Textile embossing folder - inlaid embossing technique - card by Di Barnes Independent Stampin Up Demonstrator in Sydney Australia - colourmehappy - sydneystamper - 2021 stampin up catalogue
Hello & welcome to today's project share.

If you've been following along with me lately, you'll know that I'm a huge fan of the Pierced Blooms die set. I hope you are too as I have another card to share with you.

I actually made this one back in July as part of a technique spotlight share on the South Pacific Direct to Stampin' Up! group. I chose to revisit a past fave technique - inlaid embossing - using two current faves - Pierced Blooms dies and Biggest Wish.

Friday 3 September 2021

JAI 570 colour challenge - Pierced Blooms thanks

Handmade thank you card using Stampin Up Pierced Blooms, Tailor Made Tags, & Stitched Greenery dies. Card by Di Barnes, Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator in Sydney Australia - colourmehappy - sydneystamper -2021 stampin up catalogue

Hello & welcome. Today I have a happy little thank you card to share with you for Just Add Ink challenge 570 Design Team.

This week is a colour challenge suggested by me, including two of my favourite Stampin' Up! and real life colours - Night of Navy, Coastal Cabana plus white. I've again used my beloved Stitched Greenery die and Pierced Blooms dies.

Take a look at the finished card.

Friday 27 August 2021

JAI 569 Just add N - hydrangea sympathy card

Handmade floral sympathy card using Stampin Up Hydrangea Haven stamp set and die bundle, Delicate Dahlias stamp set, and coloured with Stampin Blends alcohol markers. Card by Di Barnes, Independent Demonstrator in Sydney Australia - colourmehappy - sydneystamper - 2021 saleabration - stampin up australia - 2021 annual catalogue

Hello & welcome! Today I have a soft and pretty sympathy card to share with you. This is my Design Team card for Just Add Ink - Just Add 'N' challenge. My 'N' is new as this is my first play with all the stamps used.

This card is for a friend & fellow cardmaker who sadly lost her husband last week. She loves florals so the hydrangea images from Hydrangea Haven stamp set (and bundle) seemed a good choice and gave me another opportunity for some Stampin Blends colouring. So here's the finished card.

Friday 20 August 2021

JAI 568 sketch challenge - Peaceful Deer Christmas

Handmade Christmas card using Stampin Up Peaceful Deer stamp set and punch bundle, Tidings of Christmas paper and Stampin' Blends alcohol markers. Card by Di Barnes  - Independent Demonstrator in Sydney Australia - colourmehappy - Sydney stamper


It's a sketch challenge week at Just Add Ink and Lou has created an oh so flexible sketch for us. I decided this was a perfect opportunity to make my first Christmas card of 2021. My darling man keeps saying I need to start now so I don't finish on Christmas Eve again this year. *laughs* Have you started yours yet?

I chose to use the Peaceful Deer stamp set and punch bundle - a new release from our Christmas Mini Catalogue together with the two fresh paper prints from the Tidings of Christmas paper pack (from the Annual Catalogue). Here's how it turned out.

Friday 6 August 2021

JAI 566 Just add a frame - Pinwheel tower card

Handmade 3d fancy fold pinwheel tower card. Made by Stampin' Up! supplies: Biggest Wish - Pierced Blooms dies, Tailored Tags dies, Rectangle Stitched Dies,  Stitched Greenery die. Card by Di Barnes - Independent Demonstrator in Sydney Australia - colourmehappy - sydneystamper.
Hello & welcome. Today I'm sharing a new to me 3d fancy fold card that makes me very happy and hope that it makes the recipient smile too. This is my Design Team project for this week's Just Add Ink challenge - Just Add a Frame.

I haven't made many 3d & fancy fold cards lately but when I spotted the lovely Patty Bennett's Pinwheel Tower cards & tutorial, I knew it would be perfect to send to a dear friend who also loves a fancy fold. It's surprisingly easy to make, especially thanks to Patty's tips. I adapted the size of my card to work better with A4 card & metric measurements. It's approx 21cm x 14.5cm folded flat.

I've used lots of my current & new fave stamps and dies to make it, including the Biggest Wish stamp set, Stitched Greenery die and Pierced Blooms dies. If you've seen my recent cards, you'll have spotted some too. 

This is a super photo heavy post so let's get started with a look at the finished card.

Friday 30 July 2021

JAI 565 colour challenge - Daisy Garden thank you card

handmade thank you can made with Stampin' Up Daisy Garden stamp set and coloured with Stampin Blends alcohol markers. Card by Di Barnes - Independent Demonstrator in Sydney Australia - colourmehappy - sydneystamper

Hello & welcome! Today I have a happy little thank you card for you. This is my Just Add Ink Design Team project for this week's colour challenge - Polished Pink, Pale Papaya & Black - suggested by Lou.

Polished Pink and Pale Papaya are two of our newest In Colours and this is the first time I've used them together. I think they work really well for the flowers on the pretty, detailed Daisy Garden image.

Here's my finished card.

Friday 23 July 2021

JAI 564 Choose two - sloth hello card

Handmade hello - encouragement card using Stampin' Up! Back on Your Feet stamp set, Biggest Wish stamp set, Stitched Greenery and Tailor Made Tags dies. Coloured with Stampin Blends markers.  Card by Di Barnes - Independent Stampin' Up! demonstrator - colourmehappy - sydneystamper - stampin up demo
I feel like a bit of a sloth at the moment since I'm pretty much at home all the time with our current lockdown. Maybe this helped prompt the idea for my Just Add Ink Just Choose Two challenge card. Who knows *smile*.

I thought a combo of sky, tree or trees would be a fun Choose Two challenge when I suggested it, but I had trouble finding images to suit my initial ideas this week. Always the way. Maybe I need some new supplies. *wink*

Anyway I wanted to send an encouragement card and thought the sad little sloth in a tree with the sky in the background would work for the challenge too, so here's how my card turned out.



Friday 9 July 2021

JAI 562 inspiration challenge - Sweet Strawberry Birthday Card

Handmade birthday card using Stampin Up Sweet Strawberry stamp set and punch bundle. Made by Di Barnes, Independent Demonstrator in Sydney Australia - colourmehappy - sydneystamper - 2021-22 annual catalogue

Hello & welcome! Today I'm sharing my team project for this week's Just Add Ink inspiration challenge, which is a gorgeous Christmas scene - perfect for Christmas in July fun.

Some of the upcoming 2021 Christmas catalogue goodies (coming 2 August) would have been perfect and made the challenge very easy, but I don't have them yet. The beautiful red baubles did remind me that I haven't used the well named Sweet Strawberry stamp and punch bundle yet so I decided to try to reflect the image with it to create a non-Christmas project. This is what I made.

Friday 25 June 2021

JAI 560 colour challenge - sunflower thank you card

Handmade floral thank you card with blended ink background on patterned paper. Using True Love paper, Sunflowers dies and Pansy Patch stamp set. Card by Di Barnes colourmehappy colourmehappydi sydneystamper independent demonstrator in Australia
 
Hello & welcome! This week's Just Add Ink challenge is a colour challenge using Gray Granite, Coastal Cabana and Blackberry Bliss. I can honestly say I'd never have thought to combine these colours, but I'm happy to say they played pretty nicely together on this floral card.

Friday 11 June 2021

JAI 558 sketch challenge - Pansy hello tri-fold card

Handmade hello tri fold card made with Stampin Up Pansy Petals bundle, Pansy Garden paper and Biggest Wish stamp set. Card by Di Barnes - colourmehappydi  - stampin up demonstrator in Sydney AustraliaHandmade hello card made with Stampin Up Pansy Petals bundle, Pansy Garden paper and Biggest Wish stamp set. Card by Di Barnes - colourmehappydi  - stampin up demonstrator in Sydney Australia

This week's Just Add Ink challenge is a sketch challenge created by Kim and a very good one it is - easy to use and so flexible. Thanks, Kim. Anyway, I thought it would be fun to create a tri-fold card using the sketch elements in different layers. Here's how it turned out.

Friday 28 May 2021

JAI 556 Just Add a slimline birthday card

Stampin Up friend birthday card using Biggest Wish - Artistically Inked & Butterfly Brilliance. Card by Di Barnes - colourmehappy - Demonstrator in Sydney Australia


Hello hello, I'm so happy to share my stamp room is finally almost fully set up in our new home and I have  created a card to share with you today - my first in a long while for the Just Add Ink Challenges Design Team. It feels good to be back.

This week, Lou challenged us to create a slimline card so I picked some of my favourite new goodies and made this:

Wednesday 5 May 2021

New Stampin' Blends Colours and Colour Chart download

Stampin' Up! Stampin Blends Colour Chart - coloured
One of my favourite things about a new catalogue is new colours and the prospect of new Stampin' Blends alcohol markers.

I'm so happy the 2021-22 Annual Catalogue includes 5 new colours - Fresh Freesia, Polished Pink, Evening Evergreen, Soft Succulent, and Pale Papaya. 

That gives us 10 new Stampin' Blends markers - 5 colours with a light and dark shade for each colour.

I've updated my Stampin' Blends colour chart to include the new colour markers and also re-align the retiring colours. Can you believe this is version 7.

If you haven't used my colour chart before, it makes it easy to find shades to blend together and keep a record of what colours you have. Plus it's just so pretty coloured in. *smile*

Tuesday 4 May 2021

A new year of stamping & bonus offers starts today

Hello everyone & welcome to a new catalogue year. If this seems an earlier start than usual you're right! Our Annual Catalogue year now starts today - May 4th and runs through April 2022. 

This year's catalogue  launch is even more fun as we have two special SU offers starting today too:
- Bonus Stampin' Rewards (4 May - 14 June)
- Join + extra Starter Kit Value (4 - 31 May)
 
Read on for all you need to know.