Color Throw Down #8

From the looks of it this challenge was looking promicing, until I saw that that pink swatch was not Regal Rose or Pretty in Pink. Oh no, it’s CAMEO CORAL. Waaahhhh. Thats not a colour, thats almost an unknown substance. I tried making a card with this last night – well in fact I did make a card – but in the cold light of day I deemed it trash. So I tried again and come up  with this instead.

• Stamp Set – Always, Stem Silhouettes.
• Card Stock – Old Olive, Certainly Celery, Cameo Coral, Very Vanilla
• Ink – Old Olive, Certainly Celery, So Saffron, Versamark
• Accessories – Brads, Photo Corner punch, Stamp-a ma-jig

Cameo Coral is not an ink colour high on my list, so of course I don’t have it in my ink stash. Truely does any company make an ink colour similar to Cameo Coral. Lucky we have Versamark that can be almost any colour, so I used that on my CC card stock so I could incorporate that colour into the main image.

I had my Stem Silhouettes out from the last card that I did, so I used it again here. These poor old retired sets seem to get overlooked a lot so I’m making an effort to use them more. I liked this set for it’s versatility (and the idea that the images were well suited to masculine type cards). So to prove it’s versatility I’ve used the old with something new.

Thanks for dropping by

KWerner Color Inspiration #20

I love this inspiration piece and the colours kristine picked out for this challenge and thought this would be a piece of cake. Then I sat down with stamps and paper and lost my mojo. Oh dear!

• Stamp Set – Mostly Flowers, Stem Silhouettes, Always
• Card Stock – Chocolate Chip, Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink, Very Vanilla
• Ink – Versamark, Chocolate Chip, Certainly Celery
• Accessories – Brads, Grosgrain ribbon, Poly Sparkle embossing powder (non SU), Stamp-a-ma-jig

I used the emboss resist technique to make the focal tile, stamping onto Very Vanilla and sponging Choc Chip ink over the top.

Satisfaction Rating – 8/10 ( Maybe I’m too tired and sore to get really inspired about my work. I had an immunisation shot yesterday and I’m feeling a bit blah today.   )

Thanks for dropping by.

Something about me

As some of you may be aware from a previous post, I’ve been doing farm work lately. The last couple of days I’ve been sent down to Lowood to cut broccolli. This is a pic of me sitting in the Broccolli field waiting for the driver to return.

This is the broccolli that I planted about three months ago. Behind me are the gum trees where koalas live and it’s a great diversion to go koala spotting in between the planting of the rows. Our backpacking buddies who work with us, always get a buzz out of seeing the native wildlife in the great outdoors. During planting time I get to see the sun rise over Mount Glorious and set over the Great Dividing Range.

The tractor driver was feeling like a change and asked if I’d like to operate the tractor while he did the cutting. I didn’t have to be asked twice, lol. So after a few instructions, I can now say I’m the tractor driver!!!

The pic above is badly Photoshopped as the contrast was pretty bad, but since I look like I’m having a great time I thought it worth including here. Hahahha. This is the view my little gang of cutters get to see. This is the position I maintain for most of the day- driving forwards while I’m looking backwards. Can’t get too far ahead of my little gang, after all they’re doing all the real work. I just have to do more of the thinking stuff here. LOL.

Obviously, my little gang had their hands full with all that cutting they had to do, so I had to take my own pic of myself. LOL. Of course while I’m busy taking this pic, the tractor, which has very light steering, is veering out of the wheel tracks. Not much time for mucking about. This is serious work here!!!

See, thats me adjusting an very important lever. Someones got to do it!! The other tractor drivers don’t do it with as much style as me of course. The bling on my fingers just gives me that extra edge.

This is what one of the other less glamourous teams looks like from my tractor, so I guess they have a similar view of ours. My tractor was bigger of course!!!! Just so I can came across as a bit knowledgeable, I asked the real driver what in fact I was driving. I can now say with authority that I was driving a John Deere 1640, for what it’s worth.

The sad thing is that I’ll be starting a new job next week. I’ll miss doing my farm work, but I really need a job with regular hours and regular days off so I can develop my Stampin’ Up! business more. Sadly I’ve only been able to make cards lately and my workshops have all but ceased. That will soon change.

Thanks for taking the time to share a part of my little world.

Color Throwdown #7

Now, if I thought that making a card for last weeks Color Trowdown was tricky, when I had to use five colours, imagine how I felt just using two. I’m please to report that I did make a card using only these colours, plus a neutral of course.

• Stamp Set – Petal Prints
• Card Stock – Ballet Blue, Apricot Appeal, Bashful Blue, Very Vanilla
• Ink – Ballet Blue, Apricot Appeal, Bashful Blue, Versamark
• Accessories – Embossing Powder, Sponges, Stampin’Up! Markers

I used the Emboss resist technique for this card. I stamped my ‘picture’ in versamark and then clear embossed it. Now it was time to colour it with sponging, and lots of it. The green down the bottom of the card was made by sponge layering the Aprict Appeal and Ballet Blue inks over the top of each other. Pretty cool, huh?? I felt the flowers weren’t bright enough so I got my markers out that matched the ink and filled them in. As I liked that effect I thought I’d add a shadow to some of the leaves with Bashful Blue, which of course came out looking green!

I probably should have stopped there but I just had to keep going and I lightly direct stamped some more leaves into the background. Interesting that with stamping the background is usually the last to be applied. I was trying to create a ‘painting’ so to speak so I didn’t want to add any sentiment to this.

Satisfaction Rating – 8/10 (I liked the idea of creating a picture this way, needs some more work though. I feel it’s missing a bit of texture somewhere, somehow. Still have to figure that one out.)

Thanks for popping in to see what I’ve made.

KWCI#19

Kristine Werners latest Color Inspiration Challenge can be found here -

I’ve been making a few cards lately with the black/grey/white combo, so this was a great excuse to make another. This time however the challenge called for the creator to include a colour of their own choosing. After a bit of consideration I went for Orchid Opulence.

• Stamp Set – Always, True Friend
• Card Stock – Black, Basic Gray, Whisper White, Orchid Opulence
• Ink – Stazon Jet Black
• Accessories – Square and Circle punches, Stamp-a-ma-jig

I wanted to try making a square card again. I experimented with different stamps and designs but it just wasn’t coming together for me. I then decided that I did want the focal image to be retangular but I didn’t want to start recutting card stock to make a retangle card. So after a bit more shuffling of elements I came up with the above card. I would have probably liked to have bordered the white squares in black but I don’t have the right sized punches for that, so I just went with what I had.

Satisfaction rating – 9/10 (I liked making this card)

Ruby Roses

I was looking for some fresh inspiration using the Wild Roses stamp set. Whenever I’ve use this set I’ve generally stuck to the tried and true pink roses, usually inking in Pretty in Pink and Regal Rose. As I was cruising thru some online galleries I came across this card. http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/996469?cat=7222

I knew I wanted to make it, or something similar, as soon as I saw it.

• Stamp Set – Wild Roses, Weathered BG, Paisley BG and Lovely Labels
• Card Stock – Bravo Burgundy, Ruby Red, Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla
• Ink – Bravo Burgundy, Ruby Red, Always Artichoke
• Accessories – Grosgrain Ribbon, Circle Punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig

Wild Roses is a Two Step stamp set. So that means you stamp one part of the image first, in this case Ruby Red. Then using the best stamp positioning system ever designed, the Stamp-a-ma-jig, you stamp the second part of the image over the top of the first. I used Bravo Burgundy ink for the second part. I did the same for the leaves, but instead i just used one ink colour, Always Artichoke. I always need to attach leaves to my roses coz I feel they look naked with out them, LOL.

I don’t often make cards with this many layers, and this one had six in all!!! The Always Artichoke layer was stamped with the Weathered BG stamp, first across the card and then vertically. After I laid out the flowers, ribbon and borders I felt it needed something else. As I was thinking what I should do, my friend Kirsty, was ferretting through her stuff and pulled out the Lovely Labels set saying “Oh, I forgot I had these!!”. “What the…., you’ve been holding out on me girl. Get that set onto the table this instant! I need to use it.” LOL. So I quickly stamped off and punched out the ‘Thank You’ label and tucked it into the bunch of roses.

Satisfaction rating – 9/10 (With all the layering and cutting out of flowers it took me ages juggling the pieces around ’til I was satisfied with it. Thumbs down for the wonky bow and the poor lighting for the photograph)

Thanks for dropping by.

Color Throwdown 6

Continuing on the story of my fabulous stamping day with my friend yesterday…..the next card we made was based on this colour challenge from http://colorthrowdown.blogspot.com/2008/08/color-throwdown-6.html

• Stamp Set – In the Spotlight, Always
• Card Stock – Soft Sky, Barely Banana, Very Vanilla
• Ink – Ruby Red, Pumkin Pie, Certainly Celery
• Accessories – Circle punches, grosgrain ribbon, Stamp-a-ma-jig. dimensionals.

Now the challenge here for me was to use Barely Banana – it’s one of those colours that I rarely go near. With so many colours, I also wanted a simple style of card. I was originally going to use the “You’re one of a kind” stamp (from One of a Kind), but since I used it on the previous card I made I opted for a different sentiment. The flowers where popped up on dimensionals for added interest.

Satisfaction rating – 8/10 ( I’m not in love with this one, but I was trying for a simple style, which is generally not my style, lol)

My friend, Kirsty,  also made a card, and I really love how hers turned out. It had a real 50’s retro feel to it. Kirsty has just started a blog up last night, so if she posts the card I’ll put in a link here soon. She used the Pick a Petal set which I’m sorry to say I’m not using as much as I thought I would. Glad to see it getting a workout!!

Thanks for dropping by.

How not to have a miserable day.

Have friends over for some stamping fun of course.

Oh, I had plans yesterday to go to the Big Smoke (aka Brisbane), catching up with friends, hanging out with some hip people, doing the rounds of coffee shops, etc. And then at the last minute I didn’t get to go. Ooooooh! I was miserable and cranky. In my defiance, I sulked and went off to bed at 7 o’clock!!! I NEVER go to bed that early, unless I’ve been overworked or I’m very sick. Since I was niether of those things I must admit to just being a spoilt sport.

I woke this morning with my bottom lip still dragging on the floor. I had an arrangement for a stamping buddy to show up today for some card making, and all morning I’m groaning ‘I don’t feel like doing this’. It’s at moments like this you need a harsh muse, to give you a slap and tell you to get over yourself. I got stuck into some over due housework and that seemed to work a treat, coz’ by the time my guest arrived I was ready for a good excuse to stop cleaning!!! LOL

So then the card making started in ernest. We ended up making 4 1/2 cards each. So how do you make 1/2 a card you ask? Well, it’s simple really. You see that your buddy has made a great card and you ask her to make you one. Except half way thru she has to go out and pick up lunch and I get to finish it off!!

So what did we make? I’ll show you one tonight ( or else I’ll be here ’til passed midnight).

• Stamp Set – Bronc Buster, One of a Kind, Weathered BG
• Card Stock – Old Olive, Really Rust, Chocolate Chip, Creamy Caramel, Very Vanilla.
• Ink – Really Rust, Chocolate Chip, Creamy Caramel, More Mustard, Pumkin Pie, Cranberry Crisp
• Accessories – Stamp-a-ma-jig, Sponges, Designer Label and Circle punch, Brads (non SU)

I’d made a card similar to this one last week and I sold it before I took a pic of it, so I had to recreate this from memory. And since Fathers Day is just around the corner I thought I’d make this for my dad. The main image was made with a LOT of sponging. Firstly I masked off the ‘moon’, and then sponged, sponged, sponged away. I used a bunch of ink colours to get that twilight look.

Satisfaction rating – 10/10 ( I liked making the first one so much that I had to make it again. Plus it lifted me out of the grumps, and that has to be a good thing!!)

My stamping buddy also made one for herself right along with me. Hers looked great too.

Wishing you all a great day.

Lovely Christmas

I’ve been working on a design for my Christmas cards for this year that I could easily duplicate/replicate. As I mentioned in a previous post, I wasn’t satisfied with what I was making with the Season of Joy set, especially the main images. So I went with the Lovely as a Tree set instead, with it’s beautiful cypress/pine tree. I think the tree from this set works better with the designs in the Holiday Harmony DSP. (Click on pics for a better view)

• Stamp Set – Lovely as a Tree, Season of Joy, Illuminated
• Card Stock – Always Artichoke, River Rock, Purely Pomegranate
• Ink – Always Artichoke, River Rock, Purely Pomegranate, Versa Mark
• Accessories – Silver embossing powder, Circle punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Holiday Harmony DSP.

I started with the Holiday Harnomy DSP pack for my colour inspiration – just love these colours together. I silver heat embossed my images, but they’d look just as nice if they were stamped in Always Artichoke too, for a simpler (ie; less work, lol) version. I haven’t used my Illuminated wheel much since I bought it, so it’ll be getting a good workout over the next few months. Now, I did say that I liked some of the elements in the Season of Joy set so I pulled them out and used them here too.

Satisfaction Rating – 9/10 ( I like the simplicity of the card, with just enough interesting elements in the design ie; texture and swirls, to keep me interested enough to make multiples of them.)

I’m sure after I’ve made about 20 more of these I’ll be over it. My next idea is to make chrissy cards in non traditional colours, and maybe even use some of my non SU stamps that I purchased last year. Can’t let them go to waste by being idle, eh?

Thanks for dropping by.

Season of Joy

I bought the Season of Joy set from the new mini catalogue, because I didn’t have any Christmassy stamps yet. I liked this set because it has a few ‘elements’ and ‘wordy’ stamps in it. I also got the Holiday Harmony DSP, thinking I’d make my Christmas cards up with all this.

So I sit down for a creating session with the above mentioned items, and do you think I can come up with a card that I like. No, no, no. Argh!! I love the paper – that colour combo is just perfect – it’s the stamp set thats all wrong for me. It’s all a matter of personal taste here, because I’ve had a lot of positive feedback for them when I took them to my cardmaking club last weekend. I think I’ll stay away from all the Whimsy stuff from now on. It’s just not me.

• Stamp Set – Season of Joy
• Card Stock – Purely Pomegranate, Always Artichoke, Rive Rock
• Ink – Purely Pomegranate, Always Artichoke, Rive Rock
• Accessories – Holiday Harmony DSP, Stamp-a-ma-jig

Satisfaction Rating – 7/10 ( like the layout and colours but I dont like the stamps   )

I’ll be back soon with Christmas cards I made using the same paper but different stamps, and this time I love it!!!