Just Judy Designs

November Blog Hop - It's Christmas!

Hi there

Welcome  crafters, to our last Blog Hop for the year! With Christmas barely a month away, we will be giving you some last minute inspiration for your cards and festive trimmings. I'm way behind in my preparations, so I'm looking for all the inspiration I can get!

You may have come from the blog of  the lovely Di Dunk but if not, you can join the Blog Hop from here using the link to the next blog at the end of the post.  This month we have 9 Stampin' Up! demonstrators sharing their projects and the full list of contributors is at the end of the post.

The first project I have for you is a Christmas card with lots of bling.  I've used one of the new products from the upcoming Summer Mini Catalogue (starts on 1 December)  - the red and silver Glimmer Paper.  This is fabulous to use as the glitter is gorgeous and it doesn't come off, even when using punches.  This is a simple card that can be made with many alternative colour schemes and you could replace some of the circles with photos for a different look. I've popped up some of the circles at different heights for interest . Next time I would make the tree slightly smaller, but overall I was pretty happy with the way it turned out.

Project Details
Stamps	Heard from the Heart, Pennant Parade
Card stock & Papers	Cherry Cobbler, Textured White, Baja Breeze (Smooth & Textured), Red & Silver Glimmer Paper
Ink	Versamark, Basic Black
Accessories	Basic Rhinestones
Tools	Cherry Cobbler Embossing powder, Heat gun, Dotted Scallop Ribbon border punch, 1", 3/4", 1/2" and 3/8" Circle punches, XL Owl Punch (heart), Small Star punch (retired), Dimensionals, Foam pads of different heights (not SU)

The second project is a treat bag topper using my favourite Two Tags die. With the end of the school year coming up, these would make great gifts for the kid's teachers or their friends. They are a card and gift in one and can be filled with any manner of sweet treats.  I have a couple of different options to show you. The tag sits on a base that is cut to the same size as the tag with the corners rounded. You can attach the tag either way up, depending on your preference. I like the the rounded end facing down, so you open up the tag from the bottom. Here is the first one.

This is what the tag looks like inside.

Here is another option, using the spray from the 'Easy Events' stamp set. I coloured it with markers and added some ribbon for interest.  To provide more flexibility I cut the sentiment from the image, so it could be moved around. I can pop it back if I need to, which is really easy with clear mount stamps.

And the last one shows the alternative option, with the rounded side up. I've filled this one with some yummy bite size shortbread.

Project Details
Stamps	Teeny Tiny Sentiments, Easy Events, Winter Post, Confetti, Pennant Parade, Petite Pairs
Card stock & Papers	Very Vanilla, Kraft, Real Red, Early Espresso, Real Red & Lucky Limeade Patterns
Ink	Real Red, Soft Suede, Early Espresso, Basic Black
Accessories	Basic Rhinestones, Silver Brads, Kraft Seam Binding ribbon, 1/8" Real Red Taffeta ribbon, Green Rhinestone brad, Basic Rhinestones, Linen thread
Tools	Square Lattice embossing folder, Two Tags die, Little Leaves Die, Big Shot, Large Oval punch, 1 3/8" Circle punch, Jewellry Tag punch, Stampin' Write markers, Itty Bitty Punch pack, Copics (to colour rhinestones), Sponge Daubers

I hope you have found something in these projects to inspire your Christmas crafting.

The next stop is Kathryn Mangelsdorf.  Below is a list of the contributors for this month's Blog Hop.

Tina Gillespie

Nikki Sadler

Sue Madex

Di Dunk

Kathryn Mangelsdorf

Alisha Watson

Christine Blain

Ros Davidson

Thanks for stopping by.

October Blog Hop - Big Shot

Hi there

Welcome to our casual monthly Blog Hop for October. This month we are showcasing  the wonderful Big Shot die cutting machine.  This is one of my favourite and most used tools now and I can't imagine creating without it.   If you don't have one yet, it is a great time to purchase as they are now $30 cheaper in the 2011-12 Idea Book & Catalogue. I have used some old favourites as well as some of the newer dies in my project this month.

You may have come from the blog of  the lovely Kathryn Ruddick,  but if not, you can join the Blog Hop from here using the link to the next blog at the end of the post.  This month we have 6 Stampin' Up! demonstrators sharing their inspiration and the full list of contributors is at the end of the post.

 This month I have used the Top Note die to create a 'handbag' that fits at least 6 small gift cards and matching cute square envelopes. The number it holds depends on how much embellishment you place on the gift cards. I created a simple gusseted box in Marina Mist and then attached the decorated Top Note sides to the box with sticky strip. I have used the Designer Label and the now (sadly) retired small oval punch to create the double-sided handles.  Of course, you could also use the 'handbag' to hold treats or small gifts as it is a good size. I have matched Marina Mist and Very Vanilla card stock with the lovely brocade print from the 'Beau Chateau' Designer Series Paper for an elegant monochrome look. 

 

The gift cards were made by placing a folded square of cardstock just underneath the top row of scallops on the  largest scallop square from the Big Scallop Squares Duo die. I had a lot of fun creating the flower embellishments with the Blossom Party and Fun Flowers dies using the same colours. I added texture on some layers with the Square Lattice embossing folder and sprayed some with shimmer spray for sparkle (made from Champagne Shimmer paint). Here are the gift cards.

This is the second set.

The great thing is that the gift cards fit into the new mini square envelopes, like so.

Project Details
Stamps	None
Card stock & Papers	Marina Mist, Very Vanilla, Beau Chateau DSP, Brights Patterns DSP
Ink	Marina Mist
Accessories	Crumb Cake Seam Binding ribbon, Blue Rhinestone brads, , Basic Pearl
Tools	Top Note die, Blossom Party die, Fun Flowers die, Big Scallop Squares Duo die, Square Lattice Embossing folder, Big Shot, Designer Label punch, Small oval punch (retired), Corner rounder punch, Sponge dauber

I hope you have seen something that takes your interest. Please contact me if you have any questions or would like more informsation.

The next stop is Ros Davidson.  Below is a list of the contributors for this month's Blog Hop.

Ros Davidson

Tina Gillespie

Nikki Sadler

Sue Madex

Kathryn Ruddick

Thanks for visiting!

 

September Blog Hop - New Catalogue

Hi there

Welcome to our casual monthly Blog Hop for September. This month we are showcasing  some of the products from the new 2011-12 Idea Book and Catalogue.  I hope you have had an opportunity to browse all the fabulous new products in the last few weeks.  There are so many things to choose from, but I have decided to focus on some products for Christmas projects.

You may have come from the blog of  the lovely Nikki Saddler,  but if not, you can join the Blog Hop from here using the link to the next blog at the end of the post.  This month we have 9 Stampin' Up! demonstrators sharing their inspiration and the full list of contributors is at the end of the post.

The first project I have for you is a Christmas card using the 'Beautiful Season' stamp set.  The main image is great for colouring and I have used watercolour crayons. The bird is a apparently a 'Chickadee' so I had a quick look at a few images on the Internet to get an idea of its colour.  Of course, you can make it any colour, but I like the touch of yellow to balance off the traditional red and green. The sentiment is from the retired 'Occasional Greetings' and I have hand cut the holly leaves. For a bit of extra bling, I have used sticky strip and Dazzling Diamonds glitter for the outside border around the red mat, which is showing up quite well on the photo.

Project Details
Stamps	Beautiful Season (New), Occasional Greetings (Retired)
Card stock & Papers	Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler, Garden Green, Watercolour paper
Ink	Memento Tuxedo Black, Cherry Cobbler
Accessories	Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding ribbon, Antique Brads, Red Sead Beads (not SU), Dazzling Diamonds glitter
Tools	Circle punches,  Dimensionals, Sticky Strip

The next project is Christmas tags created using the fabulous 'Two Tags' Die. Both shapes are really flexible, but I love the closed version as it turns a tag into a special gift card.  I have used my favourite reindeer stamp from the 'Winter Post' stamp set  as it is a good size for tags. These tags are a good way to use up your scraps of cardstock and DSP as well.  The red houndstooth paper is from the retired 'Holiday Treasures' DSP.

 

I also want to show you the new, cute square envelopes, which fit the closed tag. Perfect for gift cards.

 

Project Details
Stamps	Winter Post, Teeny Tiny Sentiments
Card stock & Papers	Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Real Red, Early Espresso Patterns DSP, Holiday Treasures DSP (Retired)
Ink	Real Red, Early Espresso
Accessories	Very Vanilla Seam Binding ribbon, Linen Thread, 1/8" Early Espresso Taffeta ribbon
Tools	Wide Oval punch, Two Tags Die, Ovals Die, Big Shot, Circle punches, Cropadile, Scallop Ribbon Border punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig, sponge daubers

The final tag uses the super cute new stocking punch that will be available for purchase in October, so you get plenty of time to use it on your Christmas projects.  It also has a matching stamp set 'Stitched Stockings', but you can produce a huge variety of options with cardstock and paper, embossing folders, background stamps etc. Notice the cute mini silver brad in the jewellery tag, the perfect size for this miniature tag.  

Project Details
Stamps	Snow Swirled, Teeny Tiny Sentiments
Card stock & Papers	Very Vanilla, Soft Suede (Smooth and Textured), Real Red, Real Red Patterns DSP
Ink	Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Real Red
Accessories	Crumb Cake Seam Binding ribbon, Linen Thread, Mini Silver brad
Tools	Stocking punch, Jewellery Tag punch, 1/2 " circle punch, Cropadile, Dimensionals, Sponge daubers, Petals a Plenty and Square Lattice Embossing folders, Big Shot

My final project also uses the versatile 'Two Tags' die to create this cute little box, suitable for small gifts or treats (I put 4 Ferrero Rocher chocs in it). This was originally designed by Lisa Curcio, a US Demo.  It is simple to make and can be decorated for lots of uses.  I have gone for a vintage look, using Soft Suede for the base box, the lovely 'Beau Chateau' papers and the  new oval Designer Frames embossing folder for the central embellishment. 

  

Project Details
Stamps	None
Card stock & Papers	Soft Suede, Marina Mist, Pink Pirouette, Beau Chateau DSP
Ink	Soft Suede, Pink Pirouette
Accessories	Crumb Cake Seam Binding ribbon, Antique brad, Basic Pearl
Tools	Wide Oval punch, Boho Blossoms punch, Cropadile, Sponge daubers, Oval Designer Frames Embossing folders, Beautiful Wings Embosslit, Blossoms & Birds Sizzlit (Reitred), Big Shot

I hope you have seen something that takes your interest. Please contact me if you have any questions about the projects or the new products.

The next stop is the lovely Kathryn Ruddick.  Below is a list of the contributors for this month's Blog Hop.

Ros Davidson

Christine Blain

Alisha Watson

Di Dunk

Nikki Sadler

Kathryn Ruddick

Kathryn Mangelsdorf

Tina Gillespie

Thanks for visiting!

 

August Blog Hop - Retiring Favourites

Hello

Welcome to our casual monthly Blog Hop for August. This month we are showcasing  some of our favourite retiring stamp sets.  The current catalogue ends on 31 August and as with every catalogue some favourite sets get retired.  It is funny how favourite sets end up going to the back of the pile when something new comes along - isn't human nature fickle?  So this is a good opportunity to ink them up again and remind ourselves why we loved them.

 You may have come from the blog of  Di Dunk,  but if not, you can join the Blog Hop from here using the link to the next blog at the end of the post.  This month we have 7 Stampin' Up! demonstrators sharing their inspiration and the full list of contributors is at the end of the post.

The first project I have for you uses the 'Great Friend' stamp set. I love that most Stampin' Up! stamp sets give you a coordinating range of stamps with images and sentiments so that you can produce a complete project without much effort and this set is a great example.  The layout is based on the sketch from Mojo Monday 203 .  I've used one of my favourite colour combos of Early Espresso, Rich Razzleberry and Pink Pirouette, with a dash of Pear Pizzaz.

 

Project Details
Stamps	Great Friend
Card stock & Papers	Early Espresso, Rich Razzleberry, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White, Brights Pattern Stack (Rich Razzleberry)
Ink	Early Espresso, Pear Pizzazz, Pink Pirouette, Rich Razzleberry
Accessories	Small Pink Rhinestone brad, 1/8" white Taffeta ribbon, Basic Pearls strip
Tools	Finial Press Embossing Folder, Circle Nestabilities, Big Shot, Eyelet Border punch, Sponge Dauber, Dimensionals

The second project uses the 'Friends 24-7' stamp set and the great sentiments set, 'Occasional Greetings'.  Both of these sets will be 'keepers' for me.  I've also used the Dotted Scallop border punch that is coming in the new catalogue that starts next Friday 1 September (woohoo!).  I already love this punch as the dual edge makes it really flexible. This is another of my favourite colour combos - Basic Grey and Pretty in Pink with a dash of Regal Rose.  I've added a border of 'bling' using sticky strip and Dazzling Diamonds glitter. This is a super easy way to use and contain glitter.

 

Project Details
Stamps	Friends 24-7, Occasional Greetings
Card stock & Papers	Basic Gray, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Whisper White, Neutrals Pattern Stack (Basic Gray)
Ink	Basic Gray, Pretty in Pink,
Accessories	Dazzling Diamonds glitter
Tools	Oval Nestabilities, Big Shot, Dotted Scallop Border punch, Word Window punch, Sticky Strip, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Sponge Dauber, Dimensionals

The last project uses the lovely 'Eastern Blooms' and the flexible 'Basic Phrases' sets with another favourite colour combo of Soft Suede and Baja Breeze from the gorgeous 'Elegant Soiree' Designer Series Paper. There seems to be a strong trend towards script and flourishing sentiments at the moment, but I love the simpliciy of 'Basic Phrases' and it suits the 'eastern' look of this card. I've stamped the outline flower in Soft Suede onto the DSP, cut them out and popped them up on the branch. The vase is punched from the DSP with the extra large oval punch and cut off at the top and bottom with the edges sponged for definition.

 

Project Details
Stamps	Eastern Blooms, Basic Phrases
Card stock & Papers	Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Elegant Soiree Designer Series Paper
Ink	Soft Suede
Accessories	Basic Pearls, Very Vanilla Seam Binding ribbon
Tools	Extra Large Oval punch, Corner Rounder punch, Crimper, Sponge dauber, Dimensionals

You still have a couple of days to check out the Last Chance list.  Click on the image in the sidebar to see the list of products and their availability. Contact me if you want to place an order.

The next stop is the lovely Alisha Watson.  Below is a list of the contributors for this month's Blog Hop.

Ros Davidson

Nikki Sadler

Kathryn Ruddick

Di Dunk

Alisha Watson

Christine Blain

Thanks for 'hopping' by!

 

July Blog Hop - Ribbon

Hi Everyone

Welcome to our casual monthly  Blog Hop for another month. This month we are showcasing  Stampin' Up! Ribbon. You may have come from the blog of  Ros Davidson, but if not, you can join the Blog Hop from here using the link to the next blog at the end of the post.  This month we have 7 Stampin' Up! demonstrators sharing their inspiration and the full list of contributors is also at the end of the post.

Stampin' Up! has a fabulous range of ribbon styles matching a selection of colours in each of the colour groups.  Hopefully we will also get some of the fabulous ribbon and twine options that are now available in the US,  in our new Idea Book & Catalogue that is released on 1 September.  I'm a huge fan of ribbon to add that special touch and differentiate hand made cards from the shop bought variety. 

Today, I thought I would show you some options for the 1 1/4" striped grosgrain ribbon. My first thoughts when I saw this ribbon, was that the width would make it difficult to work with.  However, the ribbon is so soft and pliable, this is not a problem at all. My first project shows this ribbon used in the simplest way, as a border and base for layering other fibres, which in this case is Linen Thread but could be other ribbon, twine etc. This is a good option for masculine cards where you want something a bit bolder.

I've used watercolour crayons to create  a background wash for the sky and sea (masking the circle to be used for the sun). When it dried, the sun was created with a reverse mask and a sponge to apply the ink.  The 'Sail Away' image from the Autumn/Winter Mini Catalogue was stamped on the finished background and then die cut.  The sails were cut out from another image (lightly washed with Very Vanilla) and popped up for some dimension. The striped grosgrain ribbon grounds the image and the Linen Thread has been used to attach the sentiment 'flag'.

 

Project Details
Stamps	Sail Away, Teeny Tiny Sentiments
Card stock & Papers	Night of Navy, Real Red, Sahara Sand, Watercolour paper
Ink	Night of Navy, More Mustard, Real Red
Accessories	1 1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon (Night of Navy), Linen Thread, Silver Eyelet (not SU), 5/16" Silver brads
Tools	Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Oval Nestabilities, Big Shot,  Dimensionals, Watercolour Crayons, Aqua Painter, Circle Punch, Cropadile, Sponge, Sponge Dauber

With the focus on Christmas in July at the moment, the next projects are Christmas cards. For this second card I've used the a la carte stamp 'Dasher' as the focus. I've stamped his body in Soft Suede and then gold embossed his antlers. The striped grosgrain has been used as a background with a knot as the main embellishment.   

 
 

Project Details
Stamps	Dasher, Delightful Decorations
Card stock & Papers	Old Olive, Very Vanilla, Rich Razzleberry, Soft Suede, Brights Pattern Stack (Rich Razzleberry)
Ink	Soft Suede, Versamark, Rich Razzleberry
Accessories	1 1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon (Rich Razzleberry), Basic Rhinestones
Tools	Circle Punches, Gold Embossing powder, Heat gun, Dimensionals

The final card uses  the flourish  from the new 'Creative Elements' stamp set, coming in the new Idea Book & Catalogue in September.  I've coloured in the open elements with a Stampin' Write  marker and added a luscious bow made with the 1 1/4" grosgrain Real Red. These are super easy to make with either a brad or a button in the centre, depending on how you want to attach it to your project. I always put a bit of Fray Stoppa on the edges of the ribbon  after I have cut the tails, so they don't fray. I have a simple tutorial on how to make this bows. Contact me if you are interested.

 

Project Details
Stamps	Creative Elements (new in the 2011/12 IBC), Four the Holidays
Card stock & Papers	Very Vanilla (Textured and Smooth), Real Red, Wild Wasabi
Ink	Wild Wasabi, Real Red
Accessories	1 1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon (Real Red), Antique Brad, Basic Pearls
Tools	Scallop Border punch, Scallop Trim Corner punch, Itty Bitty Flower punch, Stampin' Write Markers (Wild Wasabi, Real Red), Dimensionals

The next stop is the lovely and talented Tina Gillespie.  Below is a list of the contributors for this month's Blog Hop.

Ros Davidson

Tina Gillespie

Nikki Sadler

Di Dunk

Alisha Watson

Kathryn Ruddick

Thanks for 'hopping' by!

 

June Blog Hop - Designer Series Paper

Hi there

Welcome to our casual monthly  Blog Hop for another month. This month we are showcasing the Stampin' Up! Designer Series Paper. You may have come from the blog of our newest participant Margaret Knoops, but if not, you can join the Blog Hop from here using the link to the next blog at the end of the post.  This month we have 7 Stampin' Up! demonstrators sharing their inspiration and the full list of contributors is also at the end of the post.

When I first saw the 'Elegant Soiree' Designer Series Paper I knew I must have it.  However, despite the fact that I love all of the matching colours - Baja Breeze, Soft Suede, Crumb Cake and Very Vanilla I haven't used it very much, so I am going to remedy that now.  This card is inspired by a recent sketch from Mojo Monday. It showcases the wonderful coordinating patterns and colours of Stampin' Up! Designer Series Papers and matching card stock. 

These are 1" strips and I have used the 1" circle punch to round off the ends.  You can do this easily with any circle punch as long as the width of the strip is the same as the diameter of the punch.  Turn over the punch and thread the paper through the base and out the top and cut! The Crumb Cake strip has been embossed with the matching Elegant Lines embossing folder first and I've added one of my favourite Joanne Leddy flowers in a combination of smooth and textured Very Vanilla. They look so elegant in vanilla.

 

I also followed through with the same design on the inside of the card.

 

Project Details
Stamps	Best Yet (Retired)
Card stock & Papers	Baja Breeze (Textured), Soft Suede, Very Vanilla (Smooth & Textured), Crumb Cake, Elegant Soiree DSP, Neutrals Pattern Stack (Soft Suede Stripe)
Ink	Soft Suede
Accessories	Baja Breeze Seam Binding Ribbon (NAH), 1mm Pearls
Tools	Elegant Lines Embossing Folder, Little Leaves Die, Big Shot, Circle Punches, Fancy Flower Punch, 5-Petal Flower Punch, Small 5-Petal Flower Punch (not SU), Scallop Trim Corner Punch, Itty Bitty Flower Punch, Dimensionals, Pritt Glue, Glue Dots

 I don't about you, but I am a big fan of lists, particularly shopping lists to keep me on the right path.  This second project is a shopping list pad holder also using the 'Elegant Soiree' DSP. I always have one of these handy on my fridge to jot down my shopping items.  Mostly they are purchased or received as gifts, but I recently found a block of 6 pads in a $2 shop (what a bargain) and have used the opportunity to make a reusable decorative cover, so that I can replace the pad when it is finished.

You can have lots of fun decorating the cover, but I kept it fairly simple so the lovely swirly design of the DSP is the focus.  The owl adds a bit of fun and I've covered a little lead pencil in Crumb Cake stripes and added a pencil holder at the bottom. These would make nice little gifts or Christmas stocking fillers as well.

 

Project Details
Stamps	None
Card stock & Papers	Baja Breeze, Soft Suede, Elegant Soiree DSP, Neutrals Pattern Stack (Crumb Cake Stripe)
Ink	None
Accessories	1mm Rhinestone, Googly eyes (not SU)
Tools	Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Big Shot, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Owl Punch, Itty Bitty Flower Punch, Dimensionals, Pritt Glue, Glue Dots

 

I hope these projects inspire you to take another look at your DSP and get creative!

The next stop is the lovely and talented Kathryn Ruddick.  Below is a list of the contributors for this month's Blog Hop.

 

Ros Davidson

Alisha Watson

Di Dunk

Tina Gillespie

Margaret Knoops

Kathryn Ruddick

 

Enjoy your weekend! 

 

 

 

May Blog Hop - The Colour Coach

Hi there

Welcome to our casual monthly  Blog Hop for another month. This month we are showcasing the Stampin' Up! Colour Coach. You may have come from the blog of the lovely Di Dunk, but if not, you can join the Blog Hop from here using the link to the next blog at the end of the post.  This month we have 7 Stampin' Up! demonstrators sharing their inspiration and the full list of contributors is also at the end of the post.

The Colour Coach is a great tool to help you put together colour combinations for your projects.  It is useful whether you are a beginner or an experienced crafter or just new to the great Stampin' Up! colour groups.  I've been time challenged this week, so I wanted to keep my projects simple and the Colour Coach was a great help. For this first card, I knew I wanted to use Crumb Cake for the focus colour of the main 'Just Believe' image. I always start by looking at the card for my focus colour first, and if that isn't what I want, I check through the Colour Coach for other combinations including the focus colour. This time I've gone for the 'Creative Combination' on the Crumb Cake card.

This the card I came up with.  I kept looking at this card, wanting to add something else, but have resisted the temptation to remove the 'white space'.  What do you think?

 

Project Details
Stamps	Just Believe
Card stock & Papers	Crumb Cake, Not Quite Navy, Riding Hood Red, Very Vanilla, Regals Pattern Stack
Ink	Crumb Cake, Not Quite Navy
Accessories	Vintage Brads, Crochet Trim
Tools	Scallop Border Punch, Word Window Punch, Dimensionals

For the second card  I wanted to use one of my favourite colours,  Marina Mist and I've chosen the 'Getting Started' combination from the Marina Mist card.

 

This is  what I came up with. 

 

Project Details
Stamps	Cheep Talk, Hello Again
Card stock & Papers	Real Red, Marina Mist, Whisper White
Ink	Old Olive, Real Red, Marina Mist
Accessories	Basic Rhinestones, Old Olive Grosgrain Ribbon
Tools	Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Big Shot, Oval Punches, Spiral Punch, Dimensionals, Stampin' Write markers (Chocolate Chip, More Mustard)

The next stop is the lovely Alisha Watson.  Below is a list of the contributors for this month's Blog Hop.

Ros Davidson
Christine Blain
Kristine Thompson
Di Dunk
Alisha Watson
Margaret Knoops

Have a great weekend. 

 

April Blog Hop - Autumn/Winter Mini

Hi there

Welcome to our casual monthly  Blog Hop on this Easter weekend. This month we are showcasing the new products from the Autumn/Winter Mini Catalogue. There is a great range on offer including stamps, accessories, Designer Series Papers, Big Shot dies and embossing folders and a super new punch as well. There has to be something there for everyone!

You may have come from the blog of the lovely and talented Christine Blain, but if not, you can join the Blog Hop from here using the link to the next blog at the end of the post.  This month we have 7 Stampin' Up! demonstrators sharing their inspiration and the full list of contributors is also at the end of the post.

I have 2 clean and simple cards for you this month.  The first card uses the zigzag strip from Tasteful Trim Bigz die to create a panel for this masculine card.  The sentiment is from the 'Bring on the Cake' stamp  set and the buttons on the star are from the Sweet Buttons embosslit die.

  

Project Details
Stamps	Bring on the Cake
Card stock & Papers	Early Espresso, Tangerine Tango (Textured), Tempting Turquoise (Texutred), Very Vanilla (Textured), Crumb Cake, Neutrals Patterns Stack
Ink	Early Espresso
Accessories
Tools	Tasteful Trim die, Sweet Buttons Embosslit, Big Shot, Star Punch, Dimensionals, Stampin' Write marker (Tangerine Tango)

The second card is based on Clean and Simple 136 sketch.  The floral panel is from the Sweet Stitches DSP. I've used another of the sentiments from the 'Bring on the Cake' stamp set and punched it out with the lovely Decorative Label punch. This one is already a favourite. 

 

Project Details
Stamps	Bring on the Cake
Card stock & Papers	Melon Mambo, Wild Wasabi, Whisper White, Brights Patterns Stack
Ink	Melon Mambo
Accessories	White Taffeta ribbon, Basic Pearls, Subtles Buttons
Tools	Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Big Shot, Decorative Label punch, Mat Pack, Paper piercer, Dimensionals

The next stop is the lovely Alisha Watson.  Below is a list of the contributors for this month's Blog Hop.

Ros Davidson
Di Dunk
Nikki Sadler
Christine Blain
Alisha Watson
Kathryn Ruddick

I hope you have a restful and safe long weekend. 

 

March Blog Hop - Card Sketch

Hi there

It is once again time for our casual monthly  Blog Hop. This month we have something a bit different with a card sketch from Becky Fleck of Page Maps. Those of you who visit my blog regularly, will know that I do quite a lot of sketch challenges.  The great thing about them is that you can choose to follow them very closely or you can use them for inspiration and take lots of creative license with the elements.

You may have come from the blog of the lovely Di Dunk, but if not, you can join the Blog Hop from here using the link to the next blog at the end of the post.  This month we have 8 Stampin' Up! demonstrators sharing their inspiration and the full list of contributors is also at the end of the post.

Now, to get started. This is the sketch that Ros Davidson chose for us, which has quite a lot of elements to work with.

 

This is my first card, which is almost square, measuring 13cm x 13.5cm. I've followed the suggestions in the sketch quite closely.

 

I've created the text panel using the 'happy birthday' stamp from teeny tiny sentiments repeated and offset on each line. Stamps from a number or other sets were used to create the elements on the card. Here are the details. 

Project Details
Stamps	Teeny Tiny Sentiments, Just Believe, Basic Phrases, Rustic Rooster (Retired Hostess Set), Winter Post
Card stock & Papers	Early Espresso (Textured), Confetti White, Pumpkin Pie, Marina Mist, Greenhouse Gala DSP, Brights Pattern Stack
Ink	Early Espresso, Pear Pizzazz
Accessories	None
Tools	Swiss Dots Embossing Folder, Big Shot, Spiral Border Punch, Corner Rounder Punch, Slot Punch (Retired), Decorative Scissors (Stamp),Dimensionals, Sponge dauber

For this second card, I've ignored the suggested contents of the elements (text in the panel, stamp feature etc) and used the basic outline of the sketch.

 

Project Details
Stamps	Friends 24-7, Basic Phrases, Think Happy Thoughts (Retired)
Card stock & Papers	Early Espresso (Textured),  Marina Mist (textured and smooth), Greenhouse Gala DSP, Subtles Pattern Stack, Watercolour paper,
Ink	Basic Gray, Early Espresso, Marina Mist
Accessories	Marina Mist Taffeta ribbon, Basic Pearls, Silver Hodgepodge
Tools	Circle Punches, Corner Rounder Punch, Dimensionals, Sponge dauber, Watercolour Crayons, Stampin' Write marker (Pear Pizzazz)

I'm not sure which is my favourite - what do you think?

The next stop is to my lovely friend Christine Blain, who is sure to have an inspiring creation to share with you.

Below is a list of the contributors for this month's Blog Hop.

Ros Davidson
Tina Gillespie
Amy Buchanan
Nikki Sadler
Di Dunk
Christine Blain
Kathryn Ruddick

Have a lovely weekend. 

 

Sale-a-bration Blog Hop

Hi there

Well, it is the 4th Saturday of the month already and time for our casual monthly Blog Hop. This month we are sharing some inspiration using the fabulous Stampin' Up! Sale-a-bration stamps sets that are FREE until 31 March 2010 with complying orders of Stampin' Up! products. Contact me if you would like to place an order.

You may have come from the blog of the talented Kathryn Mangelsdorf, but if not, you can start the Blog Hop from here by clicking on the link at the end of the post.

The first couple of cards I have for you use the 'Punch Bunch' stamp set, which gives you a range of stamps that match some of the great Stampin' Up! punches.  I've taken the opportunity to create a couple of cards that could be suitable for the boys/men in our lives.  On this card I've used the cute Owl stamp. I stamped and punched him out and then paper pieced his chest and added some extra dimension for his eyes.  Not quite sure what the expression is, maybe bewilderment? This is a really quick way to use the Owl punch if you haven't got time to put together the pieces. The tree was created by stamping the Woodgrain background in Versamark onto White Gloss cardstock and embossing it with some brown embossing powder I've had forever.  I then used a baby wipe and chocolate chip reinker to wipe over the top. I'm really pleased with the effect.

 

Project Details
Stamps	Punch Bunch, Woodgrain Background, Party This Way
Card stock & Papers	Tangerine Tango, Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive, Gloss White, Whisper White
Ink	Versamark, Early Espresso, Tempting Turquoise, Tangerine Tango
Accessories	Early Espresso Brads
Tools	Little Leaves Die, Big Shot, Heat Gun, Brown embossing powder (not SU), 1 3/4" circle punch, Modern Label Punch, Owl Punch, Stampin' Write markersDimensionals

The second card uses the Happy Birthday stamp, also from the 'Punch Bunch' stamp set.  This is a great stamp for birthdays for any gender, but I wanted this one to be suitable for a male. I've gone with bright colours again, with Pacific Point and Real Red and the Brushed Silver 'Diamond Plate' embossing for the background. There is lots of texture on this card with the stars being being embossed with the Square Lattice embossing folder, the centre panel popped up and the chunky silver brads look like snaps. I also popped up the 'HB' by first stamping with Versamark onto Pacific Point cardstock and then cutting out the letters.

 

Project Details
Stamps	Punch Bunch
Card stock & Papers	Pacific Point, Real Red, Whisper White, Brushed Silver, Celebrations DSP, Brights Patterns Stack
Ink	Real Red
Accessories	5/16" Silver Brads
Tools	Diamond Plate Embossing Folder, Square Lattice Embossing Folder (Stars), Big Shot, Small Star punch (Retired), Scallop Square punch, Dimensionals

I couldn't finish without something more feminine, so I used the lovely 'Sweet Summer' stamp set to create this card. This is really a cute stamp set, that lets you mix and match the flowers and stems and garden critters. I've stamped the leaf scrolls and then coloured them with Stampin' Write markers. The flower head was cut out and popped up.  I've layered this onto a square cut with the Scallop Trim border and corner punches.   The sentiment and the butterfly are from the lovely 'So Happy for You' Sale-a-bration set.

 

Project Details
Stamps	Sweet Summer, So Happy For You
Card stock & Papers	Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, In Colour Patterns Stack
Ink	Stazon Black, Pretty in Pink
Accessories	Basic Pearls
Tools	Scallop Trim Border and Corner punches, Ticket Corner Punch (NAH), Stampin' Write Markers, Dimensionals

Finally, is the lovely set 'Bliss', that I've used on this easel card. The focus colours are Early Espresso and Marina Mist with Very Vanilla.  These are very easy to make and turn a card into a gift. This set really lends itself to the vintage look.

 

Project Details
Stamps	Bliss, Perfect Punches
Card stock & Papers	Marina Mist Textured, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla, Subtles Pattern Stack
Ink	Early Espresso, Marina Mist
Accessories	Basic Pearls, Crochet Trim, Vintage Brads
Tools	Eyelet Border punch, Wide Oval Punch, Dimensionals

Well, I hope this has inspired you to get crafting with these great Sale-a-bration stamp sets.

The next hop is to the wonderfully talented Amy Buchanan from my home state of WA. 

 Below is a list of all of the participants in this month's event.

Ros Davidson

Nikki Sadler

Christine Blain

Sue Madex

Di Dunk

Tina Gillespie

Kathryn Mangelsdorf

Amy Buchanan

Kathryn Ruddick

Alisha Watson

Have a lovely weekend.