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Friday, November 25, 2011

Inkspirations Challenge #97 - School's Out.......FOREVER!

Welcome to another Inkspirations Challenge.  This week Keesh has another fab sketch for you to try & the possibilities with this one are endless:-


As for my blog title, last night our DD had her Year 12 Graduation, so it's the end of an era for our family - no more secondary school!

Here's the card I made her, using a cute digi image by Dustin Pike, which I thought summed things up pretty well:-

Simply click on the picture to see it larger.  :)

The Inkspirations Team would love for you to be able to join us in the challenge this week & have provided you with lots of wonderful inspiration pieces.  You can check things out here:-
The Challenge Site

Cindy
Kirsty
Makeesha
Renée


Brandi
Carrie
Helen
Ilina
Lee-Anne
Marisa

Card Components:  (SU except as noted)
Cardstock:  Island Indigo, Lucky Limeade, Very Vanilla
DSP:  Retired
Inks:  Island Indigo, Lucky Limeade
Stamps:  Party Time
Other:  Pool Party Ruffled Ribbon, Dimensionals
Non SU:  Digi image by Dustin Pike, Prismacolor Pencils & Gamsol, CM Oval Patterns, ? Embossing Folder, Kaiser Teal Pearls, Glaze Pen

Friday, November 18, 2011

Inkspirations Challenge #96 - Thinking of You ....


Hi all, this is my card for this week's Inkspirations Challenge, using these colours:-


I recently made a card similar to this & liked it so much I thought I would make a version in the challenge colours.  I just love the armchair, which has been given some texture by kissing the chair stamp with the Texture wheel.  Then the chair has been fussy cut & popped up on dimensionals. 


The border print has been created by combining the Parlor Prints background stamp with the Texture wheel - makes for a fabulous pattern.  The floor was created by masking, stamping & sponging.


As usual, the Design Team have a great mix of inspirational pieces for you to enjoy, so check them out at the links below:-
The Challenge Site


Cindy
Kirsty
Makeesha
Renée


Brandi
Carrie
Helen
Ilina
Lee-Anne
Marisa

Card Components:  (SU except as noted)
Cardstock:  Real Red, Bashful Blue, Very Vanilla 
Inks:  Real Read, Bashful Blue, Crumb Cake
Stamps:  Little Additions, Parlor Prints BG, Woodgrain BG, Texture Wheel, Greeting from PTI
Other:  Scallop Oval Punch, Square Punch, Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon, Dimensionals

Friday, November 11, 2011

Inkspirations Challenge #95 - A Little Bit Layered!

Happy Friday!  This week at the Inkspirations challenge, Keesh has a great sketch for you to try:-


Now there are lots of layers here (which was a little scary at first) but I have embraced the challenge & added some fine black mats to incorporate more layers!  I have even used a bold print & a kinda loud red, black & white palette:-


Hope you can join us & play along in the Challenge this week.  The DT have lots of fabulous creations to inspire you, so pop on by:-
The Challenge Site

Cindy
Kirsty
Makeesha
Renée


Brandi
Carrie
Helen
Ilina
Lee-Anne
Marisa

For anyone who has been waiting on the 3D sunflower tute, you can now find it here & the 3D poppy tute is here.  Enjoy!

Card Components:
Cardstock:  Basic Black, Whisper White, Real Red
DSP:  Retired
Inks:  Basic Black, Real Red
Stamps:  Happiest Birthday Wishes
Other: Black Brads, Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon, Dimensionals

3D Sunflower Tutorial

Hithere, recently a posted this card featuring a little sunflower I made using what I term "the mist & scrunch technique".  I've made some more sunflowers now & have put together a tute for you on how I created them.

Here's my newest crop of sunflowers:-


They really are quite quick & easy to make.  Here's what you need:-

  • 5 Petal Flower Punch
  • Yellow Cardstock (I used Daffodil Delight)
  • Lattice Embossing Folder
  • 1/2" Circle Punch
  • Brown Cardstock (I used Early Espresso)
  • 1 x Dimensional
  • 1 x Brad (any colour)
  • Piercing Tool & Mat
  • Post It Notes
  • Misting Bottle of Alcohol
  • Paper Towel
  • Hair Dryer with Cool Setting (optional)

Punch four of the 5 Petal Flowers in yellow.  Stick one flower to the tacky edge of the Post It Note & using this as a "handle", slide it back into your upturned punch, offsetting the petals & punch:-


Your flowers will now look like this:-


Repeat for all four flowers & then pierce a hole in the centre of each one:-


Layer all four flowers together, staggering the points of the petals & secure with the brad.  Then mist & scrunch the petals of each layer up around the brad, misting both sides of each flower as you go, to make them easier to scrunch.  Once all the layers have been scrunched, gently uncurl one layer at a time.  This is how this process looks, step by step:-


Set your flower aside to dry or give it a blast with a "no heat" hair dryer.

Emboss your piece of brown cardstock with the lattice embossing folder:-


Punch out some flower centres from this piece, using the 1/2" circle punch.  You will be using the "cross" side facing up.  Try & centre a full cross right in the middle of your circle:-


Turn the centre over, so the "waffle" side is up & sit it on a wad of paper towel.  Give it a mist with alcohol & use either your finger tip or a rounded end pen to indent your circle & make the surface curved:-


Once the centre is dry, attach it to your flower using a trimmed down dimensional:-


Now it's ready to add to your project!

Here's mine again:-


If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me. 

Also, if you post any projects using these flowers, could you please include a link back to my tute.  Thank you.  :)

Friday, November 4, 2011

Inkspirations Challenge #94 - Socks on the Line

Hope everyone has had a great week & is ready for another Inkspirations Challenge.  This week we have these fun colours to play with:-


When I first saw the new stitched stocking set, my initial thought was of socks on the washing line, so that's what I've done:-


To get the pair of socks I stamped them on white tissue paper.  I glued one sock to a piece of white cardstock & then, when it was dry, punched it out.  With the other sock, I punched the tissue with a piece of white cardstock at the same time, so the tissue didn't get caught in the punch.  Then I flipped it over so it faced in the opposite direction to the first sock & then glued it to the white cardstock sock.

The socks have been popped up on dimensionals & "pegged" to the baker's twine line with heart "pegs" from the owl punch.


I wish I had a sentiment that said something like "a perfect pair", but sadly I don't, so I inked up portions of the Short & Sweet sentiments & made my own equation.


Hope my wonderful hubby likes it - our anniversary is coming up soon.

The rest of the Team have some fantastic projects to share with you & we would love it if you could join us in the Challenge.  Here are the links:-

The Challenge Site


Cindy
Kirsty
Makeesha
Renée


Brandi
Carrie
Helen
Ilina
Lee-Anne
Marisa

Card Components:
Cardstock:  Melon Mambo, Old Olive, Elegant Eggplant, Whisper White
Inks:  Melon Mambo, Old Olive, Elegant Eggplant
Stamps:  Stitched Stockings, Short & Sweet
Other:  Silver Brads, Stocking Builder Punch, Owl Punch, Dimensionals
Non SU:  Baker's Twine

BTW, there were no paper flowers in sight in this post, but I just had to share this one:-


This was made by my DS (a 20yo engineering student) who usually gives me a hard time over my papercrafting, with comments such as "are you doing paper again Mum?"

He pestered me to help him make a card for his girlfriend's birthday.  He wanted a flower, so I explained to him how to make a slider card & he made this (all by himself).  He was pretty chuffed with how it turned out & I was pretty chuffed that he wanted to make it.  Young love!  Happy Birthday Cassy!  :)