Curtain Call Colour Challenge Act 14

I've been on a bit of a role again this weekend - 4 cards so far, and a most of a scrapbook page!! I'm loving all the purple featured in recent colour challenges, and the latest Curtain Call Colour Challenge is no exception!!

I actually wanted to make a card for my cousin and her husband who welcomed little Ella into the world a couple of weeks ago using these colours, as Renee is not a girly-girl, but I thought I have to include a little pink in there somewhere, so instead made this card for a darling little friend who turns 2 in February - she's EXACTLY 18 months younger than Luana!!

This card is quite straight forward, but sweet. The only thing that may be a little difficult to see is the flower from Big Bold Birthday has been stamped behind the number in second generation Almost Amethyst.

Thanks for great inspiration Stacey :)






Stamps: Big Bold Birthday, Best Friends Numbers (retired)
Card: Almost Amethyst, Bashful Blue, Orchid Opulence, Whisper White
DSP: Almost Amethyst Prints (retired)
Ink: Almost Amethyst, Bashful Blue, Orchid Opulence
Punches: 1 1/4" circle, 1 3/8" circle, scallop edge
Other: Pretties kit (clear rhinestone brad), paper piercer

For Grandad

My Grandad's birthday was a bit over a week ago, but it has taken me a while to find the inspiration to make his card. Luana and I spoke to him on the day (he adores Luana - his only great grand-daughter at present), and he was having an ok day, which is a really good thing as it was day 4 after his most recent chemo treatment. We're still keeping our fingers crossed that this was his last.....

My inspiration finally came from Samantha's latest Scrapmaster's Paradise Colour Combo and Makeesha's Inkspiration Inspiration challenges:

Keesh's picture made me think warm and rustic, so it worked well with the Creamy Caramel in the SPCC colours.

I thought I might try my hand at collage stamping, and I think the result has worked; I actually received a FANTASTIC response from Paul (more enthusiastic than 'that's really nice darling'!!), so I might have to try it again. I stamped a panel of Very Vanilla card with the Weathered background stamp inked in Creamy Caramel. On top of this I stamped the clock and cogs from Sense of Time in Basic Grey and Close to Cocoa respectively. After distressing the edges, I sponged them in Creamy Caramel and mounted the panel on distressed Creamy Caramel and Basic Grey panels. The background card was stamped with second-generation Weathered. The tag was created using the tag punch, just sliding the pre-cut tag in through the end, and was swiped with Creamy Caramel before adding a Jumbo Brad.

I can't wait to put this in the post now!

Stamps: Sense of Time (retired; Spring Mini), Cheer & Wishes, Weathered

Card: Close to Cocoa, Basic Grey, Creamy Caramel, Very Vanilla

Ink: Close to Cocoa, Basic Grey, Creamy Caramel

Other: Tag Punch, Aged Brass Jumbo Brad

It's Simple.... Love You

Super simple card for the latest Scrapmaster's Paradise Colour Challenge. I'm actually trying to think ahead a bit and have been hiding this one from Paul as it is likely to end up being his Valentine's Day card!

I fuddled around a little bit with stamping the hearts (from Wagon Full of Fun) on Pretty in Pink and Apricot Appeal card in the respective colours, and then the centre part on Whisper White, but it just didn't work for me... hmmm. As you can see, I ended up stamping in those colours directly onto the Whisper White card base, having the focal heart in Real Red. I thought I'd try out using rub ons directly on to ribbon - very easy and a nice effect! For the folded part of the ribbon, I used glue dots and sticky strip in strategic locations to keep it all fastened!

What a challenge Samantha!! I really have to think with red and orange tones :)

Stamps: Wagon Full of Fun (Summer Mini)

Card: Whisper White

Ink: Apricot Appeal, Pretty in Pink, Real Red

Other: Fashion District Rub ons (retired), Real Red Wide Grosgrain Ribbon

Curtain Call Colour Challenge Act 13

I just LOVE this duck!! It's one of the main reasons Wagon Full of Fun was the first set I ordered from the Summer Mini. This would have to be my favourite card of the moment, and it's one of those that I didn't have a firm idea of what direction I wanted to take when I started, just that I wanted to do paper piecing (you can sort of see in the photo that the wing is popped up too). The latest Curtain Call Colour Challenge was perfect for that:

The rest of the card is quite straight forward, but if you do want extra details let me know.

This card was made for an awesome friend of mine for her birthday, although I originally envisaged using blue as it's her favourite colour. She used to have a set of duck measuring cups sitting on her kitchen window sill, so ducks always make me think of her. I'm sure she'll forgive me for the lack of blue :)

Stamps: Wagon Full of Fun (Summer Mini)

Card: Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie, Pink Passion, Whisper White

DSP: Sweet Always

Ink: Basic Black

Other: Scallop Edge Punch, FairyTales Ribbon, Blooms Die Cuts, Jumbo Brad

Two Reasons to Smile

I have had a FANTASTIC time playing last night and this afternoon, and feel like I have achieved so much - don't you love it when that happens?! So, this is my first of 3 posts today (yes, was able to play with a lot of challenges!).

First up is the 6"x6" calendar page for Mum and Dad's calendar (yes, this is the first page I've done, and yes I know it's over half way through January). I thought the latest Colour Throwdown colours worked well with this gorgeous photo of Luana holding her cousin 'baby Max' (the first time she held him all on her own!!).

I have substituted Pixie Pink for Melon Mambo and I can't remember if non-card projects qualify, so my apologies if they don't.

I kept the page VERY simple. I kept thinking I need to add something, but I think it works as it is. The greeting hasn't come up well in the photo, but it's from the retired set Reason to Smile. I inked it in Old Olive first, then took the ink off 'you' and 'smile' with a blender pen, and inked those words with a Pixie Pink Stampin' Write marker. The rest is quite self explanatory.

I guess this is a good example of K.I.S.S!! (Keep it simple Sam!)






Stamps: Reason to Smile (retired), Burst into Bloom (retired)
Card: Old Olive, Pixie Pink, Whisper White, So Saffron
DSP: Walk in the Park (retired)
Ink: Old Olive, Pixie Pink

Stars for a 7 Year Old

You know I can't go past stars for boy cards - such a safe option - so I adjusted the circles in the Taylored Expression's latest sketch challenge to stars....

I really wanted to pull out Pacific Point for this card - such a great colour but I don't use it nearly enough - and the Good Morning Sunshine DSP provided the rest of the colour combo.

I must wrap this up and write in the card so I can pop it in the post tomorrow - this young man's birthday was last week - oops!!

Stamps: Big, Bold Birthday

Card: Kiwi Kiss, Pacific Point, Summer Sun, Whisper White

DSP: Good Morning Sunshine

Ink: Pacific Point

Other: On Board Simon Lower (retired), Large Star Punch, Small Star Punch

Purple Rose

This week I've started playing with a new challenge blog - Stampin' Royalty; what better way to start off the colour challenges than with the regal colour of purple?! Those of you who have been following my blog for a while know I love purple, so of course I had to play along. As with previous recent colour challenges, I have substituted Perfect Plum for the Rich Razzleberry as we don't have it here in Australia :(

As usual, Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketch is gorgeous, and (as she suggested) the perfect way to use up some DSP oddments (although I only used one piece).

This card ended up completely different to how I initially pictured it, which was a baby card for my cousin's brand new baby girl (I decided the Elegant Eggplant was a bit heavy for such a card). I rotated the sketch and instead of the square I have used the rose from Fifth Avenue Floral which was stamped 3 times and paper toled. I sponged the edge of the Enchante DSP (retired) with Pale Plum and the card base with Elegant Eggplant to soften the edges a tad, and pulled out the white organdy ribbon to provide the softer finish than grosgrain or ric-rac.

I'm not quite sure what occasion this card is for yet, but I'm sure it will find a home soon.

Don't forget to pop on over to these two talented blogs to check out the latest challenges.

Stamp: Fifth Avenue Floral

Card: Elegant Eggplant, Perfect Plum, Pale Plum, Whisper White

DSP: Enchante (retired)

Ink: Elegant Eggplant, Pale Plum

Other: White Organdy Ribbon (retired), Scallop Edge Punch

Friendship

This is going to be quick as I must be off to bed... It's been ages since I've played with a Colour Throwdown challenge, so this is my latest offering.

Once again, I've had to substitute Perfect Plum for Rich Razzleberry (as it's not available in Australia).

I've fallen back on a tried and true 'technique' for my last couple of cards that I've noticed myself using quite a bit recently when I'm either a) a bit tired or b) not ENTIRELY comfortable with the colour combo I'm working with - one sheet wonder stamping. Although I don't always stamp a whole A4 sheet, generally a much smaller panel. It hasn't failed me yet!!

Must be off, but hope you enjoy my recent postings.

Stamps: Organic Grace (Level 1 Hostess), Wagon Full of Fun (Summer Mini)

Card: Garden Green, Perfect Plum, Mellow Moss, Whisper White

Ink: Garden Green, Prefect Plum, Mellow Moss

Other: Pewter Hodgepodge Hardware (retired)

Saffron Birthday

I'm already behind this year on birthday cards - how can that happen so early in the year?! Must be the whole increase in workload thing.... It was my Mother-in-law's birthday this weekend, and this is the first chance I've had to make her card.

I must admit, when I saw the latest Scrapmaster's Paradise Colour Combo, I thought 'how on earth am I going to work in that Only Orange?' But I must admit, I think I did ok!! I used a base of So Saffron Washington Apple DSP, teamed with Walk in the Park DSP (retired) and took it from there, with further inspiration from this week's Mojo Monday sketch.

I wanted to keep the stamped images not too bold, so pulled out Burst into Bloom which was one of the first sets I ever ordered. I stamped the larger flowers in second generation Only Orange and the greeting in first. The double flowers are held together with an Only Orange eyelet (still have quite the stash of eyelets!), and some So Saffron ribbon (from the recent ribbon bundle promotion) provided the finishing touch.

When I finish the present, this card will be winging it's way down south, and hopefully I'll have the opportunity tonight to catch up with the other cards I need to make!!

Stamps: Burst into Bloom (retired), A Little Birthday Cheer

Card: So Saffron, Only Orange, Very Vanilla

DSP: Washington Apple, Walk in the Park (retired)

Ink: So Saffron, Only Orange

Other: So Saffron 3/8" Grosgrain Ribbon (retired), Only Orange Eyelet (retired)

Curtain Call Colour Challenge Act 12 with SSSC #51

While we were on holiday in Adelaide we received news that my godmother's mother had passed away. She was a lovely woman and I feel fortunate that I was able to see her about 14 months ago (she lived in country South Australia), and that she was able to meet Luana. Although Stacey's latest Curtain Call Colour Challenge is classic romantic colours, I thought they would work with the latest Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge for a sympathy card for my godmother and her family.

I wanted to do something straight forward, but classic, just like Mrs J was; she was quite the gardener too, so the flowers from Embrace Life were the way to go. I used a blender pen to pick up some Pretty in Pink ink to add a bit of colour to the centre of the Rose Red flower. The Very Vanilla panel was sponged and edged with Pretty in Pink, before mounting on the same card stock, the bottom half of which had been stamped with the smaller flowers from Embrace Life. This panel was mounted on Chocolate Chip, before being finished with ribbon and brads and mounted on the Rose Red base.

Celebrating a wonderful lady; may your legacy live on in your beautiful daughters and grandsons.

Stamps: Embrace Life, Warmest Regards (retired)

Card: Rose Red, Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink, Very Vanilla

Ink: Pretty in Pink, Rose Red, Chocolate Chip

Other: 3/8" Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon, 5/16" Jumbo Brads

Curtain Call Colour Challenge Act 11

I didn't realise how long it has been since I last posted - sorry. The festive season well and truly caught up with me. We travelled down South to see family and are now back home settling into normal life again. We really did have an enjoyable trip - life is SO much fun with Luana. Many fantastic memories were made, so I will try to get some scrapbooking done soon to share some of our experiences.

I did do a little bit of papercraft while I was away which I will share soon, but tonight I sat down and finished a card I have been working on for AGES, and played with Stacey's latest Curtain Call Colour Challenge. It has been a long time since I've been able to play with one of Stacey's challenges, largely due to the big move. So, this is nothing earth shattering, but not bad for coming back from a hiatus. Head over to Stacey's blog on the above link to see the fabulous example card she has created.

I still have a few thank you cards to make for people who have helped us out over the last few months, so now I have one less to make. I used the DSP from the Level 3 Hostess Hand Drawn Bundle with the coordinating stamp set as a starting point. The greeting is punched out with the wide oval punch and layered on 2 overlapping wide oval punches of Always Artichoke.

Must be off and head to bed, but I'll just finish with a little bit of good news - I found out just before my birthday that I achieved the permanent position!! We're just waiting to hear about Paul's permanency now, so please continue to keep those fingers crossed for us.

Stamps: Much Appreciated (retired), Hand Drawn (Level 3 Hostess bundle)

Card: Going Grey, Old Olive, Always Artichoke, Whisper White

DSP: from Hand Drawn bundle (Level 3 Hostess)

Ink: Old Olive, Always Artichoke

Other: Wide Oval Punch, Old Olive Grosgrain ribbon