Case the Designer - #GDP084

Decided I should try and play along now that I'm back from school break.  So this card was just the thing to ease back into my crafting, albeit a little last minute! Michelle Last was the designer, and I loved the simplistic but effective look.  I chose white on white, with the ping of Rich Razzleberry and Crushed Curry.  The flowers are from the Botannical Builder framelits and matching stampset which are sadly retiring so this is also the start of my last hurrahs. I used Petal Burst for the background embossing, and the Layering Squares for frame.  The greeting is from Beautiful You, and a few rhinestones - which although are retiring, are being reformatted and are apparently a flat design.  

Thanks for stopping by

View from a Window #CI01

Today's inspiration comes from the first official challenge from a new Facebook Group, called Colour INKspiration.#CI01 is already providing loads of inspiration! 

I have used all six colours but we only needed to use at least three: Mint Macaron for my wallpaper and leaves, Tempting Turquoise for my Hearth & Home Window frame and backing mat, Blushing Bride table, Sweet Sugarplum Vase (Pretty Kitty) and tablecloth (Delightful Details), So Saffron, Peekaboo Peach along with Whisper White for the Botannical Builder flowers and a few of these colours for the Mediterranean Moments scene out the window.  The greeting is from Bella and Friends. Hoping to play along with this group some more in the future and thanks for the motivation.

Onstage Live - Brisbane 2016

How lucky was I to be able to attend Onstage Live in Brisbane last week?  Sharing a room with some amazing demonstrators from Melbourne and Sunshine Coast, provided a lot of laughs. As on previous trips, I came home inspired and motivated by the talent shared within the Stampin' Up community.  We saw several onstage demonstrations and received oodles of ideas. If you've been feeling at a loss and need some sort of outlet, contact me, you might be surprised at the extra benefits being a Demonstrator provides. For instance Therapy with Friends - what more could you want?!! #onstage2016

Today, I wish to share some of my treasures with you.  These are the pillow gifts I was lucky enough to receive from my roomies

And here they are: Julia, Nicole, myself, Fi and Janine

Friday night was a team get together for a meal and a swap.  The size of the swap was 3"x4" and this was my effort (Using Botanical Builder framelits; Petal Burst TIEF, Labels & Tags Framelits, Fancy Frost Sequins, Wink of Stella and the colours were Tip Top Taupe, Bermuda Bay and Whisper White)
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With nearly 30 people swapping, check out the great ideas I got to come home with:

Another benefit of attending is we get to play with new product along with receiving our copy of the new Occasions catalogue and Sale-a-Bration brochure.  These are the make and takes we did. 

 

Thanks to everyone who made the trip so memorable.

And leaving Brisbane airport - it's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!

An Accidental Creation

The accident was someone running over my precious new piece of Peekaboo Peach cardstock with the wheel of my trolley (admittedly on the floor beside my cutter) Eek!! About to throw it out, I thought maybe I could use it after all - somehow.  I began by spritzing generously with water and scrunching up to loosen the card fibres- (this may be the faux leather technique, although I haven't looked it up, just what it looked like when I finished). When I opened up I was happy enough with the look, but decided to try embossing it to flatten it out a bit.  I chose the Fluttering folder and the result was just what I wanted.  At this stage the card was still quite wet and I wondered what it would look like with some colour as well.  I used the new Emerald Envy ink pad and sponged colour to the top of my Fluttering folder and re-lay it over the embossed image and back through the Big shot. Result! After it had dried thoroughly I punched three circles out. I wrapped a piece of ruched ribbon around and then decided to swap out the Emerald Envy for the Cucumber Crush so I could use the new thick baker's twine, which I added over the ribbon.  Another piece was tied off with a strip of gold metallic thread. Layered onto Cucumber Crush and a Basic Black base, with the same colour for the butterflies, gold metallic thread (hard to see but behind each) and bling!  The next card used the previously punched circles mounted onto black for two, and a large circle cut from the Cucumber Crush (which was embossed with Boho Chic TIEF).  Another Basic Black base and butterfly and the little squiggle circles from Botanical Builder Framelits.

Mother's Day - 8 May

This year's Mother's Day cards - I know, looks like I have a lot of Mums, doesn't it?  One of them I'm hoping will be written in and given back to me! (She's been a little time poor and it means I get to keep one of these...) This year, again, my card will be late - but I figure it is the thought that counts and it just makes the day spin out a little longer.  I have used the retired Lucky Limeade, with Pretty in Pink flowers, or Blackberry Bliss flowers, although I can't decide which I like better, The resist embossing and background stamping was with the flowers from Awesomely Artistic - love this look. My old favourite greetings, Teeny Tiny Sentiments. Botanical Builder Framelits and the about to retire Itty Bitty Accents flower punch rounded off the card and then I added a touch of bling.

Hello (and Goodbye)...

I really like the Hello greeting from the same named Sale-a-Bration set and the colour I chose for the base, Hello Honey - just seemed right.  I stamped the Hello greeting in Hello Honey ink and when it was dry, I stamped with Versamark just every so slightly to the left and heat embossed with Black Embossing powder.  Do you see how it gives the greeting just a little more emphasis?  I die cut the Botanical Garden DSP with the leaf edge Botanical Builder Framelit die.  I cut five of the quirky four petal flowers from the same set out of watercolour paper, along with punching five Itty Bitty flowers for the insert.  I then spritzed the flowers with water and coloured with Hello Honey with a little sponging to finish them. off.  The strip at the top of the card and centres were cut from Mint Maccaron and I used Crystal Effects to 3D the dots.  Wow - a lot of 'Hellos' in this post and the Goodbye is because, after the 15th this set will no longer be available.  

Botanical Builder Versatility

This new occasions catalogue is definitely a winner.  Loads of popular new products and today I chose the Botanical Builders framelits on pg 26.  As you can see it is available as a bundle, teamed with the Botanical Blooms stamp set and Botanical Gardens 12x12 DSP.  This is made using only the framelits (the greeting came from the Tin of Cards set and stamped with Garden Green).  I chose Blushing Bride for my base card, and layered it with Whisper White. Then I chose a page from the Love Blossoms DSP stack (pg 17).  I ran it through my Big Shot with the edge framelit from the set, and sponged the chosen flowers (cut from Whisper White) with Blushing Bride ink.  So many options for layering the flowers and leaves, but I really like the quirky flower centre on the bottom left.  I've added a little bit of background to the white with the speckles from Gorgeous Grunge, then I couldn't help it - I had to pop a bit of bling on to finish off.