Season of Joy

That's the name of the stamp set that these images come from, and while it might seem a little early to be thinking of Christmas, the truth is it's only four months away (*yikes*).

It's always a good idea to get a head start if you're planning on making your own Christmas cards - what seemed like a simple enough task early in the year suddenly becomes a last minute nightmare (well, it does if you're somewhat disorganised like myself *g*). So if you were thinking about making your cards this year, now would be a perfect time to start planning your design. If you would like to purchase this stamp set or any of the other lovely Christmas sets in the Idea Book & Catalogue or Summer Mini Catalogue, please contact me today to place your order!

I love a red & green Christmas card as much as anyone, but I rarely make them in that colour combination - perhaps it's because that's what people "expect" and I'd rather not do what people expect me to do *g*. So with that in mind, I played around with a blue theme for this one - I like it.

I've torn the right hand side of the front so that the wheeled inside edge shows through - this is So Swirly, one of my favourite wheels which happens to match this set perfectly!

Images © 1990-2008 Stampin' Up!®

Supplies used:

Stamp sets: Season of Joy
Ink: Soft Sky, Not Quite Navy
Cardstock: Soft Sky, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White
Other: So Swirly Stampin' Around Jumbo Wheel & Handle, Cutter Kit, Stamp-A-Ma-Jig, Stampin' Dimensionals

And just to compare, here's a very "non traditional" version of this layout - just for fun!

Images © 1990-2008 Stampin' Up!®

Supplies used:

Stamp sets: Season of Joy
Ink: Pumpkin Pie, Ruby Red
Cardstock: Pumpkin Pie, Ruby Red, Whisper White
Other: So Swirly Stampin' Around Jumbo Wheel & Handle, Cutter Kit, Stamp-A-Ma-Jig, Stampin' Dimensionals

The card revealed

It has been pointed out to me that I have been forgetting my promise to upload the Plums/Vanilla/Chocolate card I made the other week, so here is the entire thing at last!

I like how it came out. Thank you Gail for making me use these colours together - they work really well.

Images © 1990-2008 Stampin' Up!®

Supplies used:

Stamp sets: Always
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Perfect Plum, Pale Plum
Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, Perfect Plum, Pale Plum
Other: Stampin' Write Markers in Soft Subtles, Cutter Kit, Stamp-A-Ma-Jig

Put some sunglasses on before you read this!

Don't say I didn't warn you. I was looking for some inspiration and checked out Splitcoast Stampers Colour Challenge ... this one particular combination just caught my eye for some reason. It's so BRIGHT! The colours are Real Red, Pink Passion and Summer Sun.

I used the same trick as the other day to create the yellow ribbon - a few drops of Summer Sun and a tiny drop or two of water in a little container, then drop in your white grosgrain ribbon and shake vigorously for a few minutes. You have to make sure that the ribbon is blotted dry on paper towel or something and then left to sit until it's completely dry before you use it though, or it'll get everywhere.

And I used a little of the Crystal Effects on the red centre of the flower to give it a bit of punch. It looks very neat in real life. I keep wanting to touch it!

PS: as you see, my camera is back from its holiday safe and sound ... it was used about ten times on Day 1 of camp then not looked at again. Next time I'll buy her a disposable film camera to take I think.

Images © 1990-2008 Stampin' Up!®

Supplies used:

Stamp sets: One of a Kind
Ink: Basic Black, Real Red, Pink Passion, Summer Sun, Summer Sun Reinker
Cardstock: Pink Passion, Real Red, Summer Sun
Other: 1/4" White Grosgrain Ribbon, Large Oval Punch, Corner Rounder, Crystal Effects, Basic Black Stampin' Write Marker

One of a Kind

I have just spent a few hours playing with stamps and cardstock, and ended up with this ... I still don't know if I like it, but at the least it has been an interesting experiment.

I wanted to use One of a Kind, which is one of the sets in SU's current Spring Mini (do you want a copy? Email me with your details and I can mail one out). You can buy a punch which matches the small trio of flowers from this set (not shown here), which is a bit of fun and saves a lot of time cutting out!

I tried various methods of working with the large flower from this set, and settled on simply colouring it with my Stampin' Write Markers ... who knew? Sometimes cardmaking is like having a great big colouring book *g*. You will have to believe me when I tell you that this really does look way better in person. As soon as I get my camera back I will try a different picture and see if it's more flattering. For some reason my scanner just refuses to represent Pale or Perfect Plum correctly.

Can you see that I have outlined the flower with my Going Gray marker? I was trying for the illusion of dimension. I still can't tell if it worked.

Images © 1990-2008 Stampin' Up!®

Supplies used:

Stamp sets: One of a Kind
Ink: Basic Black, Perfect Plum
Cardstock: Whisper White, So Saffron, Perfect Plum
Other: Stampin' Write Markers in Rich Regals, Soft Subtles and Neutrals, Designer Label Punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Stampin' Sponges

Something elegant ...

... well, I think it is, at least. I was browsing through the galleries at Splitcoast Stampers (as you do) and came across this card ... the colours and layout appealed to me and I had to have a go at something similar.

I had also been looking at samples where the swirly flourish had been stamped with Versamark and clear embossed, so I was trying that out as well ... you can't really see it in the scan.

(I would have taken a photo to post here, but I've let my daughter take the camera to camp (what a good mum I am) and of course, the minute it's out of the house I need it. I couldn't even take a photo of the bus as she was leaving this morning *sniff*.

Sorry about that, I got sidetracked *g*. She is probably having a ball right now, but it's her first time at camp and it's just kind of quiet here without her)

Now, you're looking at that scan and thinking "where did that ribbon come from? Chris only uses SU stuff in her blog and they don't carry ribbon in that colour!" Well, you probably weren't (unless you know your SU catalogue inside out) but now that I've mentioned it ... I wanted ribbon to match the cardstock, but didn't have the right shade, so I made my own! I mixed half a dozen drops of River Rock reinker with a tiny bit of water then swooshed a piece of white grosgrain ribbon around in the mixture until it soaked up all the colour. So cool.

Reinkers are a must - I am making it a policy to always buy the matching reinker when I buy a new pad lately. And there's a lot of colour in a little bottle!

I haven't forgotten that I am meant to post the "full version" of my Plum, Chocolate and Vanilla card ... hopefully tomorrow or Friday. Honest.

Images © 1990-2008 Stampin' Up!®

Supplies used:

Stamp sets: Baroque Motifs
Ink: Versamark, Purely Pomegranate
Cardstock: Purely Pomegranate, River Rock, Very Vanilla
Other: Clear Stampin' Emboss Powder, Embossing Buddy, Whisper White 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, River Rock reinker, Large Oval Punch

Sneak Peek

I just wanted to pop in with a really quick update ... but it's only a "sneak peek" because I don't have the original file with me to show you.

The card is the result of a challenge thrown down by my Fearless Leader, Gail - she challenged her team to create a card using the colours Perfect Plum, Pale Plum, Chocolate Chip and Very Vanilla (and after all that plum, chocolate and vanilla I was feeling kinda hungry after I finished *g*). It took me a while and ended up being nothing like the idea I had in my head (which, once I'd nailed it down on paper, turned out to be absolutely hideous).

And thanks to Karen for reminding me on Sunday that the heart from the set Always looks stunning coloured with markers. I had to make myself not use Old Olive on it (mmm, new colour combination coming up).

I will post the full card later ... stay tuned!

Images © 1990-2008 Stampin' Up!®

Supplies used:

Stamp sets: Always
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Pale Plum
Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, Perfect Plum, Pale Plum
Other: Stampin' Write Markers in Soft Subtles, Cutter Kit, Stamp-A-Ma-Jig

Specially for Pauline

Because Pauline knows about all sorts of stuff, and is kind of a stamping mentor (*waves to Pauline*) and said I was getting too mired down in pink lately, here are a couple of cards in alternate colours.

First up - inspired by this card but swapping blue for the pink (*sigh* pink would have been so much nicer *g*). I was working from memory so it's not nearly as nice as the sample, but it is a simple enough design to pump up and take it from okay to gorgeous. I will be doing this layout again with more oomph next time. And maybe some pink.

Images © 1990-2008 Stampin' Up!®

Supplies used:

Stamp sets: Bud Basics
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Ballet Blue, Wild Wasabi
Cardstock: Whisper White, Ballet Blue, Wild Wasabi, So Saffron
Other: Stamp-A-Ma-Jig

Next is a card (inspired by this) which uses red ... does that count as pink? My kids said no, and they're always right (so they keep telling me).

You can't see that the central flower is popped up on a dimensional - trust me, it looks good.

Images © 1990-2008 Stampin' Up!®

Supplies used:

Stamp sets: Bud Basics, Itty Bitty Backgrounds
Ink: Soft Sky, Old Olive, Real Red, Basic Black
Cardstock: Whisper White, Old Olive, Soft Sky
Other: Real Red 1/4" ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, Stamp-A-Ma-Jig

By the way, I took these photos by the light of my new toy ... I got an Ott-Lite! I was letting my subscription to a papercrafting magazine lapse, and was happy with my decision, but they sent one last pleading letter offering me a free Ott-Lite if I resubscribed. How could I resist? It's pretty cool, and so far has come in handy for photographing these cards and finding a splinter in my daughter's finger. Multi-tasking craft tools - what more could you want?

Oh, and guess what colour it is?