Sunny Challenges and Creations....weeks 40 and 41

Hi there stampers, I am so sorry that I have been absent this last couple of weeks but family matters have been calling, and we all know that they simply must come first! My first card is from my sketch in week 40, and there was no additional challenge attached to it. My card base was Pretty in Pink and I then added a layer of Sahara Sand which I stamped in the same colour an image from Artistic Etchings. This was topped with a piece of Cherry Cobbler and a piece of First Edition DSP was attached. The sentiment was stamped using Basic Black as was the Tower on Whisper White, which was matted on Pretty In Pink. This was such a simple card to make and for all its simplicity I really really like the way it finished.

Week 41 saw the sketch coming from our very talented Kris and the second part of the challenge was to use the In Colours from 2010 - 2012, which are retiring this year. I chose to use Pear Pizzazz, Peach Parfait and a touch of Concord Crush and Poppy Parade. First I rolled my Very Vintage wheel across the Whisper White base using Peach Parfait, I embossed a piece of Pear Pizzazz using the Textured Impressions embossing folder with the hearts. A piece of Peach Parfait Stitched ribbon was placed around the centre of that and I stamped the pile of cups from the set Morning Cup onto Whisper White then coloured it using my trusty Aqua Painter. The oval is the middle size oval on the Sizzix die and the edging around the oval is made from using the eyelet border punch and attaching it to the back of the stamped oval. This was then  attached to the card front using dimensionals. The sentiment too is from the Morning Cup set, and this I stamped in Concord Crush.

Sunny Challenges and Creations Week 13 Sketch Challenge

This week it was my turn to supply the sketch and the challenge for this round. I have been under the weather for a few weeks now with a bad back and now sinus infection :( Please check out Kris and Vicky's blogs for inspiration and also to see what they have done for this challenge. Please play along with us at Sunny Challenges and Creations and who knows you may just be our next Ray of Sunshine!

The challenge this week is really very simple, all you had to do was to follow the sketch there were no added stipulations this week, so go for your life and have a bit of fun with the challenge and dont forget to share it with us! My card base was Very Vanilla which I matted using a piece of Cherry Cobbler and run through the Big Shot using  the Houndstooth embossing folder. I topped that with a piece of Vanilla satin ribbon across the card and then layerd a piece of Pear Pizazz which had been embossed using the Square Lattice embossing folder. The image was also stamped onto Very Vanilla Cardstock, I coloured the images with my blender pens, the sentiment I stamped using Cherry Cobbler ink and then punched it out using the scallop oval punch, then running the scallop oval from the movers and shapers Punch Windows. I think it made a very pretty Christmas card and on the inside I added a Scallop Trim Border in Cherry Cobbler along with the verse from the set Beautiful Season.

A telescopic birthday card for a special friend

Today was the birthday of a special friend and to make her card I made a card that was a  case from Barb Mullikin it is a lovely creation using the Big Shot and the Circle Scissors Plus, which I must admit that I dont use often enough. I think the trick is to have it out where it can be easily accessed and therefore used! The colours I used were So Safron, Perfect Plum and Whisper White, I lightly sponged around the edges of the Whisper White with Perfect Plum and used the Stamp n Write Marker to add the little design around the edge of the second layer. Cottage Garden was the stamp set I used because I love the delicate forms of the flowers and the tendrils, of which I stamped in Pear Pizazz. I finished the card off with little butterflies that were run throught the Big Shot using the Beautiful Wings Embosslit. To hold the circles together I used some Butterfly Brads (not SU) but they seemed to bring the card together. My friend loved her card and I loved making it for her. We took her out to lunch to a resaurant nearby and had a lovely afternoon, and when we came home we held an impromptu class where everyone made one of these cards too. My next post is going to be another telescopic card, but with a very special person making it. Bye for now.....

Happy Birthday to you! Level 1 Hostess set Birthday Bakery

This little card came about because I was cleaning up myu work area and there was a piece of Pear Pizazz, Very Vanilla and a scrap of Pretty in Pink just sitting there asking to be used. Firstly I grabbed the Stampin around Wheel Cupcakes and rolled the front of the card using ink the same colour. I then stamped the Cakes from the Birthday Bakery Level 1 Hostess set in Crumb Cake onto the Very Vanilla and then coloured the cakes using but of course my Aqua Painters. I cant believe that I used to shy away from them and they stayed hidden in the drawer for ever so long before I made myself use them. My Aqua Painters and my Mini Glue Dots are never very far away from me! I matted this layer onto the Pretty in Pink and then onto Very Vanilla cardstock and then straigth onto the Pear Pizazz. I added a small bow in a vanilla coloured ribbon which was on my work table (not SU I am afraid).

Sweet Summer.....again

Hi everyone, Well I am still onto or into the Sweet Summer set. I just can bear to put it away......yet! Once again I have stamped all over the front of the Very Vanilla base card with the little branch, only this time I have coloured the leaves with the Aqua Painter and using Pear Pizazz. I added a strip of the Pear Pizazz across the front of the card and also added a small piece of the new trim in the Autum Winter Mini. Have you noticed I have let you have little sneak peaks the last few days? I stamped the stem in Pear Piazaa and coloured it the same colour and then stamped and coloured the flower head in Baja Breeze. Popped the flower head onto dimensionals before attaching to the Very Vanilla which I had matted onto the Pear Pizazz. I really like the clean lines of this card, what do you think? I would love for you to let me know. Bye for now.

Sweet Summer again

Sweet Summer, Hi again, As I mentioned yesterday I have another share for you today using the set Sweet Summer. It is the type of set that I think I will be using a lot of. I just seem to be drawn to it. Today's card is a CASE from Lee Conrey, We dont have all the things they do in the US with Stampin' Up! so we sort of improvise, adapt and overcome. Once again I have pulled out the Very Vanilla Cardstock as my base. I stamped the little branches all over the base and also stmped them on a smalled piece of cardstock which I matted onto Pear Pizzaz. The flowers I painted with, you guessed it my trusty Aqua Painter using Baja Brezze. You will notice a little 'pinked' trim below the sentiment and that too is another little sneak peak from the mini. Tomorrow I hope you will be ready for another share, this time it will be those adorable little owls from yet another of the Sale-a-bration sets Punch Bunch! Till then, bye for now

Glasshouse Workshop

What a fabulous afternoon I had yesterday with some lovely ladies from Glasshouse Mountains and the surrounding areas. We did a fairly simple make and take, but I wanted to highlight the praticality of the Ornament Punch, showing that it is not only for punching out the shape of a Christmas ornament. We used that wonderful set Eastern Blooms and of course my current favourite, the Ornament Punch. Using Whisper White cardstock as the base of the card, the Pear Pizazz cardstock was then passed through the Big Shot using the Petals a Plenty embossing folder. Using the Riding Hood Red and the Pear Pizazz Stamp n Write Markers the stem of blooms from the Easter Bloom set of stamps were coloured and then stamped onto the Whisper White panel and mounted onto the Riding Hood Red cardstock. I then stamped the large bloom from this set onto a piece of Riding Hood Red Scrap and  Punched it out using the Ornament Punch, and snipped off the bottom to make the ornament shape a vase! It was then attached directly onto the White cardstock. The sentiment from the Level 3 Hostess Stamp set Occasional Quotes was stamped in Riding Hood Red Ink, punched out using the Large Oval Punch and then onto a Scallop Oval in Riding Hood Red, which in turn was mounted onto the cardfront using dimensionals. It was such a treat to make this with the ladies and they loved it! This workshop also gave me the opportunity to talk to the ladies about our wonderful products and of course the fabulous promotion we have at the moment with the various Bundles. I demo'ed the Fancy Favour Die at this workshop and made a couple of different gift bags with it. The first one I used Seasnon of Joy and Delightful Decorations Stamp Sets and also the Ornament Punch, The second box I made was using the So Swirly Jumbo Wheel. As I said, very quick and very simple but such a wonderful project for the ladies to see. I also embossed one of the fancy favour dies using the Petals a Plenty embossing folder, and what a difference that made! I could not believe how elegant it looked, it would lookbeautiful on a wedding breakfast table as a bonbomiere. One of the ladies snapped that up very quickly to take and show her daughter! Once again, thank you ladies for allowing me into your home to share what I love doing with you all. Those who ordered Big Shots..............I bet you cant wait to receive them, and remember any questions you may have, just give me a call on 0409874291 or send me an email at gwenbloomfield@ymail.com  and I will help you in any way that I am able.

A Little More on Watercolours

Good Morning!

I thought today that I woud talk a little more abour Watercolours.Many people are afraid of watercolours, simply because they do not understand them or their versatility. Watercolours allow you to present the most delicate and subtle colour to your work, but by the same token also allow bold and vibrant colouring. It also gives you so many new shades of a colour as well. As you can see in the photo on the left I have used Pear Pizazz, Pacific Point an Cajun Craze just to demonstrate to you the range of colours that are achievable with just one Classic Stampin Pad and the Aqua Painter. I have made 21, but there are so many more!The Aqua Painter is a very innovative type of watercolour brush. It holds the water or other fluid (e.g. Bleach) in the chamber that is also the handle of the brush. You have complete control as to how much or little water is released from the chamber and with a little practice you will learn to love the Aqua Painter as I do. At only $19.95 for a packet of two it is excellent value! When I stop and think that I was paying $70-80 for a single watercolour brush, I definitely wish I knew about Aqua Painters then!  When using the watercolouring technique, always ensure that your image is stamped using Stazon Ink. The colour will not bleed out of this ink as it would using a Classic Stampin' pad. Also remember that normal cardstock is ok to watercolour on, if it is only a small area. The best results will always be obtained using Watercolour Paper which is specifically designed to withstand water without warping or the surface becoming 'chaffed'.Over the next weeks I will post items on watercolouring and how you can use this wonderful technique to make the most of your stamp sets and your inks. I will also talk about watercolour washes and the difference they too can make to your projects.