JAI 133 - Just Add Mustard & Metallics

This week the challenge at Just Add Ink is to Add Mustard and Metallics.  When I first saw this challenge I had a very different idea in mind but the more I thought about it, the more I couldn't envision it in my head, so I decided to go in another direction.

I had recently purchased a book, 1,000 Bags, Tags and Packaging (or something like that), which is basically a book full picutres of just that; bags, tags & packaging, which provides some great jump off points.  It was an image that I saw in the book which gave me the inspiration for this (I probably should add a photo of it, hey?)

I also took some inspiration from the August sketch from The Craft's Meow

To make my card, I took a mini mister that I had already made up with So Saffron reinker and some Ranger Antique Gold Perfect Pearls and added some More Mustard reinker to it.  Then, with my circle in place (so the misting lined up), I misted my card stock.  I originally had the '50' masked off, but when I removed the mask, I didn't really like the fact that the edge wasn't quite as crisp as I wanted, so I decided to add the die cuts.

Then I stamped what I call the 'paint swoosh' in Distress Embossing Ink and embossed with Silver EP.  I always thought that when you layered the EP, all you had to do was tip more EP over the still warm embossed piece, but after blowing it from one end of my desk to the other, this is obviously NOT the correct way to do it, lol.  So I inked the image a couple more times, until it was about 4 layers thick before stamping the sentiment (inked up with embossing ink) into the still warm EP.  I used the same technique for the '50', except I die cut them once I had finished adding all the layers

The card base is courtesy of Felicity.  Would you believe in all of the crap that I have, I did not have one single piece of silver cardstock???????  Thank Flick for coming to the rescue, it is just what I needed to finish the card off.

Thanks for taking the time to visit.  As always, be sure to check out what the rest of the Design Team's creations - they have shown some awesome ways to put Mustard to good use.

Have a great weekend

Supplies Used:
Stamps:  Typically Teen (The Craft's Meow)
Ink:  Distress Embossing Ink, So Saffron, More Mustard Reinker (SU!)
Cardstock:  Whisper White, Brushed Silver (SU!)
Accessories:  Big Shot, Circles #2 die, Timeless Type Junior Alphabet, Silver Embossing Powder, Heat Tool (SU!), Mini Mister, Antique Gold Perfect Pearls (Ranger)

For Sale

I have just added a 'For Sale' page.  You can either click on the top menu button or access it through this link.  So far, all I have listed are accessories and it's probably not a complete listing because I am yet to to through all my stuff - there's a LOT, it's going to take some time.

Hopefully, I'll be able to add some of my retired stamps that I have already got boxed up (needed the room in my cupboard) soon,  and then some more once go through my cupboards.

I'd really like to try and sell everything here on my blog without having to resort to Ebay, primarly because I only know how to buy on Ebay, lol!

Please leave a comment/email me if you have any questions or need any additional information.

Thanks

Birthday Cards and an Invitation

Hello

Random post today to show some birthday cards that I've made.  Seems that July/August/September are birthday party central around here - a few of the cards I have already posted, here are a couple that I hadn't.

This first one was for one of Harry's school friends.  I linked up my Stripes embossing folder with Pink Pirouette ink and then ran it through my big shot.  Then I added some of the Big Shot adhesive sheets to some scraps of PP cardstock, die cut the letters and covered them with Dazzling Diamonds glitter.  Boy, those letters sparkle in real life.

This second card I made on the weekend for our friends daugther's 1st birthday.  I used my new Memorable Moments set which I preordered before resigning from SU - gotta make use of the perks before you give them all up.  I loved this set the first moment I saw it and was really pleased with how this card turned out, except for the multiple times I had to stamp it because I couldn't get the spacing just right, even using my SAMJ.  That's the problem of using Pink Pirouette ink, it's a bit light to see.  I did think to use a darker colour but I tend to be a bit rough when cleaning my stamps and often those clear mount ones come off whilst cleaning and you tend to go round in circles, cleaning, re-aligning, cleaning, re-aligning.  The ribbon flag alignment was a bit of a fluke.  I was trying to work out the best was to align them and when I looked down, they had kind of settled like that all by themselves.  Yay!

And now onto the invitation part of the post.  It's my sons' birthday in 15 days, just ask him, he's counting down the days.  Friday night I thought I'd best get my butt into gear and get some invitations done before his party comes around.  I had an idea that I fine tuned with him - he was quite adamant that the skateboard needed to be yellow!

The big green splodge is from Extreme Elements and is stamped in the new In Colour, Gumball Green, the blue stars are also from the same set.  The Skateboard is from PTI's Boy Basics:  Skater Dude (I think that's its name) and is stamped in another new In Colour, Summer Starfruit.  The light blue pattern is from SU's new Clockworks set that I received at the Melbourne SU! Heartfelft event.  The sentiment is from the retired Introducing set.

And this is what the inside looks like.  The big splodge is also from the Clockworks set and has been stamped in Crumb Cake.  The stars were stamped in Pool Party and the invitation body is from the Introducing set.  The corners were rounded using my most favourite corner rounding punch.  I cannot believe that I was able to stamp, die cut and put together 17 of these in 1-1/2 hours!!!!  I should have rang Guinness as this is some sort of stamping record for me!  Now I have to write on them all!

Thanks for visiting, hope you enjoy the rest of your day

Supplies Used:

Card 1

Cardstock:  Whipser White, Pink Pirouette (SU!)

Ink:  Pink Pirouette

Accessories:  Big Shot, Timeless Type Jnr Alphabet dies, Stripes Embossing folder, Big Shot adhesive sheets, Dazzling Diamonds glitters, Mat Stack 1, Layerz Mat Stack 1 (PTI)

Card 2

Stamps:  Memorable Moments (SU!, available 01.09.12), Background Basics: Tin Types (PTI)

Ink:  Pink Pirouette

Cardstock:  Whisper White

Accessories:  Big Shot, Labels Collection Framelits, Pretty In Pink satin ribbon

Invitation:  Outside

Stamps:  Clockworks (SU! available 01.09.12), Extreme Elements, Introducing (SU! retired), Boy Basics:  Skater Dude (PTI)

Cardstock:  Notecards (SU!)

Ink:  Gumball Green, Summer Starfruit (SU! available 01.09.12), Island Indigo, Pool Party, Basic Grey

Accessories:  Big Shot, Skateboard die (PTI), Corner Rounding punch (SU! retired)

Invitation:  Inside:

Stamps:  Clockworks (SU!), Extreme Elements, Introducing (retired)

Ink:  Crumb Cake, Pool Party, Basic Grey

JAI 131 - Colour Challenge

Hi there

This week at Just Add Ink we have a colour challenge, check them out

Kind of hard colours, don't you think.  Originally I was going to go with some sort of flower/tree design, as that was what first came to mind when I saw them but then I saw a image that Gayatri pinned to her Pinterest board and I this is what I ended up making.

It took me a few goes to get it looking like I wanted.  I did have one that I really liked but I decided to cut it down to make a square card and instead of cutting of 1 cm, I cut off 1" and ruined it.  Aaargghhh.

Since I have resigned from Stampin' Up! I can go into a little more detail about the products I have used.  The pattern is from an awesome set called Retro Foundations from The Craft's Meow.  I LOVE this set - the patterns and fonts are right up my alley.  I have clear embossed them on watercolour paper then coloured them using Antique Linen and Walnut Stain Distress Inks, which are pretty close to the SU! colours.  In fact, I did start out using the SU colours but I really didn't like the way the red base in the Chocolate Chip started coming out once I started adding water to it to get the graduation in colour.  The fact the Distress Inks don't break down when water is added is one of the reasons I started collecting them and I really love how I have been able to get 4 different shades using just 2 colours.

As you will probably notice, the sentiment is a favourite from PaperTrey Ink.  I do use it on a LOT of my cards, quite often it's not the first choice but it seems to be the one I end up with  because it tends to suit everything.  The button is also from PTI.

Well, that's all from me today.  Be sure to check out rest of the Design Team's  creations - they have some great ideas on using these colours.

Thanks for visiting and have a wonderful day & weekend

Oh, I just wanted to add, Gayatri has THE BEST Pinterest boards.  I don't know how she finds the time to pin everything she does, but I'm certainly grateful she does because she finds some AWESOME stuff.  Thanks Gayatri!


Supplies Used:
Stamps:  Retro Foundations - The Craft's Meow, Birthday Basiscs - PTI
Ink:  Antique Linen, Walnut Stain and Embossing Distress Inks - Ranger
Cardstock:  Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla - Stampin' Up!, Watercolour Paper - LSS
Accessories:  New Leaf Button - PTI, Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Tool - SU!

Ch, Ch, Ch Changes

Well, this week has been an emotional one.  On Tuesday, after almost 6-1/2 years, I resigned from Stampin' Up! which means I am no longer a demonstrator.  It's been something I've been thinking of for at least 12 months now, but after reading posts on Joan and Susan's blogs, I realised the time was right and I was ready to actually do it, instead of just thinking about it.

Now some of you are probably thinking to yourself, I didn't even know you were a demo, which is just another reason for going down this path :)  I joined SU! on the day they opened for business here in Australia and through that opportunity I have made lots of totally awesome friendships.  In fact, it has been those friendships that have kept me a demo all this time. 

So why resign?  Well, I have been my own best customer for the last 5 years.  Do you know how much stuff you accumulate over 6-1/2 years when you only make 1 - 2 cards per week?  Way too much.  Do you know how much stuff you actually USE when you only make 1 - 2 cards per week?  Not enough to justify the continual spending to make the required minimums to remain a demo.  It recently dawned on me that I can continue to buy what I want from my demo friends, I can continue to go to SU events as my friend's guest, so there is no reason for me to keep buying stuff that I don't need and don't use.

I will continue to use and buy SU - I still love their products but I will make more carefully considered decisions on what I buy now I no longer have minimums to make.  What I will be doing is selling off a LOT of my stuff.  So stay tuned, I hope to have a 'For Sale' page set up in the next week or so.

So, a big THANK YOU goes out to all that read my blog, to those who leave comments, to those that have supported me over the last 6-1/2 years as a demo - it is appreciated more than you'll ever know.

I'll be back next week with my JAI Design Team submission.

Thanks for visiting :)

JAI 129 - Sketch Challenge

Howdy

This week at Just Add Ink, we have a sketch challenge, take a look

I've got to say, I struggled with this.  I had stared and stared at this for weeks, with no real idea of what to do.  I thought I was going to have to admit defeat and tell the rest of the DT that I wouldn't have a submission until I had a brainwave.

This is what I came up with

I must say, I really like how this has turned out.  It's a simple take on the sketch, but it really is does reflect my style, which is why I am also going to link it up to this week's Case Study blog hop challenge.

I've also done something I don't normally do and that is colour.  I used my new Promarkers to colour the camera.  These are alcohol based markers and I really enjoyed using them, which was a bit of shock.  I might even use them again :)

Well, must dash.  Make sure you check out what the rest of the Design Team came up with and I hope you can join in with us this week.

Supplies Used: 
Stamps:  Oh Shoot (There She Goes Clear Stamps)
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), Ice Grey 2, Ice Grey 3, Ice Grey 4, Crimson, Honeycomb and Powder Blue ProMarkers (Letraset)
Cardstock:  Whipser White, Washington Apple DSP (long since retired) (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories:  Corner Rounder (retired) (Stampin' Up!)