A couple more Christmas cards

While playing with Kristina's colours today, I also made these two cards:





The first one is the right colours, but the second one does not have any Very Vanilla in it...I just couldn't make it fit, and decided it was too annoying so I'd best stop!

Hope your day was fabuloso :-).
Sam.

Ho ho ho, it's colour challenge time again!

It is time for another Kristina Werner Color Challenge, and this week's colours are:


Kristina did say that you could substitute the Sahara Sand for a metallic, and I have done this, but have used a metal edge tag for my metallic. I have also substituted Real Red for Riding Hood Red, as we don't yet have that colour here in Oz.

This is my card:





The base cardstock is Real Red and has been stamped with one of the snow flake stamps from the Merry, Merry stamp set. The hat lining is Whisper White and has been punched out with the scallop punch. I have mounted the triangular piece of the hat up on dimensionals. The hat ornament is a metal edge tag, mounted up on a scallop of whisper white cardstock. The sentiment is from the Merry, Merry stamp set, and has been stamped in Real Red classic ink on Very Vanilla cardstock and punched out with the 1 inch circle punch.

I thought I'd make you a really quick tutorial in case you were interested in making one of these Santa Hat cards yourself:

Step 1: Cut an A4 sheet of cardstock in half, length-ways:


Step 2: Score at halfway mark and fold cardstock. Make pencil marks at 0.5 inch and 1.5 inch from the bottom, on both sides, and at 1 inch from each corner at the top. Draw lines connecting marks as shown in the image below, and cut along these lines:


Step 3: Cut along the lines you have drawn, then stamp cardstock. Run SNAIL adhesive along the bottom 1 inch of the cardstock as shown below:


Step 4: Mount four scallop circles along base of card, to form hat lining (if you want your card to fit in an envelope, you'll have to make sure you don't extend the scallops too far past the edge of the hat, or reduce the width of the base cardstock):


Step 5: Using a piece of cardstock 2 inches wide and 3 inches long, mark out a triangle:


Step 6: Decorate triangle, cut it out, mount on dimensionals and affix to top front of card:



Then just add your hat decoration, and you're done!

Hope this helps :-).
Sam.

Cinema Saturday Creative Challenge

Check out this week's Cinema Saturday Creative Challenge, Gone With the Wind:


I nearly didn't get a card made today with my head pounding, but in between naps and fortified with cold meds, this is what I came up with:


It is inspired by the outfit that Rhett wore to the BBQ at Twelve Oaks:


I didn't have any black and white checked paper that I could use for the cravat, so I used some of my origami paper instead. Again, very, very hard to crush it up like that :-).

Thanks for visiting,
Sam.

Kristina's Color Inspiration #31

It is time for Kristina's weekly Colour Inspiration, and this week's colours are:


This is the card I made using these colours:


Now, I hope you will forgive my lack of creativity. I have a cold, and feel blah! I think this card is a bit blah too, well it looks bland to me!

The ingredients are:

Cardstock: Pumpkin Pie, Close to Cocoa, Whisper White, Elegant Eggplant and Watercolour Paper.
Inks: Black Stazon, Versamark, Elegant Eggplant, So Saffron and Pumpkin Pie Classic Ink.
Stamps: Embrace Life.
Accessories: Clear Embossing Powder
Other: Crimper, Aquapainter, SNAIL adhesive, Sticky Strip, Dimensionals.

I have embossed the whole of the main image (using the reverse masking technique) and the leaves on the background image (using a Versamark pen). You can see the embossing a bit better in this close-up image:


See you later!
Sam.

A day on a steam train...

We had a fabulous day yesterday! We caught the steam train from Canberra to Bungendore and back, and had so much fun. This is the engine that hauled us there:


The kids loved it, hubby loved it, I loved it!




I got back and made this funny little card of the engine:


Miss 4 wants me to send it to the train driver :-).

For this card I used:
Cardstock: Basic Black, Real Red, Whisper White and Brushed Gold
Ink: Whisper white craft ink and white gel pen
Punches: 1 3/8" circle, 1 1/4" circle, 3/4" circle, 1/2" circle, corner rounder and word window
Accessories: Basic black brads, dimensionals, SNAIL adhesive and glue dots
Other: Cotton wool buds and foam brush.


Thanks for dropping by!
Sam.

I got an AUDREY award!

Have you checked out the Cinema Saturday Creative Challenge site yet?

A movie is selected by Sankari and Brooke on a weekly basis. A sneak peek graphic is released on Friday (Saturday Oz time), and the full Movie title is released on Saturday (Sunday Oz time), along with some useful links on where to go to find out more about the movie. The challenge is to make a project inspired by the movie!

I entered last week's challenge which was Memoirs of a Geisha. I got a bit carried away and made three cards (I'm going to blame it on the divine origami papers I found in a local store). You can see the cards I made here and here.

AND...I won the Audrey award!


I'm feeling very honoured because there were LOTS of fabulous entries this week!

This is the card that I won with:


Thank you so much Sankari and Brooke for choosing my card!

This week's movie has already been selected, and it is Gone With The Wind. I am a bit embarrassed to say I have never read or seen this epic! Off to Civic Video I go ;-).

Have fun creating!
Sam.

I was trying for another Color Inspiration card...but it didn't work

I just could NOT work the Old Olive in....:-(


The background is textured Whisper White. The chipboard flower is covered in Certainly Celery Chunky Sprinkles...well, they kinda look like Cert Cel. I have coloured the inner flower in Sahara Sand, with a Stampin' Write marker, and then the pearl is white. No Old Olive. I still like the look of the card though!


While I was out there taking the card shots I grabbed a close-up of one of my Hebes in flower:


Hope your day has been a good one!
Sam.

Color Inspiration #30

I was very excited to see that Kristina posted her Color Inspiration a little early this week. It mean't that I could have a play while waiting for the washing to finish :-).

This week's colours are:


And, this is the card that this graphic has inspired me to make:



You will probably have noticed two things about my cards of late. 1/ I am slightly enamoured with the A-frame layout, and 2/ I'm still having a 'thing' for rub-ons.

The rub-ons I have used here are retired, but there are still so many other sets to chose from. The background cardstock is textured Sahara Sand. Then there is a thin layer of Old Olive cardstock. The white is Glossy white cardstock, and the ribbon is Certainly Celery from the Fairy Tale Ribbon Originals pack. The hodge podge is Styled Silver.

Back to the washing now...boo hoo ;-).

Take care,
Sam.

Another 'Memoirs of a Geisha' Inspired Card

Just got another card finished for the Cinema Saturday Creative Challenge.


I have used more Chiyogami paper from Pepe's Paperie. This paper is sooooooooooooooo beautiful. It hurts to cut it up! You can see some of the patterns available here.

The background cardstock is textured Basic Black. I have also used Brushed Gold cardstock in the layers. I had to hand cut the squares of Chiyogami paper in the background because the punch just seemed to tear it up. I've also used Gold Brads and retired Gold Cord.

I found the origami fan instructions here. Go to the 'Accessories' category in the left hand menu.

Thanks for stopping here :-)
Sam.

Color Throwdown #18

I know I've missed the boat on this challenge, but thought I'd do it anyway, as I really love the colour combo!

The Color Throwdown challenges can be found here, and this week's is:



My card is:


I've added a teensie bit of Whisper White too.

Gonna run now, my internet connection is being a bit weird today.

Have a good one!
Sam.

Memoirs of a Geisha

I recently discovered the Cinema Saturday Creative Challenges blog, and the awesome work of Sankari Wegman and Brooke Stockman.

This week's challenge is:


I only found the site on Sunday, so I popped on down to the local Civic Video store and hired out Memoirs of a Geisha, after first doing a little research on Wikipedia and various other sites. So I was really participating in a Cinema Sunday and Monday challenge.

My favourite scene is this one (image sourced from this site):


So, with this beautiful image in mind, this is the card I made last night:



The idea for the hanging blossoms having been inspired by Sankari's beautiful challenge card. I've part-cuttlebugged the background basic Black layer with a wood imprint, which is mean't to reflect the wooden bridge in the background of the image. The vellum paper is by Cristina Re, and reminds me of both the pond and the dangling blossoms. The blossoms are made up of silk flowers and crystal beads from the Stampin' up! Pretties Kit, and threaded onto cotton.

Today I was in Woden and walked past Pepe's Paperie. I ducked inside and found some lovely origami papers so when I got home I found this site, where you can download directions for an simple origami Kimono. The end result was this:


I am sure there will be lots of origami kimono cards made for this challenge! It is simple and I think it looks pretty groovy! The cardstock is Basic Black and Brushed Gold, and I have tied some retired Gold Cord about the waist for effect.

Thanks for looking,
Sam.

PS. Isn't she absolutely stunning?

NO MORE SURFING SANTAS....d'ya hear me?

This is what 20 Surfing Santas looks like! There will be no more Surfing Santas in this household. Not today, not tomorrow, not next week! I am all Surfing Santa'd out. COMPRENDE?

It is such a good feeling having this job completed though! It took a while, even with Mum helping (she coloured 10 of those Santas for me last week while she was visiting).....thanks Ma, you rock :-)!

I sent the parcel off to my brother today. So his Christmas cards will be out by the end of the week. Hope he likes them!


I played around with the water colour, and have made 10 with Blue Bayou surf, and 10 with Brilliant Blue surf. I also changed from a Whisper White background layer and envelope to Very Vanilla, because it matched better with the off white colouring of the watercolour paper and the twill tape. On two of the cards I had a small tinker with adding some Liquid Applique to the breaking water of the wave, but thought it ended up being a bit too busy for my liking.

Now I can get back to mucking around with my new Summer Mini catalogue goodies :-).

Have a great day!
Sam.

A Little Blog Award!

One of my wonderful Stampin' Up! blogging friends, Karen nominated me for an award today, and I feel very honoured to receive it! Thank you so much Karen :-).


The rules are:

1. The winner may put the logo on their blog.
2. Put a link to the person who sent you the award.
3. Nominate 5 blogs.
4. Put links to their blogs.
5. Leave a message for your nominees.

I will nominate the following very groovy, very Kreativ bloggers (although it was very hard to narrow it down to just five)....I am sure you will enjoy perusing their work (I know I do):

1. Sankari - Sankari's Sunshine Corner
2. Karen - Luv To Stamp
3. Karen - the sweetest thing
4. Debbie - Debbie P's Place
5. Jean - Stampin Cos It's Fun

Enjoy!
Sam.

Kristina's Latest Colours...

These are the colours Kristina has chosen for her 29th Color Inspiration:



and this is my little card:


I've used Brilliant Blue instead of Pacific Point, as we don't yet have that colour in Australia.

Thanks for popping by :-),
Sam.

PS. I know it is Elegant EGGPLANT, not Elegant LAVENDER...but I don't have any eggplants growing in my garden to use as a backdrop. If only Stampin' up! would release colours called Tentatively Tomato, Scrap of Strawberry, Case of Coriander, Sometimes Spinach, Plump Pea or Oh, Oh, Oh Onion...then I could start themeing all my card photos.

Chipboard Flower

I recently made this little card for a Stampin' Up! demo friend...


The base cardstock is Soft Sky, I sponged the edges and also pierced them. The next layer is Whisper White textured cardstock, then another layer of Soft Sky, then the main layer which is Whisper White. I've sponged on the clouds using the scallop punch and Soft Sky ink...see my previous post for a link to details on sponging like this.

The flower is two pieces of DSP covered chipboard from the Onboard Blossoms and Basics set, the leaves are also DSP covered chipboard (from the same set) and the stem is 1/4" certainly celery grosgrain.

That's about it!
Thanks for looking,
Sam.

It's a CASE of the baby boats...

First and foremost, credit where credit is due! This little boat is a CASE of this fabulous card by the very talented Karen Giron. As soon as I saw it, it went into my 'to be CASED folder'.


The background cardstock is So Saffron and it has been stamped with the Canvas background stamp in So Saffron Classic Ink.The next layer is Ruby Red and is mounted up on dimensionals.

The next layer is whisper white. I have sponged clouds onto this piece using Ballet Blue Classic Ink. There is an excellent tutorial for sponging clouds on Andrea Walford's blog here. The tutorial has actually been written by Sophia Landry, Andrea's sister. Thanks so much Sophia, your tutorial inspired me to try this technique, and I love it. Instead of drawing and cutting out my own clouds I used the scallop punch, as suggested by Karen.

The 'water' is Ballet Blue cardstock that I have hand torn to form waves. I have curled the wave edges using my finger, to give a more three dimensional effect. The boat is from the Nursery Necessities set and I stamped it in three colours (Ruby Red, Certainly Celery and So Saffron) on Whisper White cardstock and then cut the pieces out and pieced them together atop the waves. If I were to make this card again, I would clear emboss the boat and raise its parts on dimensionals, to help it really pop out of the water.

The sun is from the Life's a Breeze stamp set, and has been stamped in So Saffron ink, cut out and mounted up on dimensionals. I have also scribbled a bit of two-way glue onto it and sprinkled it with some razzle dazzles.


Last, but not least, the sentiment is a rub-on from the 'A Perfect Day' set. Might have to stock up on these before the end of the month :-).

Thank you for visiting today. Have a lovely day!
Sam.

PS. Did everyone see the shocking spelling error in yesterday's post title? I typed it, looked at it, and thought 'that looks really weird, but I can't think of any other way to spell it' (I spelt Basically as Basicly). The fact that I was being begged for food, food and more food at the time may have had something to do with it (my kids are on a feeding FRENZY at the moment and no amount of food seems to placate them). Anyhoo, I promptly forgot all about it, but later last night, when I went to close the open blog window, I saw it again and realised what I'd done. My apologies for being so dim.

PPS. I had another moment along these lines this morning when typing the title for this post. I was like....does the 'it is' contraction take an apostrophe, or is it the it possessive that takes it? (a lot of its (plural) in that sentence...sorry for springing this on you first thing on a Sunday morning!). I knew one did and one didn't, but couldn't for the life of me remember which one it was. I had to go look it up online....far out...what's with that eh? Must be getting old.

Basically, it's black!

There are two reasons for this card:

1/ I have Stampin' Up!'s Rub-Ons on my mind, I love them :-)...

2/ I recently purchased a Macro Lens for my camera, and now I want to play with it....LOTS.

SO, if you start seeing close-up photos of bits of fluff and stuff, you'll know why ;-).

For now, I am amusing myself with close-ups of my cards. I made this very simple card this afternoon, in order to have something to take snaps of:


This first shot is also taken with the macro lens, but standing way back from the card. This task was not as easy as it sounds, today there is a force 10 (...a teensie exaggeration) gale blowing across the place, so my card kept taking off into the garden. I eventually managed to get this shot on top of the washing machine. The focus is a little soft, but ok.

Then for a close-up:


I found a little corner of the yard where the card was a bit sheltered and got this snap. So now you KNOW I'm using textured basic black on the upper layer! The rub-ons are from the 'A Perfect Day' set (in the current Spring Mini catalogue), and the centre of the flower has a black eyelet in it (and you can see one of the dimensionals in the centre of the eyelet). That pretty much covers this card...let's just call it minimalist :-).

Thanks for looking in on me. I'll try and make something serious and worth your time to visit for tomorrow. Please forgive me for dragging you here under false pretences.

Ciao bellas!
Sam.