07 December 2013

Another Stampin' Up! Christmas Tree!


This was my second entry in the Paeroa Christmas Tree Competition.  It sits on a round base made with chipboard and Very Vanilla cardstock, heat-embossed with Baroque Motifs in gold.

I started making rosettes using the Designer Rosette Bigz XL Die, starting with 12" strips 6" wide, and decreased these by 1/4" each layer down to 1/2" wide.
The end of each strip of rosette was scrunched up with versamark ink applied directly from the bottle, then dipped in gold embossing powder and heated.  This was quite time-consuming but very effective!

4 strips of cardstock or DSP were needed to made a whole rosette for the wider layers at the bottom which was decreased to 2-3 layers as I got closer to the top.  I used Tombow (which glue like PVA) to join strips together.
The trusty glue-gun was my adhesive of choice, both for holding rosettes together in the middle, then for attaching layers together.  It was such a strong adhesive that the hole "tree" could be turned upsidedown when finished!

The retired Elegant Bird die became the dove on the top of the tree.  I cut 3 circles with my 1 1/4" punch to attach bird to tree.
Last touches were made with a snowflake punch and glimmer paper.  The whole tree took about 1 day to make and sits about 40cm tall.
Stamps: Baroque Motifs
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Basic Black, Old Olive, Newsprint/First Edition DSP, Champagne Glimmer Paper
Ink: Versamark
Accessories: Big Shot, Designer Rosette Bigz XL Die, Elegant Bird Die, Chipboard, Snowflake Punch, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, Gold Embossing Powder, Heat Tool

30 November 2013

"Jesus is the Reason for the Season" Stampin' Up! Christmas Tree

There is a Decorated Christmas Tree competition happening in Paeroa at the moment and this is my entry in the "Spirit of Christmas" category.  The competition is being run by Paeroa Christmas Lights Show and the Paeroa Skate and Leisure Centre.  I'm also entering this in this weeks Just Add Ink inspiration challenge.  I have made another tree in the "Peace" category which I will share soon.

"The Tree"
I started off with some manilla paper which comes in the Stampin' Up boxes, along with a frame made from the actual box.
I stamped all over it using the big flourish stamp from Baroque Motifs with White Craft Ink.  I tried using the flourish from Creative Elements but felt it looked better with the bolder flourish.
I then made a cylinder with the paper and placed over the frame.  I didn't attach the paper to the frame as it sat there just fine.
" The Leaves"
I cut out approx 200 leaves using Leaves #2 die (retired but there is a similar current one called Autumn Accents in the catalogue).  I think I used about 7 pieces of 12x12 Whisper White cardstock.
They were embossed using Manhattan Flower embossing folder:
Then I applied glue stick over the raised area and blinged them up using Dazzling Diamonds Glitter.  This was the most time consuming part.  I took about 30mins to process one piece of 12x12 cardstock into leaves that I could stick on the tree, and that was only 32 leaves!

Then starting from the bottom, I stuck leaves on the tree with 1-2 glue dots.  I didn't want heaps of adhesive on them as I wanted them to stick out from the tree.  I also wanted the background to peep through too.

 "The Lazy Susan"
I needed a platform to manage the tree by this stage as I was getting glitter everywhere trying to stick leaves on the tree  :) so had a go at making a Lazy Susan using chipboard and Basic Black cardstock.

This was my first attempt at doing the "ball-bearing" part, unfortunately I accidently deleted the photo from my better second attempt.  I used pearls threaded with cotton thread and attached as you see in this photo.  The sellotape wasn't a strong enough adhesive to hold cotton thread so in the second attempt I placed sticky tape (double-sided) under crochet thread with sellotape on top which held it much better.
 
 Parts put together with a nice long brad.
 And voila!


I didn't end up putting feet on it (was thinking about using buttons) as it is sitting nice and flat on the brad head.

"The Star"
Using the Lattice die I cut out 2 each of silver and champagne glimmer paper with a vellum cardstock square.
 Using glue dots I stuck them all together alternating silver and champagne on each side.
 "Putting it all Together"
The story I wanted to tell on the tree was that of the baby Jesus being born, his ministry, his gift of salvation through his death on the cross, rising from the dead and how people can accept his gift of eternal life (www.needgod.com).  I found images on google which supported these themes and used My Digital Studio to made them the right size for printing.  They were then cut out using Labels Collection Framelits Dies framed on Real Red cardstock.  I printed out bible verses to correspond with each picture and cut them out with the Ovals Collection Framelits.

I used sticky strip to attach the tree frame to the lazy susan, with the cylinder sitting on top.  Then the verses and pictures were all attached to Real Red ribbon using sticky strip (glue dots didn't have enough stick).  Then with sticky strip along the back of the ribbon, starting at the top I wound the ribbon around the tree leaving extra ribbon to wind around the base.
As a final note, I have to say that I never truly realised how beautiful Stampin' Up's Dazzling Diamonds glitter is.  It's colourless but when light shines on it, a rainbow shines back!

This project took me about 2 days to complete and stands 65cm high.  Hope you enjoy!

Undefined Stamp Carving

Click here to see flyer
Have you ever wanted a stamp but couldn’t find the perfect image?  Well now you can create the perfect image! Undefined is Stampin’ Up!’s new stamp carving product line. You define the rubber stamp any way you want.  Available to order now.

29 November 2013

Sympathy Card for a Friend

My dear friend Tina lost her Mum recently so I made this card for her.  She just loved the card and wanted to know all about how I made it as she is getting into cardmaking more and more.  I cased this card on Pinterest for inspiration.

Stamps: Sassy Salutations, God's Blessings, Creative Elements
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Soft Suede, Crisp Cantaloupe
Ink: Soft Suede, Crisp Cantaloupe
Accessories: Big Shot, Lattice Bigz Die, Labels Collection Framelits Dies, Boho Blossoms Punch, Spritzer Tool, Basic Pearls

26 November 2013

Boy's 10th Birthday Card

Pinterest sparked more inspiration for me with this cool card which I adapted with a 10 on it for my son's birthday recently.  He played Saturday morning soccer for the first time this year so this card was perfect!

Stamps: Itty Bitty Banners, Inspired by Nature
Cardstock: Whisper White, Old Olive, Marina Mist, Basic Black
Ink: Marina Mist
Accessories: Big Shot, Bitty Banners Framelits, Honeycomb Embossing Folder, Simple Numbers Bigz Dies, Cloudy Day Embossing Folder, Ribbon

31 October 2013

Just Add Ink Scrapbooking Challenge #22 - Sketch

Just in time again for the monthly JAI Scrapbooking Challenge with only a few hours to spare!  I flipped over and mirrored the sketch so that my tractor photo was facing towards the middle of the page instead of off it.  :)
This was a fun layout using the only Designer Series Paper I had left that had some red (Poppy Parade) in it.  The title was make using My Digital Studio which was fast and easy with the exact colours I needed.
Stamps: I Dig You, Gorgeous Grunge (Background)
Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Pool Party, Very Vanilla, Everyday Enchantment DSP
Ink: Crumb Cake (Spritzer), Soft Suede
Accessories: Big Shot, Bitty Banners Framelits, Tasteful Trim Bigz Die, Large & Small Star Punches, Sponge Dauber, Very Vanilla Ribbon, Spritzing Tool, My Digital Studio

30 October 2013

Just Add Ink 188 - Grunge (Starburst Christmas Card)


Last week I received the latest copy of Stampin' Up!'s Impressions magazine which is sent to all demonstrators.  There was an article in it about the starburst technique which is very popular at the moment.  As soon as I saw how easy it was to make a template, I had to have a go and combine it with the latest weekly challenge at Just Add Ink!
 And this is the template I made which is 6x6 size.
Stamps: Gorgeous Grunge, Sassy Salutations
Cardstock: Whisper White, Pool Party, Island Indigo
Ink: Pool Party, Island Indigo, Bermuda Bay
Accessories: Rhinestones, Sponge Dauber, Dazzling Details Silver Sparkle

I then had to have a go using the same template on Designer Series paper, piecing it together.

They both turned out great (and I found another resourceful way of using up retired DSP scraps!), but I prefer the next one as I inked the edges of each individual piece.

Stamps: Word Play
Cardstock: Soft Suede, Baha Breeze, Very Vanilla, Elegant Soiree DSP
Ink: Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, Baha Breeze
Accessories: Big Shot, Honeycomb/Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folders, Window Frames Collection Framelits, Dazzling Details Silver Sparkle, Crystal Effects, Sponge Dauber

I was a winner a JAI!

I didn't get around to posting this last week as our overhead telephone line was hit by a TRACTOR so we didn't have a phone or internet for a few days!

But just wanted to say a big thanks to the ladies at JAI who loved my Christmas Cotton Reel Wreath!



15 October 2013

JAI # 186 Inspiration Challenge - A Christmas Wreath

Well this project is a little (heaps) different for me!  It's an extremely eclectic mix of unusable bobbins, spools, reels, lace, buttons and ribbon along with Stampin' Up! retired Designer Series papers and a little stamping to boot!
Many of the cotton spools are VERY old, having come from sewing boxes which belonged to both of my Nana's.  What a wonderful way of being able to display and remember them, especially at Christmas time!
  
This challenge on JAI  was an inspiration challenge with the following photo of a gorgeous wreath:
Stamps:  Heart of Christmas, Gorgeous Grunge
Colours: Real Red, Old Olive, Baja Breeze, Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake
Main Accessories: Big Shot, Top Note Die, Ovals Collection Framelits, Linen Thread, Crumb Cake Tulle Ribbon, Chipboard, Wire, Sponge Dauber

30 September 2013

Exclusive Best of 25 Years Stamps!

 
Click here to see flyer
As part of our 25-year anniversary celebration, Stampin' Up! are bringing back some of our favourite stamp images from the last quarter century and combining them into 11 sets, which will release—one set per month—until April 2014. Even better, along with some great classic images, each "Best of" set will also include a never-before-seen image

This month is Best of Birthdays!

In-Colour Scrapbooking

The five new in-colours that were introduced this year have such yummy colourful names; Baked Brown Sugar, Strawberry Slush, Crisp Cantaloupe, Pistachio Pudding and Coastal Cabana!
I have used three of them on this double layout along with their slightly darker, corresponding colours which are in the current Stampin' Up! colour families.
Stamps: Lovely Letters Alphabet, The Great Outdoors
Cardstock: Baked Brown Sugar, Coastal Cabana, Crisp Cataloupe, Soft Suede, Bermuda Bay, Calypso Coral, Whisper White
Ink: Versamark, Calypso Coral, Bermuda Bay
Accessories: Big Shot, Scribbles Swirls Sizzlit Die, Tasteful Trim Bigz XL Die, Scallop Square Punch, 1 1/4" Square Punch, Toothpicks

29 September 2013

Christmas Single Stamps Promotion

Click here to see flyer
A new, holiday-themed collection of single stamps is now available! The holidays will be here before you know it, and these holiday-themed single stamps may be just what the budget-conscious stamper needs. There are eight different stamps to choose from, six of which coordinate with Framelits dies or punches.  These stamps are only available until 31 January 2014.

Single Markers Promotion

In the 2013–2014 annual catalogue, we offer the Stampin’ Write Marker New Color Kit (item 130034, page 163) to help you update your Many Marvelous Marker pack. Now, we’ve sweetened the deal. For a limited time, from 15 July until 31 October, you can buy any of the new colours in the pack or on their own! Go on, fill in the missing pieces in your collection or buy the whole lot.  Click here to see the flyer.

31 August 2013

JAI Scrap #20 - Just Add Digital Scrapbooking

I have only just recently downloaded MDS so here's my first official page, using a pre-programmed layout that came with MDS.

So cute!