Honey Bee - IBS New Release

Hi everyone! Did you get a chance to check out all the new release stamps at Inspired by Stamping last week? Do yourself a favour and go and check them out. 

Today I have used one of the new sets called Honey Bee.

Here is my card -

Isn't this the cutest!! I was very random while colouring. Just using my Stampin' Write markers, I flicked colour here and there. 

Lastly, I used a Honeycomb stencil to add some interest to the edges.

Thanks so much for looking today xx

NEW RELEASE WEEK AT INSPIRED BY STAMPING!

It's an exciting week over at Inspired by Stamping because it is Release Week!

Joanna has outdone herself again! You really need to pop on over and see what we have come up with starting with today.

You will see why I am excited when I show you the new Butterflies set. They are amazing!!

I was so excited that I made 3 cards with this set. You will see how differently you can use one single stamp.

My first card -

How to make this card -

1. Swipe distress ink pads across your craft sheet

2. Spray with water

3. Press watercolour cardstock into the ink and dry with your heat gun

4. Emboss two butterflies with white powder onto scrap watercolour cardstock and then follow steps 1-3. Once dry, I used some markers to randomly add more ink to the butterflies and then sprayed with water again.

5. Back to your main panel - stamp the script stamp from the Spring Lilacs set. Then stamp the butterfly twice with the same colour ink. This will give a subtle background.

6. Flick some white acrylic paint over the top of the panel.

7. Cut out your embossed butterflies and pop them up with foam pads.

8. Add perfect pearls all over the card.

Here is my next card using the same butterfly stamp

How to make this card -

1. Emboss your butterfly in the bottom right hand corner

2. Emboss the sentiment from the Teeny Tiny Greetings set

3. Done! CAS perfection!!!

Here is my last card -

How to make this card -

1. Emboss your butterflies and sentiment onto watercolour cardstock

2. Follow steps 1-3 for my first card to create your background.

3. Swipe your ink pad onto an acrylic block, spray with water and let the drips fall onto the cardstock to create 'splats'

4. Use some paper towel to wipe over your embossed lines and remove any ink

There you go! Three cards using the same set. Aren't these butterflies amazing!!!

Thanks so much for popping in today

3 more sleeps!

Yep! 3 more sleeps until my birthday cruise - woo hooo

Hi everyone! A quick post from me today. I am in travel mode and wanted to ink up more of my new sets from Whimsy Stamps. 

I used two travel sets for this card. Don't you love that little die cut car? I had to ink it up with red because don't red cars go faster? (maybe that's just an Australian joke...)

Here is my card - (which really took next to no time to make)

If this set had a cruise ship in it, that would have been perfect lol. I do have to get a ferry to the mainland, then a car to the airport, then a plane to Sydney, then a shuttle to the Cruise Terminal. Lot's of travelling for me on Sunday.

This cruise is definitely a DREAM come true with lots to EXPLORE and DISCOVER on the ship and the islands. So, my sign is just perfect for me right now :)

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges -

Time Out - CAS with the optional twist of black and white plus a splash of one colour

Whimsy Stamps - Use a Diecut

Thanks so much for looking xx

ATSM Challenge #136 - Anything Goes

Welcome back! How are you all today?

Our new challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More is

ANYTHING GOES

I have used my Spectrum Noir markers for this Christmas card. I was inspired by a card I saw on the Lawn Fawn Pinterest page.

Here is my card -

I stamped my images from the Lawn Fawn 'Joy to the Woods' set and then coloured them in. I die cut all my bits and pieces and started to assemble my card.

Can you see that I have used acetate on the front which gives you a clear view to the back of the card?

Here is the inside of the card

There is still plenty of room to write your message - I will either write on the snow banks or place a panel on the back of the card if I don't have enough room.

The only issue with this card is it doesn't quite sit right seeing I took a fair chunk off the front panel.

We have a wonderful sponsor this week too 

and our winner will have the chance to receive 1 x stamp set and 1 x paper pad!!

Check out the other cards on display at the challenge blog - you will love them!

Thanks so much for looking xx

New goodies and a new technique

Hi there!

Well, I was a very excited lass today when my  BRUSHOS came in the mail. Woo hooo. I had been hoping they would come in time for me to try and create something for the challenge at ShowCASe your style. 

First, my card -

Here is the colour inspiration from ShowCASe your Style

I concentrated on just four colours - purple, blue, orange and yellow

I even got dad in on the action today - He drilled holes into the top of my brusho containers and even found some stopper doover lackeys in his tool box.

Ok, back to my card.

I have never tried the Bokeh technique before so I was quite nervous. Combining a new medium AND a new technique - am I crazy!!

I used watercolour cardstock for this one. I misted a little water over my panel and then dropped my crystals onto the paper. It was really cool watching the crystals react with the water. I misted them a little more until I had a nice combination (not that you have much control over the end result, lol).

I did end up with patches but I liked it. I didn't want to get over excited with the water :)

Once it was dry (and I did use my heat gun. I had read to let it air dry for better results but who has time for that??), I got out some OLD Hero Arts Dot stamps that I don't think I've ever used to create my Bokeh effect. 

I used a combination of Staz On White and SU White.

Now, because the Bokeh effect is so popular with photography, I had to add a little camera and some inspirational words from Whimsy Stamps.

I had a LOT of fun creating this card. I think you will be seeing a lot of Brusho creations from me. So fun!!

This will probably be my last 'live' post for a while. I have a heap scheduled as I am going on a cruise in 6 sleeps. Yes, 6 more sleeps. So, if you don't see me around for a while, that's why! :)

(Mind you, with Brushos to play with, I think I will be back before the end of the week lol)

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges -

ShowCASe your Style - Colour Challenge

Come and Get It - Make your own Background

Paper Minutes - Bokeh Technique

Stampin' Royalty - Watercolour

Thanks so much for looking xx

ATCAS - Green!

Hi everyone! Hope your Saturday is going along fine.

I have been away at my sister who lives a couple of hours north of me. I got home this morning and was happy to find a couple of packages had arrived while I was gone. New stamps from Whimsy and new fabric for my next quilt project.

I hadn't got my card ready for ATCAS before I left so I cracked open the new stamps and had a play.

Our code word was chosen by the amazing Vicki for this challenge and here it is

Hmmm. I don't 'do' green. The only green I use is usually for leaves/foliage etc. 

But! My new stamps included a background set so I decided to use a couple of green inks that I have and create my background.

Here is my DT card -

I used Gumball Green and Pistachio Pudding for my background using a stripe stamp. The camera and sentiment are from a set called Life is a Journey with coordinating dies (all stamps and dies from Whimsy).

I purchased a bundle set which has the Happy Travels and Life is Journey stamps with 3 little sets of dies. I can't wait to keep playing!

We also have an awesome Guest Designer this month at ATCAS - Birgit seriously makes the most amazing cards. You really need to go and say hi and check out her creativity!

Our sponsor for this challenge 

and you will have the chance to win 3 images from their store!

I would like to enter my card into the following challenge -

Whimsy Stamps - Use a Sentiment

Thanks so much for looking xx

Try a New Technique!

Hi there! Over at Inspired by Stamping we are trying new techniques!

I decided to try colouring on kraft cardstock. Here is what I came up with -

I love how this turned out. I have used the Aster stamp set - it is such a wonderful set. Very versatile and fun to use.

Firstly, I embossed the Aster onto the kraft panel. Then I used waterbased markers to colour it all in. Why waterbased? Because I tried with my alcohol markers first and realised that I couldn't wipe the ink off the embossed lines. Whoops! So, if you are going to try this technique, make sure you use waterbased markers and the ink will wipe straight off your embossing!!

Here is a close up of the Aster

I also embossed the sentiment with white powder.

Please let me know if you try this technique! I would love to see what you come up with.

Tips:

Use waterbased markers

I used lighter colours because having a darker cardstock made the colours deeper in the end

I would like to enter this card into the

2015 World Wide Open Design Team Challenge

Thanks so much for stopping by today

ATSM Challenge #135 - Photo Inspiration

Good morning, I hope you are well and getting in lots of crafty time.

Today is the start of a new challenge at ATSM and we have a photo for inspiration -

I decided to use some of the yummy colours as inspiration for my card -

I have used supplies from my PTI Sprinkles and Shaker kit. I die cut the word Sprinkles three time. I snipped off the s at the end. 

Our wonderful sponsor this week is

and you could win a $15 coupon to the store!!

I would like to enter my card into the challenge at

Thanks so much for looking xx

HLS March CAS Challenge

Hello! Another month gone by and we are in March! Holy smokes.

Being the 3rd of the month means that we have a brand new challenge over at Happy Little Stampers. Don't forget that our sketch challenge went live on the 1st so you may even like to combine the two!

Here is our theme for this month -

We would like you to use sponging on your cards. Don't forget that this is a Clean and Simple Challenge.

Here is my card

I started my masking off my panel as I only wanted to sponge ink into the top part. 

I have used Distress Inks for this one - Salty Ocean, Spiced Marmalade, Festive Berries, Mowed Lawn, Dusty Concord and Mustard Seed. Once my panel was dry I stamped my grunge stamp with white Stazon ink.

Then I created another panel. Firstly, I used the same grunge stamp and white embossed the panel. Then I used Dusty Concord/Salty Ocean, Festive Berries/Pickled Raspberry and Mustard Seed/Mowed Lawn. Then I die cut my butterflies. Thinking they needed something a little extra, I inked up my En Francais stamp in black and inked over the top of the butterflies.

I scored two lines below my inking and stamped a sentiment from the Teeny Tiny Greetings set from IBS. 

Lastly, I popped up my butterflies using dimensionals. 

I love how the colours ended up being bright and vibrant.

Ok! Over to you now. I hope you will play along this month. Don't forget to link up at the FORUM to be in the draw to win a mystery prize!

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges -

Mixed Media Challenge - Hints of Spring

613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes

Less Is More - This makes me happy (butterflies and lots of colour!)

Thanks so much for looking xx

Masculine CAS for Inspired by Stamping

Welcome back! Over at Inspired by Stamping we are concentrating on CAS Masculine cards today.

Here is my card -

I have created a nice little seaside scene by masking and sponging inks.

Firstly, I added my post it note to mask the top of my card where the sky would be. I started sponging with Memento Summer Sky and then added Danube Blue for extra depth.

The grass was created with Memento Bamboo leaves. I didn't mask off where the grass and sea met. I just took care and made sure that my lightest colours were towards the middle of the card.

I removed my post it note and used the same blues for my sky.

I have used the new release stamps - Tropical Paradise which have been inspired by my home state of Queensland.

This is the perfect card for any man! I decided that I would place a sentiment on the inside of my card when the time comes to send this one off. I also didn't want to distract from my seaside scene.

Thanks so much for stopping by today

One Layer CAS

Hi there everyone, today I have made a One Layer CAS card to share with you using stamps from Inspired by Stamping

Here is my card

I have used a sentiment from the Everyday Sentiments set. LOVE this set. The little heart is from one of the Christmas sets called Build A Stocking.

Thanks so much for looking xx

Happy 40th!!

It is my best friend, Simone's, 40th birthday this week. 

Simone and I 'found' each other on the first day of kindergarten back in 1980. We were sort of shy and standing next to each other quite nervous about starting big school. I said "Would you like to be my friend?" We held hands and walked into class. The rest is history.

35 years later we have shared many memories both happy and sad. I am godmother to two of her children and she is the godmother of my child. 

Simone's favourite colour is red so keeping that in mind, I have made this card for her

I started with the chipboard numbers first. I covered them with versamark and cherry cobbler embossing powder. Once heated and dry I spread Glass Bead Gel over the top. While still wet, I sprinkled some Dazzling Diamonds to give it some extra sparkle. 

Here is a close up

My balloons are from Lil' Inker Designs and I have embossed sentiments from the 'Say What?' set by Whimsy Stamps.

I didn't have any black twine, so I coloured my white one with a black Spectrum Noir marker.

Happy Birthday, Simone!!!!

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges

Uniko - Birthdays

Thanks so much for looking xx