JAI Challenge # 36

It's been a while since I have taken part in one of these.  The JAI girls have a lovely sketch for their challenge this week - check out the details here.

I've been making Artist Trading Cards for a monthly swap I participate in and I thought I'd create a card at the same time.

With Spring having well and truly sprung I have been taking photos of flowers and blossoms ... the colour inspiration for this card came from a bunch of flowers I bought for a friend last week - Canterbury Bells ... and old English flower.

 They are just so beautiful aren't they.  The colours I have used are the new Concord Crush and Pear Pizzazz.  The stamp set is Baroque Motifs and I've also used the new Whisper White taffeta ribbon with a Tiny Tag sentiment.

Back tomorrow with another Making Merry Monday.

Spotlighting a Mother's Day Card

Remember my post about Mother's Day cards for the Troops (pop over here if you missed it) ... well I've been busy making a few.  Here is one that I have made that I combined with another challenge ... the centrepiece is an Artist Trading Card I have entered into a swap with the Art With Heart Team.

 And here are the Trading Cards ready to be posted to the organiser Gayatri ...

The technique used is Spotlighting ... such a simple and effective technique ... instructions can be found here if you'd like to give it a go.  I've used Pixie Pink with Basic Black and Whisper White - great colours together don't you think?

The stamp is from Echoes of Kindness (free hostess benefit set) and the sentiment is from the Saleabration set Whimsical Words .... there's only a couple of weeks left to place a qualifying order to get this FREE set ... check out the brochure here and call me if you want to place an order.

Back in a couple of days with more creations ... and don't forget if you can make a card or two - someone somewhere serving the country would really appreciate it :o)

 

 

Making Merry Monday # 23

I hope you enjoyed the ESAD summer mini hop - it was so much fun and as I hopped around the 30 or so blogs I was amazed and inspired by the new range of goodies ... and yes my little conservative shopping list suddenly grew to quite a long list of 'must haves'!

As we are now well and truly into December and at the pointy end of the year where everything now needs to be quick as the days and weeks seem to speed up fly by faster than ever ... I have created a Christmas card using the new butterfly punch. 

This is actually another ATC swap but I made a few extra and turned them into Christmas cards ... I made 14 of these in just a couple of hours.

The butterfly punch has been cut into two and then layered to make up the tree.  Word Window punch has been used to create the tree stump and the wording and of course the star just tops it all off.  I've sponged all the edges with Craft White and then the two way glue pen to add some dazzling diamonds.

Stamp sets used are Punch Pals for the words and Winter Post for the snowflake.  Cardstock colours are Old Olive, Real Red, Basic Black, Silver (for the star), Chocolate Chip and Whisper White.

Same punch art tree just a different coloured cardstock for the card base ...  

CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA ENDS VERY SOON

Just a reminder that the Christmas Extravaganza will be finishing on 14 December (this time next week), this is the last date that orders can be placed for a guaranteed pre-Christmas delivery.  Click here for details of this very special offer - and earn a free gift for yourself too - remember you get to choose either a scallop square or boho blossoms punch work $30.95 for free. 

So if you are thinking of buying some Stampin' Up! items for Christmas please make sure you contact me before this date - and don't forget I can also make up a beautiful gift voucher if you aren't sure what your recipient would like.

Back in a couple of days with more ideas.

 

Collage Stamping ATC Swap

Another ATC swap - and another technique I haven't tried before.  Collage stamping was great fun.  I've used the Organic Grace Hostess Level One set and clear embossed the fern leaves before sponging So Saffron and More Mustard to create the first layer (can you see the little moon I created with the 1" circle punch ... sign up for my newsletter before the 10th of November and you'll receive the instructions for this easy technique).

 

I've then stamped the flowers in Chocolate Chip and sponged the edges followed with the dragonflies in Old Olive.  I was quite pleased with them and finished them off with some linen thread, So Saffron and Chocolate Chip layers of cardstock.

I am really enjoying the ATC swaps - they are so tiny and look lovely displayed in clear pockets - when I have received the whole set I'll post a photo for you all to see.

ATC Swaps

I've joined another swap on our demonstrator forum - wasn't quite sure what I was signing up for but if you know me well, you'll know I'll give anything a go once!  

As it turned out it was quite exciting ... an ATC is an Artist Trading Card - the same size as a footie card. This swap is based on techniques and happens once a month; the first of which was distressing ... that a technique name not the state I was in when I was making these - lol

 

And here is my offering ... I do hope that they make the grade!

Basically I've just roughed up all of the edges and then inked everything in sight ... including my fingers and the table top!  The stamp is Upsy Daisy stamped in Versamark and then pastels have been added, oh and of course a few dazzling diamonds here and there.  I stamped the whole image and then when I had finished with the pastels and sparkles I used the 1 1/4" punch to select areas of the stamp that I liked.  

I am really looking forward to receiving the samples from the other demonstrators .... they should arrive sometime next week.  I'm going to store them in the plastic wallets that my son uses to protect his footie cards ... not that I am allowed any of his ... he just pointed me in the direction of the footie store!  So if you come to any of my classes or workshops be sure to ask to see them ... that's if I haven't shown them to you first!

Happy stampin!

Nikki

x