Magical Birthday Wishes…

No, I haven’t dropped off the planet! Since I last posted, we’ve been to Canberra and back, Claire Bear has joined Brownies, and participated in her very first campfire singalong (I still have Ging Gang Goolie stuck in my head), Bella Boo has turned 4 and had a very exciting Octonauts party in the park, and I’ve been getting organised for my Christmas Stamp a Stack day on Saturday 5th November. Right now, I should be in the kitchen baking 100 chocolate muffins for the Halloween canteen at Claire Bear’s school on Friday! And, along with all these other things, my niece Hannah celebrated a very Happy Hogwarts Birthday, and turned 10.

I wish I could have attended her party! Because my sister and brother-in-law work in the hospitality industry, they had access to a huge screen to show the first Harry Potter movie on, complete with a cart of treats with Honeydukes inspired lollies, and a long Hogwarts inspired banquet table for the birthday feast.

I did help with a bit of decorating while we where there in Canberra – drawing the Hogwarts school crest on a huge piece of card, and helping ‘stamp’ the brick wall onto paper (with a car washing sponge!) so that the guests could ‘magically’ go through Platform 9 3/4 to the party area. I’m waiting to see some photos from the party, and I’ve told my sister to hang on to all the props, just in case Claire Bear or Bella Boo become Harry Potter fans like their obsessed mother

Hannah loves Hermione and was getting dressed up as her for the party, so we bought her a hand-carved ivy wooden wand (with ‘essence of dragon heartstring’)  from Alivans in the USA, and a copy of ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ for her birthday – essential items that Hermione wouldn’t be seen without! She was given those gifts while we were visiting Canberra so they would be ready for the party, but I did send her a card in the post last week (not Owl Post unfortunately) that she could open on her actual birthday.

• Stamp Set: Pony Party
• Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Soft Suede, Blush Blossom, Versamark
• Cardstock: Cherry Cobbler, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White, Soft Suede, Early Espresso
• Big Shot: Top Note Die
• Accessories: XL Two Step Owl Punch, Embossing Buddy, White Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Sponge Dauber, Tombow Glue

Sorry about the quality of this photo – I just remembered to take a quick pic with my Iphone before I popped it into the envelope! This Hermione Card has been cased from a US Demonstrator who used My Digital Studio to create them – you can see them here on her blog Creative Aubservations. My Hermione card is pretty much the same – I’ve used the same elements I think – the Top Note die for her hair outline, and the largest circle from the owl punch for her eyes. I’ve made some slight modifications, by sponging in her cheeks using a sponge dauber and my Blush Blossom marker, drawing in her hairline with a Soft Suede marker, and adding some sponging here and there to provide definition. I thought the sentiment from Pony Party was perfect for a Harry Potter card!

I’ve finally got new batteries for my camera, so you’ll be getting posts on a more regular basis this week. I’m lining up a whole heap of Christmas inspired projects to share with you, so we can do a countdown to Christmas!

I’ve still got a few places left at my Christmas Stamp a Stack – here are the details, in case you’ve missed them! You can email me at inkypinkystamps@gmail.com to book your spot – I will need to know by 1st November at the latest so I can have all the cardstock pre-cut and decide on what Christmassy treats to bake!

At my Christmas Stamp-a-Stack, you’ll make 12 cards, 6 each in two different designs, and a set of 12 gift tags. All you need is provided – pre-cut cardstock, all materials and embellishments, adhesive and envelopes for the cards, along with a cuppa and Christmas themed light refreshments, to get us in a Christmassy mood.

The class will be set up so you can construct the cards in an assembly-line format, with full instructions and a list of materials to create more later if you wish.

You can choose to come to either the morning session – 10am to 12 noon, or the afternoon – 2pm to 4pm. Please let me know which session you prefer when you make your booking.

The cost of each session is $25 and places are limited to ensure individual attention. Warning – Christmas Carols will be playing, so if you don’t like ‘em, bring your ear plugs!

 

Thanks for taking a peek today!

Cheers,

Slow down, you move too fast…

I can’t believe it’s been a whole month (almost) since I posted! These last few weeks have been sooo busy – Father’s Day, my new Catalogue Play Date, the Arts Festival at Claire Bear’s school, a few birthday parties, a baby shower, Stampin’ Up! Regionals – yikes! I need a holiday!

So my girls and I will be heading off on the train to Canberra tomorrow for a week with Nanny and Poppy (poor Daddy Bear will have to stay at home for work, but at least he’ll have Daisy the wondercat and Speedy Red the goldfish to keep him company).

I do need to get packing, which will include a trip to the dryer at the local laundromat (curse you spring rain!), but I thought I’d share two very different cards which I made at the Inklings weekend. (I have heaps of newer cards, but have only just got around to buying new camera batteries – apparently batteries run down if you accidentally leave your camera on when you’ve finished transferring photos to the computer – oops!)

• Stamp Set: Faith in Nature (Hostess Set, available using Hostess Dollars only)
• Ink: So Saffron, Cajun Craze, Pumpkin Pie, Pear Pizzazz, Wild Wasabi, Versamark, Early Espresso
• Cardstock: Early Espresso, Naturals Ivory, Very Vanilla
• Accessories: Linen Thread, Clear Embossing Powder, Brayer, Heat Tool

I love the sentiment in this set. To get this look, first stamp your image on your neutral cardstock using Versamark, and emboss using Clear Embossing Powder. Then gradually layer your inks using your brayer, starting with your lighter colour, and working down to the darker one. It takes a bit of practice to get the blending of colours right, but once you have it down pat, it’s lots of fun.

 

• Stamp Sets: Word Play, For Everything, Dot Dot Dot
• Inks: Peach Parfait, Poppy Parade, Baja Breeze, Blushing Bride, So Saffron, Wild Wasabi
• Cardstock: Whisper White, Wild Wasabi
• Big Shot: Originals Blossom Party Die, Originals Ovals Die, Bigz Beautiful Butterflies Die
• Accessories: Sponge Daubers, Tombow Glue, Dazzling Diamonds, Stampin’ Dimensionals

This was a colour challenge, based on the new Just Add Cake Designer Series Paper – I think I got all of them, except for the Early Espresso! I was going for a feel of riotous spring abandon.

I was also trying to accept a challenge from my upline, Karen Oliver, to try and make a simple, one layer card. Fail! I really have trouble making simple cards – it was almost a one layer card, but then I stamped my sentiment crooked at the very last minute – d’oh! I know what you’re thinking – ‘why didn’t she use her stamp-a-majig?‘ Simple – I was being lazy! So, in time honoured Dani-whoops, I didn’t mean for that to happen, how can I cover it up so it looks like I had this plan all along-type of way, I re-stamped my sentiment on an oval, re-did my large butterfly and cut it out, and layered the card using Stampin’ Dimensionals.

How did I do the flowers and butterflies you ask? With stencils of course! Use the Big Shot and your favourite dies to cut some stencils from Window Sheets, and then even if you don’t actually own the dies, (for example because you’re away on a craft weekend) you’ll always have stencils to use when you get home.

Don’t throw away the positives either (the bits from the middle) as you can create great effects by sponging around them too, especially letter ones.

Ok, got to go, I’ve been informed by Claire Bear and Bella Boo that it’s morning tea time. Didn’t we just have breakfast? What is it about school holidays that makes children hungry all the time! Back into the kitchen I go.

Thanks for taking a peek today!

Cheers,

Create a Cheerful Treat

Not sure if this will have reached the person I sent it to yet, but I just can’t wait any longer. I’ve been playing nursemaid to the Claire Bear this week, who has been at home from school with a nasty cold, so I’ve been watching more than my fair share of ABC kids, instead of posting on my little blog.

I made this card on the Inklings Retreat as a colour challenge set by Jayne Mercer. The challenge colours were taken from one of the new Designer Series Paper packs called Cheerful Treat, only available by spending your Hostess Dollars when you submit a Workshop Order. There’s none of that particular paper on this card, but don’t these colours look ‘zingy’ together! This is definitely a ‘look at me’ card!

 

• Stamp Sets: Creative Elements, Elizabeth (both available 1st September)
• Inks: Whisper White Craft Ink, Pink Pirouette, Melon Mambo, Concord Crush, Bashful Blue
• Cardstock: Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Concord Crush
• DSP: Subtles Collection Paper Stack in Bashful Blue
• Big Shot: Ovals Die, Petals a Plenty Embossing Folder
• Accessories: Frost White Shimmer Paint (mixed with rubbing alcohol), Clear Embossing Powder, Blender Pen

All the stamps used are from the new (and already one of my favourites) Creative Elements set, except for the frame around the word ‘create’. That’s one of the new A la Carte stamp sets (single stamps) called Elizabeth, and I can see that I’ll be ordering it – it creates such a beautiful frame for a special sentiment!

Today is the very last day of the 2010-2011 Catalogue, so you’ve got until the end of business today to email me any last minute orders from the retiring list!

Thanks for taking a peek today.

Cheers,

 

Forever Young…

…I wanna be, forever young. Whenever I play with this new stampset from the new SU! Catalogue, I get Alphaville’s cover of Forever Young playing like a backing soundtrack in my head. I guess I’m just a peculiar that way. And I think I’m going to be hearing it a lot, because I just love this set. I used it for my swap for  the Inklings Retreat last weekend, and I received some very nice comments about it, so I think everyone liked it.

• Stamp Sets: Forever Young (available 1st Sept), Style Beautiful
• Inks: StazOn Black, Basic Grey, Pool Party Re-inker, Calypso Coral Re-inker, Island Indigo Re-inker
• Cardstock: Gloss White, Crumb Cake, Island Indigo
• Non-SU: Baby Wipes

It’s a very simple little card, and a very easy technique to do – cut your glossy cardstock to size, then put a few drops of your chosen colour from the reinker bottle onto a baby wipe, then swipe across the cardstock. The trick to it is, you can’t hesitate – if you stop in the middle, you’ll get a definite line. I like to put my drips of ink in a ‘rainbow’ on the baby wipe and swipe them all at once – others like to do one colour at a time. If you think the colour is too intense, you can use a clean baby wipe to tone it down a notch. Give it a little while to dry, then stamp your image over the top in StazOn ink.

Because I wanted a soft ‘foggy’ look for this card, I’ve sponged the edges in Basic Grey ink. Do you like the new In-Colours? These are three of the five new colours, and they look beautiful together, don’t you think?

Thanks for taking a peek today.

Cheers,

“A new baby is like the beginning of all things – wonder, hope, a dream of possibilities.” Author: Eda J LeShan

Yesterday, I became an Auntie again for the third time. I’m so sorry that we’re too far away to visit when she’s tiny, so I can cuddle her while she’s still a little curled up koala with that wonderful new baby smell. We probably won’t get to see her in person until Christmas, and she’ll be a bouncing and bright four month old. Thank goodness for Skype, baby Ellie, or you’d have no idea how excited and proud your Auntie, Uncle and cousins are that you have finally made it into the big wide world!

I will be making a card on the weekend for my new niece and her family, and an extra special one for her new big brother, but I realised I hadn’t shared a photo of the card I made for her baby shower.

• Stamp Sets: Baby Tees Jumbo Wheel, Short & Sweet
• Ink: Concord Crush
• Cardstock: Whisper White
• DSP: In Colour Designer Series Paper Stack in Concord Crush
• Accessories: Stampin’ Dimensionals, Ice Cream Parlour Buttons

I made this card when we were on holiday in Brisbane, which just goes to show you can be creative without all your ‘tools’ (although I really missed my bone folder – it just doesn’t feel right making a card without one). While we were there, I ordered the items listed above, along with Concord Crush and Wild Wasabi Markers, and used them to make this card and a box of ‘thankyou’ cards for the mother-to-be to go with our Baby Shower gift.

The little bear was made by first drawing him freehand on a paper scrap, working out what each individual bear piece should look like, then drawing these directly onto the DSP and cutting them out. It was lots of fun, but it took ages! It’s not the best photo, because I took it with my phone, but at least you get to see what it looked like .

Will be back tomorrow with some lovely cards I made on the Inklings Weekend Retreat last week – soooo many new toys to play with in the new catalogue – only 5 days to go until 1st September!

Thanks for taking a peek today,

Cheers,

Sneaky peek – looks like Christmas will be a ‘Beautiful Season’

Sorry I haven’t posted for a little while. It was the Claire Bear’s birthday last week, and we were happily busy with a birthday party at Build-a-Bear, and family visiting. But this morning I’ve been playing with some of my new toys from the  2001-2012 Stampin’ Up! Idea Book and Catalogue! (Joy!)

One of my new purchases is a gorgeous Christmas stamp set, called Beautiful Season. It’s quite delicate and intricate, so for my first card with this set, I’ve gone for the shabby chic look, complete with a ‘cracked glass’ finish.

• Stamp Set: Beautiful Season (available 1st September)
• Inks: Early Espresso, Versamark
• Cardstock: Crumbcake
• DSP: retired
• Big Shot: Circles No.2 Die
• Accessories: Early Espresso Grosgrain Ribbon, Stampin’ Pastels, Blender Pen, Clear Embossing Powder, Distressing Essentials Kit, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Sticky Strip

I love colouring images with my Stampin’ Pastels and blender pen. It gives a very soft finish, like colouring in very gently with pencil, and embossing the whole image and ‘cracking’ it makes it look like a faded treasure.

I can’t wait for you all to see the new catalogue, but don’t forget the retiring list! There’ll be a whole year to admire all the inky papery goodness of the new catty, but once  the items on the retiring list have sold out, they’re gone for good!

Thanks for taking a peek today!

Cheers,

It’s the little things…

Hidey Ho Happy Stampers!

Did you ever have one of those days when things just seemed to flow on from one another? I designed the card we made at last night’s Technique Tuesday class (which was Collage Stamping, by the way – one of my favourites!) with someone special in mind. I wanted it to have a sort of Parisian shabby chic sensibility to it, because I know she’s counting down the days to going on another special trip, and I wanted to send a card this week that sort of went with that feeling – a ‘you’ll get there’ type of card.

Then, this morning when I checked out Shelli Gardner’s blog, her challenge this month was for ‘Thinking of You’ type cards. I think this card fits the bill perfectly – it was made using all my favourite SU! Stamp sets, and I was definitely thinking about the person when I made it. I’m quite pleased with the way it turned out – I hope you like it too!

• Stamp Sets: Style Beautiful, Nature Walk, Vintage Vogue, French Foliage, You’re a Gem
• Inks: Crumb Cake, Blushing Bride, Rich Razzleberry, Early Espresso
• Cardstock: Whisper White, Blushing Bride, Rich Razzleberry
• DSP: Subtles Stack
• Accessories: Crochet Trim, 1″ Circle Punch, Sticky Strip, Frost White Shimmer Paint, Distressing Essentials Kit
• Non-SU items: teabag

What did I do with the teabag you ask? I decided my crochet trim looked a little bit ‘pure’ next to the rest of the card, so I plopped it into a good strong cup of black tea and let it soak for a while, and then dried it off with my heat tool. The girls at my Technique Class used Rose with French Vanilla tea to dye their trim, so their cards smelt as fabulous as they looked!

The little rosette is quite easy to make – punch a 1″ circle, and cover it with Sticky Strip, then begin pleating your DSP around the edge of it. When you get back to the beginning, use your Tombow Glue to tuck the end underneath the first pleat. Then cover up the middle of your rosette with another stamped circle. I find it easier to work with the DSP if it’s damp, so I sprayed it with a mixture of Frost White Shimmer Paint and rubbing alcohol that I’d mixed together in a spray bottle. When it dries, it’s more likely to stay in the pleated shape, and it has a lovely subtle sheen to it.

Thanks for taking a peek today – I’m off to take my card to the post office! Remember, a hand made card is like a hug with a fold in the middle – why don’t you send one off to a friend today!

Cheers,