Anyone for Cake???

Hey there.

Sorry to offer up this post so soon after Easter. I realise that most of you have OD'd on chocolate of some variety...but for some of us out there it is not an option....hee hee hee. At least with cake...you have slightly more control over the size of the serving (you would hope anyhow.... :) ).

I wish to share yet another Inkspirations4U challenge today, this time a picture one. I am having so much fun getting out of my comfort zone with these challenges. If you wish to sign up for the next round of Inkspirations4U click here and you can find out more.

This time around we were greeted by this......

The stamp set to be used was an easy choice.....Big Bold Birthday....but (ughhhhh) pinks and browns. I then recalled this by Dawn Olchefske. With all the cogs clunking, this was my challenge offering....

I was very happy with the end result. For those who have not seen or done an awning card before, this is how it gets his name....with a couple of folds, you have a wee shelf and an awning over the cake/ice cream/lolly shop.

I used a couple of tricks to get the look that I wanted. I used the Short and Sweet set to stamp the small cakes and flowers on the front of the shelf and also "striped" the candle by colouring it first in Pink Pirouette and then striping it in Close to Cocoa. Add some bling and bingo lit candle!! The sentiment base is a cut down version of the scallop square punch. the "fans" around the window face are the present toppers from the stamp set.

These are so much fun to so, I may try another one somewhere down the track, but I think a great card for a young child....don't you??

Thanks for dropping by and I promise that these calories are the last this blog will contain for a while so we can all let the notches of our belts out and breathe easy.

Stuff Used:

CS: (SU) Whisper White, Pretty in Pink, Close to Cocoa (ret), Patterns Pack II DSP (09-10) in Regal Rose

Ink: (SU) Pretty In Pink, Close to Cocoa (ret), SWM's in Early Espresso, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Pink Pirouette, Summer Sun

Stamps: (SU) Big Bold Birthday, Short and Sweet

Punches: (SU) Scallop Border Punch, Word Window Punch, Scallop Square Punch

Other bits: Pink 1/2 Pearls, Dimensionals, Dazzling Diamonds, 2 way glue pen

Lynda xx

Postale Bedroom

Hi there all.

Another challenge card from Inspirations4U. This time we were greeted with this picture.....

My initial reaction was "Woo hoo....no pink!!!!" Then I racked my brain as to what to do. I wanted to focus on the vanilla, brown, mustard and the red of the phone and then I recalled this card I saw on SCS. I loved the beautiful collage background and I could alter it to fit the colours I wanted. This is my version...

There was A LOT of stamping off in this card to get the soft collage background.

IRL it looks so soft. I also sponged the most I perhaps have for any card. It makes such a difference and I perhaps should do it more often.

I hope you enjoyed my small French Vintage-like take. Thanks (as always) for popping by.

Stuff used:
CS: (SU) Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla
Ink: (SU) Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, More Mustard, Cherry Cobbler
Stamps: (SU) Carte Postale (ret), En Francais BGS
Punches: (SU) Scallop Oval and Large Oval
Other bits: Lace fm stash, Dimensionals

Lynda xx

Challenging my Achilles!!!

I think I have more than exceeded the Crafting Resolution I set this year with regards to Challenge cards. Having said that......it took me MORE than a couple of attempts to get this one the way I wanted it. Madeline called this one a sketch challenge with a twist, in that you had to use the "Neutral Shadowing" technique. It is almost the same as Emboss Resist, but the shade of ink to "resist" HAD to be a neutral shade.

Now I dry emboss LOTS....LURVE it to bits....but WET embossing is another can of worms all together!! I thought I had achieved what I wished on the 2nd attempt, only to find a large glob of grease or something on the corner of the glossy paper I had used!! 3rd attempt was OK, and what I used for the card....so here is my take on the sketch and technique.....

The colour combo looks even better IRL, please believe me. I also got to use some hodgepodge, compliments of a lucky door prize I received from Kerry Bunting at one of her Cards for the Troops get togethers. I think you can JUST make out the River Rock sponging around the white EP.

This card was DEFINITELY a challenge on many levels, but I did it....and felt good afterwards.

Thanks for dropping by again. I'll be back soon with lots of 1st birthday pictures!!

Stuff Used:
CS: (SU) River Rock, Basic Black, Glossy White
Ink: (SU)  River Rock, Basic Black, Versamark (White "Zing" EP)
Stamps: (SU) Inspired By Nature, Best Yet
Punches: (SU) Scallop Oval Punch, Large Oval Punch
Other Bits: Hodgepodge Buckle

Lynda xx

The Intention Was There....

Here is my "other" attempt at a Herringbone card....but this was my 2nd attempt...and I am not as happy with this one sadly. Madeline at Inkspirations4U has a bevvy of DT gals that help her with tasks and the very talented Diane is one of them. She set the colour challenges for this round...and this was the first.....

First thing I was VERY aware of was that I did not have much Rose Red CS about, but did have some DP in an old retired SU DSP pack "Bali Breeze". I also knew I had the other colours in DP....so the decision about what card to do was made. I also kissed the edges of the Saffron flower with Pear Pizzaz ink, just so it wasn't so stark. Here is my colour challenge card.......

This challenge was done during the most MANIC weather patterns in Sydney.....torrential rain or blazing sun, so this pic was taken in the shade, hence the colours being a little off, but trust me, they are the ones listed.

I am off to start packing as we are off to Cobar this weekend (700kms away one way....so 1400 round trip!) for Miss Jessica's 1st birthday. We do not travel much, so I am feeling rather overwhelmed bu the whole trip. We leave Fri, the party is Saturday and we return to Sydney Sunday (back to work Monday!!) Glutton for punishment aren't I?

Wish me luck and thanks for dropping by.

Stuff Used:

CS: (SU) Pear Pizzaz, Rose Red, So Saffron

DP: (SU) Tea Party (Saffron), Bali Breeze (Rose Red) and  In Colours DP pk 2011 (Pear Pizzaz)

Ink: (SU) Rose Red SWM, So Saffron, Pear Pizzaz

Stamps: (SU) Bliss (SAB 2011)

Other bits: Kaiser Green Rhinestones

Lynda xx

Challenges Galore!

Hi all.

Over the coming posts I will be showing you some of the cards (and 1 project) I recently completed for the latest series of Inkspirations4U. I had a lot of fun doing these and once again went outside the comfort zone to complete them.

Our very first challenge was to gain inspiration from this picture.....

Obviously a baby's room...so a baby card was needed. Some of the gals had produced some beautiful projects and I wanted to do something a little different. I had seen some beautiful side step cards similar to this one here. This was my card from the baby's room......

I drew on the elements of the colour, set of drawers, texture in the velvet seat and the teddy bear in the corner. I was so paniced about trying one of these cards out, I made a paper one first and wrote all the measurements all over it!! The texture is given by stamping the CS with the Weathered BGS in Versamark and then sponging all edges in Certainly Celery. The draw knobs have Crystal Effects on them to make them stand out a tad more.

The cut outs on the draw base was achieved with the Curly Label Punch. I was very happy with the end result. If you have not tried a Side Step card before, there is a tutorial on SCS, but I based my card on this one.

Thanks for popping by again.

Stuff used:

CS: (SU) Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White

Ink: (SU) Certainly Celery, Versamark, Close to Cocoa (ret), Rose Red SWM

Stamps: (SU) Weathered BGS, Button Bear (ret), Teeny Tiny Sentiments

Punches: (SU) Curly Label, Modern Label, Word Window

Other Bits: Crystal Effects, Pink 1/2 pearls.

Lynda xx



Challenge #4......more PINK!!!!!

Over at Inkspirations4U....I am getting the impression that with all this Valentine's day stuff that it is themed around....I have to take on board there's gunna be a LOT of pink around. Madeline set us another picture challenge for #4 here...

I am sorry that the pic is a little distorted, but it was like this when we were given it as the original was VERY small!! Here is what I got from the pic....

Rather than stick to a traditional shaped card....I cut one using the Nestabilities Labels 8, and then cut a concentric one to make the quilt. I thought it made for a nice change. The owl was based on the one in the middle of the picture.

Once you get past the pink....I think it's an OK card. It was however passed onto someone with an appreciation of everything pink and handmade. I think I have DEFINITELY met the creative resolution of using pink more as well as making challenge cards....LOL!!!

Stuff used:

CS: (SU) Whisper White, Rose Red, Tea Party DSP, Black

Ink: (SU) Rose Red Stamp and Write Marker

Stamps: (SU) Teeny Tiny Sentiments

Punches: (SU) Owl Punch, Word Window Punch, Large Oval Punch

Other bits: Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels 8

Lynda xx



Challenge #3

Over at Inkspirations4U Madeline made special mention of me when she set this next challenge....ie....NO PINK!!! Hence....NO PRESSURE...right??? This callence was not a colour one, but one of a picture....this picture....

I immediately went to the concentric circles and a pattern that I had seen in one of my Punch Art books "Let's Punch IV" by Elizabeth Woolnough. The design is called Watermelon and I have had it in my "ideas vault) for many years but never attempted it. It is a simple concept of concentric circles stuck on top of one another and then cut in half, but then glued arc to arc to give a different geometric feel. This is my challenge card entry.....

Did you notice....NO INK!!!!! I think this makes a great masculine card. The hardest thing to do was to cut the cirles in half (or as close to half as humanly possible), but the effect is rather retro!! Here are the circles close up...

Also, given that the CS was 4 layers thick, it sits up a little. I also reversed the order of the colour combo every second pattern to add a bit more interest. I guess I should thank Madeline for really pushing me with this challenge.

Stuff used:
CS: (SU) Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Mellow Moss, Creamy Caramel
Punches: Carla Craft CP2 3/4", 7/8", 1" circles and CP11G Circle (which is abt 1 1/8")
Other bits: Upkit gold sticker "Happy Birthday"

Lynda xx