Stampin' Up! - Under the Big Top - Sunny Challenges & Creations

Hello yet again...yes two blog posts in one day!

I made this card for my friend's little girl who is turning 4 and was inspired to break out the "Under the Big Top" stamp set by the sketch & stamp challenge set by Sunny Challenges & Creations this week. Here's the sketch:

..and here's the stamp set:This stamp set is great for colouring either with a blender pen and your inkpads or using the aquapainters on watercolour paper. For this card, I used my blender pen and picked up the colour from the lid of the inkpad...it's really quick and very effective! Such cute images in this stamp set!...and as you can see I managed to sneak in some red glimmer paper again. :)

I got this stamp set for free at the Stampin' Up! regional training day held last year....one of the many perks of being a demo is you get to go to these great days where you meet other demos and learn some amazing techniques....and you get free stuff! Contact me if you have ever thought of becoming a demonstrator....now is a great time....the starter kit is reduced from $289 to $249 and if you sign up during 'Sale-A-Bration' (24 January - 31 March) you get your pick of ANY stamp set in the current catalogues...of ANY value!....AAAAND you have until the end of June to reach your minimum $400 in sales. It's such a great time to become a Stampin' Up! demonstrator!!

Anyway...I guess you want to see the card huh?! :)



I love the ballerina bear - so CUTE!!

I want to point out that before I ever got the Stampin' Up! Mat Pack & Paper Piercer, my brads were always crooked...they were never exactly lined up. The Mat Pack stencil fixes EVERYTHING! Look how lovely & straight they are on this card!? Put it on your ordering list! Don't argue! :)

Bye for now!

Materials used:
Stamps - Under the Big Top
Ink - Crumb Cake, Daffodil Delight, Real Red, Old Olive, Tempting Turquoise
Cardstock - Whisper White CS, Red Glimmer Paper, Real Red CS, Daffodil Delight Textured CS, Big Top Birthday DSP, Tempting Turquoise DSP
Accessories - Daffodil Delight Taffeta Ribbon, Tempting Turquoise brads from Brights Collection.
Tools - Paper Cutter, SNAIL, Tombow Multipurpose Adhesive, Stampin' Dimensionals, 2 3/4 Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/4 Circle punch, Blender Pens, Mat Pack, Decorative Label Punch.

Stampin' Up! Heart to Heart Punch

Hello friends!

This card was borne from the Nicole Derendorf Festive Friday Valentine Love challenge and the Less is More "Cut it Out" challenge.

I was inspired by the card by Bridget Fox on Nicole's post where her hearts are 'bursting out all over the page'. I also wanted to use my red glimmer paper "AGAIN"!. The Less is More challenge calls for an aperture or 'cut out' in your card....so I thought of this!

Using Glossy White cardstock, I used the Stampin' Up! Heart to Heart punch in the bottom right hand corner of the card, layered glimmer paper behind it and used dimensionals to deepen the effect...then I put the punched hearts on the top of the card with dimensionals so it seemed to have 'popped' out. :)

It looks SO much better in real life...I'm starting to sound like a broken record!....you can't really see the white hearts hovering above the card.....but seriously... it is very modern & fun.





Materials used:
Stamps - none! *gasp*
Cardstock - Glossy White cardstock, Red Glimmer Paper
Tools - Heart to Heart punch, Paper Cutter, dimensionals, SNAIL, bone folder

Stampin' Up! - Button Buddies Baby card

Hello there

This card was designed for the latest sketch challenge over at Just Add Ink and also for the colour challenge on offer from Utah Divas International, which called for Whisper White, Basic Grey, Rose Red & Pear Pizzazz. It didn't really come out the way I imagined it in my head....and I really need to get a new platform through which to photograph my cards. I have a good camera but I am trying to source one of those nifty photography light boxes that are designed for small items. :)



I still enjoyed putting 'markers to stamp' on the rattle from the "Button Buddies" Stampin Up set. It is VERY cute! I used some of the new Bakers Twine from the Summer Mini as a little rattle bow.

Hope you like it!

Materials used (all Stampin' Up!)
Stamps - Button Buddies
Ink - Basic Grey ink pad, Versamark (to sponge edges), Basic Grey marker, Rose Red marker
Cardstock - Whisper White, Rose Red, Pear Pizzazz, Basic Grey DSP.
Accessories - Bakers Twine (White)
Tools - Paper Cutter, Dimensionals, Scallop Square Duo Bigz Die, 2 3/4 Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/4 Circle Punch, Corner Rounder Punch, SNAIL.

Stampin' Up! Sale-A-Bration ESAD Blog Hop

Greetings Blog-hoppers!
Welcome to Gothdove Designs!! Hope you are enjoying the ESAD Sale-A-Bration Blog Hop....and feasting on the Stampin' Up! wonderment created by the lovely ladies from ESAD....it's a fantastic group to belong to!

What is ESAD?

ESAD stands for "Extra Special Australasian Demonstrators" and it is an on-line group just for Australian and New Zealand Stampin Up demonstrators.

We so love what we do and not only do we love to share it with our customers, friends, and wonderful blog visitors, but we share our love for what we do with each other as demonstrators. We run swaps, challenges, tutorials, product know-how, and cyberstamps, and we are always there to help and support each other when it is needed.

So if you are a Stampin' Up! demonstrator located in Australia or New Zealand, then please feel free to click here to join our wonderful group.

So onto my Sale-A-Bration creations......

The Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Paper from this year's Sale-A-Bration is BEAUTIFUL!!! So beautiful, I almost didn't want to cut it!....but I gave in in the name of creativity. When I first looked at it, the paper spoke 'folk-art' to me (in a good way!!).......you know, that wonderful vintage Ikea- Kikki K- Scandinavian-sort-of neo-folk design....but I thought I would go against instinct and use a piece of the paper in a modern way...with my Cupcake Builder Punch + a bit of bling. This card sketch is an oldie, but a goodie....so simple but still effective. I used the Decorative Label Punch to punch a piece of DSP as the base layer under a Very Vanilla strip. The bottom of the cupcake is the "blue" Everyday Enchantments DSP and what's that on top?........Is it Calypso Coral Glimmer Paper you ask?????

WELL.....for the frosting......I used a sponge dauber to apply Calypso Coral ink to a piece of the Silver Glimmer Paper...did you know you could sponge the glimmer paper!!!! Just think....Glimmer Paper in ANY of the Stampin' Up! colours!!! In my previous post, I sponged it with Daffodil Delight......so cool!!! Just a tip....wait for it to dry before assembling your project....the ink will be wet for a little while. I used this same technique for the sentiment scallop oval. It really looks VERY sparkly in real life! :)

For my next card, I used the 5-Petal Flower Punch to punch out 3 flowers from Lucky Limeade cardstock...then I sponged the edges with Versamark to give some depth....and get this...the Boho Blossom punch layers perfectly over the floral design on the blue/green/vanilla Everyday Enchantment DSP.

Layers perfectly! ! 'tis TRUE!

Add the brads from your SAB ribbon/brad kit and voila!....gorgeous little flowers! I really like the way these came up. :)

I made the stalks out of the SAB Lucky Limeade ribbon and made the Calypso Coral ribbon into a little bow for the bouquet. I put it all on Naturals Ivory cardstock with the sentiment from "Friendly Phrases" - I REALLY like this sentiment set.....you know when you think you have enough sentiment sets....and then Stampin' Up! bring out a set like this!! Put it on your wishlist now. Just do it. No arguments.

Oh and here's what you do with the other Boho Blossom flowers that get punched out while making the other card.... I am so loathe to throw punched shapes away. :)

...and finally....did you know that you can curl the SAB organdy ribbon....lookie here!! :)

My card recipes are below if you want any further info but let's get cracking onto the next stop on the ESAD Blog Hop...the very talented Corina Beyer at http://www.beyondinkstamper.com/

Thanks for stopping to have a look at my blog! xx

Materials used:
Card 1
Stamps - Create-A-Cupcake
Ink - Calypso Coral
Cardstock - Everyday Enchantment DSP, Very Vanilla smooth CS, Very Vanilla textured CS, Silver Glimmer Paper, Red Glimmer Paper
Tools - Large Oval Punch, Scallop Oval Punch, Cupcake Builder Punch, Sponge Dauber

Card 2
Stamps - Friendly Phrases
Ink - Lucky Limeade, Versamark
Cardstock - Everyday Enchantment DSP, Naturals Ivory, Lucky Limeade
Accessories - Everyday Enchantment Ribbon & Brads
Tools - 5 Petal Flower Punch, Boho Blossoms Punch, Mat Pack, Mini Glue Dots, Dimensionals

Card 3
Stamps - Perfect Punches
Ink - Lucky Limeade
Cardstock - Everyday Enchantment DSP, Naturals Ivory
Accessories - Everyday Enchantment Brad
Tools - Decorative Label Punch, Extra Large Oval Punch, Boho Blossoms Punch, Mat Pack

Card 4
Stamps - Perfect Punches
Ink - Poppy Parade, Versamark
Cardstock - Everyday Enchantment DSP, Calypso Coral, Red Glimmer Paper, Lucky Limeade (for flower)
Accessories - Everyday Enchantment Brad & Ribbon, Brights Brad (Real Red)
Tools - Scallop Square Duo Bigz Die, Curly Label Punch, Itty Bitty Punches, Mat Pack

Stampin' Up! - Sweetheart - January Card Class

Hi everyone!

Today's Valentine's Day card is for a couple of new challenge blogs from some fellow demonstrators....Nicole Derendorf's Festive Friday Challenge and the Sunny Challenges and Creations blog. May I also add that I think the glimmer paper may just be my new favourite thing!!

These cards are also a taste of what will be on offer at my January Cardmaking Class this weekend. This weekend's class is fully booked, but if you wanted to gather up a few friends, I could easily do a class or a workshop at your place and show you how fun it is to make cards just like these ones. :)

Enjoy!

Materials used:
Stamps - Sweetheart, For You Flower (retired), Teeny Tiny Sentiments
Ink - Real Red, Old Olive, Basic Black
Cardstock - Whisper White, Basic Black, Real Red, Red Glimmer Paper (from Summer Mini)
Accessories - 1/8" Basic Black taffeta ribbon
Tools - Paper Cutter, Stamp-a-majig, SNAIL, dimensionals, 1 3/8 circle punch, Fancy Flower Punch, Modern Label Punch, Word Window Punch, Heart Punch, Mini Glue Dots (for ribbon).

Stampin' Up! - "Less is More" Delicate Doilies

Hello...again...

In the spirit of "Clean & Simple" cards, I visited the Less is More card challenge blog. The theme this week is One Layer Birds .

The card is pretty self-explanatory! Just a fun Birthday card with just one layer of stamping. Easy! The photo doesn't really do it justice....it's much nicer in real life!

Materials used (all Stampin' Up!):
Stamps - Delicate Doilies, Cheep Talk (retired), Friendly Phrases
Ink - Crumb Cake, Poppy Parade
Cardstock - Naturals Ivory
Tools - Paper Cutter, Bone Folder

Stampin' Up Pendant Park - Clean & Simple

Hello again

I'm trying to get into creating cards for as many card challenge blogs as time will permit....it is a great way to unlock some creative "mojo". I am a big fan of the 'clean & simple' style...I feel sometimes I have a tendency to clutter my cards with too many elements. I like the Clean & Simple sketch challenges as they tame that compulsion somewhat....

This card was made for the Pals Paper Arts Color Challenge #126 and the Clean and Simple Sketch challenge #173. Here is the sketch & the colour palette...

(as you can see, I took a bit of liberty with the sentiment placement)

Materials used:
Stamps - Pendant Park, Create A Cupcake (sentiment)
Ink - Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy
Cardstock - Very Vanilla, Not Quite Navy
Accessories - Baja Breeze Seam Binding Ribbon, Very Vanilla Flower Brad
Tools - SNAIL, Sticky Strip, Paper cutter, Word Window Punch, Modern Label Punch

Stampin' Up! - Friendly Phrases - Mojo Monday #222

Hi!

I have long been an admirer of Mary Fish, a US demonstrator, who makes the most amazing cards. She is on the design team for Mojo Monday , a sketch challenge blog that always seems to come up with wonderful sketches on which you can create cards....these sorts of challenge blogs are great to get the creative juices flowing and encourage you to make something original & fresh!

I made this card using the most recent Mojo Monday sketch for a lovely Stampin' Up! demo....Madonna Dunn....she recently posted on a demo-only Facebook group that she was going to send out some cards as a 'random act of kindness/craziness' ....so I put my hand up as a willing recipient and offered to send one back!

I hope she likes it....I hope you do too!

I used a strip of the new Silver Glimmer paper from the Summer Mini catalogue....it is awesome not only for the fact that none of the glitter falls off....but because you can colour it using any one of the Stampin' Up! inkpads!! Just grab a dauber, pick up some ink and press down onto your glimmer paper......repeat until results are pleasing......EASY!....

Tip (and note to myself for future glimmer paper inkings)....the ink will be quite wet for a while so put your glimmer paper to one side until it is dry....if you look closely at my card, the wet ink from the glimmer paper smudged onto my white sentiment panel. Whoopsie!! We live & learn.

Materials used (all Stampin' Up!) :
Stamps - Friendly Phrases
Ink - Daffodil Delight (for colouring the glimmer paper), Concord Crush (sentiment)
Cardstock - Concord Crush CS, Whisper White, Daffodil Delight DSP (from Brights DSP Pack), Concord Crush DSP, Silver Glimmer Paper, Daffodil Delight Textured CS (for flower)
Accessories - SU Rhinestones, SU Paper Daisy, Daffodil Delight Satin Ribbon
Tools - Boho Blossoms Punch, Sponge Daubers, Paper Cutter, Bone Folder, Paper Snips, MultiPurpose Liquid Glue, SNAIL.