Just Add Colour - JAI34

...and she Stamps!!

I'm working on a catch up post to tell you what's been going on since the last time I blogged, but I got a chance to stamp today (and my mojo even made an appearance!) and since this colour challenge was still current (for once! I never make the deadlines) I thought I would post this now and enter while I could.

If you want to enter too, just head over to Just Add Ink and check out the challenge.

I've used the new Frost White Shimmer Paint to stamp the Baroque Motifs swirl, and I've also sponged it over all the butterflies (cut out with the new Beautiful Wings Embosslits - embosses & cuts 5 butterflies in 1 pass through the bigshot). To add some more shine I used Shimmer White cardstock.

Can you also spot the new adhesive backed Rhinestones & Pearls?

I wish you could see this card IRL! It is so shiny and pretty!

Stamps: Just Believe, Baroque Motifs
Ink: Certainly Celery, Frost White Shimmer Paint
Cardstock: Shimmer White, Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink, So Saffron, Crumbcake
Accessories: Basic Rhinestones & Basic Pearls Jewel Accents
Punches: Word Window
Bigshot: Beautiful Wings Embosslits

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Raspberry Suite Colour Challenge #14 - Best Wishes

There's a lady at our church who is one of those lovely ladies that the whole town calls "Aunty", and anyway about 2 years ago she had a stroke and ended up in a nursing home, she doesn't have much family left in town and her son has organised her a place in a new home up in QLD closer to where he lives, so we have organised a care package to send up to her. Of course I volunteered to make the card. I originally started making a card in more traditional 'old lady' colours but it was a complete disaster (I mean a pull the brads out throw it in the bin kind of disaster) and then I was getting ready for take 2 and spotted Dawn McVey's latest Raspberry Suite Colour Challenge and decided the colours would be perfect to brighten up her new room.
I was lucky enough to be RAK'd some of the new US in colours by a friend (she doesn't have a blog but thanks Faith!) so I interpreted the colour Challenge as Melon Mambo, Very Vanilla, Lovely Lilac & Bravo Burgundy (Rose Red was too pink).
To get the scallop circle I cut a circle then used the Scallop Edge punch to punch around the edges, I'm happy with the final result but it was a little tedious, you have to punch 1 scallop at a time, I so have to get myself some Nestibilities...
Stamps: Baroque Motifs, Short & Sweet
Ink: Lovely Lilac, Versamark, Melon Mambo
Cardstock: Melon Mambo, Lovely Lilac, Very Vanilla
Accessories: Clear EDP, Crafters Tool Kit, Bravo Burgundy 5/8" Grosgrain, Large & Small Oval & Scallop Edge Punches, Button from stash, Beautiful Butterflies Bigz Die

Sisterhood of Scrap Sketch Saturday - Driving By with a Birthday Hi

Ok, so don't look too closely at the colouring... I just couldn't get it right today. Anyway, I had to make a birthday card for a guy (don't you hate doing these??? Flowers are so pretty, why can't guys just have flowers?) and Deanne's Sketch Saturday Challenge from over at Sisterhood of Scrap seemed perfect for a guys card. I paired it with some paper from the Urban Garden DSP and Loads of Love and I think I've pulled off a manly card. I don't know if I've shown these yet but have you checked out those jumbo brads?? They're new to the spring mini and this is the smaller of the 2 sizes and they come in "Neutrals" so you get White, Vanilla, Silver and Chocolate Chip in a pack.
Stamps: Loads of Love, Loads of Love Accessories
Ink: Stazon, Kiwi Kiss
Watercolouring: Blender Pen with Inkpads; Baja Breeze, Basic Grey, Going Grey, Night of Navy
Cardstock: Kraft, Urban Garden DSP, Baja Breeze, Kiwi Kiss, Basic Grey
Accessories: Vintage Brads, Jumbo Eyelets, Round Tab Punch, Jumbo Brads (Spring Mini)

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Mojo Monday #98 - Just because I care

Have you ever made one of those cards that is perfect except for 1 thing? I stamped the sentiment slightly crookedly but only so slight so that you have to look twice to see if it was crooked or just your imagination, so I kept going with the card, attach the next layer, and because it's straight it makes the crooked piece seem even more crooked! I was so annoyed!
Anyway, as flawed as it is, it's my entry for this weeks Mojo Monday Challenge.
Have a great day!
Stamps: Best Yet, Baroque Motifs
Ink: Pink Pirouette, Close to Cocoa
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Close to Cocoa, Candy Lane DSP
Accessories: Beautiful Butterflys Bigz die, Crafters Tool Kit, Button Bouquet, Riding Hood Red Taffeta, Riding Hood Red 1 1/4" Striped Grosgrain

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Makeesha's Sketch Challenge #11 - Thank You

Loving Makeesha's challenges at the moment! This is my entry for Sketch Challenge #11. I cut a semi-circle out of some Walk in the Park DSP and used the reverse of the same pattern for the base. I've punched some 1/2" circles out of the scraps from the circle for my build-a-brads and instead of a circle in the top I decided to use a Baja Breeze flower with a corduroy button centre.
I ran out of SU! dimensionals while I was making this card (and I'd used up all the edge pieces and everything, I really really ran out!) and since I'm not placing an order until later this week I went down to Big W and picked up some scotch brand dimensional things and I have to say how much it has made me appreciate the SU! ones! I can't put my finger on it but there's something just not quite right about them, they don't seem as good quality and they cost more than SU! ones, I really hate using them, but I'm a dimensional junky and every card now has to have something popped up on it so I'll have to make do for the mean time :o(
Stamps: Short & Sweet, Eastern Blooms
Ink: Basic Grey, Cameo Coral & Basic Grey SW Markers
Cardstock: Whisper White Baja Breeze, Walk in the Park DSP
Accessories: Flower Fusion Too, Basic Grey Corduroy Buttons, Build-a-Brad, Basic Grey Taffeta ribbon

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Mojo Monday #96 & Makeesha's Inspiration Challenge #10 - Happy Bird-day

I needed to make a card for Justin and thought that both the Mojo Monday challenge & Makeesha's Inspiration challenge were perfect for his card so I combined the 2 and I'm happy with the result.From the Inspiration picture I've used the hostess gift Patterns Pack II DSP for the patterned paper, to show the symetrical pattern in the stripes of the doona cover. I have picked out my colours as Brocade Blue, Basic Grey, Kraft & Sahara Sand (I could have taken Tempting Turquoise but I felt the Brocade Blue also worked). The stripes in the cover were perfect for the Mojo Monday sketch:Stamps: Pun Fun
Ink: Basic Grey
Watercolouring: Watercolour Wonder Crayons with Aquapainter; Brocade Blue, Tempting Turquoise, Summer SunSahara Sand
Cardstock: Kraft, Brocade Blue, Sahara Sand, Patterns Pack II DSP (Basic Grey & Brocade Blue)
Accessories: 1/2" Circle punch, Brocade Blue 5/8" Grosgrain, cutter kit (distressing on centre stripe)

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Makeesha's Colour Challenge #10 - Happy Birthday

My entry for Makeesha's colour challenge. It's not my favourite card that I've made lately but I had a day where I just needed to make something and Keesh's challenge was there waiting for me so in a way it's perfect...
I think what this card needed was some patterned paper and I had nothing in my stash that worked in with the challenge. I also lost a few background stamps in the last catalogue so I think I need to buy a few more for days like this when I don't have DSP to match but the card needs a bit of extra oomph...
The rose was done with some plain old watercolouring but I used just the one colour and built it up slowly to get that 5th Avenue Floral technique look without the drying time. Also because I was lazy (and I already had the confetti cream out from the circle) I coloured on confetti cream. It doesn't work as well as watercolour paper but it does the trick in a pinch (holds ALOT more water without buckling than normal whisper white or very vanilla).
Stamps: 5th Avenue Floral, Happy Everything
Ink: Black Stazon, Mellow Moss
Watercolouring: Inkpad with Aquapainter; Rose Red
Cardstock: Confetti Cream, Rose Red, Mellow Moss, Always Artichoke
Accessories: 1/2" Circle punch, Jumbo Brads

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Mojo Monday #94

I can't believe how long it has been since I posted! So that we can start on the next step of our renovations (10 weeks until the baby's here and we need the office wardrobe reno's finished so we can move all the boxes and crap out of Charlotte's room), I have had to pack all my stamping gear up into plastic tubs etc and move them out, and hence no time to stamp. I have 99% of the office packed up now so I have been able to set up a little makeshift studio in the kitchen (I was going to try and work completely out of tubs but when I lose half an hour of my stamping time pulling the essentials out it was not working!). Anyway, I got my new goodies from the Spring Mini (available 1 August let me know if you want a copy), and this was the first card I made, not 100% happy with it because I was feeling rusty after not stamping for a week, but I think it turned out ok. I mean how could it not with that paper!

Stamps: Baroque Motifs, Sincere Salutations
Ink: Baja Breeze, Basic Grey
Cardstock: Walk in the Park DSP (Available Aug 1st), Kraft, Baja Breeze, Cameo Coral
Accessories: Corduroy Buttons (Available Aug 1st), Summer Love Rubons (Available Aug 1st), Punches; 1 1/4" & 1 3/8" circles
Sketch: Mojo Monday #94

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Makeesha's Sketch Challenge #9 - 5th Avenue Floral Watercolouring

ETA: the lovely Allison has included this card in her list of "Me Likey's" among some fantastic way out of my league cards, I feel very honoured to be able to add this badge to my post

It's been forever since I've had the chance to do one of Makeesha's challenges, and this one was so much fun to do! I decided last weekend that I was going to stamp "for me" rather than making something off my to-do list and I really enjoyed it, I've had so much more motivation to not only stamp but also to get other stuff around the house done too, I think it was just the relaxation I needed.
I decided to have a go at the 5th Avenue Floral watercolouring technique that everyone is doing lately (well not everyone, I was informed via facebook the other day that I wasn't in fact the last person to try it out hehe) and while I was trimming down the roses I decided that it was such a shame to be throwing away the scrap cardstock from the edges as it had quite a pretty pattern where the colour had run, so I decided to do another set, but this time to do a pattern and deliberately colour the background as well as the flowers...
I hope Makeesha doesn't mind but I have taken a few liberties with her sketch, instead of putting a strip behind the big tag piece I decided to use the overlapping flowers and I also moved the buttons so they are side by side instead of one above the other (that change was more because I made my tag too big, but shhhh don't tell, ok?).
For the "thread" through the buttons i have just used some strips of pink pirouette cardstock. I couldn't find the perfect piece of DSP for my behind my tag so I decided to make my own with some clear embossing powder and the Lily (?) stamp from the 5th Avenue Floral set. I'm not sure if I will cut the flowers down to square with the card or not, I think it will depend on what I end up doing with the card, if I need to post it I probably will trim them to fit in an envelope.
Stamps: 5th Avenue Floral
Ink: Versamark, Riding Hood Red, Pink Pirouette, Baja Breeze & Kiwi Kiss Reinkers
Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Kiwi Kiss, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White
Accessories: Filigree Designer Brad, Button Bouquet, Pretty in Pink Taffeta, Pink Pirouette Striped Grosgrain, Clear EDP, White EDP

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Mojo Monday #89

My entry for Mojo Monday #89, I'm loving the Mojo Monday sketches lately, they really are perfect for getting the mojo back!
Stamps: Crazy for Cupcakes
Ink: Stazon, Close to Cocoa
Watercolouring: Inkpads with Aquapainter - Riding Hood Red, Pink Pirouette, Close to Cocoa, Going Grey
Cardstock: Candy Lane DSP, Riding Hood Red, Close to Cocoa, Pink Pirouette, Confetti Cream
Accessories: Scallop & 1 3/8" circle, Eyelet Border and Heart to Heart Punches

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Sisterhood of Scrap Rock Around the Clock - Challenge #1

Deanne posted this photo as inspiration for the first challenge on the Sisterhood of Scrap's Rock Around the Clock online crop. It looked like too much fun and I just had to play along! Here is what I came up with:
I took inspiration not only from the colours in the photo but also the polka dots on the skirt (Don't you just love that skirt, I seriously think I was born in the wrong generation!!) and the scarf around her neck (for my choice in ribbon).
The challenges are still open for entries until the 30th, so if you want to play along you still have plenty of time.
Stamps: Together Forever
Ink: White Craft Ink
Cardstock: Basic Black, Pretty in Pink, Tea Party DSP
Accessories: Sticky Cuts Letters, Pink Taffeta, Supernova Super Fine Glitter

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Kwernerdesign.com - Colour Inspiration #49

Here is my entry for Kristina's Colour Inspiration challenge. As soon as I saw this fabric I knew I had to give it a go!
When the other entries started popping up around the place I was wishing I'd bought Petal Pizzazz (a set I didn't really look at twice but now have to have thanks to that damn internet!!!) but then I figured, how many times can Kristina look at the same set without going insane? So I decided to pull out a set that I thought still felt like the fabric and used "Enjoy Every Moment" I stamped the big flower in a rough pattern over the base cardstock and clear embossed it and built the card up from there.
I kept with a fabric-y kind of feel and used the eyelet border and gingham ribbon even though they didn't relate exactly to the material in the inspiration photo.
The finished product is something that is probably a bit 'busy' for my normal style but I'm happy with how it turned out.

Stamps: Enjoy Every Moment
Ink: Pacific Point, Kiwi Kiss, Rose Red
Cardstock: Basic Black, Kiwi Kiss, Pacific Point, Raspberry Tart DSP
Accessories: Trio Flower, Designer Label, Large Oval, 1" Circle & Eyelet Border Punches, Build a Brad, Black Gingham ribbon, Rich Regals Brads, Clear EDP

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Another Attempt @ Mojo Monday #76

I had to have another go at the Mojo Monday Sketch for this week! I even managed to find space to get the sentiment in the right place this time lol. I think I found my mojo with this one...
Stamps: Eastern Blooms, Short & Sweet
Ink: Rose Red, Old Olive, Old Olive SW Marker
Cardstock: Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Rose Red, Bali Breeze
Accessories: Rose Red 1" DS Ribbon, Flower Fusion, Fire Rhinestone Brad

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Mojo Monday #76 - Fall Flowers Thanks

I saw the Mojo Monday sketch and had to give it a go, I don't think I really did it justice though, you know you have an image in your mind and you pop it down on paper and it's just nothing like you imagined... My excuse is that when I made this card my Mojo had been MIA for several days, maybe the mojo in Mojo Monday was what appealed to me lol, surely using a sketch with a name like that would have to help me find mine again... This is a gorgeous sketch and I might have to give it another shot, what do you think?
Stamps: Live Your Dream
Ink: Groovy Guava, Old Olive, Soft Sky, Sahara Sand
Cardstock: Soft sky, Groovy Guava, Old Olive, Very Vanilla, Fall Flowers DSP
Accessories: Beach Ribbon Originals

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Another for Keesh's Challenge

I was loving Makeesha's challenge so much that I had another go. This is a card for my friends daughter who is 4 and "A big girl now" so I thought a big girl card was in order ;o) I kept it bright and funky but used some of the same stamps and materials from her mum's birthday card so she would know it truly is a grown up card.
Stamps: Family Phrases, Eastern Blooms
Ink: Old Olive, Rose Red
Cardstock: Bali Breeze DSP, Kraft, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White
Accessories: Flower Fusion, 1" Rose Red DS Ribbon, Earth Elements Brads, Chunky Glitter

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Back in the saddle

I absolutely loved Kristina Werner's challenge #36 but I was too late to play along officially so when I saw Makeesha's first sketch challenge for the year I decided I needed to get back in the saddle so to speak after my break so I set myself another little mini challenge to use the beautiful colours from the old Colour Inspiration challenge with Makeesha's challenge. I'm a bit rusty with my watercolouring but I thought I did alright...
Stamps: Embrace Life, Short & Sweet
Ink: Old Olive, Stazon, SW Markers; Old Olive, Pretty in Pink & Rose Red
Cardstock: Kraft, Bali Breeze DSP, Watercolour Paper, Pretty in Pink
Accessories: Felt Fusion, Pretties Kit, Aqua Painter, Pretty in Pink Taffeta

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Makeesha's Inspiration Challenge #2

Here is my entry for Makeesha's latest challenge. I took my inspiration from the pillow on the right. I had been thinking about making a card for it but I didn't think I'd get one done in time, but I had inspiration (or should that be inkspiration ;p ) it hit all of a sudden - I glanced at my pack of beachfront ribbon originals and saw the rik rak and I just knew I had to make a card for the challenge whether it was still open or not. I made this in like 10 mins because I knew exactly what I wanted.
I have been having a fantastic day of stamping fun with my upline Lisa so Keep an eye out for heaps more creations to come over the next few days.
Stamps: Wild About You, Occasional Greetings
Ink: Versamark, Basic Black
Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Black, Kraft
Accessories: Styled Silver Hodge Podge, Beachfront Ribbon Originals, Black EDP, 1" Circle Punch

PS Don't forget to check out my birthday blog candy - it is open to anyone & everyone with 2 ways to enter!

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Makeesha's Colour Challenge #2 - Thanks

Here are my entries for Makeesha's Challenge. I started out with the little notebook and then I thought that it wasn't really enough to use as a challenge entry so I decided to make a card too.
The velvet ribbon (from the Theatre Ribbon Originals pack) on the notebook photographed a little dark but it really is close to cocoa!
Stamps: Live Your Dream
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Groovy Guava, Soft Sky
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Groovy Guava, Soft Sky, Close to Cocoa, Fall Flowers DSP, Close to Cocoa Prints DSP, Spring Silhouettes DSP
Accessories: Aluminum Edged Tag, Scallop, 1 3/8", 1 1/4", 1" Circle Punches, Very Vanilla 1/4" Grosgrain, Soft Sky DS Ribbon, Theatre Ribbons Originals, Silver Brads

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Cardinal Stampers Challenge #5

It was my turn to set the challenge over at our team blog, the Cardinal Stampers. I decided that I would celebrate the start of the mini catalogue by asking everyone to use the card from page 19 of the catalogue as their sketch, but with a different colour combo & a different stamp set.
This is what I came up with for the challenge:I kept the design pretty close to the sample however I changed the sentiment to suit my card and sneak in a little extra certainly celery.
Stamps: Eastern Blooms, Short & Sweet
Ink: Almost Amethyst, So Saffron, Certainly Celery & Regal Rose SW Markers
Cardstock: Almost Amethyst, Very Vanilla, So Saffron, Regal Rose
Accessories: Certainly Celery 5/8" Grosgrain, Hodge Podge Hardware - Pewter

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Cardinal Stampers Challenge #4

Finally, here is my entry for Chenoa's Challenge over at Cardinal Stampers, we have had such horrible weather that I haven't been able to get a decent photo, I'm still not 100% happy with the photo's I have taken but it's been way too long and I really have to upload them!
Chenoa's challenge was to use a sketch to make a LO for a guy in your life other than your children. I decided that it would be a perfect opportunity to scrap these photo's of the boys in our bridal party.
The circle swivels down to reveal some hidden journalling which reads; "The guys scrubbed up really well... unless you don't count Chris's faux pas of White Socks with Black Pants". We have brilliant white socks showing in some of my favourite photo's and I was so annoyed when we got them back. I'm over it now but I like to tease him about it at every opportunity and what better way to tease him than to leave it in a scrapbook album for the future generations? hehehe
Stamps: One of a Kind
Ink: Pixie Pink
Cardstock: Basic Black, Green Galore, Whisper White
Accessories: Pretties Kit, Eastern Elegance, Perfect Day & Cherished Memories Rubons, Accents & Elements On Board Chipboard, Photo Corner Punch

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould