A New Ink on Life

The Spot #104 - Springtime with Butterfly Wishes

Welcome back to another challenge at The Spot , your place for inspiration and weekly cardmaking challenges. This week we have a great theme challenge - Spring Fling! Think butterflies, birds, flowers, bees, anything that you would associate Springtime with. 

I decided go with butterflies as the beautiful Butterfly Wishes Stamp Set has not seen enough ink from me. I love how the stamps in this set are Stampin' Up!'s exclusive DisINKtive technology that features photorealistic images.

When I think of spring not only do I think of butterflies and flowers I also think of colour. I absolutely love the floral designs in the Best Dressed Designer Series Paper and how the B side designs have subtle patterns like the green and polka dots that I used here. I drew colour inspiration from the DSP and used Petal Pink, Lovely Lipstick, Daffodil Delight and Old Olive Classic Inks. 

the beautiful butterfly was stamped twice, once on the die cut circle then a gain on a piece of Whisper White scrap. I then fussy cut out half of the butterfly and laid it over the other one to create some dimension. The wings were covered with a layer of fine glitter using the Clear Wink of Stella Glitter Brush. TIP: This product by far is the best way to add some shimmer and glimmer to a project with no mess!  

Now be sure to check out The Spot for some fabulous inspiration and we would love to see you join in on the challenge!

Below you will find all the items I used for today's project and remember today is the LAST DAY to earn FREE Sale-A-Bration products, so don't miss out!. As always feel free to contact me with any questions!

March Paper Pumpkin - No Matter The Weather

How is everyone doing? I'll be honest I never thought that in my lifetime I would see shortages of necessities, such as toilet paper and cleaning supplies and have to talk to my neighbour with at least 6 feet between us. We are definitely living in strange times and with social distancing being a reality I want to make sure I am still connecting and checking in with the people in my life. I am so grateful that I was first introduced to paper crafting almost 13 years ago, especially given the current times when a handmade card can easily brighten someones day. Remember that "social distancing" doesn't mean we need to be distance. Today is a great time to send a card to those we love and care about and even those we don't personally know, but appreciate. Think nurses, doctors, grocery store workers, let them know how important they are. 

The March Paper Pumpkin is appropriately called No Matter the Weather, even though the kit was obviously made several months ago the timing could be any better. Paper Pumpkin is celebrating seven, wonderful years with the No Matter the Weather kit. Not only is it blooming with fresh-picked, springtime details, but it also features a FREE, bonus stamp set as a thank you for being a customer. This kit is perfect for reminding your friends that even when the forecast is cloudy with a chance of rain, days of sparkling sunshine are not far behind.

I love creating alternative projects from the kits every month. This month I chose to use both components from the kit as well as the adorable bonus stamp set.

I wanted to use some bright happy colours and the 2018-2020 In Colours are the perfect rainbow spectrum. I created a rainbow watercolour wash background on Fluid Watercolor Paper. 

By squeezing the ink pad into the lid while it is close, you get a little pool of colour that works great as a palette to dip an Aqua Painter in. TIP: To create watermark splatters flick water from the Aqua Painter on to the paper then blot with a paper towel.  

The rainbow panel was die cut using the Stitched Rectangle Dies and attached to a Thick Whisper White card base. Next I die cut a heart from one of the patterned note cards in the kit using the Stitched Be Mine Dies. The adorable rubber boots were stamped on Shimmery White Cardstock and fussy cut out using the awesome Paper Snips. TIP: When cutting out images try moving the paper as you cut rather than moving the scissors around the images. This makes it much easier to get nice smooth cuts. It is hard to see in the photo but the boots were also lightly covered with glitter using a Clear Wink of Stella Brush. The sentiment was stamped using Whisper White Craft Ink on Basic Black Cardstock then cut apart. to finish it off I added some of the adorable little epoxy rain drops and barker's twine.

The tag was also created by cutting a 2" wide strip from one of the note cards and then punched with the Delightful Tag Topper Punch. i then stamped 3 of the heart image stamps in the various colours. TIP: To save time I arranged all 3 stamps on the same block so I could stamp them all at the same time. The circle is from the kit and I then just added the stamped sentiment on top.

So there you have it, two bright, fun and happy Paper Pumpkin alternative projects for the March kit. If you are not currently a subscriber to this monthy box of creative fun I encourage you to check it out! You can subscribe HERE, contact me or place an online order for a prepaid subscription and earn Sale-A-Bration rewards until March 31st.

Below you will find all the items I used for today's project and remember Sale-A-Bration is going on now until March 31st, so don't miss out!. Earn FREE products with qualifying purchases and as always feel free to contact me with any questions!

The Spot #103 - Positive Thoughts

Welcome back to another challenge at The Spot , your place for inspiration and weekly cardmaking challenges. Today we are bring you a fun colour challenge. The best part is you can choose between 6 colours, just be sure to use at least 3 of them.

I'd also like to take a moment to say how much the paper crafting community means to me and I know a lot of us at the moment are facing very uncertain times. Currently where I live, my children are out of school indefinitely and all businesses are closed except those deemed essential services and restaurants that are able to serve food to go or on a delivery basis. Now, more than ever it is important for us to stay connected. As we are practicing our "social distancing" it doesn't mean we need to be distance. Today is a great time to send a card to let those we love and care about (and even those we don't personally know, but appreciate) know how important they are. 

For my card I decided to use Blushing Bride, Grapefruit Grove, Rococo Rose, Basic Gray and Soft Sea Foam. I just couldn't work that Early Espresso in there, lol.

The stamp set Positive Thoughts is perfect to send some words of encouragement. For this cards design I really focused on the beauty of the stamp set, using 2 of the images and an uplifting sentiment. The base of the card is Shimmery White Cardstock, I love the subtle shimmer of this paper and how it just makes whatever you are creating seem even more special. The floral image was inked up using both Blushing Bride and Rococo Rose Classic Ink. TIP: For a more blended look when inking a stamp with 2 colours, ink in the lightest colour first, then using a Sponge Dauber add the darker colour by tapping it onto the stamp. The fun thing with this technique is that you get a variation of shades with each image you stamp.

To add texture to the card I knew I wanted to use Baker's Twine for it's ability to not overwhelm the card, but also create interest. TIP: You can create matching embellishments by simply using coordinating Stampin' Blends Alcohol Markers. Here I used both the Light and Dark Rococo Rose markers to create a gradient colour blend on Whisper White Baker's Twine. 

I love using Vellum Cardstock to add delicate details. Here I used the Nature's Thoughts Dies and die cut the sprigs from the vellum adding a touch of Clear Wink of Stella for some shine. 

The main image panel was fun to create. I used the same ink blending technique that I explained in This Post, this time I used Blushing Bride, Rococo Rose, Grapefruit Grove, Soft Sea Foam Classic Ink Pads. The beautiful butterfly was stamped using Basic Gray Ink.

Now be sure to check out The Spot for some fabulous inspiration and we hope to see you join in on the challenge!

Below you will find all the items I used for today's project and remember Sale-A-Bration is going on now. Earn FREE products with qualifying purchases and as always feel free to contact me with any questions!

 

The Spot #102- Your Time To Shine

Welcome back to another challenge at The Spot , your place for inspiration and weekly cardmaking challenges. Happy St. Patrick's Day and with that in mind, we have a theme challenge for you!

The theme for this week is Good Luck or Encouragement cards. I think with all that is currently going on in the world, there are a lot of people who would love to see some happy mail with a few words of encouragement. 

I've been on a mission lately to use supplies that were getting neglected in my craftroom and the Daisy Lane Stamp set and Medium Daisy Punch Bundle had been sitting far too long. I love that this set also coordinates with the Daisy Punch, so you can easily stamp and punch two sizes of flowers. I chose a colour scheme of Petal Pink, Crumb Cake, Whisper White and Mossy Meadow. The Birch Background Stamp is also a perfect pairing with this bundle.

I started with a Petal Pink card base then layered on a piece of Whisper White that was stamped with the Birch Background stamp using Crumb Cake Classic Ink. Using the 3D Corrugated Embossing Folder I embossed a piece of Crumb Cake Cardstock. TIP: To create even more texture I tore the cardstock and lightly distressed the edge and corner. The Stitched Label Die cut was stamped with the leafy image using Mossy Meadow Classic Ink.

In this photo you can really see the "shine". I knew when I chose this stamp set that I wanted to make this card shimmer, especially with that sentiment. TIP: Adding several types of subtle shimmer and shine using different elements can complement the design of your project and not overwhelm it, but me mindful of what you are using to achieve it. Yes, there really is such thing as too much bling;) For my card I used Clear Wink of Stella to create a pretty shimmer effect on the daisy petals and a pretty Clear Faceted Gem in the center. To make the words really sparkle I stamped with VersaMark and then heat embossed it with Shimmer Black Stampin' Embossing Powder. 

Now be sure to check out The Spot for some fabulous inspiration and we hope to see you join in on the challenge!

Below you will find all the items I used for today's project and remember Sale-A-Bration is going on now. Earn FREE products with qualifying purchases and as always feel free to contact me with any questions!

The Spot #101 - Getting sketchy with Sale-A-Bration!

Welcome back to another challenge at The Spot! Last week was launch of this fun new challenge blog and we are excited to bring you another week of inspiration, this time with a great sketch. Thank you to all of those that played along, we hope to see even more of you this week.

Sketches are a great creative jumping off point. What I love about them is that they are open to interpretation and well, I like to take a little creative license when I get crafty;)

I have been trying my best lately to pull out supplies that have been neglected in my craftroom. When I saw the Sale-A-Bration Lovely Lily Pad Stamp Set and Coordinating Lily Pad Dies I just HAD to have them (confession time I have used them once). Both the stamp set and dies can be earned for FREE with a qualifying purchase until the end of March. They really are amazing and I have no idea why I haven't used them more, but this sketch gave me the perfect opportunity to showcase them!

I'll be honest, the striping in the background threw me for a moment, but then I had the idea of ink blending a background with a trio of blues. I used Pool Party, Balmy Blue and Night of Navy. Using a Sponge Brayer I coloured the whole piece of Whisper White Cardstock with Pool Party Classic ink. Next I laid down Balmy Blue Classic Ink starting at the outer ends then working in towards the middle and lastly I used Night of Navy Classic Ink on the outer edges. I will admit ink blending this way is a test in patience and practice, but the results are well worth it. TIP: Start by layering your cardstock on a scrap piece of copy paper or I like to use Grid Paper and start brayering on the scrap paper onto the cardstock moving inward on the cardstock. Then build colour in multiple layers. Stamping Sponges cut into wedges were also used to soften the lines between colours. A water brush was used to flick droplets of water on the inked background and because the ink is water based it creates such a fun, cool effect. 

Another product that I haven't used a lot is the absolutely sunning Perennial Essence Designer Series Paper. Here I die cut one of the patterns with a circle from the Stitched Shapes Dies. Next I stamped the floral and lily pad image on Fluid 100 Watercolor Paper using Versamark Ink and heat embossed the images with Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder. Using Petal Pink and Flirty Flamingo Classic Ink and an Aqua Painter, I watercoloured the floral image and used Pear Pizzaz and Olive for the lily pad. TIP: While your ink pad is closed, flip upside down and squeeze the middle of the case so that ink is pressed into the lid, open up the pad and use the ink in the lid and an Aqua painter to watercolour with. The sentiment is from Itty Bitty Greetings, heat embossed and then die cut with the smallest Stitched Rectangle Die. TIP: The die was a little too long for the sentiment so I shortened it by repositioning the die on the die cut, then recut it to shorten.

Now be sure to check out The Spot for some fabulous inspiration and we hope to see you join in on the challenge!

Below you will find all the items I used for today's project and remember Sale-A-Bration is going on now. Earn FREE products with qualifying purchases and as always feel free to contact me with any questions!

The Spot #100 - A Fun and New Challenge!

I am so excited to share today that I am part of a design team for a fun new weekly paper crafting challenge! The Spot is looking forward to bringing you challenges to that you get those creative ideas flowing and can't wait to see how our challenges will inspire you.

We thought it would be fun for you to get to know us and our style, so for our inaugural challenge it is a "Getting To Know You, Designer's Choice Challenge". That means anything goes, just show us a card that represents you and your card making style. 

When it comes to paper crafts there are so many things that I love to work with and incorporate into my designs that this was a bit of a tricky challenge for me. How do I choose?  Well for those of you that have been following me for awhile, you may have noticed my love of floral stamps. I can't help it, give me all of the beautiful flowers;). I also have a "tad" bit of an obsession with patterned papers and I always love to add a little shine or sparkle. So  keeping those things in mind, I approached this challenge.

I started with a Whisper White card base then layered on a piece of subtle DSP from Woven Threads that I had stamped on with the gorgeous Breathtaking Bouquet Background Stamp. I love stamping on designer series paper! TIP: It is an easy way to add extra dimension with out adding any bulk. As I mentioned before I am drawn to patterned papers and another thing I love to do is with them is mix different patterns together on the same project. TIP: If you are hesitant to pattern mix, you can't go wrong with florals and stripes. Another thing you may notice when looking at my cards is that I like to stamp my sentiment on top of another stamped image or pattern. For this card I inked up the Breathtaking Bouquet with Rococo Rose Classic Ink, then stamped off once before stamping on my paper. TIP: Stamping off or "generational stamping" is a perfect technique to use when the image you are stamping is the secondary focus, like in this case to the sentiment. I combined two sentiments from one of my favourite greeting sets, Strong & Beautiful.

Using a Blender Pen and ink I lightly coloured select parts of the floral design. TIP: Blender pens and a little ink is an easy way to create a watercolour effect without the mess of water. The piece was then die cut with a label from Stitched So Sweetly Dies and matted on a coordinating Pear Pizzazz die cut piece. To add some texture I coloured a piece of Whisper White Crinkle Seam Binding Ribbon with a Dark Petal Pink Blends Alcohol Marker. TIP: Using ink or markers to colour a neural ribbon is a great way to customize your ribbon to match any project. Lastly to make the card totally "me" I added a few Champagne Rhinestone Basic Jewels, and some splatters of Shimmer Paint in both Frost White and Champagne Mist. 

Now be sure to check out The Spot for some fabulous inspiration and we hope to see you join in on the challenge!

Below you will find all the items I used for today's project and remember Sale-A-Bration is going on now. Earn FREE products with qualifying purchases and as always feel free to contact me with any questions!

Free As A Bird Friendship

Today I am playing along with the sketch challenge at Global Design Project. I can't resist using a great sketch as a jumping off point. It's been awhile since I have joined in on one of their challenges and I was happy to find some time today to stamp.

I stayed pretty true to the sketch design, but in true "Jennifer" fashion I need to add some layers and embellishments. For my colour palette I chose to go with a more softer pastel scheme, drawing on some colours from the gorgeous Best Dressed DSP. I also chose to use the Free As A Bird stamp set, it seemed perfectly fitting for this spring like combo of Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Mint Macaroon and Petal Pink.  

The Whisper White card base was layered with an embossed piece of Mint Macaroon. The sweet little bird was stamped using Crumb Cake Classic Ink on Fluid 100 Watercolour Paper. I then coloured him in using a combination of Classic Inks and an Aqua Painter. TIP: Using a lighter colour ink to stamp the image then watercolour, creates a much softer effect then if I had used black for the outline image. Since the sketch was pretty clean and simple with a fair amount of white space, I didn't want to overwhelm the design with too many layers. This was the perfect opportunity to use one of the stunning floral designs from the Best Dressed Designer Series Papers. I die cut the circle using the Stitched Shapes Dies and the sentiment was stamped on a die cut piece from the Stitched So Lovely Dies. A double bow of Linen Thread adds great texture and some vellum die cut branches adds a pretty feminine touch. Lastly a trio of Frosted Epoxy Drops adds dimension add a little sheen.

All products used for today's project are listed below with a direct link to my online store for easy shopping. And remember from now until March 31st you can earn FREE select Sale-a-bration products for every $60 or $120 (Canadian) spent!