Friday, April 18, 2025

Easter Blessings - Just Add Ink Challenge #747

Are you ready for another creative challenge with Just Add Ink? This week we have an inspiration pic for you.


It's been a long while since I used any of my Tilda stamps but I simply couldn't resist colouring this little sweetie with her (Easter) bunny, inspired by the adorable grey rabbit above.


I ink blended my background but the die-cut flowers and stamped image were coloured with Copics. 

Materials used:
  • stamps - Tilda with her bunny (Magnolia Stamps), Itty Bitty Greetings (Stampin' Up)
  • dies - Curio Spring Findings (The Greetery), Essential Arches (Spellbinders)
  • other - Copic markers, craft foam, Dimensionals, blending brushes, distress inks, gingham designer paper (Stampin' Up)

What ideas does the inspiration pic give you? We'd love you to create and share with us over on the Just Add Ink blog, where you'll find more samples from the design team.

This card is also my entry in the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, which is to use some patterned paper, and Time Out Challenges pick 2 challenge (I chose floral and arch).


Thanks for calling in.

Cheers
Kerry

Friday, April 11, 2025

Hello Friend

Today's card is for the current challenge at Color Throwdown.


Such gorgeous colours! I used them on a simple floral friendship card.


All the pieces were die cut from white and coloured with inks. The adorable little seal had two applications of clear embossing powder added to the outer ring and an epoxy heart centred to match the heart on the envelope. Because the sentiment is in gold, I added a smidge of gold wax around the edges of the embossed background. 

Materials used:
  • dies - Wildflower Stems #2 and #3 (Tim Holtz), Dry Flowers (Waffle Flower), Postage Collage Mini Seals (Waffle Flower)
  • inks - antique linen, fossilized amber (Ranger distress), soft lilac, lavender fields, volcano lake (Altenew), wintergreen (Catherine Pooler), lemon lolly (Stampin' Up)
  • other - blending brushes, clear embossing powder, heat tool, Big Shot, Dimensionals, Distressed Tile embossing folder (Stampin' Up), metallic word sticker (Tim Holtz), vintage gold wax (Art Alchemy), craft foam, white bakers twine, epoxy heart (Altenew)

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers
Kerry

Friday, April 4, 2025

Gull-tastic Birthday - Just Add Ink Challenge #745

It's time for a colour challenge with Just Add Ink and this week's picks are


My whimsical offering was inspired by a card by Kathrin that I just love and I had fun incorporating the challenge colours in there. 


I don't have petunia pop so substituted with picked raspberry distress ink, and I used both the balmy blue and soft sea foam for the water to differentiate it from the blue sky. The grey was used on the gull and umbrella pole, while the sand was inked with neutral brown and overstamped for texture. 

Materials used:
  • stamps - Inquisitive Seagulls, Postage Collage, Postage Collage Beach Days (all Waffle Flower), Friendly Seagulls (Stampin' Up)
  • dies - Postage Collage, Inquisitive Seagulls (both Waffle Flower), Fair Winds (Spellbinders), Word Bubbles (Stampin' Up)
  • other - blending brushes, grip mat, Big Shot, craft foam, MISTI, white gel pen

And speaking of birthdays, it's my birthday today! I'm now old enough to have my doctor visits bulk billed! 😂😂😂👵

If you head over to the Just Add Ink blog you'll find more samples to inspire you. We'd love you to create and share with us.

Thanks for dropping by.

Cheers
Kerry

Friday, March 28, 2025

Congrats - Just Add Ink Challenge #744

This week at Just Add Ink it's a Choose Two challenge and the options are


It occurred to me I could combine two options - rainbows and flowers - in one fell swoop by using some very old but new-to-me things a friend sent, and that's how this card was born.


As I wanted the rainbow floral panel to be the focal feature, I kept everything else very plain and picked a versatile greeting that can be used for many occasions.

Materials used:
  • other - congrats die (stash), floral 3D embossing folder (Stampin' Up), Big Shot, Scratch-Art card, nail buffer, craft foam
Check out more samples to inspire you over on the challenge blog and if you feel like creating, we'd love to see it. Thanks for dropping by.

Cheers
Kerry

Friday, March 21, 2025

How Eggciting! - Just Add Ink Challenge #743

Welcome to another Friday and a new challenge with Just Add Ink. We have a lovely sketch to inspire you this week.


So many ideas went through my head for this one but eventually I decided on a cute Easter themed card which combines two of my favourite techniques - an inky background and watercolouring.


I loved this stamp set when it first came out last year but somehow managed to resist buying it - obviously I'm weaker willed this year, lol! I did some masking to put the bunnies and eggs inside the transportation and rather than stamp the joiners, cut a thin strip of card and attached it on the back. 

Materials used:
  • stamps - Carrot 'Bout You (Lawn Fawn)
  • dies - stitched rectangle
  • distress sprays/oxide sprays - salvaged patina, twisted citron, mustard seed
  • other - Big Shot, craft foam, Dimensionals, white gesso, splat brush, waterbrush, post-it notes, distress micro glaze, Zig Clean Color brush markers, Frozen Delights inks (Altenew), stapler, MISTI

There's plenty more samples to see over on the Just Add Ink blog and we'd love you to join us and share what you make of this sketch.

Thanks for driving on by.

Cheers
Kerry 

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

For The Record

I think the folks at Festive Friday Challenges read my mind ... 

It's not long now until my SIL's birthday and I had decided to make him a music themed card as he not only plays multiple instruments, but also has an extensive vinyl record collection. Then I saw the current FF challenge ...


How perfect is that? I 'shopped my stash' for bits and pieces to create my card.


As you can see, from the inspo list I've used black, white, musical note, stripes, musical themed sentiment and vinyl record. 

Materials used:
  • stamps/dies - Vinyl Style (Altenew)
  • other dies - music notes and stave (stash)
  • other - mini wheel stencil (Tim Holtz), blending brush, Dimensionals, Sidekick, craft foam

I hope he likes it! Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers
Kerry

Friday, March 14, 2025

Tropical Friend - Just Add Ink Challenge #742

From the first time I saw this week's Just Add Ink inspiration pic - and every time since - I was/am instantly transported back to the outdoor seating area of my parents' home in Brisbane where they retired to from New Zealand. They've both been gone a lot of years but it was lovely to have those happy memories resurface, so even though it's not my rostered week, I couldn't resist playing along.


I just love layered bird dies - and colouring them - and this one is a particular favourite. The background foliage was cut from watercolour card I had sprayed with a mix of spray stains and oxide sprays. Everything else was cut from white card and ink blended. I heat embossed the sentiment on vellum. 


Materials used:
  • stamp & die - Overlapping Hugs Additions (Waffle Flower)
  • dies - Feathered Friends 9 (Papertrey Ink), all others from stash
  • distress oxide sprays/spray stains - twisted citron, mowed lawn, salvaged patina
  • distress inks - mustard seed, ripe persimmon, picked raspberry, seedless preserves, vintage photo
  • other - Big Shot, blending brushes, heat tool, Dimensionals, craft foam, black rhinestone, sponge dauber, white embossing powder

If you're inspired to create as well, we'd love you to share on the Just Add Ink blog. Check it out for more samples from the team too.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers
Kerry

Monday, March 10, 2025

Birthday Wishes and Cupcakes

Today's card is for two challenges, Inspired by... and Just Us Girls.

 


These challenges were the perfect excuse I really didn't need to bust out some goodies and play!




Materials used:
  • dies - Postage Collage, Postage Collage blocks, Happy Birthday script word (all Waffle Flower)
  • stencils - Postage Collage Cupcakes, Postage Collage Coloring, Confetti background (all Waffle Flower)
  • inks - summer shower, seaside, coral reef, passion fruit (Pinkfresh), golden glitz (Delicata), twisted citron (Tim Holtz)
  • other - blending brushes, Big Shot, Dimensionals, craft foam, clear Wink of Stella

I chose colours that are festive but not too bold and added some sparkly touches on each panel for extra birthday zing. As usual there are two layers to the die-cut sentiment for strength and depth.



Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers
Kerry 


Friday, March 7, 2025

Simple and Elegant - Just Add Ink Challenge #741

It's Friday, which means it's time for another challenge with Just Add Ink and our brief for you this week is to:


I made a soft-toned sympathy card - something we unfortunately often need to have on hand, especially as we get older. 


For my focal feature I used a stamp/die/stencils set from PinkFresh Studios. A few pearls were all the embellishments needed.

Materials used:
  • stamp, die, stencil set - Butterflies in Bloom (PinkFresh Studios)
  • sentiment stamp - Country Flowers (Stampin' Up)
  • distress inks - antique linen, dried marigold, saltwater taffy, shabby shutters
  • Altenew inks - alpine aster, soft lilac, lavender fields, deep iris
  • other - blending brushes, pearls, MISTI, grip mat, Big Shot, craft foam, Dimensionals

Do visit the Just Add Ink blog for more samples of simple and elegant to inspire you and if you create, we'd love you to share in our gallery.

Thanks for calling in.

Cheers
Kerry

Friday, February 21, 2025

Sending Love - Just Add Ink Challenge #739

This week at Just Add Ink it's our choose two challenge and our options are:


For my simple card I picked colouring and a variation on thinking of you.


Materials used:
  • stamp & die combo - Overlapping Hugs Additions (Waffle Flower)
  • stencils - Postage Collage Roses (Waffle Flower)
  • dies - Postage Collage (Waffle Flower), large love (stash)
  • other - dye inks, blending brushes, Big Shot, mini pearls, Dimensionals

There's more samples to inspire you over on the Just Add Ink blog and if you do create, please share it with us in our gallery.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers
Kerry

Monday, January 27, 2025

Hello

It's stencil week over at Just Us Girls and I'm playing along.


Also entering in Addicted to CAS challenge #275:




I began by cutting three 3cm squares and rounding opposite corners, then put them on my grip mat and used stencils for the water and land. The sky was blended with three colours and the birds were die-cut and given a little colour too. For the sentiment I die-cut three layers but used the third layer only behind "h", "e" and "o" to allow for the dimension under the "l".

Materials used:
  • stencils - Uncharted Waters (Spellbinders)
  • distress inks - salvaged patina, peacock feathers, shabby shutters, peeled paint, squeezed lemonade, saltwater taffy, picked raspberry, lost shadow, pumice stone
  • other - blending brushes, grip mat, birds in flight die (Poppystamps), hello die (stash), Sidekick, craft foam, Dimensionals

Thanks for calling in.

Cheers
Kerry

Friday, January 24, 2025

Floating By - Just Add Ink Challenge # 735

Welcome to Friday and a new challenge with Just Add Ink. This week it's a colour combo suggested by Rochelle.


With summer splash in there I immediately thought 'water', so created a fun pool/beach scene.


Materials used:
  • stamps - Bubbles (Tim Holtz), You Autumn Know (Lawn Fawn)
  • dies - Poolside (Concord & 9th)
  • other - Big Shot, white embossing powder, heat tool, Dimensionals, MISTI, vintage gold wax (Art Alchemy), sponge dauber, craft foam

Check out more samples over on the Just Add Ink blog. We'd love to inspire you to create and join us.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers
Kerry

Sunday, January 19, 2025

Oceans of Love

Which kind of challenges do you find the most ... well, challenging? For me it's often the sketches that stretch my crafting muscles more than others, so you may have noticed that I participate in sketch challenges much less often than, say, colour or inspiration ones. But this week the Freshly Made Sketches post caught my eye and sparked an idea ...

I flipped it 180 degrees and got busy getting inky, lol.


I began with embossing a piece of heavy watercolour card, then inked it and embossed again before giving it a water spritz. Love this new embossing folder from SU, those swirls are just gorgeous! Trust me, it looks even better in real life. The whale was just black and white card (obvs, lol) and the other die-cut pieces were coloured with distress inks. 

Materials used:
  • dies - Whale in a Bottle (Spellbinders)
  • distress inks - salvaged patina, peacock feathers, uncharted mariner, lucky clover, wilted violet, brushed corduroy, pumice stone, abandoned coral, hickory smoke
  • other - Big Shot, Soft Waves embossing folder (Stampin' Up), water spritzer, blending brushes, Dimensionals, craft foam, clear acrylic dots

Hope you've had some crafting in your day and thanks for swimming by.

Cheers
Kerry

Friday, January 17, 2025

Beachy Delight - Just Add Ink Annual Blog Hop

With a whole new year of crafting to look forward to, at Just Add Ink we begin with an all-team Blog Hop to celebrate. We do hope you'll join us in creating and sharing, and our theme to inspire you is


Santa very kindly brought me a wonderful scrapbooking page kit so I've made a layout featuring my adorable grandson having a blast at the beach:


I used elements from the page kit but changed them up a little, adding some stamping and chipboard pieces.

Materials used:
  • stamps - Gorgeous Grunge (SU retired)
  • papers, chipboard pieces, die cuts - Summer Porch collection (49&Market)
  • other - Dimensionals, sponge dauber, basic beige ink

The link below will take you to the next blog on our hop, which is Jan. Do please leave everyone some comment love as you browse through the hop. If you get stuck at any point, the list and links of all participants is on the Just Add Ink blog here

Thanks for calling in!

Cheers
Kerry


Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Nobody Can Be Uncheered With a Balloon

Especially a shiny red balloon!

In what I'm calling my Pooh series, I'm back with another card using Spellbinders Pooh Bear dies, this time featuring everyone's favourite depressive donkey. The quote from Pooh himself is very fitting for Eeyore and I'm thinking some (uninflated) balloons inside the card is a great way to send a simple pick-me-up.

I made some modifications to the die-cuts - I cut two heads, trimming the second to make a muzzle and inner ears. Apparently this colouring is more used for merchandise rather than the classic look from the books, but I think it gives him a bit more cheer. 

Materials used:
  • dies - Tigger & Eeyore, Pooh & Piglet etched dies (Spellbinders)
  • distress inks - kitsch flamingo, lost shadow, hickory smoke, candied apple, brushed corduroy, tumbled glass
  • other - Dimensionals, craft foam, Sidekick, blending brushes, computer & printer, alpine aster ink (Altenew), clear embossing powder, heat tool

Thanks for calling in.

Cheers
Kerry