Warm Winter Friend Wishes

The current Inkspirational challenge captured my interest.

                                      

Some new wintery friends had just arrived in my mailbox and gave me the perfect opportunity to play along. They're rugged up nice and warm, just as I was while I created and the rain and wind argued outside. It's nowhere near cold enough to snow where I live but some days it sure feels like it - I must be getting old! 

I die cut first, colouring each piece individually using the matching stencils and doing two branches to layer for extra depth. The background was stencilled and sponged with white ink for a subtle, dreamy snowy scene. I'm sure you're as surprised as I am there are no white splatters, lol, but I wanted the snow to be secondary to those cute little birdie friends.

Materials used:

• stencil & die combo - Birdie Friends in Winter (Waffle Flower)
• other - distress inks, blending brushes, Sidekick, snow stencil, Dimensionals, craft foam, white gel pen, Subsentiments Fa La La diecut (Waffle Flower), sponge dauber

I hope you're having some warmth in your day and thanks for stopping by.

Cheers

Kerry

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

The Card Concept #205 - Spring Has Sprung

While we look forward to cooler temps here in Australia, the northern hemisphere is warming up and loving all the beauty nature brings with it in Spring. Spring Has Sprung is the theme for this month's inspiration challenge at The Card Concept and what a beautifully sweet mood board we have for you.

The birds, florals and colours all inspired my shaped layered card.

There are three layers of the 'hello' die for depth and I cut the little bird from the reverse side of the DSP to perch there. It's the perfect size and isn't it adorable? This card is 14cm tall and just 10.5cm at its widest point, so fits in a regular C6 envelope. 

I repeated some of the papers on the inside and left space for a handwritten message.

Materials used:

• card - boho blue, basic white, Flight & Airy DSP (all Stampin' Up)
• dies - hello script (stash), Bird House A2 cardbase (Honey Bee Stamps), Essential Arches (Spellbinder)
• other - Big Shot, blending brushes, Dimensionals, sponge dauber

Check out what my fellow team members have created to inspire you over on The Card Concept blog, and thanks so much for stopping by.

Cheers

Kerry

Nature's Bounty

The theme over on the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge to TIE IT UP (ie use twine/ribbon/etc) inspired me to create this morning and as I was in a mixed media mood, I made a layered collage-style card with a nature theme.

I used papers and elements from 49andMarket's Curator's Meadow collection for my background, sponging edges with oxide ink. I replaced the white string on the tags with a twine that fit better and layered them up. The 'stamps' are washi tape from the collection, adhered to white, while the leafy branch is die-cut and coloured with more oxides. My nest is a cheap craft one cut down as it was too large and I painted some tiny eggs, hot gluing them all to my card. The last step, as always - cos this is me and mixed media, after all (lol) - was paint splatters.

Materials used:

• papers, tags, washi tape, ephemera - Curator's Meadow collection (49andMarket)
• card - crumb cake, basic white (Stampin' Up), watercolour
• distress oxide inks - walnut stain, peeled paint, forest moss
• distress paint - antique linen, walnut stain
• other - Dimensionals, blending brushes, sponge dauber, craft foam, tiny eggs (Tim Holtz Idea-ology), Easter mini nest (Anko), hot glue gun, Big Shot, twine, splat box, fanbrush, magnolia leaf branch die (Memory Box)

Hope you're getting some creative time too! Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers

Kerry

JAI #679 - Just Add a Colour Combo

For this week's Just Add Ink challenge we've a colour combo for you to play with. Our board uses the names for Stampin' Up ink colours but you're welcome to substitute them with a similar colour from a different brand. You can also use white, vanilla, black and metallics as accents if you wish. No other colours should be used.

This combo brought to mind some designer paper Stampin' Up had a few years back - and which I bought plenty of before it retired, lol - so I dug some out for my card. I love the whitewashed look of this polka dot paper and although petal pink is definitely not one of my favourite colours, decided to feature it with just hints of the much darker calypso coral. 

I distressed the edges of the calypso coral card and the flower bud the bird is carrying was cut from the DSP, the rest of the construction is pretty self-evident. To me this card could be used for a variety of occasions so I have left off a sentiment for now.

Materials used:

• card - basic white, pool party, calypso coral (Stampin' Up), Bird Ballad DSP (retired SU)
• dies - stitched circle, Soaring Layered Bird (Simon Says Stamp)
• other - Big Shot, craft foam, Dimensionals, blending brush, white baker's twine, mini cloud stencil (My Favorite Things), markers in black and petal pink, pool party ink

Check out how my fellow team-mates used this colour combination over at the JAI blog and thanks for stopping by.

Cheers

Kerry

Let's Get Tropical

For some reason my blog title has been playing in my head to the tune of 'Physical' by Olivia Newton-John - and yes, I'm well aware that that dates me, lol. Let's get tropical, tropical, I wanna be tropical...'. That was so true last night when I began making this card, with rain pounding on my roof, wind rattling doors and windows and the heater chugging to keep me warm. A tropical escape seemed like just the ticket, lol. A lovely touch of escapism. 

This card is as close as I'll get to that for a while though, so I'll be sure to enjoy it. If you're languishing somewhere tropical right now, spare a thought for us winter-bound folks and have another umbrella drink. 

I'm entering this in the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge which has LOTS OF LAYERS as the theme this week and the Happy Little Stampers ANYTHING GOES WITH DIES challenge. 

Materials used:

• card - basic white, basic black
• distress oxide inks - tumbled glass, stormy sky, mustard seed, picked raspberry, twisted citron, mowed lawn
• dies - Feathered Friends set 9 (Papertrey Ink), Essential Arches (Spellbinders), Tropical Leaf Bunch (SSS)
• other - blending brushes, Big Shot, Dimensionals, craft foam, black gem, water spritzer, fan brush, Tufted 3D embossing folder (SU), YR16 & YR07 Copic markers, Wordies Sentiment Sheets (Creative Expressions)

I began with ink blending my bird using mustard seed and picked raspberry oxides. I'll admit to sneaking some Copic marker in there for the feet and beak - much easier on tiny fiddly bits. I prefer the dimension of a black gem for eyes rather than the small circle die cut piece (which I often lose anyway, lol). Once that was assembled I worked on my leaves and background, adding water splatters to both. After everything was attached on the arched background I decided I needed a simple base but with a little texture for interest, hence the dry embossing. Last was choosing and attaching the sentiment.

Hope you enjoy this touch of tropical in your day! Thanks for calling in.

Cheers

Kerry

The Card Concept Challenge #195

As usual with every second challenge, this week The Card Concept offers two inspiration pics for you to choose from as a jump start for creativity. Here are Floral Spring and Garden Birds.

  

As I adore having birds in my garden, it wasn't difficult to chose that option as the inspiration for my mixed media card.

Once I'd chosen all the bits and pieces I was planning to use, I began with blending some oxide inks on my background and added a few water splatters. Next I applied the rub on flowers, die cut birdhouse and fence before adding the quote chip, small bird and extra flowers. Lastly came the bird in flight and some white paint splatters before everything was mounted on my card base.

Materials used:

• card - basic white, boho blue (Stampin' Up)
• Tim Holtz products - oxide inks in shabby shutters, bundled sage, speckled egg; Quote Chips - Labels; picket fence distress paint
• Stamperia Welcome Home collection - rub ons, ephemera
• other - blending brushes, rub on tool, paint brush, craft foam, Dimensionals, water spritzer

I hope you'll be inspired to create with our mood boards and share in our gallery. Do visit The Card Concept blog to see more samples made by my team mates, and thanks for calling in.

Cheers

Kerry

JAI #649 - Just Add a Colour Combo

Hello and welcome; it's time for another colour challenge with Just Add Ink and the combo we have for you this week is a stunner!

Bermuda bay has long been one of my favourite SU colours and I'll be sad to see it go 😞, so it was nice to have the opportunity to give it a good send off, so to speak. Today I've paired the challenge colours with some neutral black in a simple layered card. 

I've had the ombre paper for some time but haven't used it until now - I'm going to have to get it out again soon though, because I rather love the effect here with the embossing. It's quite thin paper and my Big Shot has a ton of pressure, so there's a few little cracks but as there's nothing I can do to fix it, I'm telling myself leaves do often have cracks in them! 😉 As you know, I love layering up my sentiment dies and this one has three layers, making it a nice solid base for the birdie to sit on. 

Materials used:

• card - basic black, basic white, SU retired ombre DSP
• other - floating foliage 3D embossing folder (Altenew), layered songbird dies (SSS), hugs die, blending brushes, Dimensionals, craft foam, black gem, Big Shot, water and paintbrush

Be sure to check out other inspiration for these colours over on the challenge blog and of course we'd love to see your own creations in the gallery.

Thanks for calling in.

Cheers

Kerry

JAI #622 - Just Choose Two

It's time for another Just Add Ink challenge and this week it's a 'pick two' variety.

I chose 'friends' and 'foliage' for my mixed media piece.

I can definitely picture these three birds having a good old natter as they perch there, can't you? Just catching up or maybe sharing where the best food supplies or nesting materials are. 😀

Materials used:

• stamps - Entomology (Tim Holtz)
• card - crumb cake and basic black (SU), Curators Meadow Solids pack and 6x8" Collection pack (49 and Market)
• other Curators Meadow Collection items - 12x12" Rub-On Transfer Sheet, Laser Cut Elements
• other Tim Holtz products - picket fence and frayed burlap distress paints, vintage photo distress archival ink, ground espresso distress oxide ink, rusty hinge distress spray stain, distress crackle texture paste, mini bubble stencil, palette knife, water spritzer
• other - sponge daubers, distressing tool, craft foam, Dimensionals, Wordies Sentiment Sheets - Friendship (Creative Expressions)

Head on over to the JAI blog to see which two items my team mates picked for their amazing creations, and of course we'd love you to 'choose two' and join us.

Thanks for calling in.

Cheers

Kerry

It's Not Happening

Was in the mood for a play today and as Tim Holtz's Silhouette Birds dies had recently arrived in my letterbox, they were the tool du jour. Also tried out one of SU's new in-colours, sweet sorbet, pairing it with daffodil delight for a sunrise kind of feel to my smooshed background.

The birds are cut from card which has a kraft core, so I sanded them back a bit for this lovely rustic effect. And as I was in a somewhat frivolous mood, I picked my sentiment stickers from Tim's Snarky pack. I am absolutely sure that every woman out there can relate to this one, especially after the last couple of years. In fact, if not for the plumber checking my gas and hot water connections while this was being made, I probably would have been sans pants and bra! Lol.

Materials used:

• stamps - Entomology (Tim Holtz)
• card - watercolour, Distress Kraft-Stock Neutrals, daffodil (Kaisercard)
• dies - Silhouette Birds (TH), Bundle of Baby Clothes (MFT), stitched rectangle 
• SU inks - sweet sorbet, daffodil delight
• other - sanding block, Dimensionals, Big Shot, craft foam, Small Talk Snarky stickers (TH), black soot archival ink, sponge dauber

Thanks for calling in.

Cheers

Kerry

Challenge Duo

Today's card is for two challenges: my old friends at CAS on Friday are challenging us to use stencils and the good folks at Color Throwdown have another lovely combo to try.

 

Lime green, aqua and gold

Now, you know I'm a sucker for a good colour combo plus how could I resist the chance to use stencils? As an added bonus, it gave me an excuse to play with two of Stampin' Up's new in colours. Here's my clean and simple card:

I firstly stamped in gold ink then used layering stencils to colour the stamped image, brushing lightly for the first layer then putting more concentrated ink on for the second layer. I cut out the image using the matching die, found a sentiment and added a few gold pearls and voila! card done! 

Materials used:

• stamps - Itty Bitty Greetings (SU)
• stamp/die/stencils - Songbirds on Branches (PinkFresh Studios)
• inks - Tahitian tide, parakeet party (SU), Golden Glitz (Delicata), Tuxedo Black (Memento)
• other - clear embossing powder, heat tool, gold pearls, Stamparatus, Big Shot, blending brushes, Dimensionals, craft foam, stitched rectangle die, black marker

I hope you get the opportunity to be crafty today. Thanks for stopping by. 

Cheers

Kerry

Use Your Wings - CAS on Friday Challenge #214

For Challenge #214 Janneke has given us this great sketch:

I've taken a fairly liberal interpretation of the sketch, making an inky splodge background rather than a precise circle and using a tree branch as my horizontal line. 

Materials used:

• stamps - Tiny Text (Tim Holtz)
• card - early espresso, watercolour
• distress oxide inks - speckled egg, stormy sky, weathered wood, crackling campfire, walnut stain, vintage photo
• dies - Feathered Friends (TH), Colourful Seasons (SU)
• other - water spritzer, heat tool, MISTI, black rhinestone, distress crayons, sponge dauber

I do hope you'll take a look at the samples my fellow team members have made to inspire you and even be tempted to join our challenge. Just follow the link here.

Thanks for calling in.

Cheers

Kerry