Friday Inspiration and Freshly Made Sketches #523

 Welcome back, thank you for stopping in today. I played along with the latest Freshly Made Sketches challenge and with the Hello Ladybug bundle from the January-June Mini Catalogue (JJMC2022).

As soon as I saw the new sketch layout, ladybugs came to mind. Maybe it's because I already created a card with them in a similar layout when I CASED the catty. The Hello Ladybug bundle and the Rainbow Of Happiness bundle are my favourites from the JJMC2022.

Supplies used:

• Hello Ladybug bundle: 157699 (save 10%, bundle savings)
• Thick Basic White card stock: 159229
  
• Basic Black  card stock: 121045
• Bermuda Bay card stock: 131197
• Basic White card stock: 159276
• Sunshine & Rainbows DSP: 158126 (Free SAB with $60 order)
• Memento Black ink pad: 132708
• Real Red ink pad: 147084
• Granny Apple Green ink pad: 147095
  
• Coastal Cabana ink pad: 147097
• Paper Snips Scissors: 103579
• Stampin' Dimensionals: 104430

And never a naked envelope. By simply adding DSP to the flap and stamping a leaf, you have a nicely coordinating envelope and card. Then you add scraps of black card stock and more DSP, a easily decorated inside. KISS (Keep It Simply Simple) is the perfect acronym for how to decorate and coordinate your inside of card and envelope. Don't over think it!

 

Hope you enjoyed today's inspiration and squeeze in some crafty time this weekend.

Step It Up Saturday

 Well it’s Saturday! For most people that means sleeping in, but oh no, not me. It’s right before the crack of dawn (4:30am) and as I roll over in bed, a thought comes in my head about this post. Now my brain is like a dog with a bone: it won’t let it go until I see it through.

Earlier this week, I posted a simple Beginner card that I cased from the SAB (Sale-A-Bration) brochure on my Facebook group, Diane’s Craft Space.

It came together quickly and used minimal products: stamp, ink, paper, scissors (to fussy cut the ladybug instead of the added cost of the punch) and adhesive. Beginners don’t have much of a card making stash but as shown here, they can still make a pretty awesome card. 

Once I finished this card, I thought, this can easily be stepped up for a Casual card maker.

On this card, instead of stamping my background, I added DSP (Designer Series Paper). I also added a matte for the sentiment, black dots and a small bow to the lady bug. These additions are quite inexpensive to purchase once you already own stamp, ink, paper, basic tools and adhesive.

Now comes the stepped up version for the Avid crafter. They have been card making for some time, they already own the basics and can now add the big guns to their collection of craft supplies.

Here we introduce the Stampin’ Cut & Emboss machine, a die and an embossing folder as well as the coordinating Ladybug Builder punch. Now I’m not saying a Beginner can’t use or afford the big guns. They can. If they have the budget and some tutelage, it can easily be done. It’s just most Beginners need to pace themselves into the art of card making supplies and knowledge. It’s also good for an Avid or Casual stamper to go back to basics sometimes. Sometimes less is more and more doesn’t mean better.

Here are my cards side by side to compare “skill” levels.

Supplies used Beginner:

• Hello Ladybug stamp set: 157693 (optional: Hello Ladybug Bundle: 157699)
• Brights card stock assortment: 146975 (optional: individual colours Bermuda Bay: 131197 and Coastal Cabana: 131297)
• Bermuda Bay ink pad: 147096
• Coastal Cabana ink pad: 147097
• Memento Jet Black ink pad: 132708
• Real Red ink pad: 147084
• Paper Snip Scissors: 103579
• Stampin’ Dimensionals: 104430

Add on supplies for Casual stamper:

• Matte Black Dots: 154284
• Linen Thread: 104199
• Sunshine & Rainbows 6x6 Designer Series Paper: 158126 (free from SAB brochure when you spend $60)

Add on for the Avid crafter:

• Stampin’ Cut & Emboss machine: 149653
• Greenery embossing folder: 152716
• Forever Flourishing dies: 152714
• Matte Black Dots: 154284
• Linen Thread: 104199

I hope you enjoyed seeing my stepped up versions of a very simple card. Here is the inspiration from the SAB brochure:

Have yourself a very merry Saturday! Make some time this weekend to get your craft on. I’m off for coffee number two and fingers crossed: a nap this afternoon.

Global Design Project #324: Case the Designer

 Welcome back to my blog this cold wintry Sunday. Things are warming up though. Today we are at -18C (feels like -24C), all of last week was -23C to -27C with windchills freezing our butts at -37. And then we have tomorrow, temps are going up to -4C for a couple of days and a couple more at +3C. Now who can complain about a winter like that?

I decided to play along with Global Design Project this morning, not realizing that the challenge ended soon after I started. Just because I didn't make the deadline though, doesn't mean I wasted my time. I had fun and you're going to love it. Here it is:

The theme is CASE (Copy And Selectively Edit) the designer. 

I promised to showcase the Friendly Hello Designer Series Paper so this was the right layout. Of course I had to use my little birdie friend again. I had a hard time deciding how I would pop him. You should have seen the mess on my desk as I tried different things but in the end, I like what I came up with.

Supplies I used:

• Friendly Hello stamp set:159990 (FREE SAB product)
  
• Memento ink pad: 132708
• VersaMark ink pad: 102283
  
• Soft Suede ink pad: 147115
• Gray Granite ink pad: 147118
• Pool Party ink pad: 147107
• Fresh Freesia ink pad: 155611
• Granny Apple Green ink pad: 147095
• Basic Black card stock: 121045
• Fresh Freesia card stock: 155613
• Granny Apple Green card stock: 146990
• Basic White card stock: 159276
• Friendly Hello DSP: 159990 (FREE SAB product)
• Heat Tool: 129053
• White Embossing powder: 155554
• Water Painters: 151298
• Stampin' Cut & Emboss machine: 149653
• Forever Flourishing dies: 152714
• Layering Circle dies: 151770
• Stitched Rectangles dies: 151820
• Stitched Shapes dies: Retired
• Stampin' Dimensional: 104430
  

To decorate the envelope, I stamped the leaf image randomly on the back flap and a couple more in the corners on the front. For the inside of the card, a little DSP and a thin strip of Fresh Freesia finishes it off.

Hope you like this card as much as I do. Want to see more inspiration using this layout? Head on over to the Global Design Project blog, scroll to the bottom and check out all the entries.

Happy Stampin'

Krafty Chicks Challenge #592 : Anything Goes

Happy Krafty Chicks Thursday!

 

I can't believe we are at the end of December and the end of the year already. Boy, how the time flies! Hope you had a great Christmas! Ours was exciting with the little kids around, and loud.  They ran around the house, played games, painted ceramic ornaments, and opened presents. And I think we only had one melt-down. 

It's an AnyThing Goes kind of challenge over on the Krafty Chicks Challenge Blog this week. These are the easiest kind of cards to make since I can play with any theme I want, almost like there aren't any rules. So here's my card:

I went with a birthday theme, as I don't have as many as I thought in my stash. It's time to rebuild! Isn't this a pretty bird?? This is a new set that will be available come January 4th, 2022 for FREE. Sale-A-Bration (SAB) is back January and February. For every $60 you spend in product (does not include shipping and tax), you get to pick an item for FREE. I love that word: FREE! This stamp set comes with a coordinating Designer Series Paper (DSP) and is a $120 Level product.

Supplies I used:

• Friendly Hello stamp set: 159990 (Available after January 4, 2022)
  
• Memento ink pad: 132708
• VersaMark ink pad: 102283
  
• Petal Pink card stock: 146985
• Basic White card stock: 159276
• Basic Black card stock: 121045
• Stampin' Blends Combo Petal Pink: 154893
• Stampin' Blends Combo Granny Apple Green: 154885
• Stampin' Blends Combo Shaded Spruce (light): 154903
  
• Stampin' Blends Combo Daffodil Delight (dark): 154883
• Stampin' Blends Combo Pool Party (light): 154894
• Heat Tool: 129053
• White embossing powder: 155554
• Water Painter: 151298
• Paper Snip Scissors: 103579
  
• Stampin' Dimensionals: 104430
  

 

I kept the inside of the card and the envelope CAS by simply stamping and colouring the bird and adding a few more splatters.

I also played along with the following challenges:

Freshly Made Sketches

Global Design Project

Stampin' Up! Only Challenges: #291, theme CELEBRATIONS

Head on over to the Krafty Chicks Challenge Blog for more details about the challenge and for more inspiration for Christmas week from the Design Team. There's even a place to upload your project at the end. I hope you play along with us and show us what's happening in your craft space.

Here's a direct link to our wonderful Design Team's personal blogs:

Leanne's Blog

Melanie's Blog

Lori's Blog

Kylie (Guest Designer)