Fancy Frost CTC105

It's Sunday here, which means it's time for another bloghop at CASE-ing The Catty. You may have arrived here from my buddy and roomie, Kathryn Mangelsdorf or perhaps you are starting out here, either way, bloghops go full-circle so make sure you check out what the crew has shared this week.

We are CASE-ing pages 36-45, Fancy Frost this week and I have to say, the colour palette is my favourite thing here. Well...perhaps it's those sparkly sequins in such sweet colours. I had to have them, but I'm notorious for forgetting to add the bling to my cards, so very proud of today's effort. I was inspired by the bottom image, but ended up moving things around to suit myself!

Flower Patch provided the pretty blossoms, there is a glimpse of the NEW Dragonfly Dream (available January 2017) in copper foil and some other stamps from Birthday Blossoms. A little copper metallic thread and a scattering of those sequins finished of this card.

It is always nice to take the time to finish the inside too and this one has been finished with another couple of stamps from Birthday Blossoms and some washi tape. Love the grouping of blossoms in this stamp set, and the script for the sentiments is certainly pretty too.

I'm keeping it short and sweet this week, as there has been such a lot going on in my life and I desperately need an early night. Don't forget the online extravaganza starting after midnight, with bigger savings on the first and last days. You can go straight to my online store if you'd like me to be your demonstrator and if you use the Hostess code, (SVAGUCMK) I'll send you a surprise in the mail. I do hope you like my card, please leave a comment.

Cheers, Rachel

You're heading to Kelly over in Bunbury, WA

And if you'd like to share your creations with us, this is the link for the whole of November

Everyday Occasions - CTC88

Welcome back to the CASE-ing The Catty Blog Hop. This week we return to the Everyday Occasions pages 66-91.It is full to the brim with inspiration, and I love to see how everyone interprets designs in different ways, whether by using a different colour scheme, or stamp set.

I turned to page 69 and CASE-d both cards in the picture using different stamps. For the one on the left it was Flower Patch. This was the first photopolymer stamp I bought, and in the beginning, we had some issues with the larger images. They were a bit patchy when they stamped, sometimes a bit bubbly too. The remedies vary, as there are many different reasons for problems. Often the ink pad was too juicy or the stamp needed seasoning before it gave a good image. Something else I always do now is use a pierce mat underneath my card.

The result is a much clearer image, and I'm loving Flower Patch again. I have trouble holding back, and after stamping out a lot of lovely blooms, I used a whole bunch on my banner! I realised quite quickly that the Burlap Ribbon would be totally wasted in behind, so there is one strip, and a loop at the top. I wound some gold metallic thread behind the flowers too. The background looked a little bare, so another image from Flower Patch has been stamped randomly. The colour palette with the addition of this years InColors is so pretty, and you get a darker shade when stamping an image in the same colour on top, like with the Sweet Sugarplum flower and the Mint Macaroon leaf.


The card on the right of this picture provided a seed of inspiration for my second card, but not having this punch, an alternative was needed. I am loving the Sunshine Wishes thinlets but want to use the Sunshine Sayings stamps a little more. 

Layering Love, with large, flamboyant sayings was my choice for this card. I have mirror-imaged the positions of everything, it seemed to fit better that way. The original flower cut in Bermuda Bay DSP wasn't noticeable, so a second flower has been added in gold foil to match the gold foil doiley.

Don't forget, Stampin' Up!® has a Bonus Days promotion happening through this month. For every $90 you spend with Stampin' Up!® in July, you will be emailed a $9 discount code to use in August. That's like a 10% discount! You can shop in my Online Store if you have a shipping address in Australia, and if you use the Hostess Code, 9Z44PC2P you'll receive something extra from me in the post.

Don't forget to travel right around the blog hop, with a cup or glass of something beside you perhaps, if last weeks hop is anything to go by, you'll be hooked for a while! Next is the lovely Rebecca with some more inspiration from the Everyday Ovvasions section of the catalogue

If you'd like to join in the challenge at CASE-ing The Catty, this is the link to post your entry to.

Cheers, Rachel

Way To Go!

I was sad to see Boutique Borders retire - I really like the 3 stamps in this set. Anyway, for a bit of fun, I've mixed a retiring stamp, a carryover stamp and a brand new stamp on this card. 

Flower Patch is the stamp set that has carried over, and I'm loving it more this year than when it first came out.That might be because I've finally mastered stamping with photopolymer stamps, so it's much more enjoyable. It's a blessing to have the Flower Fair Framelits to cut out all the different pieces. 

The new stamp is I Think You're Great, which I received at Convention this year. I've hung onto the retired Word Bubbles Framelits for cutting out different sentiments and they seem to fit this banner greeting too. I wonder if you can see that I used the 'kissing' technique on the 'way to go'? I think it echoes the pattern of the Boutique Borders with the scallops.

Looking through the Color Throwdown design team cards, I noticed that 3 of them really picked up on the pattern in the bedcover, funny!

Cheers, 

Rachel

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Amazing Weekly Deals 8th-14th April and Bonus Bundles!

These are the BEST Weekly Deals ever! I'm not sure whether I've ever said that before, but I'm definitely saying it this week!!

It would be so easy to make up a great order with just the items you want/need from these deals and the Bonus Bundles, which finish next Wednesday (15th). I have to admit, one of the reasons I became a Stampin' Up!® demonstrator was so I could have all these wonderful products, and every single item on that Weekly Deal flyer is in my craft room already. Another reason I love being a demonstrator, is to share the joy of creating with Stampin' Up!® colour co-ordinated cards, inks and ribbon and matching dies, punches and stamps.

Naturally, to be excited by these goodies, you'd really need to have a Big Shot, the must-have crafting tool. When you buy the Big Shot, it comes with a standard multipurpose platform to get you started. Later, you might want to upgrade to the Magnetic Platform -130658. The magnetic platform holds all your small framelit pieces in place and does away with the need to use post-it notes to secure them.

One of my favourite Framelits is Banners - 132173, you can stamp onto them, dry emboss or leave them plain. There are six different sizes, so you can even layer them like I did with the gold foil banner under the stamped banner in the picture above.

The Framelit Stars -133723 is great for masculine cards, graduation and Christmas. Even die cutting and leaving the void is a great way to use them. Again, there are a number of size options, five in total, so you can layer, stack and frame with these framelits.

Flower Fair Framelits -133731, even without the Flower Patch stamp, gives you a huge selection of flowers and foliage and since the stamp set is photopolymer, it isn't as expensive as the red rubber stamps. Most of the Framelits have more than a $10 saving off the regular price.

Would you prefer a flower punch instead? Fun Flower- 133785 is one of the newer ones and matches Beautiful Bunch (3 different images) and the single stamp Bloom For You. It's a $7.50 saving off the regular price of the punch.

I haven't covered everything on the flyer, you might already be sick of reading, but let me just remind you too, of the Bonus Bundles which are on offer for a fortnight, finishing next Wednesday.

If you would like to take advantage of these promotions you can order anytime of the day or night at my online store or you can phone me (0417 500 681) with your order and credit card details at reasonable times of the day or evening.

If you include this hostess code  6MGVWWGH at checkout, I will send a small gift separate to your order from Stampin' Up!®.

Now, what will you make first?

Rachel

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Blissful Bloom HSS#196 SFF100314

Ooooh, this is a bit of fun! An interesting colour combination, PLUS an intricate sketch. The issue then becomes, "What shall I make?"

I tried a few different things before I settled on this landscape version of the sketch, provided by Kathy Clark for Sketch Frenzy Friday.

HandStamped Sentiments came up with the colour combo. The dramatic Blackberry Bliss blossom paired with the soft green of Pear Pizazz  are a match made in heaven. Even though it isn't very traditional, I'm rather fond of the Christmas version I stamped using Endless Wishes too! Maybe I will blog that one soon.

I ended up using leaves from Kinda Eclectic, they're quite similar to Summer Silhouette leaves, so either stamp set is great for background foliage. From my earlier attempts I've gone with the 'Less is More' theory, it tends to work better.

Following the sketch, I layered a piece of  All Is Calm DSP, down one side, but I ended up making it even with the second layer of background. I'm sure you observent readers will notice the Handcarved stamp there. The greeting from Flower Patch seemed a 'Good Fit' and provides a little touch of black, alongside the flower centre.

I made this card this morning, before going to the movies with a very good friend, and then rushing home for Grandma-time with Oliver, who has just spent a delightful two hours with us. The weather is perfect, the garden is a picture and I feel rested and relaxed, ready for work tomorrow. Hope you're feeling good too,

Rachel

This pretty poppy greeted me this morning - so lovely!

Bloom For You Wood-Mount Stamp Set

$16.95

Fun Flower Punch

$29.95

Beautiful Bunch Wood-Mount Stamp Set

$48.95

Beautiful Bunch Clear-Mount Stamp Set

$34.95

Kinda Eclectic Wood-Mount Stamp Set

$48.95

Kinda Eclectic Clear-Mount Stamp Set

$34.95

Handcarved Wood-Mount Stamp Set

$30.95

Handcarved Clear-Mount Stamp Set

$24.95

Flower Patch Photopolymer Stamp Set

$44.95

All Is Calm Specialty Designer Series Paper

$21.95

Blackberry Bliss Classic Stampin' Pad

$9.95

Blackberry Bliss A4 Card Stock

$11.95

Sahara Sand A4 Card Stock

$11.95

Sahara Sand Classic Stampin' Pad

$9.95

Table by StampinBuddy. Try it FREE.

Sparkle In Pink

I love the weekend, and I am really enjoying this one. I finished my chores as quickly as possible and have enjoyed the garden in the spring sunshine. I did a little crafting last night, although I have been working on my Project Life too. I was so far behind (four years in fact) that my initial job was to get them into order in the albums. I have been going through and adding in journaling cards and sometimes printing some additional photos.

I've struggled to make cards this week. I was just too tired after work, but last night I was a little more relaxed and I put together this pretty little pink number. I love the sketch Amy O'Neill has for the Freshly Made Sketches challenge this week. I'm a big fan of Amy's work so it stands to reason I'd like her sketch, and her card too. You just need to click on Freshly Made Sketches and it will take you to the blog where you will see oodles of inspiration.

While I was sorting out my design, I decided to use the colours in this week's colour challenge at ColourQ. Black, pink and silver can be put-together so many different ways. I chose to use Blushing Bride because I didn't have Pretty In Pink, with a teensy bit of black, and a little more silver. It was lots of fun layering up the Flower Patch blossom. Die cutting is a breeze with the matching dies, Flower Fair framelits. Project Life Cards & Labels framelits cut a strip of silver glimmer paper. Silver Glimmer paper has a tendency to blunt cutting blades and punches, but doesn't seem to cause the same problems with framelits.

It does seem to shed a bit of its glimmer on the Big Shot cutting plates, causing lots of the projects that follow to 'sparkle' too!!!!!






I wish the camera had succeeded in picking up the gorgeous sparkle, you'll just have to believe me.

On Wednesday night this week, I had the thrill of seeing the later stages of a Luna eclipse, after the cloud cleared. I found it amazing to see the distinct shadow on the surface of the moon.

Happy card-making,

Rachel

Flower Patch Photopolymer Stamp Set

$44.95

Flower Patch Photopolymer Bundle

$74.75

Good Greetings Wood-Mount Stamp Set

$38.00

All Abloom Designer Series Paper Stack

$11.95

Blushing Bride Classic Stampin' Pad

$9.95

Blushing Bride A4 Card Stock

$11.95

Basic Black A4 Card Stock

$11.95

Silver Glimmer Paper

$8.95

Project Life Cards & Labels Framelits

$42.95

Table by StampinBuddy. Try it FREE.