Happy Birthday Branch

 


Welcome to this week's LIMES inspiration post!

I chose this card as my inspiration from the gallery of this week's Splitcoaststampers' Featured Stamper!

LIST: Colours (white, lime, navy, pink), Techniques (stamping, colouring), Elements (geometric background, large frame, flowers, bird, two happy birthday tags - one square, one rectangle, ribbon)

INCLUDE: Colours, navy frame, birthday theme

MODIFY: changed stamped,coloured bird/flowers to inlaid die cut branch, added gold, birthday sentiment in right corner, narrower navy frame, inkblended green background with no coloured geometric elements

EXCLUDE: no recessed feature, no ribbon or tag. 

SPIN: 4.25" square card (fits in A2-sized envelope so no extra postage!)

I am loving this colour combination - I can't decide if it's spring (like my inspiration card), fall or winter (more like mine) and I think by choosing one of the colours to emphasize, you can easily change the feel.  

I used my navy ink direct to paper on my card base, to create a flat frame. I blended olive ink onto a smaller panel, letting it fade to white near the top. I splattered water over that for some interest. My branch die set has two layers - an outline and a solid base, and I cut 2 of the base from white cardstock, and 1 of the outline from gold cardstock and one from white (for the leaf inserts).

I stacked it all up and added a stamped sentiment in the corner, and finished with some Sunny Sparkle gems. 

Dot Merry Christmas

Welcome to this week's LIMES inspiration post!

I chose this card as my inspiration from the gallery of this week's Splitcoaststampers' Featured Stamper!

LIST: Colours (pastels with darker stamping), Techniques (watercolour stamping, stamping), Elements (grid of squares with stamped images)

INCLUDE: pastel colours with darker stamping, 

MODIFY: grid of circles, stenciled instead of watercolour stamping, white gel pen highlights added to black stamping

EXCLUDE:

SPIN: square card

I think what drew me to this inspiration card is the versatility of this design. A grid can work as a background in any colours, for any occasion, and I even changed the squares to circles, so that works too!

I blended 3 colours through a stencil of circles and I love how each circle got a unique mix of colours. Before removing the stencil, I spritzed the panel with iridescent shimmer spray. I used some small stamps from an Avery Elle stamp set in each circle and I added white gel pen highlights. My sentiment was stamped in black on a white strip and then backed on a slightly wider strip blended with the same 3 inks. I finished with some multi coloured sequins.

Stamp Positioner Show Down

 

Today, I'm sharing my thoughts on my 4 stamp positioners - which one is best? Watch here to help you decide!

Happy Birthday

Welcome to this week's LIMES inspiration post!

I chose this card as my inspiration from the gallery of this week's Splitcoaststampers' Featured Stamper!

LIST: Colours (red, yellow, blue, white, green), Techniques (stencil, die cut, stamping, inkblending) Elements (square pattern multi-colour background, parrot, two pink circles, white sentiment strip with red stamping, stickles)

INCLUDE: yellow, blue, white green, stencil, die cut, ink blending, square pattern multi-colour background, stickles
MODIFY: pink instead of red, white die cut sentiment, one pink circle instead of 2
EXCLUDE: parrot
SPIN:

I was absolutely intrigued by the colourful, grid background in my inspiration card. I love geometrics and I love ink blending, so I grabbed a stencil and 4 inks and created my background. 

I added green to my background since I knew I wouldn't be able to add a green parrot and I cut out a circle from the centre. I added Stardust stickles to all the edges for a bit of sparkle.

I inlaid my pink circle and that solid colour helped to make my die cut birthday sentiment stand out.

Remembering Lindsey

Today, we are remembering our friend Lindsey with a blog hop (see details below for how you can help!)

To honour her memory, I chose this card from Lindsey's blog as my inspiration. 

LIST: Colours (red, orange, yellow, brown, black), Techniques (alcohol inks, die cutting, tearing, heat embossing), Elements (3 leaves on kraft background, black border, torn vellum sympathy sentiment strip)

INCLUDE: red orange yellow, brown, alcohol inks, die cutting 

MODIFY: proportions of colour - I used my alcohol ink panel as a background, thanks instead of sympathy, 3 gold outlined vellum leaves, black 'frame' is die cut 

EXCLUDE: tearing

BLOG HOP DETAILS:

Today, we are hopping in memory of our dear friend and fellow card maker, Lindsey Martin-Penny, who sadly passed away last year from a rare and aggressive form of ovarian cancer. 

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and Lindsey’s husband Burke thought it would be a great time to sell off her many craft supplies, with all of the proceeds going towards Lindsey’s Legacy Fund for Clear Cell Ovarian Cancer Research in cooperation with The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.

The purpose of this hop will be to honour Lindsey, celebrate her life and all that she loved, as well as help spread the word to raise funds for clear cell ovarian cancer research.  You can help in one of several ways!

1. Purchase a Flat Rate Mailer stuffed with loads of fabulous craft supplies.  These can only be mailed within Canada and there will be no tax receipts provided with the purchase of these boxes.  A box of craft supplies would make a great gift for yourself, a crafty friend or a child/classroom!  For details about the boxes and how you can go about purchasing one, please email lindseyslegacyfund@rogers.com with the message "Craft Box" or visit Lindsey’s original blog, Bashful Blogging.  Every craft box purchased in September will be entered into a draw and one lucky winner will win a $100 gift certificate to Scrap ‘n Stamp.

2. During the month of September, shop at Scrap ‘n Stamp using the code LINDSEY10 at checkout.  You will get 10% off your purchase (sale items excluded) and Scrap ‘n’ Stamp will donate 10% of their proceeds to Lindsey’s Legacy Fund.

3. Any donations over $15 made directly to Lindsey’s Legacy Fund will receive a digital tax receipt.

4. Repost this hop on your social media and encourage others to share!

Lindsey’s Legacy Hop begins at Emily Leiphart’s blog.  If you get lost along the way, please return to Emily’s blog where she will have the entire hop list.

The next stop on the hop is Jess on Instagram. Please be sure to leave a comment at each of the stops where you can learn more about Lindsey’s life, loves and her legacy.

Thanks so much for hopping with us!

Happy Birthday in Pinks

Welcome to this week's LIMES inspiration post!

I chose this card as my inspiration from the gallery of this week's Splitcoaststampers' Featured Stamper!

LIST: Colours (pink, white), Techniques (die cutting, stamping), Elements (die cut geometric background over white embossed dots, ribbon, scalloped circle sentiment, baby theme)

INCLUDE: pink, white, die cutting, stamping, pink geometric pattern with white dots, circle sentiment

MODIFY: reversed colours, die cut dots, birthday, not baby, 2 brighter pinks, 

EXCLUDE: ribbon, scallop

SPIN: gold splatter, square card

I love geometric backgrounds (especially this geo circle pattern) because they are so versatile - my inspiration is pretty pink with dainty dots and scallops, perfect for a baby girl. I punched up the colours, made my dots bigger (and die cuts rather than embossed), and added a high-contrast sentiment with gems for a birthday card perfect for my nephew's fiancee's birthday card. 

Super Smooth Gel Blending

I found a faster way to ink blend perfectly smooth panels - only one of these panels was ink blended - the other two were 'gel-blended' - can you tell which is which? 

Merry Christmas Poinsettia

Welcome to this week's LIMES inspiration post!

I chose this card as my inspiration from the gallery of this week's Splitcoaststampers' Featured Stamper!

LIST: Colours (purple, green, white, yellow), Techniques (die cutting), Elements (single 'half'-flower with white outline, sentiment strip, varied background, white lacy mat on dark card base).

INCLUDE: green, white, yellow, die cutting, flower, sentiment strip, varied background

MODIFY: gel prints instead of patterned paper, poinsettia/Christmas instead of thank you theme, red instead of purple, full flower, stitching instead of lace on white mat, white circle mat instead of white outline on the flower, flower centred instead of to the right

I love that deep purple colour but it's time for me to start making some Christmas cards, so I changed up the occasion and used red instead of blackberry. I created my red and green 'paper' with a gel plate and some shimmery acrylic paints. I love how easy it is to create so much interest by using different shades of the 'solid' colour you want, and layering them up for depth. 

My poinsettia didn't have an outline, so I added the effect with a white circle mat behind the flower

Card Making: Where do I Start?!

 

You've got lots of ideas of things to try, but when you sit down to craft, your mind goes blank - where do you start?