Saturday, September 29, 2018

OCC Colour Theory Day 1 - Bright Lights


I've been doing the OCC Colour Theory Class with Debby Hughes, and I'm really enjoying pushing outside my colour boundaries.  You know how it is, you grab the same few colours every time because they 'go' and you like them.  But what about all those other poor neglected colours?  It's about time they took their rightful place alongside the faves, and this is the course that will make me do it.

Well, I'm pushing outside my colour boundaries, but I can't get beyond using Distress Inks.  I got my pan watercolours out, I got my tube watercolours out, looked at them and put them back in favour of my Distress Inks.  Can't break the habit.

We started off by making a colour wheel using the three primary colours, then making secondary and tertiary colours.  I used the nearest colours to primary: Candied Apple, Squeezed Lemonade and Blueprint Sketch, then made my secondaries and tertiaries.


Some of those new colours looked familiar, so I matched them with the nearest colours of existing Distress Inks so that I wouldn't have to mix them.


Which then prompted me to do something I've been meaning to do for ages - a full colour swatch chart of Distress Inks.  Easy peasy with the minis, just stamp them and add water.


Haven't done my homework for secondary and tertiary colours yet, but I'm entering my primary one into Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes.



Friday, September 28, 2018

STAMPlorations Christmas Release - Day 4


It's the final day of the STAMPlorations Christmas Release, and today we're focusing on the CUTplorations Doodled Christmas Candles Coverplate, Christmas Blessings and Making Spirits Bright dies.

For my first card I cut the phrase out of mirri card and used bright colours for my Layered Lights


A fussy-cut poinsettia and a black frame for the Christmas Blessings die.


My original idea with this next card was to score the lines then sponge the colours, but I wasn't happy with the effect, so I cut another plate from white paper, knocked all the bits out then overlaid it.  Much better!


This next one looks clean and simple, but it actually took quite a while to trim all the pieces away!


Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog for some gorgeous creations from the rest of the team.  We hope you've enjoyed this release and blog hop and that it's given you some inspiration for your Christmas cards.  Don't forget to leave a comment on the designer's blogs and the STAMPlorations blog every day for maximum changes of winning a $25 gift certificate to the store.

If you can't wait, stamps and dies (including new release) in the CHRISTMAS CUTplorations Dies section are 10% off automatically until 8 October - use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY for an extra 20% off!

Thursday, September 27, 2018

Seize The Birthday - Travel


Hellooo!  Welcome to another Seize The Birthday Challenge, with an optional topping of Travel.  Ive used this fab image from Tim Holtz, stamped in Versafine Onyx Black onto a smooshed background. The sentiment is from Swedish House and the chevrons are from STAMPlorations.

Pop on over to the Seize The Birthday blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the rest of the design team, and from our surprise party guest, Marianne, and play along.

I'm entering this into Shopping Our Stash - Use The Smooshing Technique.


STAMPlorations Christmas Release - Day 3


Helloooo!  We're back with Day 3 of the Christmas Release mini hop, and today we're looking at my final set, Layered Poinsettias.


So we've got a full bloom, a side bloom and two leaves, all in solid and line images and a couple of dot clusters to use as the centres, along with a few words.  Don't forget, the images won't align properly, because they're not meant to.  We're being artsy here ;)

I think poinsettias are stunning in the coral and cream colours, as well as the vibrant reds, so I've started with coral.  I cut out the stamped images and mounted them onto a sloshed background.


After I'd stamped the images on this card I painted in the background colour, adding depth near the flowers, then I masked the flowers and stamped the words in Old Paper for a subtle background.


How about a clean and graphic style?


On this one I stamped the outline images in complementary colours rather than black, and stamped the stamens in yellow.  Added a bit of torn Washi tape to finish.


Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog to see what the other designers have created, and don't forget to leave a comment on each designer's blog and the STAMPlorations blog every day for maximum chances of winning a $25 gift certificate to the store.

If you can't wait, stamps and dies (including new release) in the CHRISTMAS CUTplorations Dies section are 10% off automatically until 8 October - use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY for an extra 20% off!

See you tomorrow when we're playing with Shery's CUTplorations dies!

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

STAMPlorations Christmas Release - Day 2


Helloooo!  Welcome to the second day of our mini blog hop featuring my newest stamps, along with some fab dies from Shery.  Today we're focusing on Layered Mistletoe.


There's a solid image and line image for the bunch of mistletoe, a couple of berries in different sizes, a twine bow and some words to make your own sentiments.  Don't forget, the two images for the bunch won't align properly, because they're not meant to.

For my first card, I've used a piece of mixed media paper ripped from a comb-bound pad.  I stamped and spritzed the solid image stamp repeatedly until I got the desired effect, then once it was dry I overstamped with the line image.  The twine bow was stamped on spare and trimmed.  I used Nuvo drops for the berries.


How about a little monochrome for an understated card?


Or stamp the outline image then slosh a little Distress Ink on.  I'm a messy worker, and I ended up with some red Distress Ink on the side of my hand, which transferred onto the card so I turned it into a big slosh across the bottom :)


For this last card I stamped in Bundled Sage for a bit of no-line watercolouring.


Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog to see what the other designers have created, and don't forget to leave a comment on each designer's blog and the STAMPlorations blog every day for maximum chances of winning a $25 gift certificate to the store.

If you can't wait, stamps and dies (including new release) in the CHRISTMAS CUTplorations Dies section are 10% off automatically until 8 October - use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY for an extra 20% off!

See you tomorrow with my final set.

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

STAMPlorations Christmas Release - Day 1


Christmas is starting early at STAMPlorations!  I've got three new stamp sets out this week so we're having a mini blog hop, and today we're focusing on Layered Lights.


There are three shapes with coordinating solid and line images, but remember, they won't align perfectly because they're not meant to.  Here's what I've been doing with them.


For this first card, I stamped the line images and string.  If the string doesn't join where you want it to, just use a fineliner pen to draw some extra loops - I also drew some extra lines on the hanging loops because I had a gap.  Go on, you've got my permission to add extra scribbles where you need to!  I dry-brushed the wet distress inks to give a hazy look.


I had a piece of spattered Distress Ink background so I stamped the images where they took best advantage of the colours, and added a bit of grey shadow under each light.  This is actually half of the panel, the other half will appear in due course on another card.


This one is on mixed media paper, playing around with Distress Inks again and spritzing.



You don't have to join up the strings, just stamp them wherever you want for an implied tangle.

It wouldn't be a hop without prizes, would it?  Leave a comment on each designer's blog and the STAMPlorations blog every day for maximum chances of winning a $25 gift certificate to the store.

If you can't wait, stamps and dies (including new release) in the CHRISTMAS CUTplorations Dies section are 10% off automatically until 8 October - use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY for an extra 20% off!

See you tomorrow with my next set :)

Monday, September 24, 2018

Tis The Season


Found time to play along in another challenge - Muse Christmas Visions, where Chriss provided this inspiration:

Chriss
Snowy background - check.
Scribbly sentiment - check.
Die cuts - check.
Cute animal face - check.
Holly - ch... erm, antlers, anyone?

The antlers and nose are from The Cat's Pajamas, the sentiment from Tim Holtz, and the eyes from my pen :)

See you tomorrow with my new stamp release.


Friday, September 21, 2018

A Sneak Peek And A Couple of Challenges

Helloooo!  I've not been playing much in challenges lately, been a bit busy with one thing or another, including making samples for my new release of The Bee's Knees Christmas stamps.  Here's a little sneak peek of what I've been up to.  You'll get to see them in full next week:


I've managed to find time to make some cards for challenges this week.

My first card uses a tree from a NBUS Tim Holtz set, and a star from Technique Tuesday, all coloured with Distress Inks (of course!).


I'm entering this in CAS Watercolour Challenge - Tree:


and Simon Says STAMPtember Tim Holtz:


The second challenge is Twofer - Leaves:



I used the larger stamp from the Leaf Canopy set by Altenew to create a watercoloury birthday card using Distress Inks and spritzing (sentiment by Stamps By Me), and also a wedding card, which was totally inspired by this card of Karen Dunbrook's.  This time I stamped in my much-neglected Distress Oxides then die-cut the image.  The background was created with a 3D embossing folder (Crafters Companion Ornate Lace).  The sentiment is a peel-off (gasp!).  Don't judge, I've got a boxload of them to use up :D

Tuesday, September 18, 2018

STAMPlorations Inspiration #187


It's time for some more inspiration at STAMPlorations, and today I'm using one of the images from Big Monsters and pinching a word from Little Monsters to complete my sentiment.

We've got some more fab inspiration for you on the STAMPlorations blog, pop on over.  And don't forget to leave a comment for your chance to win a gift voucher to the store.  

If you're shopping, all stamps, dies and stencils are 15% off today (no code needed) and if you use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY you can get an extra 20% off.  Happy shopping!

Friday, September 14, 2018

Craft Stamper Take It, Make It


Are you playing along in this month's challenge at Craft Stamper Take It, Make It?  It's Anything Goes, so all you need is a rubber/polymer stamp or two and you're in.

I've used Gazette background stamp by Darkroom Door, a sentiment from Uniko Studio Simply Said Blocks II and this fun die from Jane Davenport.

One randomly chosen entrant will receive this fab set of Ecoline brush pens
and the winner chosen by the Design Team will have their entry published in the magazine along with a profile, and have the opportunity to guest design in a future challenge.

Pop on over to the Craft Stamper blog for a gander at some fabulous inspiration from the team, then get those stamps out and play along!

Thursday, September 13, 2018

Seize The Birthday - Die Cuts or Punches


It's time for another Seize The Birthday party, and our topping is die cuts or punches.


Sometimes you just need the die to do all the work for you.  And as a bonus - you get two cards at a time with this die from MFT.  All you need is some colourful card or background paper for a bright and happy birthday card.

Our surprise party guest is Marianne of Marianne's Cards 'n Stuff.  Pop on over to the Seize The Birthday blog to see what Marianne and the Design Team have made with dies or punches, and join in the fun!

Wednesday, September 12, 2018

Another Sketchy Floral Card


I've made myself some time to play along in a couple of challenges.  Here's another Sketchy Floral card I made during my MISTI stamping frenzy, a yellow version this time.  I love how the image lends itself to this style of colouring :)

I'm entering this into Muse, where Tracey has provided this inspiration:


I'm also playing along at Watercooler Wednesday All About Occasions


I'm over on the STAMPlorations blog tonight with a card inspired by bullet journals.  Here's a peek:

Pop on over and take a look!

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

STAMPlorations Inspiration #186


Hi, and welcome to another Inspiration Tuesday from STAMPlorations.  I've not actually used any stamps on this card (don't worry, I've stopped shaking now!).  I raided my stash of backgrounds and found this gorgeous piece using Sanna's Senecio 1 stencil and Paper Artsy Infusions.  The piece is way too nice to cover with a sentiment, so I just diecut a solid dragonfly out of purple card (why does purple never photograph nicely?) and the outline dragonfly out of mirror card, adhering just down the head and body.

On Tuesdays through September all stamps, stencils and dies (except new releases and retiring sets) are 15% off (no coupon needed), and if you use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY you'll get an extra 20% off.

Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog for some fabulous creations by the rest of the Design Team, and don't forget to comment for your chance to win a gift certificate to the store.

Tuesday, September 04, 2018

STAMPlorations Inspiration #185


We've got some more STAMPlorations inspiration for you today. Whilst I was rummaging through my bag of STAMPlorations bits, I found this piece that was a leftover from another project I'd done using Distress Oxides.  The flowers were already in place and trimmed, so all I had to do was add the sentiment (from Baa Baa) and it was hey presto!, a finished card.

Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog for more inspiration from the team, and don't forget to leave a comment for your chance to win a gift certificate to the store.  And if you're shopping, today's a good day to shop because you'll get 15% off all stamps, stencils and dies.  If you use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY you'll get an extra 20% off.

I'm entering this into Simon Says Monday Challenge, Stamp It On.