My Final Just Add Ink Design Team Project

Well, today I will be sharing my project for the final challenge I will be completing with Just Add Ink as a Design Team member. As I am no longer an Independent Stampin' Up demonstrator and I am finding my time is stretched, I am moving aside to concentrate on my craft in My Flutterfly and let someone else have a turn for the next round of Design Team members. I have enjoyed being a part of the JAI team so much. Being part of the DT has made me find the time to continue stamping when things got really busy when Grace was born. I have also met lots of wonderful stampers in the DT girls and I am sure I will keep in touch and join in the challenges when I can. Danielle and Amanda have some exciting DT news coming up soon!!

So, this week's challenge is Just Add Patterned Paper (DSP for the Stampin' Up people). I have made a framed collage/quote, which I will use to decorate my craft room as I slowly get it organised. That could take quite a while, given it's current state, lol. Anyway, here is my frame and, just in case you can't see it clearly, the quote reads: 'Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will', George Bernard Shaw.

Thanks for visiting my blog and let me know if you have any favourite quotes in your craft space to help you get things flowing.

Nicole

Clean and simple card - Just Add Ink colour challenge

Hello, I am just here for a quick share. The challenge over at Just Add Ink this week was a colour challenge. These colours are so bright and fresh and I thought they suited a clean and simple card really well. Here is the colour combination:

And here is my card. I think I will make up a few more of these using different colour combos. I played around for ages coming up with the design but I am happy with it now and it will be very fast to replicate!

Thanks for dropping in. Let me know what you think of my card. Any favourite techniques to use for clean and simple?

Nicole

A sketch challenge journal

Hi everyone.

Today I have a little 6x6 journal that I decorated for this week's challenge over at the Just Add Ink blog. I really like the sketch that Danielle and Amanda put together for this challenge. Straight away I thought of the die cut blooms from SU that I have had in my stash for a while, waiting to be put to use. Here is the JAI sketch for this week:

And here is my journal:

I am quite happy with the way it turned out. I love these colours together and I think this will be the perfect place to record all the funny things my daughter does. One thing I should have done was to trim the dies to sit against the edge of the ribbon, rather than place the ribbon on top as they can be seen through the ribbon. This is not so obvious in real life, but in the photo you can see the ridges clearly. I didn't want to pull it all apart as it probably would have ruined the DSP background. Oh well, I'll know for next time!! Would love to know what you think and see any journals you've done. By the way, does anyone seal their journals with mod podge or anything similar? Mine always seem to get a but tatty around the edges after a while so was thinking I might need to do this.

Hope you like it!! And if you haven't already, make sure you check out my facebook page 'My Flutterfly' for some cute kids onesies and tops I have recently posted.

Thanks for visiting and have a great weekend!

Nicole

Just Add Ink Colour Challeng

Friday, the 28th of May was my little girl Maddy's 2nd birthday. I really can't believe how fast 2 years has flown but they have definitely been very exciting, fun and interesting years. While she has her fair share of toddler moments, she really is a fantastic little girl, daughter and big sister to 13 week old Grace. We are very lucky to be her family.

Well, for this week's colour challenge I thought it would be nice to create something I could use as decoration for some birthday cupcakes I made for her. So I decided on some toppers. The colours for this week's challenge worked very well with this. Here is the pretty colour combo.

And here are my decorated cupcakes:

Cute, aren't they? Anyone have a little girl's party coming up? These are quick and simple to make, as they are not very detailed, and the theme and colour scheme can be easily changed to suit any party theme (I'm thinking trains, zoo animals, flowers etc)!

Thanks for visiting,

Nicole

My Flutterfly and a Just Add Ink sketch challenge

I'm a little late posting this as I have had a busy week and doing lots of sewing for my upcoming market stall. I have made lots of cute baby/children's items, which you can see on my facebook business page My Flutterfly. Follow the link for some pics of my blankets, mobiles, necklaces, canvases and collages.

This week's challenge at Just Add Ink is a sketch. It was a nice simple sketch which, for some reason, I struggled with. Sometimes I think the more simple a sketch is, the harder it is, while the more detailed sketches are easier. Well, this is take 3 of the challenge. I like theses colours together - Melon Mambo, Soft Suede and Vanilla. Also, the double embossing on the flower embellishment happened by accident when the versamark I stamped on the cardstock for the floral pattern had not dried properly before I stamped the floral outline and poured on the embossing powder. I like happy accidents like this!

Thanks for visiting my blog. I'd love to know what you think of my card and my My Flutterfly items. And, if you are recovering from Convention - I hope you had a wonderful time there!

Nicole

JAI Blog Hop - Emboss Resist

I have been lucky enough to part of the Design Team at Just Add Ink for the past few months. The work of the Design Team has been so inspirational each week. This week at Just Add Ink we are hosting our first ever Blog Hop! Before I get into my post, here are a few details about what's happening... There are 10 stops on our Blog Hop (Just Add Ink and each of our 9 Design Team members), but the hop is set up in a loop so it doesn't matter where you start. All you need to do to follow along is click the blog hop button at the end of each post and you'll be taken to the next stop! This week's Just Add Ink challenge incorporates ideas from the tutorials you will see along the way. So the challenge is for you to Just Add... A Technique From The Blog Hop. Easy! There are 9 fantastic techniques to choose from (with a tutorial to match); the hard part will be making the choice! Add your entry to the Just Add Ink blog as normal.

Thanks for joining in the Just Add Ink blog hop. I hope you are enjoying yourself so far. The technique I am showing today is Emboss Resist. This technique is so easy to do and you can achieve some fantastic results. It also gives you great mileage on your stamps, as you produce a totally different look to regular stamping and embossing. Here we go:

Materials you will need
*Plain cardstock or DSP
(I have used Whisper White)

*Stamps (I have used Always)

*Versamark pad

*Embossing powder (I have used clear)

*Your choice of ink pad colours

(I have used Real Red, Tangerine Tango and Chocolate Chip)

*Blender pens
*Heat tool

*Sponge daubers

*Tissue or soft cloth

Step 1

To do emboss resist you start as you would with regular heat embossing. Using your Versamark ink, stamp your image onto cardstock (if you have an embossing buddy you can give your cardstock a rub over before applying your Versamark).

Step 2

Pour embossing powder over your cardstock to cover your stamped image, then tap the excess powder off your card. For a neat result, ensure the powder covers only the stamped image. (*Note: My upline Alex gave me a wonderful tip for storing embossing powders in clear plastic containers. You can keep a plastic spoon inside your container for pouring the powder over the cardstock whilst you hold the cardstock over the container. The excess powder can then be tapped straight back into its container - no mess!!).

Step 3

Making sure your heat tool is hot, hold it in front of your cardstock, (approximately 10-15cm is good). Heat the embossing powder until you see it change from powdery to glossy all over the image. Be careful not to hold the heat tool there for too long or you will scorch your cardstock and your fingers!!
Step 4

Use a sponge dauber to apply ink over and around your embossed image. You can apply your ink by dabbing or swirling, depending on the effect you want. I have used swirling motions to blend the ink over the embossing. For my image I have added some Chocolate Chip highlights to some of the flowers using my blender pen. If you use clear embossing powder and a patterned paper, you will be able to see the pattern through the embossed image. To finish off your emboss resist neatly, use your tissue or cloth to polish the excess ink of the embossing. The result will be a bright, sharp emboss resist image.

Emboss resist images make beautiful focal points on your cards or as embellishments on scrapbook layouts. I'd love to see what you come up with when you try the emboss resist technique.
Here is the card and gift box I made with the emboss resist image from my tutorial, as well as some other examples:



































I hope you have enjoyed my tutorial and I'm looking forward to seeing your emboss resist projects. Next on the Just Add Ink blog hop you'll be visiting the very creative Tania Gould. Just click on the button below to head to Tania's blog.

Thanks again for participating in the Just Add Ink blog hop!

Nicole

Just Add Ink #16 - Colour challenge

Is it just me or are the weeks flying by! Grace is already 10 weeks old and in 3 weeks Maddy is turning 2!!! Where have those 2 years disappeared to? I am planning to have a little family party for her on the Sunday before her birthday as James is meant to be in hospital for her actual birthday (although it's looking like that may be pushed back a bit). We had a big party for her 1st birthday so this year I want to do something different, but fun. Any ideas?

I am back with another Just Add Ink challenge. This time it's a colour challenge.

These colours work beautifully together and, I think, are perfect for a Mother's Day Card. I have always loved Pocket Sillhouettes and recently bit the bullet and bought the set. I am not disappointed - I love it. My card will be sent to my Grandmother, who loves to garden, so I went with a garden theme. Here it is:

Happy Mother's Day to my lovely Mum and to all the mums out there. I hope you have a great day on Sunday.

Nicole