Inkspiration Sketch Challenge #2

This is the sketch challenge for this week at Makeesha's blog http://www.makeeshabyl.com.au/ and here's what we had to work with.

I've used the 'Embrace Life' stamp set. I told you I would be using it alot. This set will be released on Dec 1st, along with lots of other fabulous products from the new Summer Mini.

This rose image is so elegant. I've stamped in the Black Stazon and coloured in using the Ruby Red ink pad and aqua painter. I've also layered on some Dimensional Magic to give it some gloss!

I loved this sketch so much, that I thought I would do a scrapbook layout (8x8).

I got this cute picture of my nephew Adam, with his beautiful smile, playing at the park!

The only colour on the photo was the bright yellow, so I've gone with the Bold Bright colours and some DP from East Coast Prep. I've used the 'Wonderful Favourites' stamp set and the 'Tidy Alphabet'.

Thanks for another great challenge Keesh.

All images © Stampin'Up 1990-2008

Be Inspired to Create #5

I've been having lots of fun using my own inspiration pictures to create, so much so, I'm up to #5. I've gone with Pumpkin Patch colours again, some cute little t-shirts from Caden. So the colours I'm working with are: Taken with Teal, Soft Sky, Ruby Red & Sahara Sand.

My first project is a 8x8 scrapbook page using a photo of my gorgeous son sleeping (photo taken by my sister Aimee).

The base is Soft Sky onto which I've used the Stampin' round wheel with Nursery Letters and also some stars from Nursery Necessities. I've added some strips of cardstock in the Teal, Red and Sahara Sand to imitate the stripes in the t-shirt! The dotted DP is from a new pack of paper in the Summer mini and it just happened to co-ordinate perfectly for this layout. The star images and sentiment are all from Nursery Necessities. And I've finished it off with a rub-on - Eastern Elegance (Spring Mini) and some striped ribbon in the Soft Sky.

Next, I've made up two love note cards. These cards are such a cute size to make and when you've got the colours and stamp pads already on your desk, it's a great way to use up the left-overs. The stamp set used here is True Friend from the Spring Mini. You only have one more week to order from this mini catalogue.

And the second love note card uses a set from the new Summer mini. I really love this flower image and can see myself using it alot. Next week, I can share with you the details about this stamp set and all the other great sets in the new mini catalogue!

I've stamped the flower onto watercolour paper and use the Ruby Red marker pen and aqua painter to colour in. Then I've run some Dimensional Magic around the edges and dusted with sparkling glitter and added a half pearl in the centre.

And for my last project, I've made a landscape card using another set from the Spring Mini. The stamp set is Enjoy Every Moment, which is a great set for scrapbooking but also for cards. I've used the Teal and Red marker pens to ink up the letters on 'Enjoy' and stamped onto Whisper White. Just one of the many techniques you can do with SU marker pens - don't forget about the wonderful promotion on at the moment where you can buy the marker pens SINGLE.

Once again, I've gone with the striped look and layered strips of cardstock and DP to create the background. The three flower images have been stamped onto White and punched out, then layered onto the same colour cardstock. The little coloured gems are non-SU but I thought they finished off the card nicely.

All images © Stampin'Up 1990-2008

As I mentioned before, the Spring mini is about to end; you only have a few more days to order and then these stamps sets will not be available anymore. On Dec 1st, we will have the new Summer mini to enjoy. If you would like more details, please email me chuizeng@bigpond.net.au

For those wanting to place an order from the Spring Mini, I have a special last week offer. Please email for details!!

If you wonder why I make more than one project, well the answer is: I usually start of creating the scrapbook layout, so by the time I've completed that, my desk is covered in cardstock, ink and stamp sets, so it is easy to whip up cards and other projects at the same time!! I find once I've started, I get on a roll and am having so much fun with the colours, that I just want to keep going with it. You should know by now, stamping is addictive!!

So in saying that; I'd love to see what you come up with. Leave me a comment if you play along!! Til next time...

Inkspiration Colour Challenge

I've joined in again with Makeesha's challenge. I love the inspiration picture - gorgeous bed linen!!

So here is my card. I've just gone with lighter colours and have used mainly the Designer Paper to make up the colour in the card.

The base is Whisper White to which I've layered some DP from Spring Silhoutte. Then I've added some strips of Soft Sky and Sahara Sand. On one of the strips of Soft Sky I've used the Scallop punch and then finished off with some taffeta ribbon.

The flower is a new stamp from the Summer mini catty - I couldn't resist trying it out. I've inked up in Versamark, then the Soft Sky ink and embossed. Then I've cut out and used a brad in the centre.

I've completed the card with a sentiment from 'So many Sayings' (hostess set) and some half pearls from the Pretties Kit.

It is a very simple card with not a lot of stampin', but the DP was just too pretty to cover up!

All images © Stampin'Up 1990-2008

As I mentioned before, the flower is from a new set in the up-coming Summer Mini, to be released on Dec 1st. It has soooo many beautiful sets and lots of accessories that you will def. want to have. If you would like to have a catalogue, please send me an email so I can send one out to you. chuizeng@bigpond.net.au

Big blue eyes!

Caden was sitting all nice and cozy with Warren the other day, so I got this picture of him looking all wide-eyed and adorable. So cute. This is what Caden says:

I'm just over three months old now and loving everything coming my way. I love lots of attention from my bigger brothers and give them smiles when they pull funny faces at me. And they always want to carry me!! My dad knows just how to make me talk and laugh. He gives me lots of special cuddles when he gets home from work. I go to lots of different places with my mum, so we go in and out the car quite a bit, but I don't really mind. When I'm tired I just go to sleep. I love being carried, but also like my rocker and playing on the floor, looking at all the bright toys from my play gym. Everyone says I'm getting so big and chubby; it must be all that good milk from my mum which I love very much. By the end of the day, I'm really tired and hungry, so I love having that last cuddle with my mum before I go to bed and sleep all thru the night. And then when I wake in the morning, we can do it all again.....

Be Inspired to Create #4

Hope you are all well on this Monday morning. I have for you Inspiration #4. Had lots of fun with this one as I thought the colours were just so nice together. My inspiration was from a little all-in-one suit, a present for Caden. (thanks Keesh). I just love the colours Pumpkin Patch has for this season. And some of the pictures are so similiar to SU stamps!! So the colours I'm using are: Ruby Red, So Saffron, Going Grey & Basic Grey.

This card has a Going Grey base onto which I've layered Saffron cardstock. On this piece, I've stamped up the Tres Chic BG stamp onto a part of the cardstock. Then I've used the cute elephant and giraffe images from Wild about You and made some circles using my CM cutter. The 'love' sentiment is from the Tres Chic BG stamp - I've stamped onto some White cardstock and used the SU circle punches to cut out the word. The card has been completed with taffeta ribbon and some bling brads.

This next card is a cute little square one and I've used an oldie but a goodie - Loads of Love. The car image is great for paper piecing, which is what I've done. The car image has been stamped onto White cardstock and also some So Saffron DP. I've then cut out and pasted onto the white cardstock. I've used my ink pads and aqua painter to colour in the hearts and car wheels. Too cute!!

With so much cardstock and accessories spread out over my craft table, I thought I would quickly make up this scrapbook page. The colours in the photo were perfect for this round.

So the base is Basic Grey to which I've added some strips of Red & Going Grey. I've roughed up the edges using the distressing tool. The red cardstock has stars stamped all across and then I've done paper piercing along the bottom and top of the strips of paper. I've used some more of the So Saffron DP with spots. The star image is from Nursery Necessities - stamped onto White cardstock then mounted onto grey and cut out. The 'Wonderful Brother' is from the Wonderful Favourites stamp set.

All images © Stampin'Up 1990-2008

So these are my projects. I'd love to see what you can come up with using these colours together. Leave a comment so I can see. Til next time.....

Inkspiration Colour Challenge

Here's a card I made for the Inkspiration Colour Challenge by Makeesha. The colours to use were: Certain Celery, Choc Chip, Regal Rose & Very Vanilla. You can't really go wrong with these colours as they are just beautiful together. So here is what I've come up with using Pick-a-Petal, a stamp set that hasn't seen alot of ink, but fun to work with. The background stamp on the Choc Chip cardstock is Tres Chic. I really love all the different words on this stamp. The 'just for you' sentiment is a rub-on. And I had to finish it off with some wide grosgrain ribbon.
All images © Stampin'Up 1990-2007

I've just checked out the latest challenge, an inspiration one this time, and it looks fabulous, so can't wait to give that one a go. But for now, I'm spending the weekend with the family. We have my parents over for a few days and the weather is sunny and gorgeous, so I'm sure we will be heading out somewhere this arvo. Til next time....

Be Inspired to Create #3

Be Inspired to Create #3 - Colours are: Old Olive, Orchid Opulence & Pixie Pink.
I have to say I have never even used Orchid Oppulence, I don't even have the ink pad!! WOW.
So these are the three colours I've chosen from my inspiration photo - a lovely orchid I received as a gift. Isn't is just beautiful.
The first is a square card using the bird image from Always. I've ink the bird in the Pixie Pink, then stamped it off once. Then I've used my marker pens to 'thump' some colour onto the bird. I've cut this out using my CM cutters. The circle has been matted onto the Orchid cardstock which has a stamp from the same set in the Versamark, then the olive, with a pink base. The happiness sentiment is from Warm Words and I've finished off the card with some grosgrain ribbon.

Next is a scrapbook page, 8x8 in size. I've used the beautiful flower image from Fabulous Flowers. I've stamped this three times onto white cardstock and then cut out to form layers. The sentiment 'dare to be fabulous' has been done using the SU markers by applying the ink directly to the stamp, resulting in the two different colours.

And lastly, I've made a gift box. This is from a tutorial that Makeesha has made for her 'Make it Mondays'. I look at them every week and always say, 'I'd love to make that'. They are fabulous projects.

So the base of the box is Old Olive cardstock and the top is DP from Petals & Paisley. I couldn't bring myself to wrap so much wide grosgrain around the box, so I've made a band for the top of the box with a gift tag. Here is a close up of the tag. The flower is from Fabulous Flowers.

So there you have it, my three projects using this different colour combination. They worked quite well together and I may have to use Orchid Opulence more often! Leave me a comment if you create something with these colours; I'd love to see.

Sarah and Monique both played along with #2, so check out their blogs to see their lovely cards. The links are in the side bar.

Til next time...

All images © Stampin'Up 1990-2008

Scrapbooking for Caden

Thought I'd just share with you all, some of the scrapbook pages I've done for Caden's album. They are all 8x8 in size, my favourite to work with. I have all his pictures in a slip album, so when I want to create, I can browse thru and pick out a photo to work with. So much fun, especially with such cute pictures.

All images © Stampin' Up 1990-2008

Look out for Be Inspired to Create #3 - I'm working on it and hope to post it soon.

Til next time......

'C' is for cute

'C' is for Caden and he is def. a little cutie. Here he is at 12 weeks old (already) and getting big and chubby. We spent a few days at my parents and these were some photo's taken there.

My sister Aimee took some photo's of Caden and me. She is missing her own (stolen)camera's very much!! We didn't get any smiles from Caden, he was trying to contend with the bright outside light.

And having a cuddle with Nana. I think she quite enjoyed having Caden around for a few days, giving him lots of special cuddles. And Caden certainly didn't mind being carried around by everyone.

Inkspirations - Sketch Challenge #1

I'm back with some more things to show. This time I've used a sketch from Makeesha's very own Inkspiration Sketch Challenge. I love this sketch, especially with the circle.

And here's what I've come up with:

I've pulled out my Garden Whimsy set and stamped up the butterfly image with Pretty in Pink onto Whisper White. I've rocked the edge of the stamp into the Rose Red. This has been matted onto Purley Pomegrante cardstock. The large circles are made using my Creative Memories circle cutters. And the scallop edge is made by punching out lots of small circles and pasting onto the back of the circle. Love this look!! The butterfly also has some spots of glitter on the wings. The strips of cardstock are River Rock and on one, I've stamped another butterfly image in the River Rock ink. I've finished off the card with Pomegrante striped ribbon and the 'wonderful' sentiment from Warm Words.

I thought this sketch would be great for an 8x8 scrapbook page. Isn't this the cutest picture - Adam & Amber playing together on the beach!

The base is Kraft cardstock and I've stamped a shell image to create a background in Versamark. I've varied the strips of cardstock with Soft Sky, Blue Bayou and DP Spring Break. On the bottom strip I've used rub-ons for the wording. The 'brother and sister' are from Wonderful Favourites. And I've finished off the page with Blue Bayou striped ribbon, paper piercing and a brad from the Silver Hodgepodge.

All images © Stampin'Up 1990-2008

Would love to work with this sketch a bit more, especially for cards. But that will have to wait for now. I'm escaping for a few days to spend some time at my parents house. Looking forward to catching up with family and having a relaxing time. Til next time......

Be Inspired To Create #2

Here we are again, Monday morning and another lot of projects to show you. Isn't this monkey sooo very cute. He was a gift to Caden from his Auntie Renae. I love these colours so much and they did remind me of the Spring Break Designer Paper. So the colours I've chosen to work with in this round are: Not Quite Navy, Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie & Soft Sky

The first card uses one of my favourite stamp sets, Fishy Friends. I love stamping the images on the watercolour paper and using my marker pens to colour in. It always gives a good result. I've used my Creative Memories cutter to create the circles. The smile sentiment is from Be Happy, which I've matted onto some Pumpkin Pie DP. It's a simple card, but I love the different layers and combining square and circle cardstock. The base has been stamped with the Linen BG stamp, but the photo does not pick that up. I've finished off the card with some striped ribbon, brads and the spiral punch on the top left-hand corner.

This second card uses the Big Bold Birthday stamp set. This stamp set is still new to me, so it's slowly seeing some ink and I'm loving it. The base is Old Olive, then some DP from Spring Break, then a strip of Soft Sky with some paper piercing. I've stamped the cupcake onto Whisper White and then the icing has been cut out and raised with dimensionals. After matting onto more cardstock, I've used the slit punch for where the card can sit.

Lastly I've done a scrapbook page with a photo of my beautiful son Kyle. This photo was taken by my sister Aimee, whilst he was totally unaware. That's what I like about it; a true relection of him in a moment of his own!!

This is the DP that resembles the stripes on the monkey. I've used the Wonderful Favourites set and Always (from Spring Mini). With the heart image, I've stamped in Soft Sky onto Whisper White and then matted onto Not Quite Navy and then cut out, so it has a border. I've used some Old Olive wide grosgrain with the HodgePodge hardware and made a little word tag using Every Expressive Phrases.

So these are my projects using these fabulous colours. I do have to admit that these are my kind of colours, so I found it quite easy to work with. But I do have some Inspiration pictures coming soon, where some of the colours are probably not my favourite, so that's going to be interesting to see what I can come up with.

Once again, if you would like to create something with these colours, leave me a comment so I can see what you've made.

Sarah joined in with last weeks colours and made a very nice card using one of my favourite stamp sets (which I should use more). Her card is here: http://brucensarah.blogspot.com/2008/10/same-card-different-colours.html

Have fun and happy stampin'