WMS October 2014 Pyjama Party

We are now into the second week of school, and already the schedule is starting to fill up with concerts for pretty much everything.  Add to that, Grade 6 have their trip to Canberra (Australia's capital), which has become a bit of a tradition, certainly after my time at school.  They get to see Parliament House, National Gallery and several other landmarks, including being at the War Memorial for Remembrance Day.  More important than anything is whether they are staying in the same room as their friends.

With a relatively quiet weekend I was able to put a bit of time into the October WMS Pyjama Party challenge.  I was hoping that the stamps and dies I ordered with my very generous prize from last month would arrive in time, but sadly, no.  I wonder does it have anything to do with increased security with mail services worldwide,  as parcels from the UK usually arrive within the fortnight.

Challenge1:  Embossing with things other than embossing folders
I tried a couple of things, including some Waltzingmouse lace I have hoarded from a few years ago. It worked well but then I couldn't think of what to do with it.  I tried stamps (too thick), gemstones (completely destroyed the paper) so settled on the impression from a couple of layers of card stock.

I just had to pull out Funky Feathers for this one.

What you need
Cardstock - PTI white
Stamps - WMS Funky Feathers
Ink - Brilliance Coffee Bean, Rust;  SU Early Espresso
Clear Embossing Powder

Challenge 2:  Snow is falling
I had decided on sequins for falling snow, but not much beyond that, when I found an old friend - Spooky Tree background.  This was clear embossed then the card coloured with Distress inks

The image didn't look great plonked straight onto a white card but nothing I had worked.  So I coloured white with a Chipped Sappire distress marker.

What you need
Cardstock - PTI white
Stamps -  WMS Spooky Tree Backgrounder, Compliments of the Season
Ink - Versafine Onyx Black;  Versamark
Distress Ink - Salty Ocean, Tumbled Glass; Broken China
Chipped Sapphire distress marker
Clear Embossing Powder
Sequins - Pretty Pink Posh and others

Challenge 3:  Old Pyjamas - Christmas

I have no idea what my oldest WMS Christmas set is but this Vintage background hasn't seen ink in a long time.  The colour palette is from the latest Festive Friday challenge.  I think the fabric on the chairs is a textured self pattern so out came the clear embossing powder again (well, it was still out on my messy desk) and it looks really lovely.

What you need
Cardstock - PTI white
Stamps - WMS Vintage Christmas background;  Compliments of the Season,  Vintage Labels 5
Ink - Versamark;  Versafine Onyx Black;  SU Real Red, Wild Wasabi, Lucky Limeade, Certainly Celery
Clear Embossing Powder
Ribbon;  Twine
Glossy Accents


Challenge 4:  Sketch
This one had me really stumped.  What to do with the little flags at the bottom.  Any of the initial thoughts I had involved several layers of paper, therefore, "unsendable".  PTI has a stamp from a release or 2 ago, Botanical Blocks 2 I think, where Nichole Heady coloured kraft card stock with Copics.  The effect was magic

So I tried to create the same effect on this card.  Instead of white pigment ink, I used white embossing powder.  So once the colouring  started the idea came for glitter flags.

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white, kraft

Stamps - WMS Camelia

Ink - Versamark

White embossing powder - Filigree

Copics - R35, R37, R59, YG93, YG99

Ribbon - SU Real Red taffeta

twine

Crafty Sparkles

white gel pen

 Look forward to seeing what everyone has created.

Christmas, Copics and Birthdays

Summer is definitely on the way.  After a few mid-week tasters of the summer heat to come, the weekends have been really lovely and great for getting out in the garden.  Unfortunately it is the end of the school holidays, so back to thinking about school lunches and before we know it, it will be Christmas.  Hence the onslaught of Christmas cards.

I took inspiration for the Festive Friday challenge from the wreath here, and a card from the DT (Ardyth I think) for the panelled background.

The wreath is cut from vellum coloured with a few green Copic markers - they were all over my desk as I am in the middle of the Online Card Classes Copic class!  More on that later.  The sentiment is stamped on the inside of the card.

I think using SU Chocolate Chip DSP might qualify me for the latest CAS-ology challenge

What you need
Cardstock - PTI white, vellum
DSP - SU Woodland Walk
Stamps - Wplus9 Silver Bells (sentiment),  Winter Wishes
Ink - SU Real Red
Various Copic markers
Die - MFT wreath
Twine
Gems - Kaisercraft

Yep, here is another one!  I couldn't decide on spots or stripes so went with both.  

Again, the idea of die cut outs but I wanted a border this time.  Note to self, always cut the BIGGER shape first!

What you need
Cardstock - PTI white, red, ripe avocado
Patterned paper - ?? Authentique
Stamps - Wplus9 Silver Bells (and die)
Ink - SU Old Olive, Real Red, Cherry Cobbler; Versamark;  HA Silver
Embossing powder - Zing! Silver
Spellbinders circle dies

Just a quick aside - this was a birthday card I did for one of my daughter's good friends whose birthday celebration was yesterday (and a bit today).  It is a combination of a few different things that Jennifer McGuire has done over the past year and just haven't got around to.  The flowers are stamped in Memento Luxe ink (Jennifer stamped on Kraft card which I hope to get to soon),  and using translucent embossing paste to adhere glitter.

What you need
Cardstock - SU white, Coastal Cabana
Stamps - MFT Tropical Sensatons,  Birthday Sentiments
Ink - Memento Luxe Pear Tart, Rose Bud, Morocco, Love Letter, Dandelion, Angel Pink;  HA Tide Pool;  Versafine Onyx Black
Wendy Vecchi Translucent Embossing paste
Glitter Ritz Ocean Spray
Viva Pearl Pen - Red

Now this is what I have been spending my time on.  I have learnt so much and been challenged to try new colour combinations.  

Some work, some don't - particularly like the purple and green balloon combination.  And it was good to try a few pink and green palettes, they are my favourites together.

Hair was less successful.  I tried Kristina' s technique (middle top), but struggled with the feathering on the fringe.  Really liked the ideas shown for black,  particularly the way Kelly Marie Alvarez tackles the challenge.

For the flower, I followed Sandy Allnock  in colouring the top  2 flowers.  I have always struggled with reds but  it seems to be working now.  I had never had a go at shadowed white flowers but love the was it turned out.

I was trying to get a combination that would work with the new SU Blackberry Bliss in colour - it took a few goes but got there in the end.  Bottom left was my attempt at a pink to white flower, that bright fluoro pink I have trouble with.

Now this was my favourite and I coloured it several times.  I hadn't used the combination for the leaves before but I think it is my new favourite.  I used Jennifer's red trio and Kristina's purply colours.  Then I had another attempt at shaded white then some blues.

Phew,  that's more homework than i probably ever did - and enjoyed!

Christmas Pyjama Party

Spring is definitely in the air around Brisbane, it seems that a switch was flicked on 1st September and we are into warmer weather (sometimes it would be nice to have the milder temperatures for a bit longer as it makes our humid summers so long).  

Next week school holidays begin, and I can't tell you how much my daughter needs a break.  Traditionally this is their busiest term, with assessment and several ensemble performances that seemed to be all at the end of term.  Add to that my daughter has damaged the tendons of her big toe and is unable to do ballet - weird thing is she did it while doing Hip Hop at school!  So she has been told to rest till school resumes in October.  

When I saw this photo over at Festive Friday I knew I needed to find my mojo fast (it has been missing for a very long time) - it is so beautiful!    Which elements to pick!! 

I settled on pink with a touch of grey and the baubles, the picture frame on the bottom shelf was the impetus for the shape of the card.  I have been wanting to use my stencils more, with all the inspiration out there, so the snowflakes  possibly make for a busy card but that's OK by me.  

While these stamps may not be my oldest WMS Christmas stamps, they are very much loved like "Old Pyjamas"  - Challenge 3

What you need

Cardstock - SU grey;  PTI Shimmer Pink;  SSS vellum

Stamps - WMS Nordic Winter, Compliments of the Season 2

Ink - Versamark

Embossing Powder - Filigree white;  Ranger Liquid Platinum

Embossing Paste - Wendy Vecchi

Stencil - SSS Snow

Crafty Sparkles glitter

Punch - SU

Die - Spellbinders

Twine - Lawn Fawn

OK, while we are on a roll with creating - I came across this Colour Q challenge and knew it had to be the debut of my new Blackberry bliss ink pad.  I was a little concerned as my previous new formula SU stamp pads have been less than successful (very wet and blotchy).  Quel surprise!  It worked a treat - almost as good as my adored Versafine ink pad (high praise indeed).  

So, using the WMS Bedtime Stories sketch, I came up with a birthday card for my Mum.  It isn't needed till Christmas Eve, but it doesn't hurt to be prepared (and she doesn't read my blog).  

I have been catching up on all the lovely posts from Laura Sterckx, and one of the techniques she is particularly good at is shaker cards, so that is what we have here.  My Mum is also in love with seahorses.  

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white;  BB grey;  Canson shimmer gold

Stamps - WMS Ocean Bound, Cameo to Go (sentiment)

Ink - SU Blackberry Bliss;  HA Butter Bar;  SSS Fog, Smoke

Die - MFT Fishtail Flags and Layer Stax

Punches - SU

Acetate Sheet

Copic Liner Grey 0.3

Sequins - various

Just one more I thought I would tack on the end.  My daughter's teacher has had a term off school and his replacement will be finishing up on Wednesday.  She asked me for a card and present to give her.  The colours she chose were aqua and mango .... hmmm. 

So this is what I came up with - I have been wanting to do more Distress ink blending (again, thank you Laura),  so used it as a patterned paper.  I do need more practice but love the effect.   Ooh, and a bit of practice for the upcoming Online card classes class - all about Copics.

I didn't realise mess could be so much fun ...

This is just way too much fun

The Day 2 challenge had me stumped for a while - different ways to use templates.  Kristina's card was the stand out from this stellar group of examples.  She used Inktense pencils to colour random parts of the stencil with that scribbly font that I love.  

I didn't have a stencil that lent itself to this technique, so I made my own with a couple of layered diecuts.  Orientation of the leaves was a bit of a trial but love how it turned out.  

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white, black;  SU Melon Mambo

Die - PTI Turning a new Leaf

Sequins

Inktense pencils - Apple Green

Day 3 - Dimension with Texture.  I wasn't able to do much with my Christmas acquisitions late last year as I ordered quite late.  So now is my time!  I used the embossing paste the sprinkled the wet paste with Distress glitter a la Debby Hughes. A beautiful subtle gleam, very hard to pick up in the photo. 

 So much fun.

What you need

Cardstock - Bazzill Navy;  SU white

Stamps - Wplus9 Winter Wishes;  The Craft's Meow Stitched Sentiments 2

Ink - SU real red;  Memento Paris Dusk

Die - MFT Fishtail Flag stax

Stencil - SSS Falling Snow

Wendy Vecchi Embossing paste

Distress Glitter - Clear Rock Candy

Bakers Twine

So while we are STILL on the subject of Christmas, this card popped into my head and was very quick and easy to do for the first Festive Friday challenge of 2014.

I love this window diecut and you cannot help but be entranced by the colours.  

What you need

Cardstock - PTI red, white:  SU Handsome Hunter

Stamps - PTI Holiday Sparkle

Ink - Memento Cottage Ivy

Die - Taylored Expressions

Punch - MS Medium Branch

Gems - Kaisercraft

All very CAS

I would like to be able to say that we are having a rare sunny weekend but, we aren't.  Gloomy and rainy again.  A quiet weekend punctuated by a 60th birthday celebration last night.  It was one of my husband's former triathlon friends, so it was wonderful to catch up with a few familiar faces from the squad of 12+ years ago.  It's a bit surreal to see these men and women now, married with children, when the squad were training hard, they were just out of university, coping with new jobs and relationships.  

So, these 2 challenges dovetail nicely.  This stamp set is about the only one I have with anything vaguely balloon like.  I used vellum for the background to create the illusion of sky, perhaps it worked.

What you need
Cardstock - BB aqua;  PTI vellum
Stamps - PTI Everyday Button Bits
Ink - SU Early Espresso, Real Red
Buttons - PTI
Thread - DMC

****

One for my Christmas card collection. 

I hadn't tried to emboss with this die before, but knew the effect would be lovely.  Just wanted to keep it simple, with just a touch of red and black

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white

Stamps - PTI Mega Mixed Messages

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black

Die - Memory Box

Gems - ?

******

And just to finish, a quick card for the Stampin' Royalty challenge.  The theme  

STRIPES

I saw a design similar to this on a quilt (Pinterest).  I forgot to pin it, unfortunately.  

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white

Stamps - Avery Elle Knotty, To the Point

Ink - Memento Lady Bug, Nautical Blue

Bolshoi Ballet Sunday

Guess who's going to the ballet today!!  Can't wait.  Queensland audiences have been warned that we are too reserved when watching ballet (of the Russian kind) and that if we feel like clapping and cheering mid dance, then we should.  My daughter has one busy day today, still sick of course.  First up this morning she is doing "The Colour Run", a new thing to Australia but it looks SOOOO much fun.  She is doing it with one of her school/triathlon friends, so I think they will giggle more than run and enjoy having as much colour as possible hurled at them.  Parents at a respectful distance behind.  That is on the Gold Coast - 1 1/2 hours from home.  

So once we are plastered in colour, she has to be back for a private ballet lesson, presumably un-coloured, not sure how that will work out as I am pretty sure she won't have time to come home.  THEN, we go to the Bolshoi.  BIG BIG BIG here in Brisbane.  

So by evening she will be exhausted.  Le Corssaire (never been staged in Australia before) is 3 hours 20 minutes long with 2 intervals.  So we won't get home till after 7 and of course, it is a school night.

First up, a Christmas card of the CAS kind.  I assure you that his beard and hat are furry.  This one could be a goer for my daughter's friends cum the end of the year.

Edited to Add:  My little friend here was nominated for a Shout Out - what a thrill!

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white; Canson shimmer gold

Patterned paper - PTI patterns in New Leaf, Pure Poppy

Stamps - PTI Holiday Button Bits, Communique Curves

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black;  Delicata Gold Glitz

Copics

Brads - SU

*****

Now for one of my favourite challenges, particularly when we have  a divine graphic like this one.  Summer - hmmm, second day of winter here, but none the less, most of our year is spent in near summer conditions so shouldn't have too much trouble channelling warmth.

It is hard to see, but the yellow paper is striped

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white, Summer Sunrise;  SU Old Olive;  BB mid pink

DSP - SU Brights Collection

Ink - Versafine Onyx Black

Stamps - Cas-ual Fridays Stamps Woot Woot

Dies - MFT Layer Flag Stax;  TE branch;  PTI Ribbon Ends (?)

MS butterfly punch

Pearls and Gems - Kiasercraft

*****

My Avery Elle stamps have arrived and what better way to christen them than with my first Avery Elle challenge - and in beautiful blues and blue-greens. 

Apologies for the photography - taken on my iPhone

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white

Stamps - Avery Elle Framed Fonts, To the Point

Ink - Memento Danube Blue, Bahama Blue;  PTI Hawaiian Shores

Twine - The Twinery (Ocean)

? Christmas ..... already!

I have had the Festive Friday challenge sitting in my to do list for quite some time, but this is the first time I have attempted it.  So to go with that, the latest WMS Christmas card challenge, hosted by Charmaine Stack and the theme is Glitter.

So, lots of glitter and my favourite Christmas sweet treat - Gingerbread.  I am too lazy to decorate it but love baking and of course eating it (any time of year really).  

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white

Glitter card - Bella! Glitz Rouge

Stamps - WMS Nutcracker Sweet, Candy Jar Christmas Fillers

Ink - SU Early Espresso

Punch - SU scallop

Stickles - Red, Diamond

*****

I missed the dessert option for Dynamic Duos, initially but I was determined to use a bear for this sketch.  Must be telepathic!  

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white; SU Pacific Point

Stamps - PTI Baby Button Basics

Ink - VersafinStame Onyx Black;  Memento Bahama Blue

Copic T1

Various punches - SU

Glossy Accents

Goosebumps - K and Company

*****

And finally for this weekend - 2 colours I don't use much and 1 quite a bit.  And yes, you guessed it, another piece of 12 x 12 bites the dust - very satisfying!  I admit to a bit of recycling too.  The twine around the button came with my first (I anticipate many more) consignments of Cas-ual Fridays Stamps.  I had a very hard time limiting the number of stamp sets.  It's all Susan Raihala's fault, she has created some really great cards with these stamps lately.

I digress.  More baby cards, male or female this time I think

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white;  SU Calypso Coral, Island Indigo

Patterned Paper - Pebbles Inc Ever After (Sparkle)

Stamps - PTI Baby Button Basics

Ink  - Versafine Onyx Black

Die - SB classic scalloped circles

Pen - SU Calypso Coral

Button - PTI