Art With Heart Colour Creations Showcase - #9 Cherry Cobbler

Cherry Cobbler and Poinsettia Petals

Hello. Welcome to Valley Inspirations with Andrea and the Art with Heart Colour Creations Showcase. I am so glad you called in. This week we are hero-ing Cherry Cobbler, a deep cherry red which sits within Stampin' Up!s Regal collection of 10 colours.

Stampin' Up!s coordination of products is amazing, including the coordination of colours and the way a colour is taken through a range of products. As someone who likes to coordinate colours and themes, this was a key selling feature for me.

This week's project has used Cherry Cobbler card-stock, Classic Stampin' ink pad, Stampin' Blends Combo, Stampin' Write Marker and the coordinating Beaded Pearls from the Poinsettia Place Suite. Cherry Cobbler also is in:  Classic Stampin' Ink Refill, Watercolour Pencil, included within a range of Designer Series Papers, the Wonder of the Season Memories and More Card pack, Holiday Rhinestone Basic Jewels and the Jingle Bells embellishments.

I started by embossing Whisper White card-stock using the White Embossing Paste with one of the Basic Pattern Decorative Masks and a Palette Knife. It may seem confusing as there are different forms of embossing - this technique uses a palette knife to spread the paste evenly over the mask to add a thin 3D layer in the design of the mask. I mixed a little Frost White Shimmer Paint in with the paste prior to application to add a tad of sparkle. Stampin' Up! also have a Shimmery White Embossing paste to save one the effort of mixing in the Shimmer paint. The card front was left to dry while the stamping and colouring occurred.

The poinsettia petals were stamped in Cherry Cobbler Classic Stampin' ink; the range of leaves and fronds were in Pear Pizzaz Classic Stampin' ink; and the berries were in Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' ink. They were all coloured with Stampin' Blends, ie Cherry Cobbler and Melon Mambo Combos for the poinsettia and berries; Old Olive combo and Dark Granny Apple Green for the leaves, with Dark Crumb Cake for the little pine cones. The Colour Lifter was used to blend out the lighter colours and to reinforce highlights.

All the coloured pieces were die cut using the coordinating Poinsettia dies. I also fussy cut around the smaller poinsettia petals as the white boarder around the petals detracted from the flower. The die cut pieces for shaped as appropriate. The poinsettia was formed with dimensionals between each layer and the Beaded Pearls were coloured with a Dark So Saffron Stampin' Blend to convey the flower centre. Before the flower was adhered onto the embossed card front Cherry Cobbler and Old Olive Stampin' Write Markers were used to splatter some ink droplets and add extra interest.  The leaves, fronds and berries were arranged around the poinsettia with a few pieces of the Forever Gold Laser-cut Speciality Paper.

The sentiment came from the Poinsettia Petals stamp set and was stamped in Versamark ink onto Cherry Cobbler Classic card-stock and heat embossed with White Emboss Powder. A number of Gold Metallic Pearls were added as a finishing touch. The card front was adhered onto a Cherry Cobbler card-stock card base.

A further sentiment was stamped on the Whisper White card-stock card inner in Cherry Cobbler Classic Stampin' ink. A full poinsettia also was stamped in Cherry Cobbler ink and coloured with the same Stampin' Blends as used on the card front. The envelope had the poinsettia stamped in Cherry Cobbler as well.

Thank you for visiting the Valley Inspirations blog. I am delighted you spent time here. Please contact me if you would like any further information about the project; or if you live in Australia and would like either a Stamp' Up! 2020-2021 Annual Catalogue and or the August - December 2020 Mini Catalogue posted to you; or if I can help you with any purchases. This Mini Catalogue goes live on 4th August 2020. Your order can be place soon. 

I hope you are enjoying this week's Colour Creations Showcase that has focused on Stampin' Up!s colour - Cherry Cobbler.

The amazing Catherine Proctor is hosting the Art with Heart Colour Creations Showcase each week. If you haven't finished checking out all of the team's colour creations, you can visit/revisit Catherine's page at What Cathy Made, where she hosts all the links to the other Showcase participants. I'm certainly looking forward to being inspired by everyone's Cherry Cobbler creations.

I hope to see you again next week when members of the Team will share projects that hero a neutral reddy tan called "Cinnamon Cider".

Look after yourself and your loved ones. Stay well, stay safe and be gentle on yourself and others.

Have a great week.

Andrea 😘

List of Products used to create these projects: 

Stamps, Dies & Punches

• Poinsettia Petals stamp set - #153475
• Poinsettia dies - #153522
• Poinsettia Petals bundle - #155148

Inks & Applicators

• Cherry Cobbler Classic Stampin' pad - #147083
• Pear Pizzaz Classic Stampin' pad - #147104
• Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' pad - #147116
• Stampin' Blends Combo - Cherry Cobbler - #154880
• Stampin' Blends Combo - Melon Mambo - #153112
• Stampin' Blends Combo - Old Olive - #154892
• Stampin' Blends Combo - Granny Apple Green - #154885
• Stampin' Blends Combo - Crumb Cake - #154882
• Stampin' Blends - Colour Lifter - #144608
• Regals Stampin' Write Markers - incl Cherry Cobbler and Old Olive - #147155
• Versamark ink pad - #102283
• White Stampin' Emboss Powder - #109132
• White Embossing Paste - #141979
• Frost White Shimmer Paint - #147046
• Basic Pattern Decorative Masks - #150697
• Palette Knives - #142808

Paper

• Whisper White card-stock - #106549
• Thick Whisper White card-stock - #140490
• Cherry Cobbler card-stock - #121681
• Forever Gold Laser-cut Speciality Paper - #152493
• C6 Whisper White envelopes - #106589

Embellishments

• Metallic Pearls - #146282
• Beaded Pearls - #153534

Adhesives

• Multipurpose Liquid Glue - #110755
• Mini Glue Dots - #103683
• Tear & Tape Adhesive - #138995
• Mini Stampin' Dimensionals - #144108
• Stampin' Dimensionals - #104430

Tools (incl Embossing Folders)

• Take Your Pick Tool - #144107
• Bone Folder - #102300
• Paper Snips - #103579
• Paper Trimmer - #152392
• Stamparatus - #148187
• Block C - #118486
• Block D - #118485
• Block E - #118484
• Block H - #118490
• Grid Paper - #130148
• Stampin' Pierce Mat - #126199
• Silicone Craft Mat - #127857
• Stamping Sponge - #141337
• Simple Shammy - #147042
• Heat Tool - #129056
• Stampin Cut & Emboss Machine - #149653
• Magnetic Cutting Plate - #149656
• Speciality Plate - #154711

Social Stamping - #16 Sympathy

Sympathy with Prized Peony

Hello. Welcome to Valley Inspirations with Andrea and the 16th Social Stamping Blog Host. This is the first blog hop of the Monthly Social Stamping Blog Host. Kelly Kent, our amazing Coordinator and Blog Host is continuing to keep us in order and I am so appreciative that Kelly is continuing to coordinate this Blog Hop.

 

This week our theme is "Sympathy". I recently heard of a colleague who's partner just lost his battle with a terminal condition. This card was created with her in mind.

I have a beautiful rose on my table that came from my rose pruning yesterday. It has Rococo Rose colouring and is lighter on the petals tips. It inspired this card. Also, I love the Peony Garden Suite and some of the sentiments in the stamp set are perfect for Sympathy cards. I hadn't used the Peony dies so I played with them to create a gorgeous flower that is the focal point of my card.

I cut the flower pieces from Rococo Rose card-stock and the stamens from So Saffron card-stock. Pear Pizzaz card-stock was used for the leaves. Each of the die cut pieces were sponged on the edges using Sponge Daubers. White Craft ink was added to all the outer edges of the flower die cuts as if the sun was shining on the petals' edges. Rococo Rose ink was sponged on the inner areas to give extra depth to the flower. While there were 4 die cut pieces for the peony, they were very easy to fit together and to add the stamen piece.

The set of dies has three different sized leaves and each leaf is made from two pieces. The leaf die cuts were also sponged with the White Craft Stampin' ink on one edge and Classic Pear Pizzaz ink on the other side. I do love the effect of sponging die cuts as it can add extra depth and life.

The card base was a standard half of an A4 piece of Rococo Rose card-stock. The Whisper White card front was sponged with Petal Pink and Rococo Rose Classic ink. A few water drops were scattered over the sponged area as well as splattering from a Rococo Rose Stampin' Write Marker to add a little texture to the card front.

Following the positioning/sizing of a triangular piece of Designer Series Paper (DSP) from the Peony Garden DSP, the larger Peony stamp was stamped in Smoky Slate Classic ink so that some of it peaked from behind the DSP. Two pieces of scalloped vellum that had been cut using the scalloped die from the Peony dies were adhered under the edges of the DSP. The peony, leaves and ribbon were roughly arranged to ensure the DSP was positioned well. The sentiment from the Prized Peony stamp set should have been stamped onto the sponged card front at this point, but I was so engrossed with sorting out other aspects of the design that I forgot about it till the end. The piece of DSP was adhered in place and any overhang on the side edge of the card front was trimmed off. 

The piece of Gray Granite Shimmer Satin ribbon was "swished" to sit under the peony and Dimensionals were placed on the back of the flower around the ribbon to give the peony extra dimension from the card. The leaves were lightly curled and tucked underneath the flower. As a final touch, a number of Elegant Faceted Gems were scattered around.

The larger peony was stamped in Smoky Slate Classic ink on the Whisper White card-inner and on the envelope.

That's my project for this blog hop. Thank you for taking time to visit the Valley Inspirations blog. Please contact me if you would like any further information about the card; or if you live in Australia and would like the 2020-2021 Annual Catalogue and or the new August-December 2020 Mini Catalogue posted to you; or if I can help in any other way.

I hope you are enjoying this week's Social Stamping Blog Host that has focused on the theme - "Sympathy". If you started at the beginning with our amazing Social Stamping Host, Kelly Kent, then you can either click here to be transferred to Elizabeth Gross at Lilly Loves Paper to see her gorgeous creation or click on the 'Next' graphic below; or if you would prefer to go to the full list of participants click on this link to be taken to Kelly Kent's Host blog post at My Papercraft Journey where you will find individual links that can take you to each person's blog.

Do look after yourself and your loved ones in these challenging times.  My heart is especially  with those of you in Victoria and New South Wales.

Hope to see you again next month (Saturday, 29 August) when the Social Stamping Blog Host theme is "celebrate".

Take care

Andrea 😘

  

List of Products used to create these projects: 

Stamps, Dies & Punches

• Prized Peony stamp set - #152504
• Peony dies - #152701

Inks

• Rococo Rose Classic Stampin' pad - #150080
• Petal Pink Classic Stampin' pad - #147108
• Basic Gray Classic Stampin' pad - #149165
• Smoky Slate Classic Stampin' pad - #147113
• White Craft Stampin' ink - #147277
• Stampin' Write Markers 2019-2021 In Colours - #150079

Paper

• Whisper White card-stock - #106549
• Thick Whisper White card-stock - #140490
• Rococo Rose card-stock - #150888
• Peony Garden Designer Series Paper - #152483
• Vellum card-stock - #106584
• C6 Whisper White envelopes - #106589

Embellishments

• Elegant Faceted Gems - #152464
• Gray Granite Shimmer Ribbon - #152463

Adhesives

• Multipurpose Liquid Glue - #110755
• Mini Glue Dots - #103683
• Tear & Tape Adhesive - #138995
• Mini Stampin' Dimensionals - #144108
• Stampin' Dimensionals - #104430

Tools (incl Embossing Folders)

• Take Your Pick Tool - #144107
• Bone Folder - #102300
• Paper Snips - #103579
• Paper Trimmer - #152392
• Stamparatus - #148187
• Block C - #118486
• Block D - #118485
• Block E - #118484
• Block H - #118490
• Grid Paper - #130148
• Stampin' Pierce Mat - #126199
• Silicone Craft Mat - #127857
• Sponge Daubers - #133773
• Stamping Sponge - #141337
• Simple Shammy - #147042
• Heat Tool - #129056
• Stampin Cut & Emboss Machine - #149653
• Magnetic Cutting Plate - #149656
• Speciality Plate - #154711

Art With Heart Colour Creations Showcase - #8 Calypso Coral

Calypso Coral and Jar of Flowers

Hello. Welcome to Valley Inspirations with Andrea and the Art with Heart Colour Creations Showcase. I am so delighted you have dropped by. This week we are focussing on "Calypso Coral", a rich, soft pinky orange that sits within Stampin' Up!s "Subtles" range. 

As you know, one of the great points of Stampin' Up!s products is the way Stampin' Up! coordinates colours and takes a colour through a range of products. This week's project has used Calypso Coral card-stock, Classic Stampin' ink pad, Stampin' Blends Combo and Artistry Blooms Sequins. Calypso Coral also is in: Stampin' Write Markers, Watercolour Pencils, a range of Designer Series Papers and the Simply Citrus Card Kit.

Calypso Coral is a gorgeous colour and could be used in may ways. I had numerous ideas for projects for this Showcase, but have only had time to create one project, an arrangement of flowers using one of the Jar of Flowers stamp set floral sprays. I chose the sunflower spray as the sunflowers could also be interpreted as gerberas. I love gerberas and would love to plant some in my garden including those in a Calypso Coral colour.

I started by stamping the sunflower - or should I say, gerberas spray from the Jar of Flowers stamp set in Gray Granite Classic ink four times on Whisper White card-stock. I coloured the arrangements using Stampin' Blends Combos, ie Light & Dark Calypso Coral, Petal Pink, Soft Sea Foam and Old Olive. Once brought to life with colour, the arrangements were fussy cut.

The card base was cut from Calypso Coral card-stock. I played around a bit before landing on the card front and eventually decided on the blended Gray Granite design from the gorgeous In Good Taste Designer Series Paper (DSP). This panel was embossed with the Tasteful Texture 3D embossing folder before being mounted on Petal Pink card-stock. 

As the basis for the floral arrangement, one of the Forever Gold Laser-cut Speciality Paper decorated labels was cut in half and adhered to the card front. The flower sprays were arranged and a label decided on. The label was cut from matching Calypso Coral card-stock and a sentiment from the Celebrate Sunflowers stamp set was stamped in Versamark ink and heat embossed with White Emboss Powder.

As some of the flowers were going to be covered by the arrangement, they were fussy cut out. The sprays of flowers and individual flowers were either adhered directly to the card front or popped up on Dimensionals/Mini Dimensionals and the label was added with Dimensionals. Calypso Coral sequins from the Artistry Blooms Sequins were added as a finishing touch. The mounted card front was added to the card base with dimensionals. 

I love to add ribbon or a trim in some form to my projects and so coloured some of the Braided Linen Trim with the Dark Calypso Coral Stampin' Blend so a bow could be added, however, when I tried the bow on the card, with and without a tie around the card front, I realised it really didn't add anything ... so decided to leave it off. Part of the design process is deciding what to add and what to leave off. You can see the bow sitting to the side in the last photo below.

To link the card inner to the card front design, the sunflower spray was stamped in Calypso Coral Classic Stampin' ink. The envelope was stamped in a similar way.

Thank you for visiting the Valley Inspirations blog. I do appreciate you spending time here. Please contact me if you would like any further information about the project; or if you live in Australia and would like either a new 2020-2021 Annual Catalogue and or the August - December 2020 Mini Catalogue posted to you; or if I can help you with any purchases.

I hope you are enjoying this week's Colour Creations Showcase that has focused on Stampin' Up!s colour - Calypso Coral.

The amazing Catherine Proctor is hosting the Art with Heart Colour Creations Showcase each week. If you haven't finished checking out all of the team's colour creations, you can visit/revisit Catherine's page at What Cathy Made, where she hosts all the links to the other Showcase participants. I'm certainly looking forward to being inspired by everyone's creations.

I hope to see you again next week when members of the Team will share projects that hero a rich red called "Cherry Cobbler". I wonder what others will create - Cherry Cobbler would make a gorgeous Christmas card.

Look after yourself and your loved ones. For those who live in Victoria and New South Wales -  I'm thinking of you.

Have a great week.

Andrea 😘 

List of Products used to create these projects: 

Stamps, Dies & Punches

• Jar of Flowers stamp set - #152515
• Celebrate Sunflowers stamp set - #152517
• Tasteful Labels dies - #152886

Inks & Applicators

• Calypso Coral Classic Stampin' pad - #147101
• Gray Granite Classic Stampin' pad - #147118
• Versamark ink pad - #102283
• White Stampin' Emboss Powder - #109132

Paper

• Whisper White card-stock - #106549
• Thick Whisper White card-stock - #140490
• Calypso Coral card-stock - #124392
• In Good Taste Designer Series Paper - #152494
• Forever Gold Laser-cut Speciality Paper - #152493
• C6 Whisper White envelopes - #106589

Embellishments

• Artistry Blooms Sequins - #152477

Adhesives

• Multipurpose Liquid Glue - #110755
• Mini Glue Dots - #103683
• Tear & Tape Adhesive - #138995
• Mini Stampin' Dimensionals - #144108
• Stampin' Dimensionals - #104430

Tools (incl Embossing Folders)

• Tasteful Textile 3D Embossing Folder - #152718
• Take Your Pick Tool - #144107
• Bone Folder - #102300
• Paper Snips - #103579
• Paper Trimmer - #152392
• Stamparatus - #148187
• Block C - #118486
• Block D - #118485
• Block E - #118484
• Block H - #118490
• Grid Paper - #130148
• Stampin' Pierce Mat - #126199
• Silicone Craft Mat - #127857
• Stamping Sponge - #141337
• Simple Shammy - #147042
• Heat Tool - #129056
• Stampin Cut & Emboss Machine - #149653
• Magnetic Cutting Plate - #149656
• Speciality Plate - #154711

Heart of Christmas 2020 - July

Art With Heart Team Heart of Christmas 2020 with Poinsettia Petals

Hello. Welcome to Valley Inspirations with Andrea and the first Heart of Christmas 2020 Showcase.

It's July and already we are talking about Christmas! I know, it seems sooo early, however, experience says the next five months will speed by very, very quickly - especially when you are wanting to create special Christmas cards and other projects to give to family and friends. Stampin' Up!s new August-December 2020 Mini Catalogue goes live on 4 August. This catalogue features so many gorgeous Christmas stamps, dies, punches, embellishments, kits and more ... to help you create amazing Christmas projects. Please let me know if you would like a Catalogue (if you are in Australia) and I will pop one in the post for you.

My project for this month features the gorgeous Poinsettia Petals bundle:

Creating Christmas projects, be they cards, boxes or other projects, give me so much joy, so it is great to start creating Christmas cards for this year. While Poinsettias are usually portrayed in some form of red and green, I decided to create my first Christmas card for 2020 in another colour scheme based on one of Stampin' Up!s Christmas colours for 2020, that is Balmy Blue.

I started by creating a Balmy Blue ink wash on Fluid 100 Watercolor Paper. While this background was drying naturally, the Poinsettia dies were used to cut the different sized poinsettia petals from Balmy Blue card-stock; the holly leaves from Whisper White card-stock; and a few berry sprays from Silver foil. Before the water-coloured paper fully dried it was embossed with the Subtles 3D embossing folder.

The edges of each of the poinsettia petals were daubered (if that is a word) with Frost White Shimmer Paint. The leaves had a slight Balmy Blue edging applied with a Sponge Dauber. The poinsettia petals were adhered together in descending size with a dot of liquid glue added to the centre. Two of the larger Tasteful Labels were cut from Vellum card-stock with the longer thin one dry embossed with the all over folder from the Greenery Emboss Folders.

The two vellum labels were adhered directly to the card front with one on top of the other (ie the embossed one on top) at a 90deg angle. A piece of the oh so gorgeous Snowflake Splendor ribbon was "swished" over the top label, ensuring this delightful ribbon would be seen once the arrangement was positioned. The poinsettia flower was popped up on Dimensionals and the leaves and berry sprays tucked under the flower. One of the sentiments from the matching stamp set was stamped in Versamark ink and heat embossed with Silver Stampin' Emboss powder. The sentiment was fussy cut, as I only wanted a few of the words and not the whole sentiment. The three fussy cut words were arranged and popped up in Mini Dimensionals. A large Blue Adhesive-Backed Gem was added to the centre of the poinsettia and two smaller gems scattered on the card front. Blue Adhesive-Backed Gems seems such a bland name for these gorgeous gems - they are faceted in Balmy Blue and Night of Navy and glitter beautifully. The card front was mounted on a piece of Whisper White card-stock and then on the Balmy Blue card base.

The card inner has a piece of Whisper White card-stock stamped with a sentiment from the Dove of Hope stamp set in Balmy Blue ink with a second generation stamped poinsettia from the Poinsettia Petals stamp set. The matching envelope also was stamped with the lovely poinsettia in Balmy Blue. 

Thank you for sharing our first Heart of Christmas 2020 Showcase. I hope you are enjoying it and finding inspiration. 

The lovely Judy May is hosting the Heart of Christmas 2020 Showcase each month as we run up to Christmas. If you haven't finished checking out all of the team's Christmas creations, you can visit/revisit Judy's page at Just Judy Designs, where she hosts all the links to the other Showcase participants. I'm certainly looking forward to being inspired by everyone's creations.

Members of the Art with Heart team currently are conducting a number of regular blog hops: 

• The Heart of Christmas 2020 Showcase will be back on 17 August, that is the 3rd Monday of the month.
• Every Wednesday we are holding the Colour Creations Showcase where we feature a different Stampin' Up! colour each week. This coming Wednesday, members of the Team will share projects that hero the gorgeous "Calypso Coral".
• Our monthly Art with Heart Team Creative Showcase occurs in the middle of each month on a Thursday. The August Creative Showcase will go live on 13 August and is focussing on "Rainbows". I'm looking forward to that one.

I am so blessed to share with such talented people and so I am sure there will be wonderful projects to inspire in each blog hop, so do drop by.  I hope to see you again next month for our second Heart of Christmas 2020 Showcase. Also, do come back in a couple of days for the Colour Creations Showcase featuring Calypso Coral.

As mentioned, please don't hesitate to contact me if you are in Australia and would like a copy of the  Stampin' Up! 2020-2021 Annual Catalogue or the newly released August - December 2020 Mini Catalogue; or if you have any queries that I could help with. If you are interested in buying Stampin' Up! products, I would delighted to serve you.

Look after yourself and your loved ones. For those of you who live in Victoria and New South Wales, I so feel for you and hope & pray that there will be speedy control of the current outbreaks of COVID-19 and your level of lockdown will ease soon.

Take care

Andrea 😘 

List of Products used to create these projects: 

Stamps, Dies & Punches

• Poinsettia Petals stamp set - #153475
• Poinsettia dies - #153522
• Dove of Hope stamp set - #153406
• Tasteful Labels dies - #152886

Inks & Applicators

• Balmy Blue Classic Stampin' ink pad - #147105
• Balmy Blue Classic Stampin' ink refill - #147168
• Frost White Shimmer Paint - #147044
• Water Painter - #151298
• Stampin Spritzer - #126185
• Sponge Daubers - #133773
• Versamark ink pad - #102283
• Silver Stampin' Emboss Powder - #109131

Paper

• Whisper White card-stock - #106549
• Thick Whisper White card-stock - #140490
• Balmy Blue card-stock - #147007
• Fluid 100 Watercolor Paper - #149612
• Vellum card-stock - #106584
• Silver Foil - #132178
• C6 Whisper White envelopes - #106589

Embellishments

• Snowflake Splendor 6.4mm Ribbon - #153548
• Blue Adhesive-Backed Gems - #153547

Adhesives

• Multipurpose Liquid Glue - #110755
• Mini Glue Dots - #103683
• Tear & Tape Adhesive - #138995
• Mini Stampin' Dimensionals - #144108
• Stampin' Dimensionals - #104430

Tools (incl Embossing Folders)

• Subtles 3D Embossing Folder - #151775
• Greenery Embossing Folder - #152716
• Take Your Pick Tool - #144107
• Bone Folder - #102300
• Paper Snips - #103579
• Paper Trimmer - #152392
• Stamparatus - #148187
• Block C - #118486
• Block D - #118485
• Block E - #118484
• Block H - #118490
• Grid Paper - #130148
• Silicone Craft Mat - #127857
• Stamping Sponge - #141337
• Simple Shammy - #147042
• Heat Tool - #129056
• Stampin Cut & Emboss Machine - #149653
• Magnetic Cutting Plate - #149656

Art With Heart Creative Showcase - July 2020

Colouring Techniques with Bloom & Grow and Rooted in Nature

Hello. Welcome to Valley Inspirations with Andrea and the Art with Heart Creative Showcase for July 2020.

The Art with Heart Team are back with another Creative Showcase, this time featuring different colouring techniques. The Stampin' Up! range contains a bevy of functional and effective colouring tools that include: Stampin' Blends, Stampin' Write Markers, Classic Ink Pads, Classic Ink Refills and Classic Ink Spots, Watercolour Pencils, Water Painters, Blender Pens, Sponges, Sponge Daubers, Sponge Rollers, Stamp Blocks, Stampin' Spritzers - hmm have I missed something - probably as there are so many Stampin' Up! tools available.

I hope you enjoy the amazing projects our team members have to share with you as they demonstrate the results of these tools.

To create my projects (pictured below) I have used Stampin' (Alcohol) Blends with Heat Embossing for Project 1 and Stampin' Write Markers, a Stamp Block and Stampin' Spritzer for Project 2.

I love using colouring techniques on my projects and have fun exploring a range of techniques, especially learning new ones. Colouring often requires a good eye, skill and creative enthusiasm to try it out. I am still learning and practicing so I can improve - and I am loving the journey. It is good to know that if one technique doesn't gel with you, there are many others with a range of variations that may tickle your fancy. If something doesn't work, just keep trying.

Card 1: My first card uses Stampin' Blends to colour the gorgeous Bloom & Grow stamp set which had been stamped in Versamark ink and heat embossed with Gold Stampin' Powder. As the Stampin' Blends are alcohol markers, the ink used to stamp the design needs to be either a water based ink or heat embossed. One of the larger stamps and some of the smaller sprays were stamped on Whisper White card-stock and then coloured with a range of Blends, ie Light and Dark in Petal Pink, Soft Sea Foam, Seaside spray and Purple Posy Combo Packs, plus Light Rococo Rose. Folk colour with Stampin' Blends in various ways. What works for me is to colour in small areas, starting with the darker colour and then using the lighter colour to blend the colours in small circular motions. I also like to use the Colour Lifter to blend out the lightest colour and to add highlights. Once coloured, I then started to fussy cut the intricate images until I realised that this stamp set came in a bundle with the matching  Budding Blooms dies. Oh, so much easier. I don't mind fussy cutting but with intricate buds, etc it was fiddly and I didn't want to accidentally cut off any of the arrangement. 

With the coloured design feature ready, the card pieces were prepared. A standard card base in Petal Pink card-stock was cut. The card front in Whisper White card-stock was embossed with the Dainty Diamonds 3D embossing folder. The coloured flowers were positioned to gauge how much of the card front should be trimmed off to enable the Petal Pink card base to show. A piece of Gold Metallic Edged ribbon was coloured with the Dark Petal Pink Blends. This is another colouring technique to ensure embellishments colour match the design features. Similarly, I also used the same Blends to colour Pearl Basic Jewels. The coloured ribbon was wrapped around the card front and adhered on the back. I also tied a seperate knot with the ribbon to adhere with a glue dot once the flowers were positioned and I could work out where the knot would look best.

The flowers were positioned and popped up on Mini Dimensionals. Two extra flowers were fussy cut and popped up over a couple of flowers to add extra dimension. The card front was adhered to the card base with Dimensionals. A sentiment from the same stamp set was stamped on an extra piece of Whisper White card-stock with Versamark ink and heat embossed with Gold Emboss powder to match the flowers. The sentiment was die cut with one of the Stitched Rectangle dies and added with Dimensionals. The card was finished with the scattering of a number of coloured Pearl Basic Jewels.

A Whisper White card inner was adhered inside the card and the remaining thin strip of the Dainty Diamonds embossed card front was added with a metallic edged of the ribbon showing on the outside (the photo doesn't pick it up well - you need to squint really hard 😉). A little spray of coloured leaves and buds was also added. The envelope flap was stamped in Petal Pink ink with the large floral spray, while the envelope front was partially stamped on the edge.

Card 2:  My second card could have appeared either in this blog or my previous blog (from last night). My last blog was part of the Art with Heart Team's Colour Creations Showcase where we heroed Cajun Craze, one of Stampin' Up!s Regal colours. My first idea to use this rich rusty orange was to design a card with Autumn leaves, but I wanted to think more broadly for the Colour Creations Showcase. However, I love Autumn leaves and creating the blend of Autumn colours can use a different colouring technique than the one applied on my first card.

I started with Whisper White card-stock (for the card front), a C Block, a Stampin' Spritzer and Cajun Craze, Pumpkin Pie, Crushed Curry and Old Olive Stampin' Write Markers. Then each of the Markers were scribbled onto the block in a number of places. When covered with ink, the block was spritzed with water. Carefully, and quickly the wet coloured block was turned over and placed on the card-stock and held in place until the ink was absorbed into the paper. This was set aside to dry or I could have dried it with a heat gun. Isn't the soft blending of colours beautiful?

The small leaf from the Rooted In Nature (double) stamp set was coloured with Cajun Craze, Pumpkin Pie and Crushed Curry Stampin Write Markers directly to the stamp and then stamped on the card front. A sentiment from the same stamp set was stamped in Cajun Craze onto a small piece of Whisper White card-stock. This was trimmed down and added to the card front with Dimensionals. A piece of Linen Braided Trim was tied around the card front in a knot with the ends frayed a little. The card front was adhered to a Crushed Curry card-stock mount and then popped up with Dimensionals on the Cajun Craze card base. It was at this point that I realised that I had intended to emboss the card front with the Subtle 3D embossing folder - oops! Disappointing, but not disastrous  - so why did I kick myself???

Looking at the card design, the leaves were a similar strength of colour to the water-coloured rectangle and so the leaves didn't stand out as much as they deserved. To give a little distinction to the darker leaf edge, Versamark ink (from a Refill bottle) was added with a Blender Pen and then heat embossed with Gold Stampin' Emboss powder. The camera hasn't picked up the life added with the gold edge that glitters in the light. I will need to experiment with this technique to refine it's application.

A Whisper White card inner with two fussy cut coloured extra leaves was added inside the card. The envelope had some Marker coloured leaves stamped directly to the front.

I dearly wanted to share a third card with you featuring further colouring techniques, but ran out of time to finish the card. Hopefully, it will link with a coming blog hop so I can share it with you then.

The two cards have used either colouring with Stampin' Blends on the stamped floral arrangement and the ribbon and pearl embellishments; or water colouring using Stampin' Write Markers, a block and a Stampin' Spritzer as well as using the Markers directly on the stamp. I hope you have enjoyed these techniques.

Thank you for visiting Valley Inspirations. I really appreciate you spending time with me.

 

The next Art With Heart Team member to share her colour technique project is Amie McIlroy at Eager to Stamp. Click on Aimie's name or the Graphic below to see her project featuring gorgeous a lovely colouring technique.

  

I am so blessed to be apart of such a talented team. Knowing each of my colleagues in this Creative Showcase, I am sure that they have some amazing projects to share with you. Don't miss checking out each of their blogs. If you have a broken link or have come to this blog hop midway, you can view all the participants' blogs listed below. Click on their names to be taken to their respective blogs:

Vicki Boucher

Rebecca Jacovou

Kate Morgan

Andrea Sargent   << You are here>>

Amie McIlroy

Rachel Woollard

Tina Gillespie

Sharon Davern

Kimberly Hern

Caroline Manwaring

Catherine Proctor

Thank you for viewing our Showcase. Do come back next month for August's Art With Heart Team Creative Showcase. I'm not sure what we will be showcasing but I know it will be fun and inspiring given my colleagues and the Stampin' Up products we love. 

Please don't hesitate to contact me if you are in Australia and would like a copy of the  Stampin' Up! 2020-2021 Annual Catalogue or the newly released August - December Mini Catalogue; or if you have any queries that I could help with. If you are interested in buying Stampin' Up! products I would delighted to serve you.

Take care of yourself and your loved ones,

Andrea 😘

List of Products used to create these projects: 

Stamps, Dies & Punches

• Rooted In Nature stamp set - #148217
• Nature's Roots dies - #151786
• Bloom & Grow Stamp set - #149229
• Budding Blooms dies - #149548

Inks & Applicators

• Cajun Craze Classic Stampin' ink pad - #153116
• Petal Pink Classic Stampin' ink pad - #147108
• Blender Pen - #102845
• Cajun Craze, Pumpkin Pie, Crushed Curry, Old Olive Stampin' Write Markers as part of the Regals Stampin' Write Markers -  #147155
• Petal Pink Stampin' Blends Combo Park - #154893
• Soft Sea Foam Stampin' Blends Combo Pack- #154902
• Seaside Spray Stampin' Blends Combo Pack- #154901
• Purple Posy Stampin' Blends Combo Pack- #154896
• Rococo Rose Stampin' Blends Combo Pack- #154900
• Colour Lifter Stampin' Blends - #144608
• Versamark ink pad - #102283
• Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder - #109129

Paper

• Whisper White card-stock - #106549
• Thick Whisper White card-stock - #140490
• Cajun Craze card-stock - #121681
• Crushed Curry card-stock - #131288
• Petal Pink card-stock - #147009
• C6 Whisper White envelopes - #106589

Embellishments

• Gold Metallic Edged Ribbon - #144146
• Braided Linen Trim - #147808
• Pearl Basic Jewels - #144219

Adhesives

• Multipurpose Liquid Glue - #110755
• Mini Glue Dots - #103683
• Tear & Tape Adhesive - #138995
• Mini Stampin' Dimensionals - #144108
• Stampin' Dimensionals - #104430

Tools

• Dainty Diamonds 3D Embossing Folder - #152702
• Take Your Pick Tool - #144107
• Bone Folder - #102300
• Paper Snips - #103579
• Paper Trimmer - #152392
• Stamparatus - #148187
• Block C - #118486
• Block D - #118485
• Block E - #118484
• Block H - #118490
• Grid Paper - #130148
• Silicone Craft Mat - #127857
• Stamping Sponge - #141337
• Simple Shammy - #147042
• Heat Tool - #129056
• Stampin Cut & Emboss Machine - #149653
• Magnetic Cutting Plate - #149656