Be Inspired - Clean & Simple

Be Inspired Design Team Blog Hop

CLEAN & SIMPLE THEME

Welcome to Valley Inspirations with Andrea and the January Be Inspired Blog Hop where we are focusing on projects that are Clean & Simple . However you have arrived here, whether from Lynn Cheesmur or directly here, I am so delighted that you are here.

For those of you who know me and my style, you would know that my creativity is on the other end of the spectrum from “Clean & Simple” cards, so this theme wasn’t easy for me. I tried hard to stay within the framework of “Clean & Simple” but near the end of working on my card I just couldn’t resist adding  extra flowers to the arrangement.

Things have happened to me today that have prevented from finishing writing my blog. My apologies that I haven’t had time to refer to products used, etc. I will come back and finish the write up later tonight.

Thank you so much for dropping in on your way around the Be Inspired Blog Hop. I so appreciate you.

I am really looking forward to seeing what everyone else has created for the Clean & Simple Blog Hop.  Next in line is the amazing Angela Meiritz-Reid. Just click on the "Next" graphic below to head over to Angela’s blog.

The full list of those participating in this Blog hop is:

Andrea Sargent <you are here

Angela Meiritz-Reid

Annette Ball

Annette Elias

Brian King

Emma Goddard

Heather Thomas

Lynn Cheesmur

 

Be Inspired - Feeling Festive

Be Inspired Design Team Blog Hop

Welcome to Valley Inspirations with Andrea and the November Be Inspired Blog Hop where we are focusing on projects using Feeling Festive in some way. However you have arrived here, whether from Annette Elias or directly here, I so appreciate that you are here.

I saw this fold created recently by Sue Campfield, a US Demonstrator. Sue created this fold for her November Crafternoon and I just had to give it a go. I converted the dimensions to suit A4 card-stock and as the card developed I made some other changes as well. This card features the gorgeous Traditions of Christmas Speciality Designer Series Paper.

Sue called this Fancy Fold the Tuck and Pop card as the left flap of the card tucks in when the card is closed, but when it opens two panels inside the card pop up.

Some of the panels were decorated with pieces of Basic White card-stock that had been embossed with the Traditional Wreath 3D Embossing Folder. I love this EF so much. Two different designs of the Traditions of Christmas SDSP were used to cover some of the panels. Some coordinating Traditional Sparkling Sequins added some beautiful glimmer.

As the front and inside of the card display beauty a panel needed to be added to the back of the card for writing a personal message.

To open the card, you just need to slip the belly band off.

The belly band is a strip of Basic White card-stock and the gorgeous Real Red Shiny ribbon was tied around the band ending in a bow. A couple of die cut Basic White pine fronds and gold holly leaves were tucked under a sentiment and die cut label from the Traditional Labels bundle.

Here is the card opened. It could easily stand open for display like this.

Thank you so much for dropping in on your way around the Be Inspired Blog Hop. I so appreciate you.

I am really looking forward to seeing what everyone else has created for the Feeling Festive Blog Hop.  Next in line is the amazing Lynn Cheesmur. Just click on the "Next" graphic below to head over to Lynn’s blog.

The full list of those participating in this Blog hop is:

Brian King

Emma Goddard

Heather Thomas

Stesha Bloodhart

Angela Meiritz-Reid

Annette Elias

Andrea Sargent  <This is me

Lynn Cheesmur

#beinspired  #beinspireddesignteam  #stampinup   #stampinupofficial  #stampinupaustralia #valleyinspirations  #artisandesignteam #artisandesignteam2025  #christmasgreenery  #stampinupofficial #traditionallabels

Be Inspired - Patterned Paper

Be Inspired Design Team Blog Hop

Welcome to Valley Inspirations with Andrea and the October Be Inspired Blog Hop where we are focusing on projects using Patterned Paper in some way. However you have arrived here, whether from Annette Elias or directly here, I so appreciate that you are here.

Pattern paper can be used in so many ways in your paper crafting. Whether creating a simple card that shows the beauty of the designer series paper designs or using it along with other products for a more detailed card it always adds a special touch. I love to use patterned paper when I am creating a fun fold so that is what I am sharing in this blog hop. While planning to create a different fold to the one shown, part way through I realised the dimensions I had found on line had some issues so had to change tac.

This card features a speciality Designer Series Paper that has a Basic Black, Basic White and Gold colour combo. I love this Modern Christmas DSP so much. I have used 2 different designs within the pack - one with a black background, white circles and gold diamonds. Not wanting black to dominate, a layer of this DSP was used across the bottom third of the card. 

Dry embossing with the Waves 3D Embossing Folder was added to the top 2/3rds of the card. The panels had been cut to size before being embossed. A fine strip of Gold Foil was tucked under the lower edge of the middle panels. Two circular discs were die cut using both the Basic Shapes dies and the Spotlight on Nature dies. Trees from one of the DSP designs were fussy cut and added to the layered labels with Mini Dimensionals.

The decorated labels were adhered to the central panel with Dimensionals. A second Basic Black die cut disc was adhered behind the central panel, creating a gap that the top and bottom card panels, from the other side of the card, can slip through to hold the card closed.  A sentiment from the coordinating Ornamental Christmas stamp set was white heat embossed on Basic Black card-stock. A thin strip of Gold Foil was added to the sentiment to link to the gold in the DSP.

The finishing touch was the addition of a sprinkling of Gold Low Profile Dots.

Above is a photo of the card slightly open. Below the photo shows the inside of the card. It shows a further Christmas message and some trees. As this area is decorative, a personal message can be written on the back of the card.

Some of the gorgeous patterned paper was adhered to the flap of a Basic White C6 Envelope. I love to simply decorate the envelope so it coordinates with the card it will carry.

Thank you so much for calling in on your way around the Patterned Paper Be Inspired Blog Hop. I hope you found something to inspire your Christmas crafting preparations.

I am really looking forward to seeing what everyone else has created for the Patterned Paper Blog Hop.  Next in line is the amazing Lynn Cheesmur. Just click on the graphic below to head over to Lynn’s blog.

The full list of those participating in this hop is:

Brian King

Emma Goddard

Angela Meiritz-Reid

Annette Elias

Andrea Sargent  <This is me

Lynn Cheesmur

#beinspired  #beinspireddesignteam  #stampinup   #stampinupofficial  #stampinupaustralia #valleyinspirations  #artisandesignteam #artisandesignteam2025  #christmasgreenery  #stampinupofficial #traditionallabels

Be Inspired - Masculine Makes

 Be Inspired Design Team Blog Hop

Welcome to Valley Inspirations with Andrea and the September Be Inspired Blog Hop where we are focusing on Masculine projects. However you have arrived here, whether from Annette Elias or directly here, I do so appreciate that you are here.

With a theme of Masculine Makes my mind went to the current “Autumn” products. I love leaves and colouring them in autumnal colours, even, like know we in Australia are heading into spring. I hadn’t used the Gathering Moments bundle and don’t currently have the coordinating DSP. As I was thinking about what to create I remembered something that I had seen many years ago but hadn’t had the right products to give it a go - but the current offerings are perfect. I have created a seen within a leaf shaped die cut card front.

I started with a Basic Beige card base and a Country Woods Designer Series Paper background that was mounted on a slightly larger piece of Crumb cake card-stock. One of the large leaf dies from the Gathering Moments dies was used to cut a hole in the card background panel.

A piece of Basic White card-stock was coloured with autumn colours to create an unusually coloured sky. Blending Brushes were used with Crushed Curry, Pumpkin Pie, Cajun Craze and Secret Sea. Mountains, trees and larger trees were cut from Basic White card-stock and then the mountains were coloured with Crushed Curry and a little Pumpkin Pie; the trees with Old Olive - in different strengths. A small piece of the Soft Sea Foam Peace on Earth Glimmer Paper was die cut to be some water glimmering in the light of the moon. It was also coloured with autumn little Crushed Curry and a Blending Brush.

The blended panel was adhered to the Basic Beige card-base and the mountains, trees and water were arranged while regularly checking how the scene would look through the die cut hole.

Some leaves were stamped in Old Olive, Cajun Craze with touches of Pumpkin Pie were stamped using the Gathering Moments stamp set. I adore the effect created by these stamps. The sentiment is similar to one in the mentioned stamp set, however, this one was laying on my workstation  so trimmed it down and popped it up on Mini Dimensionals.

The design for the card was finished with a little Old Olive Linen Thread bow and some gorgeous Cajun Craze & Gold Dots.

The card inner simply used some stamped leaves and a little Mossy Meadows splatter.

Thank you so much for calling in on your way around the Be Inspired Blog Hop. 

I am really looking forward to seeing what everyone else has created for the Masculine Makes theme.  Next in line is the amazing Lynn Cheesmur. Just click on the graphic below to head over to Lynn’s blog.

The full list of those participating in this hop is:

Angela Meiritz-Ried

Annette Elias

Andrea Sargent <you are here 

Lynn Cheesmur

#beinspired  #beinspireddesignteam  #stampinup   #stampinupofficial  #stampinupaustralia #valleyinspirations  #artisandesignteam #artisandesignteam2025  #light&wonder  #stampinupofficial #gatheringmoments

Be Inspired - Bright & Bold

 Be Inspired Design Team Blog Hop

Welcome to Valley Inspirations with Andrea and the August Be Inspired Blog Hop.

BRIGHT AND BOLD

This Blog Hop has a theme of BRIGHT & BOLD. As I was musing on the theme I was walking with my dog and saw a number of local Rainbow Lorikeets. They are a beautiful Aussie bird and certainly Bright & Bold, so I decided to build my project around these gorgeous birds.

I had the Feathered Fun Stamp set and had previously thought of colouring the images to be reminiscent of Aussie birds. The 2 images were stamped in Versa-mark ink and Gold heat embossed, then water-coloured the birds with Lemon Lime Twist, Granny Apple Green, Daffodil Delight, Poppy Parade and Blueberry Bushel. Once fully dry the images were fussy cut.

The coming Reaching Out bundle was also used on this card, ie to gold heat emboss branches and pine sprays. A little Pool Party was lightly blended in the background. Some twigs also were die cut and lightly coloured with Pecan Pie and Granny Apple Green. Two sizes of the Branching Out labels were cut in Basic White card-stock with the smaller label framing the branches, etc. The Basic White background panel was embossed with the coming Traditional Wreath 3D Embossing Folder.

A sentiment from the Branching Out stamp set was White heat embossed onto a strip of Blueberry Bushel card-stock. Mossy Meadow & Gold Ribbon and Low Profile Sparkle Dots. added that final touch.

The card inner was simply Gold embossed with one of the bird images and a little Pool Party blending was added. A C6 Basic White envelope was also gold heat embossed with a cute bird.

Thank you so much for calling in on your way around the August Be Inspired Blog Hop. 

I am really looking forward to seeing what everyone else has created for the Bright and Bold theme.  Next in line is the amazing Lynn Cheesmur. Just click on the graphic below to head over to Lynn’s blog.

The full list of those participating in this hop is:

Maheswari Rajaguru

Brian King

Emma Goddard

Heather Thomas

Stesha Bloodhart

Angela Meiritz-Ried

Annette Elias

Andrea Sargent <you are here 

Lynn Cheesmur

Annette Ball

#beinspired  #beinspireddesignteam  #stampinup   #stampinupofficial  #stampinupaustralia #valleyinspirations  #artisandesignteam #artisandesignteam2025  #featheredfun #stampinupofficial #branchingout

Be Inspired - Floral Fun

Be Inspired Design Team Blog Hop

Hello, welcome to Valley Inspirations with Andrea. I am delighted to be part of the Be Inspired Design Team. This month it’s time for some:

FLORAL FUN

I had recently used the amazing Sunflower 3D Embossing Folder and have fallen in love with it. The embossing it creates is beauuuutiful so it is perfect for some floral fun. Also, I was in the mood for some fussy cutting. Here is what I came up with:

I must admit I love creating with flowers, though am unsure of my flower arranging as I am not great at arranging the real thing. Recently, I had been looking at the beautiful Floral Impressions Designer Series Paper so took my Snips and started fussy cutting a range of leaves and flowers. Some of this gorgeous DSP to create a slim-line envelope to fit the card.

With a Basic White card base and front panels, one of the front panels was embossed with the gorgeous Sunflower 3D Embossing Folder had been lightly swiped with a Stampin’ Up! Basic Beige Classic inkpad. A Mini Blending Brush lightly dabbed over any heavy ink sections before a Basic White panel was embossed. I love the subtle effect - it is a pity it doesn’t show as well on the photos.

A thin panel of Basic White Card-stock was laid over the bottom of the embossed panel and a thin strip of coming Secret Sea Glimmer Paper was adhered over the mid line.

All the flowers were arranged and a Basic Beige ribbon was cut in half lengthwise, tied into a bow and tucked in amongst the flowers. I had a heat embossed sentiment sitting on my work station which worked perfectly with the card - it just needed fussy cutting. A number of the lovely Strawberry Slush & Pretty In Pink Gems were sprinkled around. 

Just a couple of touches were added to link the inside with the card front. I will add a Secret Sea stamped sentiment when I know who will be receiving the card.

Thank you so much for calling in on your way around the Be Inspired Blog Hop.

I am looking forward to checking out the projects created by everyone in this July Be Inspired Blog Hop. Next in line is the amazing Lynn Cheesmur. Just click on the graphic below to head over to Lynn’s blog.

The full list of those participating in this hop is:

Maheswari Rajaguru

Brian King

Emma Goddard

Heather Thomas

Angela Meiritz-Ried

Annette Elias

Andrea Sargent <you are here 

Lynn Cheesmur

Jaqueline Barradas - See her creation over on Instagram @touchofjoycs

Annette Ball

#beinspired  #beinspireddesignteam  #stampinup   #stampinupofficial  #stampinupaustralia #valleyinspirations  #artisandesignteam #artisandesignteam2025  #floralimpressions #stampinupofficial #sunflower3dembossing