AWH Colour Creations Blog Hop #12 Blueberry Bushel

Blueberry Bushel with Layers of Beauty + Seaside Wishes

Hello. Welcome to Valley Inspirations with Andrea and the Art with Heart Colour Creations Blog Hop. We are working though the Stampin' Up! colours in alphabetical order, focussing on one colour each week.

This week’s Blog Hop is focussing on a beautiful mid-blue colour called Blueberry Bushel.  Blueberry Bushel is part of the Regals Colour Family and is a rich blue that can coordinate with many colours, including yellows (I love blue and yellows together), other blues, neutrals, etc and it would be wonderful for berries, sea scenes, flowers …  and anything needing a mid- blue.

Blueberry Bushel is produced in Stampin' Up!'s card-stock, both A4 & 12"x12"; Classic Stampin' inks (ink pads & re-inkers); Stampin' Write Markers; Stampin’ Blends Combos; Regals Designer Series Paper as well as Full of Life, Meandering Meadows, Winter Meadows and Bright & Beautiful DSPs; plus Hooray for Honeycomb and Confetti Birthday Kits. 

These projects have incorporated Blueberry Bushel as Classic Stampin' ink, card-stock, Stampin' Write Marker and Tinsel Gems Four Pack.

CARD 1

The current Colour Inkspirations Challenge incorporates Blueberry Bushel together with Misty Moonlight, Night of Navy and Basic Beige. My project for this Challenge used the Layers of Beauty masks (well the whole bundle). Two floral arrangements were prepared and then I only needed one for the CIC card as I separated the various flowers and only used a number of the sections. The second coloured floral arrangement was crying out to be used and as it included Blueberry Bushel, a quite different card was created with it for this Colour Creations blog hop.

The rose arrangement had been first stamped with Misty Moonlight Classic Stampin’ ink. The first and second layers coloured the roses with Blueberry Bushel and then Night of Navy ink was laid down to complete the roses. The leaves/stems used two layers of Basic Beige ink. Adding the woodgrain background from the Country Woods Designer Series Paper gives a different feel to the card.

The Pocket Thoughts bundle was used to cut the larger pocket from Basic Beige card-stock. As we use A4 card-stock in Australia, I decided to re-fold the pocket to make it narrower, so that there was an even surrounding border. The Take Your Pick Tool's scoring tip was used to re-score the pocket's side tabs. The diagonal edge at the bottom corners were trimmed with Snips.  While die cutting, some leaves were cut using detailed dies from the Layers of Beauty dies in Basic White and Basic Beige card-stocks.

To finish the card front a sentiment from the Layers of Beauty stamps was white heat embossed on Blueberry Bushel card-stock. Some Night of Navy Linen thread from a new Online Exclusive Natural Tones Linen Thread pack was tied into a double bow and tucked under the sentiment. Some of the gorgeous Blueberry Bushel Gems from the Tinsel Gems Four Pack were scattered around the sentiment.

The pocket on the front of the card isn’t just for show but is to hold a gift card. Some Basic Beige card-stock was cut to fit in the pocket and it was covered with the same DSP. Before adhering the DSP just around the edges, diagonal slits were cut in the DSP to hold a gift card.

A left over flower was adhered to the little gift card panel. A couple of Tinsel Gems were added, as well as some Basic Beige Bordered Ribbon and Night of Navy Linen Thread as a pull tab.

The card opens as usual showing a Basic White card inner that was partially stamped in Blueberry Bushel ink with the large floral image and a thin DSP strip was added down the edge.

A Basic White C6 envelope was also stamped with the large image.

If you didn't want to use the card with a gift card, you could also add a special extra message or attach a seperate note and slip it into the pocket.

CARD 2

As mentioned, Blueberry Bushel is a wonderful colour for sea themes. I started the second card by using a separate panel of card-stock that was the same size as the card front, and a circular hole was cut with a Deckled Circle die. This panel was layered over the card front. About 5 drops of Blueberry Bushel Re-inker were added into a mug, together with a little water and some dish-washing detergent. A straw was used to blow bubbles - ie enough bubbles to fill the mug and bubble up over the top. The bubbles were scooped up and added over the circular hole. This process was repeated until the hole was covered with bubbles. As the bubbles dissipated the card-stock was coloured with a gorgeous bubbly effect. I love it. As the Blueberry Bushel ink is quite intense the 5 drops was sufficient to give beautiful colouring. When dry, the larger sea plant from the Beauty of the Deep stamp set was white heat embossed over some of the bubbly coloured area - only a little is seen but it does add extra texture and interest.

The sand dollars were lightly water-coloured with diluted Basic Beige ink misted into the Seaside Wishes Embossing Folder. It is hard to see the subtle water-colour effect in the photos. The embossing folder together with the coordinating die can emboss and cut the sea dollars at the same time - so clever. The detailed coral dies were used to die cut Basic White card-stock. To give a different effect, the edges of the die cuts were trimmed off with Snips. 

The star fish from the Seaside Wishes stamp set were stamped in Calypso Coral ink. A long thin sea plant from the Beauty of the Deep stamps was white heat embossed onto a sheet from the On-line Exclusive pack of Graceful Greenery Vellum, ie the sheet with white speckles. Coordinating dies from both bundles can be used to die cut the stamped images.

This close up shows the bubbly coloured effect. A sentiment from a different stamp set - ie the Happy Little Things set (it's another Online Exclusive), was white heat embossed onto Blueberry Bushel card-stock, and then fussy cut. Linen Thread was wrapped around the card front that had been mounted onto a slightly larger piece of Blueberry Bushel card-stock. The final touch - some gorgeous Flat Adhesive-backed Pearls.

A Basic White card inner was stamped with a few Blueberry Bushel star fish. A C6 Basic White envelope was similarly stamped.

The self made mask that had been used to create a circular bubbly area had been covered with bubbles as well. This panel was used to cover the Thick Basic White card-base - as they say, waste not want not and this panel brings a more subtle edge with some coordinating colour.

Thank you so much for calling in to check out my Blueberry Bushel projects. I hope you found something to spark your interest.

To continue with the Blackberry Bushel blog hop just click the "next" graphic below to be taken to the blog of a special lady, Kate Morgan. I am looking forward to checking out Kate’s creation(s). I do love seeing everyone’s' projects - there is always so much inspiration.

I do hope to see you next week when we will be featuring Boho Blue as we continue the weekly 2024-2025 Colour Creations Blog Hop series. 

Stay well, stay safe and be kind to yourself.

Andrea 💕🐾

If you find a broken link or would like to view the full list of participants go to Catherine Proctor’s blog @ What Cathy Made. Cathy is our brilliant Art With Heart Team Colour Creations Coordinator.  She is a wonderful lady. Check out her delightful creation while you are there.

Living in Australia, don't already have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and would like your own copy of the Stampin' Up 2024-2025 Annual Catalogue, then let me know and I will be delighted to send it to you.  

Please don't hesitate to make contact with any other queries about these projects or Stampin' Up! 

#colourcreationsbloghop  #stampinup #stampinupaustralia #stampinupsouthpacific #stampinupdemo  #handmadecards  #stampinupdemonstrator  #papercrafting #artwithheartteam  #papercrafter  #valleyinspirations   #layersofbeauty  #seasidewishes  #pocketthoughts  

AWH Colour Creations Blog Hop #14 Blueberry Bushel

Blueberry Bushel with Seaside Bay & Beauty of the Deep, plus a Christmas Cottage Wreath

Hello. Welcome to Valley Inspirations with Andrea and the Art with Heart Colour Creations Blog Hop. We are working though the Stampin' Up! colours in alphabetical order, focussing on one colour each week.

This week’s Blog Hop is focussing on a junior blue colour called Blueberry Bushel. Blueberry Bushel is one of the Regals Colour Family and is a rich mid blue. This colour was previously an In Colour and has been returned to the Stampin’ Up! colour range this year.

Blueberry Bushel is produced in Stampin' Up!'s card-stock, both A4 & 12"x12"; Classic Stampin' inks (ink pads & re-inkers); Stampin' Write Marker; Stampin' Blends Combo; Regals Designer Series Paper as well as Stargazing, Glorious Gingham, Bright & Beautiful DSPs; Bright & Beautiful Memories & More Card Pack and Cards & Envelopes, plus Tinsel Gems Four Pack and Confetti Card Kit.

Blueberry Bushel card-stock, ink, Stampin’ Write Marker, Stampin’ Write Marker and Stampin’ Blends combo have been used in the creation of this project plus a range of non-Blueberry Bushel bits and pieces.

When thinking of Blueberry Bushel, the first thing I thought of was berries but then blue sea came to mind. I’d just heard of a friend who had recently hurt her shoulder and is out of action for a month. She loves sea themed cards so that decided my Blueberry Bushel project would be a sea theme. I’d created a spanner fun fold recently and thought it could work well with the sea theme.

A sea plant from the Beauty of the Deep stamp set was white heat embossed onto Basic White card-stock. The background panel was ombré blended using Crumb Cake, Balmy Blue, Blueberry Bushel and some Night of Navy Classic Stampin inks. I love the way the white embossed image resisted the application of inks - its a beautiful effect - although looking at the photo - only a little is easily seen. A little bit of White Embossing Paste was applied with a spatula on the area between sand and sea to be reminiscent of white sea foam. Some water droplets were sprinkled over the blending to add extra interest and a splattering of White Craft ink and Light Blueberry Bushel Stampin’ Blend. The background panel was cut into 3 and all pieces were mounted onto Basic White card-stock. In turn, they were mounted onto a Blueberry Bushel card base that had been cut as required for a spanner card. An extra piece of card-stock was blended for the strip that spanned the card.

Sea plants from Beauty of the Deep stamp set and from Botanical Layers stamp set were white heat embossed on Vellum card-stock using Versamark ink, White Emboss Powder, the Embossing Additions kit and a Heat Tool. Both fish stamps were stamped in either Petal Pink or Calypso Coral inks on Basic White card-stock. Shells from Seaside Bay stamp set were stamped in Crumb Cake ink and the large bird from Seaside Bay stamps was stamped in Blueberry Bushel ink. Extra colouring was added with Stampin’ Blends Combos. Coordinating dies from Beauty of the Deep & Seaside Bay cut out images, although I also did some fussy cutting of the Botanical Layers plant and detailing some bits here and there. Coral (from the Beauty of the Deep dies) was die cut from Basic White card-stock and very lightly coloured with Petal Pink ink.

As you can see when you lift the spanner section, the centre part of the card front is seperate. It was designed to show hidden fish swimming in the deep around the coral and shells can be seen more clearly.

All the images were arranged and adhered with either Multipurpose Liquid Glue or a few Dimensionals. The spanner strip was adhered to both edge panels with Liquid Glue. A sentiment from the Marvellous Nature stamp set was white heat embossed onto Blueberry Bushel card-stock. It was fussy cut and adhered with Mini Dimensionals. A number of Flat Adhesive-backed Pearls add a little shimmer both on the spanner section and hidden under on the centre panel. But then when you lift up the centre panel …

… The scene changes on the inside of the card to a beach scene with small shells and the larger Oyster Shell stamped in Crumb Cake ink. The Oyster shell was coloured on the inside with White Craft ink and Wink of Stella. A personal message is to be written on the centre panel. A C6 Basic White Envelope was stamped with the longer sea plant from the Beauty of the Deep stamps.

Here is a different angle of the Blueberry Bushel Seaside Bay Spanner card.

Christmas Card - A monochromatic Cottage Wreath

Here is a monochromatic Blueberry Bushel Cottage Wreath card. I had planned and started a different Christmas card but “stuff happened”. Recognising that I may not have time to complete my planned design. I then created a simpler card using Blueberry Bushel and Basic White.

There is more Blueberry Bushel creativity so continue with the blog hop. Just click the "next" graphic below to be taken to the blog of the special Christine Blain. I am looking forward to checking out Christine’s creation. I do love seeing everyones' projects - there is always so much inspiration.

I do hope to see you next week when we will be featuring Cajun Craze as we continue the weekly 2023-2024 Colour Creations Blog Hop series. 

Also, we are commencing the Heart of Christmas Blog Hop next Monday night - there will be lots of Christmas creating ideas to help us all start preparing for the festive season.

Stay well, stay safe and be kind to yourself and others.

Andrea 💕🐾

If you find a broken link or would like to view the full list of participants go to Catherine Proctor’s blog @ What Cathy Made. Cathy is our brilliant Art With Heart Team Colour Creations Coordinator.  She is a wonderful lady. Check out her delightful creation while you are there.

If you live in Australia, don't already have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and would like your own copy of the Stampin' Up 2023-2024 Annual Catalogue and the coming September-December 2023 Mini Catalogue then let me know and I will be delighted to send it to you.  Please don't hesitate to make contact with any other queries about these projects or Stampin' Up!. 

#colourcreationsbloghop  #stampinup #stampinupaustralia #stampinupsouthpacific #stampinupdemo  #handmadecards #makeacardsendacard #stampinupdemonstrator #papercrafting #artwithheartteam  #papercrafter  #valleyinspirations   #seasidebay  #beautyofthedeep  #botanicallayers   #cottagewreaths