AWH Colour Creations Blog Hop #37 Orchid Oasis

Orchid Oasis with Hot Air Balloon & Stargazing

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 deep blue/purple called Orchid Oasis. Orchid Oasis is one of the 2022-2024 In Colours that will be retiring in May. I love both this colour and Starry Sky even though initially I thought they were too similar. This colour is lovely with mauves & purples or with blues or pinks.

Orchid Oasis 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; 2022-2024 In Colors Designer Series Paper as well as Stargazing, Meandering Meadows and Perennial Lavendar DSPs; In Colour Metallic Woven Ribbon, Bakers Twine Pack; and 2022-2024 In Colour Pearls. 

Orchid Oasis ink, card-stock, Stampin’ Blends, Stampin’ Write Marker, Stargazing DSP Bakers Twine and In Colour Pearls have been used in the creation of these projects plus a range of non-Orchid Oasis bits and pieces.

I need to create 3 birthday cards for fellas - so I took up the challenge to create two of the cards using Orchid Oasis. They say for males that an interactive card is a good idea - so they are both fun folds, though different folds.

I used the Hot Air Balloon bundle from the January - April Mini Catalogue for the first card. I have seen similar folds called “Inside Out” style folds as part of the card inner can be seen from the outside. Two Basic White card-stock panels were partially die cut with the cloud like die from the Basic Borders dies to give the card a sense of clouds enveloping Hot Air Balloons floating in the sky. I needed to partially cut down one side, then move the die to cut nearer the bottom of the panel. The white panel had been cut wide enough to go across the card front plus 1cm to score and fold and adhere to the back and the central Orchid Oasis card panel.

Another panel of Basic White cardstock was coloured to give an impression of clouds. A separate piece of card-stock had been cut with the clouds border die and repeatedly positioned and coloured over using a Blending Brush with Balmy Blue and Boho Blue Classic Stampin’ inks - gradually getting darker as I moved up the panel. Similar blending was lightly added to the side cloud panels.

Using the Hot Air Balloon stamp set, 2 different sized balloons were stamped in Orchid Oasis and Lemon Lolly Classic inks on Basic White card-stock. They were cut out with the coordinating dies. Extra decorative pieces were cut from Basic White card-stock. While die cutting some clouds were also cut out. The die cut clouds and the balloon baskets also had a touch of Balmy Blue blending added. It’s not picked up in the photos, but the little baskets were dry embossed with the Twisted Rope 3D Embossing Folder. While no one may notice this little addition - it made me smile to add the texture.

The background panel was sprinkled with a little water to add some extra texture.  Some Orchid Oasis was also splattered on each panel using a Stampin’ Write Marker. The hot air balloons and clouds were positioned on the various panels with either Multi-purpose Liquid Glue or Dimensionals, ensuring a cohesive scene from the front and when the card was opened. I wanted to add some birds in the sky, but realised I didn’t have any current stamp sets with tiny birds so I drew them in with a Smoky Slate Stampin’ Write Marker.

The final touches were the addition of a hidden sentiment from the same set of stamps that was white heat embossed onto Orchid Oasis card-stock and die cut with a curved label die from the coordinating dies. I couldn’t help myself - so I added some twisted and knotted Orchid Oasis Bakers Twine around the sentiment and a few Iridescent Basic Rhinestone Jewels - just a very subtle touch of bling. 

A Basic White panel for writing a personal message was adhered to the back of the centre panel. Before the writing panel was added, an Orchid Oasis Light Blend was used to colour the edges of the white card-stock that had been adhered to the back of the card to hold the cloud panels in place. The writing panel was coloured with some blended clouds and another sentiment (from the Softly Said stamp set) was stamped in Orchid Oasis ink.  A Basic White C6 envelope was also coloured with some blended clouds. 

CARD 2:

Here it is from a different angle.

This fancy fold has been around for a number of years but recently I saw Sue Campfield, a US Demonstrator, create cards using a similar fold. I converted her Imperial measurements to suit our A4 card-stock, ensuring this card would only take half an A4 sheet of Orchid Oasis card-stock. Also, I have folded it a different way - slightly.

The scored and cut sections were covered with one of the amazing designs of the Stargazing DSP. Both the front and back sections were able to be covered using only 1 piece of DSP with a couple of strips remaining. Two designs included various colours of planets. Planets were cut using the coordinating dies from one of the sheets. A planetary ring was cut from the darker Holographic Speciality Foil. The smaller eclipse shape needed to be extended to fit around the mid size planet. Some stars were also die cut from the same Holographic Foil.

The planets and stars were adhered in place with either Multipurpose Liquid Glue or Dimensionals. A sentiment from the Season of Chic stamp set was white heat embossed on Orchid Oasis card-stock and fussy cut out. Some gorgeous Orchid Oasis 2022-2024 In Color Pearls were the finishing touch for the card front.

As mentioned, the back of the card was also covered with this beautiful DSP. I needed to fiddle a little to keep the colour and design flowing.  Extra planets were positioned and trimmed so some planets flowed across folds. A Basic White panel was added to the centre section for writing a personal message. A sentiment from the Dainty Delight stamp set was stamped in Orchid Oasis. 

A C6 Basic White Envelope had a couple of part planets from the edge of the DSP adhered in place and part of a left over strip of DSP was adhered to the envelope flap. And yes, it does fold into a C6 Envelope.

Thank you so much for dropping by on your way around the Orchid Oasis Colour Creations Blog Hop. I am sure there will be so much Orchid Oasis inspiration as you hop around. Don’t miss it.

To continue with the Orchid Oasis 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 - we always show a range of ways to use the focal colour.

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

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 just 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 or the new January-April 2024 Mini Catalogue, then let me know and I will be delighted to send them 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   #hotairballoon   #stargazing  #basicborders

AWH Colour Creations Blog Hop #6 Azure Afternoon

Azure Afternoon with Beauty of the Deep

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, however, we are starting with the new colours and are currently featuring the new core colours.

This week’s Blog Hop is focussing on a mid turquoise called Azure Afternoon. Azure Afternoon is part of the Brights Colour Family and is a gorgeous blue. This colour would be a lovely watery seaside colour or perhaps even be used for sky. As with the other new colours, I am exploring coordinating colours but I think it work’s well with other blues and blue greens (as used in the card below).

Azure Afternoon 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; Brights Designer Series Paper as well as Masterfully Made, Fresh As A Daisy and Bright & Beautiful DSPs; plus White Centre Speciality Paper; Bright & Beautiful Memories & More Card Pack + Cards & Envelopes; the Sheer Ribbon Combo; and Opaque Ovals. It is a beautiful selection.

Azure Afternoon card-stock and ink have been used in the creation of this project plus a range of non-Azure Afternoon bits and pieces.

I decided to take note of the name of this colour to set the theme for my project, as such I have used the gorgeous Beauty of the Deep bundle. I also thought that a water-colour background would work brilliantly. I’m sorry to have used another water-colour technique - however, I do love this background and think it works well as an undersea scene.

I used the wet on wet water-colour technique with Azure Afternoon Classic Stampin’ Ink together with Blueberry Bushel, Coastal Cabana and Lost Lagoon inks on Fluid 100 Watercolor paper. Once dry, the large filigree coral stamp from the Beauty of the Deep stamp set was white heat embossed over each side edge with Versamark ink, white Emboss Powder and a Heat tool before being mounted on Azure Afternoon card-stock. 

The fish from the Beauty of the Deep set were stamped in either Petal Pink or Calypso Coral inks on Basic White card-stock. They were all coloured with Wink of Stella and a touch of Petal Pink ink. One of the coral plants was stamped in Lost Lagoon ink. The anchor was silver heat embossed. The long leafy plant was white heat embossed on Vellum card-stock. All were die cut with coordinating Beauty of the Deep dies. The wide coral-type plant was die cut from Basic White card-stock. A Thick Basic White card base was stamped along 3 edges with the long leafy stamp in 2nd generation Azure Afternoon ink.

All the various pieces were arranged and adhered with either Multi-purpose Liquid Glue, Dimensionals or Glue Dots. Shhhhh - but the 2 smaller Petal Pink fish are swimming up-side-down. I didn’t realise this till I was adding watermarks to the photos. Oops. Some Tahitian Tide 2022-2024 In Color Baker’s Twine was attached to the anchor with the ends frayed to give a sense of the anchor’s rope disintegrating and entwining itself in the sea plants. Some white Craft ink was splattered over as well. A sentiment from Season of Chic stamp set was white heat embossed on Azure Afternoon card-stock. A number of Iridescent Pearls added a little extra shimmer.  

A panel of Basic White card-stock mounted on a slightly larger piece of Azure Afternoon card-stock had been 2nd generation Azure Afternoon stamped with the tall leafy stamp and a couple of Petal Pink stamped fish. A C6 Basic White envelope was stamped in the same manner to coordinate.

Thank you so much for dropping in to check out my Azure Afternoon Sea Theme card. I so appreciate you and your interest.

There is more Azure Afternoon creativity, so do continue with the blog hop. Just click the "next" graphic below to be taken to the blog of my lovely friend, Rachel Palmieri. I am looking forward to checking out Rachel’s creation(s). I do love seeing everyones' projects - there is always so much inspiration.

I hope to see you next week when we will be featuring Bubble Bath, another of the new core colours, as we continue the weekly 2023-2024 Colour Creations Blog Hop series over the coming 11 months.

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 wonderful Art With Heart Team Colour Creations Coordinator.  She is an amazing 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 new Stampin' Up 2023-2024 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 this project or Stampin' Up!

#colourcreationsbloghop  #stampinup #stampinupaustralia #stampinupsouthpacific #stampinupdemo  #handmadecards #makeacardsendacard #stampinupdemonstrator #papercrafting #artwithheartteam  #papercrafter  #valleyinspirations   #beautyofthedeep     #seasonofchic

AWH Heart of Christmas #10

Heart of Christmas Blog Hop: Season of Chic

Hello. Welcome to Valley Inspirations with Andrea and the Art with Heart Team Heart of Christmas Blog Hop for 2022. 

So glad you are joining us for our tenth 2022 Heart of Christmas Blog Hop. The months are speeding by - we started this Blog Hop in the beginning of July and its now early September. It is certainly time to be building your card stash. I have enjoyed creating a card using a non Christmas bundle but one that can also be used for Christmas. I had two other variations in mind but time ran out. Here is my card:

 

I have recently purchased the Season of Chic bundle and Texture Chic Speciality Designer Series Paper and decided to play with it to create a Christmas card. In seeing the products more closely and playing with it, I have fallen in love with this suite even more. The SDSP has Gold integrated into the design on one side of each 12 x 12 sheet. The sheet I chose for this card has golden dots spread over. Is'nt  it gorgeous. A piece was cut to card front size and adhered onto a Petal Pink card base.

Cream Glimmer Paper from the Glimmer Speciality Paper pack was die cut using the 3 different sized snowflakes from the Chic dies -  5 of each were cut. A gold ring was cut from Gold Foil using 2 mid-sized circular dies from the Layering Circles die set.

The gold ring was added to the card front with Mini Dimensionals. The little snowflakes were added to the largest snowflakes with Glue Dots before the large Snowflakes were adhered to the ring with other Glue Dots - so easy. The mid-sized snowflakes were added in-between (and overlapping) the larger snowflakes. The gold ring was great at keeping the snowflake wreath round.

A sentiment from the Season of Chic stamp set was heat embossed on Petal Pink card-stock using White Emboss powder, Versamark ink and a Heat Tool. This was added over a voluptuous bow tied with Gold & Vanilla Satin Edged Ribbon that had been cut in half lengthwise. Pearl Basic Jewels were added to the large snowflake centres plus a few extras were scattered around.

A thin strip of the same SDSP was added to the Basic White card inner and a few snowflakes were stamped in Petal Pink Classic ink using the snowflake photopolymer stamp from the Season of Chic stamps. A Basic White C6 envelope was stamped with Petal Pink snowflakes over the flap and a few on the front of the envelope.

Thank you for calling in. I do appreciate it.

It is always a delight to see everyone's creations and I am sure there will be gorgeous Christmas projects on show so don't miss checking out each blog. To continue with the blog hop, click the "onto the next" graphic below to be taken to the blog of the special and talented Claire Daly. I always look forward to checking out Claire's creations together with everyone else's. 

Don't forget the weekly Colour Creations Blog Hop by the Art with Heart Team that launches every Wednesday at 8.00pm AEST.  This coming Wednesday we are featuring a beautiful colour - Evening Evergreen.

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

Andrea XXX

If at any time you find a broken link and the next blog doesn’t come up or you started part way through, please head to the blog of our Heart of Christmas Blog Hop Host, the very special Sharon Davern, and she will have the list of all Art With Heart Team members who are participating in this blog hop. Check out her beautiful creation while you are there.

If you are in Australia, don't already have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and would like your own copy of Stampin' Up's 2022-2023 Annual Catalogue and or the July - December Mini Catalogue then let me know and I will be delighted to send them to you. Pease don't hesitate to contact me with any other queries about these projects or Stampin' Up!. 

#heartofchristmas #heartofchristmas2022  #awhtheartofchristmas #Stampin'Up! #stampinupaustralia #stampinupsouthpacific #stampinupdemo  #handmadecards #makeacardsendacard #stampinupdemonstrator #papercrafting #artwithheartteam  #papercrafter  #stamper  #valleyinspirations #seasonofchic #texturechic