AWH Colour Creations Blog Hop #10 Balmy Blue

Balmy Blue with Textured Floral as a Slim-line Card

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. We started with the newly introduced colours and this week we commence showcasing Stampin’ Up!s continuing colours.

This week’s Blog Hop is focussing on a soft pale blue called Balmy Blue. I love it. Balmy Blue is part of the Subtles Colour Family and is a delightful light blue. This colour is so lovely when used for sky, water, baby projects, soft backgrounds, flowers and I love using it at Christmas time for snow scenes. It coordinates well with other blues or other subtle colours (as used in my card) and so many other combinations. 

Balmy Blue 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; Watercolor Pencils, Subtles Designer Series Paper as well as Les Shoppes and Countryside Inn DSPs; plus Textured Shimmer Paper, Robot Buddies Kids Card Kit and Christmas Whimsy Card Kit; Balmy Blue & White Double Stitched Ribbon and the Variegated Ribbon; as well as Iridescent Pastel Gems and Pastel Adhesive-backed Sequins.

Balmy Blue card-stock, ink, Stampin’ Write Marker,  Balmy Blue/White Variegated Ribbon and Iridescent Pastel Gems have been used in the creation of this project plus a range of non-Balmy Blue bits and pieces.

Recently, I was checking out the Stampin’ Up! Clearance Rack and was reminded that the Slim Card dies were available at an amazing price. I decided to create a project using these dies to affirm their availability. My project is also featuring the delightful Textured Floral bundle from the new 2023-2024 Annual Catalogue.

I stamped out a range of flowers & leaves on Basic White card-stock using the Textured Floral stamp set with Balmy Blue, Fresh Freesia, Bubble Bath, Berry Burst, Lemon Lolly, Petal Pink, Soft Sea Foam and Lost Lagoon Classic Stampin’ inks. Each image was inked up in the light ink first then touches of the coordinating second colour was added with a Sponge Dauber before stamping onto the card-stock. This gives subtle life and interest to the images.

The leaves and flowers were all cut with the coordinating dies from the Textured Floral dies. A number of leafy sprigs were die cut from Basic White card-stock. One of the Slim Card dies was used to cut out the mosaic style design from Balmy Blue card-stock. Some of the cut out tiles were retained. I actually remembered and looked for my Adhesive Sheets - but they were no-where to be found. Oh no. It will be on my next Stampin’ Up! order as it makes adhering down fine die-cutting so much easier.

I decided to use the smooshing technique to add some colour to the background. As my water-colour paper wasn’t long enough I used Thick Basic White card-stock (as it would respond better to water than the finer Basic White card-stock). I used my Stampin’ Write Markers and applied Balmy Blue with touches of Azure Afternoon to a plastic bag (it was actually a bag that had held a Stampin’ Up! ribbon combo - its always good to re-purpose & re-use). Some water was misted over the scribbled ink using a Stampin’ Mister. I used a cellophane bag (that had been packaging for a set of SU dies) to “smoosh” into the ink and then to smoosh it onto the background panel. Once partially coloured, the panel was left to dry before a section of the die cut slim card detailed panel was adhered in place.

A few of the die cut “tiles” were stacked one-on-top-of-the-other and adhered back into a few of the tile cut outs to vary the look & dimension of the die cut panel. The flowers & leaves were arranged and adhered with a mix of Glue Dots, Dimensionals & Multipurpose Liquid Glue. A sentiment from the same stamp set was heat embossed onto Balmy Blue card-stock using Versamark ink, White Emboss Powder, the Embossing Addition Tool Kit and a Heat Tool. Some Balmy Blue/\White Variegated ribbon was cut into a number of pieces lengthwise and 2 blue pieces were tied into a bow that was tucked under the large flower. A few Iridescent Pastel Gems were scattered around the sentiment as the final shimmery touch.

A few remaining flowers and leaves were arranged onto the Basic White card inner and a white slim-line envelope to bring some continuity from the card front’s design. 

Thank you so much for calling in to check out my Balmy Blue project. I do appreciate you spending time with me.

There is more Balmy Blue creativity, so continue with the blog hop. Just click the "next" graphic below to be taken to the blog of the lovely Christina Barns. I am looking forward to checking out Christina’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 Basic Gray, a member of the Neutrals Colour family, 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 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 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   #texturedfloral    #slimcard

AWH Heart of Christmas #17

Christmas with Whimsy & Wonder

Hello. Welcome to Valley Inspirations with Andrea and the 17th Art with Heart Team 2021 Heart of Christmas Blog Hop. 

So glad you are joining us for this Heart of Christmas Blog Hop. I have really enjoyed creating a few cards for this Christmas blog hop. I hope you like them:

I started by setting up to create a smooshed background or two, however, I ended up creating 6 backgrounds - all with the initial application of ink. I dabbed my Mint Macaron Classic Stampin' ink pad onto my Silicone Mat. As hardly any ink transferred, I pushed the ink pad back on the mat with a heavy hand - this time transferring a heavy layer of ink. I sprayed the mat with water from my Stampin' Mister and started dabbing a cellophane bag from one of my Stampin' Up! products into the ink and then onto a piece of Shimmery White card-stock. Each background is different - some with partial areas of smooshing and others with a more all over coverage. I've used 3 of the smooshed backgrounds for today's cards.

The 3 cards are similar, though different. Apart from the Mint Macaron smooshed background they all have a Mint Macaron card base and use Silver foil from the Silver Foil Speciality Pack for the mounting the card front.

The colour scheme was inspired by the Whimsy & Wonder Speciality Designer Series Paper, ie Blushing Bride, Polished Pink, Mint Macaron, Mossy Meadows and Misty Moonlight, plus - because I was relying on my memory and thought Evening Evergreen was also part of the colour scheme, it too was also used - oops. I only used the delightful speciality DSP by adding the fussy cut presents in the first card, pictured above.

The card inners were created with a piece of Basic White card-stock and a tree from the Whimsical Trees stamp set was stamped in Mint Macaron Classic ink. The tree above also has Polished Pink dots added with a Stampin' Write Marker.  A C6 Basic White envelope was stamped to coordinate with the card inner.

The card above cut one tree from the Silver Foil, all the other trees in their various shapes and sizes were cut from Shimmery White card-stock using the coordinating Christmas Trees dies. I really love this bundle and the whole Suite. It is sooo gorgeous.

Most of the Shimmery White card-stock trees were water-coloured using the ink colours listed above with a medium Water Painter. This card also used a thin strip of Mint Macaron DSP from the Subtles DSP pack. It was layered with a thin strip of Silver Foil.

This card used the Metallic Mesh Ribbon, tied in a double bow, where as the first card (above) also used the Metallic Mesh Ribbon together with a piece of Silver Simply Elegant Trim. The third card (below) used the bakers twine that is described as Misty Moonlight Silver Batkers Twine, however, I removed the Misty Moonlight threads leaving silver and white strands. This twine is park of the Flowers for Every Season Ribbon Combo.

This card inner had a thin strip of Mint macaron card-stock added near the bottom.

Each of the cards used the gorgeous 2021-2023 In Colour Jewels (either Polished Pink or Soft Succulent) to add that extra touch of shimmer. These jewels are so beautiful in real life. The colouring of the cards also shows so much better in real life - the camera hasn't quite captured the true colours well.

Each card used the same sentiment from the Whimsical Trees stamp set for each, as I preferred a long single line sentiment format. The sentiments were all heat embossed, either with Silver Emboss powder on Shimmery White card-stock or White Emboss powder on Mint Macaron card-stock. Shimmery White card-stock was used instead of Basic White as the backgrounds used Shimmery White as it copes with light water-colouring. As the Shimmery White is more off-white than Basic White card-stock it was better to keep consistency with the background.

As you would have picked up, some of the trees were adhered flat on the card background while others were popped up on Mini Dimensionals, as were the sentiments.

I love the relaxed unstructured feel of the smooshed backgrounds and as you may have picked up previously, I really enjoy water-colouring die cut pieces. As mentioned, the Whimsy & Wonder Suite is delightful - the design of stamps and dies and the colour combination. I am loving this non-traditional colour way this year. I had planned to add a Wonderful Snowflake or two, but forgot when I was creating. Hmm, I still have another 3 backgrounds so it's not too late. I wonder how the next 3 cards will evolve? I'm sure there will be more fun.

Thank you so much for spending time with me on my blog. I'm so glad you did.

If you are in Australia, don't already have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and would like your own copy of Stampin' Up's 2021-2022 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 make contact with any other queries about these projects or Stampin' Up!. 

To continue with the blog hop, click on the "onto the next" graphic below to be taken to the blog of the lovely Caroline Manwaring. I always look forward to checking out Caroline's clean & elegant creations together with everyone else's. 

Hope to see you next week for another AWHT Heart of Christmas Blog Hop. There is so much Christmas inspiration to share using Stampin' Up!'s products and Christmas is getting closer. It's time to commence Christmas card writing for friends and family overseas. 

Also, don't forget the weekly Colour Creations Blog Hop by the Art with Heart Team that launches every Wednesday at 8.00pm AEST.

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

Andrea XXX

  

As mentioned, it is always a delight to see everyone's creations and the way they each use the amazing Stampin' Up! products. I am sure there will be gorgeous Christmas projects on show so don't miss checking out each blog. 

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 this week’s host of the Heart of Christmas Blog Hop, 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.

#heartofchristmas #heartofchristmas2021 #awhtheartofchristmas #Stampin'Up! #Whimsy&Wonder