Playing with a pattern...

 

Hey!

Friday-Eve already? Time seems to be disappearing before my very eyes! Well today's card sticks to our Friday-Eve tradition and knuckles down to a new CASE Study.

It's our final week having Amber as our muse, so let's see her out in style with this little number of hers up for CASEing:

Check out the original post of these cards here

Ahhhh quatrefoil. That pattern that was/is so on trend and yet I struggled to get on to that bandwagon. Not any more: inspired by Amber's classic black and white quatrefoil elegance, I threw myself into a sort-of quatrefoil inking session thanks to Uniko Studio's Background Builders: Lattice.

• The classic black and white combo is a sure winner for elegance. To make a statement pick either black or white as your main colour (well, it's not a colour but you know what I mean!) and add small elements of the other.
• A simple strip of ribbon with a pleat adds that extra detail and dimension to a focal point.
• To cut near perfect ends to your ribbon, fold the ribbon in half widthways and cut from the touching corners to the midpoint of the ribbon width.
• Keep a pair of ribbon scissors: I have my ever-faithful Cutterbee scissors and *only* use them for cutting ribbon. They still. after much use, cut like a hot knife through butter!

Now I love that this week's CASE Study gives us students a chance to be inspired by either of Amber's cards or both to play along. Be sure to check out the rest of the CASE Study DT - you won't be disappointed!

Amy Wanford (That's me!)
Andrea Ewen
Christina MacLaren Clare Buswell Debby Hughes  
Iwona Palamountain (Chupa)
Jean Martin 
Jeanna Jachna  
Maureen Plut
Tasnim Ahmed (Guest DT)
Teneale Williams
Amber Kemp-Gerstel (January's Muse)  

And before I dash off once again, I'd like to express my thanks for you sticking around here whilst my blogging schedule, (and visits to you in Blogland) took a hiatus. Fingers crossed I'll be back on track very, very soon! :)







Products Used

InLinkz.com

Texture, Texture, Texture!

 Hey!

Another Friday-Eve rolls around, another fabulous new CASE Study to focus on from our muse for January, Amber Kemp-Gerstel. I dunno about you, but I'm lovin' the inspiration her creations are providing and this week's creation is no different:

Check out the original post of this creation here.

I was taken with Amber's use of neutrals with a pop of colour, along with the texture of that corrugated kraft. In fact, I went a bit texture crazy once I started: a texture style stamp from the set Building Blocks; a bit of burlap; a felt heart and a button, (along with the obligatory cardstock of course!) :)

•  Keep those scraps to create your own embellishments. A scrap of burlap, felt and a button combined made for a custom embellishment that shows the love - literally!
• Using neutrals with a pop of colour is always a winner! That pop of red should hopefully draw your eye straight to the focal point of the card without any effort on your part.
• Texture can add so much dimension to designs. Even the most clean and simple of designs can ooze texture when it's clustered together as a focal point. 

Now it's your turn. Get settled and ready to study with us! For some mojo-boosting inspiration, check out my fellow CASE Study peeps:

Amy Wanford (That's me!)
Andrea Ewen
Christina MacLaren Clare Buswell Debby Hughes  
Iwona Palamountain (Chupa)
Jean Martin 
Jeanna Jachna  
Maureen Plut
Tasnim Ahmed (Guest DT)
Teneale Williams
Amber Kemp-Gerstel (January's Muse)

I challenge you to root through your own scaps (c'mon I know we crafters hoard keep everything) and see what beauties you can make. It completely justifies every. single. scrap. you keep! *wink*







Products Used

InLinkz.com

The sparkly white stuff...

Hey!

Today's card is a good example of what you can see out of my window today. Yup, the white stuff has fallen & it's looking like I'll be spending my weekend in Derbyshire. However, if you're not like me & have access to your crafting supplies, then why not join us this weekend on A Passion for Papertrey & create a thank you project?

I laughed to myself as I made this card a couple of weeks ago: was I tempting fate by creating this snowy, sparkly landscape? I guess I was! :)

• Not keen on how glitter can get EVERYWHERE? Use Stickles by Ranger instead. I use the shade of Crystal, which gives a transparent sparkle guaranteed to coordinate with whatever colour you need it to.
• Frame a focal point: mat & layer your focal point onto a slightly larger piece of card stock the same colour as your cardbase. 
• When stamping a background, let your stamps overhang the edges and stamp off the edges of the card. 

So there you have it: crafting & tempting fate. Hmmm...now where did I put my summer-themed crafting supplies....? *wink*

Thanks (a Bunch!)

Hey!

Before I commence Friday-Eve with a new CASE Study, can I just take this opportunity to thank you all for your kind words, thoughts & support during this sad time for my family & I. Thank you doesn't seem to represent the magnitude of gratefulness I'd like to convey to you... but....erm...well....THANK YOU! ♥

And now back to business - CASE Study business, that is! My card today is inspired by this set up from our January muse, Amber that you can check out here. (I'll add a piccy later - just blogging with limited internet access right now!)

I was inspired by Amber's use of rounded corners & use of flowers in vases. In fact, this week's CASE Study gave me the perfect excuse to ink up a new Clearly Besotted Stamps set, Thanks a Bunch.

• Add shading with a marker to paper pieced elements of your stamping to add dimension.
• Are you a patterned paper hoarder collector? Use it up by covering a card front with it!
• Ground stamped images so they're not 'floating'. A simple masking technique with a sheet of copier paper and a woodgrain stamp created a table for my flowers to sit on.

Need some more inspiration? Well I recommend you take a peek at what the rest of the CASE Study DT whipped up and ink along with us (I'll put the links in later, but for now check out the CASE Study Blog!)

I'd like to dedicate today's card to all of you who have made me realise that even in the tough times life throws at you, you're never alone. :)

The Loss of a Great Man

Pitty Wood: The wood by my dad's childhood home - Pitty Wood Farm. A place full of fond memories where I spent my childhood playing, & my adulthood walking & philosophising with my dad. Picture by Mathias Gras. 

Hey

You wouldn't believe how many times I've sat to write this post, and had to walk away. Emotions are raw & although they say that time is a healer, I feel a need to let you know what's happening behind the scenes here.

It is with great sadness that I have to report that my dad passed away last Friday. Although he wasn't in the best of health, the sudden speed at which his health deteriorated has taken us all by surprise.

To say we are shocked & saddened is an understatement. I'm biased, but we lost a great man on Friday. A man whose modesty, morals & outlook on life are to be celebrated & remembered. I hope to echo those qualities & I am blessed to have had what precious time we shared together. I have many happy memories of my dad that I will treasure forever.

So what does this mean for the blog? Well I have a couple of posts scheduled for CASE Study, but apart from that I'll be popping in when I can with new projects as & when I find the time to. Trust me, inking up my stamps are a form of therapy so it'll be sooner rather than later!

And if you've made it this far, thanks for sticking with this post. I know it's not the easiest to read (it's not the easiest to write!) and I'll be back on Thursday with a new CASE Study.

Border Punch Scraps = Shaker Card

Hey!

It's Friday-Eve so that means only one thing: Time for a new CASE Study! AND as it's the first challenge of the month, CASE Study is welcoming the talented Amber Kemp-Gerstel as January's muse.

My card today is inspired by the sweet hearts and crisp, white space on this beauty of Amber's up for studying this week.

Acetate is a pain for me to photograph so here's my card - Take 2! *wink*

I think I must have had the Polaroid frame in my mind after tinkering with my profile pic for this blog makeover. Give the card a little shake to see those hearts dance and beat away :)

• Pair dies to make custom shapes. I created my DIY Polaroid frame by pairing a rectangular & a square Nestability die!

• Keep the scraps! My mini-hearts are actually the leftovers from a lace heart border punch (Thanks, Diva!).

• No busy backgrounds when it comes to this shaker card. I want my guy to focus on those hearts & their magic, as well as understand the card's message on first glance.

C'mon & study along with us this week. Need more mojo boosts? Well even if you don't, take a peek at what the rest of the CASE Study team whipped up (including our guest designer, Tasnim Ahmed)

Amy Wanford (That's me!)
Andrea Ewen
Christina MacLaren Clare Buswell Debby Hughes  
Iwona Palamountain (Chupa)
Jean Martin 
Jeanna Jachna  
Maureen Plut
Tasnim Ahmed (Guest DT)
Teneale Williams
Amber Kemp-Gerstel (January's Muse)

I'll be back tomorrow, hopping along with Uniko Studio so stay tuned & see you soon..!

Ahoy!

Hey!

Or should that be, Ahoy!? Belated New Year wishes, peeps! 2013 is bringing a blog-makeover here & a new format when it comes to my posts. I figure that you're here to see the pics of my projects, check out what I've used, & maybe grab a few tips & tricks along the way. We'll get used to it, I hope....!

So let's cue some fun stamping to whip up a card to celebrate my sweet nephew, Tom's, 8th birthday. New stamps (well, not super new as there's been another release since this set!) from Clearly Besotted Stamps to the rescue. The ship & sentiment are from the recently released mini-set, Ahoy Matey. Love this set - so fun to ink up! :)

 

• Consider using primary colours when it comes to cards for children for the fun factor

• Embellish stamped images: I added eyelets to the stamped pirate ship (3 down, a million to use still!)

• Create a custom sentiment by partially inking stamps and pairing them with other sentiment stamps

Be sure to check out Clearly Besotted Stamps because there's oodles of new goodies to feast your eyes on, including dies! I'm very lucky to have a set that I've designed with a coordinating die available too - more on that later this week! I feel the need to celebrate so watch this space...

Thanks for stopping by today :)


Card Deets
{Ahoy, Birthday Boy}
Stamps: Ahoy Matey (Clearly Besotted Stamps)
Ink: Tuxedo Black, Rich Cocoa (Memento)
Cardstock: Pure Poppy, White (Papertrey Ink)
Patterned Paper: Blue Stripes from Margarita Collection (American Crafts)
Accessories: Eyelets (We R Memory Keepers)/ Promarkers