Lost mojo - found mojo

Hey there

So I have had a couple of mojo issues the past week or so.   I am putting it down to all the academic work I have been doing, creating took a back seat.   I was feeling a little agitated and realised it was because I hadn't done any crafting so set to making something for a friend.   I had REALLY big issues however, nothing I did would turn out right and inspiration was sadly lacking.    I managed to pull something together for my friend which I will post once she receives it.   However I had an extra focal point left over from that card which was originally a boo boo.

I had initially stamped the greeting on the die cut piece and used a two way glue pen and dazzling diamonds on the words but I felt it just looked messy.  So I restamped for my friends card and kept the original "boo boo".  Not wanting to throw out the image I just covered the entire thing with my versamark inkpad, threw on some iridescent ice and voila - boo boo fixed!   The entire piece sparkles so much.

I had a few other scraps floating around on my desk as well and because I was struggling so much I did what all smart crafters do - I headed for a sketch.   I had pinned this sketch from the girls over at Mojo Monday earlier in the week and once I realised I wanted to use it making the card took just minutes. 

Here is my finished card.   Quite simple and yet super effective.     Hope you enjoy.  

Julz

Supplies: 

Cardstock: Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White

Ink: Black Staz On

DSP : Polka Dot Parade, banners retired dsp

Stamp set: Happiest Birthday wishes (Hostess Retired)

Other : Delicate Doilies Sizzlit Die, Versamark, Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder, Circles framelits.

12 Saturdays till Christmas!

Yup - Its true.    And in the past few days it seems everyone has been putting up posts on my facebook reminding me of the fact!  It is quite scary actually - I have so much to do between now and then with finishing my degree so hopefully I can keep crafting enough to stave off any stresses.

Anyway the gals at Just Add Ink came up with another great colour challenge this week.  The colours were Silver, Bermuda Bay and Basic Black - you can check out the design team entries here.   I absolutely love the striking effect of these colours together.

As soon as I saw the challenge I had a vague concept in my mind.    As you know I have been playing around with different card designs.    This card originally started in my mind as a side step card, but evolved into a centre step card.   I really love how it has turned out.   My very favourite detail was the top layer of the Festive Flurry stamp set and matching framelit dies snowflake I made - which I stamped in the Bermuda Bay, used a versamark pen to highlight just the outside of the snowflake and then embossed using clear embossing powder and the superfine silver glitter.       

The snowflake is popped up on dimensionals with each layer.   Unfortunately I just couldn't get it photographed properly to show the depth without showing just how sparkly it is so you will just have to use your imagination.

Anyway - enjoy.    As usual I love to receive your comments.


Julz

Cardstock:  Whisper White, Bermuda Bay, Brushed Silver
Stamp sets:  Festive Flurry, Joy to the World
Ink: Bermuda Bay, Basic Black
Embellishments: Basic Black Taffeta Ribbon, Silver Stampin Glitter, DSP Colour Stacks Neutrals, Silver Glimmer Paper

Oh baby

I have been trying to step out of my card comfort zone lately and been experimenting with some of the more "challenging" techniques like colouring as well as different card designs.   I have made a few tri shutter cards which I will blog about another day but I really wanted to show off this beauty.

It is a side step card.   I had a tutorial printed out ages ago with the measurements so am unable to credit the right person.  It was an imperial one however and required me to cut my card stock fairly oddly so I will keep an eye out for some good metric measurements.

I had some panels leftover from a techniques class I am teaching today that makes some gorgeous background panels using straws, reinkers and glossy cardstock (plus a hefty dose of OMG out of breath).   You can see them peeking out on the steps of the card.   I wanted to show my ladies an alternative way of using their created pieces instead of just stamping straight on them.  Does the pram look watercoloured??    Sure does but guess what.   It is actually paper pieced using one of the many pieces I had laying around my desk after a multitude of trial runs to find my favourite colour combos.    I stamped the Pram in Staz On and then carefully cut just inside the lines what would be the fabric.   Added a tiny amount of colouring with my blender pen to the rest of the image and I think I created quite a cute little baby card.   

Now - who is next to have a boy because this beauty will NEED to find a loving home....

Hope you love todays card.

Julz

JAI entry two

So I entered the challenge over at   Just Add Ink to Just Add Colouring yesterday already but wanted to quickly share a recent attempt at watercolouring that I made.

My daughter (18) was invited along to a 3 yr olds birthday party and obviously mum was commissioned to organise a card.   I have had this retired stamp a while and previous attemps at watercolouring it have been completely tragic.   But practice practice I have been and I was fairly happy with how this version came out.  


Thankfully when my daughter asked for a card I already had this piece coloured so it was easy to quickly pull together a simple cute and girly card.    It uses a new greeting set from the current annual catalogue called Remembering your Birthday - I love how it has a matching sentiment for inside the card and a good selection of fonts & sayings - including a great belated one!

Hope you enjoy


Julz

Just Add Colouring

Hi there

Over at Just Add Ink this week is a new challenge - Just Add Colouring.  I must admit that colouring is not exactly one of my strengths but something I am definitely working on.   I have however been playing around a bit with some sponging, and hope that sponging does indeed count towards this challenge.

I have been a member of the amazing Stampnation community for a few months now.   With regular challenges and videos brought to us by the extremely talented Catherine Pooler it is a fantastic resource especially when the mojo is lacking.   During the month of August ran Inspiration Nation - 5 weeks of picture challenges to inspire us. 




This gorgeous picture was the final challenge (the cool thing about Stampnation challenges is that they NEVER close) and I was inspired by the red gingham in this picture.    I didn't have anything gingham however, no stamp or DSP so in my efforts came up with the idea of using sponging to create a gingham piece.

With the help of my stripes embossing folder, a craft knife and a hefty dose of patience I made a mask piece out of a piece of scrap card.




I used the mask to apply Real Red ink first horizontally and then vertically onto a piece of white cardstock, making sure my second layer was a little darker.    I absolutely LOVED the effect that I got - it really does look like gingham.   

I also wanted to include the colours of the burlap as well as the flowers, so matted the gingham piece underneath a crumb cake panel which I cut a circle out using my circle framelits and then paper pierced using my piercing tool and matt to add some visual interest to an otherwise plain layer.   I also added a flower I made using a combination of my big shot flower dies, and a banner label using the Remembering your Birthday stamp set - a really versatile set of birthday sentiments.      I really love how this card turned out and hope you all do too.

Im hoping to have a play around with some water colouring later today - so hopefully there will be another entry.    Having had a look at the other entries this far there is likely not a hope in hell I will get a mention but a girls gotta try right!!!


Till later


Julz