Nailed It - Pop-up Panel Card

Stamp sets: Nailed It, Gorgeous Grunge & Adventure Awaits 

Cardstock: Basic Gray, Smoky Slate, Delightful Dijon & Whisper White

Ink: Basic Gray, Smoky Slate, Delightful Dijon, Pumpkin Pie, Cajun Craze & Archival Black

Tools: Build It Framelits, Paper Crimper & Hexagons Dynamic Folder

Extras: Kraft Rope Trim

Techniques: Sponging & Watercolouring

This card is totally inspired by Rose Packers card that I had seen on Pinterest 

With a little searching I found Rose's Blog post featuring this cards inspiration.

This ended up being the perfect card for my dad's birthday... being a builder and all that handy stuff dads do.

I love the rustic textures of a card like this. You can get rough with it and messy too and it still looks good.

The pop-up panel is great for a wow factor and gives plenty of room for decorating the inside of the card, if that's what you'd like to do.

I had seen a few cards on Pinterest with the pop-up panel featuring the Nailed It stamp set, but probably too many to give credit to any one person. 

Giggle Greetings & A Wiper card

Stamp sets: Giggle Greetings, Balloon Celebration, Life in the Forrest & Back to Basics Alphabet 

Cardstock: Lost Lagoon, Crushed Curry, So Saffron & Very Vanilla

Ink: Lost Lagoon, Crushed Curry, So Saffron, Basic Black Pumpkin Pie, Sahara Sand & Blushing Bride

Extras: Balloon Bouquet Punch, Circle Framelites & Linen Thread

Techniques: Watercolouring & Sponging

This is a Wiper Card, so when both side are pulled out ward the little wiper piece in the middle (the mouse & balloons) pops up.

This next card was to go with a Picture my daughter Jayda had painted for a family member.

Stamp sets: Giggle Greetings, Gorgeous Grunge, Bohemian Borders, Balloon Celebration & Back to Basics Alphabet 

Cardstock: Delightful Dijon, Basic Black, Basic Gray, Marina Mist & Crumb Cake

Ink:  Delightful Dijon, Basic Black, Basic Gray, Marina Mist, Blushing Bride & Whisper White

Extras: Balloon Bouquet Punch & Linen Thread

Techniques: Watercolouring, Piercing & Distressing  

Here's the painting by Jayda.

From left: Archie the groodle, Ebony the Lab x Border Collie & Peanut the kelpie.

I think Jayda has done a great job of this painting. It's her third acrylic painting on canvas.

Dark & Spooky Cards

I know we don't really celebrate Halloween here in Australia, (well I actually take my kids "trick or treating" at Old Gippstown) but I just couldn't help myself, I had to make something Halloween.

Stamps: Holiday Home & Gorgeous Grunge
Card stock: Mossy Meadow, Basic Black, Whisper White & Vellum.
Blendabilities: Smoky Slate, Daffodil Delight, Night of Navy & Colour lifter.
Ink: Mossy Meadow, Pacific Point, Night of Navy Elegant Eggplant, Smoky Slate & Memento Black.
Extras: Top Note Die, Washi Tape, Circle Punch & Acetate (for making stencils).
Techniques: Tearing, Alcohol Colouring, Masking & Sponging.

Here you can see I've used a craft knife to cut the door open on the house, then I stuck in a ghost that I stamped in Smoky Slate onto Vellum, fussy cut & used a glue dot to adhere.
I also masked the edges of the windows before stamping the ghosts again in Smoky Slate ink, then used the colour lifter to lighten them a little bit.

This card was for my daughter-Jayda's friend, so Jayda stamped & coloured the girl with Alcohol Markers herself, (which I thought she did a pretty good job), then came to me & asked me to make the rest of the card to go with it....
Her requests were to match the girl, in colour bule, purple & black, as well as keeping it spooky. We also need somewhere to put the money (which was her present + chocolate).
Stampin' Up! Stamps:  Sassy Salutations, Gorgeous Grunge & Wicked Cool
Other Stamps: Devilish Donna- Kenny K
Card stock: Concord Crush, Basic BLack & Whisper White.
Ink: Concord Crush, Night of Navy Pacific Point, Daffodil Delight & Basic Black.
Extras: Circle Punch & Envelope Punch Board
Techniques: Masking & Sponging.

This one was for my sister in-law, so Jayda also stamped and coloured in the girl on this card as well since it was for her auntie. The idea was to make it like Linda (the recipient) who wanted red & purple ombre hair.
Stampin' Up! Stamps: Just Sayin'
Other Stamps: Devilish Donna- Kenny K
Card Stock: Riding Hood Red, Basic Black, Very Vanilla & dsp?
Ink: Riding Hood Red, Elegant Eggplant & Basick Black.
Extras: Word Bubble Framelits, Washi Tape, Spiral Punch & Striped ribbon. 

Three Tier Slider Card

Seen these card on the net and thought they were great. There were a few different types out there, but decided to try this one & of course my new stamp set "Four Feathers" : D

Stamps: Four Feathers & Endless Wishes.
Colours: Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Pool Party, Island Indigo & Basic Gray.
Tools: Four Feathers Framelits & The roof top of one of the house from- Holiday Homes.
Extras: Gold Button, Natural Chevron Ribbon, Linen Thread & All is Calm washi tape.

I left room on the middle tier for writing a message.

I also used the feather framelits to cut out some sticky notes to make a mask for sponging.
On this top tier I sponged inside the middle feather with Crumb Cake. On the 2nd tier I sponged outside the top feather.

I seen a card on pinterest by Krista Frattin that had the feathers stamped this way, so I couldn't resist trying this technique with the feathers myself.
It's like the rock & roll technique, but after inking up the stamp in the light colour you use a sponge dauber to add the darker colour around the edges. The good thing about this technique is you can be more precise with the dauber when adding the darker colour. You just need to play around to get the intensity right.

Stamps: Holiday Homes
Colours: (I think I've used too many too name...) Raspberry Ripple, Whisper White, Gumball Green, Smokey Slate, Pumpkin Pie, Summer Starfruit, Soft Sky, Marina Mist & Night of Navy.
Extras: Black Embossing Powder, Sponges & Aqua Painter.

I sponged each tier with a different shade of blue hoping it would look like day to night, night being top tier with Santa flying by the moon.

This one was for my friends son who loves The Tigers. It took a while to try and figure out how to make the tigers face, & I know there was a fantastic tiger card on stampinconnection, but it may have been done with a proper cutter.
Stamps: Gorgeous Grunge, Bitty Banners & Back to Basics Alphabet.
Colours: Basic Black, Hello Honey, Whisper White, Raspberry Ripple & Old Olive + Daffodil Delight Blendabilities.
Punches: Two Step Bird, Curly Label, old Butterfly, Elegant Butterfly & Owl Builder.
+ Crystal Effects on the eyes.

Under the Sea -sponging

I recently participated in a small group swap, relating to the new catalogue & products.

I don't have a lot of really new stuff yet (only things I have borrowed from my friend. Thanks Shari).

So I seen some under water pictures & thought I'd try it out with Stampin' Up's stamp set "By the Tide".

Stamp sets: By the Tide & Sassy Salutations.

I prepared my Whisper White card stock with an embossing buddy.

Ink up the coral stamp from "By the tide", in Versa Mark.

Then add Calypso Coral ink.

Stamp onto card stock.

Clean the stamp & repeat first with Versa Mark then with summer starfruit ink.
Remember to make sure your stamps are clean before using them on your Versa Mark ink pad.

I used the top & tail of the lobster stamp at the bottom in Gumball Green, with the intention of resembling  grass & sea weed.

I used the speckled stamp from "Gorgeous Grunge" in Versa Mark, to add bubbles to the scene.

Sprinkle with clear embossing powder.

Use the heat tool to set.

Stamp the sea horse from "By the Tide" in the Versa Mark to colour process, using Daffodil Delight & Strawberry Slush.

Stamp the fish in Versa Mark, & Island Indigo.

Add more embossing powder.

Heat to set.

This is just to show you the stamps & colours I used.
Gumball Green, Island Indigo, Strawberry Slush, Daffodil Delight, Summer Starfruit, Calypso Coral & Versa Mark.

 I used a mask to create the surface of the water & Horizon of the sky, by tearing a piece of paper in half.
If you use the top piece for the water & the bottom for the sky they should almost match up.
Ink colours for the water: Pool Party, Tempting Turquoise & Pacific Point.

I started with Pool Party ink, sponging down in a sweeping motion to avoid messing up the torn paper mask.
You can work your way into the centre using a circular motion.
The clear embossed stamps will resist the ink.

Next colour, Tempting Turquoise. Again use a down ward sweep when sponging over the mask. Try to concentrate this colour under & around the Pool Party, as the water deepens( you can use a circular motion when your not sponging over the mask). Remember to tap off the excess ink before applying to the card stock to avoid the grainy look of the ink. This helps to keep the sponged ink looking soft & smooth.

Pacific Point is the deepest of the blues, so it help the water to become deeper too.
Sponge around the bottom & the edges in a circular motion.

You can always go back & add more of the lighter blues to help them blend together.

Use the other half of the torn paper mask to place at the water surface & sponge the sky in Marina Mist ink. 

This time sweep the sponge up to avoid messing up the torn paper mask.

Try to concentrate most of the colour at the top & around the edges. Think of the real sky, it's always a deeper blue high & above, but much lighter on the horizon.
I stamped my sentiment here, but forgot to take a photo....Oops..

Mount onto Pacific Point & Baked Brown Sugar card stock.

I attempted to bleach the fish (with bleach in my aqua painter) so that I could add another colour. But I think the bleach in my aqua paint was running out, & I had none left.

Same with the sea horses. Although you might be able to see the blue is lighter in the sea horses.

Stamp the words from "By the Tide" in Baked Brown Sugar ink onto Baked Brown Sugar card stock.
It helps if the Brown Sugar card stock is wider than the card stock of the water scene.

Tear the bottom corners off to create the rocks at the bottom of the water/card.
I liked mine to over lap a little bit, once on the card.

Mist with water to help soften card stock.

Crumple card stock by screwing it up until your happy with it.

Sponge a little Baked Brown Sugar ink onto the cs rocks.

Glue the cs rocks onto the card.

Rock & Roll the shell.
First ink up the shell in Crisp Cantaloupe ink, then roll edges of the stamp onto the calypso carol ink pad.

Rock & Roll Shells.
I'm not sure if you can see properly in the photo, but the shell is darker on the outside.

Fussy cut the shell.

Spritz with some shimmer. I used White Frost. Let it dry.

Glue the shell onto the card. I liked the idea that it looks like the bubbles are coming from the shell.
Oh...I also added a pearl to the shell later, but forgot to take a photo of that too... Sorry.