ILWS Blog Hop

Its that time again...when a group of us demos get together for a little blog hop...this time to celebrate some of the fabulous products in the new annual catalogue.

The hop starts with Laura and if you are following along in order you should have arrived here from Sarah's. If you get lost along the way there is a full list of links at the end of this post.

I have been sharing projects almost every day since the catalogue was launched because I have been trying out as many fabulous new products as I can...and my favourites are probably obvious, but this hop I wanted to share something a little different  from my recent shares...


A couple of weeks ago I  went on a one day jewellery workshop and came away with some really pretty pieces of beaded jewellery which I plan to gift to someone special, so I thought I would start with a gift box.

 I began with a kraft gift box and the new TYPESET designer series paper. This is amazing! It is intentionally thinner than the usual papers and has almost a silky feel. I choose the plain text option because I wanted to stamp over it and colour with blendabilities. 




The four sides and the top I covered with the typeset designer paper which was stamped using the amazing Bloom With Hope hostess set, coloured and sponge inked. 

On the lid I added crystal effects to the centre of the stamped flowers.

 I added a stamped panel to the inside of the lid but because of the shape of the box flaps I decided to stamp direct to the card and then sponge ink over. 








I chose blackberry bliss and lost lagoon blendabilities because the beads I used in the jewellery workshop were in a similar colour palette and being a Stampin' Up! demo I love to colour coordinate everything...and because they are my current favourite colours of course!







I really went to town on the box and left no area untouched. I lined the bottom of the box with blackberry bliss cardstock and I used the same on the base of the box and as a mat on the lid. 

But of course no gift would be complete with a card to go with it and I used a blackberry bliss base with the typeset paper stamped and coloured to match the box. I added a band of blackberry bliss stain ribbon and I made a little detachable flower brooch in the same style and I sealed it with crystal effects - because I put it on really thick for an enamel effect it took ages to dry and I was a little concerned it might not be dry in time to add it to the card.

  

A little blackberry bliss ink goes a very long way and so while it was on my desk - and my fingers -  I decided to make another card. Again with a blackberry bliss base but this time I used the Choose Happiness stamp set and stamped it randomly onto a piece of kraft card I added some more of that gorgeous ribbon and made a faux buckle and added a rhinestone. I stamped the greeting onto kraft card, punched it and sponged the edges before popping it onto a blackberry bliss punched scallop circle using dimensionals.

 




As a complete contrast I used the Choose Happiness stamp set in a similar fashion but in neutral tones. For this card I used a crumb cake card base. I stamped the flower image with crumb cake ink onto whisper white and embossed it with clear embossing powder. Once that was dry I went back in with a crumb cake marker and I highlighted a couple of areas and added more clear embossing powder to give a little more depth. I made a banner with kraft card, burlap ribbon and chevron ribbon and added a candy dot brad. I stamped the greeting in white ink onto kraft paper and I heat embossed it. I went over the whole thing with baked brown sugar ink for an emboss resist effect. I cut the panel using the framelits labels dies and popped it up with dimensionals.


That's it from me for now.... The next stop on the hop is Jo's blog where she has something fabulous to share with you.

Thanks so much for dropping by, enjoy the rest of the hop.


Christa   xx

Full hop list...just in case

1. Laura Mackie - www.lauramackie.co.uk
2. Sarah Keerie - www.esellek.com
3. Christa - http://serendipity-stamping.blogspot.co.uk/  YOU ARE HERE
4. Jo - www.jo-joscraftyblog.blogspot.co.uk
5. Sandra Roberts - www.kraftybiker.blogspot.com
6. Janneke - http://jannekedejong70.blogspot.nl/
7. Lorraine - http://www.thestampingrove.co.uk

Choose Happiness

Today's card is made with the Choose Happiness stamp set. This set is really versatile and has lots of elements that work well together (obviously) and also works brilliantly with stamps from other sets too of course.
Here I have paired up the leaves and the sentiment with butterflies from the papillion pot pourri set.

I stamped the leaves with mossy meadow ink (one of the new in-colours) and used the blender pen to pull the colour to shade the leaves.  The butterflies I stamped onto vellum with memento black ink and coloured them with "blendies". I used the pumpkin pie and the rich razzleberry sets to get the detailed shading and I popped the butterflies on with glue dots.

The base of the card was made with the new 12x12 kraft cardstock - I can't tell you how happy I am we finally have this in the catalogue. Kraft card is just so useful for all manner of projects and will definitely be a staple in my craft room.  There were a few other kraft items new in this catalogue, expect to see them appear here soon .

Until next time, take care

Christa   xx

Busy waiting...

Today I am waiting for UPS to deliver my parcel and there are only many hours I can sit staring out of the window hoping to see a brown truck,  so  I decided to keep myself busy with one of my favourite new products from the new catalogue... The Blendabilities alcohol markers.

I was lucky enough to win a set of the Pumpkin Pie markers at the UK regional event in May and I have had plenty of time to play with them -mainly  using the Blended Bloom stamp (also in the new catalogue and also part of my prize)...  Blendabilities come in sets of three pens - a light , medium and dark shade of the set colour and you simply use them to create the blended effect you need.

Now there is this whole alcohol marker debate about whether you should start with the lightest shade and work in darker shades or start with the darker shades and work lighter...and the truth is it really doesn't matter. There is no right or wrong way...You just have to find the way that works best for you.

So previously I was concentrating on finding out which method worked best for me...  and then I started to wonder  what would happen if I used pens from two completely different sets? Would I be able to blend them or would the result be like a horrid muddy puddle (gasp!)

Happy to report that there was no muddy puddle...I used the flower shop and papillion pot pourri stamp sets to test this out and I used the coastal cabana and the rich razzleberry marker sets combined on both the flowers and the butterflies. Once they were all coloured, I punched them out and used them to make this project using the same colours of card and adding the banner framelits with the  sentiment from Perfect pennants and stamp set.


                                                                                                                                                                                       So the key points about the new Blendabilities

• They come in sets of three shades of selected Stampin' Up! colours  (plus a skin tones set too)
• They are double ended with a pen at one end and a brush at the other
• They are square so they won't roll all over the place
• There is also a colour lifter pen to help push colour around
• They are to really easy to use
• The caps are deliberately tight to stop the alcohol pens from drying out - always push them back on until you hear the click. 

I am sure once you try these you will love them. ..I know I do.

Until next time, take care

Christa   xx