1 card, 3 ways

I think 2-step stamp sets are the most versatile sets of all. I always recommend them for those starting off with stamping because you can use one set for lots of different techniques. I'll show you what I mean.
In a 2-step stamp set you get an outline image and a base image. The idea is that you stamp the outline, and then stamp the base image over the top (or vice versa). The base image does the colouring-in for you. It's quick and easy to produce really effective results. Don't worry about trying to line them up perfectly. It adds movement and interest when they are slightly out of alignment (at least that's my story and I'm sticking to it!). Here's a card I made using this technique with the "Botanical Blooms" Sale-a-Bration set: Now just because this is a 2-step stamp set doesn't mean I have to use it that way. Here I've used just the outline stamps, stamped them onto patterned paper and cut them out. Then I've stamped the same images onto some plain cardstock, and paper pieced my cut-outs over the top of some stamped images:

I can also use the outline images to watercolour. Here I stamped in Black Stazon ink onto watercolour paper. I then coloured with my markers and spritzed a mist of water over the top to allow the colours to blend and run slightly.

So there you have it - 1 card, 3 ways! Having both an outline image and a base image gives you lots of possibilities. You can make a quick card when you need to, using 2-step stamping, but you can still do other techniques like paper piecing and watercolouring when you want to.

Remember - only 4 more days to earn this set for free!

Materials for all 3 cards (all Stampin' Up!)
stamps: Botanical Blooms, linen
ink: Certainly Celery, Perfect Plum, So Saffron, Versamark, Chocolate Chip, Black Stazon
card: Certainly Celery, Whisper White, Perfect Plum, Groovy Guava,
other: Wide Celery ribbon, Afternoon Tea DS paper, Certainly Celery Prints DS paper, Rich Regal brads, Word Window punch, 1 1/4" Square punch, Rich Regal markers, Soft Subtle markers

The Final Countdown!

oh no, now I have that song stuck in my head! LOL
I just realised that there are only 6 days of Sale-a-Bration left!!! This month has just flown by.
These are the cards that we've been making in this month's Stamp-a-Stacks, using the Polka Dot punches Sale-a-Bration set. We used the same 3 pieces of cardstock, plus some punched elements, and made 4 very different cards:

I think they're pretty self-explanatory. I hadn't used this colour combination before, but I like the way they look together. I'm getting the most out of my In Colors before they retire!

The stamp set is "Polka Dot Punches" which I'm loving more and more ...do you like the way I stamped a Wild Wasabi flower and cut all but 2 of the petals off to turn it into leaves? (in the card, top-right). In that same card, I also did small cuts along the Wild Wasabi strip to make 'grass'. The stem is just a row of dots, drawn with the fine point of a Garden Green marker. I used the edge of a ribbon spool as a template to make it curved.

You can earn this stamp set for free, but you only have until 28th February. There are 4 sets to choose from, each one is free with a $100 order. You can see them all HERE. Just email me with your order!

Materials (all Stampin' Up!)
stamps: Polka Dot Punches, Sincere Salutations
ink: Versamark, Wild Wasabi, Soft Sky, Groovy Guava, So Saffron, Close to Cocoa
card: Wild Wasabi, Soft Sky, Groovy Guava, So Saffron, Close to Cocoa
punches: Scallop Circle, 1 1/4" circle, 3/4" circle, 1/2" circle, 5-petal flower, Spring Bouquet
other: Wild Wasabi double-stitched ribbon, Dimensionals, Earth Elements markers

Flowers and More Flowers

Happy Australia Day! I really should be showing you something patriotic, or at least green and gold, but I've never made an Australia Day card, so I'll just pull out another Sale-a-Bration card instead!

I've used the 'Botanical Blooms' set and the 'Congrats' set on this one to make a wedding card, but you could switch the greeting and make this for any occasion, really. Who knew that you could say Congratulations for so many things? I reckon you pretty much have it all covered with this set...anniversaries, retirement, marriage, baby, birthday and just a general 'well done'.
To do the background panel of this card, I stamped the leaves first (in Sage Shadow) and then used a Regal Rose marker to ink just the inner part of the flower. You can see the whole flower where I cut it out and attached it, but for this background, I wanted a more delicate bud-like bloom. My trusty markers came in handy again to colour the White Taffeta ribbon Regal Rose. I used the Scallop Edge punch and pierced a hole in each scallop to give it a more lacy feel.

Now, for more flowers! If you're very observant, you'll notice 2 new names on my "Downlines Blog Roll" over there --->
I feel very lucky to have 2 lovely and talented ladies join my team.... Sandy and Fiona both joined Stampin' Up! this month. They both have blogs already where you can see their work. Check out THIS gorgeous Paper Flower tutorial by Sandy and THESE Origami flowers by Fiona. Aren't they clever?!

Materials (all Stampin' Up!)
stamps: Botanical Blooms, Congrats
inks: Sage Shadow, Chocolate Chip, Regal Rose
cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Sage Shadow, Very Vanilla, Close to Cocoa
other: White Taffeta Ribbon, Regal Rose marker, Scallop edge punch, Paper Piercer and Mat pack.

A Colour Challenge

I haven't participated in any challenges for a while, but I'm back in the swing of things now, and I feel ready to take some on! It's still school holidays here for one more week, so my challenge cards have had to be quick ones. This is the latest colour challenge from Makeesha (fondly known as 'why make one card when you can make five') Byl.

4 colours that I haven't put together before...a nice masculine combo. This Polka Dot Punches SAB set makes really quick cards, and it's fun getting some layering happening with the punches. I caved last week and finally bought the Sanded background. I love it!

Materials (all Stampin' Up!)
Stamps: Polka Dot Punches, Cheer and Wishes, Sanded background
Ink: Versamark, Blue Bayou, Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip
Cardstock: Blue Bayou, Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla
Other: Ginger Blossom DS paper, Wide Chocolate Double-stitched ribbon, Scallop circle punch, 5-petal flower punch, 1" circle, 3/4" circle, 1/2" circle, Dimensionals

More Blooms

Here's another card made using my favourite SAB set "Botanical Blooms". I made a few of these in some different colour schemes for some special December and January birthdays. I'm not sure if you can tell from the pic, but I stamped the Linen background on most of the pieces of this card. I just love the subtle texture it gives. It was Teneale who got me addicted to this stamp!
The colours I've used here are Apricot Appeal, Pumpkin Pie and Old Olive. I embossed the greeting (from "In the Stars") with white powder so it would be nice and crisp. The photo corner punch comes in really handy when you need that extra balance to a design. It punches a large and small photo corner in one go.

Materials (all Stampin' Up!)
stamps: Botanical Blooms, In the Stars
ink: Apricot Appeal, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Versamark
cardstock: Apricot Appeal, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive
Other: Photo corner punch, silver brads, White Embossing powder, Wide Old Olive grosgrain ribbon

Polka Dot Punches

Participating in challenges is a great way to get the creative juices flowing. When I received my Sale-a-Bration sets, I decided to do some old challenges that I didn't have time to participate in at the time. This particular card is a combination of this sketch challenge of Makeesha's and this colour challenge, also by Keesh.
I used one of the Sale-a-Bration sets, "Polka Dot Punches". I think this one is pretty self-explanatory, so here's the list of materials (all Stampin' Up!):

stamps: Polka Dot Punches
cardstock: Certainly Celery, Regal Rose, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla
ink: Regal Rose, Certainly Celery
other: Soft Subtle brads, Scallop circle punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, 1/2" circle punch, 5-petal flower punch, stampin' dimensionals

Happy New Year!

I just love the start of a New Year. New beginnings and starting afresh always give me a burst of energy. It's my favourite part of the Stampin' Up! calendar too - Sale-a-Bration. It's such fun giving away free stamps!

For those of you who haven't experienced Sale-a-Bration before, you can read all about it HERE and check out the free stamp sets HERE. There are 4 gorgeous sets to choose from, and each one is absolutely free when you place an order for $100. And there are no limits to how many you can earn. Look at what you get when you place a $300 order: $300 worth of goodies, plus $30 in FREE merchandise (from any catalogue), a FREE Level 1 Hostess Set, and 3 FREE Sale-a-Bration sets. So that's 4 stamp sets absolutely free!

It's a fantastic time to join Stampin' Up! too, and I have a few ladies doing just that this month. Email me if you'd like some more info.

Now, a card....I haven't had a lot of time to play with the Sale-a-Bration sets yet, but I thought I'd show you a very quick a simple card I made using my favourite set (so far!), Botanical Blooms.

Materials (all Stampin' Up!)
Stamps: Botanical Blooms, Congrats
Ink: River rock, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa
Cardstock: River Rock, Whisper White
Other: Corner rounder Punch, Wide Chocolate Chip Double-Stitched ribbon, Linen thread, Dimensionals

We're heading up North tomorrow for a family holiday for a week, but I'll be well and truly back after that!