Elite challenges - sketch and colour challenge for July

It is school holidays when you don't have to rush off to the school gates twice a day. Time to create while child plays with her toys and draws pictures for me and we chat together. A browse over at Elite challenges blog inspired me to try Sketch challenge 23. If you have a copy of the stampin' up catalogue the original card design is on page 31.
A challenge can be just an inspiration - you don't have to follow it too closely, so I added a few more layers (as you do).
And, the colour challenge for July was called Naval Kraft and included using: Not quite navy, kraft, and Vanilla. The cardstock I used was very vanilla and Not quite navy. For the third colour "kraft" I used the Bella bleu Designer series papers which feature printed flowers in kraft and cream. The very basic stamping is using only one stampset - Bella's bloom.Above is the little flower stamp which I have accented with a half pearl, layered on a scallop punched square of DSP paper, layered over a square of the not quite navy cardstock. A colour challenge is exactly what you need when you have too many colours to choose from or find colour choices difficult.The sentiment stamp is from the same Bella's bloom set. This is lovely for a special birthday, or a card for a friend who is going through a transitional stage of their life, and lets face it aren't we all at one time or another. We all need a reminder sometimes that now is our time to bloom.

* Would you like a copy of the current Idea book and catalogue? email me and I will deliver or post one to you. Book a workshop this month and receive a ring bound copy for free.
Enjoy!

Sisters scrapbook page in bella bleu

I haven't forgotten my scrapbooking - I have many pictures to scrap, just so little time.

Scrapbooking contains more elements and usually a title to be stamped and cut - so they take a little more time for me.

This is a photo of my beautiful sister at her birthday lunch ... it was a lovely sunny day at a friend of hers home, a simple but wonderful lunch, champagne, chocolate cake and cups of tea. Don't mention that I was having such a relaxing lovely afternoon that I was running late for school pick up... !

It is fairly simple with the heading stamped on vellum, attached with silver brads. Two paper flowers attached with build a brad centres. I have used circles cut from the bella bleu paper. The flowers are punched with sahara sand cardstock, stamped with the en francais background stamp in not quite navy and then the petals cut, ans scored with the bone scorer from behind. The second flower I actually put through the crimper ... either works, I think.
The cardstock is Not Quite navy textured paper, Sahara sand, Bella Bleu Designer series paper.

Vellum for the heading and fifth avenue floral flowers. The title is stamped with Lovely Letters stampset.

I think I might add some hidden journalling about the day, the date, the place, perhaps a photo of the other people there, why this was a special birthday (a milestone one ... )

Designer Series paper Special

You've heard the news for May ... 4 for the price of 3 - A FREE PAPER Offer?

Yet you are not sure what 3 packs of paper to choose to get your FREE PACK OF Designer Series Paper !!!

Here's some photos to help - All the paper packs can be seen on pages 132-135 of the Idea book.

Raspberry tart Paper:

Colours -Real red, Rose red, Cameo coral, Pretty in pink and Kiwi kiss.

Sweet Always : Choc chip,Regal rose, pink pirouette, pumpkin pie.
Bella Rose: Riding hood red, kiwi kiss, Pink pirouette, choc chip.
Urban Garden: Basic grey, kiwi kiss, baja breeze, Not quite navy.
Urban Oasis:Kiwi kiss, baja breeze, kraft and basic black Pink Flamingo: Real red, tempting turquoise, Summer sun, cameo coral, choc chip Bella bleu: Very vanilla, craft, not quite navy.
Haiku: Tangerine Tango, more mustard, Old olive, so saffron.

Here's a peak of what I made with some DSP paper today ... why waste a rainy day?

Birthday cards and pencil holder in Bella Bleu paper

Happy Birthday ...

I made this card a week ago for my sister her birthday is not till next week. She loves everything white on white, well this was the closest I could get - white on vanilla, a touch of kraft patterned paper from the bella bleu designer series paper pack.

I was pressed for time (as I was meeting her for lunch) so I scrapbooked a family photo and framed it in white for her, then I made her a pencil tin to match the card and scrapbook page...

The ribbon around the tin is kraft tafetta and the flower stamp in the centre from the Pocket silhouette stampset in sahara sand. I love how everything matches.

Gorgous papers in this pack. Is this where I mention that for the month of May stampin' up have a special on papers? Normally, you get 12 pages of double sided paper for $16.95. $1.40 per sheet. Until 31 May, when you Buy three designer series paper packs you get one free. For $50 you will get 48 pages that's only $1.04 per page.... this is the time to stock up?

Materials: Fresh cut note card, bella bleu designer series (double sided) paper, metalic gold cardstrip. Stampset: short and sweet Ink: sahara sand Accessories: very Vanilla tafetta ribbon, filigree brad, eyelet border punch, five petal flower punch.