Category Archives: Colour Inkspiration

Colour Inkspiration 54: Lift Me Up

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One more Black and White and POP card for Colour Inkspiration 54!

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! Colour Inkspiration 54 Lift Me Up

This one makes me a little dizzy and I’m not sure I like all the lines going different directions. Sometimes you just have to experiment! I think it’s the reflection technique of the Daffodil Delight and Memento Black inks on the sentiment that make me feel out of focus. But I’ll tell you, the Stamparatus makes that technique easy as can be!

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! Colour Inkspiration 54 Lift Me Up

The little clouds included in this stamp set really pop up the cute factor for me. I’ve only been in a hot air balloon once, and we never quite got up to the level of the clouds, so this is pure imagination.

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! Colour Inkspiration 54 Lift Me Up

Stop on by the Colour Inkspiration Facebook page for lots of Black and White and POP inspiration. Add a project of your own! And if you live in the US, please shop HERE.

Colour Inkspiration 54: Wonderful Romance

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This is the first card I created for the Colour Inkspiration 54 challenge – Black and White with a POP of colour. I love how it turned out, but I didn’t feel it represented the POP very well.

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! Colour Inkspiration 54 Wonderful Romance

What do you think? I love the softness of the composition, but that’s exactly why I don’t think it qualifies for a POP of colour. It’s more muted, especially with the grey tones added in.

There’s one little trick you might not have noticed. The smallest rectangle in the Rectangle Stitched Framelits isn’t that small. I stamped my greeting and aligned one end of the framelit with the beginning of the message. Once I’d run it through the Big Shot, I carefully repositioned the framelit on the other end and rolled it through the Big Shot just enough to cut off the opposite end right where I wanted it!

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! Colour Inkspiration 54 Wonderful Romance

The Wink of Stella helps brighten these pretty white flowers. I wish there were dies of all three blooms in the set of framelits, because I think that would really enhance the composition and set off the floral aspect. I usually don’t mind fussy cutting, but I just wasn’t feeling it on this one. It is what it is!

I think this image could really work in a lot of other colour combinations. I currently have one in process on my craft desk, but it’s giving me a little bit of a fit trying to figure out how to finish it off. If I’m successful, I’ll share it with you next week. To share your own beautiful Black and White and POP project, visit the Colour Inkspiration Facebook page.

ColourINKspiration Challenge #54

In the meantime, there are all kinds of gorgeous products at great discounts available on the Clearance Rack. The retiring stamps, bundles, and accessory products are selling quickly, and when those products are gone, they’re gone. (Hint: bundles are priced with a 10% discount – they may continue into 2019-2020, but they won’t be bundled and you won’t have the opportunity to save.) If there’s something you love, I highly recommend you take immediate action. Shop HERE if you’re feeling inspired!

Colour INKspiration 54

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Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! Colour Inkspiration Guest Designer

It’s such an honour to be chosen to join the Colour Inkspiration Challenge tour. I enjoy these challenges immensely, and love to see what the many talented and creative crafters imagine for each colour challenge. This round features one of my absolute favorite combinations!

ColourINKspiration Challenge #54

I LOVE crafting in black and white! There’s something about it that really satisfies me, and when I learned that was the combination for this challenge I was delighted! I created a lot of different cards for this challenge, and I’ll be sure to share some of them over the fortnight. I’ve chosen just one for today:

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! ColourINKspiration Challenge #54 Climbing Orchid
Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! ColourINKspiration Challenge #54 Climbing Orchid

A few construction tips:

  • Because I used the Rectangle Stitched Framelits as a mat, I had to commit to that shape for my focal point. I assembled my orchids and arranged them on the card stock until I was satisfied before adhering them to the base.
  • The orchid layers are assembled with Stampin’ Dimensionals, and are also adhered to the base with them as well.
  • In my humble opinion, the leaves in the stamp set are Just Wrong. (I have orchids growing in my garden – nuff said.) I ended up free-hand drawing the stem and leaves with the Lemon Lime Twist Stampin’ Write Marker. By outlining first and filling in the shape with careful linear strokes I was able to create an interesting high/low colour texture.
  • The sentiment is inked in Stazon to avoid smearing on the vellum.
  • The vellum layer is adhered to the card front with a very thin line from the Fine Tip Glue Pen on either end. It dried and left no trace.
  • Start with your black and white elements. The pop will reveal itself.
ColourINKspiration Challenge #54

Are you ready to play? Just dive right in! Seriously, you just can’t go wrong with this combination! When you’re ready, share your project HERE and be sure to tag it #CI54.

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! Colour Inkspiration Tour NEXT

If you’d like a little more inspiration before you start, continue on the tour. You’re headed to Kelly Kent, and she’s created a very charming card. I think you’ll love it!

Apron of Love in Lovely Lipstick: CI43

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I hinted in my Guest Designer post (oh, it’s luscious to say that!) that I’d made other versions for the Colour INKspiration #34 challenge. The challenge is to use the 2018-2020 In Colors – 1, 2, 3, 4, or all of them – combined with neutral colours.

I’ve seen some gorgeous cards done with multiples of the In Colour palette, and I must acknowledge that it was a lack of inspiration on my part to find them difficult to use together. The 2018-2020 colours are bold, and I’m typically not a bold-combo crafter. That said, I created a card using Lovely Lipstick that’s kind of fun:

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! Apron of Love CI43

I have a couple of tips for you. The first one is regards to the Buffalo Check stamp. I’ve always bought my background stamps as wood mount, and that’s what I did with this one. I’ll be honest: you can get a great impression with the wood mount stamp, but it takes some effort. My technique is to lay the stamp on the wood side, rubber up, and thoroughly ink it with an ink pad. Inspect the inked stamp for even application. Carefully place your card stock panel onto the inked rubber, and cover with a piece of scrap paper. (This step keeps you from getting ink on your brayer.) Use a rubber brayer over the surface of the paper-covered-stamp to thoroughly transfer the ink to the paper. You can use your fingers, but the brayer is more accurate.

If I were to do it again, I’d buy the clear mount stamp and use the Stamparatus.  It’s a much quicker, easier process!

To get those apron strings and fabulous kitchen utensils to release from the Apron Builder Framelits, you need the Precision Base Plate.  I know, I know, your craft budget is limited. But this is a paper-saving, time-saving, hunk-a-hunk-a paper-crafting love, and you will thank yourself again and again for this small investment. I bought one when they first came out, and have used is constantly ever since, and it’s still working like a champ.

However, our Standard Cutting Pads need to be replaced more often. They’re acrylic, and the dies really chew them up. Do yourself a favor and get new ones with your next order. I know you can put them in the oven and run them through your dishwasher and send them to the dry cleaners (not really!) to give them another life. But get the new ones. You deserve it.

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! Apron of Love CI43

Don’t overlook the Make a Difference stamp set. It has both block and italic letters, and it’s photopolymer, so you can see just where you’re placing them. You know you’ve got something special you want to say!

If you’re still with me, well, thanks for reading along. And be sure to check out the Colour INKspiration Facebook page. You won’t meet a nicer, more supportive group of creative people! You’re welcome to join the group and contribute, and I recommend it!

Need stamps? Shop HERE.

Colour INKspiration 43: In Colours!

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Maui Stamper ColourINKspiration Banner

Welcome to Colour INKspiration Challenge #43! I’m honoured to have been chosen to join the talented Colour INKspiration Crew as a Guest Designer for this celebration of the Stampin’ Up! 2018-2020 In Colour Collection.

The guidelines are to choose 1, 2, 3, 4, or all In Colours plus any Basics for your design.

Maui Stamper Colour INKspiration 43

This In Colour Collection is BOLD! Individually, the colours are beautiful, intense hues, and together, they are dominant. As I contemplated my options for this challenge, I considered – and discarded – a lot of combinations. I don’t often use really strong colour palettes, and the first card I created for this challenge was well outside of my comfort zone. I’ll share that one later in the challenge, because I came up with the one I’m sharing today that sits squarely in the center of what I love:

Maui Stamper Colour INKspiration 43 Wishing You Well Pineapple Punch

I’ve been shopping for new accent pillows, and variations on yellow and gray are everywhere. As I thought about the challenge, I decided to focus on the neutral tones and let that punchy Pineapple be the accent.

Maui Stamper Colour INKspiration 43 Wishing You Well Pineapple Punch

I added a bit of Stella to the leaves to echo the silver edge of the ribbon, and I used a Stampin’ Write marker to add a bit more Pineapple Punch to the simple bunch of stems. I didn’t try to add the Pineapple Punch directly to the stamp, but layered it on top of the Smoky Slate – faster, and combined with the underlying Slate, stronger.

I also discovered a trick with the bow from the Wishing You Well set. Some colors are prone to blotchiness with this image, and I had that problem with Pineapple Punch. I was determined to make it work, and after a bit of exploration, found that applying the ink with a Sponge Dauber evened the colour out and avoided the problem. Give it a try!

Maui Stamper Colour INKspiration 43 Next Blog

The talented, creative, delightful Lou Kitzelman is your next stop on the blog tour. Enjoy!

 

 

Colour INKspiration #CI40: Gorgeous Grape, Old Olive and Early Espresso

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I’ve missed a couple of the Colour INKspiration challenges and I was determined to submit at least one card to this fortnight’s challenge. The colours for #CI40 are Gorgeous Grape, Old Olive, Early Espresso, with neutrals or metallics. We had this gorgeous image to inspire our creativity:

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! CI40 Inspiration

I’ve been fussy cutting this image from Blended Seasons all month, so that was where I began:
Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! #CI40 Blended Seasons

A special shout out to Vicki Boucher, who frayed her Copper Trim and inspired me to do the same. It’s addicting to pull those threads this way and that and play with the shapes that result.

I used Old Olive Stampin’ Blends on the leaves, but there’s no Gorgeous Grape Blend (at least not yet!) I ordered a set of the Watercolor Pencils available this month, and sure enough, there was Gorgeous Grape! Problem solved.

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! #CI40 Blended Seasons

I was a little challenged to add Early Espresso to the card, but when I added the Wood Textures DSP and the copper ribbon, foil and embossing powder, the tones of the card changed. I used an Early Espresso card base and tucked in a few little die cut embellishments from Petals and more. The Shimmer White card stock added to the overall gleam of the card.

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! #CI40 Blended Seasons

To keep the intensity of the Gorgeous Grape Watercolor Pencil, I used a Blender Pen to smooth the strokes out. The Blender Pen does a beautiful job but doesn’t dilute the color in the way an Aquapainter might.

Colour INKspiration challenges are open to anyone – visit the Facebook group to see the quality images that are submitted.

Looking for supplies to create your own card? Blended Seasons and Watercolor Pencils 2 are only available until the end of August, so time’s a wasting! If you’re in the United States, shop HERE.

Colour INKspiration 36: It’s an honour!

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Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! Colour INKspiration banner

Welcome to the Colour INKspiration Blog Hop and Colour Challenge #36. I’m quite honoured to be a guest designer with the Colour INKspiration Crew this month. The 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month this talented group of crafters design projects focusing on the Stampin’ Up! colour palette. The 2nd Wednesday challenge is currently working through the newly revamped Colour Families (CI #35 was Neutrals) and the 4th Wednesday – like this one –  uses a Pinterest-based image for inspiration. #CI36 features Crushed Curry, Soft Suede, Basic Gray and Silver Foil, with Basic Black, Whisper White, Very Vanilla and Metallics permitted as well.

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! Colour Inkspiration 36 Palette

(PS doesn’t that adorable little girl look as though she has been asked to eat something she has never seen before and can’t imagine putting in her mouth? Just saying!)

I confess to having been just a bit intimidated at the thought of using Soft Suede and Basic Gray on the same project – a little outside my comfort zone – but this is a challenge, after all!

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! Colour INKspiration 36 Guest Designer

I think I pulled out most of my craft room and had it spread all over the desk trying to put this together!

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! Colour INKspiration 36 Guest Designer

I honestly don’t remember where I began! When I stamped the large flower from Flourishing Phrases in Crushed Curry, I immediately thought I should layer it, and once I embarked on that process, I just couldn’t seem to stop. (I used a LOT of Stampin’ Dimensionals on this project!!) I had leaves and berry bits and ribbons all around me, and I just kept arranging and rearranging them until I was happy.

The Stamparatus was indispensable in aligning the sentiment so that I could stamp in both Soft Suede and Crushed Curry. If you haven’t taken the ‘Ratus Leap, treat yourself!

In order to find a balance between light and dark, I used the largest Stitched Shapes Framelit circle to ground my floral abundance. The Silver Foil behind the Woodland DSP also added some light, and I used Wink of Stella (a crafter’s best friend)  to emphasize the trees in the Woodlands TIEF.

All the little bits and pieces are tucked in and adhered with Glue Dots. The Silver Metallic thread is also held fast in the same way, but all of the main layers are adhered with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! Colour INKspiration 36 Guest Designer

The Colour INKspiration Crew is a South Pacific team, but the challenge is international. I hope you’ll give it a try! All entries are posted to the Colour INKpiration Facebook group.

One note for those of you outside Australia and New Zealand: challenges open and close in AEST (Australian Eastern Standard Time). Many of us are on the other side of the International Date Line, and sometimes the math gets a little tricky. You can Google the current time, but I use a free app called Miranda that allows me to select any time in my time zone and see what it is in any other time zone. My family is spread halfway around the world (quite literally) and this app has come in quite handy!

Thanks for stopping by my part of the Pacific. You’re headed West now to Canberra and Monique Fielder, and I know you’ll enjoy her beautiful artwork. If you’re in the U.S. and you’d like to shop for the supplies to create your own version of this card, visit my Online Store.

Maui Stamper Colour Inkspiration Next Button

 

Colour INKspiration 35: Petal Palette in Khaki

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I loved my own layout so well that I did a second version. The gray version, lovely as can be, is a bit somber. I wanted to lighten things up:

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! CI35 Petal Palette in Khaki

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! CI35 Petal Palette in Khaki

This card parallels my first CI35 submission with just a few exceptions. I added the Linen Thread and the Corrugated Elements tag – much lighter in feeling – as well as a few clear sequins from the Metallics collection. I don’t know which came first – the chicken or the egg – but Glue Dots fit PERFECTLY underneath our sequins.

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! CI35 Petal Palette in Khaki

Which version do you like better? If you’d like to try your hand at this, all the supplies can be found HERE. Happy Crafting!

PS. Back in the day, Crumb Cake was called Kraft in the Stampin’ Up! Colour Palette.  When I created my title, Petal Palette in Khaki just sounded better to my ear.

This Little Piggy is a ColourInkspiration

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This Little Piggy was sitting in the middle of my craft desk when I happened to see the latest Colour Inkspiration palette image:

Maui Stamper ColourInkspiration 32

This is such a gorgeous, clean combination – with a glimmer – and I had an idea pretty quickly. I ended up using a retired DSP to get the effect I wanted, but everything else is current:

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! This Little Piggy CI32 ColourInkspiration

I fussy cut the Piggies for two reasons:

  1. I could group them so closely and still show depth (thank you, Stampin’ Dimensionals
  2. I wanted to layer them on that fabulous Night of Navy (retired) DSP

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! This Little Piggy CI32 ColourInkspiration

I’m really working at learning to shade with the Stampin’ Blends.  It takes practice, and a little light and color theory can only help as well! I’m happy with the overall look, but I’m still developing my technique when it comes to the details. It’s so therapeutic to color.

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! This Little Piggy CI32 ColourInkspiration

I stamped the envelope with a blossom from Petal Passion, and added a few of the same image on a Whisper White panel on the inside of my card. Even when I use I pale tone like Pink Pirouette for my card base, I like to add a white panel inside. I creates a crisp look and helps to define the card.

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! This Little Piggy CI32 ColourInkspiration

I hope you’ll take a look at the Colour Inkspiration page and enjoy all of the beautiful projects shared in response to CI32! And if you’d like to do a little shopping, click HERE.