Author Archives: narellefarrugia

Just Add Ink #636

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Welcome to the first challenge for Just Add Ink for 2023. We are starting off the year with a blog hop. We have given ourselves the challenge of creating a project using our “favourite”. A favourite can be a technique, stamp set, colour combination or products.

Of course adding flowers to my card is my favourite thing to do. You’ve probably seen that flowers are my go-to for my projects. I love all types of blooms and enjoy colouring them and layering them with leaves.

The card I created features a new-to-me stamp set called Two-Toned Flora Stamp Set. This set has a two-step stamping for the flowers. So no actual colouring of the flowers for me for once. The flowers were first stamped with Blushing Bride and Melon Mambo Inks. The second part of the stamping gives the flower definition. These were stamped in Flirty Flamingo and Real Red Inks. Once the flowers were stamped, I fussy cut each of them out.

The leaves were stamped in Granny Apple Green Ink. They were then also fussy cut out.

To create the diecut square and banners beneath the flowers, I used my new favourite technique of Watercolor Pencil to Fluid 100 Watercolor Paper and a Water Painter to move the ink around. The pencils I used were Bermuda Bay and Melon Mambo. I used quite a lot of water to dilute the colours. Once the cardstock dried, I diecut them out with my Stylish Shapes Dies.

To create the embossed background, I took Basic White Cardstock and the Timeworn Type 3D Embossing Folder. The sentiment I used is one full sentiment. Once I stamped the sentiment, I trimmed it in half and layered it over both flower arrangements. Three Champagne Basic Rhinestones finished my card off with the bling that I love.

The next hop along the way is the wonderfull talented Jo Stubbings. Click here to take you to her blog or on the next button below.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers

Narelle

Freshly Made Sketches #569

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Our newest sketch at Freshly Made Sketches has been designed by the fabulous Jacquie Southas. Make sure you head over to her blog and see the gorgeous creations she designs.

I decided to create another scenic background using the pencil to watercolour technique. After applying colour, I took an Aqua Painter and moved around the ink. I then tore strips and adhered them in layers on my card.

I’ve combined images from two different stamp sets. The lighthouse images is from the Lighthouse Point Stamp Set. The little birds are from the Seaside Bay Stamp Set. To create the shells, I watercoloured some Crumb Cake Ink on to the watercolour paper and waited for it to dry. I then took the small shell die from the Seaside Dies and cut out two shells. To add definition to the shell, I took my brown watercolour pencil and drew lines in the crease lines left by the die.

The grassy stems were also created by applying a green watercolour pencil on watercolour paper and used my Aqua Painter to move the colour around. After the paper was dry, I took the grassy die from the Seaside Dies and cut out three stems.

All of my images were then layered together and a sentiment was added.

The team have created awesome creations. Make sure you head over to the challenge and see what they’ve created.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers

Narelle

Global Design Project #376

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I managed to play along with a challenge this weekend. I couldn’t get in my craft room on Saturday as it was super hot in my room. It got to 40 degrees and my room was stinking hot! This weeks challenge at Global Design Project is a CASE The Designer Challenge. This gorgeous card of Connie’s was the card we got to CASE.

The card I created features the Celebrate Sunflowers Stamp Set and Sunflower Dies. I was watching a FB live from my super crafty friend Angela on Friday when I saw her using the Gilded Leafing. I decided to challenge myself to using this messy stuff for the first time. For my first time using it, I decided to use is sparingly on the diecut sunflower in the background. It’s a wee bit messy especially when you have a desk fan going….might re-think the fan on my next try.

The flowers have been coloured with all my yellow blends. The centre of the flowers were coloured with the Smoky Slate Blends.

The leaves were coloured with my Granny Apple Green Blends and fussy cut out. Green Apple Green Cardstock was used for the leafy diecuts.

To add a little interest beneath the sentiment, I used a label punch and raised it up with Dimensionals.

The background was shaded with Balmy Blue Ink and a Blending Brush. I then took the Dark Smoky Slate Blend and flicked ink on to the shaded background.

Finally I added a bow and three Brushed Metallic Adhesive Backed Dots.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers

Narelle

Freshly Made Sketches #568

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Welcome to another Wednesday and another sketch challenge at Freshly Made Sketches. This week our sketch has been designed by the wonderfully talented Judy Rozema.

I do have 3 squares under my layers, but you can’t quite see them with how I’ve arranged all my leaves and flowers!

The flowers and leafy images are from the Sending Smiles Stamp Set. The flower petals have been stamped in Crushed Curry and Gorgeous Grape Inks. The centre of the flowers have been inked up with So Saffron Ink. The stems and leaf images were stamped with Granny Apple Green and cut out with the matching die from the Sending Dies.

The Basic White Cardstock behind the flowers was shaded with Balmy Blue Ink and a Blending Brush. On this piece of cardstock, I added the 3 diecut DSP squares cut with the Stylish Shapes Dies. The DSP pack I’ve cut the squares from is my fav atm – it called Dandy Design Designer Series Paper pack.

The diecut sentiment has also been cut with the Sending Dies and I’ve paired this with an inked sentiment from the Sending Smiles Stamp Set. One Brushed Metallic Adhesive Backed Dot adorns my card.

The team at Freshly Made Sketches have created awesome cards using Judy’s sketch. Make sure you pop over to the challenge and see what they’ve created.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers

Narelle

Freshly Made Sketches #567

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We’re back! We have a new sketch for you to play along with at Freshly Made Sketches. This week our sketch hostess is the uber talented Amy O’Neill. Amy has designed this wonderful sketch for us. If only I had had the sketch in front of me rather than try it remember it off by heart, I may’ve created my card a 100% likeness to it….oops!

The card I created features the Soft Seedlings Stamp Set. I stamped up the leave image twice – once in Cajun Craze and the second time in Calypso Coral. The images were then watercoloured to change the colours to give them light and shade. I then added Cajun Craze Ink to the Calypso Coral one around the edges to create a two toned leaf. Once the images were dried, I fussy cut them out and scrunched them up in my hand. I took Dimensionals and adhered them to the circle punch with those scrunches on them. With this amount of height, I may not send this card in the post.

I added a strip of Cajun Craze Cardstock to the back and a piece of DSP from the Dandy Designs DSP pack (my new favourite DSP pack). The sentiment was stamped and trimmed around the font. I added strips of Linen Thread across the card and tied a bow. Over all of these layers, I added the sentiment and a couple of banners.

The team at Freshly Made Sketches have created awesome cards that will probs more resemble Amy’s sketch than mine…make sure you head over to the challenge and check them out.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers

Narelle

Nested Friends Card

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I had a busy weekend and only managed a smidge of time in my craft room today. I received my preorder from the Stampin’ Up! January – April 2023 Mini Catalogue and the Nested Friends Stamp Set was the first to receive ink.

I was drawn to this stamp set because of the artwork in the images. The birds and branch are great for colouring. I watercoloured these images and fussy cut them out. The choice of colour for the birds was chosen after I’d picked the DSP I added. The Coastal Cabana piece of DSP is from the Sale-A-Bration Catalogue – available to customers to order from 5th January. This pack of DSP is called Dandy Designs. This pack can be yours when you spend $180 or more during Sale-A-Bration time. The ledger type DSP I’ve also added is from the Abigail Rose DSP pack. I also added a circle diecut of Kraft Cardstock to my layers and added torn Kraft Cardstock edges to the ledger DSP.

Here’s what I created:

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers

Narelle

Freshly Made Sketches #566

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How is it that our last sketch challenge for 2022 at Freshly Made Sketches has come around so quickly? It truly feels like a “blink and you’ll miss it” kind of year!

I’m the sketch hostess for this final challenge for 2022. Take a look at the sketch I designed.

More Christmas I know! This is of course because I’m a slacker and leave everything until the last minute.

I’ve gone with a Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, Evening Evergreen and Blushing Bride colour combo.

The pine cone images and leaves are from the Christmas Season Stamp Set. I’ve mentioned it before, I grew up next to a pine plantation, so my childhood was spent collecting pine cones making house out of fallen branches. We also used to “borrow” a Christmas tree from the plantation until it became too annoying (and spider-y) to clean up as the nestles fall off. So pine cones and trees remind me of my childhood.

I’ve added texture to the background by embossing the Basic White Cardstock with the Timeworn Type 3D Embossing Folder and added a Whisper White Seam Binding bow.

Thanks to everyone who has played along with our challenges this year. Hope to see you playing along next year! Make sure you head over to Freshly Made Sketches and see what the team have created.

hanks for stopping by.

Cheers

Narelle

Global Design Project #372

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Instead of Christmas present shopping, I played around in my craft room. Crafting is easier than thinking about what to buy people. I played along with a challenge today, the latest challenge at Global Design Project. This week is a CASE Challenge – a CASE of Kayla’s gorgeous card below:

I played around with the leaf image from the Soft Seedlings Stamp Set. The image was stamped with Cajun Craze Ink on Fluid 100 Watercolor Paper. I then took my Aqua Painter and Ink and added Crushed Curry Ink around the centre of the leaves. Each leaf was then fussy cut out.

I had a leaf sitting on my desk from the Leaf Label and Amber Gem Combo. I took this leaf and squished it in my hand. I added Soft Suede Ink around the edges of this leaf and added it to my card.

The background was given some stamping and blending with Crumb Cake Ink. I then heat embossed a sentiment from the In The Moment Stamp Set on Black Cardstock.

Three Champagne Rhinestone Basic Jewels were added for the warm colouring in them.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers

Narelle

Just Add Ink #633

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There is a new challenge for you to play along with over at Just Add Ink. This week our challenge is a colour challenge.

I decided to give these colours a try on a Christmas card. I actually like this combo for a festive card and may use it again!

The stamp set I’ve used on my card is called Christmas Season. The pine cones were stamped in Basic Gray Ink. The bottom stamp was inked up and stamped off on scrap paper to lighten the colour and then stamped on cardstock. I then used full strength Basic Gray Ink for the top stamp. The pine cones were then fussy cut out.

Both type of leaves were inked up with Bermuda Bay Ink and stamped on cardstock. I then a Bermuda Bay pencil and added shading to each leaf to add dimension. The berries were stamped in Sweet Sorbet Ink and fussy cut out.

The diecut I added under my sentiment was watercoloured with Bermuda Bay Ink and placed under the diecut sentiment so you could see it better.

I gave the background cardstock shading with a Blending Brush and Bermuda Bay Ink and Bermuda Bay Blend flicks.

The team at Just Add Ink have created awesome cards. Make sure you head over to the challenge and see what they created.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers

Narelle

Freshly Made Sketches #565

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The newest sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches has been designed by Karren Johnson. Karren is so very talented and I adore her card making style.

Take a look at her fab sketch:

The card I created features the Christmas Season Stamp Set. This set has great images that I love stamping, fussy cutting and layering on my cards.

The pine cones have been stamped with a combination of Crumb Cake and Soft Suede Inks. The leaves have been stamped with Old Olive Ink and fussy cut out.

I flipped the sketch upside down and added a banner at the top of my card in place of the rectangle that Karren has added to her sketch. I placed a sentiment and a Linen Thread bow to bring it all together.

Make sure you head over to the challenge and see what the team have created.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers

Narelle