Stampin' Up! Australia: Claire Daly Independent Demonstrator Melbourne

Sponged embossing card making technique on a 2021 Mothers day card.

February 21, 2021

Hello friends. Today I have a 2021 Mothers day card for you. A little early maybe, but I wanted to play with the Meadow Moments embossing folders and use the sponged embossing papercraft and card making technique. The soft colours I wanted to use were perfect for a Mothers Day card.

Here's how my card turned out.

I started with embossing a piece of Basic White cardstock with one one of the two embossing folders in the Meadow Moments embossing folder pack. Using sponge daubers, I lightly sponged the raised bits. I used the dauber and Blushing Bride ink pad for the flowers, Mint Macaron for the butterflies and Soft Sea Foam for the stems and leaves. I also lightly sponged the white areas in between with Soft Sea Foam.

Next steps were to add a thin strip of Mint Macaron cardstock to the left side of this strip, and to adhere it to a Blushing Bride card base which had been embossed with the subtles 3D embossing folder. To finish my card off I embossed the Happy Mothers Day sentiment from the Strong Women stamp set in white embossing powder onto Mint Macaron cardstock. I cut the butterfly embellishment using the Butterfly Duo Punch, and a piece of Blushing Bride cardstock which I had also embossed with the Subtle 3D folder.

Here's another look at my colour combination for this one.

If this is a technique you think you would like to try at some stage - pin this image to your Pinterest boards to help you find the post for the future.

Where do I get the products used today?

All the products I have used today are available NOW to Australian residents in my Online Stampin Up Store. Just click on the individual produc links below to go to each product in the store. If you are in another country besides Australia, the products will be available from a local Stampin' Up! Demonstrator. When you shop online with me in Australia, and use the monthly Host Code, you also qualify for a thank you gift mid the month after your purchase. My customers love getting these little gifts in the mail. Click the button below to go to my online store (individual products are linked direct throughout the post, and in the links at the end of the post). This month's host code is also listed below. If this isn't the current month (because you are reading the post at a later date), this month's code is in the right hand column or HERE. You can read about three ways to shop with with me, and all the benefits my VIP customers get HERE.

Want more Stampin Up Inspiration from me?

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Thanks for checking in with me today. let me know if I can help you with anything.

Claire

Product List

Posted at 04:53 PM in 2020 Annual Catalogue, Backgrounds, Butterflies, Colour Combinations, Embossing Folders, Ink Techniques, Mother Day Cards, Sponging, Techniques | Permalink | Comments (1)

How to Stamp and Add Colour on an Ink Blended Background

May 20, 2023

Hello friends. Today I have a bit of a stamping technique themed post, using ink blending and the Stampin' Up! Perched in a Tree stamp set. I want to show you how I stamped and added colour over a darkish ink blended background. I have also used the new Countryside corners bundle for my stamped layer shape and the border.

I made a heap of blended backgrounds this week in one of my Create and Connect Zoom stamping sessions with my team members. Each month we get together 1-2 times to stamp together and catch up on everyone's lives. It's a really lovely social team activity and we all work on our own projects. My team love the opportunity to make and build new crafty friendships, and to see what others are creating.

Step by Step Instructions

I started with creating an ink blended background using my Stampin' Up! blending brushes on a piece of Basic White cardstock. I have a different blending brush for each colour so I don't need to clean them between use. For this background I used from top to bottom: Soft Sea Foam, Lost Lagoon, Basic Gray and then a bit of Memento Black on the bottom. I usually add the top and bottom colours (although in this case I started with the Basic Gray on the bottom) and then add in the third colour to blend together. I created a VIDEO a while back showing how I use the blending brushes.

Once I had finished blending, I stamped the bird and branch image from the Stampin' Up! Perched in a Tree stamp set in black Stazon onto the blended background.

Next I used a Water Painter to 'colour' in the bird and branch, which essentially lifts ink from that area of the image. The more water you add, the more the colour lifts.

The next step in the process is to add some colour back. I used my Water Painters to add some Blueberry Bushel ink and some Pebbled Path.

After this step I also added some white and Early Espresso using Watercolour Pencils (from Assortment 1).

For the next step I cut the inked panel out using the second largest Countryside Corners dies. I mounted this (with Dimensionals) onto the largest Countryside Corners Die in Gray Granite. Before I cut this one, I stamped the Countryside Corners stamp set onto it in Pebbled Path (this was really easy to do as the stamp is just one piece, and the dies cut out whichever sections you want so you can make a solid shape or a frame with or without the border stamping).

To finish my card I stamped a sentiment from Inked and Tiled and cut it out with the Double Oval punch. This is mounted with Dimensionals. My final step was to add a linen thread bow at the top of the card (secured with a Mini Glue Dot).

All of the products I have used today can be purchased either in my online store, or by email or phone. If you are in Australia, I welcome you to shop with me for awesome customer service. Place a $75+ order and receive a brand NEW 2023-25 Stampin' Up! Annual Catalogue.

Use this code if you shop with me online and your order is less than $250 (if it's over $250 you are better off claiming your own Stampin' Rewards at the time of ordering. You will then qualify for a small gift the month after you order.

For Email Newsletters you can trust.

I also want to remind you that my May Class by Mail is open for registration for just one more week. There are four options for purchase, including two options where you can get the class kit absolutely FREE (for one of those options you also get a FREE full pack of InColor Embellishments). Get all the details HERE.

Thanks for stopping by today. See you back here again soon.

Claire

Product List

Posted at 08:44 AM in Ink Blending, Techniques, Watercolouring | Permalink | Comments (1)

Stampin' Up! Leaf Fall Embossing Folder and the Sponged Embossing Technique.

September 14, 2022

Hello stampers. Today I have a quick and easy technique for you, but one that can create a real WOW effect with your embossing folders. I have used the Leaf Fall embossing folder from the 2022 Stampin' Up! July to December Mini Catalogue.

I started by embossing a piece of Shimmery White cardstock in the Leaf Fall 3D Embossing Folder. Then added colour with sponge daubers tapped onto my ink pads. I started with Soft Sea Foam, and then I added in some Mossy Meadow and Cajun Craze ink on part sections of the embossing. My sentiment is from the Ringed with Nature stamp set, and is stamped in Early Espresso. The embossed piece is mounted onto a mat of Early Espresso and then onto an Old Olive base card. Finally I added a bow using a length of Linen Thread, and the Gold Trim from the Simply Elegant Trim Pack.

I really like the earthy colour combination for this card.

I hope you liked today's card! If you would like to receive a couple of PDF card tutorials from me each month, make sure you subscribe to my mailing list. I love sharing creative ideas with you!

Join my Subscriber Community for free PDF Tutorials twice a month.

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If you love this card and / or would like to purchase Stampin' Up! supplies from me in Australia, I'm here to help! Call, email or text me (Contact details HERE or under my profile image in the right column). You can either order online, or direct with me via email, phone or text (you can read about three ways to shop with me HERE). When you shop online with me in Australia, and use the monthly Host Code, you also qualify for a small thank you gift mid the month after your purchase. Here's the shop link (individual product links at the end of the post), and this month's host code.

Thanks checking out today's card. See you again before the end of the week.

Claire

Product List

Posted at 11:13 AM in 2022 July to December Mini Catalogue, Embossing Folders, Ink Techniques, Sponging, Techniques, Thinking of You Cards | Permalink | Comments (4)

Stampin' Up! Sending Smiles and Bottled Happiness Birthday Card with 2 Masking Techniques

August 31, 2022

Hello my creative friends.

Today I have a bright and happy birthday card for you, featuring two stamp sets from the 2022 Stampin' Up! Annual Catalogue: Sending Smiles and Bottled Happiness. My card also features two different ways to use masking.

I really like this bright and happy colour combination with the crisp white.

The first place I have used the masking technique is to create the illusion of the stem of the flower being inside the bottle. I have a video showing you these techniques and I will I will link to this below. Here's a description of what I did though: I stamped the bottle from Bottled Happiness in Orchid Oasis, and then stamped one onto masking paper and cut that out to cover the stamped image. Then I stamped the stem of the flower 'into' the bottle. Once the masking paper is removed, only the stem above the bottle is showing.

The second masking technique was used on the sentiment. As you can see below, the Sending Smiles stamp set has lots of sentiment strips. You can also make additional sentiments by masking part of the sentiments and combining with others. In my card I masked off the 'big hugs' words from the 'love & big hugs' sentiment. I also masked off 'smiles' in the 'smiles across the miles' sentiment. The video below shows you in more detail how I did this.

Here's the masking video. There are 5 different cards featured in the video, but the instruction for this one starts at 17:03.

I hope you like today's card. You can find all of the products I have used in my online store, or the paper copy of the Annual Catalogue. You can either order online, or direct with me via email, phone or text (you can read about three ways to shop with me HERE). When you shop online with me in Australia, and use the monthly Host Code, you also qualify for a small thank you gift mid the month after your purchase. Here's the shop link (individual product links at the end of the post), and this month's host code.

Join my Subscriber Community for free PDF Tutorials twice a month.

or Subscribe to receive all my Blog Posts by Email

Thanks for checking in with me today,

Claire

Posted at 04:04 PM in 2022-2023 Annual Catalogue, Birthday Cards, Stampin Up Colour Combinations, Techniques, Videos, Videos and Tutorials | Permalink | Comments (1)

Stampin' Up! Perched in A Tree 2022 Christmas Card

August 11, 2022

Hello friends.

It feels like ages since I have blogged, but in reality it's only been a week. It was production week at my son's high school last week, and he had a minor lead, along with my eldest (now 2 years post high school) was the technical director for the show, so of course I had to attend every show! Then I managed to pick up a respiratory bug (thankfully not Covid) that has hit me hard the last 3 days. Bring on the sunshine I say (in Australia we are in the last month of winter).

I do have plenty of cards I 'prepared earlier' and have yet to share on my blog though.

I made this Christmas card for my subscriber tutorials last week. It features the new Perched in a Tree bundle from the Stampin' Up! July to December Mini Catalogue.

I used the dies in the bundle to create a mask, and then blended some Gray Granite ink to create the background.

I then ran the whole piece through the Timber 3D Embossing Folder (choose this folder as free gift with a $90 order during Saleabration which ends on 31st August). You can see all the Saleabration choices currently available HERE.

The branch and the bird have been water coloured using ink from my ink pad lids, and Water Painters. I used Gray Granite for the branch, and Gray Granite, Basic Gray and Blackberry Bliss for the bird.

I really loved how this Christmas card turned out. The Perched in a Tree bundle is gorgeous, and you can even the earn the dies in the bundle (called the Aspen Tree Dies) as a free gift with a $180 spend (before postage) during Saleabration which ends on August 31st. You can see all the Saleabration choices currently available HERE.

I hope you like today's card. You can find all of the products I have used in my online store, or the paper copy of the July to December Mini Catalogue. You can either order online, or direct with me via email, phone or text (you can read about three ways to shop with me HERE). When you shop online with me in Australia, and use the monthly Host Code, you also qualify for a small thank you gift mid the month after your purchase. Here's the shop link (individual product links at the end of the post), and this month's host code.

Join my Subscriber Community for free PDF Tutorials twice a month.

or Subscribe to receive all my Blog Posts by Email

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope the rest of your day gives you reason to smile at some point!

Claire

Product List

Posted at 09:16 AM in 2022 July to December Mini Catalogue, 2022 Saleabration July August, Backgrounds, Blending Brushes, Christmas cards and other papercraft projects., Embossing Folders, Techniques, Watercolouring | Permalink | Comments (2)

Stampin Up Wonderful World 2022 Saleabration Bundle 4 Ways

July 11, 2022

Hello friends.

Today I am showcasing four projects using one of the gorgeous Saleabration bundles you can earn for FREE with a qualifying order during Saleabration which is on during July and August. This is one of the level 2 gifts, so you can earn if for FREE with a $180 order before postage (read all about Saleabration and see all the things you can get earn FREE here). The bundle includes a gorgeous floral stamp set, and a coordinating 12x12" Designer Series paper pack.

This card uses a quick and easy watercolour technique. I stamped the image in Orchid Oasis onto Fluid 100 Watercolour Paper, and then spritzed the paper with water until the colour ran a bit.

I've layered some of the gorgeous papers in the DSP pack, along with some layering vellum (love the prints in this!) and some linen thread. My greeting is from the Happiness Abounds stamp set and is embossed in white onto Gray Granite cardstock.

My second card is super simple. I just used the Rectangle Postage Stamp Punch to cut three images from the DSP, and layered them onto one of the DSP pieces and added a sentiment. This greeting is from the Potted Geranium stamp set, and is stamped in Crumb Cake onto Basic White cardstock. I have created the label ends using the Lovely Labels Pick a Punch, which punches two different types of label ends in three widths (super versatile in my craft stash).

Next I created a little gift box to go with the above card. This was also super simple to make, as I used one of the new Envelope Treat Boxes (in the July to December mini catalogue) which are precut and scored. I just measured and cut pieces of the DSP to fit on the sides and top of the box (the closure is on the bottom). I also used the Tailored Tags dies to cut a little matching tag from the DSP. The Potted Geranium stamp set has some cute small sentiments to fit on the tag.

My fourth project is a fun fold card I made for my free subscriber tutorials a couple of weeks ago (you can subscribe for these HERE).

This card fold up nicely to fit inside a C6 envelope. I was inspired to make this after seeing some lovely cards by Helen Reid of All Things Stampy in the UK. You can see Helen's version of this card HERE.

I hope you like the four projects I have shared with you today. I have one more card to share using this suite, and that will be this week's step by step tutorial for customers and subscribers, so make sure you SUBSCRIBE to receive those.

Thanks for stopping by today. Now the mid year school holidays are over I will be back to some more regular blogging. See you next time,

Claire

Posted at 05:07 PM in 2022 July to December Mini Catalogue, 2022 Saleabration July August, Boxes, Bags and 3D Items, Fancy Folds / Shaker Cards / Slider Cards / 3D Cards, Garden, flower and plant inspired cards., Quick and easy cards, Saleabration, Techniques, Watercolouring | Permalink | Comments (4)