Advent window 2 - Sleigh ride sparkle

 The novelty of sending a snow inspired card to Australia 

still hasn't worn off, eleven years on!

This year it's the One Horse Open Sleigh Suite

The 6x6" DSP of this suite provides the perfect background, I also used the adhesive backed silver glimmer paper for the die cut tree and greeting shadow. 

The greeting and DSP frame are Lost Lagoon cardstock, and I used Gray Granite to print the Greeting and Horse and Sleigh (coloured with water colour pencils) and snow rabbit, on Whisper White card stock. 

Last, but by no means least, adhesive backed snowflake and rhinestone.

Keep on adding a little sparkle!

GenGen XxXxX

First Advent Window - Rustic Christmas Countdown Kit!

 What better way to kick off my Advent blog this year, 

than with an Advent Kit?

This is the Rustic Christmas Countdown Kit, 

available in the online exclusive section.

This was the perfect Sunday afternoon project,

 for G&Ms Advent calendar this year. 

Everything you need is supplied, 

even the jute string to hang the advent envelopes on, 

with their decorated pegs.

Ho, ho, ho, keep on Christmas crafting!

GenGen XxXxX

Quiet Meadow

 Here's another card that we did at the July Workshop, this time using Quiet Meadow stamp set and coordinating Meadow Dies, casing the card from p.66 of the Main catalogue

Using Old Olive as a card base I used old olive ink for the spatter stamp, then stamped versa ink for gold heat emboss for the word background - as by this point in my workshop preparation I'm trying to include techniques new card makers perhaps haven't tried. Using the Distressed Gold Specialty Paper behind the printed plate highlights the gold writing too. I used StazOn saddle brown again for the flower print, coloured with Crushed Curry and Old Olive with Blender pens. I die cut the cornflower in Very Vanilla, and then coloured in. The greeting die of this set lead me to use a retired trio punch to round off the top corners, with Crushed Curry marker used for the butterfly die with a stampin' dimensional.

Keep on sharing what you love,

GenGen XxXxX

 

A darker palette for Hello Irresistible

 So the afternoon session of the workshop I used the Hello Irresistible Suite, but with a completely different colour way . . 

For me, this allows better showcasing of the designer series paper, and in the workshop I even used Pretty Peacock on Lost Lagoon card stock for the leaves, rather than the soft sea foam seen here. The straight lined die cut highlights the loose frosted dots more, the dark and light contrast of the greeting and the larger flower and leaves continue the contrast.

Keep changing card design while card making,

GenGen XxXxX

Online exclusives - for inspiration

 As a demonstrator you do get a little preview of products before their release, and when the Hello Irresistible Suite was available for pre-order online only, I ordered it all ;-) 

So the workshop in July was an ideal opportunity to show this suite in two very different ways to highlight the versatility of the products.

So the morning session we did a card based on this design,

So the 6"x6" Hello Irresistible Designer Series Paper creates a fabulous background, with a Soft Sea Foam square die cut with the circle die from the Irresistible Blooms Dies. We used sponge daubers to colour the flower with Flirty Flamingo and Daffodil Delight Ink before using the matching die for the flower. Then the greeting in Flirty Flamingo on Whisper White and the die cut leaves, with a little embellishment with the Loose Frosted Dots for the circular window, and flower centre.

As always when doing a workshop the difference between the cool night light of preparation and the warm day light of the workshop it becomes obvious to change the cool Soft Sea Foam for a brighter Flirty Flamingo, but as always the purpose of a workshop is to make sure people leave with cards they like, and the colours of this suite allow endless possibilities :-)

Keep on changing your design with card making,

GenGen XxXxX

Workshop catch up!

 Way back in July the lovely ladies of Brecon WI invited me along to host a workshop, and FINALLY I'm catching up with posting them here!

This is my version of the card shown on p.23 of the Main Catalogue.

Stamp Set: Dainty Delight

Ink: StazOn Saddle Brown for flower outline and greeting (crumb cake card stock), Blackberry Bliss for background printing, flower spray coloured in with Blender pens, Daffodil delight for flower heads with water painters

Card stock: Fresh as a Daisy DSP, velum for background plate, Whisper white for flower spray and yellow flower head, Old Olive greenery, Blackberry Bliss for flower heads and Crushed Curry sunflower with Early Espresso sunflower centres

Accessories: Scalloped frames and Dainty Delight Dies, Adhesive backed Sequins

I loved the layers of this card,

keep on cardmaking, GenGen XxXxX

15% off stamps - 24hrs only!

 

15% off stamp sets, but only for 24hrs

You can shop with me at 

Genevieve Jones, Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator (stampinup.net)

Happy stamping, 

GenGen XxXxX