Crafty Collaborations Punch Techniques Blog Hop

Hi crafters,

I am taking part in another blog hop today with the Crafty Collaborations team.  Our theme for Technique Tuesday is Punch Techniques.  This was a fun one to create and I can't wait to see what everyone else has come up with for the challenge.  

I used the Holly Border Punch from the July - December 2021 Mini Catalogue to create a background panel and I also used the Label Me Lovely Punch for my sentiment topper.  

I made a card base from Crumb Cake cardstock and then used a Basic White cardstock panel for my background.  I took a piece of scrap cardstock and created a border pattern using the Holly Border Punch.  I placed this over my background panel and using a Shaded Spruce Stampin' Write Marker I traced the holly leaves onto the background.  I used a Real Red Stampin' Write Marker for the berries.  I repeated this two more times to cover the background panel.  I trimmed the panel to size and adhered to my card base using Multipurpose Liquid Glue.  I punched out the label shape using the Label Me Lovely Punch and then placed this inside my Stamparatus before stamping my sentiment.  I did some stamp surgery on the Happy Christmas stamp by cutting the words apart so I could stack them on to the punched shape.  I used Memento Tuxedo Black ink, positioning the words individually so I could achieve a closer placement.  I also punched out a label from Real Red cardstock and cut this in half before adhering to the reverse of my white label to have a red layer on the top and bottom of my topper.  Finally I added some holly accents in Shaded Spruce cardstock and berries in Real Red cardstock.  I layered the holly by folding the second piece in half and only gluing the centre so that the leaves have dimension.  I added Shimmery Crystal Effects to the berries for a small pop of shine and sparkle.  

I hope you are feeling inspired to get your punches out and start creating.  The full list of participants for this blog hop is below and I hope you keep hopping.  Don't forget to leave us a comment - we love to hear what you think of our projects.  

Happy crafting, Rachel x

Product List

Happy Holly Days Bundle (English) [156777]	Holly Border Punch [156379]	Happy Holly Days Cling Stamp Set (English) [156342]	Label Me Lovely Punch [151296]	Stamparatus [148187]
Paper Trimmer [152392]	Crumb Cake A4 Card Stock [121685]	Basic White A4 Cardstock [159228]	Real Red A4 Card Stock [106578]	Shaded Spruce A4 Cardstock [147006]
Regals Stampin' Write Markers [147155]	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708]	Shimmery Crystal Effects [150892]	Multipurpose Liquid Glue [154974]	Stampin' Dimensionals [104430]

Global Design Project #303 - Theme Challenge - Flower Power

Hi crafters,

I have a card to enter for the latest challenge over at Global Design Project and their theme is flower power.  This is right up my street!

I have gone to the dark side for my make today!  I used predominantly black cardstock with accents of gold.  

I created a base card from Basic Black cardstock.  I stamped my floral image from the Forever Blossoms stamp set onto a panel of Basic Black cardstock in Versamark ink and then heat embossing using gold powder.  I arranged the Playful Alphabet Dies to spell wonderful over the heat embossed panel and then ran this through my Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine.  I cut the letters an additional three times for dimension.  I used the Gold Foil Sheets cut with the Stitched Rectangle Dies to frame the focal image.  I adhered everything to the card using Multipurpose Liquid Glue.  A fairly simple card but I hope it has the wow factor.  

I would like to enter this card into the Global Design Project #303 - Theme Challenge:  Flower Power. 

Happy crafting,

Rachel x

Product List

Forever Blossoms Cling Stamp Set (English) [151457]	Playful Alphabet Dies [152706]	Stitched Rectangles Dies [151820]	Stamparatus [148187]
Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine [149653]	Basic Black A4 Card Stock [121688]	Gold Foil Sheets [132622]	Versamark Pad [102283]
Heat Tool - Uk Plug [129054]	Metallics Embossing Powders [155555]	Multipurpose Liquid Glue [154974]

Global Stamping Friends Blog Hop - Animals

Hi crafters,

It's the first Friday of the month and that means a Global Stamping Friends blog hop.  We are a group of international Stampin' Up! Demonstrators who love to share our passion for creativity through our monthly hops.  I'm one of the European demos, based in the UK.  This month's theme is Animals.  If you've come from Marieke's great post, you're on the right track.  There is also a full list of participants at the end of this post.  

I used the Turtle Friends Bundle to create my first card and went with a clean and simple design.  

I created a mini slimline card base from Mossy Meadow cardstock and the finished size measures 3.25" by 6.25".  I took a panel of Basic White cardstock, cut to slightly smaller than my card base, and ran this through the Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine with one of the Greenery Embossing Folders.  I stamped my turtle in Stazon Jet Black ink as this is a permanent ink suitable for watercolouring.  I stamped the shell detail in Old Olive ink and then used a Water Painter to fill in the legs, neck and head.  I used Soft Suede ink in the same way for the toes.  Do turtles have toes?!  I stamped the sentiment in Stazon ink too and was really please how well it stamped over the embossing.  I didn't think to stamp the sentiment first, of course!  I added a small red resin heart underneath the sentiment but these have actually retired.  You could use a die cut paper heart here instead or another small embellishment.  

My second card features a rainbow but not in the classic way!  

This card features the From All of Us stamp set which is super fun and perfect for this theme.  I used Stampin' Write Markers in Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Pacific Point and Gorgeous Grape to colour directly onto the animal stamp and then huffed before transferring the image to the Basic White cardstock.  I added the greenery above the main image using Garden Green ink and added the sentiment with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink.  I added shading at the bottom of the animal image using a Sahara Sand Stampin' Write Marker - something I definitely need to practice!  

I hope you keep hopping along with our animal theme blog hop by heading to June's brilliant post next, simply click the arrow below.  

Blog Hop Roll Call

1. Rachel Macleod ***You are here***

2. June Olsen

3. Tricia Butts

4. Jan Musselman

5. Amanda Farlinger

6. Angélique Stempelkeuken

7. Marieke Bart

Happy crafting,

Rachel x

Turtle Birthday Card Product List

Turtle Friends Bundle (English) [155819]	Greenery Embossing Folders [152716]	Mini Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine [150673]	Stamparatus [148187]
Basic White A4 Cardstock [159228]	Mossy Meadow A4 Cardstock [133683]	Jet Black Stāzon Ink Pad [101406]	Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad [147090]
Soft Suede Classic Stampin' Pad [147115]	Water Painters [151298]	Multipurpose Liquid Glue [154974]

Rainbow Thanks Card Product List

From All Of Us Cling Stamp Set (English) [152641]	Stamparatus [148187]	Basic White A4 Thick Cardstock [159230]	Basic White A4 Cardstock [159228]
Brights Stampin' Write Markers [147157]	Regals Stampin' Write Markers [147155]	Neutrals Stampin' Write Markers [147158]	Garden Green Classic Stampin' Pad [147089]
Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708]	Multipurpose Liquid Glue [154974]