July 21, 2023

Playing Along with a Colour Challenge

Amy Jasper As You See It Challenge, Cards As You See It, challenge, technique, watercolour 6 Comments

I’ve felt as though something has been missing in my world of Stampin’ Up!® and I finally realized what it is!

I miss playing!

I’ve been completely focused on designing cards for others to make at events and classes, that I forgot to do the one thing that drew me into this art form in the first place. I need to create for the sake of creating!

When I make cards for a class, I have to consider the skill level, how many steps are involved, how to work within the time available for the class, and adhere to the limits of the supplies available to the number of people involved. However, when I create for the sake of creating, I can be free of limits and can let myself become absorbed in the joy of the moment. It’s delightful. It’s when I’m at my happiest in my craft room.

For those reasons, I thought, “What if you did a colour challenge?”. Of course, my first thought was to go to my favourite challenge blog: As You See It Challenge! I used to be a designer for them a couple years back, but I really love their challenges. I also like that theirs are posted every two weeks, giving you plenty of time to create a card and share it.

Here’s the colour challenge that they posted last Friday:

My Card

I chose to use the Crafting with You Bundle for my design. You can see that there’s a bit of everything on this one: A watercolour technique, some ink blending with a mask, die-cuts and heat embossing, OH MY!

Technique for the Floral Image

I think some of these methods are familiar to you. However, you may not be able to achieve the floral image without a bit of explanation. With the Poppy Parade, Tahitian Tide, and Crumb Cake Stampin’ Write Markers, I applied ink to the floral image stamp, than stamped it on the Fluid 100 Watercolor Paper. Little dots were applied around the image with the same coloured markers. I then very lightly misted the image with water from my Spritzer to soften the image and the dots.

I let this dry while I worked on other aspects of the card. Once dry, the markers were used again to accentuate the outline of the flowers and leaves. This allowed the image to appear watercoloured, but still have some definition. The final touch was to add a bit on Basic Black splatter. To do this, I simply flicked the brush tip of my Basic Black Blends Marker across the lip of the marker lid (this frays the brush tip, so be warned!). A little curl of the watercolour paper in the upper left hand corner, some Classic Matt Dots, and it’s just as I hoped it would be!

Other Products Used for this Design

Artistic Mix Decorative Masks, Black Baker’s Twine, White Embossing Powder, Versamark Ink, Heat Tool, Mini Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Blending Brush, Blends Markers (Poppy Parade, Crumb Cake, Gray Granite, Basic Black), Cardstock (Crumb Cake, Tahitian Tide, Basic Black, Very Vanilla, Gray Granite.

You can purchase all the elements that I used on this design by going to my Online Store or clicking on any of the specific links. And, hey, if you’re wondering who the heck I am, you can go to my About Page and find out. 🙂

Got questions? Ask me in the comments. I’m happy to help if I can.

April 21, 2023

Special Farewell to the Adorable Forest Friends

Amy Jasper Cards, Techniques card, Stampin' Up, technique 0 Comments

I had big plans for the Happy Forest Friends Suite when I purchased it in March. Unfortunately, I forgot to account for the possibility that it would retire at the end of April!

The “out-with-the-old” phase of the new catalogue is always a difficult time for me. Not only because I lose the use of some of my favourite products for my business, but also because it can be difficult to navigate what is still available for my customers to purchase, what to feature in my classes, and the awkwardness of having to let customers know that the product they want has sold out.

It can be frustrating, to say the least.

The only thing that makes it all okay is knowing that the “in-with-the-new” phase is just around the corner!! Change can be difficult, but it can also be incredibly exciting!! I look forward to playing with the new colours, discovering my new favourite products, and the security of knowing that a new annual catalogue ensures that these items will be around for an entire year!! THIS is the time for me to make grand plans with a product suite!

I still have big plans for the suite. The designer series paper, the stamp set and dies, and the ribbon will all play a part in making mini baby albums that I can sell or give as gifts. My original plan was to offer a class so others could make albums with me. I’ll simply have to create an album class with a different, and equally amazing, suite of products from Stampin’ Up!©️

Forest Friends Baby Card

The first thing I made with the Happier Than Happy stamp set and the coordinating dies was this sweet little baby card.

This design features a simple acrylic block stamping technique. To accomplish this, you apply ink to the acrylic block (for this card, I used Mint Macaron, Soft Suede, and Crushed Curry), then spritz the block with a water and rubbing alcohol solution using the Stampin’ Up! Spritzer. Adding alcohol to the water helps it to dry more quicky on the Basic White cardstock.

Spritz two or three times onto the block until the ink begins to puddle. Then press the ink side of the block to your Basic White cardstock. Voila! You have a funky background!

I let it dry a little bit before stamping the little trees with Shaded Spruce ink. The bear is stamped with Soft Suede ink. Sweet Sorbet ink and Crumb Cake ink are used for the mushroom.

Mint Macaron delicately frames the stamped Basic White layer. This combo is then wrapped a couple times with Linen Thread that ties in a whimsical little bow.

(Have I told you lately how very much I LOVE Linen Thread?)

The layers are attached to the Mint Macaron cardbase with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

Finally, the sentiment is stamped on Basic Black cardstock with Versamark ink, then heat embossed with White Embossing Powder and the Heat Tool. This, along with the bear and the top of the mushroom, is attached to the card front with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

It’s so freakin’ CUTE!

If you like this card and want to see it being made, go to my Facebook Page and find the live video. Feel free to skip ahead to the best parts!

Sadly, Mint Macaron and Soft Suede are both retiring colours. Make sure you check out my ONLINE STORE for the most up-to-date availability of retiring products and get ’em before they’re gone!

April 14, 2023

Moving on to Better Days

Amy Jasper Cards, simple and cute embossing, quick and cute, Stampin' Up 0 Comments

Well, friends, it’s been a while since I shared anything with you here on my blog. I’m working on getting back into a regular flow and routine again after being out of sorts for a while. The past couple years have been tough. Instead of getting into all the boring details, let me just sum it all up to “health issues”. I am finally feeling more like myself again in the last month or so. I’m moving on to better days!

I haven’t been completely absent. You can check out the many Facebook Live videos I’ve shared on my Inking on the Fly Facebook page and the sporadic posts on Instagram. You may have even attended some of my Stampin’ Up! events since the start of this year. My monthly technique classes are up and running and I co-hosted a fantastic retreat weekend in March.

I’m excited to be at the beginning of a re-boot. There’s so much I want to create, so many people I want to connect with, and a lot of planning to do! It’s going to be AWESOME!

I’m back, Baby!

Simple Encouragement

Today, I’m sharing this simple and beautiful card design with you. The sentiment is encouraging and positive. I love that!

The card base is a clean Thick Basic White cardstock, on which I layered 3/8″ strips and a couple die-cut pieces of the Enjoy the Journey Designer Series Paper from Stampin’ Up!. I used the stitched circle from the Stylish Shapes dies and the hexagon from the Beautiful Shapes dies. The sentiment from the Greatest Journey stamp set is stamped with Versamark Ink, then heat embossed with Black Embossing Power before adhering it to the card front with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

Orange twine from the Three Twine Combo Pack is tied in a large bow and adhered with a Glue Dot just under the hexagon shape. Finally, the Enamel Sticker Icon element was coloured with a Pumpkin Pie Blends Marker before adhering it to the card.

Some of these products are being retired this month! They might already be sold out or they might still be available. The best way to know is to go to the online store for the most up-to-date availability.

Life is good today and it will be better in the days to come.