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Friday 27 April 2012

Simply Soft Christmas?!

Regular readers of my blog will know how much I love the ColourQ challenges - there's something about those colour swatches and inspiration pictures that fires me up! I must admit it took a while to figure something out for this week's though...


... but I wouldn't be beaten! Here's my interpretation:


I went for an emboss/resist background using the wonderful script image from the French Foliage stamp set. Once it was embossed I sponged Coral Calypso and Bravo Burgundy inks over it. The plants are from the wonderful Simply Soft hostess set. (Hostess sets are exclusive sets, available to buy with orders of £150 or more, but members of my Stampers 6 group can also order them during their hostess month - there's only one place left for my group starting in May, so do let me know as soon as possible if you'd like to join.)


Do you like the sentiment? I was rather pleased with it! I cut a half circle out of my main panel with a 1 1/4" circle punch then, using a 1" punch and a spare scrap of card stock, cut another circle to nest inside the space. This one was given the emboss/resist treatment. The 'thanks' sentiment has been cut out with my sharp paper snips and popped up with dimensionals.


Simply Soft is a two step stamping set - you can stamp the plant image and then add the colour to the flowers by lining up a second image and stamping over the top of the first. It gives a lovely soft look but I wanted a more defined look for this image so I just coloured the flowers in with a Pumpkin Pie marker. I liked the bubbles in the inspiration picture, so I added the surprise pop of Pool Party using the splodge image from French Foliage.

While I had everything out, it occurred to me that this design would work for a Christmas card too! Come and have a look:


I used markers for this one: Bravo Burgundy to colour the just plant stems before stamping and adding Pumpkin Pie berries. The Pool Party splodges have been swapped for Pool Party snowflakes some of which have been decorated with rhinestones for a bit of festive bling.


The sentiment has been done in the same way as before but this time I've chosen an easy-to-cut-out image from Contempo Christmas. This card is for the 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown challenge, where the challenge is to use snowflakes on a card, and also Rudolph Day, the lovely Sandra's Christmas challenge.


I would normally add a supply list here so that you can see what you'd need to recreate these cards but this has been a long post and I don't want to completely bore you (apologies if I already have!) So if you have any queries about what I've used, do let me know won't you and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. And if you'd like to place an order, just send me an email or give me a call on 01280 820593. TODAY'S THE LAST DAY  for adding a free pack of designer paper if your order is £45 or more (offer limited to one pack per qualifying order - click here for details).

I'm off to one of Stampin' Up's fabulous regional training sessions tomorrow to learn heaps of new things and meet up with lots of other lovely demonstrators. I'll be back on Monday with a sneak peek of something brand new and gorgeous so don't miss that!

Have a wonderful weekend,




43 comments:

  1. Both these cards look terrific. Isn't it great that with just a few minor adjustments, you can change a card from 'thanks' to 'christmas'. Hope you have lots of fun at Regionals. Helen (Sydney)

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  2. Both of these are gorgeous. I love it as blossom and as christmas berries. x

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  3. Beautiful cards, Vicky, this challenge fascinates me too, as it's not always obvious how to use the colours. Couldn't you leave these cards on your desk and stare at them all day?! Have a great weekend, btw.

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  4. Absolutely stunning, Vicky - love, love, love these - the colour combo is fab x

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  5. Wow!! Vicky, these are absolutely gorgeous!!
    I love the little pool party splotches on that first one. :)

    I'm glad to know I'm not the only one that had a bit of difficulty with these colours! ;)

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  6. Two lovely cards Vicky....gorgeous colours

    Anne

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  7. Love these Vicky. I have to admit I am going to be a tad starstruck when I spot you at Reading. As a newbie Demo, but a long term SU product lover, you always amaze and inspire me. Yours is the first place I visit every morning and I'm never disappointed. So tomorrow I will be honoured to attend in such great stamping company for my first Training day!
    Belinda x

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  8. Two gorgeous cards! Lovely sponging in these warm colours.

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  9. Absolutely gorgeous and very creative to have the semi circle and sentiment in that arrangement.xx

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  10. WOW - you are so creative and imaginative with your stamps. True inspiration.

    Great colourscheme and fab results.

    Thank you for joining in with my little Rudolph Day challenge. Good luck in the prize draw.

    Hugs, Sandra x

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  11. These are so pretty Vicky! I love the splash of blue in the background :) Hope you all have a lovely weekend. Sarah xx

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  12. Lovely combination of stamps Vicky and I love what you did with the sentiment:) Enjoy your training day, can't wait to see what you have in store for us on monday!
    Val x

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  13. Two beautiful and stunning cards Vicky. The little splotches of colour are brilliant, and the blossom stamp is amazing. Enjoy your training day.
    luv
    irene
    xxxx

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  14. Two beautiful cards, Vicky. I love the stamps you used and how you combined them...very inspirational.
    Enjoy your weekend and training day x

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  15. This is such a beautiful technique, Vicky. And I really love the Christmas card! How creative to think of that!

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  16. Vicky, these are absolutely beautiful! The inking, the emboss resist, the beautiful stamping.... gorgeous! Enjoy your training day!

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  17. Your card is gorgeous, Vicky, I love the stamps you used and the embossing resist is fabulous and yes, love the way you did the sentiment! Thanks for joining us at the ColourQ this week and sharing your card!

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  18. Beautiful! I would have never come up with something for these different colors but you did wonderful!
    Lynn

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  19. Beautiful card, wonderful colours, such a unique creation, in the true sense of that word! hugs Karen x

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  20. Hi Vicky
    These are gorgeous Vicky ..,.. I love them all you are so creative ... Stunning work


    Hugs Sylvie xxxx

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  21. that christmas one is amazing! Love it! M x

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  22. You definitely took a tough color challenge and made it your own! This is classic Vicky style!!

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  23. Lovely Vicki! So serene and classic!

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  24. Vicky, this is amazing as usual! How do you come up with these wonderful ideas!!? :)

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  25. Beautiful Vicki, your cards are always works of art.

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  26. OH MY WORD. These are absolutely GORGEOUS, Vicky!!! I am just blown away by them--they're fabulous! LOVE the different techniques you put together! Thanks for joining us at 52CCT! :)

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  27. So beautiful!! So glad you shared this with us at the ColourQ!!

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  28. Thanks for entering 52CCT this week Vicky - your snowflake card is stunning - Jacqueline xx

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  29. stunning cards. love them both! x

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  30. Absolutely lovely, Vicky.....you have such a knack for combining images, elements and color! Thanks for playing with the CQC this week!

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  31. The color are delicious, Vicky!!! Love your artsy cards, very very inspiring. Have a great day,
    Janna

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  32. I've played along with this colour combo too, Vicky and when I was posting my submission I saw the thumbnail and just had to come have a look! It's gorgeous... well, actually, they both are! Thanks for the inspiration!! Anthea

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  33. I just love how you've swapped the use of this stamp around so easily :0) Love the way you've used the colours on both but I love the bare stems of the Christmas version best :0)
    Jenny x

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  34. Oh my! This just HAD to go into my 'to CASE' file! Hugs xxx

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  35. Fabulous cards Vicky - I think my fave is the Christmas one. Both gorgeous though :) Di xx

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  36. Beautiful combo of colours and you have made the best of them, love your technique for double colouring. A lovely card

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  37. Another stunner, Vicky! I was totally stumped by these colours but you have turned them into a thing of beauty!

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  38. Wow wow wow just love this card Luv Sue x

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  39. Fabulous cards Vicky! The are both gorgeous but I think my fav is the Christmas one.
    Hugs

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  40. Your cards are just stunning Vicky, I love them both. Especially like the way you have added the sentiment in the half circle, just brilliant.
    hugs Kimx

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  41. Wow, this is just stunning, Vicky! LOVE the layered stamping and the circular element of the LO on the left. :) Thanks so much for popping by paper&ICE, hope you are having a wonderful week!! :)

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I'd love to know what you think. Do leave me a comment - it always makes my day! Vicky x


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