Share it Sunday Blog Hop

 

Welcome to my section of the blog hop.  I created a baby card this week, a workmate of my husband and his partner had their first baby this week. I needed a card ASAP!

I used a combination of basic white, petal pink, soft seafoam and mint macaron.  Such a great combination from the subtle collection.  I wanted the Pretty Flowers embossing folder to create a detailed background that would pop.  

I used the stitched rectangle dies, the potted succulent dies and artistically inked stamp set to finish the card for the sentiment and its layered labels.  The CONGRATS sentiment was from a retired stamp set, mainly because I've discovered that none of my current sets have a similar one that I could use (I need to rectify that on my next order).

I did create a YouTube of this card too, for those who like to learn visually. 

Thanks for popping by.  Enjoy the hop to the other blogs and their inspiring projects.  

Happy Stamping, 

July Ink and Inspiration - Make it sparkle

Welcome to the Ink & Inspiration Blog Hop. You are currently visiting Rachael Merrick from Australia. I hope you enjoy my "make it sparkle" project.

It was my mum's birthday recently and I wanted a special birthday card for her. She really enjoys painting and has been talking a lot lately about getting some alcohol inks to play with soI knew that the Artistically Inked DSP would be perfect. And because it's my mum, I wanted something to POP as well as sparkle.

I created the card front and inside with the floral and gold accented Designer Series Paper and to make it sparkle more, I used some of the mini opal sequins and gold accents which come in the suite.

The inside is a variety die cuts from the suite, as well as versamark inking with leaf images from the Hydrangea Haven stamp set. I've used more gold accents inside and layered them both on the inside panels as well as the pop up section to create more of a 3D effect. The added bonus is that the movement of the inside card panel that pops up, highlights the gold accents and makes them shimmer.

Don't forget to click on images to make them larger so you can see the detail of my card.

I hope the projects you've seen here on my blog today have inspired you.

You are currently visiting Rachael Merrick. Please see the list below & hop through all of the people on the list to see all our projects. You don't want to miss any!"

Happy creating,

Rachael xx

Crafty Challenge Blog Hop

 This months challenge is to use the following colours to create a project:

This time of the year here in Australia can be miserable because its our cold winter, where daylight hours are lessened and it feels like you go to work in the dark and come home in the dark too.  This challenge made me feel so much happier - I love all the brights colours and nothing is so cheerful as this kind of combination.  I used the Biggest Wishes stamp set for the background and the Birthday Chick stamps for the sentiment and fun little chicken with cupcakes.

Fussy cutting these images and putting them on dimensional dots really make them pop off the card and give a fun element.  I have to admit, colouring them wasn't easy, I was tempted to add more colour but restrained myself.  

For a simple card, it really packs a punch because of the background stamping.  I think this is probably why I'm in love with the biggest wishes stamps, they are a lovely mix of bold type that can be used for more than just a sentiment.  I eyeballed the lining up of them for the background stamping.  I always feel like I've achieved something as a stamper when I can create a dramatic looking card without using Designer Series Paper or Embossing Folders! 

Don't forget, this is a blog hop.  Pop over the blogs listed below for more colour inspiration.  

Thanks for popping by and joining in our blog swap.

Let's Get Hopping #44

Welcome to The Let's Get Hopping Blog Hop Round 44 where our theme is to create a project for your favourite occasion.  

Growing up, birthdays were always a big deal.  On your day, you chose where the family went, what we did and what we ate.  There was always a big cake (chosen from the Australian Women's Weekly Birthday Cake Book)!  I've tried, as a parent, to replicate that experience for my own children hoping that one day, their memories are as wonderful as mine are.  

So its only fitting to say that I love to create cards for birthdays.  Everyone deserves to feel special on their day!  I've used the 'You're a Peach' suite for this card, mainly because the colours are so happy and it makes the prettiest birthday card.  I also love the font they have used for the sentiments.  

I used Stitched Rectangle dies to cut out the basic white panel and stamped using Bashful Blue, both the sentiment and the tiny floral images that come in the stamp set.  

Thanks for popping by.  Click the link to go to the next blog post by the wonderfully talented Nina... 

Happy stamping everyone xx

FB Sunday challenge

 This week was a Kids theme so I grabbed out a retired stamp set, and got to work.  

I knew I wanted the 'growing tree' element in my card and decided on an easel to show it off.  

There is so many little detail stamps in this set and I wanted to use most of them if I could.

Such a cute and interactive card, making the tree grow by opening it and displaying it standing up.  

Another FB Sunday challenge that got me thinking and wanting to create something different.  Thats why I love to do them.  

I was super happy with the cloud dies for this card too - they are in the Give it a Whirl die set from the annual catalogue which I had totally overlooked in the beginning until I saw cards popping up on my social media feed with them and just knew I needed them. 

Happy stamping, 

Inky Stampers Meeting

 

Another month, another Inky Stampers Virtual Meeting and this time around we had a great sketch to inspire us.  Of course, I was totally unprepared and the last to finish during our meeting.  I promise to do better with time management next time ladies.

I created using the Sweet as a Peach suite - its so easy to use.  Here is my version of the sketch.  

Our meetings are always fun, lots of laughs and its wonderful to see how different everyone creates using the same starting inspiration.  

Being a part of a team has been a great boost for me - I have people who 'get it'.  And encourage me no end.  I am thankful I have found such a wonderful group of ladies.  

Happy stamping,

Vacation blog hop

 

Welcome to the Vacation themed blog hop.  I created this card with 'Adventures' in mind, because these days, vacations seem to be a bit of an adventure in our own back yard here in Australia.  Naturally, the smaller stamps from the Hats Off bundle were a perfect adventure theme to use. 

I used colours from the Neutrals collection, mainly because they remind me of camping, which is always an adventure for us.  Greys, olives and Navy tones all make up the background stamping on this Crumb Cake cardstock.  I then stamped the sentiment in Memento Black and matted it with Night of Navy cardstock.  I've used a twin twine loop and a Pear Pizazz hat, using the dies from the bundle.  

I really love the simplicity of how this card came together but at the same time, the amount of stamped images adds plenty of detail to the card.  I'm hoping I can gift this soon, because what we all want at the moment is to head off on an adventure.  A simple vacation (perhaps overseas) would also be wonderful.

Happy Stamping and blog hopping, 

Top FIVE!!!!

Such an honour to be listed as a part of this....

Thanks to those who inspire us every month over at INKspiration.  

This months challenge is a great combo!

Happy stamping,

 

For a great cause

 It's funny how social media works.  I received a tag on instagram the other day. requesting handmade cards for Fathers Day through Drought Angels.

This charity pulls at my heartstrings for a few reasons.  It's a typical Australian 'help a mate out who is doing it tough' idea.  My mum's family come from the land in Victoria and have been farmers for generations.  It makes me proud to know I come from a line of hard working people who contributed to society through the land.  My first teaching posting many years ago was to Broken Hill in NSW.  This outback town knows drought, it sits not far from the desert.  

So I grabbed out a new stamp and die  bundle and went to work.  I did use a retired DSP as a nod to my past (I first discovered Stampin Up through friends after I moved from Broken Hill to Far North Queensland).  It gave me a kick that by chance, one card actually has Stampin Up printed in the corner of the paper and can be seen on the card.  

In total I made 12 cards with matching envelopes.  I hope they find their way to someone who deserves to be celebrated on Fathers Day and that it brings a smile to them.  

Thank you to those wonderful volunteers who run this organisation.  If you would like to join in the card drive, contact myself or Drought Angels via their website (click on the logo at the top of this post).  I'm sure they would appreciate something small from those who know handmade also means made with love. 

Happy stamping to everyone,

Rachael xx

simple boxes - a Youtube tutorial

I promised the other day during the donut post, that I would pop up some instructions on how to construct a box.  This is a simple YouTube of creating a box.  Want a bigger box?  Just increase the size of the starting card stock and change the measurement for the 'sides'.  EASY!

My final little box turned out cute (and filled with chocolates).  It was given to a friend who needed to go for some tests and was nervous and I think pretty well received..  

Happy creating

Rachael xx

Stampin Dreams Blog Hop - Xmas in July

Welcome to the July Blog Hop for Stampin Dreams.  

Can you believe we are half way through the year?  Here in SE Queensland, the weather has turned cool and we are getting some wintery frosts pretty regular now.  Our blog hop theme this month is "Christmas in July".

I was so excited to finally get my preorder from the mini catalogue and the first bundle I pulled out was the Words of Cheer.  I knew I wanted to go for traditional colours so used Basic White, Real Red and Old Olive. 

The dies are amazing!  I love how they layer up to big the big sentiments a wow factor.  In fact the rest of the card can be pretty simple around this die because it really does all the talking. 

I was also keen to give the velvet paper a try and it didn't disappoint.  The texture is amazing and look at what it does when embossed!  

Thanks for hopping with me and please pop over to the other blogs as linked below and leave some feedback.  

Happy stampin to everyone, Rachael xx

A quick tutorial...

 A new tutorial over on YouTube today...

Click on the image above to view the tutorial.  

I've used Artistically Inked bundle to create this card.  I think I need to go back and choose some other colour ways, although this colour combo turned out very pretty.  

Colours:  Basic White, Black Momento, Bermuda Bay, Coastal Cabana and Fresh Freesia.

Happy Stamping, 

Rachael xx