INKspired Blog Hop #INK017 - Crazy About Watermelon Wonder

Hi there! It's so great to have you back hopping along to another INKspired Blog Hop. You may have arrived here after visiting with the lovely Cherie who has designed a wonderful card for us :)

Here is the sketch we all worked from:

With this sketch, I jumped straight in and started stamping and then realised I had best jump right back out again!  My card just wasn't working :( You know how it is, when you think, "OK this isn't great, but if I just keep adding more elements it'll all come together in the end."  Well ... not this time! Too fussy, colours refusing to harmonising with each other and too many elements!

So I decide to use the KISS principle, and this is what happened ... One colour, clean lines and one happy stamper :)

What do you think? Plain Jane, or Simply Sweet?

Stampin' Up!s new Annual Catalogue launch is just around the corner. Uber exciting, hey!! Every year SU bring out 5 new In Colours and this year's colours are fresh and flavourful with delicious names to match: Watermelon Wonder, Cucumber Crush, Mint Macaron and Delightful Dijon. Here's a little sneak peek ...

Are you salivating yet??  Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter and I'll let you know when you can get your hot little hands on them :)

This card uses my favourite colour from the new In Colour range - Watermelon Wonder - with coordinating embellishments in the same colour. Aren't the little resin flowers gorgeous? The scalloped edge ribbon is just beautiful, too! The flower stamp I used is from the  Crazy About You stamp set and the congratulations sentiment is from the Bravo stamp set and is heat embossed in white.

OK, it's time to go and see what the talented Maree has created. Happy hopping!

Thanks for visiting my blog.

I hope you have a wonderful day.

Lissa x

You can visit my online shop to purchase any of the products showcased in this project.

INKspired Blog Hop #016 - Flower Patch

Hello and welcome to another INKspired Blog Hop.  I hope you are loving hopping your way around and seeing all the beautiful projects on offer :) If you've arrived here after visiting my mate Lisa, then you're in the right spot. Lisa has delivered another awesome card, right!? I love what she has done with the sketch.

I really enjoyed working with the sketch for this hop.  I have been super busy with work and marking assignments (UUGGHH!!!) and I hadn't made a card in a few weeks ... which a LONG time for me!! So I was itching to go!

I was a little worried I had lost my creative mojo, but a quick look at the sketch and scan of my stamp sets and BINGO!! I knew immediately which stamp sets I wanted to use, and all was left was to decide on a colour scheme. I don't know about you, but that's often the hard part for me.

I had recently purchased Stampin' Up!s Back to Black DSP, so I definitely wanted to incorporate some of that bold paper into my card. Real Red is one of my favourite colours, and works so well with black and white, so I was almost set to go! I decided to add some Calypso Coral and Daffodil Delight to coordinate with Real Red. I just love these bright colours and how they work so well together.

Here's my card ... I hope you like it :)

Now it's off to see what Louise has created ... another stunning card I just know you'll adore!

Thanks for stopping by.

I hope you have a wonderful day.

Lissa x

You can visit my online shop to purchase the products showcased in this project.

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INKspired Blog Hop #015 - Flower Shop Love

Hello to all the INKspired Blog Hoppers hopping your way around today :) You're in for a treat this week ... it's just one gorgeous card after the other! If you've just come from Lisa, you're in the right spot. Do you love her card as much as I do?


The sketch for this hop was a great one to work with, and thank goodness for that. I was strapped for time and needed to whip up a quick and simple card. This doesn't usually end well for me, but I'm actually chuffed with the way my card turned out. 

I have had the Pansy Punch for ages however I have only recently acquired the coordinating Flower Shop stamp set.  I've had such fun using it and I now know I should have bought it sooner!

Oh well, it's great to eventually get a stamp set you have been eyeing off for ages and then fall in love with it on first use.  Here's my card ...

I have paired Crisp Cantaloupe with Soft Sky in the card. I hardly ever use these two colours but this new colour combo will be one I revisit often.

Soft and lovely - just like my Mum.

I think this card will make a gorgeous Mothers Day card for her :) Love ya, Mum xxx

Hope you've enjoyed visiting that you'll come again next time. Next stop in the hop is the super-creatively-blessed Louise with yet another beautiful card for us to admire.

Bye for now.

Lissa x

Please visit my online shop to purchase the products showcased in this project.

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Undefined Hot Air Balloon Defines my Enduring Love - HAPPY ANNIVERSARY JEREMY xxx

It's my and my husband's Wedding Anniversary today. Jeremy proposed to me 14 years ago today - up in a hot air balloon on a very chilly winter's morning. Yes - he is very romantic and I am blessed to have such a wonderful and devoted husband.

So you see - I absolutely needed a hot air balloon stamp to make his card and, as I couldn't easily get my hands on one, I thought, why not make my own!

The hand carved stamps featured in my card were made using Stampin' Up!s Undefined stamp carving kit.  It's a wonderful tool that's fun and easy to use.

Why not give it a go next time you want a stamp that is original or when you have in mind for a project, but just can't find the right image in a catalogue?

You can Visit my online shop to purchase the undefined stamp carving kit or any other Stampin' Up! product.

INKspired Blog Hop #INK013 - Happy Birthday Bob

Hello and welcome to the INKspired Blog Hop.

You may have just come from Lisa's blog, and if so, I hope you enjoying the hop so far.  I always love to see the cards that on show because they provide me with many great ideas and inspiration.

This is the sketch we are all working with this hop.

As my Father-in-law's birthday is coming up, I thought I'd take the opportunity to dedicate this sketch to him.

Bob is a real lover of nature, especially birds and the ocean. He is an avid twitcher and has spent many months at sea for his other great love - science.

Bob was a senior scientist on the JOIDES Resolution, a seagoing research vessel that drills core samples and collects measurements from under the ocean floor, giving scientists a glimpse into Earth's development.

I knew the By The Tide stamp set would be perfect for Bob's birthday card :)

This card has all the elements of the sketch, just in different positions! Poetic license, right??!! The birthday sentiment is from the Memorable Moments stamp set, while the colour palette is Night of Navy, Sahara Sand and Cherry Cobbler. 

Next stop on the blog hop is wonderful and supremely talented Louise. I can't wait to see the card she has made, they never disappoint.

Thanks for hopping by, see you again soon.

Lissa x

The products I used to make this card can be purchased from my online shop.

INKspired Blog Hop #INK012

Way to Go! - You Did It!

The past two weeks have just flown by and it's time for another INKspired Blog Hop!  If you have just come from Kabrina's blog you're in the right spot.

This time, my card is for my ULTRA-AMAZING hubby, Jeremy, whose laser focus on building our Leadership training business has taken it from scratch to success. 

It is truly amazing what happens when you have focus, determination and commitment to succeed in an area you are passionate about - one that really lights your inner fire! 

Please check out our website Rapport Leadership if you are interested in building your own leadership skills or developing them in others around you.

This round's sketch was easy to work with. Thanks Teneale :)

It was just the colour scheme that had me scratching my head.

It's always more difficult for me to come up with masculine colour schemes, but I think this one a goer!  Two of my faves Island Indigo and Tangerine Tango combined with neutral Basic Gray.

Here's my card ...

Next stop on the blog hop is Louise, who is herself a great leader. She always leads by example and with great enthusiasm and warmth.  I just love being part of her Stampin' Up! team.

Thanks for hopping by, see you again soon.

Lissa x

The products I used to make this card are listed below and can be purchased from my online shop.

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

INKSPIRED ARTISTS BLOG HOP #INK011 - REGARDING DAHLIAS

Hello! If you have just hopped here from Kabrina, you are in the right spot :) Welcome to another INKspired Blog Hop and thanks for stopping by.

I hope you're enjoying everyone's offerings for the sketch which is pictured below ...

It's a great sketch that uses one of my favourites, the Label Collection framelits.

I originally thought I would do an ocean scene, as if looking out of a porthole, but you know when you just can't seem to make a card look like you have imagined it - well I was having one of those days ... so I reverted to a floral theme.

And my Regarding Dahlias stamp set was just calling out to me, "Use me, use me!!" So I did :)


Here's my offering for this sketch ...

I really love the Regarding Dahlias stamp set and I think it pairs beautifully with the feathery striped paper in Basic Gray from the Confetti Celebration DSP set.  Mix in some Soft Sky ink and card stock and you've got yourself a cool colour scheme that's feminine and elegant, don't you think?

I added the expressly elegant Whisper White Organza Ribbon for another touch of class, some Soft Sky candy dots to balance it all out and voila, the card was ready for gifting to someone special.

I decided to omit a sentiment on this occasion as I felt the card was beautifully balanced as is. Maybe you don't agree ... I'd love to hear your thoughts, so please leave me a comment.

Next stop on the blog hop is the super talented and lovely Louise. I can't wait to see what she has done with this sketch!

Bye for now, hope to see you again next fortnight.

Lissa x

Here are the products I used to make this card. Click on the product to shop for it on my online store.

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog