Louise Sharp: 2019

Be Inspired Design Team Hop

25 September 2019

Welcome to the Be Inspired Design Team Blog Hop. You may have just arrived here from the lovely and amazingly talented Stesha Bloodhart from the USA. If you are starting here please make sure you hit the next button at the bottom of this post and hop all the way around.

The theme for this hop is 'CASE the Catalogue'. The definition of CASE: Copy And Share Everything or Copy And Selectively Edit! For my creation today I think it's safe to say I went with the Copy And Selectively Edit definition as I've CASE'd the card from page 91 of the Annual Catalogue and put my own spin on it.

Next up to 'Be Inspired' by is my lovely Australian friend Tanya Rees. I'm sure you'll agree she's awesome!

Louise Sharp

Tanya Rees
Janneke de Jong

Jackie Aitken

Cathy Caines
Manuela Geiswinkler

Brian King

Stesha Bloodhart

Much Love,

Louise xo

28 August 2019

The theme for this hop is 'Embossing'. There's a few different ways to add embossing to your project which can include using embossing folders, embossing paste, partial embossing using the metal dies or heat embossing using embossing powder, like I have done with my project today. I use the heat embossing technique in white for a lot of my watercolouring projects as I like the soft and subtle outline it creates.

Heat Embossing: To create this effect you will need the following items:

Heat Tool
VersaMark Ink Pad
Stampin' Emboss Powder in White
Embossing Buddy

The heat embossing technique is loads of fun and can create variety of different effects. Below is a video from Stampin' Up! demonstrating how to use Heat Emossing Powder.

I have had the Piece of Cake Stamp Set for a little while now and for some unknown reason I have neglected to use it. It was excited to get out of it case - it told me! Is it just me or do you actually just want to eat this cake for real...I'm imaging chocolate mud or red velvet, either way I'm sure this cake would hypothetically taste as good as it looks!

Piece of Cake

Next up to 'Be Inspired' by is my lovely stampin' friend Nadine Hößrich from Germany and Nadine's blog is as dreamy as beautiful as she is.

Much Love,

Louise xo

19 August 2019

"I see the moon and the moon sees me, down by the shade of the old oak tree. Please let the light that shines on me, shine on the one I love." This is a song that was sung to me as a child and I also sing to my kids. I remind them that wherever they are in the world we all look at the same moon. We all sleep under the same stars and we all feel the warm from the same sun. The theme at the Global Design Project this week reminds me of that. Too deep? Possibly. Maybe I'm feeling a little anxious about watching my children grow older! You know what's not deep...today's card! It's fun and playful and has childlike feel of 'Old McDonalds Farm' about it. It's not my typical style of card, but I had fun with it!

I honestly didn't know what to create for this weeks theme until I opened this stamp set, which is perfectly named Over The Moon. My friend Paula Dobson created this card >here< and I she needs to take full responsibility for the purchase of this set and she deserves a medal for all the colouring on that card!

I used Watercolor Paper and Aqua Painters to create the background. I taped off the bottom using washi-tape and it still managed to bleed a little, however I was ok with that and was going to cover it up completely with the sentiment but I actually liked it in the end. We are our own worst critiques aren't we?!

Over The Moon

I hope you are having a great start to the week, now head over to the Global Design Project and see what the amazing Design Team have in store for you this week.

Much Love,
Louise xo

12 August 2019

Happy Monday! This past weekend I held my third Stamping by the Sea Retreat in Kiama. It was amazing and epic and fun and loud and colourful and filled with love and laughter and friendship and all.the.things that make my heart sing! I will blog all about it in another post soon. For now here's a photo of all who attended:

There's a sketch challenge over at the Global Design Project and believe it or not I've played along with the Design Team this week! Here's the sketch and my card:

The Card: Just in case you've been living under a rock or in possible hibernation, Stampin' Up! have a beautiful suite in the catalogue called Bird Ballad, located on page 91 of the Annual Catalogue. Along with the gorgeous Designer Series Paper, there's also a Bird Ballad Laser-Cut Cards Tin which has 12 gorgeous laser-cut cards and envelopes. The only stamping on this card is the sentiment and the Designer Series Paper has done the rest! The paper has a watercolour look - which you know I love!

The Tin: I actually have a decorated tin made that goes along with this card, however I don't haven't had a chance to take a photo of it yet. Yet another thing I will have to blog about in another post soon! So I will share a photo of the one from the catalogue. Honestly, the laser-cut cards are worth getting just for the tin! First of all, like hello, it's Petal Pink, what's not to love and then to add to that it has gorgeous printed gold leaves on it, plus inside are the prettiest laser-cut cards you can decorate with a coordinating scalloped envelope - what's not to love! Wait until you see the one I've decorated...then you'll be sold if you 're not already! (Now I'm holding you in suspense aren't I?! lol)

Now head over to the Global Design Project and see what the amazing Design Team have in store for you this week.

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Updated Blog: You may have noticed I have changed my blog header. When I had my blog created a few years ago it was pretty, pink and polka dots - all my favourite things! However the coding wasn't working for the header and it wasn't mobile responsive (which I'm still working on) and I felt it needed a bit of a good ole' Spring clean to so speak. I'm still trying to get it all working with links updated and the about me updated...but for now so long as you can hit the shop link and see all my projects that was my main concern.

Fresh Start: A fresh blog header for a fresh new start. If you missed my past blog posts, we have purchased land and I had the idea that I would start blogging about other things related to our upcoming adventure of moving to 50 acres!

The Farmhouse Image: The farmhouse image was chosen for a few different reasons:

1. We are moving to a (mini/hobby) farm - ok that was obvious I know!

2. We really want to build a farmhouse - no it won't be painted pink, don't worry!

3. My blog is like my home. It's a place where I welcome you, a place where I will share things I love and want you to feel at home too. A place for friends. A place to come and relax, even just for a few minutes.

What to Expect: It's me...which basically means I won't be blogging to a schedule! lol. I will post when I have time - because this blogging thing is time consuming (just ask my husband!). My intention is to start sharing other things that I enjoy like decorating, cooking, sewing, gardening and of course crafting. Plus the joy of moving, building, fencing and all the things that come along with owning a paddock - I may even be looking for some advice! Stay tuned for more.

Much Love,
Louise xo

31 July 2019

The theme for this hop is '2019-2021 In-Colors'. To keep up with current trends and colours Stampin' Up! introduce five new colours to their already amazing colour selection and these 'In-Colors' are available for two years. This year they are Rocco Rose, Terracotta Tile, Pretty Peacock, Seaside Spray and Purple Posy.

Being a pink girl I do without doubt of course love the Rococo Rose, however to mix things up a bit I decided to highlight the beautiful Purple Posy. All of the In-Colors coordinate with the current Stampin' Up! colours and I have paired the Purple Posy with the lovely Highland Heather from the Subtles Collection.

I used my new Country Home stamp set and water-coloured it on watercolor paper using an Aqua Painter. Doesn't the gingham paper just look so 'country' with this stamp set!

Country Home

Next up to 'Be Inspired' by is the fabulous Tanya Rees who is also from Australia. I know you will love her creations as much as I do!

Louise Sharp

Tanya Rees

Janneke de Jong

Jackie Aitken
Cathy Caines

Much Love,

Louise xo

29 July 2019

It's been a while since I have played along with the Global Design Project Design Team and I have to admit I am really enjoying finding my mojo again (who knows where it went?!) and my love of all things papercraft!

We are getting our inspiration from one of our talented Design Team Members, Janneke de Jong from the Netherlands. I honestly completely adore Janneke, she brings so much light and love into this world - she one of the good eggs! Apart from her being so incredibly lovely, she is also extremely talented and I loved CASE-ing her this week.

The definition of CASE: Copy And Share Everything or as the GDP call it Copy And Selectively Edit! Put simply, we get our inspiration from a particular project or creation. For this challenge we can use ANY element. You might be inspired by the colours, the stamp set or the card layout.

My CASE Elements: For my CASE of Janneke's card I was inspired by the layout, white background, linen thread, bling and the thank you sentiment.

Modern Heart: I absolutely L.O.V.E this stamp set. I purchased it on my first order of the Annual Catalogue and sadly it's been sitting in my draw waiting for its time to shine! I stamped the image onto Watercolor Paper using Versa Mark and heat embossed it with white embossing powder. I love to watercolour and this was not for the faint-hearted (haha - see what I did there?!) however it's so much fun and therapeutic to sit and colour. I always start where I want the colour the darkest and blend out....remember practice makes perfect!

Fun Fact: When a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator reaches the millon-dollar milestone (which is crazy amazing) the company celebrates this milestone by flying them to the head office in Utah and showering them with presents and flowers and one of those big oversized cheques to the value of ten thousand US dollars - PLUS you also get to design your very own stamp set!! Pretty cool huh! Well, the Modern Heart Stamp Set was inspired by our very own Global Design Team Member, Steffi Helmschrott and we all couldn't be prouder of her! You can read about Steffi's achievement here on Shelli's blog.

Now head over to the Global Design Project and see what the amazing Design Team have in store for you this week.

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Sharp Family Update: On my previous blog post (here) I shared why crafting has taken a backseat in my life - because we were selling our home, which is now sold - and I was hesitant to share the next step because at the time it wasn't finalised. I can now share the excitement of the next chapter....The Sharp's have purchased 50 acres of luscious green pastures! We have quite literally traded our beautiful home for a paddock...there's no electricity, no water, no house, no shed....but plenty of grass and bush rock. At this stage we will be staying where we are until January next year with the intention of getting some infrastructure (and power) onto the land. I've always been a bit of a country girl at heart and I'm excited about our new adventure. The goal down the track is to build a huge craftroom! 😜

Thanks for stopping by,

26 June 2019

The theme for this hop is 'Happy Mail / Just Because', which always seems like such a nice idea, however I'm literally the worst at sending cards. The worst! I always feel like I need to create something epic and fancy each time, when really I just need to keep it simple. Like I did here with this card, where I watercoloured the flowers from the Bloom and Grow stamp set and fussy cut the 'you' and multicoloured the 'make me smile' from two different stamp sets (Free as a Bird and Well Said) and added a linen thread bow and embossed the background with the Subtle 3D embossing folder...yeh, you know, keeping it simple! But I do enjoy creating and when I get started I love to figure it all out and send something special which made from the heart. This card will be going to someone special very soon and they do very much make me smile.

Bloom and Grow - Page 131

Next up to 'Be Inspired' by is the fabulous Tanya Rees who is also from Australia. I know you will love her creations as much as I do!

Tanya Rees

Product List

[151069]

$91.75

Well Said Cling Stamp Set

[148796]

$77.00

Free As A Bird Cling Stamp Set

[149468]

$38.00

Subtle Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

[143706]

$17.00

Sharp Family Update: As you may know I haven't been around much lately and unfortunately haven't had much time (or truthfully the inclination) for crafting. We have been selling our beautiful home in Kiama (on the NSW south coast) and with the current housing market the way it is, it has taken us much longer than we ever anticipated. This week we finally SOLD!! Settlement isn't until October and we will be staying in the house until after Christmas, which is great for our situation. I don't want to count my chickens before they hatch, so I'm not going to share the next step in our house journey just yet. Stay tuned!

Thanks for stopping by!

22 May 2019

GET READY FOR A FIESTA!
As you may know, for the past two years I have run a Stamp Retreat in beautiful Kiama (on the NSW South Coast) and we have the best fun - I promise I'm not trying to sell it to you - we literally have SO.MUCH.FUN!!

Dates:
Friday 9th - Sunday 11th August 2019

Location:
Easts Beach Holiday Park, 30 Ocean Street, Kiama NSW

Price:
$420.00AU - includes all meals.

Crafting and Demonstrations:
Whether you are a seasoned stamper, the new kid on the block, a mix-media specialist or a devoted scrapbooker - you are welcome to come and join in the fun. If you come with friends or make new ones when you arrive, I absolutely promise it will an unforgettable weekend.
**Stampin' Up! Demonstrators are welcome too! 😊**

Over the course of the weekend you will have time to work on your own projects and also have the opportunity to create several beautiful make and take projects including 3D items. There will also be presentations from talented crafters demonstrating new techniques and products. (If you're lucky you may even get a demonstration from one of my brothers - they show up every year and I put them to work!)

Food (glorious food!):
Let me tell you that you won't be disappointed!
My dear friend and amazing caterer Tracey Tullier will again be filling us with her scrumptious country cooking. Last year she spoilt us with things like fresh scones with homemade jam and cream, caramel slice, melting moments, lemon slice, chocolate biscuits - just to name a few!

Continental breakfast baskets will be placed into your room if staying at East Beach including heavenly homemade jams and treats. Delicious lunch packs will be put together if you would like to walk down to the beach for a picnic.

Gifts, Giveaways and Prizes:
It will all start when you arrive and you get pretty spoilt at my events!
Besides all of the beautiful make and takes and crafting projects, there will be beautiful gifts and giveaways.

Accommodation:
The price does not include accommodation and you will need to make your own arrangements. As like last year, the event will be held at East Beach Holiday Park, Kiama on the stunning NSW South Coast. If you do choose to stay where the fun is, Easts Beach is a beautiful and popular holiday park with a wide range of affordable accommodation options.

Cost and Payment:
The cost is $420.00AU with a deposit of $100.00 required to secure your spot by the 30th May. This deposit will be nonrefundable after the 15th June. You can pay by Paypal or into my account.

REGISTER, REGISTER, REGISTER!!!! Spots are limited. You will NEED to register and pay deposit to secure you spot. Click Here or the button below to register.

If you want to find out what you're in for and the fun we had from last year, you can read more about it >here< on my blog.

Would LOVE to see you there and enjoy a weekend of laughter, friends and of course some crafting!

19 May 2019

Welcome to the Everything is Rosy Blog Hop featuring demonstrators from the INKspired Team in Australia and the Pinkies Team in the UK. If you are starting here please make sure you hit the next button at the bottom of this post and hop all the way around.

Don't fall over....I haven't blogged in a really long time! *Sigh - unfortunately life has taken over a bit with things a little hectic in the Sharp house. We are currently selling our beautiful home in Kiama NSW to find more land and a bigger home to cope with my craft addiction! Seriously though...I NEED a craft room, it's gone past a want at this stage!

Onto the hop and the Everything is Rosy Product Medley which is just such a gorgeous kit with a collection of stamps, papers, foil sheets, ribbons and rose gold paint. I am LOVING the Melon Mambo and Night of Navy combination.

Louise's Everything is Rosy Class:
I decided to create something that you could easily use in a class or workshop....or even a great collection of note cards to get great value from your kit! The size of these note cards are 3 x 4 1/2" which will maximise the designer paper sheets. I used the Layering Circle Framelits to cut the scalloped circles and I stamped the flowers in Melon Mambo and Night of Navy Ink with the lighter ones stamped off. You will notice each card has 1 x large flower, 1 x small flower, 1 x large leaf and 1 x small leaf. My advise is to give each class participant the kit (preferable cut down to save time) and let their own creativity shine!

Extra products you will need:
Whisper White Cardstock; Melon Mambo Ink Pad; Melon Mambo Cardstock; Night of Navy Ink Pad; Night of Navy Cardstock; Layering Circle Framelits; Adhesives.

Next on the Everything is Rosy Blog Hop is fellow INKspired Team member Allison McLeod, also from Australia. Click the next button below for more inspiration!