Be Inspired Design Team Hop

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 '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.

 

Louise Sharp

Nadine Hößrich

Tanya Rees

Monica Gale

Jackie Aitken

Cathy Caines

Brian King

Stesha Bloodhart

Much Love,

Louise xo

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Global Design Project Challenge #203

"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

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Global Design Project Sketch Challenge

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

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