Thursday 30 June 2016

Comforting - Flourishing Phrases




Hello and welcome back! I have been inspired by two card challenges for today's card. It's such a great source of inspiration to get the creative juices flowing when you're a bit stump for design ideas. Both colours and layout have been taken from the card challenges below: 





Yay! My card was picked as one of  the winners for Challenge #54






Please check out the creative projects from both blog challenges for more creative inspirations. Hopefully you will join in the fun too! :)





This card has been made for a friend who has just come out of hospital and recovering and the stamp set used along with the colours and layout was a perfect card to send warmth and caring thoughts to her. I have used the new Flourishing Phrases bundle and this set is absolutely fabulous! as you get the floral dies along with the sentiments - it's a complete package! The creativity is endless with this set.

To create my card, I first started with the ink blended background using a mini ink blending tool from Ranger using Tangerine Tango and Daffodil Delight. The blending creates an almost ombre effect background and creates a new shade of orange in the middle where the colours meet. These colours are so warm  and full energy and was a perfect accompaniment to lift the spirit of the card recipient.




I then stamped the large flourish image from the set with Versamark and white heat embossed it on the top right corner of the card. I made sure to use the same position on the inside of the card so it flowed as you opened it and lines up perfectly with the front. As you can see, I have die cut a circle window using the new Layering Circles framelits dies. This gives another dimension to the card layout and allows you to see through the inside. I first thought of doing a shaker card window with the die cut panel but I have opted for this idea as it flowed nicely to the inside of the card. The sentiment has been stamped on a transparency/window sheet using black Stazon ink allowing room for the leaves and flower.




The die cut flowers and vines adorning the circle window is what the lovely Flourish thinlits dies create. By using Whisper White cardstock to die cut the florals, allows you to customise the flourish and I have used a sponge dauber to apply the colours and gives a nice gradient finish. The small leaf and flower top on the main flower have been die cut from Old Olive and Tangerine Tango cardstock respectively. I have also die cut an additional flourish and flower in the corresponding colours to place underneath them so you don't see the white back from behind the card, as you can see from below as you open the card.




On the inside of the card the same ink blended background has been applied but in the other direction from Daffodil Delight to Tangerine Tango so that the sentiment is still legible from the front. It also gives another look to the card.

The sentiment has been white heat embossed using Versamark ink and is in keeping with the flourish image. I added an extra flower and leaves on the inside and just frames the sentiment nicely and have placed an enamel dot in Daffodil Delight that I had on hand. To give a finished touch to the circle window, I have die cut a circle frame by nesting two circles from Layering Circles framelits dies in Tangerine Tango.







I hope you enjoyed and found inspiration. I have listed the supplies below if you would like to create this card and are available on my online store. Remember you save 10% if you purchase the Flourishing Phrases as a bundle. 

I have also entered this card in the Crazy Crafters team project highlights. Be sure to take a look at the creative projects and vote for your favourites.





Thank you so much for stopping by and hope to see you next time. Cheers! :)


Products Used:

• Flourishing Phrases Clear-Mount Bundle - 142323
• Tangerine Tango Classic Stampin' Pad - 126946
• Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad - 126953
• Daffodil Delight Classic Stampin' Pad - 126944
• Whisper White A4 Cardstock - 106549
• Whisper White A4 Thick Cardstock - 140490
• Sponge Daubers - 133773

Click here to visit my online store.




Tuesday 28 June 2016

Hello - Pretty Kitty







Yay! My card was picked as one of the winners for the PPA306 Sketch Challenge! 



My two cats modelling, inspired the theme for this card hehe. :) 


Hello and welcome back! Today's card has been inspired by Pals Paper Arts - PPA306 -Sketch challenge from Mary Fish. After seeing the sketch I thought of using the cute Pretty Kitty set and have them peeking through the square windows. The sentiment from the set. "Just peeking in to say hello." with the cute cat peeking through the pot plant was perfect to incorporate with the sketch challenge. Here is my card:





Card Base and Front Panel:

I first did the ink blended background using Wisteria Wonder, Soft Sky, Pretty in Pink and Daffodil Delight inks. I chose these soft pastel colours to compliment the cuteness of the cats without overpowering them. The white splatters is from 'Gorgeous Grunge' set and I have added this with White Stazon Ink just to add interest. After the background was completed, I die cut the squares in the varying sizes to accommodate for each cat image using the new layering squares framelits dies. To create the height and raised recessed look I have die cut a thicker card for an even raise so it doesn't get crushed in the mail. I have kept the remaining die cut background pieces to give a seamless background as well as provide a nice backdrop for the cats. I added silver sequins for an element of fun and whimsy. 

Cat Images:

I have stamped the cats with black Stazon ink on Whisper White cardstock and have used an aqua painter to colour them in to give them a soft watercoloured look. The colour I used for the cats is Smoky Slate and diluted with an aqua painter to give the lightest shade possible and apply the colour to build the layers of shading. I have then fussy cut each cat and tucked them in the square windows.
The sentiment has been stamped with black Stazon Ink as it's nice and crisp.








Inside the card I have applied the same background elements and used the additional ink splatter from the Gorgeous Grunge set with white Stazon ink. The cute cat has been framed by nesting two of the square framelits dies and adds a nice finished border around the cat image that I have fussy cat. The sentiment "You Make Me Happy" just goes so well with the cat image and butterfly. 




I hope you have enjoyed and have been inspired. The Pretty Kitty set is a personal favourite as I love cats and makes the cutest card. For more inspiration be sure to check out the creative gallery over at Pals Paper Arts PPA306. Hopefully you'll join the fun too!

Thank you so much for stopping by and hope to see you next time. Cheers! :)


Products Used:

• Pretty Kitty (Clear Mount) 141864
• Layering Squares Framelits Dies - 141708

Click here to visit my online store.

Juana Ambida | Hello Pretty Kitty inspired by PPA306 Sketch Challenge from Mary Fish. #PPA306, #PrettyKitty, #StampinUp, #Juanacreate

Sunday 26 June 2016

Crazy Crafters June Blog Hop with special guest France Martin



Hello! It's so exciting to take part once again in this month's Crazy Crafters blog hop. We're honoured to have a special guest France Martin!  She's so sweet and cheerful and also super talented. I love watching her video tutorials and learning so many great card ideas.  As part of the blog hop we are CASEing one of her cards and that is "Copy And Selectively Edit". :)

I have chosen to base my CASE on her wonderful Tunnel Card, 'Sprinkles of Life" pictured below. If you click on the photo it will take you to her blog post for this wonderful card and it includes a video tutorial which made it so easy to follow and construct. 




I just love this tunnel card with the window opening out. It reminds me of a book as it opens out and all folds perfectly flat. 

For my card I have chosen to use the "Lovely As A Tree" set and incorporate it with my favourite poem from William Wordsworth, "Intimations of Immortality" and give it a nostalgic vintage feel reminiscent of the old world and when the environment was still pure. The poem has also been influenced by a TV series Penny Dreadful, taken from the season final episode. It had such a sad but touching ending that I had an affinity for, being a fan of the show and loved how this poem was read along with the music score - it was so beautiful and emotive.

Inspired by William Wordsworth's poem, "Intimations of Immortality".



The poem is quite long, and have used the excerpt, "...But there's a tree, of many; one, a single field which I have looked upon", gave me the inspiration to use Lovely as a Tree with the glorious oak tree in  the set. It was just the perfect image to frame as the subject matter for the card and use the line from the poem. The grove of trees and oak leaf added  to the imagery in the poem ... "the visionary gleam".

Here is my preliminary working out, using Frenchie's measurements in the tutorial to create the layout. I have used Illustrator for the text layout and design and printed it out and stamped the images afterwards with black Stazon ink. I was intending  to do a watercolour card but ended up just leaving it raw and simple as it looked so much better. It gives it that vintage quality. The final card, I have used is Crumb Cake and Very Vanilla cardstock as these colours go well with the antique, vintage look. The square frame window and gold foil trim have been created using the new layering squares framelits dies. The gold trim around the frame just makes the oak tree stand out and it's the highlight of the card.























I hope you enjoyed and have been inspired to create something that you love. I'm happy how it turned out and makes a wonderful display for the poem. Thank you so much Frenchie for the Tunnel card inspiration, it was perfect for this set and gives it that extra dimension and life to the card. :) 

Make sure you continue to hop all the way around and see all the amazing inspiration from the Crazy Crafters team. You are going to love what our team have come up with using France Martin's cards. Currently you are at my blog - Juana Ambida - so check the list to see who is up next. Enjoy!

Thank you so much for stopping by and hope to see you next time. Cheers! :)


Products Used:

• Lovely As A Tree (Clear Mount) - 127793
• Layering Squares Framelits Dies - 141708

• Very Vanilla and Crumb Cake cardstock
• Gold Foil Sheet
• Black Stazon Ink


Friday 24 June 2016

Falling Flowers - Thank You So Very Much






Yay! My card was picked as one of the winners for #GDP041 Colour Challenge. :)


Hello and Happy Friday! I'm so grateful for today as it's my birthday and thought I would share this Thank You card for another trip around the sun hehe. :)

I wanted to feature both the lovely Falling Flowers and Flourishing Phrases sets, both have coordinating dies, which makes it such a breeze to use as well as being so much fun. I have been inspired yet again by the Global Design Project - Colour Challenge this week. The colours are Sweet Sugarplum, Night Of Navy and Whisper White.






Creating a stylised floral bouquet was a perfect way to show the colour combination against a crisp white background for a clean and simple look. I have used my favourite technique of white heat emboss to create an ink resist with watercolour for the flowers. This always gives me a great result with little fuss. It's also perfect for this set as it has a white edge around the die cuts and makes the flowers larger. I have applied the colours with an aqua painter to give a soft watercoloured look and allows you to create layers adding more definition.  The leaves has been stamped in Night of Navy and then filled in using an aqua painter. I have then mounted the flowers and sprigs with Stampin' dimensionals to add dimension to the floral bouquet.






The sentiment has been white heat embossed on basic black cardstock and it just adds contrast. I have then added black and silver sequins for embellishments as well as the Sweet Sugarplum enamel shapes on the flowers. The same elements have been applied to the inside of the card with a slight variation to the floral arrangement and leaf left as an outlined image. I just love the sentiment too, as words cannot express my gratitude for today. :)







I hope you have enjoyed my card and found inspiration. The sets I have used are available as a bundle where you can save 10% when purchased together and they are just fabulous! For more inspirations please take a look at the creative gallery over at Global Design Project #GDP041 and hopefully you will join in the fun too! I have also entered this card for tonight's Crazy Crafters Team Project Highlights as a thank you as well, for all the votes I have received. I truly appreciate all your support. :) xx Be sure to check out the creative projects from our Crazy Crafters and vote for your favourites.





Thank you so much for stopping by and hope to see you again soon. Cheers! :)


 Products Used:

• Falling Flowers Bundle Clear Mount - 142329
• Flourishing Phrases Bundle Clear Mount - 142323
• Flourishing Phrases Clear Mount - 141534

Click here to visit my online store.