If you're new to my blog for the first time today, you might like to scroll down and read the post from Saturday first, so you know what I am talking about.  If you've come back since reading Saturday's post, then welcome back, and I must have whetted your appetite about the Colour Coach!

Pocket Silhouttes is a great stamp set to try this little experiment with, because it's one of those little sets that you just can't go wrong with - it always looks good! But if you've never seen it, you must be wondering what all the fuss is in relation to the Colour Coach?

Well, here it is!!

and doesn't that rainbow of delicious colours just get you drooling!!  (It's nearly as good as seeing a carousel chock full of Stampin' Up! ink pads!). 

There is a colour swatch for every current Stampin' Up! colour, including the In-Colours. On the front of each swatch is the name of the colour and which SU! colour family it belongs too. There are also 7 or 8 instruction cards at the front with detailed information about the colour wheel, complimentary and co-ordinating colours, tones and saturation. I loved reading through and learning how the experts suggest we look at colour combinations.

On the back of each swatch are colour combination suggestions. A picture tells a thousand words, so instead of describing it for you, take a look at this!!

I wanted to see if it really works, so I selected a colour swatch - Blushing Bride, the new pale pink In-Colour and turned it over to have a look at the colour combination suggestion on the back.

I like the Creative Combination of Blushing Bride, Early Espresso and Pear Pizzazz, so the next step is to pull out those supplies of card, ink, ribbon, and the Pocket Silhouettes stamp set and just sit and absorb the colours and images for a few minutes.  This is a great combination as it has a light colour, a medium and a dark colour, so getting that balance on the card should be very easy, but even so, I felt there was room for a little "less" colour, so I decided to add some neutral Very Vanilla just to tone it down a little.

I decided to copy the layout that I used on the previous Pocket Silhouettes card, just substituting the colours and a layer or so less and here's the finished result!

I think that works really nicely, so I will definitely be trying out Colour Coach combinations again!

Several people have said to me that they could never be a Stampin' Up! demonstrator as they just don't know how to select colours. Well, with the Colour Coach, that's is definitely no longer a problem, and in fact, if you are interested in getting your stamping and scrapbooking supplies at a discount, maybe earning some extra pocket money, or even launching yourself into a fun papercraft career, why don't you ask me about joining my team?

I will be giving away a FREE Colour Coach (retail $28.95 plus postage) to every single person who joins my team over the Australian summer co-inciding with the Summer Mini Catalogue (starts on December 1st) and Sale-a-Bration (starts on January 25th) ending on 31st March 2011. 

Like to know more?  See more details on my team page by clicking here. Or email me for a free, no-obligation Stampin' Up! Demonstrator Information Pack. email : [email protected]

Last weekend I promised to show you a gorgeous card using Pocket Silhouettes stamp set.  This stamp set has been around for a little while now, and has been very popular, and it's no wonder, because it's one of those favourite sets that you just keep coming back too, and at only $33.95 for 6 stamps, it's also very reasonably priced.

I love the versatility of the stylised floral images, and the fact that you can use just one, or all four of them on the one card, they co-ordinate so well.

On this card, I have used all four floral images, stamping the wispy dandelion image across the bottom of the Barely Banana base card in So Saffron ink, and stamping the other images in Soft Suede ink on Very Vanilla card.  I have used both the 1 3/8" and the 1 1/4" square punches to punch out the images and the matt layer of Crumb Cake card, and mounted them onto Soft Suede, another layer of Crumb Cake, and a border in Chocolate Chip using the Scallop Trim Punch.

A simple knot of Early Espresso Taffeta Ribbon gives the finishing touch - oh and notice that I have stamped the Very Vanilla envelope to match - just a simple border across the bottom left in the same wispy dandelion stamp.

I have created another version of this card in different colours that I selected using the Stampin' Up! Colour Coach, which is a very nifty new item that came out in the 2010-2011 Ideas Book and Catalogue.  I will post up some pics of it on Tuesday, along with a bit of an explanation about the Colour Coach which is a fabulous tool for selecting inspiring colour schemes.  Be sure to check back in on Tuesday!

See you then!

Kathryn

I did a workshop on Sunday for some experienced papercrafters who I see quite regularly, and since I hadn't had the chance to show them the new Shimmer Paints (on page 143 of the 2010-2011 Stampin' Up! Ideas Book & Catalogue), I thought I'd give a bit of Christmas shimmer a go.

The adorable Dasher stamp (available individually at $14.95) has been very popular, and I had a sample card from a swap, that included the Dasher image in a very simple, easy to replicate card layout. The sample was created by Judy May and there is a photo of it in my gallery in the right hand column of this blog.

I wanted to use the divine flocked paper from the Christmas Cocoa DSP pack (only available in SU! Wrapping Up Christmas bundles until 30th November), and I wanted to spray the whole card with a fine mist of shimmer, which is created with the Shimmer Paints.

Dasher is great, as you can ink up his body normally, then use a sponge dauber to ink up his antlers, and once stamped, add more sparkle to his artistic antlers with a big of bling - in this case we used the SU! self adhesive rhinestones.

I have added a bling-ey bit of silver string - from my substantial ribbon collection, punched the centre border with the scallop border punch, stamped a greeting from Many Merry Messages, in Early Espresso Ink, which is the same one used for the reindeer, then shimmer sprizted the whole card to complete it.

Notice the fine mist of silver over the real read card stock.  The ladies on Sunday did a beautiful job creating this card, especially the hostess's mother Trudy, who tied the most gorgeous bow in the silver thread, and used the Scallop Trim border punch instead.  It was a stunning result!

There are two Dasher cards in my gallery, using the exact same card layout, just changing the colours and tools -  very inspiring, and since it is near the end of November, dare I ask . . . how many Christmas cards have you completed for the coming Christmas season??

Time certainly flys by when you're busy, and you may have noticed I have been a little bit absent from posting on my blog this month, as we have certainly been in one of the busiest times! It seems appropriate that I come back with a card with a very timeless image - the gorgeous clock face from the Sense of Time stamp set.

I was inspired to create this card, after seeing a demonstration by Pam Jorgensen at the Stampin' Up! regional training day held in Melbourne last Saturday. I loved the technique Pam used, applying silver shimmer paint to glossy card with clingwrap as the applicator, then brayering over it, and I also love the Elegant Soiree designer series paper and stamp images she used.

Here's my version :

Pam used a vintage brad in the centre of the clock, but I am completely out of them, and need to order some more, so I used a button from the new Designer Buttons Neutral collection, tied with a snippet of linen thread.  The small clock has a pewter brad through the centre, and both are mounted with dimensionals.
 
The other interesting embellishment is a Build-a-Brad, which you make up with your own stamped or printed image, punched out with the 1/2" circle punch. These are great as they can be individually tailored to co-ordinate with whatever project you are creating, regardless of style, pattern or colour.

Don't you agree the clockface and cogs give it a really great masculine card look - not a flower in sight!

Well, time is still marching on, so I had better go and see if I can catch up with it! I'll be back later in the week with a gorgeous "Dasher" christmas card that some very talented friends of mine all completed at the workshop I did today, then I have a sweet Pocket Silhouettes card to inspire you too - catch up with you then!

Happy inking!

Kathryn.

Do You Use What You Buy?

I have to be the first to confess that I have quite a large stash of craft supplies that I have bought over many years of craft and stamping shows, and are now safely tucked away in a cupboard waiting for a rainy day . . . which is quite funny considering HOW MANY rainy days we have had recently!!

Are you one who buys craft products with all good intentions, but then puts them in a box under the bed or in the top of the wardrobe?  I hope you aren't - as I truly love to hear about what people have been making, and I love to see your creations - especially if you have used a Stampin' Up! stamp set or punch that I have sold to you - I'd hate to think you never have time to use it.

I was thinking lately about what I have purchased but never used, and in recent times it hasn't been a great deal - as most of my purchases are Stampin' Up! products and I use all of them at some point in workshops or classes.  But I was suddenly reminded about all the amazing and fantastical Helping Hudson Tutorials - you see, they aren't stashed in a wardrobe . . . they are just sitting there in "My Documents" waiting to be utilised. And I know lots of other people bought them too.  So, are you using yours?

I was privileged to be involved in creating a couple of tutorials, and I think my favourite was this scrapbook book page - I am planning on framing it for my brother for Christmas.

Oh, and yes, I thinks it's safe to say so, as I am pretty sure he's not a blog lurker!! 

If you did purchase any of the tutorials, be sure to open them up and have a read through, they were all so inspiring, and who knows, you might find yourself even pulling out some card stock or ink pads that you haven't used before either.

Or perhaps you have an unloved paper piercer and mat set hiding on a shelf waiting to be loved? Please don't tell me you have Stampin' Write Markers that have never been used?

I'd love to read your comments about what products you have just dug out and used for the first time, so please don't be shy to leave a comment.

That reminds me also, many of the Australian ladies who generously purchased the Helping Hudson tutorials or made a donation using PayPal, please check your email boxes (or even your junk mail) as there has been a message sent recently which needs your urgent attention. Thanks again enormously for supporting this dear little boy and his family.