 
Hello and welcome to my latest Just Add Ink Challenges Design Team project share. This week we're using a sketch designed by me. I hope you enjoy trying it. Much as I love hexagons though, I mixed up the sketch shapes to create my first Christmas card for 2025! That's an early Christmas miracle I tell you.
The trees are from the Merriest Trees dies. I'm glad these and the coordinating stamp set are carrying over
into our 2024-25 range. Some of the other elements I used are sadly not and will be discontinued as of 30/4/24 unless they sell out before.
I'll share more on that below. In the meantime, take a look at the finished
card.
I started with a Pretty Peacock base layered with some gingham Pretty Peacock paper ( Glorious Gingham pack - on the retirement list). You know I love gingham so I'd have loved more, not less.
The trees have embossed or inked details:
- White - embossed with the Snowflake Sky 3d embossing folder
- Coastal Cabana - embossed with one of the 3d Basics embossing folder
- Soft Sea Foam - edges ink blended with blending brush and Coastal Cabana ink
- The two larger trees are backed with a Pretty Peacock tree too to create additional depth.
- Beads - cut in Pretty Peacock card
- Star - cut in silver foil
The layered 'sending' die cuts are from the Sending Dies set (retiring and currently 40% off) The coordinating Sending Smiles stamp set is also retiring. I've loved using this one - especially that die.
Some iridescent ribbon and pearls provide the necessary shine.
 The Christmas wishes sentiment is a bit of a ring-in. I couldn't find the sentiment I was looking in my stash for so I typed it up in good old Word and printed it in Pretty Peacock. It didn't print exactly but it worked well enough.
Inside there's an image from the Merriest Trees stamp set plus some repeated elements.
Take a final look. What do you think? Did the trees work instead of the hexagons in the sketch.
Head to the Just Add Ink blog to see how differently each of the team used the sketch. I'm sure you'll love what you see.
If you're ready to get your Christmas cards started too, check out the supply list and shop for the items you need to make your own version.
Thanks for visiting today, and until next time, happy stamping.
Di New kits released each month 
Hello and welcome to a new project share for the Just Add Ink Design Team. This week's challenge is to Just Add Chocolate. Apparently that doesn't mean to just eat chocolate, though I feel it's implied for any chocolate lover. Nevertheless, I set to creating a chocolate related project.
I remembered that the Nature's Sweetness specialty patterned paper included beautiful cacao/cocoa bean nature specimen images (as well as almond and vanilla images too - all favourite flavours of mine),
So I thought that could be a fun twist on a regular chocolate project. I also happened to have some yummy Lindt Caramel Square chocolates. So this all lead to a mini version of my favourite No-cut Patterned Paper Folder to hold the chocolate and a message. Here's how it turned out.
If you haven't seen one of my folders before, theyopens up to
show both sides of the paper, and gives you two spaces for cards, photos
or just a message.
This is the folder when closed. The basic folder is made with a 9 x 9 inch piece of patterned paper. I chose a piece with a gorgeous gold foiled floral image, and collage print on the reverse.
And with the all important chocolate. How good is that coordination. :)
This is it without the chocolate. I added a gusset to the centre back to form a spine (a great affition to the folder suggested by Patty Bennett
 And finally from the front and back.
The very cloudy-rainy morning did not allow the best pics but the cacao image cut from a sheet of the paper is beautifully foiled. I used Stampin Blends to colour it. The foil resists the marker colours which is very easy and looks cool I think.
The marker colours I used are Pecan Pie, Copper Clay, Shaded Spruce, and Pool Party Stampin Blends. I also used a Pecan Pie marker to colour the previously white ribbon.
Here's a final pic showing the folder and gusset from the top. You can also see the layering of the cacao image.
I'll update more details on the folder dimensions etc later, as I'm running super late after a crazy two weeks.
If you want to see more Nature's Sweetness paper ideas, see this card). I'm also happy to share that this paper and the coordinating Lovely and Sweet stamps and dies sets will be carrying over to the new 24-25 Annual Catalogue so you can expect to see more of it.
See some of my past No Cut Patterned Paper Folders and a tutorial for my usual sized version here here on my blog.
I hope you enjoy seeing this different take on a chocolate project. If you do, or you'd like to know more, leave me a comment to let me know or to ask any questions.
Thanks for visiting today, and until next time, happy stamping.
Di
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Hello and welcome! Today I'm sharing a colourful fun fold card, which is my team project for this week's Just Add Ink Choose Two challenge. I also suggested this challenge so I hope you enjoy playing along with it too. Take a closer look at my card, which is an adaption of a z fold card.
I mixed and matched elements from a few sets-bundles-suites for this card. Can you guess which ones?
The pencils are a single image from the Trusty Tools stamp set and die bundle, which I repeat stamped with Basic Gray ink down the white panel, offsetting them for interest. I love the linear but imperfect look they give.
They're coloured with Stampin' Blends to create a rainbow of colours. These are Melon Mambo, Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, Daffodil Delight, Lemon-Lime Twist, Parakeet Party, Granny Apple Green, Pool Party, Tahitian Tide, Azure Afternoon, Blueberry Bushel, Night of Navy, Fresh Freesia and Highland Heather. I added some clear Wink of Stella - a sparkly rainbow is even better, yes?
The sentiment (or saying for the challenge) is from the Just My Type stamp set (the actual stamp sentiment says 'I hope your day is full of sunshine and rainbows'. I cut up a stamped image, to change it to 'fill your day with sunshine and rainbows', then I popped it up the words on every second pencil.
The remainder of the card is adapted from a z fold card. I saw these fun cards by Robin last week, then when I was looking at how to make them, I realised I'd made this very similar one myself last year. So many ideas go around and change to inspire us!
Here's how it looks closed and flat.
And this is how it looks when it's opened, revealing the decordated inside panels and area for a message.
I adapted Robin's measurements to fit A4 cardstock here in Aus. You can watch her video showing how to construct the card, and substitute these measurements if you use A4 card.
Card measurements using A4
Base: Cut A4 sheet to 29cm x 10.5cm (Cut A4 sheet in half longways, then trim to 29cm for easier maths). Score piece at 5.5cm, 11cm, and 14.5cm
Base Front Panel: 10 x 10.5cm. This panel is centred and adhered to the 5.5cm section of the base as shown below.
I've added some paper panels to each section to decorate. The dotty pattern from the Lighter Than Air paper (from the Hot Air Balloon suite) was perfect for the circle element of the challenge. It's such a happy paper! The striped paper is a fave from the same pack.
I hope you've enjoyed my project today and will try some of the ideas in it. Head to the Just Add Ink team blog to see all the team's Choose Two challenge projects.
Until next time, happy stamping.
Di
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Hello and welcome!
It's taken a little while but today is my second post of cards I've made with the Beach Day stamp set and die bundle. This time I'm focusing on the lifesaving beach tower scenes using simple masking techniques and marker colouring with Stampin' Blends.
One of the cards was a class project too. Take a look.
This version was one of my class projects. I started with a Balmy Blue base, Crumb Cake panel, and a white panel with a square section masked off and inked using blending brushes with Crumb Cake and Balmy Blue ink. I could have created a hard horizon line but I liked the hazy look, like you often see when looking off a beach.
Then I started building my scene with the lifesaver tower and palm tree stamps and die cuts.
The lifesaver tower is stamped in Basic Gray in and coloured with Stampin' Blends markers (Smoky Slate Light, Azure Afternoon Light & Dark, Sweet Sorbet Light & Dark, and Crumb Cake Light and Dark), then cut out with the coordinating die. I also used a Light Pool Party Blend to soften the die cut edge.
Stamping Tip: To help get the best alignment of intricate or stretchy stamp images and dies, place
the stamp into the die to hold it in the correct position while you adhere to the block. This makes sure the stamp is in exactly the right spot for die cutting.
The surfboard is stamped in Smoky Slate ink and coloured with Light Parakeet Party Blends. Once dry I stamped the 'enjoy today' sentiment with Basic Gray ink.
The palm tree was die cut with Granny Apple Green and Crumb Cake cardstock, and I added some shading with the same colour in Stampin' Blends markers.
I love the 'sending sunshine your way' sentiment, and actually all the sentiments in the set. They're obviously useful for birthdays but for all occasions cards too. Speaking of the sentiments, there are two more inside, and another surfboard.
VERSION 2
This is the same design as the first with a different colour scheme. The base is Coastal Cabana, as is the inked sky. I also used Shaded Spruce for the palm tree leaves.
VERSION 3
This one came about when I was playing around with some other leftover stamped pieces and card.
The base is Tahitian Tide, with Crumb Cake and Starry Sky mats. The masked sky is Tahitian Tide and Crumb Cake.
I like the stamped sentiment tucked under the stamped image in this one. A little scrap of Sweet Sorbet cardstock ties back to the coloured tower.
Inside there are two more sentiments and an umbrella just for fun. See what I mean about the mix and match sentiments.
Take a final look at all three cards together.
Next time I'll share some more cards using some of the other stamps and dies in the bundle to create different looks.
Until then, do you have a fave of the lifesaver tower cards? I hope they give you some ideas to try. You'll need the Beach Day bundle to create these scenes and you'll be able to make lots more.
Thanks for visiting today, and until next time, happy stamping.
Di
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Hello and welcome! Today I'm sharing my team project for this week's Just Add Ink photo inspiration challenge. As you can see above, it's an image with all sorts of possibilities. What to do?
The neutral and metallic colours, text, and circles in the image reminded me of the beautiful Nature's Sweetness paper pack, so I used lots of the prints in the pack to replicate the grid on my card. Here's how it turned out.
I cut rectangles of paper and arranged it in a 12 panel grid of mixed patterns onto Pebbled Path cardstock, I think this is the first time I've used this colour. The large floral image is from the pack too - part of a sheet with 6 large focal images - which I fussy cut out.
The only stamping on the card is the sentiment (another one from the fab Layering Leaves). I stamped this in Pebbled Path ink, cut out the circle shape with a Stylish Shapes die, and backed it with a 1-3/8 inch circle punch of gold foil. It's a lttle blown out in the pic. Danged metallics and not great light. The gold Metallic dots add more circles and shine.
Inside is another partial grid to carry through the theme. Take a look below at all the prints in the pack. One side has a foiled effect and you can see from my card how well they coordinate. I'm so grateful my friend Christine convinced me I needed to get this pack after I saw these beauties she made. I need more time to make some more of my own too.
So that's my take on the challenge. Head to the Just Add Ink blog to see all the different ways the team interpreted the image too.
If you'd like to make your own version of my card, head here to my Stampin' Up! store to see and order the supplies you need.
Thanks for visiting today. Leave a comment if you liked the idea, or if you have any questions.
Until next time, happy stamping.
Di
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