InKing Royalty Blog Hop meets The Library Challenge # 38

Welcome to InKing Royalty’s July Blog Hop!

This year’s Blog Hop themes are inspired by a single word – and this month, our projects are centered around SUNSHINE. The Sun is the single most important source of energy for life on Earth – it guides our clocks, calendars and planting schedules. We may be enduring a heat wave this week, but we still associate the Sun with positivity, joy and renewal. We are excited to share our creations with you today! After you read my post, I hope you’ll hop over to the next person on the list found at the base of this post.

The Library Challenge and Sunshine!

One of the blog challenges in which  I have enjoyed participating in the past is The Library Challenge, and I think the theme of challenge #38 fits with the InKing Royalty Blog Hop theme of Sunshine.  Challenge #38’s book title is Five Weeks in a Balloon, by Jules Verne, and the project inspiration can come from the title, cover, or story. 

Here’s the cover:

five weeks in a balloon book - Google Search

How does this book relate to sunshine for the Blog hop?  I am so glad you asked.  I can’t imagine taking a hot-air balloon ride on a stormy, rainy day.  The perfect weather for this kind of adventure is SUNSHINE, so  there’s the connection.  

Here’s my card:

     

A Go-To Die Set

I’ve said it before, but the Rectangle Stitched Framelit die set is one of my all-time favorite sets, partly because I love the double stitching on each die.  However, my most favorite reason is because of the amount of cardstock I can save by using these framelits on the mats of cards!  

For example, in this card,  the background Balmy Blue cardstock is the middle of a mat for another card.  I chose the appropriate sized die for the frame based on the size of the middle mat, and then used the rectangle dies.  I now have the two pieces I needed for the frame card and another center piece for a different card.

Here’s an example cut I cropped from the Granny Apple Green cardstock base:

I found that I absolutely love (!!!) the color combination of Balmy Blue, Blueberry Bushel, and Granny Apple Green when I played along with the Paper Players #450 challenge.  I decided to go with Granny Apple Green balloons, the largest of which I stamped off.  The smaller balloons also in Granny Apple Green, colored the baskets with Blueberry Bushel, then fussy cut the balloons.  I stamped the sentiment in Granny Apple Green as well, and cropped it using the Stitched Shapes dies.  I used Blueberry Bushel marker to color in the stitched ditch

The Balmy Blue Background Cardstock

When I was finished with the balloons, I used the cloud stamp (3 clouds, one stamp, wonderfully easy) and StazOn Cotton White ink for the clouds. The resulting light white and lighter white clouds gave the Balmy Blue some much needed texture.

After I got the frame and base put together using dimensionals, and then dry fit the balloons and sentiment piece, I thought I needed something else.  The Whisper White Polka Dot Tulle added some interest without bulk, so I threaded it through the frame.  I really thought I would wind up with a square knot, again, as always because I am “bow challenged”. But,  to my surprise and glee, I created an actual bow!  YEAH!

I popped all the pieces up with dimensionals and again realized I needed something else, more specifically something flat and not popped up.   Therefore, I grabbed the bird stamp, stamped it a couple of times and it finally felt done.

Thank you for stopping by today.  I hope you’ll hop along to the next stop on the blog hop, Lynn Holcun at Avery’s Owl. You don’t want to miss all the inspiration found in this group!

 

  1. Brian King at Stamp with Brian
  2. Sue Jackson at Just Peachy Stamping
  3. Lynn Kolcun at Avery’s Owlery
  4. Julie DiMatteo at The Paper Pixie
  5. Shawn de Oliveira at Shawn Stamps
  6. Jennifer Spiller at Westside Paper Creations
  7. Jackie Beers at Blue Line Stamping
  8. Jan Dufour at Stamp Me Silly
  9. Katie Ferguson at Cottage Paper
  10. Pam Morris at Tap Tap Stamp
  11. Sheryl Sharp at Sharp Notes by Sheryl
  12. Robbye Hamilton at Miss Hammie’s Crafts
  13. Candy Ford at Stamp Candy
  14. Linda Krueger at The Stamp Coach

Great color combo (PP450) and fun layout (GDP#198)

Global Design Project #198 Meets Paper Players 450

When I first saw the colors for the PP450, I thought that it would be difficult to put all these together on a card.  However, I was absolutely wrong!  LOVE the color combination of Blueberry Bushel, Balmy Blue, and Granny Apple Green.  WOW!  I already knew I wanted to play along with GDP#198’s sketch challenge, so I combined the two. Above the Clouds photopolymer stamp set and coordinating punch seemed to just jump off the shelf for this card. I must say, I am pretty darn pleased with the result.  

Here are the challenge banners:

     

Here’s my card:

The Process

While the colors are all current, the Blueberry Bushel In Color DSP comes from the 2018-2019 catalog.  I stamped the striped DSP in Basic Black then colored in the top and bottom scallops.  In order to get the separation showing between the balloon and basket, I realized I had to stamp it on white and then fussy cut the balloon.

Even though I knew from the beginning that the background needed to be Balmy Blue, however I really felt it needed some dimension.  Therefore, I stamped some of the clouds from the Above the Clouds stamp set in StazOn Opaque Cotton White.  Some of the clouds stamped very subtly, others came out somewhat darker.  However, I think it works.  

I chose the sentiment from the Picture Perfect Birthday stamp set.  I’ve loved the fonts and sentiments from the sets release, and I think it will be one of my “keepers”.

The Granny Apple Green textured weave ribbon fulfilled the horizontal element from GDP.  I really think it finishes off the card.  Well, the ribbon and a bunch of dimensionals.  Dimensionals provide depth and interest for the Balmy Blue layer, the sentiment, and all 4 balloons. 

Happy Mail!

I already know to whom I am going to send this fun card and I can’t wait to get it out in the mail!  

Thank you for stopping by my blog today.  I greatly appreciate the fact that you took time out of your busy schedule to check out my card.

Have a Peachy day!

Sue

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