Back again with another bleach card to show you.  After June classes were over I decided to try the bleach technique with a few different colours.  Concord Crush just changes a little but I loved the subtle effect.

Once again I've used Elements Of Style (page 99.)  Such a beautiful image for all the techniques involoving colouring.  I clear embossed it onto the background and left this uncoloured.  

Then clear embossed it again for the feature panel and coloured it in with the bleach filled aquapainter.

The greeting is from Teeny Tiny Sentiments (the greeting set for just about every occasion!) 

Some Basic Pearls (pg 140) team up well with the Modern Label punch (pg 146/7.)

I had a leftover scrap of cardstock with part of a bleached flower so used that for the inside of the card.

I quite like these ones I tried on Cherry Cobbler and Rich Razzleberry so must turn them into cards too over the school hols. 

I could keep myself amused for quite a while testing out the various colours.  (And procrastinating from doing housework - grin!!)

Have a great day.  Check back tomorrow for some exciting July news!

Cheers, Sue

 
Classes are over for June so I can share with you now what we got up to.  (A big thanks to Kirsty Brown for showing us this technique at convention along with the gorgeous card I based mine on.)

First up we did our technique book sample.   Each class we add a page or two to our technique books.  I just finished my second book so must grab a new one.  (Stay tuned for a covers class too for those girls who've begun a new book and who want to make a gorgeous cover.)

 
This technique book sample was embossed in black on Baja Breeze cardstock.  The 'painted with bleach' flowers turn a lovely white. 

Stamp Set: The very elegant Elements of Style (Find it on pg 99.)

And here was the card we made using the technique.  (This time the flowers were embossed using clear embossing powder.) 

We stamped the swirly image from the Elements Of Style set onto the base using Crumb Cake ink and sponged the edges.  I'm not sure if you can see in this pic but I also stamped the swirly image under the greeting (stamped off once first onto scrap paper so it wouldn't be too busy.)  There's some Melon Mambo edged with the Scallop Trim border punch tucked under our feature panel, plus a bow with our beautiful White Organza ribbon (pg 136.)  

I love the soft look of the bleached flowers on Regal Rose cardstock.

Now I must warn you - this technique is rather addictive!  The bleach reacts differently on the various colours, some turn white, some only change a little, some go a bit of an icky colour.  So do a test piece first.  I've been playing and trying different colours - love the card I did in Concord Crush.  Will save that for another day, along with our robot bleach card from June classes.

June 30 is fast approaching ...

Jack (4) reminded me (and the rest of us in the car) today that June was almost over. 

Jack looking at date on watch:  Tomorrow is HBA Crunch Time.

Us: What's that?

Jack: Crunch time for HBA is June 30th. 

Us: What is Crunch Time?

Jack: I think it is when you eat a crunchy thing.

Us: What is HBA?

Jack: It is the thing that is having the Crunch Time on June 30th.

Us: What happens after that?

Jack:  The government health time thing will hit hard.  (Slaps knee with fist to emphasise this important point.)

(Hmmm, someone's been watching the ads carefully!!)

June 30th is also the day the Extra Extra hostess promotion ends. 

If you or your craft buddies were planning a little splurge - get in touch before the end of tomorrow.  $110 in free product plus a Level 1 set for orders combining to $430.

Catch you soon!

Cheers, Sue

If you're like me and you have a stash of Designer Series Patterned paper hoarded in your craft space, some of my stamping friends are holding a blog hop today that is just for you!  I just hopped around the 7 posts and am all inspired to break open a few packs.   If you're looking for some patterned paper inspiration, you can jump on board the hop here at Ros Davidson's blog.  Happy hopping and have a great weekend.

Cheers, Sue

Thanks to a great convention presentation by Kirsty Brown, I've been having lots of fun playing with bleach lately.  

We're doing Kirsty's bleach technique at my June classes - one more group this Thursday then I'll share the cards we've done this month.

I was making a card for one of Jack's kinder friends - Alyssa - on the weekend and used a practise bleach flower I had on the table to make her card.  The big flower branch from Elements Of Style was clear embossed onto Regal Rose, then I punched circles from it. 

Colours: Crumb Cake base, textured Pink Pirouette for the scallops, Melon Mambo for the trim, Whisper White for the matting.

I do love my circle punches.  For this card I've used the 1" circle - perfect size for the Lovely Letters stamp set I used for the A.  Then the 1 1/4", and 1 3/8" circles and of course the XL Scallop Circle (1 3/4").  The Scallop Trim border is my most frequently turned to border punch lately.  Seems to go with any style of card.

Wish Big is from Short and Sweet greeting set.  And since Alyssa was turning 5 I just had to add some rhinestones for a bit of sparkle.   (Hannah gave this addition an A+.)

Very quick matching envelope using the gorgeous swirly thing from the Elements Of Style stamp set. 

And the swirl was handy for the inside too - this time in Crumb Cake ink.  Just time for Jack to write a greeting then it was off to the party!  (Memo to self - make cards more than 20 minutes before you're about to head out the door!) 

Only half a year to go of kinder then they'll all be off to school.   I do love kinder year. 

Back soon.  Been busy at the craft table so a few projects to share with you in this 'rather quiet lately' patch of blogland.

Cheers, Sue

In my Madex Creations newsletter this month I showed some simple cards made using French Foliage stamp set and my square punches.   This one uses one of the Note Cards with envelopes on page 123.

(These were inspired by a card on the swap board at Convention, I'm not sure who to credit for the inspiration.  If you know, could you pass on the details to me - ta!) 

I had some leftover squares so put together a batch of simple 9.9cm square cards.  (Why 9.9cm and not 10cm you ask??  You can get three 9.9cm cards from a sheet of A4 cardstock so it is a handy number to rememember.) 

Some Crumb Cake stamping on the base card, my Scallop Trim border punch to add some interest to the edge, voila - all done.  Handy little cards to pop in with a package or to have on hand for a little note to someone. 

I did some on Naturals Ivory and some on Confetti White cardstock.  You can find both of these, and other specialty cardstock on page 122.

Have a wonderful weekend.  Hope you get some craft time into your day - a great way to unwind after the hustle and bustle of the week.

Cheers, Sue

LOCAL LADIES:  Cough and cold season means one spot has just become available for tonights' class at 7.30pm.  (Get well soon G!)  If you'd like a great evening out doing some bleaching and having fun with reinkers, phone on 0417 377 057 to grab the seat.  Last night's ladies had lots of fun. 

While we're talking classes, Christmas In July seats are filling up fast.  Grab your spot soon if you'd like some festive season inspiration.  Details and number of available places here.

Cheers, Sue

I took part (a little late, but better late than never hey!) in a cybercrop organised by Jayne Mercer this weekend.  Challenge 2 was to randomly open your catalogue and use a card design from that page, plus a set that is on the retirement list for the US girls.   My random open (OK actually the third open but who is counting - wink) was page 91 and I chose Pick A Petal stamp set.

Here's my card.  I changed the colours as I was also using my scraps basket and had a bit of Marina Mist in there. 

Didn't have any cork so used some embossed Crumb Cake instead.  I stamped a petal onto the back and used that as a guide for cutting out the petals.

 
Didn't use my stampamajig to do the petals either as you can see in that shot.  Lucky there's a nice big button to cover up the middle!

That was fun.  Thanks Jayne!

Hannah and Jack have been a bit crafty this weekend too thanks to some cheap kits from a craft shop.  Hannah's pinning sequins to make a dolphin picture and Jack's gluing bits for a monster.

 
And this ......

..... plus a nice big concrete ramp = a good half an hour of peace and quiet!   Looking rather colourful for visitors at our place - til it next rains!

Hope you're having a nice relaxing weekend and manage to fit in some craft time. 

Cheers,  Sue

I was looking through my photo files and found this card I hadn't shared yet.  (Although the card layout is one I use a LOT so it'll look very familiar!) 

I've not used a lot of More Mustard and Cajun Craze cardstock but since I got the French Foliage set and some of the lovely Autumn Spice DSP I've been going through lots of it.     I've used Old Olive cardstock and Early Espresso ink and ribbon on this card as well.    Plus some sponging to finish it off.

I had a lovely weekend with some of the ladies in my team - one group on Friday night and another group on Sunday afternoon.  We tried our hands at some bleaching a la Kirsty Brown, Shelli inspired bookmarks and Bonnie inspired colour charts, and generally just had a fun catch up.  I had lots of convention photos, swaps and goodies for 'show and tell'.    If you'd like to join us  - get in touch and I can answer any questions and step you through joining the Think Ink crew of demonstrators.

JUNE CLASS NEWS

If you'd like to try a groovy bleaching technique, and check out my convention swaps - book a spot for a June class. 

Edited:  Wed 15th and Thurs 16th classes are now both booked out.

I've added another date - Thursday 23rd June, 7.30pm.   Space left for this one.

Phone 0417 377 057 or email smadex@bigpond.com to grab a spot at the table.  

We've got a lovely subtle, feminine, floral bleaching card, a rather stunning masculine bleaching card and for our last card we're getting all inky with some water and reinkers and sparkly spritz.  Don't miss it!

Cheers,  Sue