Just Add Ink Challenge # 457 Sketch

With the limited craft supplies that I have available at the moment, I’m having a go at the new Just Add Ink Challenge.   This week we have a Sketch Challenge!
As you can see, the Sketch has a circle… I LOVE circles on cards (have you noticed that)?   While I am away from my Craft room, I have not got any punch’s or dies – so no way to cut a perfect circle.   However, instead I do have the Daisy Lane Stamp set, with a lovely large Daisy in it……therefore, the Daisy has become my Circle Element.
For this Challenge, rather than making a card, I have put together this little heart shaped canvas…

The paper I have used is the NEW Mosaic Mood Specialty DSP.   It’s really lovely – you may not be able to see it, but the DSP is embossed and shiny. So pretty and tactile.

The other DT projects can be found at Just Add Ink. This is also where you can join us for this Challenge.

Just Add Ink Challenge # 456…Inspiration

It’s time for the next Just Add Ink Challenge.  This week we have an Inspiration Challenge for you to play along with.  It’s pretty and could have worked quite well with last weeks Challenge too – which was Just Add Sympathy.

As you may know, I am away from my craft room at the moment – but I really feel I wanted to play along with this Challenge.   So I have had a go with the limited craft supplies I have here.    And I mean limited…….this is pretty much what I have…..

So no Stamping blocks, only one ink pad and a couple of pens, no punches or dies…..only a little tiny pair of not-very-sharp nail scissors……hahaha, I still wanted to have a go.

So here is my card:

Don’t look too hard at it, because the cutting out with my dodgy little scissors is not that good…..nor is the stamping.   So all in all I’m quite pleased with how it came out.   What do you think??

This card uses the Daisy Lane Stamp Set, which is featured in the new 2019-2020 Stampin Up Catalogue.  The New Catalogue goes live next month.

Check out the to DT projects here at Just Add Ink.

Trip to Onstage Telford

In April, Stampin Up’s OnStage Live event was held in NZ and smaller OnStage events were held in many other places around the world.   Knowing that I would be on Secondment in the Netherlands I decided to join one of the smaller events nearby.

There were several that I could have gone to (with a little bit of travel). I decided to travel to Telford in the UK for the Event.

These Events give Stampin up Demonstrators an opportunity to get together, share ideas, cards (swaps) and to see and hear about new (and exciting) products that are coming soon.   At this time of the year we also get to see, feel and smell the New Catalogue!!

On the Friday night after work – I hightailed it to Schiphol Airport and got on a flight to Birmingham. There I found a train to Telford where I was staying. So that was the first part of the adventure.

Prior to going to Europe, I had contacted a fellow Demonstrator in the UK, Joanne James, aka The Craft Owl, to see if she was attending OnStage. I explained that I was coming to the Event and perhaps could connect with her?

Joanne and her Team were very Welcoming. It was lovely getting to know them and spending the time with them.   Joanne had even made me a Crafty Owl Badge to wear.   Cute huh??

Here I am with the Crafty Owls Team!

Left to Right:  Lorraine Streeter, Me, Helen Jennings, Maggie Brinklow and Joanne “Crafty Owl” James.

When I was planning my trip, I knew that I would get a copy of the New Catalogue. I knew that it would be a UK one and therefore be in £. But I thought that would be OK.   However, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Stampin Up had a AU/NZ Catalogue there for me!   Whoo hoo, awesome, Thanks SU!

I also met another Team of ladies, the Stamping Stars (headed by Stacey March), who looked after me when I first arrived. I also joined them for Dinner after the OnStage Event.

On the Sunday, bright and early, I made my way back to Birmingham and onto Schipol and then Rotterdam.   It was a whirlwind weekend – but I loved every minute of it!

Just Add Ink Challenge # 454 Colour Combo

Last Saturday while I was Coffee and Crafting with Lotte, I made a card for this weeks Just Add Ink Challenge.      It a colour combo challenge this week.  The colours are bright and bold.  Pineapple Punch, Coastal Cabana and Blueberry Bushel

I used the Painted Harvest Stamp set, that worked perfectly with these colours.

Here’s the link to Just Add Ink so you can join in this Challenge too and check out all the other Design Team examples using these summery colours.

Just Add Ink #453…”Choose Two”

The new Just Add Ink Challenge this week is Easter themed and perfect for some long weekend crafting.   Jan has provided us with a “Choose Two” Challenge.  You can choose out of Bunnies, Flowers or Crosses.

Although I am not participating in this Challenge – because I am away from my craft room, you can check out all the Design Team projects at Just Add Ink.    And you can play along with the Challenge too – enjoy!

So what have I been up to this week???  I’ve had a super week – work, sight-seeing and some Crafting…….

Amersfoort
One day during the week I worked in a place called Amersfoort.  Amersfoort is a city in the province of Utrecht about an hour or so by train from Rotterdam.  I finished work a little earlier than expected so I decided to check out the sites.

And WOW – what a beautiful place……..The city grew around what is now known as the central square, the Hof and parts of city/area date back to 1000 BC.  The city had a defensive brick wall that needed enlarging, so a new wall was built (around 1380-1450).  The second wall, included a combined land and water gate called the Koppelpoort (pic below)

The Onze-Lieve-Vrouwentoren (Tower of Our Lady) is one of the tallest medieval church towers in the Netherlands at 98 metres (322 ft). When it was built, it was the middle point of The Netherlands. The nickname of the tower is Lange Jan (‘Long John’).The construction of the tower and church was started in 1444. But the church was destroyed by an explosion in 1787.   The tower survived the explosion which is strange because when you walk up to it, it’s a huge tower standing all by itself.

Kinderdijk
Kinderdijk  is about 15 km east of Rotterdam.  I got there via Water Bus – which was fun.  Kinderdijk was built around 1740 and is a systems of 19 windmills that were built to drain water from the land.  This group of mills is the largest concentration of old windmills in the Netherlands.

And here is this funniest thing I saw all week……while I was on the Water bus, I saw this man who took his Cat to Kinderdijk in a bag around his neck!   Once we got off the boat, I caught up with him to see if I could take a pic.  His cat seemed quite happy.

I also got to do a bit of Crafting too……. Here I am with Lotte Noordzij-Walther.
Lotte invited me over for Coffee and we ended up Crafting all afternoon.  We each made a few things (that I will share soon).

Lotte gave me this sweet Easter Card that she had made me.  When I opened it, the Bunny spun around in the centre of the Oval.

Hi from Europe / Update

Hi there,

You may have noticed I have not posted anything for a few weeks now……well that’s because I am off adventuring!     So, I thought I would pop in and give you an update of Where I am and What I’m doing……

At the end of last year, my work offered an opportunity for a few staff members to take up Secondment assignments in Europe.   I thought that it sounded like a wonderful opportunity so applied for it (not thinking it would happen to me)!

Hahahaha!  But it did happen….and now I am here in Europe!  Who’d have thought!

I am in Rotterdam, working in our office here until the end of May.  Then I will be taking some time to travel and see the sites in a few countries before returning to Australia.

How’s that for an adventure aye???

I arrived in Rotterdam on 15th March (a few weeks ago now) and was met at the airport by a work colleague.  After giving me a quick tour of the office and city orientation they left me to explore the city for the weekend.

View from my Apartment

The Office…….

 

My fav place so far……The Market Hall (Below).  It’s a large food hall with the supermarket at the bottom.  It’s kinda quite touristy but all the locals come here too.  At lunchtime everyone in the offices comes here to get lunch.  We come as a group and get what we want.  I’m really enjoying trying all the new and different foods.   I love the artwork.  It’s always a busy place.   And, see those windows in the roof??? – Well believe it or not but the outside of the building is all apartments.  Cool huh?

This is a Chocolate Shoe!

Yeah – so that’s where I am.  I will be checking in to share my adventures and hopefully sharing some craft moments with you too.

Just Add Ink Challenge # 447 Sketch Challenge

Hi ya, here is the next Just Add Ink Challenge.

It’s a Sketch Challenge that was suggested by Narelle.

Here is the card I made:

I made this for a friend who is turning 50 soon.  She loves the colour green so I used a number of different shades of green on my card.  I used a glitter embossing paste to add some detail to the background.Head to Just Add Ink to join this challenge and/or to check out what the Design Team have put together to provide you with inspiration.