Creating Kindness Design Team Blog Hop – Guest Designer

1 November 20181 November 2018 ~ Anna Krol ~ 10 Comments

Anna’ Stampin’ Cave – Creating Kindness Design Team Blog Hope – Guest Designer

Oh my!! I’m so thrilled, and still can’t believe it: I’ve been asked to join absolutely amazing artists from the Creating Kindness Design Team in their November Blog Hop as a guest designer.

Our theme this month is TEAMWORK. Teamwork can go many ways and I decided to team up a few products:

Animal Outing Bundle with super fun and elegant Tropical Escape DSP. I think they are a perfect fit!
I also teamed up Stampin’ Write Markers with an Aqua Painter & acrylic block for a controlled water colouring.

Wild About You card dimensions:

Shaded Spruce cardstock: 11-6/8″ x 4-1/8″ scored in half at 5-7/8″ & cut the bottom of the card front for the extra panel at 3″ x 4-1/8″
Whisper White reg. cardstock: 4″ x 5-6/8″ panel for the inside; for the mats: 2-5/8″ x 4″, 2-7/8″ x 4″ and for the sentiment a rectangle 3-6/8″ x 2-5/8″
Tropical Escape DSP for the mats (leafy/foliage design): 2-9/16″ x 3-7/8″ and 3-15/16″ x 2-6/8″
Watercolour Paper for stamping critters

Watercolouring

For my card, I decided to use two images: an utterly cute rhino and a branch with an equally adorable tree frog. I stamped the branch twice to use one for the inside of my card.

I stamped all my images onto watercolour paper using black Stazon Ink. Watercolour paper has a quite porous surface, so Stamparatus came with help to make sure all the images were stamped perfectly.

TIP: Stazon is the best ink to work with water/watercolour.

I watercolour all my critters using an aqua painter and Stampin’ Write Markers. I simply scribbled some colour onto an acrylic block and using it as a palette I picked the ink with an Aqua Painter. I love to watercolour and with this technique, there’s nearly no waste.

Colours I’ve used:

Rhino: Smoky Slate, Gray Granite and Basic Gray
the bird: Bermuda Bay, Pacific Point, Pumpkin Pie and Daffodil Delight
branches with frog: Soft Suede, Early Espresso, Old Olive and Granny Apple Green

When all critters were to thoroughly dry, I die-cut them with coordinating dies from Animal Friends Thinlits Dies.

How-to: Partial die-cutting

For the large stitched rectangle I’ve used the largest square from the Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies and a partial die-cutting. You can find it explained here.

I stamped the sentiment in the top left corner of my die-cut rectangle. For the ease, I’ve used Black Memento Ink and Stamparatus. Why? Well, who else would want to mess up the stamping at this point?! lol

I assembled the card laying all mats together with the liquid glue. Also, my tree frogs on branches I adhered with liquid glue: one inside of the card and one just above the rhino on the front. And the rhino is the star of the card! I raised him with dimensionals in the centre of the front panel.

And that’s it from me for today. I hope you’ve enjoyed visiting my blog and that you like the card I created? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Below is the list of the fantastic Creating Kindness Team who organized this hop. So please, jump on and check all the fantastic inspiration. Honestly, you don’t want to miss it!

The next on the hop is amazingly talented Jenny Hall!! To visit her blog click the button below or just use the list!

As always, if you wish to purchase any of the products I have used, simply click the images below to go directly to my online store.

HOST CODE for the month of November is 326DJQHJ. Use this code to receive special rewards from me.

Product List

Animal Outing Clear-Mount Bundle [148324] £42.25	Animal Outing Wood-Mount Bundle [148323] £48.50	Animal Friends Thinlits Dies [146823] £27.00	Animal Outing Clear-Mount Stamp Set [146600] £20.00	Animal Outing Wood-Mount Stamp Set [146597] £27.00
Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies [145372] £28.00	Shaded Spruce A4 Cardstock [147006] £8.00	Whisper White A4 Card Stock [106549] £9.00	Watercolor Paper [122959] £4.75	Tropical Escape 6″ X 6″ (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper [146916] £10.25
Many Marvelous Markers [147154] £112.75	Jet Black Stazon Ink Pad [101406] £8.25	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708] £5.50	Clear Block D [118485] £7.75	Aqua Painters [103954] £16.00
Liquid Multipurpose Glue [110755] £3.75	Stampin’ Dimensionals [104430] £3.75	Stamparatus [148187] £46.00	Stampin’ Trimmer [129722] £28.00	Big Shot [143263] £102.00

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Summary of the project which gives all the views of the card in one photo. I’d love if you pinned and called by on Pinterest xx

Celebrate You with Go For Greece Training Group Blog Hop

27 March 201828 March 2018 ~ Anna Krol ~ 8 Comments

Anna’ Stampin’ Cave – Celebrate You with Go For Greece Training Group Blog HopHello everyone and welcome to my blog. We are super excited to share with you an array of creations showcasing products from Stampin’ Up! Annual and Occasions (Spring-Summer in the UK) catalogues (and Sale-A-Bration freebies too). We hope you find great inspiration from our projects. You are currently visiting Anna Krol from the United Kingdom.

Sale-a-bration is coming to an end and today I’ve got for you beautiful, clean & simple card using Amazing You Stamp Set and Celebrate You Thinlits Dies – both of which you can still earn FREE (Sale-a-bration ends on 31st March).

But there’s also something you may don’t know about Celebrate You Thinlits Dies – they are carrying over to the new Stampin’ Up! 2018-2019 Annual Catalogue!! But why pay for something if you can gave it for FREE, right?

Let’s Celebrate card dimensions:

– Berry Burst cardstock: 11-6/8″ x 4-1/8″ scored in half at 5-7/8″ (29.7 x 10.5 cm scored in half at 14.8 cm)
– Whisper White cardstock: 3-5/8″ x 5-3/8″ (9.3 cm x 13.6 cm)
– Whisper White cardstock (for inside): 3″ x 4-5/8″ (7.6 cm x 11.7 cm)
– A piece of watercolour paper for Stamping
– A strip of Gold Foil cardstock for die cutting
– Gold 1/8″ Ribbon: 8″ approximately
First, I stamped my flower on a piece of watercolour paper in Versamark, heat embossed it in gold, and fussy cut it (without leaves).
To paint the flower I’ve used aqua painter. For the first layer of colour I chose Powder Pink ink pad. Once it dried, I’ve used Berry Burst ink pad to add more depth to the petals.

I took a Whisper White panel, decided where my flower will be placed, and using Stamp-a-ma-jig I stamped leaves in Lemon Lime Twist. Next, I stamped over them with Pear Pizzazz to darken them a bit and also stamped more leaves in Pear Pizzaz.

Using dry brush I picked some of that Berry Burst ink, flicked it over the Whisper White panel and assembled my card before adding the flower.
I cut a piece of Gold 1/8″ Ribbon (briefly 8″), added it underneath the flower and adhered it to the card base with dimensionals.

For the sentiment I die cut the word “celebrate” from Celebrate You Thinlits Dies in gold foil and also stamped “Let’s” from Amazing You Stamp Set in Powder Pink next to the flower. And that’s my card for today.

I really hope you enjoyed visiting my blog today and I would love to encourage you to hop along with us and see the rest of beautiful projects designed by amazing artists. Please be sure to continue to hop using the list below. You don’t want to miss any!

Thank you for stopping by and have a blessed day

Hostess Code for a month of March: CWKGWDD7 – Use this code in the month of March and receive a gift from me. Spend £25 or more and use the code, and you will receive a Sweet Soiree Suite embellishments sample: one Silver Mini Gable Box + samples of ribbon and ‘shreddies’ (pink, silver or white) + a handmade gift from me.
Special Notes:

1) Make sure you select Anna Krol as your demonstrator;
2) If you select “No Contact” box I do not have access to your name and can’t send you a gift;
3) If your order is £150 or more do not use the code and grab your own Stampin’ Rewards + gift from me

Amazing You Clear-Mount Stamp Set [147215] £0.00	Amazing You Wood-Mount Stamp Set [147212] £0.00	Celebrate You Thinlit Dies [146840] £0.00	Berry Burst A4 Cardstock [144249] £7.25	Whisper White A4 Card Stock [106549] £8.25
Watercolor Paper [122959] £4.50	Gold Foil Sheets [132622] £3.75	Berry Burst Classic Stampin’ Pad [144083] £6.00	Powder Pink Classic Stampin’ Pad [144084] £6.00	Lemon Lime Twist Classic Stampin’ Pad [144086] £6.00
Pear Pizzazz Classic Stampin’ Pad [131180] £6.00	Versamark Pad [102283] £7.75	Embossing Buddy [103083] £5.50	Gold Stampin’ Emboss Powder [109129] £4.50	Aqua Painters [103954] £15.50
Gold 1/8″ Ribbon [134583] £4.50	Stamp-A-Ma-Jig [101049] £11.00	Paper Snips Scissors [103579] £9.00	Fast Fuse Adhesive [129026] £9.00	Stampin’ Dimensionals [104430] £3.75
Stampin’ Trimmer [129722] £27.00	Big Shot [143263] £99.00

Pin me

Summary of the project which gives all the views of the card in one photo. I’d love if you pinned and called by on Pinterest xx

Don’t forget to check:

New Sale-a-bration release is LIVE. Click here for more details –>

Spring Summer Catalogue Paper & Ribbon Shares. Shares are open to Austria, France, Germany, Netherlands & United Kingdom. 102 sheets of DSP & 2 yards of each type of ribbon from Spring/Summer Catalogue. Click here for more details —>

The New Stampin’ Up! Spring/Summer 2017 Catalogue and Sale-A-Bration are LIVE and it’s AMAZING! For every 60 €/£45, you spend either from Spring Summer Catalogue or Annual Catalogue, you will get to choose one FREE level 1 product from SAB brochure! If you spend 120 €/£90, you get one FREE level 2 product, OR, you can choose two level 1 items. If you spend 180 €/£135, you have the option to choose three level 1 items or one level 1 item and one level 2 item. Click here for more details —>

Ever wondered what it’s like to join Stampin’ Up!’s community? I may have few answers for you. Click here for more details –>

Watercolour Wash Using Colorful Seasons Bundle For #GDP088

Image ~ 28 May 201713 November 2017 ~ Anna Krol ~ 5 Comments

Phewww! Finally, some air in the air after a heat wave we experienced lately. Don’t get me wrong: I love summertime. I’m just not a fan of hot weather when you can’t do any activity without gasping for the air. And how funny it may sound, in the UK 26C is hardly bearable. But today I woke up very early to the amazingly fresh breeze. I jumped out of bed (well not literally as I still can hardly walk), fixed some quick breakfast to take my medications, got my Bible study done (book of Judges – loveee) and off I go to my ‘cave’ before the ‘house’ woke up.

Since over a week, I’ve been ‘dying’ to crack open the Colorful Seasons Photopolymer Stamp Set and coordinating Seasonal Layers Thinlits Dies. And what a better excuse (not that I need one haha) than taking a part in Global Design Project. Especially that this week we are CASE’ing extremely talented, Shawn De Oliveira.

Rose Wonder Stamp Set and Rose Garden Thinlits Dies are one of my favourites from 2016-17 catalogue and I’m really happy that they are staying with us for another year (at least). But for my project today I really wanted to ‘play’ with new products.

What I ‘borrowed from Shawn’s card is the colour combination of soft pink and green with a touch of gold. And because I had all my supplies out I’ve made not one but six cards. Since a couple of months, I belong to amazing facebook group Random Act Of Kindness, where each month we are sending cards to random recipients. ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ (Acts 20:35)

Colorful Seasons card dimensions:

Whisper White Thick cardstock card base: 11-6/8″ x 4-1/8″ scored in half at 5-7/8″ (29.7 x 10.5 cm scored in half at 14.8 cm)
Shimmery White cardstock: 3-1/2″ x 4-1/8″ (8.9 cm x 10.5 cm)
Old Olive cardstock two stripes: 4-1/8″ x 7/16″(briefly) and 4-1/8″ x 1″ (10.5 cm x 1.2 cm and 10.5 cm x 2.6 cm)
white cardboard from the back of DSP: 4-1/16″ x 2-1/2″ (10.4 cm x 6.3 cm)

I started with creating a scalloped edge to my card base. On the front of the card base, I measured 1″ from the bottom, centred the scallop edge die and secured it with a piece of washi tape (so it won’t shift) and run it through the big shot. Next, using the same die I created a scalloped edge on the wider strip of Old Olive cardstock.

For the watercolour wash, instead of watercolour paper, I’ve used Shimmery White cardstock. It’s beautiful on its own but great for light watercolouring too; plus gives your work delicate shimmery look (hence the name).

Watercolour tip: While your ink pad is closed give the lid a gentle squeeze. It will transfer a little pool of ink from the ink pad into the lid. Open your ink pad. Now you can pick up the ink with your aqua painter or with the tip of your blender pen.

I took aqua painter and I wet the surface of my panel slightly. I didn’t add the water to the entire piece, just to the centre. I picked some Blushing Bride ink with my aqua painter and I’ve done a quick wash of colour over the panel. Dried it with my heat tool.

When the panel was completely dry I rubbed it with embossing buddy to make sure embossing powder won’t stick where it shouldn’t. I stamped the sentiment and maple leaves with Versamark ink, covered them with gold embossing powder and heat set it.

I adhered Old Olive stripes behind the watercoloured panel with liquid adhesive. And now the #facepalm moment: paper + water = warping! …what was I thinking?! To rescue my watercolour pieces: strengthen and straighten them up, I cut rectangles from the white cardboard (I always save backings from DSP) and adhered them behind the panels, between two Old Olive pieces, with a fast fuse.

I assembled my cards with liquid glue. For a final touch, I decided to add few rhinestones. And that’s my cards done.

As always, I really want to encourage you to visit the Global Design Project challenge blog to see other beautiful projects from all around the world. Just click on their logo below to visit the website

Thanks for visiting my blog today. Have a blessed day

Colorful Seasons Photopolymer Bundle

[145348]

£48.50

Seasonal Layers Thinlits Dies

[143751]

£30.00

Colorful Seasons Photopolymer Stamp Set

[143726]

£24.00

Whisper White A4 Thick Cardstock

[140490]

£6.50

Shimmery White A4 Card Stock

[121717]

£7.25

Old Olive A4 Card Stock

[106576]

£7.25

Blushing Bride Classic Stampin’ Pad

[131172]

£6.00

Versamark Pad

[102283]

£7.75

Embossing Buddy

[103083]

£5.50

Gold Stampin’ Emboss Powder

[109129]

£4.50

Aqua Painters

[103954]

£15.50

Rhinestone Basic Jewels Embellishments

[119246]

£4.50

Liquid Multipurpose Glue

[110755]

£3.75

Fast Fuse Adhesive

[129026]

£9.00

Heat Tool – Uk Plug

[129054]

£27.00

Stampin’ Trimmer

[129722]

£27.00

Big Shot

[143263]

£99.00

Global Design Project #081 Colour Challenge – Watercolour Birthday Blooms

Image ~ 7 April 201722 February 2018 ~ Anna Krol ~ 16 Comments

Anna’ Stampin’ Cave – Global Design Project #081 Colour Challenge – Watercolour Birthday Blooms

Hello and welcome! Today I decided to play along with Global Design Project and their Colour Challenge. I love that one of the colours can be our own choice.

I had couple of ideas which colour to use, but because I couldn’t decide which one to choose I created two cards instead of one 🙂

Basic Grey/Night of Navy ‘Friend To Friend’ card dimensions:

Basic Grey cardstock: 8-1/4″ x 5-7/8″ scored in half at 4-1/8″ (21cm x 14.8 cm scored in half at 10.5 cm)
Watercolour Paper: 3-6/8″ x 3″ (9.5 cm x 7.6 cm)
Regals Designer Series Paper Paper Stack: 3-5/8″ x 3/8″ (9.2 cm x 1 cm) strip of diagonal stripes design paper in Night of Navy
Night of Navy Solid Baker’s Twine: approx 33″ (84 cm) + strip of Basic Grey cardstock to secure/hide the twine ends inside the card

For this first card, I decided to use rather classic Night of Navy with Basic Grey colour combination.

I heat embossed beautiful floral image from Birthday Blooms Stamp Set on a piece of Watercolour Paper in Whisper White Embossing Powder. Next, I watercolour the image using my ink pads as palettes. For the flower, I’ve used Night of Navy ink pad. For the leaves, I’ve used Basic Grey Archival ink pad, which was a little bit tricky but doable. Just had to work really fast once I squished some ink onto my ink pad cover flap. When finished my leaves, I’ve added more water to the ink that left on the cover and I’ve done a quick wash of light grey around the flower.

For the sentiment, I chose sweet ‘friend to friend’ from Teeny Tiny Wishes Stamp Set and stamped it in Basic Grey Archival Ink in the bottom right corner of my watercolour panel.

Tip: If using clear mount or wood mount stamp sets, always use Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to align your sentiment. It’s best tool ever!

To prepare my base I stamped the same floral image all over the card front with Versamark ink. Next, I wrapped Night Of Navy Solid Baker’s Twine around the front of the card and secured it at the back with a piece of cardstock.

I adhered a strip of DSP underneath the watercolour piece and added it to the card base, slightly offsetting my piece. The final touch was to add Clear Wink Of Stella to my floral.

For my next card colour combination, I took an idea from Stampin’ Up!’s Annual Catalogue, page 76. I love how Night of Navy and Delightful Dijon complement each other creating distinguished look.

Delightful Dijon/Night of Navy ‘Friend To Friend’ card dimensions:

Delightful Dijon cardstock: 8-1/4″ x 5-7/8″ scored in half at 4-1/8″ (21cm x 14.8 cm scored in half at 10.5 cm)
Regals Designer Series Paper Paper Stack, Night of Navy diagonal stripes design: 4-2/8″ x 3-5/8″ (10.8 cm x 9.2 cm)
Watercolour Paper: 3-6/8″ x 3″ (9.5 cm x 7.6 cm)
Night of Navy Solid Baker’s Twine: approx 12″ (30 cm)

Same as with my first card, I stamped the whole card front with a floral image from Birthday Blooms Stamp Set in Versamark Ink and adhered the piece of DSP in the middle of my card base.

Next, I stamped and heat embossed the same image on the watercolour panel in Whisper White. Flowers, as before, are watercoloured with Night of Navy ink, just this time I decided for darker, deeper shade. For the leaves, however, I’ve used Delightful Dijon ink, with a very light wash of DD in the background.

A sentiment, same again, is stamped in Night of Navy ink in the top right corner of the panel. I took a piece Night of Navy Solid Baker’s Twine, wrapped it at the bottom of my watercolour piece and tied a little bow. I adhered my panel to the card base, offsetting again. Clear Wink of Stella finishes off the look.

And here are both of my cards together:

I love how they turned out! Same stamp set, same technique, and same design but two completely different looks. Which one do you like the most? Please let me know in comments below.

As always, I really want to encourage you to visit the Global Design Project challenge blog to see other beautiful projects from all around the world. Just click on their logo below to visit the website

Thank you for stopping by and have a blessed day,

Shake It In Teals – Birthday Card For Sweet 17

Image ~ 14 March 201722 February 2018 ~ Anna Krol ~ 2 Comments

Hello and welcome! Today I want to share with you a card I’ve made for our daughter’s 17th birthday. I don’t know where the time has gone but I could swear she was just 7 not that long ago.

She’s not a girly-girl ( happy mamma here lol). She’s studying fine art in Sixth Form and she loves mixed media. So I had to come up with something little more ‘sophisticated’ than flowers and butterflies if you know what I mean 😉

This year I decided to make a shaker card in beautiful teal shades. [You can see her last year’s birthday card here]

Shake It In Teals Card dimensions:

Thick Whisper White cardstock: 11-6/8″ x 4-1/8″ scored in half at 5-7/8″ (29.7 x 10.5 cm scored in half at 14.8 cm)
Watercolour Paper: 5-6/8″ x 3-7/8″ (14.5 cm x 9.7 cm)
Basic Black cardstock: 1/2″ x 5-6/8″ (14.5 cm x 1.2 cm)
for die-cutting word happy pieces of Basic Black, Island Indigo and Emerald Envy

It’s very simple, a straightforward card so I won’t include a whole step by step instructions, just some hints, and tips.

Frame: To create a teal-like shade for the watercolour panel I’ve mixed Island Indigo ink with Emerald Envy ink in a watercolour wash. When the panel was dry I die cut a rectangle from the middle of the panel, creating a frame.

Numbers: I didn’t want the number to look flat and boring, so I took that watercoloured rectangle, stamped two paisley images in Versamark in the middle, heat embossed them in white and die cut numbers 1 and 7 from that piece.

‘Happy’: I die cut it three times: one from Basic Black cardstock, 2nd from Island Indigo and 3rd from Emerald Envy and adhered them together. To add shine to it I cover my word in Versamark and heat embossed in clear. I did the same with the Basic Black strip.

Before I put my shaker card together I adhered few sequins to the base of my card so not all sequins fall down when the card is standing on the shelf. For the final touch, I added some random gold dots to the frame with my gold Sharpie.

There’re few things that didn’t come out as I hoped for, but with my numb hands, I think that overall the card looks nice. The most important is the fact that our girl loved it, so YAY!

If you wish to purchase any of products I have used, simply click the images below to go directly to my online store and don’t forget to enter the hostess code for the month of March G3JKVASG to receive a gift from me.

Thank you for stopping by and have a blessed day