All Swapped Out!!

I absolutely love doing card swaps and challenges and managed to get myself involved in 5 - yes count them 5 - swaps all happening at the same time.

Swaps 1 & 2

The first one was a Papertrey Ink swap over on SCS. I love this range of stamps, cardstock and ribbon and is a wonderful addition to my current SU selection. I had 2 spots on this swap - might as well make the postage worth it! I chose to do the card on this post for one slot and then had to wait a while for my new stamps to come from PTI before deciding on what to do for the other one. I very rarely make mens cards so went for a masculine theme for my other spot.

This one uses the new New Leaf cardstock and ink and the Wise Owl set which has so many sentiments and images that can be combined for so many different occasions.

Recipe

Stamps: Wise Owl from Papertrey Ink

Paper: New Leaf cardstock from PTI, Creamy Caramel from Stampin' Up, non SU white cs, DP from Dovecraft's Masculine Paper Pack

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Creamy Caramel marker and Really Rust marker all from Stampin' Up, New Leaf from PTI

Accessories: Spellbinder's Ribbon Tag Trio Dies, Linen Thread from SU, Grass baubles from Stamping Bella, Cuttlebug Distressed Stripes Embossing Folder

Swap 3

My next swap was for a Stampin' Up only swap for demos over on the ILWS forum. I have been dying to use the Seeing Spots and Spot On wheel together for ages and haven't gotten round to it before. I also wanted to make a bright card to bring on the summer sun so chose this gorgeous colour combo.

This card is an unusual size (4 1/8 x 7 inches) simply because I haven't got a wheel cartridge in Tempting Turquoise so used my ink pad to ink the Spot On wheel up and this was as far as the ink would stamp before it ran out. I do like the size though!

Recipe

Stamps: Seeing Spots and Spot On wheel from Stampin' Up

Paper: Tempting Turquoise, So Saffron, Rose Red and Whisper White all from Stampin' Up

Ink: Tempting Turquoise, So Saffron, Rose Red all from Stampin' Up, white gel pen

Accessories: Tempting Turquoise 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, scallop edge punch, scallop circle punch and 1 3/8" circle punch all from Stampin' Up

Swap 4

My fourth swap was another Stampin' Up demo only swap using the new stamps in the mini catalogue which becomes available to customers on April 1st so a little sneak-a-peek here! Again I was in a bright colour mode and love this colour combo. I really like yellow, all shades, at the minute and that's very unlike me. I hardly use yellow other than for blonde hair. I have 1 lemon t-shirt that I have no idea how it ended up in my wardrobe and I very rarely wear it, but I think I'm craving some sun after the miserable winter we had.

The flowers are popped up on foam pads and also stamped on the Pink Passion using the same ink to make a quick background.

Recipe

Stamps: Petal Pizzazz and sentiment from Fresh Cuts by Stampin' Up

Paper: Green Galore, Yoyo Yellow, Pink Passion and Whisper White all from Stampin' Up

Ink: Green Galore, Yoyo Yellow and Pink Passion all from Stampin' Up

Accessories: none for a change, usually I have to have a little bit of ribbon but I didn't think this needed any.

Swap 5

My last swap was for my upline meeting on Saturday 21st March. It's the first one I've ever been to as I couldn't make the December meeting. I'm really excited about going even though it's a 2 1/2 - 3 hour drive there and back! Amanda, my lovely upline, has organised for us to all do a swap and rather than make a card, I chose to make a cute little gift box. It uses the instructions from SCS here and was so simple to make. Tying the bows was probably the most time consuming part of making these boxes. I hate trying to get the bows even.

The butterfly was inked up using Pretty in Pink and then using the Rose Red marker I added some ink just to the tips of each wing and coloured the body and antennae. I think that added bit of colour really makes the butterfly pop! I just hope everyone likes them as much as I do...

Recipe

Stamps: Garden Whimsy and Whimsy wheel

Paper: Mellow Moss, Pretty in Pink, Rose Red and Very Vanilla all from Stampin' Up

Ink: Pretty in Pink, Rose Red marker and ink all from Stampin' Up

Accessories: Pretty in Pink taffeta ribbon, scallop edge punch

Hope you like my swaps as much I as enjoyed making them!