Saturday, March 31, 2012

A Last Hurrah and A Blog Award

Well, here we are at the last day of both the Summer mini and Sale-a-bration, so I thought I'd make a card as a last hurrah. No time for more, as I'm busy having a huge spring clean - and finding that I have WAAAAY too much retired SU stuff still hanging around! It's getting so bad that I'm having trouble fitting everything into my craft room - so I'm either going to have to clear some stuff out or get a bigger craft room! I know which of those options I would prefer, but that isn't going to happen in a hurry (I'll have to wait a few years until DD13 moves out, ROFLOL!) so I have decided to make a concerted effort to use up old papers, ribbons, etc.


Today's card uses up some scraps of old card and matching markers that I got from the US a couple of years ago but you could use current colours instead of course.


Here's a bright and cheery Fresh Vintage:




Materials used:
  • stamps - Fresh Vintage, Short & Sweet
  • card - Bermuda bay, crushed curry, whisper white, melon mambo patterns paper
  • other - edgelits die, scallop oval punch, large oval punch, dimensionals, markers
You'll notice that edgelits die in there again - I did warn you that you would be seeing a lot of that one! And just think, as from tomorrow you can buy it for yourself!


Also today I want to thank the lovely Tina White who was kind enough to bestow the Liebster Blog Award on me recently. Thanks so much for the compliment Tina, I am honoured to receive it. The conditions of the award are:
  1. Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award.  (check)
  2. Link back to the blogger who presented you the award. (check)
  3. Copy and paste the award on your blog.  (check)
  4. Present the Award to 5 other deserving bloggers with less than 200 followers. (coming up)
  5. Let them know they have been chosen by leaving a comment on their blog.  (roger wilco)
So now to pass the award on to some very worthy recipients. Please visit their blogs and check out their inspiring talents.
Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers
Kez

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Just A Dream And The Wind To Carry Me

Today's project is a Gunnadoo. Have you got some of those? You know, ideas you see and love and file away because you are "gonna do" them one day? This one has been in my Gunnadoo file for literally years, ever since I saw one at a friend's place (hi snail buddy!).

Anyways, I've been planning for a few months now to use the Nautical Expedition papers and Open Sea stamp set on this particular project and today decided that I couldn't possibly let the Summer mini end without finally completing it. Such a fantastic stamp set and I soooooooooo hope it makes it into the main catalogue come September ... are you listening, Stampin' Up!?

So, without further ado, here is my very first star book:










And of course embellishments can be added with the compass and anchor stamps etc once photos are in place. It was so much easier to make than I thought it would be and has such a wow factor when you see it that I can tell I'm going to have to make some more of these ...

Now if you haven't already gotten hold of this stamp set (and the papers too, of course) then all I can say is WHY THE HECK NOT? Get it now before the mini ends and they are sailing away .....

Thanks for dropping anchor here today.

Cheers
Kez

Monday, March 26, 2012

Babies Galore


I am still building up my stock of cards for the craft show coming up, this time focusing on baby cards. I made a stash of them using the following designs in various colours:

Materials used:

  • stamps - Baby Tees wheel, Short & Sweet
  • card - various subtles, whisper white, patterns dsp
  • other - watercolour crayons, scallop trim border punch, modern label punch


Materials used:
  • stamps - Baby Bundle
  • card - various subtles, whisper white, patterns dsp
  • other - watercolour crayons, nestabilities dies, word window punch, dimensionals


Materials used:
  • stamps - Stitched Stockings, Short & Sweet
  • card - various in colours, whisper white, patterns dsp
  • other - square lattice embossing folder, decorative label punch, in colour ruffled ribbon, stocking punch, MFT dies, dimensionals


Materials used:
  • stamps - Baby Bundle, Teeny Tiny Sentiments
  • card - various subtles, whisper white, patterns dsp
  • other - scallop circle punch, 32 mm and 35mm circle punches, dimensionals, various ribbons, word window punch

And the baby in the photo at the top? Well, you can probably tell from the ancient pram in the background that it's me! And you know, I can still remember that rocking horse and the feel of the sheepskin mane. Ah, memories .....

Thanks for calling in.

Cheers
Kez

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Purple-licious!

I had to quickly make up a birthday card for a young lady recently and as my pre-order from the new Autumn/Winter mini arrived just the day before, it was the perfect opportunity to try out some new schtuff!

The birthday girl loves purple so I used one of my fav flower sets, Field Flowers, in wisteria wonder and concord crush.


As you can see I used the gorgeous Edgelits die and matching embossing folder up the top, plus the new Framelits die for my main panel. You are going to absolutely ADORE the new mini, it is chocca with gor-juss goodies!

Materials used:
  • stamps - Field Flowers, Happiest Birthday Wishes (hostess)
  • card - concord crush, whisper white, wisteria wonder patterns paper
  • ink - wisteria wonder, concord crush, lucky limeade
  • other - Labels Collection Framelits die (new mini), Adorning Accents Edgelits die (new mini), Adorning Accents TI Embossing folder (new mini), dimensionals, lucky limeade organza ribbon (SAB)

Thanks for dropping in.

Cheers
Kez

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Kid's Punch Art

I've been making kids cards again and for these ones focusing on bright, primary colours - not my usual cup of tea at all! You'll need your sunnies on for looking at them, be warned!

Firstly I cased Marelle's wonderful Lego card:


Then I had a go at a punch art clown and added in some bright pennants as well:


A couple of Sesame Street characters make an appearance next:


And lastly I just had to have a go at Angry Birds! I'm sure you've seen plenty of these around.


What do you think, bright enough? Hope your eyeballs are OK! I won't list all the punches but if you want the "recipe" for a particular card, just send me an email (the link is over on the right under Contact Me).

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers
Kez

Edited to add: I have had a lot of people ask for the "recipe" for the angry birds card, so here are the SU punches I used:
Body – 1 3/8” circle
Eyes – owl and 1/2” circle
Eyebrows – horizontal slot
Beak – star (cut down to suit)
Tail feathers – boho blossoms
Head feathers – five petal flower
Slingshot – word window

The grass is a Martha Stewart punch.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Going Out and Coming In

I've been having another play with my SAB stamps, ribbons and papers - the promotion ends in just two weeks and it's gone so fast!

My first card is pretty self explanatory:


Materials used:
  • stamps - Fresh Vintage, Petite Pairs
  • card - calypso coral, wisteria wonder, whisper white
  • other - designer frames E/F, Big Shot, SAB ribbon, pearl, markers, wide oval punch, sponge dauber, dimensionals

For my next card I played with some of the brand new products that are coming in the Autumn/Winter mini on April 1st. Here I used the Adorning Accents edgelits die with the matching embossing folder - soooooooooo gorgeous! I think you may eventually get sick of this combo cos I'm gonna be using it A LOT! Another new product is the lovely daffodil paper - it's from a set called Attic Boutique.


Materials used:
  • stamps - Fresh Vintage, Petite Pairs
  • card - daffodil delight, white linen (non SU)
  • other - Attic Boutique DSP, markers, Adorning Accents edgelits die, Adorning Accents E/F

Now for a touch of the dramatic, I've paired black with pink. Between the white embossing, flocked paper and (brand new) pleated satin ribbon, this card is a tactile dream!


Materials used:
  • stamps - Elementary Elegance
  • card - basic black, Mocha Morning DSP, blushing bride
  • other - Versamark ink, white embossing powder, heat tool, blushing bride pleated satin ribbon, curly label punch, dimensionals

And last but not least a taste of whimsy with Outlined Occasions and the cupcake punch.


Materials used:
  • stamps - Outlined Occasions, Sweet Little Sentiments (retired)
  • card - pool party, calypso coral, whisper white, poppy parade, Domestic Goddess DSP, Everyday Enchantment DSP
  • other - markers, SAB ribbon, cupcake punch, dimensionals, Kindy Glitz, stamp-a-ma-jig, 32 mm and 35 mm circle punches, scallop circle punch, nestabilities die

Hope you're enjoying your free SAB goodies too!

Thanks for calling in.

Cheers
Kez

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Easter Baskets and Boxes

Coming up soon is my Easter Baskets and Boxes class and after scouring tons of blogs and sites for ideas, these are the gorgeous containers I came up with for this year.


A cutie in daffodil, this wee basket is made from the petal cone die:



Using the scallop envelope die, this one features Spring blossoms and I added some fabric to match the dotted ribbon (idea cased from Connie Collins):


Of course there has to be an adorable punch art Easter bunny; this one is from a tutorial by Kay Sha (which you can see here) and I used the Fancy Favour die:



It can easily become a basket with the addition of a nice handle.

And no boxes class would be complete without a mini milk carton hexagon box. I've watercoloured the cute bunnies from the Everybunny set to decorate the sides:


I made a couple of other projects too just to give my ladies some more ideas. Here's a carrot container made from the petal cone die (filled with chocolate bunnies, lol) and an Easter bonnet made from an empty brad/button container:



Please note that no Easter eggs were harmed during the making of this blog post.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers
Kez

Friday, March 9, 2012

Masked Mustard

We're having more fun with brayering at today's workshop and my ladies are keen to try out some masking. It's terribly addictive once you get going!

Inspired by this gorgeous card of Paula Dobson's, here is what I came up with:


I brayered with so saffron and more mustard at the top, then soft suede at the base. The trees were stamped in soft suede and early espresso and I added some espresso sponging around the base as well. The birds (from Up, Up and Away) are also stamped in espresso.

Just love these colours together so many thanks for the inspiration Paula.

Materials used:
  • stamps - Lovely as a Tree, Teeny Tiny Sentiments, Up Up & Away
  • card - more mustard, early espresso, whisper white
  • other - post it notes, brayer, sponge daubers, stamp-a-ma-jig, 32 mm circle punch

And here is the sweet little gift box I made for my hostess:



Materials used:
  • stamps - Growing Green, Because I Care
  • card - pink pirouette, certainly celery, whisper white, pink pirouette patterns paper
  • inks - wild wasabi, certainly celery, regal rose, pretty in pink
  • other - scallop trim border punch, pennants die, Big Shot, two tags die, watercolour crayons, pearls, dimensionals, aquapainter

How about dusting off your brayer for some fun soon?

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers
Kez

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Wedding Cards

Wedding cards (for the Artfest craft show) were my focus on a wet and gloomy day yesterday.

My favourites are these three using the Marry Me set from the Summer mini (which runs out at the end of this month, don't forget). Sorry about the photos - not my best for sure. The colours are all much more gorgeous IRL.




This last one was cased from a gorgeous creation by Tui Nathan. Thanks Tui, I love your design.

Materials used:
  • stamps - Marry Me (SU), Mat Stack Collection 1 (PTI)
  • card - blush blossom (retired), soft suede, very vanilla, basic black, whisper white, pool party, digital striped paper, Mocha Morning dsp, Paisley Petals dsp
  • other - rhinestones, pearls, dimensionals, basic black satin ribbon, nestabilities dies, flowers from stash 

On the next sample I cheated a little by using a ready-coloured image from Lili of the Valley, but I added some clear embossed stamped images in the background (which you can see if you click on the photo).



Materials used:
  • stamps - Marry Me, Baby Blossoms (retired)
  • card - basic grey, whisper white, basic grey patterned dsp
  • other - rose red seam binding, jewellery tag punch, clear embossing powder, heat tool, Versamark ink, basic black marker, vintage wallpaper E/F, image from LOTV

I do hope the weather is brighter where you are - apparently we are going to get even fewer sunny days this month than we did last month - bring on the Vitamin D tablets!

Thanks for dropping in.

Cheers
Kez

Saturday, March 3, 2012

New Background

How do you like my new background - I've added some BUNTING!!! He he! I'm a riot! Goodies to show you tomorrow as long as it isn't so jolly dark and gloomy that I can't take photos - rain, rain, go away!

Cheers
Kez

Friday, March 2, 2012

Bright Kids

I'm still working on kids cards for an upcoming craft show and today's batch are of the bold and bright variety!

First off my old friend the owl in a card inspired by Maria Cameron:


Next is the first card I've made using a rosette and also my first inking up of the stamp set Under the Big Top. We got this set at Regionals last year and it is really not to my taste at all, however it is just perfect for what I needed.



Simple but gorgeous - I like that in a card! LOL.

Materials used:
  • stamps - Under the Big Top, Starring You (retired), Up, Up and Away, Party This Way
  • card - whisper white, real red, daffodil delight, tempting turquoise, basic black, Big Top Birthday dsp
  • punches - owl, bird, 2 3/4" circle, scallop trim border, pennant, balloon (non SU), 38 mm circle (non SU)
  • other - Tim Holtz rosette die, nestabilities, brights collections brads, white bakers twine, dimensionals, aquapainter, inks and markers, Versamark, clear embossing powder, heat tool, paper piercer
Maybe these bright and cheerful cards will brighten up the wet and gloomy day out there!

Thanks for calling in.

Cheers
Kez