Saturday, September 29, 2012

Engagement Wishes

The daughter of a dear friend has just announced her engagement and luckily I had a card on hand that I made recently which fits the bill just perfectly

Here tis:




As the young lady's favourite colour is purple, I couldn't have chosen better!

Materials used:

  • stamps - Layered Labels
  • card - wisteria wonder, whisper white, watercolour, Berry Blossoms DSP (retired), Sweet Shop DSP (retired)
  • other - apothecary accents die, dimensionals, aqua painter, inks and markers, windows framelits dies
  • non SU - Together Forever stamp from LOTV

Thanks for calling in.

Cheers
Kez

Friday, September 28, 2012

Wheat and Lavender

Another stunning colour combination over at Color Me Beautiful this week and although it's my week off, I couldn't resist playing along. Here's the inspiration photo and combo:


I decided to do a simple gift box with a floral design element. 



Materials used:
  • stamps - Baby Blossoms (retired), Teeny Tiny Sentiments
  • card - elegant eggplant, whisper white, wisteria wonder patterns paper
  • inks - river rock, Sahara sand, wisteria wonder, elegant eggplant
  • other - wide oval punch, dimensionals, fancy favour box die, Big Shot, white satin ribbon, stamp-a-ma-jig

This is two Fancy Favour boxes, one cut in card and one in dsp. Trim the bottom flaps off the paper one and simply slip it over the top of the card one and attach. I punched two holes in the top with my crop-o-dile to thread the ribbon through.

Be sure to pop on over to the challenge blog and see what lovely creations the rest of the design team have come up with this week to inspire you. I look forward to seeing your entries.

Thanks for dropping by.

Cheers
Kez

Friday, September 21, 2012

Tuscan Rise

The colours in this week's Color Me Beautiful challenge are just gorgeous! Here's the inspiration pictures:



I decided to do a watercoloured background instead of sponging or brayering, and this is what I ended up with:



Materials used:
  • stamps - Serene Silhouettes, Field Flowers
  • card - perfect plum, basic grey, watercolour
  • other - fancy fan embossing folder, Big Shot, aquapainter, lace ribbon, dimensionals, stamp-a-ma-jig
  • inks - perfect plum, basic grey, more mustard, cajun craze, black StazOn

I sprayed my watercolour paper with water first to moisten it so that when I added the (watered down) ink it would spread nicely. I masked off for my hills and did the sky first, then reverse-masked and added the hills. After it was all dry I stamped the flowers in basic grey, perfect plum and black. My stamp-a-ma-jig was the perfect tool to get my sentiment in the right spot!

Hope you like it! Why not pop over to the challenge blog to see what the rest of the design team have to inspire you and we'd love it if you join us in the challenge this week!

Thanks for dropping in.

Cheers
Kez




Fore!

There's a new challenge blog called Fab Friday and this fortnight they have a colour challenge going. When I saw the combo it immediately made me think of argyle and that made me think of golf - hence the theme of my card and today's header!

Here's the colour palette:


I thought it would be fun to play on the meaning of Fore! (which is a warning to golfers ahead to take care of golf balls coming their way) and use it as a warning against an impending birthday! He he he! I know, I crack myself up sometimes!


Materials used:
  • stamps - unknown
  • card - Sahara sand, so saffron, very vanilla, watercolour, basic grey patterns paper
  • other - argyle embossing folder, modern label punch, aquapainter, inks, markers, dimensionals, computer and printer, sponge daubers, square punch, Big Shot

To make the yellow and grey argyle bunting I inked up my embossing folder before adding the cardstock and running it through my Big Shot. A reasonably good match for his socks, don't you think? LOL!

Making a golf-themed card made me think of my dear old dad, who passed away 9 years ago but who was a really keen golfer during my formative years and even won the air force championship a couple of times. I used to enjoy caddying for him sometimes and getting a glass of lemonade at the 19th hole! Miss you dad, hope you enjoy this card wherever you are.

Thanks for dropping by.

Cheers
Kez

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Tea Caddy Tutorial

Phew! you don't realise how much detail goes into making a 3D project until you have to break it down step by step!

I have finally finished composing a tutorial for my Tea Caddy which many people asked for (thanks so much for your interest and enthusiasm!).


I have loaded the files into Dropbox and you can access the tutorials at the links below:

Click HERE for imperial measurements (inches)
Click HERE for metric measurements (centimetres)

Thanks again and if you make one, be sure to send a link so I can come and have a look!

Cheers
Kez





Monday, September 17, 2012

I Think I Need a 12-step Programme

They say the first step to curing an addiction is to admit you have a problem.

Hello, my name is Kerry and I am addicted to ribbon.

Sigh! I needed my always artichoke seam binding for one of today's cards and as all my reels of ribbon are jumbled into a large basket, naturally it was buried right down the bottom. After searching through the mountain a little I realised I was going to have to empty the lot out!

They used to be organised, they really did. I had them arranged in colour groupings, but as my stash grew, it got more and more difficult - and finally impossible - to add a new reel in the appropriate space. So they all just got chucked in.


Of course, what I really need is a better ribbon storage solution but I am quite at a loss as to what would suit. There are the big reels for wide stripey ribbons and the small reels for satin and seam binding (my favourites, but shhh! don't tell the others!), the larger size reels for narrow grosgrain and of course the "odds and sods" which vary in size and radius.

So, if you have a great idea for ribbon storage that (a) won't break the bank and (b) will suit all different sized spools, I would LOVE to hear it! Seriously. I will be sitting by my trusty iMac waiting for your suggestions.

Anywhoooo, if you've stuck with me this long then I think you deserve to see a card or two, so here are the ones we're making for our Christmas card stamp-a-stack this month.

This first one is cased from my upline Marelle, with a few tweaks of my own added in.



Materials used:

  • stamps - More Merry Messages
  • card - real red, white linen (non SU), champagne glitter, red glitter, silver glitter
  • other - postage stamp punch, 1" square punch, Merry Minis punches, Big Shot, snowflake embossing folder (NCA), dimensionals

Next is a more vintage style card. The centre panel has been spritzed with champagne shimmer mist and looks rather gorgeous IRL (if I do say so myself!). If you click on the second photo it shows better.




Materials used:

  • stamps - Bells & Boughs, Tiny Tags, music note wheel
  • card - crumb cake, very vanilla, cherry cobbler
  • other - blender pen, always artichoke seam binding, labels collection framelit, jewellery tag punch, dimensionals, sponge dauber, vintage wallpaper embossing folder, champagne shimmer mist

So now you know about my ribbon addiction. Don't even get me started on buttons!

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers
Kez

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Just A Little Boo

I am pleased to report that my plan worked! Yes, ignoring my craft things and going off to look at bathroom tiles - for my SIL, not me (sadly) - did the trick and when I came home I was able to sit and fix up that darn Halloween wreath at last!

It might have helped that I used a different ribbon. Maybe.

Anyways, all went smoothly and I got to try out my brand new silicone mat - makes sticking rosettes together soooooo much easier and no hot glue sticking to everything!

So here's my wreath.



Materials used:
  • card - basic black, silver glimmer
  • other - petite pennants punch, Big Shot, Timeless Type alphabet dies, pumpkin pie wide striped ribbon, piercing mat, piercing tool, silicone mat
  • non SU -  digital Halloween papers, Bat die and embossing folder, orange rhinestones, hot glue gun, black cord, rosette die

I love making Halloween crafts, they are so fun! Gives us "grown ups" a good excuse to act like kids again, lol!

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers
Kez

Friday, September 14, 2012

Technical Difficulties

I've been having a lot of technical difficulties with my crafting over the past couple of days.

Computer fritzing? No. Tools failing? No. Materials inferior? No.

Just me.

I am having ONE OF THOSE DAYS. Well, three days really. So much so I am ready to scream in frustration!

It all began on Wednesday night when I started working on a Halloween wreath. After spending quite some time winding ribbon around my wreath, I discovered that I had left gaps way back about 1/3 of the way around .... so had to unravel everything and begin again. Same thing happened again! OK, I decided, I was probably tired and it was time to hit the sack. Step away from the wreath!

On Thursday morning I decided that, even though it is my "week off" making a Color Me Beautiful design team card, I would give it a go as I like the colours and had an idea in my head. I sat and worked on it for a couple of hours before I had to go off to work but wasn't terribly happy with the result. I was leaving some crystal effects to dry, so would take another look later when I got home.

Nope, didn't do it for me later either. Tried something else. Another no-go. Hmmm, leave it till tomorrow.

This morning I have re-worked my card, spending ages fiddling with my stamp-a-ma-jig to line things up just right. Darn it! Still not satisfied - it needed something to make it pop. Try a different background colour. Oh, botheration! OK, abandon that design and think up something fresh - RATS! another disaster!

NOT HAPPY JAN!

So I have completely given up a challenge card and will go off to look at bathroom tiles instead - maybe my crafting stuff just needs to be ignored for a while and it might miss me and behave when I return? Hey, it's a theory!

Cheers
Kez

Monday, September 10, 2012

Fancy A Spot Of Tea?

One project I have been meaning to try for ages is a tea caddy so I was really pleased when I finally got around to making one recently. As happens so often with 3D projects, it really wasn't as difficult as I imagined! I decided to try another and make some adaptations.




Now, as this was made for DD14, polka dots were an absolute given, as was a green teapot! I had some handles left over from an easel drawer card project a while back (see here if interested), so added one to the lid to make it easy to get on and off. The base is covered chipboard to make it nice and sturdy and I will be giving the whole thing a coat or two of sealant which will hopefully protect it from the "elements" (ie the chaos that ensues in the kitchen!). The teabags inside are not green just to colour match - DD's favourite is Irish Breakfast!!!

It is just over 4"tall and holds 12 tea bags quite comfortably.

Materials used:
  • card - real red, whisper white, gumball green, polka dots dsp, chipboard, in colours patterned paper
  • other - windows framelits dies, dimensionals, sticky strip, Big Shot
  • non SU - handle, teapot die
I am pleased to report that DD loves it and can't wait to start using it, so I am very happy with my efforts! No doubt DD20 will be wanting one now as well!

As the theme is polka dots over at Just Add Ink this week, I'm entering it for that challenge.

Thanks for dropping in.

Cheers
Kez

Edited to add: I have made up a tutorial for this so if you'd like a copy please scroll up a few posts and you will find the link. 

Sunday, September 9, 2012

New Goodies Galore

Wednesday morning was super-excitement morning at our place as the postie delivered BRAND NEW GOODIES! It's always fun when a new catalogue comes out but with the amazing bonus of not one but two new catalogues, well! it's hard to contain all those squeals! LOL

Anyway, I promised my lovely ladies that I would have a feast of new stuff for them to play with in class this week, so I had the terrible burden of having to sit and play with my goodies to create cards. Sigh! It's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it!!!

Here's what I came up with.

Firstly, some watercolouring with the gorgeous Pleasant Poppies background stamp. Aren't they beautiful?! This one was cased from Judy May.


Materials used:
  • stamps - Pleasant Poppies
  • card - watercolour, real red, basic black
  • other - aquapainter, large scallop edgelits die, fancy fan embossing folder, rhinestones

Then I wanted to make a jar. Is it awful to admit that I bought this set and matching dies just because I love the jar? That's not obsessive at all, right? Ha! Don't tell DH!

Anyway, I punched the tiny flowers using some itty bitty punches and squeezed a dab of dazzling details in the centre. Tip of the day: when you're not sure what colours to put with something (like I was wondering what to put with the more mustard) then you can't go wrong choosing colours from the same colour collection. Enter cherry cobbler and elegant eggplant!


Materials used:
  • stamps - Perfectly Preserved
  • card - more mustard, very vanilla, cherry cobbler, elegant eggplant, dsp, watercolour
  • other - cannery dies, dimensionals, aquapainter, punches, KindyGlitz, finishing touches edgelits die, elegant eggplant grosgrain ribbon

And last but not least I just had to make a birthday card using the wonderful Happy Hour set. I love the sheer ebullient nature of this set and all the little details you get with it. Add to that some polka dot papers (new) and you have a bright, cheerful card. Inspired by a card by Sharon Burkert.


Materials used:
  • stamps - Happy Hour
  • card - marina mist, daffodil delight, whisper white, real red, polka dot dsp
  • other - banner die, dimensionals, 1" square punch

Well, I'd better sacrifice myself once more and get back to the card mines! lol

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers
Kez

Friday, September 7, 2012

Red Blossoms

It's time for challenge number two over at Color Me Beautiful and here are the inspirations:



I decided I wanted to get all five colours in my card today, so I used a predominantly neutral base and just a touch of the other four colours. Here's my card:





Materials used:
  • stamps - Bordering on Romance, Petite Pairs, French Foliage
  • card - confetti cream, very vanilla, always artichoke, watercolour
  • ink - very vanilla, calypso coral, raspberry ripple, always artichoke, more mustard, black StazOn
  • other - blender pen, aqua painter, dimensionals, window framelits die, Big Shot, sponge dauber, always artichoke seam binding, markers, scissors, paper piercer, piercing mat, festive paper piercing pack

Don't you love the freeshias beside? Yes, Spring has arrived here and I am soooooo glad to be getting some warmer weather! After our terrible Summer last year I feel like I've been hibernating for ever, lol.

We'd love you to take part in the challenge this week, so why not pop over to the challenge blog and have a look. The rest of the design team have some gorgeous projects to inspire you.

Thanks for dropping in.

Cheers
Kez


Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Tying Up Your Man

Now don't go calling Social Services on me, I don't mean literally tying your fella up and keeping him captive! (Although, if that's what you're into, it's none of my business, lol!) My header is a pun because the theme of my masculine projects today is ties. Of the neck wear variety, that is.

A while back at stamp camp we made this great tie-shaped box and I finally got around to making a matching card for it. Perfect for birthday or Father's Day (I just missed both!).

There's a great argyll embossing folder in the new catalogue that would be perfect for this, but as my order hasn't arrived yet (hurry up Mr Postie!) I used a retired wheel instead.




New in colours midnight muse and gumball green make a great combo, don't they? Remember that old rhyme "Blue and green should never be seen without another colour in between"? What a load of old cobblers!

Materials used:
  • stamps - Best Dad Ever, argyll wheel (retired)
  • card - midnight muse, gumball green, whisper white
  • other - rhinestones, silver brads, non SU chain, markers

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers
Kez

Edited to add: a couple of people have asked about a template for the box. I made enquiries and it was a purchased tutorial which is probably copyrighted. However, I found a very similar template and tutorial here that you might find useful.

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Hens and Chicks

Hi everyone! Today is the inaugural challenge for Color Me Beautiful and we have such a gorgeous palette for you use on your paper crafting project. Here are the inspiration picture and corresponding SU colours:


I chose to use wisteria wonder, perfect plum and basic grey for my card.


Materials used:
  • Stamps - Serene Silhouettes, Petite Pairs
  • Card - perfect plum, whisper white, basic grey, wisteria wonder patterns paper
  • Other - Apothecary Accents die, Labels Collection die, brayer, dimensionals, 1" circle punch, rhinestones, stamp-a-ma-jig, Square Lattice embossing folder, Big Shot

We would love it if you would join us for our very first challenge, so why not pop on over to the challenge blog here to see what the rest of the design team have to inspire you.

Thanks for calling in.

Cheers
Kez