Tuesday 31 March 2009

Double Embossing Engagement Card



I saw this great idea whilst checking out Split Coast today and just had to try it. Double embossing using the Cuttlebug folders. Yeah, Ok....It has been around, but I haven't really taken notice until today. It was interesting to try out and the results are actually really pretty! One thing I did do though, is to run the second embossing folder through the machine twice as I felt it wasn't distinct enough from the first pattern with just the one run through.

My card is a direct case of Susie B

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/1229879?what=keywords&si=engagement


in that I have used the same folders and added pearls to the design. I have changed the colour scheme, ribbons and how the sentiment was attached.

My I just had the worst time trying to upload that photo!

Monday 30 March 2009

Stamps By Judith Floral Hello

I so love playing with my Stamps by Judith stamps. Got a new lot in the mail last week. Seeing as I was seeing road lines in my sleep (with the endless trips to and from Mackay), I have not had a real chance to play with them....yet!

These ones I have had since I first saw her delightful interactive stumps being demoed at a stamping convention. The poor lass who was demoing them must have heartily become sick of my friends and I because we kept annoying her to do more, more, more...LOL!

All stamps used in this card apart from the wording are SBJ stamps. I used the bent leaf, the tiny flower and the dots to make up the card. I have no idea who manufactures the wording. I used Kaleidacolour Spectrum as my ink...Beautiful pads those. I thoroughly recommend ALL of them. The card is actually layered on to a white base...not that you can see it!

Saturday 28 March 2009

Best Blog Comment Award

It is really lovely to discover you have been bestowed such an award. I must thank Tenia

who is a very inspiring stamper. Tenia is one of those ladies I really admire. I call them superwomen in my head coz they seem to get so much achieved whilst trying to manage a whole host of other activities. Anyway, Tenia's blog is more than worth the visit!

I would like to bestow this award on a couple of ladies who are always so encouraging and who regularly comment on nearly every card I post (I always look and really enjoy reading the comments!) I cannot link you all...as I have quite a few lovelies who do comment regularly. Please don't be offended if I miss you this time.

Jennie http://stampawaytheday.blogspot.com/

Stephanie http://stephaniesstampinspot.blogspot.com/

Christyne http://handstampedfromtheheart.blogspot.com/

Dawn http://mystampingthyme.blogspot.com/

Joanne http://sleepyinseattlestamps.blogspot.com/

Yuki http://xiumaiyuki.blogspot.com/


Thursday 26 March 2009

Scor Pal Play


Good morning everyone,

Here's a deceptively simple card for the day. I had good intentions of posting once every day this week, but my goal has been shot in the foot...or, shall we say, knee. DH's knee is the size of a football, causing us to spend yesterday in town chasing its problem. We have to return at lunch today for more tests.

Anyway, back to my card. I was playing with my Scor-Pal this morning, scoring up some backgrounds for future use, as one does. There are some lovely things out there using this great product and I am so excited that a metric one will soon be available to me. I actually DON'T use it to score my base card, as our card dimensions are slightly different to the US. I do, however, use it for a myriad of other things...like scoring this simple background.

I also used it to create the frame around the image. I reckon it jazzes up the card just nicely. The colours are ever so bright and cheery. I took this photo with my new camera outside in the blazing sunlight...Cool, eh?

Materials
Stamps: Hero Arts LL229 A Great Big
Inks: (Hey not one whiff of StazOn!) Stampin Up Taken with Teal
Other: Stampin Up Ribbon Punch, Paper Flowers, Large and Small Brads, Unknown Ribbon Source, Clear Diamantes

Tuesday 24 March 2009

Paper Lantern Geishas


Evening everyone,

I have had a fine afternoon to myself, with DH having to attend an annual meeting. So, I revisited some of my Oriental stamps and played with the Paper Lantern Technique. The image is crimped after all the colouring is done. I think the crimping is a tad hard to see unless you click to enlarge the piccie.


Materials
Cardstock: Old Oriental pack from Way Back
Stamps: Stamp In Style Three Geishas
Inks: StayzOn Black, Archival Black
Other: Oriental Coin, Gold Cording, Paper Crimper, Prisma Pencils

Monday 23 March 2009

CAS 03

Good evening!
Hello everyone,

I would like to share my very first challenge piece (not including stuff we do within the Blogging Groups, of course!)

I decided to give the Clean and Simple Challenges a whirl. Thanks to Maria
for setting me along this path of creative encouragement! CAS makes you really think about your stamping and is a wonderful exercise in putting something together for maximum effect whilst using little material!

Beautiful cards can be achieved without zillions of layers. I believe I might visit with this challenge thread a fair bit in the future!

Materials
Stamps: Crafty Individuals CI148 Adele, Judikins Bolio
Inks: Colourbox Chalk Inks Creamy Brown & Dark Brown, Adirondack Cranberry, Encore Metallic Gold
Cardstock: Unknown Source
Other: Collections Stars, Unknown Ribbon Source

Sunday 22 March 2009

Previously Uninked Rubber



I was about to say good morning but glancing down at the time stamp on the computer says it is 12.11 on Sunday afternoon! Now where did THAT time go?

Ok, I had a little mission to use some uninked rubber for Sassy Stampers. I should not have opened that particular Pandora's box! I have so much
rubber I need to make friends with soonest!

Anyway, here is a cheerful, summery card. It still feels like summer here, though we began autumn on the 1st of March. The days are still very hot. I have my air con on. I can only imagine how hot the ladies were back when they had to wear all those layers and they had no air con. My hubby says we don't breed them tough anymore. I say...Thanks very much, I prefer now!

Materials
Stamps: Wording from Impression Obsession Summer Fun Plate, Image from Pink Cat Studio Beach 1 Plate
Inks: StazOn Black
Card: Bazzill
Other: Prismas 917,1033, 929, 927, 913, 1016, 1040, 994, 1009, Odourless Mineral Solvent, Cuttlebug and Embossing Folder, Nestabilities Dies, Unknown Ribbon.

Saturday 21 March 2009

Jennie Case

Evening all,
I have completed one of my tasks set by the Sassy Stampers Blog Group I am on.

I had to case a card from another in our group. After much deliberation, I chose to case Jennie's Pink Digital Girl which she posted on Thursday 12th March

http://stampawaytheday.blogspot.com/

Jennie does such lovely work and I was totally inspired by this card even though I do not have any MFT stamps myself. The paper piecing was lovely as was the simple but very effective embellishments!

This Whipper Snapper stamp I recently made into an acetate card, looks totally different here paper pieced!

I do hope you like it Jennie!

Stamps: Whipper Snapper MW592 Umbrella and Slicker
Cardstock: Bazzill
Inks:StazOn Black
Other: Prisma Pencils:- 943, 922, 923, 1040 and Odourless Mineral Solvent, DCWV Adhesive Paper Prints, Paper Flowers, Dimensional Magic, Liquid Pearls:- Petal Pink, Unknown Ribbon, Nestabilities Long Rectangle, Cuttlebug

Tuesday 17 March 2009

Chalked Scene

Evening everyone,
Not the world's best piccie here. Tried scanning and it wouldn't show up the pretty gradients of colour. This photo is a teeny better. It really does look pretty IRL. Maybe nightime photography is not on?

I have made the background using pastel chalks and stamped Stampscapes Lakescene over the top along with the birds also from Stampscapes. I also put some black card through the Cuttlebug, punched the frames from it and attached it to the main image using the orange brads.

The technique was something I taught a lady very new to stamping this morning. I wanted something really easy to achieve and which won't cost her an arm or a leg to repeat when she gets home. I think that the lesson went over very well.

Enjoy and have a good one!

Saturday 14 March 2009

Flowers anyone?

Evening everyone!
Simple and sweet. This is a very OLD PB stamp....I have had it for quite a while now. I do not get it out much as it is fairly intensive in work. It takes a jolly long time to colour in!

I have used Prisma pencils with Odourless Solvent to colour and added some Kindy Glitz to the centre of the opened flowers to add a bit of zing.

Hope you like it!

Friday 13 March 2009

Sundown in the Bush


Afternoon all!

I am still in the container of found UFO's. I brayered and stamped this image up whilst at Grace's House(waving to Gracie!) last year and it was duly lost until the other day! I love the way the brayering looks like the sun going down.

I am not really sure which Kaleidacolour pad I used and the stamp manufacturer is unknown to me too. The background stamp on the pink card is Lucy's Ageing Block 710LM (at least I know something, eh?)

I have raised the main image which looks much better IRL than having every part of the card flat. Isn't brayering a lovely way to infuse colour quickly into your artwork?

Thursday 12 March 2009

Serviette Rose

Afternoon ladies!

Here is another something I found whilst tidying! I had the serviette to the paper done but nothing else...Sad...so sad!

I had made the paper years ago and I am sure you will be able to see the texture if you click on the image! I have used Modge Podge to attach the rose serviette on the top of the paper and added a fine layer of Modge Podge on top of that to give it some real shine.

The only stamping with this card comes with the sentiment from Stampa Rosa C11-2320 which has been stamped with StazOn Saddle Brown. I tore the edges of the sentiment and layer to be in keeping with the main layer.I could go on a mission for a week or two to finish UFOs....How embarrassing to have so many!

Wednesday 11 March 2009

A Very Appropriate Card!


Good morning all....

Here is another acetate card. This one almost found itself chucked. It is now a top opening card. I messed it up by scoring the side crooked. Then I tried to cover that mistake up by tucking it into a strip of card and weaving ribbon up the side. Yuck! Total waste of time! So, then I cut the whole scored bit off and nearly had the underarm action towards the bin in motion when it hit me that I could try a top opener. AND here we are.

The image is a Whipper Snapper (MW592 Umbrella and Slicker)....I wasn't aware a raincoat was a slicker...You learn something every day! I coloured the image in Prisma Pencils and odourless Solvent and added Dimensional Magic to the raindrops, parts of the brolly and the ground puddle. Add a bit of ribbon top and bottom (the bottom one is threaded through the two little holes punch by SU, and add a line of pearls (by Kaiser) and it is all done!

I added exactly the same layout as the nesties on the front to the inside...now there is a challenge for you...Keeping everything perfectly lined up while you are taping the two parts of the card together!!! Inside has the wonderful verse from PB that reads...A misty morning does not signify a cloudy day.

Tuesday 10 March 2009

Checking In


Good morning everyone,

Well that nasty cyclone just whizzed on by without too much harm in our region. We are most thankful it stayed out to sea!!!!

Here is a card made last time I visited my friend Jackie (McGee). I love the layout of it as well as the "wedgewood" feel. I don't know if it was Jackie's original idea or if she found it somewhere else, so can go no further with acknowledgements.

The stamp used is from Lucy's Stamps. The ink is Colourbox Chalk Inks. The patterned paper is from an unknown source (found scraps).

Guess what I did yesterday????? All day yesterday????? I have so much "stuff"!!!! I cleaned and tidied my "dungeon" aka my stamping room. (Remember I was on a de-moulding mission....No mould in my stamping room because I keep it closed off in inclement weather, but wanted to give the whole house a once over!). I still have to go through the mounds of scrap card, paper and images and try and put them in some sort of order in the hopes I might use them one day. Order will mean a better chance that this will happen!

Tidying up your stuff is always good because you come across stuff you had totally forgotten about. Not a bad exercise in all. I spotted something I want to play with later and found the rest of my alphabet moulds I was missing.

Sunday 8 March 2009

Battening Down

Hi everyone,

We are on cyclone warning here today! A wonderful day ahead! I think this one will probably pass. (Hope so anyway, as it is now category 5, the worst!) We are all hoping like mad, that the destructive winds will be at a minimum! Our cane is already extremely wet and it will not take much wind to lodge it (make it fall over).

I am so lucky! I have been honoured with another blog award by Tangii http://www.tangiink.com/ . I have popped the award in my sidebar on the left.

I would like to direct you to some great blogs:

Nancy http://southernyankeecrafter.blogspot.com/ Nancy does some really lovely stuff
Michelle http://zindorf.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/ oh such yummy brayering and sponging!
Janette http://stampinwithstyle.blogspot.com/ scummilicious
Jami http://jami.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/ oh so interesting

There are so many out there that are fine blogs, but these will give a fine start on the eye candy!

Wonder if I can sneak off and stamp....Better plant the idea into hubby's head that he would love to read the day away!

Thursday 5 March 2009

Cockatoo Alert

Materials
Stamps: Print blocka SMJ10 Cockatoo, Hero Arts LP121 Bird Greetings
Inks: Adirondack Eggplant
Cardstock: Unknown, Basic Grey Papers
Other: Prisma Pencil 917, Piercing tools, Nestabilities Rectangles and Ovals Sets, White Gel Pen

Afternoon everyone,

Just a quick card today, as I am still in cleaning mode. I found a stash of Basic Grey papers and decided to use those. Very pretty shades of colour in Basic Grey stuff! I bought these papers over two years ago in Melbourne, so really they were in need of snipping! The cockatoo stamp is one of my oldest. Cockatoos are all white except for the feathers on their head. A raucous bird but I like them! (Better than the noisy little kookaburras who sit on the electricity wires before dawn to entertain us!)

Wednesday 4 March 2009

Celebrate the Day



Hi everyone,

I am sharing a card made a while ago with you tonight as I have not been stamping the last couple of days. I have, however, been gainfully occupied de-moulding our house now it has stopped raining! I am so over cleaning...but not even half way through! So wish I had a cleaning lady....oh that's right, momentarily forgot I am not rich enough for a cleaning lady...drats, drats, drats! Where IS that winning Lotto ticket when you need it?

Hero Arts stamps have been used throughout and also the fastenater! Lovely little toy, that one! Simple brayering (Kaleidacolour) with the image stamped twice, ending up with the middle bit raised. Diamantes adorn the floral border.

Hope you are all having a grand week!

Please Vote in Our Challenge

It would be lovely, if you have the time, to come on over and vote in our current challenge. The link is here http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=r3FoHiBqy9a4_2fgsqatTsGA_3d_3d . It would be great if we had lots of people from outside our group give their opinion.

Thanks for that!
Michelle

Sunday 1 March 2009

Blog Award




Hi there,

My apologies to Carisa http://ladyguineveresinkyfaeries.blogspot.com/ and also to Susan http://susansstampingblog.blogspot.com/ in taking so long to attend to the lovely honour bestowed upon me! Both ladies so kindly thought of this award for me!!! How lucky is that? I could say I am slack...and that would be part of it, I guess....but many other factors have come in to play as well. However, now I am fixing this up!

So here's how it works:
1. The winner may put the logo on their blog. Tick
2. Put a link to the person who sent you the award. Tick
3. Nominate 5 blogs. Tick
4. Put links to their blogs. Tick
5. Leave a message for your nominees. Tick

Here are the blogs I nominate in no particular order (hard to choose just 5):
1. Michelle http://sassy-n-sweet.blogspot.com/ I know it is a new blog but I think Michelle is a lovely stamper!
2. Louise http://www.punknscrap.com/ who lives across the ditch always has something pretty to gander at.
3.Becky http://www.sketchandstashchallenge.blogspot.com/ looks like a sketch blog that may be good to keep as a reference.
4.Linda http://lindaduke.typepad.com/ excellent in helping to learn to colour
5.Ilina http://ilinacrouse.blogspot.com/ always gorgeous work from Ilina. I don't know how she manages with all the study and being married as well! Hat's off to this young lady!

Sassy Stampers Acetate Challenge

Materials
Stamps: Inkadinkado 97633 Floral Flourishes, Darkroom Door DDRS004 Full Bloom Vol 2
Inks: StazOn Opaque Butter Cream
Cardstock: Generic White Card, Liz Zed Marbled Paper
Other: Acetate, Cream Brads, Cream Grosgrain, Crop o Dile

This card was made for the Sassy Stampers challenge. The base of the card is fully acetate. I have lined the inside with marbled paper and white generic cardstock. I scored half an inch in on the acetate and the marbled paper so the card would open freely to the white card where a sentiment can be placed.

I love stamping on acetate, especially with the StazOn Opaque inks. They are just so divine!....Not to mention, easy peasy!!!! Hope you like this card and come along to vote tomorrow! I will post a link to where you can see our efforts with acetate. It will be worth a look see, I am sure!