Monday, October 31, 2011

A Little Boo

Before the Troops event at the weekend, I'd had the chance to start on my Halloween cards. The first one I made for DD19 and then I started on one for DD13, fully intending to finish it off on Sunday which was supposed to be a free day. Life, however, got in the way and my poor DD13 ended up in hospital on Saturday night and had to have a minor operation on Sunday morning, so naturally there was no card making that day! When I wasn't at the hospital I was doing laundry and catching up on some sleep - boy, I really feel old when lack of sleep knocks me around this much, lol!

Anyways, with her safely home again now I managed to find time to complete her card - so I just made it in time for Halloween. Bright green is her fav colour and she requested some images from SU's Wicked Cool.

Here are my cards:



Materials used:
  • stamps - Greeting Card Kids, Wicked Cool
  • card - pumpkin pie, basic black, digital Halloween papers, purple card from stash, watercolour paper
  • other - black lace and Halloween ribbon from LSS, Cuttlebug Halloween dies and embossing folders, digital greeting, scallop circle punch, Hodgepodge Hardware, black brads, aquapainter, dimensionals

I didn't get all the decorations made that I wanted to, but we have got plenty of eye balls, body parts and skeleton pops to give out to Trick-or-Treaters!

Have a spooky Halloween and thanks for stopping by.

Cheers
Kez

Saturday, October 29, 2011

My Own Little Troopers

Well, today was such a busy and fun afternoon as we made 250 Christmas cards to send off to our troops in Afganistan, Iraq, etc. Here's a photo of my own "little troopers" who so happily gave their time and effort to do this small service for our Diggers:


We got our cards finished in less than 4 hours even though we took some time off for a scrumptious afternoon tea, so they all got an "early mark" - that's why they look so happy, LOL!

My thanks again to you all, ladies, and congrats to Jean and Jane who won raffle prizes. Have fun with all those goodies!

Cheers
Kez

Friday, October 28, 2011

Happy Christmas, Diggers

It's time for our annual Cards for the Troops event and tomorrow a dozen of my lovely customers and friends will help in making Christmas cards to send to defence force personnel serving in combat zones so that they have cards to send home to their families and loved ones.

We make 50 cards of each design, so my challenge is to make them easy to mass produce while using different stamp sets and ink pads so there's no competing for equipment! Here are the cards we're making this year:


A non-Christmas set that I thought made a lovely Xmas card - Creative Elements and a Verve sentiment stamp.

Materials used:
  • stamps - Creative Elements, non SU sentiment
  • card - cherry cobbler, very vanilla, garden green
  • inks - same as card
  • other - non SU dies

Such a beautiful set, this one, and I'm so sad it's no longer in the catalogue.

Materials used:
  • stamps - A Wish for Peace, Four the Holidays
  • card - very vanilla, crumb cake, soft suede
  • inks - same as card
  • other - sponge

Who said pink doesn't look good on a Christmas card? It does if you team it with kerry cobbler and chocolate chip!

Materials used:
  • stamps - Many Merry Messages, bauble stamp from Artee
  • card - pink pirouette, cherry cobbler, chocolate chip, whisper white
  • inks - chocolate chip, cherry cobbler 
  • other - decorative label punch, scallop trim border punch

One of my favourite new Xmas stamps - well, you know I can't resist a good image to watercolour! This one is coloured with watercolour crayons to make it quick and easy to work on.

Materials used:
  • stamps - Beautiful Season
  • card - old olive, whisper white, basic black, Jolly Holiday DSP (retired)
  • other - square punch, watercolour crayons, aquapainter

This one was cased but I don't know who from, sorry!


Materials used:
  • stamps - Lovely as a Tree, Dasher, Perfect Punches
  • card - bashful blue, early espresso, whisper white
  • inks - bashful blue, early espresso
  • other - 35 mm circle punch, scallop circle punch

It's always a fun day - what day making cards isn't fun? - but even more so knowing we are doing it for such a great cause.

Thanks for dropping in.

Cheers
Kez

Monday, October 24, 2011

Sailing the Ocean Blue

A double header for today's card; I've amalgamated the Just Add Ink sketch challenge with the Inkspirations colour challenge.



The colours are perfect for a masculine card and even more perfectly fit the colours of the papers I wanted to use. Here's my card:



The sails have been stamped twice and layered - little bit of fussy cutting, but not too bad and it makes me think of a ship in a bottle. I covered the anchor stamp with crystal effects after cutting it out, then tied some cherry cobbler baker's twine through. It took no time at all for the CE to dry in this heatwave we are having! Phew! Wouldn't mind an ocean voyage to cool off, lol.

Materials used:

  • stamps - The Open Sea
  • card - cherry cobbler, not quite navy, very vanilla, sahara sand, Nautical Expeditions DSP
  • other - crystal effects, bakers twine, dimensionals, non SU die, Big Shot, sponge daubers

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers
Kez

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Did You Hug a Kiwi Yesterday?

Did you know that yesterday was International Hug a Kiwi Day? The lovely ladies at my workshop all got a hug from this kiwi! Hi gals! I had so much fun and am looking forward to our next date.

We made this card yesterday which I cased from Kristin Moore with a couple of changes:


I had also made some other samples using Snow Swirled, as that is the set they were all keen to see:


Concord crush, whisper white and garden green for this one. I masked my holes, stamped the tree image, sponged and then sprayed with shimmer mist - click on the photo to see this closer.


Island indigo, whisper white and calypso coral look stunning for a non-traditional colour combo.

Thanks for dropping in today.

Cheers
Kez

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Teenage Funk

At the complete opposite end of the ambience spectrum to my last post is today's card, a teenage birthday. The mood took me for bright and funky, so I went with it - I don't create nearly enough teenage cards to keep up with all my daughters' friends!

I had been eyeing the Extreme Guitar stamp for quite a long time and was finally galvanised into action when it went on the retirement list, so here is my first card using both it and the Extreme Elements background set.


Materials used:
  • stamps - Extreme Elements, Extreme Guitar (retired)
  • card - tempting turquoise, whisper white, melon mambo, basic black, rich razzleberry
  • other - basic black craft ink, clear embossing powder, heat tool, basic black satin ribbon, lace ribbon border punch, dimensionals, dazzling diamonds, two way glue pen, square lattice EF, non SU circle dies

It's much more vibrant IRL, as you can imagine from those colours! DD13 loves it and claims she wouldn't want to give this one away to her friends, so I have to make some more exactly the same! As the sparkly stars were her idea and certainly help make the card "pop", I guess I might have to go along with that one, LOL!

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers
Kez

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Beau Elegance

Well, inspired by my Beau Chateau gift box, I have ventured once again into the realm of shabby chic and tried out my new Established Elegance set for the first time. Much trial and error went into this one as I left my comfort zone and there were some last minute additions which luckily didn't completely ruin the whole thing!


The front tag was sprayed with champagne shimmer mist, so it has a soft, subtle sparkle which looks nice IRL. I tried to cover up as many roosters as I could - roosters, for goodness' sakes?!!! - but still leave the other gorgeous details of the dsp to show through.

Materials used:
  • stamps - Established Elegance, Creative Elements
  • card - soft suede, marina mist, whisper white, Beau Chateau DSP
  • other - marina mist satin ribbon, pearls, Two Tags die, Big Shot, non SU flowers, Designer Frames EF, sponge daubers, dimensionals, shimmer paint

Hope you like it! Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers
Kez

Monday, October 10, 2011

Shabby Chic-tagstic

I've been wanting to do something with the divine Beau Chateau papers for a while now after seeing so many gorgeous creations out there in Blogland, so yesterday I "got my feet wet" with another small box made from the Two Tags die.

I really don't make punched flowers well, especially small ones, so I've resorted to using bought ones. Shameful I know, but at least this way they actually look like flowers, which they wouldn't if I'd made them! LOL

Here tis:




Materials used:

  • stamps - Tagtastic (hostess)
  • card - marina mist, very vanilla, Beau Chateau DSP, soft suede
  • other - bird punch, designer frames embossing folder, Big Shot, purchased paper flowers, two tags die, marina mist 1/8" taffeta ribbon, dimensionals, champagne shimmer mist

Thanks for calling in.

Cheers
Kez



Sunday, October 9, 2011

Boo-tiful Boxes

Note: This is my second post today. Scroll down to see my Sydney Regionals Workshop Wow Presentation.


The challenge at Just Add Ink this week is to just add a die cut, so I got started on my Halloween goodies. We always get a few local children coming to the door Trick or Treating and it's nice to have something fun to give them. Last year DD and I made mini milk carton Mummies, Frankensteins and Draculas (see post here) and this year there is no shortage of ideas to get inspiration from.

First up I've used the Box #2 die to make a holder for some spooky test tubes filled with mini M&Ms:


And here's a boxful of sour worms made from the Two Tags die:



The spider and bats are die cuts also.


Materials used:

  • stamps - Sweeter Treaters (retired)
  • card - elegant eggplant, cajun craze, basic black, whisper white, Frightful Sight DSP
  • dies - Two Tags, Box #2, spider and bats (non SU)
  • punches - 3/4" circle, 1" circle, 38 mm circle, scallop circle, decorative label
  • other - dimensionals, blender pen, sponge daubers, cobweb embossing folder (non SU), elegant eggplant brads

Now, I've just seen an adorable milk carton hexagon box with bat wings - might have to go and investigate that one! Thanks for dropping by.

Cheers
Kez

Sydney Regionals Workshop Wow

At last I have finally gotten around to re-creating the Workshop Wow card I left with SU and can now show you the projects I presented.

I called my presentation Five Great Tips for Happy Brayering and demonstrated basic brayering technique with a little bit of masking as well, for using on backgrounds.

My Five Great Tips are:

  1. Always begin with your lightest colour first (this saves you having to clean the brayer in between if you go from lightest to darkest)
  2. Hold on to your inkpad! (learnt that one from experience!)
  3. Roll your brayer in one direction ONLY when you are inking it up (gives a more even coating of ink)
  4. Check your inking is even (turn the rubber roller to make sure the ink is even all the way around, otherwise you'll get lines)
  5. Begin brayering a little above your piece of paper (again to avoid lines, roll a couple of times above the paper then move down)
Here's my first card made with a very simple brayered background:


Materials used:
  • stamps - Growing Green, Teeny Tiny Sentiments
  • card - pretty in pink, whisper white, certainly celery, wild wasabi, pink pirouette patterned paper, watercolour paper
  • inks - certainly celery, wild wasabi, pink pirouette, pretty in pink, black StazOn, Versamark
  • other - pretty in pink satin ribbon, square lattice embossing folder, bird punch, 1" circle punch, white embossing powder, dimensionals, brayer

Then I explained how to mask for a sun or moon and gave a quick demo of how to mask for hills or mountains. Here is the finished card for that sample:


Materials used:
  • stamps - Word Play, Inspired by Nature
  • card - tangerine tango, basic black, whisper white
  • inks - calypso coral, tangerine tango, black StazOn
  • other - post it notes, dimensionals, brayer

I had other samples on display, most of which have appeared on my blog already (just use my search facility for brayering), but here are some new cards I made for samples:


Materials used:
  • stamps - Upsy Daisy
  • card - wisteria wonder, concord crush, whisper white, concord crush patterned paper
  • inks - wisteria wonder, concord crush
  • other - post it note, dimensionals, 1 3/8" circle punch, brayer

And this one, inspired by Paula Dobson, where I've brayered on very vanilla for a change:


Materials used:
  • stamps - Autumn Days
  • card - early espresso, very vanilla, crumb cake
  • inks - crumb cake, soft suede, early espresso
  • other - 1 3/8" circle punch, post it notes, brayer

Brayering is like any new skill, you just have to practice tons! Play around and try out what works for you - but most of all, HAVE FUN!

Happy Brayering!

Cheers
Kez

Monday, October 3, 2011

And Another One

Still inspired by the gorgeous colours at this week's Just Add Ink challenge, I have made another card. Again the papers from Domestic Goddess gave me an idea and while DD13 was catching up on some sleep, I quickly made up my offering.

Here tis:


Materials used:

  • stamps - Peachy Tilda by Magnolia
  • card - crumb cake, whisper white, Domestic Goddess DSP, watercolour
  • other - dimensionals, computer and printer, aquapainter, markers

Reminds me of all the peaches we used to pick from our trees when I was a kid - so sweet and juicy! Wonderful memories.

Thanks for calling in.

Cheers
Kez

Sunday, October 2, 2011

A Long Time Coming

It has been quite a while since I made a card for a challenge, but this week the colours over at Just Add Ink really appealed and I decided I'd have a go. Here's the combo:


I love the new in colours and the opportunity to use them was one I couldn't pass up! I got out my Domestic Goddess papers for inspiration as they have pool party, calypso coral and whisper white. Once I saw the paper with the little flowers on, an idea came to mind and so my card was born.

Here tis:


DD19 (home for a few days from uni) saw it and said she absolutely loves it - so I'm thinking it might end up down in Melbourne. Very fitting sentiment for a uni student too ....

Materials used:
  • stamps - Up, Up and Away
  • card - crumb cake, calypso coral, whisper white, Domestic Goddess DSP
  • ink - pool party, calypso coral, basic black
  • other - cupcake punch, dimensionals, 1 3/4" circle punch

I hope you can see it OK - for quite apart from it being a cold, wet and dark day, I spent last night at the hospital with DD13 and got no sleep whatsoever, so my eyes aren't exactly reliable right now! And daylight savings started this morning (first time I've ever been awake at 2 am to see it change to 3 am!) so I've lost an hour as well! Off to bed with me for a while before I need to check on DD again.

Thanks for calling in.

Cheers
Kez

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Dispatches

Sympathy cards are by their very nature the most difficult to make I think. We all have trouble knowing what to say to someone who has lost a loved one. From my experience, it's not the actual words that are said that helps, but the knowledge that someone cares.

I don't like anything too gushy, so keep the sentiments on my cards simple and hope the recipient knows they come from the heart. For design you can't go wrong with nature, whether your card is for a man or woman.


(cased from Christine Z)

Materials used:
  • Stamps - Elements of Style, Thoughts and Prayers
  • Card - Baja breeze, whisper white, basic black
  • Other - non SU embossing folder, dimensionals, stamp-a-ma-jig


For this one I stamped the leaves on watercolour paper using the different coloured inks, then "smooshed" over them with a clean, wet aquapainter to add that little touch of watercoloured look to them. First time I've tried it and I like how it turned out, so I'll be sure to give that another go sometime.

Materials used:
  • stamps - French Foliage, Thoughts and Prayers
  • card - cajun craze, more mustard, early espresso, watercolour
  • inks - more mustard, cajun craze, cherry cobbler, tangerine tango, early espresso
  • other - dimensionals, aquapainter

Hope my Hatches, Matches and Dispatches have inspired you. Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers
Kez