Stamp Camp Creations

Today's cards are some of the goodies I was lucky enough to make at our Stamp Camp last weekend. First up is my entry for the "Mystery Box Challenge" Marelle set us as part of a Mastercrafter competition! I've used the gorgeous medallion, En Francais and A Rose is A Rose:

It was great at camp to get the chance to use some stamp sets that I don't own. Firstly I had a play with A Sense of Time, a set from one of our minis that is coming back in the new catalogue. Here I've used Soft Suede and Baja Breeze.

Then I cased a card by Lisa Young and liked it so much I made another in different colours:

For those I substituted Pocket Silhouettes for the herb one Lisa used.

Lastly I had a go with Build-a-Roo and cased this card from the new US catty:

Hope you've enjoyed those. I'll be back again soon with more goodies from camp.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers
Kez

Ornamental Part 2

Thanks for calling in today! I have some more things to show you from our Stamp Camp in the Hunter Valley. Here are a few more items from my presentation highlighting the versatility of the ornament punch that we hope will be in our new catalogue on 1st September.

Today's samples keep to the Christmas theme - firstly a simple card with other punches and the alphabet dies from the mini together with Baroque Motifs:

But you can also make other Christmas projects, such as this super cute elf peeking out from behind some presents (created by Andrea Walford):

The next two items are the ones that my team mates and their guests had the chance to make for themselves, firstly a Christmas cardinal using the bird punch (created by Lyn Pratt) and then a choral angel (created by Sandi MacIver):

More items and photos from Stamp Camp coming soon plus more Christmas items coming as I prepare for my second month of Stamp-a-Stack classes.

Cheers
Kez

Ornamental Part 1

Woohoo! Our SU team has just had a Stamp Camp in the Hunter Valley so I had a couple of days away doing some "craft therapy" with friends. We had a ball and I'll be sharing some of the goodies I made and maybe a photo or two.

I was asked to do one of the presentations and chose to showcase another punch in a similar way to what I did for our Autumn mini blog hop (see here if you missed it). We are all hopeful that the ORNAMENT PUNCH (which I am lucky enough to have) will make an appearance in our new catalogue in September, so I thought I would show some of the fun ways of using it that I have seen on many overseas blogs.

As you know, I am a sucker for cute critters, so I love these three cards. Firstly, an adorable love skunk:

So cute! That card was cased but I apologise for losing the name of the original artist. (Edited to add: I found it! Cased from Cindy Lawrence. Thanks Cindy!) Next are some friendly fish:

And another of Gretchen Barron's gorgeous Garden Giggles critters, this time Barnaby Bee:

The ornament punch also makes a great vase for flowers, including tulips made from the bird punch:

Acorns that grow into mighty oaks can also come from ornaments:

Babies in nappies are no problem for the ornament punch!

And there are a number of versions of roses or camellias made with this punch too. This one I have posted before, but it's worth another look:

I'll be back tomorrow with some more ways to use this great punch for Christmas themed items.

Cheers
Kez

I'll Be Back

Said in my best Arnie imitation! LOL!

Sorry folks, I've had a bit of an enforced break from blogging for a bit - combination of things:

1. busy preparing work for classes
2. busy preparing a presentation for our team's Stamp Camp this weekend
3. having a disabled hubby at home - he had a motorbike accident last week and has a broken shoulder and sprained hip and is therefore unable to walk.

So it's been all go and I've had no chance at all to "play"! But I will be back with a vengeance next week to show you my stamp camp presentation and whatever I manage to create while I am away.

Meanwhile, have yourself a great weekend and I'll see you next week!

Cheers
Kez

JAI colour challenge

I love the colours in the Just Add Ink challenge this week, but after seeing in the "flesh" Liam's gorgeous card (you can see it here on her blog), I was rather intimidated and not inclined to enter! However, I was browsing through splitcoast and a card there gave me the germ of an idea, so I have made an entry after all. Here are the colours:

I've used two (retired) old favourites - Floral background stamp and Rose Red patterned paper - with two new favs - All A Flutter and the Tags die from the mini. Here's my card:

I doesn't look quite as good as I imagined it in my head, but it will do. I like the vintage-y look to it.

Thanks for calling in, have a great day.

Cheers
Kez

Christmas Is Coming

Yes, it's THAT time again! Time for all good cardmaking peeps to start their Christmas cards!

Today is my first Christmas Card Stamp-a-Stack class and I have been busy making a whole host of designs to choose from. The two cards we are making today are very different to each other but both are simple and fun to make.

Firstly, a classic and elegant card using the beautiful Snow Swirled set in soft suede and very vanilla. The background is dry embossed and adhesive pearls have been added to the tree for that extra little touch.

The second card is a cute little number featuring some little snowmen from Window Dressing, a level 2 hostess set. Once again I've used Snow Swirled, this time the snowflakes in the background, and the sentiment is a non-SU set. Some puff paint snow adds a touch of whimsy!

Well, I'd best go hunt out some Xmas carols to play in the background at class! Ta ta!

Cheers
Kez

Asian Artistry

While I was rummaging around in my stash of papers, I came across some lovely vibrant Japanese papers that I've had for quite some time, so I decided to team them up with the Level 2 hostess set, Asian Artistry.

Here's the first one, with gorgeous tones of yellow, orange, red and purple:

For this one I stamped the flower in Versamark and gold embossed it, then coloured it in soft suede and tangerine tango using a blender pen.

The second features lush blue, burgundy and cream.

Once again I stamped and gold embossed, this time on to watercolour paper so I could get more control of the shading of the blue on the bird . I used brilliant blue - my first time ever using this colour, I think! - and added a touch of bravo burgundy. The sponging and matting is also bravo burgundy. The background of the card has been stamped with the sanded background stamp using gold ink. It doesn't show in the photo, but it gives fine ribbons of gold and when it catches the light it sparkles and looks lovely!

That's my Asian artistry for today; hope you like them! Thanks for calling in.

Cheers
Kez

Pleasant Pheasant

Today's card is one for the blokes using the totally gorgeous Autumn Days stamp set. It's one of those cards that ends up looking quite different to what you had in mind to start with and I think it's better than I first imagined, so that was a stroke of luck...ah, I mean genius!

What do you think of the stamping on the leaf shapes? Both my girls (yes, DD18 is home for the holidays, hooray!) like it, so I'm hopeful my vision wasn't just a freak of nature!!!

Anyways, thanks for dropping by. Have a good weekend and try to keep warm!

Cheers
Kez

You're A Star

My beginners were obviously feeling very adventurous after last month's class, as they requested a spiral card for this month. So today I've been designing what I hope is a very simple and straightforward spiral card! Inspired by a card of Teneale's, I've used punches so there isn't alot of cutting out and stuck to classic colours - night of navy, real red and whisper white. Take a look:

Here's the inside:

I also ran my classic stars jumbo wheel over some white and cut a few out to add some interest. And decided that the designers really should have made the stars on the wheel the same size as the punches to make my life easier! 

Anyways, hope they like it and don't have too much trouble making it - perhaps they won't be feeling quite so adventurous after this one, LOL!

We'll also be making two very simple cards - firstly this one using the sweet tea cup stamp from the Autumn mini called Share A Cup:

And the second card uses the totally gorgeous medallion stamp and alphabet dies (also from the mini) in Taken with Teal with Melon Mambo.

A bright and cheery card for an overcast, chilly day. My poor DD12 is off at District Athletics today, so I hope she is keeping warm! Thanks for calling in today. Enjoy your week.

Cheers
Kez

A Real Hum-Dinger

The colour challenge that Makeesha put up this week is a real hum-dinger! An excellent challenge cos it really gets you thinking about how to combine these colours successfully. Here are the colours:

I made a spiral card and guess what? Yup, it's that butterfly again! I hope you aren't totally sick of it by now - I'll give it a rest after this, I promise! Here's the front:

I thought that butterflies suited the sentiment so well; with their short life span, they have to make the most of what time they have. And here is the inside:

I used acetate for my spiral to try to make it as invisible as possible so that the butterflies would really look like they are fluttering around in mid air. Does it work? Would love to hear what you think!

All materials SU except border punch and acetate.

Thanks for calling in. Have a great weekend.

Cheers
Kez

Satin Wings

I couldn't help it.
I just had to do some more butterflies. There's something about flowers and butterflies, isn't there? So serene. Mother Nature is truly amazing.

First up I cased a lovely card by Kirsty Brown but changed the colours completely and added in All A Flutter. I wanted to use this colour combo before these colours are gone forever ... sniff! (It's OK. I'll be alright. Ta.) This is blush blossom, cameo coral and ruby red, with a touch of choc chip.

Then I just had to use Upsy Daisy to pair with AAF. In spite of all kinds of different ideas popping in my head, I fell back to my all time fav, brayering. Just love the effects you can make with this little rubber roller! Here I have used the colours from the JAI challenge a couple of weeks back, just for something a little different - taken with teal, elegant eggplant and melon mambo. Very vibrant..

There is a song about butterflies and love and I always think of it when I use this stamp, so I thought I'd try a wedding/engagement/anniversary card. I stuck with classic black and white and added kraft, soon to be renamed Cookie Crumb! and added the gorgeous medallion in the background.

Well, that's my butterfly obsession for today! Thanks for calling in.

 
Cheers
Kez

Hooked On That Butterfly

I couldn't resist making another card using the gorgeous butterfly from All A Flutter. This one is pretty much a case of Teneale's beautiful blue one we made at class a couple of weeks ago (see her post here) but I've used the Razzleberry/Orchid/Olive combo that is so popular.

I was in two minds about doing the inside, but then was pretty much forced to as I've got so many layers on the front (six layers!) that the card was very "front heavy" and inclined to fall over, LOL! So here's the inside of the card:

I left the middle area clear for the card to be written in. As you can see from the top photo, there are a number of layers to the butterflies. First I stamped them directly on to the white card (to get the antennae bit so I didn't have to cut them out!), then added a second layer that were coloured in and adhered flat, then a third layer (also coloured) which are just attached at the body so that the wings can sit up a little. It looks totally GORJUS in real life if I do say so myself!

I know my ladies will want to make this one as they dropped hints today about butterflies. Maybe next class if they are good, LOL!

Thanks for stopping by; hope you are having a great week and keeping warm.

Cheers

Kez

Inspired by Endings

I've been having a play with Inspired by Nature today and tried it in a couple of colour-ways.

Firstly I used Bordering Blue and Brocade Blue (both of which are being retired, sadly) with some Always Artichoke. I also felt compelled to add the gorgeous butterfly from All a Flutter - which I had resisted buying until I made some cards with it at Teneale's, and the rest, as they say, was history. Thanks Teneale! I used the plastic bag technique to add texture and I'm quite pleased with how it turned out.

I love this colour combo, it is so soft. I did, however, have to add an extra layer of Brocade Blue at the top of the flower as there wasn't enough contrast between the two shades.

Then I tried it in Bravo Burgundy (a colour I hardly ever use) with Regal Rose. I didn't do the texture on the leaves and stems, only on the flowers themselves.

The bottom layer of flowers - with just straight marker - didn't look too great, I must admit, and I wasn't very keen. But once the plastic bag texture was added to the top layer, it improved it no end, softening the colours and blending them together more, so I am happy with it in the end!

Sorry about dark photos - there's not much light left here now. Joys of winter.

Hope you have been inspired to create something today. Have a great weekend.

Cheers
Kez

Celebrating Cupcakes

I wanted to try something a little different with my Lana ladies class, so decided to make an Explosion Box, just a simple one - don't want to totally freak them out, LOL! (Hi gals!) I chose cupcakes as the theme cos, well let's face it, who doesn't love cupcakes? Plus I have a stamp set and a template for cupcakes, so hey, that was a no-brainer! And I likes them no brainers, LOL!

So here's the outside of the box, a simple 7 cm square. I used the adorable Tea Party papers (how perfect is that name, he he!) and the cupcake stamp from Party Hearty.

The sentiment on the top is from Sweet Little Sentiments, which if my memory serves me correctly (which it doesn't always these days, sigh!) is a hostess set.

Then you open up the box to find ....

... a 3D cupcake! This is made from a template by Hot Off The Press and I got it at my LSS. How cute is that?

Topped off with a flower from the Boho Blossoms punch and a brad to match, all completely fat free!

During the week I was honoured to receive the Swap Sisters Bonny Blog Award from Olga. Many thanks for the award Olga! You can check out the lovely work that Olga does here. The conditions of the award are:

1: Put the Swap Sisters Bonny Blog Award on your blog and/or within your post.
2: Share 5 things about yourself.
3: Pass the award onto 5 other Bonny Blogs.
4: Put links in your post of your 5 chosen Bonny Blog Winners.
5: Let them know they have been chosen to win the Swap Sisters Bonny Blog Award by leaving a comment on their blog.
6: PAY IT FORWARD and link the person from whom you received the Swap Sisters Bonny Blog Award.

So, here goes with 5 things about myself:

1. I was nearly born in a car, as my parents got a flat tyre on the way to the hospital to have me and my poor dad had his MIL in the back seat!
2. The only nuts I like are salted peanuts and cashews
3. I am very long sighted
4. I've been on TV twice
5. I love trivia, attend trivia nights once a month and have even run a trivia night fundraiser for juvenile diabetes

Now, to nominate 5 people for this award (in no particular order):

1. Liam Pucher (always amazing me with her talent for 3D creations)
2. Teneale Williams (who has influenced my own creative journey enormously and whose work I 99.9% adore)
3. Andrea Buckland (a lovely lady who creates simply beautiful things)
4. Robyn Irving (who, although she hasn't posted in WAY too long, is very creative and makes gorgeous projects)
5. Tui Nathan (fellow ex-pat Kiwi and talented crafter)

Do pop on over to their wonderful blogs and be inspired by these talented ladies.

Well, that's it from me! Hope you are having a terrific day; thanks for stopping by.

Cheers
Kez

My Cheeky Monkey

Today my baby turns 12 (going on 22! LOL!) and as I quite often tell her she is a cheeky monkey, this card I made at Teneale's class last night is just perfect! It uses the gorgeous little monkey from Fox and Friends, a new set in the Autumn mini catalogue. I did cheat a bit though and used a punch for the balloons instead of stamping them and having to cut them all out!

I also made her a couple of small fun monkey items - a bookmark and a pouch for an Itunes voucher.

And I even found a gift bag with a similar cheeky monkey on it, so how perfect was that? LOL!

We're having a family dinner tonight but one of her birthday gifts is a trip down to Melbourne next weekend to visit her big sister. They are going to do dinner and shopping and a show and generally have some great bonding time together, which I know they'll both enjoy. She gets to fly by herself for the first time and is even coming back Business Class so she is REALLY excited about that (and her dad is very jealous, LOL!).

Part of her present also includes these two items:

Yes, that's right, Green Galore, DD12's favourite SU colour and soon to be retired. Naturally, I am instructed to stock up well and truly before the end of August! And DD18's fav is Ballet Blue, so I'm stocking up on that one too. Have you started stocking up on your favourites that are leaving us? Trust me, you should get in soon and avoid the last minute rush!

Thanks for calling in. Hope you have a great day.

Cheers
Kez