Easter goodies

Ah, the bunny has been and gone, the waistline is a little extended, but the boxes that the goodies came in remain!

These were gifts to me and my girls made by my friend Susie - you can check out her other gorgeous creations at http://paperalchemy-susie.blogspot.com/

Aren't they adorable?   I love the beaded flowers on the pink spotty boxes, and those little padded fabric flowers are so cute.  They look like miniature pin cushions!  Thanks Susie!

Hope you're warm and dry today - and possible crafting too!
Cheers
Karen

SplitCoast Sketch Challenge

Since I'm on a challenge roll. here's a sketch challenge from split coast.

Shimmer paint added to flower petals with sponge dauber

I saw this as a great opportunity to use up some retired DSP from a pack called Tea Party.   I LOVE the colours in this paper, and it's one of those designs where all the patterns seem to combine extremely well. 

I had one more paper flower left over so I used it with some die cut leaves and the Big Shot - Sizzlits Little Leaves.

The greeting is from Occasional Greetings and I've punched it out using the new Decorative Label punch in the Autumn-Winter mini catty. The spiral border punch adds a nice simple detail to the bottom layer of DSP.

Hope you like it!

Cheers
Karen

SplitCoast Colour Challenge

The requirement of this SCS challenge was to use Concord Crush, Crumb Cake & Ivory. Colour challenges are great because they give you a starting point, in much the same way as a sketch challenge.   When you look around your craft space, or at your supplies, don't you get overwhelmed by the amount of choice you have?   I certainly do.  So challenges suit me down to the ground.  Basically, you get the parameters of the challenge to "jump off" from then you can create your own unique piece of work.

Ok, so I've been wanting to craft for crafts sake - and here's one of the results:

I'm afraid my photo doesn't really do the card justice.  The base is Very Vanilla (my version of Ivory!), the Top Note die was cut using.......ta da......brown packing paper (my crumb cake), then I've used Concord Crush cardstock and DSP.   The ribbon is Concord Crush.   I've spritzed the whole thing with Concord Crush marker.  The scallop shapes are in Very Vanilla and Concord Crush and both from the 2 3/8" punch layered together.  The pearls are from the basic jewels range.

Tip:  when making paper flowers decide how open you want the petals to be before you put your brad in the centre.  If you're going for a tighter closed flower you can use a plain brad because it will be covered up rather than using your gorgeous (and more expensive) rhinestone brads.

Happy Easter.   Hope the bunny stopped by your place today.
Karen

Mojo Monday 187

I feel like I'm chasing my tail a bit at the moment.  I'm certainly not sitting down to craft for crafts sake enough right now!  How can I change this....well, there's all those hours between midnight and 6am if I forgo sleep!!

Anyway, this week I managed to kill two birds with one stone when I used the Mojo Monday sketch as the basis for a card I demonstrated.   Here it is:

The sketch (I love it because it's fairly simple)

And my card:

Yes, more paper flowers - how many of these can you have?!  Well, when it's a technique you're demonstrating you have a lot of extras, so what better way to use them up?

Supplies used:
Stamp set - Teeny Tiny Sentiments
Cardstock - Choc Chip, Whisper White, Marina Mist
Paper - Greenhouse Gala DSP, brown packing paper
Punches - 2 3/8" scallop circle, modern label punch, scallop trim border
Rhinestone brad, choc chip 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, Big Shot & polka dot embossing folder, choc chip Stampin' Write marker, Silver Smooch Spritz

Hope you find your Mojo today!
Karen

Paper Flowers

Funny how things come about isn't it?  I was wanting a way to use all the brown packing paper that comes with Stampin' Up!'s orders, and while googling, as we do, I came across an idea that Valita Reynolds had done.  Using the brown paper to make these lovely flowers is such a good idea that I doubt I'll ever have an overstock again as everyone is now asking me to save some paper for them!!

We did these flowers in class this week along with a cute easter basket.   Thought I'd share them here with you.

Paper Flower "swiped" across Pumpkin Pie Classic Ink

Paper flower spritzed with Cherry Cobbler

Paper Flower sprayed with Silver Smooch Spritz

All the cards use Greenhouse Gala - what a lovely versatile DSP that's proving to be.  I wasn't at all inspired by it in the catty, but as soon as I opened it and saw how bright and cheery it was, I knew it would be a favourite.

Tip:  If you don't have ribbon in a particular colour, substitute DSP and pleat it like I did in the sample with the spritzed cherry cobbler flower.  The DSP is Greenhouse Gala and I've used a piece of Baja Breeze that has a fine line image over it.  I cut the strip to about 12mm x 30mm and pleated it until I got the width I needed.  I then wrapped 3 pieces of linen thread over it and tucked it round the back before mounting onto the piece of DSP on the card front.

Thanks for looking!   Happy Good Friday.
Karen

Mojo Monday 185

I've missed the last couple of Mojo's so I was pleased to be able to do this weeks.

Supplies used:
Stamp Set - Teeny Tiny Sentiments
Cardstock - Whisper White & Pear Pizzazz
DSP - Greenhouse Gala
Ribbon - Pumpkin Pie & Daffodil Delight
Rhinestone jewels & brad
Embossing folder - Vintage Wallpaper.
1' circle punch.

Enjoy the rest of your day.
Karen

Banner

I wanted to try out a wavy blade on my rotary cutter today so this is what I made:

If you are a regular to my blog you may know that I aspire to one day finding time to scrapbook as well as make cards and stuff.  The wavy blade is great for borders so maybe I've moved closer to scrapbooking aferall!  

Supplies:
Urban Garden DSP (R)
Not Quite Navy, Baja Breeze & Kiwi Kiss (R) cardstock
Scallop Circle Die & Big Shot
Large Flower Punch
Three Flower Punch - this is an SU one prior to the Boho Blossoms.  I don't remember it's proper name.
To cut the pictures out, I used a template to trace the shape and then hand cut it out.  A braver person would use the Circle Scissor Plus but I didn't have any spare pics and I've not quite perfected that skill yet! 

Anyway, I like the results.  Hope you do too.

Till next time
Karen

Another Bag

Rummaging through my stash I found a few more felt flowers from the other colour range - I think it was Choc Chip, Baja Breeze & Pretty in Pink.

This time I used Circle Circus for the stamps.  Doesn't it stamp nicely on fabric?   So cute, I'm loving playing with these and now I think I may have to go buy some felt and cut out my own flowers with the Big Shot.

Watch this space!

Thanks for looking.  And have a crafty day.
Karen

Crafty Saturday

Yesterday I decided I was just going to play with my craft things.  Ha!  Firstly, my space was a tad messy so I had to clean it up....couldn't-see-the-table type of messy.   I'm sure that NEVER happens to you.  In clearing everything away I discovered a pile of paperwork that needed attention, then there was the new mini catalogue to get onto my blog, then the computer froze.....and on it went.

After HOURS of doing "stuff", I finally managed to have some play time.   And the results were well worth it.  I solved my Convention swap dilemma first of all - sorry, I can't show you those just yet.  They'll be a surprise for....well, Convention!  I can tell you that they are gorgeous, simple and very pretty, and I've used something I've never used before.  You'll get a pic next month, after Convention.....only 6 weeks away.  As a side note, if you want to come along as my guest, I'd love you to.  It's 3 days of super-duper crafting and this year we'll be in Melbourne, so there's shopping, and coffee, and food and and and....
Anywho, what I can show you is this adorable bag.  I saw this in an SU mag called On Stage back a few years now.  The demonstrator's name was Abbie Stinson.  I remember being totally impressed with her idea and wanting to get started on making it straight away, so I rushed out, bought the canvas bags and checked to make sure I had all the felt flowers etc etc.  Then life got in the way, and bam, fast forward to 2011!  Anyway, better late than never.  

Decorated Canvas Bag

I'm so inspired by my first effort that I want to make some more.   And if anyone is talking to Shelli, please beg her to bring the Felt Flower Fusion back.  It is my favourite embellishment of all time and I'd like them in all SU colours please!!

Supplies:
Canvas Bag - non SU
Stamp Sets:  Petal Pizzazz, Priceless
Ink:  Old Olive, Rose Red, Pumpkin Pie
Ribbon:  Rose Red Double Stitched, Old Olive Satin
Buttons

Tip:  Before starting a project like this, make a rough draft on your SU Grid Paper - you can do it actual size and completely set it up so you don't mess up the design on the bag.  To stamp on canvas it helps to put something heavy inside the bag like a large book or piece of sturdy card.

Happy Sunday. 
Karen

One stamp, two step stamping!

Say that 5 times really quickly!    No, I mean stamp that, but not 5 times, just twice!!  Okay, enough being silly.  What I want to share is some cards I made using a shadow technique.   If you're a regular to my blog and website you'll know that that is the theme of our classes this week.   So if you like these cards, come along and make two others (not pictured), in my fun class next Weds evening.

Strength & Hope Stamp Set

Crumpled Newsprint DSP with Bravo Burgundy Ink swiped across the top

Strength & Hope Stamp Set with En Francais & sponged edges

I hope you find some time to craft today!

Karen