Thursday 26 January 2012

Dessert

Ok, so it's not craft, but it is yummy!

I had this dessert the other night at the Sugar Room in Pyrmont.  Super yummy passionfruit pavlova with chantilly cream and fairy floss!
How good is that?  Now I don't normally photograph my food when I'm out to dinner - I was even a tad embarrassed - but it does look a little bit like a cute snow woman with a feather fascinator on her head, dont you think?!
Happy Australia Day - note the green & gold colour scheme of this picture.
Karen

Wednesday 25 January 2012

Mojo Monday 225

These are some of the freebies you can get during Sale-a-bration.   I am lovin' this paper, Everyday Enchantment.  It has lots of colours in it:  Lucky Limeade, Pool Party, Poppy Parade, Calypso Coral, Very Vanilla, Soft Suede & Peach Parfait.  This makes it incredibly versatile and very easy to embellish because you're bound to have something in at least one of those colours.
I really like the new Postage Punch as well.   It's part of Shelli's Signature Collection (say no more!) and is absolutely fabulous with the Pretty Postage stamp set.  Both products are in the Summer Mini Catalogue.  And to make Sale-a-bration even more attractive, there's a stamp set called Fresh Vintage that has another postage stamp in it.....ooooh I can hardly wait for my order to arrive.

I've also used Kindness Matters because the butterfly images work so well with the DSP.   I have Felicity Hawkins to thank for this today because I popped over to her blog before I started crafting.   You can also see a gorgeous card in this month's Aust Cardmaking, Stamping & Papercraft magazine by Felicity.  She really is a very talented lady.

Anyway, hope you're inside keeping dry.
Cheers
Karen

Tuesday 24 January 2012

Sale-a-bration 2012

What a lovely surprise to see a different product offering this year.  Previously it has all been about stamps (and I do love that!), but this year we've got Designer Series Paper, ribbon & brads as well.

You can go check out the brochure on the Stampin' Up! website here.

How gorgeous are these papers?   This is the pack you'll get for FREE with your product purchase - unless you choose stamps, ribbon & brads that is!  Well, yes, we are spoiled for choice.  But these papers are so delicious, I'm off to make a card with them right now!

Happy Sale-a-bration!

Oh, and if you place your order with me this week (before Jan 30) I'll also include a special little surprise from me to you!

Cheers
Karen

Friday 13 January 2012

Sneak Peek

Sale-a-bration 2012 is just over a week away and Stampin' Up! have outdone themselves with a lovely offering of goodies this year presented in a delightful new way.

Despite my determination to wait until the sales period, I managed to find this gorgeous Designer Series Paper in my last order....giggle.  Ummm, how did that happen?!

Here's a sneak peek:



I've used lots of In Colors to make these:  Poppy Parade, Calypso Coral, Peach Parfait, Pool Party.  And of course, one of my favourite neutrals, Soft Suede.   It seems that all our ribbons look lovely too, whether it's seam binding,


ruffled,


or lace.

These cards are for my special customers, so don't tell them that you've had a sneaky peaky!
Enjoy this Friday 13th.......hope it's not too weird!
Karen

Thursday 12 January 2012

Imagine the Possibilities

When it comes to using scraps, the possibilities are endless, as I'm finding out.

This card was unbelievably simple and all determined by the size of the top layer (Concord Crush).  I punched out circles with the 1 1/4" punch and layered them on top of eachother moving them around until I was happy with the look.  The faux stitching was an accident - the thread broke in the machine so I ended up with a nice row of holes!!  White gel pen to the rescue.

Tip:  Be careful starting a card in this fashion i.e. top layer first.  This card won't fit in a standard size envelope, so keep that in mind if you don't want to make an en-vy as well.

Happy Thursday.
Karen

Wednesday 11 January 2012

Thanks a Million

I think I've discovered the reason why I don't use enough scraps;   they're tucked out of the way in my craft studio.  Having them on the desk is far more sensible, although it does present a small space issue because the box is so big!!  But here's another card that is helping to use them up:



I can't claim the design.  It's one hundred per cent Stampin' Up!   No wonder I love it so much.   

Supplies used:
Stamp Sets:  Baroque Motifs & Word Play
Cardstock:  Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla & Cherry Cobbler
Ink:  Soft Suede, Crumb Cake & Cherry Cobbler
Punches:  Doily, Lace Ribbon, 1 3/4" Scallop circle, 1/2 & /4" circles.
Crochet thread & red button

I'm interested to know how you store your scraps & where they are in your craft space.  Leave me a comment!
Cheers
Karen

Sunday 8 January 2012

Sunday Scraps

It's an overcast and slightly rainy Sunday afternoon - perfect for using up more scraps!


This lot (of scraps) came from a box I keep that's full of unused cardmaking kits from classes (some over 3 years ago!).  I may be a hoarder?!  Anyway, I pulled out a kit which contained the Close to Cocoa base, Ruby Red layer, vanilla watercolour paper & a piece of Mellow Moss gingham ribbon.....now that's old!  The flourish (non SU) and the flowers were in the scrap shape drawer.   A small amount of stamping with the trusty Stamp-a-majig for good placement (I can't say perfect......look closer, I'm a bit sloppy today!) and some glitter glue completes the card.   The flowers are cut out from our long retired Haiku paper.

Happy Sunday.
Karen

Saturday 7 January 2012

Scrap to it!

Two days of this and I may have formed a habit?  Oh well, it's a productive one!



This card uses up some embossed cardstock that I'd previously made with the Stripes embossing folder.  Some of the design elements were necessary to cover flaws - there's a mark on the white cs under the butterfly and the embossed whitecs was a little crushed so I covered it with the butterfly negative.  Love that! 

The butterfly negative - or stencil, was created using scrap cs - yes! - and I embossed the cut out for added interested.  Using daubers, I added colour so the white cardstock, then turned the stencil over (so you don't see the messy inky edges) and attached it with dimensionals.  The flower brad makes a cute centrepiece.   

Supplies Used:
Stamp Set:  Curvy Verses
Cardstock:  Whisper White, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie
Ink:  Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie
Petals a Plenty & Stripes EBF & Beautiful Butterflies Die with Big Shot
Scallop Trim Border Punch
1/8" Taffeta Ribbon in Daffodil Delight

Have a lovely weekend!
Karen

Friday 6 January 2012

Getting into the groove....

Ok, so it's only been one day, but I'm feeling a tad proud about the whole "using the scraps up" thing.  Yes, I've done it again, with the exception of the card base - but that must mean that I've run out of large white scraps, right?!

I got the idea for the dress on SCS.   And there, in front of me in the scrap-shape drawer was a die cut perfect for a skirt.  Yep, it's from the Perfect Pennants die and I love Not Quite Navy so now all I have to find is a scrap of DSP in.......yes! Blueberry Crisp!   What a find.  The rest is, well, scraps!



The top is made using the Designer Label punch & it has that little cut out bit in the centre perfect for a waist line. 

I used the 1/2" circle punch for the neckline and attached some blue seed beeds with Crystal Effects. 


Supplies Used:
Stamp Set:  Short & Sweet
Cardstock: Whisper White, Not Quite Navy, Wild Wasabi textured
Ink:  Wild Wasabi
DSP: Blueberry Crisp (R)
Tulip Embossing Folder, Perfect Pennants Die & Big Shot
Designer Label Punch, Small Oval (Retired), Large Oval punch
Silver cord & seed beeds - non SU

Oh I could play all day!
Cheers
Karen

Thursday 5 January 2012

Without some discipline I will soon disappear under a pile of scrap paper & left over die cuts and punch shapes. It's not that I don't use my scrap bits and bobs, I certainly try, but somehow they seem to multiply in the dead of night while the craft room is empty......very mysterious!

When I made my Mojo card yesterday, I played around with a couple of things, as you do, until I came up with the finished project.  Naturally, my "extra" bits were piled on the table, and as I was about to sweep them into the scrap drawer a little voice yelled "Stop!"  Since they were all in the same colour scheme & looked quite nice together, my little voice told me to do something with them now.  So I did......



Absolutely everything is out of the scrap pile.  Even the card base.   I did have to do a bit of piecing together but you can't really tell so what the heck?

The punched circles and scallop circle came about by accident.  I punched the smaller circle first (Pool Party), then went back to the scrap piece, now with a hole in it and punched out the larger circle (Pool Pary ring).   The Very Vanilla scallop circle was made by punching out the 1 3/4" circle first then going back to the scrap piece with the hole in it to punch out the scallop which I offset slightly - just for fun!   I used Tombow multi adhesive to stick the hemp onto the ribbon because the bottle has a nice fine tip that you can easily use for small areas.

Supplies:
Stamp Set:  Teeny Tiny Sentiments
Cardstock:  Early Espresso, Very Vanilla, Pool Pary, Soft Suede, Crumb Cake & Metallic Gold
Ink:  Soft Suede
DSP:  Spice Cake
Punches:  Small Heart, 2 3/8" Scallop Circle, 1 3/4" Circle, 1 3/8" Circle
Pool Party Ruffled Ribbon & Hemp
Antique Brads

Hope you are somewhere crafting.
Karen

Wednesday 4 January 2012

Mojo Monday 222

My first project for 2012 is this weeks Mojo Monday.   I thought I'd take the opportunity to use more of my Spice Cake suite....still lovin' it!



I inked the main stamped image with More Mustard & then after fussy-cutting I coloured the small circles with a Pool Party marker.  The centre of the image is a smaller stamp from Spiced Paisly inked with Soft Suede & Pool Party marker.   The edges of the Very Vanilla cardstock for the sentiment & the large circle are sponged with Pear Pizzazz, as are the leaves. 

Supplies:
Stamp Set:  Spiced Paisley & Warmest Regards (long retired)
Cardstock:  Soft Suede Textured, Pear Pizzazz & Very Vanilla
Ink:  Soft Suede, More Mustard, Pool Party (marker) & Pear Pizzazz
Paper:  DSP Spice Cake
Punches:  1 3/4" circle, Blossom Petals Builder, 3/4" circle
Polka Dots embossing folder & Big Shot
Basic Jewels: Pearls
Linen Thread