Monday, February 9, 2015

Sandy Toes Challenge.

I saw a challenge on Michelle Grant's facebook group to use certain items....stapler, glitter, decorative scissors, clay, eyelets, and gloss varnish and I also had a sketch from the Mackay Project Lifers to do something with as well, so I combined the two.
  Unfortunately I couldn't use the clay, gloss varnish or the decorative scissors on this card.

The rope paper from Kaisercraft Sandy Toes 6 x 6 paper pad was perfect for what I had in mind - a male, distressed, boat card.
The base is Kraft card stock with a layer of Island Indigo.  All the edges have been sponged with Island Indigo.  This range of paper has a 12 x 12 piece filled with 3x4 images so I used a blank one with an anchor to tie in with the them.  I stamped the ship onto it in Black Archival Ink. Then the scalloped border was added and the banner piece after that.  The eyelet went through all the layers so it was good and sturdy.  The banner looked a bit bare so I stamped the Happy Birthday on it towards the bottom.   To use the stapler, I pushed in a tab collectable and stamped the word storm onto it.
  
Because the rope reminded me of a big cargo ship, I stamped some label stamps onto the side and added a compass point and north to the bottom.  Then to give the look of salt encrusted rope, I drenched the whole card in Distress Clear Rock Candy Stickles.   The bottom photo shows the look I wanted.
String has been tied around the top and to the anchor collectable and through the jumbo eyelet.  To finish off, I added the charms.
The stamps I used came from a set by Marianne Design called Eline's Beach House.  Love these stamps and being acrylic, I could stamp them a bit blurry to imitate the look of stamped wooden crates.

I don't know if I've explained it all very well but I'm very happy with the resulting card.
Have a very happy Monday everyone.
 

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Salty Toes Case.

While doing my search for ideas using the Kaisercraft Salty Toes range of papers I came across some fabulous cards.  Well I couldn't help myself.  I had to case them.  This is one the I just absolutely loved. I did add an extra layer to my card and inked the edges with Lost Lagoon and Gathered Twigs inks.
The bits and pieces to make this card are all Kaisercraft except the base layer of Naturals White and Lost Lagoon card stock by SU.  I used the sticker sheet, collectables, 6 x 6 paper pad and a couple of Kaisercraft mini blooms.  Many thanks to Alison Bevis on the Kaisercraft design team for her fabulous card.

This range of papers I believe has been hugely popular and really it's not surprising, it's just perfect.

A very big happy birthday to my friend Jean whose birthday it is today!!!

Thanks for visiting today.
 

Saturday, February 7, 2015

Life Is Better In The Summer!!

I have been playing with Kaisercraft's paper range called Sandy Toes.  Love it.   After making two cards, I had some scraps.  I looked at the Deconstructed Sketch #187 and the scraps seemed to fit it perfectly.  So off I went.   The card base is Kraft oops sorry Crumb Cake with a layer of Lost Lagoon which is the perfect colour match to these papers. I added some neutral mesh and a piece of Kaisercraft string for some added interest.  The thongs, starfish, shell and "take me to the beach" are out of the matching collectables.  The sequins and Relax flair are from a package of sea themed goodies from D-lish Scraps.
I mounted the Life is better in the summer oval which is out of the 6 x 6 paper pad onto a scallop die cut out of Lost Lagoon card stock.  All the edges have been sponged with Lost Lagoon.
I think that's it.   I'm really happy with the way this card turned out.  It certainly came together easily.

My next class is a week away so I had better start designing and prepping cards.  I'm trying to keep my life uncluttered this year.  June to the end of last year (2014) was absolutely ridiculous.  I was doing far too much and running myself ragged.  This year I decided to do something for me....in the exercise line.  There was an advertisement for Deep Water Running at the Sarina pool.  So I went for the first lesson on the 13th January.  Well I haven't missed a lesson since.  The classes are twice a week now, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and I love it.  The pool is local to me, Sarina is only 15/20 mins drive from Koumala.  Usually things are held in Mackay which is 40 miles away..one way and it's not really feasible petrol wise to be travelling in there twice a week.   I'm doing a bit of walking too and I know I've lost weight.  It definitely feels good to be a bit lighter. lol

Thanks for visiting today.
 

Saturday, January 31, 2015

Mr & Mrs

Well it's a Saturday morning here.   Today is Queensland State Election day.  So I have voted and now have the rest of the day to myself.
Yesterday was my card class in Mackay with my five ladies.   Joyce needs a few wedding cards to have in stock so I cased the card that is in the current occasions mini catalogue.  I added an extra layer of Sahara Sand underneath the vellum.  In real the colours of the flowers are a better match to the blushing bride card stock than is showing in this photograph.  I also substituted white bakers twine for the silver and natural one used on the sample card.
The Something Lacy background stamp is stamps and embosses beautifully.  The sentiment is from the stamp set For The New Two which also stamps and embosses well.
Well that's it from me today.
Have a good one. 
 

Monday, January 26, 2015

Australia Day And A Tractor


Good morning.  Here in Australia we are celebrating Australia Day.   It also happens to be my Dad's birthday.  He's very happy with his $50 gift voucher from Tackle World and the card that I gave him which was that last one the ladies made on Saturday in their class.

I saw a card on pinterest that used a fabulous sketch, simple but effective for a male card.
I wanted to use a new stamp from Deep Red called Rusty Tractor.  So I mixed some retired SU papers called Parker's Patterns with Botanical Gazette, added some linen thread, metal bits and bobs and die cut gears....voila....a card that the ladies really liked.  
The metal pieces and die cut pieces were given a rusty look using Copper Gilders Paste by Baroque Art.  Absolutely fabulous stuff.  Love it.  Works a treat on metal and card stock.
I embossed the Not Quite Navy panel with a gears embossing folder and added three screw head brads.  There isn't a greeting on this card because I wanted the ladies to be able to use it for occasions other than birthdays.

Dad looked at the tractor image and said it was a Fordson Major.  I said fair dinkum, I didn't know what sort of tractor it was but that I knew he had never owned one.  He said no, but he'd driven on one that had been converted to rubber tyres.  This particular tractor was used to load the cane onto the lift at Ilbilbie.  It had a wooden platform at the back and standing on that you could operate the clutch and gears.  
It's good to hear some of Dad's memories from time to time especially as he doesn't talk about the past much.  He's always said that it's gone and better get on with things now. 

Have a wonderful day everyone. 
 

Friday, January 23, 2015

Blue Vintage Springtime

Good morning all.
Here is the next card the ladies will be making on Saturday in their class.  I wanted to use up some of these Vintage Springtime papers which Stampin' Up put out some years ago.  I love them and bought a few packs, but it's time to start using them. lol   I chose the blue papers to make this card which is a case of LeAnne's card here.
Base card is cream linen card stock with the next layer being Baja Breeze which is retired and a great pity.  The pleated ribbon is also SU Baja Breeze.  Among my collection of stamps is a butterfly set by Stamp It.  I purchased these stamps years ago and mounted them but only ever used one.  So out it came and I stamped the greeting with Not Quite Navy ink (yep also retired - sigh) on card stock weight vellum.  This was left to dry overnight to make sure it wouldn't smudge.
  
The large butterfly was done with a base of Baja Breeze stamped with a lace background stamp then die cut.  The top layer of the wings was die cut then embossed using Stampendous Frantage Shabby Blue Embossing Enamel.  I love the colours in this range of enamels....beautiful and vintagey.  I was going to add a sprinkling of enamel to the vellum panel but decided against it. A shabby rose completed the look I wanted.  Another couple of die cut butterflies layered with a pearl and the card was finished.
The whole card came together very well and I'm very happy with the end result.
Many thanks to Jean for her valuable assistance.

We've had lots of rain here and everything is beautiful and green.  Love it.   I was in Mackay yesterday and the rain absolutely bucketed down.  By the time I had finished getting the groceries to the car, I was saturated.  Oh well, the joys of living in the tropics.  lol
Have a wonderful day everyone.
 

Sunday, January 18, 2015

Welcome 2015!!!!

Well I had no idea it was so long since my last post.   The end of 2014 was an extremely busy one for me, consequently, my blog was neglected.  I was still making cards, doing card classes and all the thousand and one things that one does leading up to Christmas.

My first class starts on 24th January with 7 ladies.  So to keep in line with my resolution this year (at this stage anyway), I'm prepping early.  This is one of the cards the ladies will make.  

I saw this card on Chat's blog and had a light bulb moment.   It was perfect for my dilemma.  I have one lady in my class who wants to do a 50th Wedding Anniversary card, one who is happy to do wedding cards and the others who aren't!!!   So I decided to case Chat's card and change the papers, colours and greeting.

All the products are Stampin' Up except the doiley and greeting.  For the anniversary card, there is an extra tag with 50 on it to hang with the other greeting.  I'm happy with the way the card has turned out and I feel it can be used for a number of occasions, not necessarily wedding and anniversary.

Thanks for visiting and many apologies for the long absence.