Stamps Ahead

Here is layout I have created for Soul Scrappers current Tic Tac Toe challenge. On 8th December, 2015 I was in Vienna as part of a Trafalgar Christmas Market Tour.  This day was my birthday, we had a fantastic day touring Vienna and in the evening a meal and musical performance.  Trafalgar organized a cake for me at dinner with this enormous shooting candle - you can see my reaction in the top photo on my layout, boy did we laugh.  There was also a card signed by everyone on the tour given to me. Here is the Tic Tac Toe grid: I have selected - Red cardstock, sequins and doodle. I doddled - is that even a word! - extra hexagons, in two of the corners and added doddled dots.   A great way to celebrate a birthday.   Thank you for looking, Margaret :)

This morning, I lead a class at a local community group.   Here are the cards that I designed for them: Isn't this card too cute and doesn't it make you smile?   Made with Stampin'Up! set Hey, Chick.   The ladies used coloured pencils to colour their images today.  Suitable also for markers, crayons, watercolour techniques. This card uses 2 Kaszazz stamps - Contraption and Scrabble Background stamps.  Just right for the men in your life (this one is for my brother) and some of the ladies made for their female grandchildren and they turned out great as well.   Inspired by a card by Lucy Jones from Kaszazz. The inside of the card.  The ladies could personalise the greeting to suit and put in a greeting of choice.   So much fun with both cards. Thank you for looking, Margaret :)

I had these 3 mini coasters around in my crafting supplies for some time now.  Thinking of the upcoming fete I decided to get them out and apply coats of chalkboard paint to them and make mini chalkboards.   Here they are: I have packaged them up with suggestions of how they could be used.  Two of the trickiest parts were - waiting for the paint to dry between coats, just as well I am a patient person and then applying the chalk to the twine.   I went with the "red" double sided tape and wrapped the twine around the chalk.  They are so cute...don't  you think? I also found a star shape on a stick so I am doing that one now.  I think I am hooked on chalkboard paint and have lots of ideas running around in my head. Thank you for looking, remember Be Happy and Smile,  Margaret :)

Here is a layout I have created from a sketch at The Memory N est - Make it Monday No.82 Christmas Day lunch was at my sisters home, we invited 3 other friends to join us.   This photo is fun, as it captured me with my paper hat on but look to the left - I have just about the same pose of the Queen Elizabeth magnet attached to her wall! I have used papers and embellishments from Paper Flourishes September Kit and the clusters of ribbon and die cuts top and bottom were inspired by a layout idea that came with the kit.  It is all blue and sparkly - you can see the sequins glistening on this close up of the page. Here is the sketch from The Memory Nest. Thank you for looking.  I have more photos to get onto paper from our lunch, they will follow. Margaret

I have been making some craft items to sell at a local fete that will be on in a couple of weeks.   Firstly, some inspirational stones made using rub-ons from my stash.   After cleaning the stone and applying the rub-on I then do a quick spray with fixative.   Love the "Love" on top right - just the right stone. Then, I was in our local Kmart recently and saw these tiny acrylic bottles - what could I do with them I found myself thinking as I stood there - yes, just right for MESSAGES IN A BOTTLE.  Of course, I read the packaging and that is what they suggested, so there readers not an original idea!! I have printed out a warning advice - that these are not suitable for small children due to the smallness of the stones. See what I did with them. Too cute - I love them. I searched my 'stash' and found some long ago purchased Micro Beads, that were on special - of course, who doesn't like a bargain - they eventually come into use...

Breaking records with the heat here in Australia at present, yes today is hot, hot, hot again.  Here are two layouts I completed recently for some classes I am leading for a local community group.. Inspired by a layout by the August Paper Flourishes kit. The papers are from Kaisercraft.  I have adapted for a more heritage layout. I found the great quote on the internet.  And is that not what we are as scrapbookers, preserving for future generations.  The photo is of my grandparents in the front of their home in Asquith, New South Wales in I would say the early to mid 1950's. This bright and happy layout includes a photo of my friend, Mel and her kids taken at Buderim Rainforest Walk and Falls, last year.  We walked down to the falls and I must say it was a relief to spend a little bit of time in the coolness before we headed up again to the road.  The button on the left says "Never give up" and I didn't I pressed on and achieved one of the greate...