Stamps Ahead

Both my sister and I forgot to take a photo of ourselves on Christmas Day - oops.  I did however take some photos of the table I set for our lunch. Here is layout: I was inspired by a challenge over at Scrappingclearly Share & Inspire Facebook group where the December Mood Board above was the inspiration.  I took inspiration from the wreath and gold of the stars. Another inspiration was Creative Scrapbook Magazine (again, a Facebook group) where there was a fantastic video by Kerry Engel where she created a wreath using completely different stamps etc, but I loved the idea so tried my hand at doing a wreath layout. Hope you have liked my attempts.  Margaret. Just in ---- It is so hot here in NSW, Australia at present - this has been circulated on Facebook - so true:

A layout I completed today, using papers I had already out from previous post. This is a photo of my sister walking along Black Head Beach near Forster in NSW.  It was an overcast day and so beach was not seen in all its glory, but it had the most fantastic tidal area where the rocks were exposed. For this layout I have used Dylusions Spray Periwinkle Blue - sprayed to top of white cardstock and then held up to all the drips to fall - I also sprayed water to enable quicker fall and to dilute some of the spray. When it was dry turned it on its side. I wanted to lighten the effect of the blue on left hand side so using Dylusions Paint White Linen and Bubble Background stamp randomly stamped. I also used the left over paint on my mat to stamp the #moments onto black CS. Papers and arrow embellishment are from the Distress Surfaces range and of course all supplies are available from Kaszazz.  Yes, I am a consultant and I love the products available. Thank you for looking. Margaret

Here is a layout I have created for a challenge over at Soul Scrappers .   This time it was a Pick 3 challenge but first my layout: The photos were taken at a team weekend away, in September, for the Kaszazz team of which I am a part of. Lucy our team leader was not in these photos as she was behind the camera. We stayed in a townhouse in Toukley on the shores of Tuggerah Lakes, north of where I live.  On seeing all the seaweed on the beach in front of the townhouse the idea was struck to create Kaszazz on the sand with the seaweed. And then there was an idea to have us create the letters of Kaszazz - well that created much laughter as we just could not seem to get it just right! This clean and simple layout uses all products available from Kaszazz. Yes, I am a consultant. Thank you for looking, I hope to get more time in next few weeks to complete more scrapbook layouts. Margaret :)

Last Sunday, I went for a walk along the beach that is just up the road from me.  I was having morning tea at the beach café when I saw Santa coming onto the beach (from a surfboard I believe), I quickly grabbed my camera, of course!  Here is the layout I have completed: I am adding this to a Tic Tac Toe challenge over at Soul Scrappers , here is the grid we were given. I selected the left hand column. This Santa arriving reminded me of a Christmas that I had in Hawaii a couple of  years ago.  One of the highlights was seeing their Santa arrive, by inflatable lifeboat, and the faces and smiles of all the young kids and the not so young. Thank you for looking, Margaret

In just over 4 weeks my sister and I are off on a scrapbooking cruise to New Zealand.  Check out Unmistakable Creations to see what cruises Melissa has coming up in the next couple of  years. As part of the cruise we are encouraged to make Artist Trading Cards (ATC's) to be given to each member of the group that is scrapbooking. I have been playing with magic creating my backgrounds. Here are a couple work in progress cards - I wanted to show you the technique only at this stage-come back later to see final results. How did I get to this stage? What did I use?  I list supplies below. Glossy paper (I also tried with regular white cardstock - the results not as vivid but still worked) Tim Holtz Distress Oxides - wild honey, cracked pistachio, wilted violet, peacock feathers (of course  you could you any of the Distress Oxides - love them all so hard to choose) Ranger Distress Micro Glaze Mini Ink Blending Tool and applicator Paper towel This first technique is 

Here is another layout for a challenge called Scraplift Sunday over at Paper Issues (Friends and Fans) on facebook why not visit them and play along with their great challenges. Here is my lift: The photos are of me with my great-nephew Oscar born this year.  In July, I travelled down to the South Coast of New South Wales to visit with him and my niece - the new star in our family. You see my hand and his in the top photo. I have used Tim Holtz idea-ology Big Chat stickers.  I raided my stash to find paper and embellishments. Here is the layout by Kat that we were to be inspired by: Thank you for looking.  Margaret

Time to spend now on some scrapbook challenges.  This layout was for a challenge over at Paper Issues (Friends and Fans) - check them out on facebook. The challenge - We WANT you to put Baby (and everything on your page) in the corner. Focus on all 4 (or one (lol) corners of your project and keep the centre clear!   Here is my layout: The photos, taken Boxing Day 2017,  are of my friends grandchildren and I playing Rip-Spin Warriors - a game where you wind up these spinning characters (really a fly-wheel) and let them loose on the surface of the board area.  This lets the characters spin all around so you can pit warriors against each other to see who's the first to be knocked out.  Just pull the ripcord and get them spinning. We had lots of laughs and I even won a round!  Spin-tastic. I wanted to convey the feeling of movement with my embellishments. I nearly went spinning into the middle! Off to do some more challenges. 2nd day of summer here in Australia and I must say

Here are gift cards I have created for Soul Scrappers Christmas card challenges - this time to be inspired by a photograph of a Gingerbread House - see end of this post. I have made 16 of these gift cards to hand to my ladies (together with an actual gingerbread man cookie) at our Christmas function this week. I have used Tim Holtz Alterations die Fresh Baked #1.  Following is a plate of goodies made with these dies before making them into tags. After cutting the shapes I used distress ink Vintage Photo to colour and lots of Glossy Accents to make the icing appear real. Here is the inspiration photo from Soul Scrappers,  took inspiration from the gingerbread construction as well as star shapes and snow on the house.                                                     I love them all - but so fussy at times with little dots and stripes which I disposed of!!! Thank you for looking, Margaret

Latest challenge over at Soul Scrappers was to add 'snow' somewhere on your card. Here is my card: I have used a Kaszazz stamp - Silhouette Santa's Sleigh, and a Kaisercraft House die-cut.  For the snow effect I have used Stickles Star Dust Glitter Glue (again available from Kaszazz) to highlight the torn edges of my papers. I loved the way this card turned out and I hope you do as well. Thank you looking, Margaret Contact me by leaving a comment if you would like to know more about Kaszazz products available.

I am putting these 3 cards into challenges over at Soul Scrappers . As many know I lead a cardmaking group at a local community group and for several weeks we have been making Christmas cards.  The following are just some of the cards the ladies made.  Challenge was to create a card with a fancy fold.  Here is look at what card looks like when open from above. Another view showing the double cards that make up the fold. Papers (except glitter paper) and inks are from Kaszazz.  The "JOY" was lent to me from a friend. If you look closely you can see that JOY has been die cut many times - 3 times in black plus the centre "O" with manger scene once in red and the star at top of "O".   They were then glued together to form a raised embellishment. This challenge was to create a card with an added wreath.   All products are Kasazz.   The painting was done with Liquid Pearls and water. This challenge was to create a card that had holly added.   I

Here is the card that the ladies that I lead for cardmaking in a local community group made using the Distress Ink technique I featured on my last post. Instead of the wood veneer shown here, the I gave each of the ladies used a chipboard bauble. And, here is another one I created.  I have used a Kaisercraft die for the embellishment. These are such fun to make and the ladies really enjoyed making their own colour creations. Until next post, have fun creating whatever you do - cardmaking, scrapbooking, sewing, patchwork, quilting etc etc.  Margaret :)

I am having a few days relaxation in Forster, NSW. My sister is here also and she has headed up to Grafton overnight to visit friends.  I have taken this time away to finally get a few pages done in my art journal. Here they are: I came up with limited supplies - Ranger Distress Inks, Dyan Reaveley stamps and stencils, and a box of coloured pencils.  They all got a good use on these pages. I am happy with the results. My sister was intriqued as I created and as a result she started her art journal...a small travel journal....inspired by my first page above and other techniques that I showed her. My advice to anyone thinking of starting an art journal.....just do it!   Colour outside the line, mix colours, don't worry, have fun. Thank you for looking, Margaret. 🤗🤗🤗

Here is a layout I have completed for a random word challenge over at Soul Scrappers The theme was "TIME" and we were to be inspired by one of the following themes..  1.REMEMBER WHEN 2. THEN and NOW 3.MEMORY OR MEMORIES 4. TODAY 5. ALWAYS ON MY MIND 6. MOMENT IN TIME Of course, I went with "MOMENT IN TIME".  Whilst I was staying with my friend Kathy and her husband in Detroit, Kathy took me to the mansion home of Edsel and Eleanor Ford in Gross Pointe and the shores of  Lake Le Clair . It was constructed in Cotswold-style with most of the materials used to construct their 60 room family home imported from England.  England held a fascination to Edsel.   He was the sole heir to the Ford Motor Company.  They moved into the home in 1929 and he sadly passed away in 1943.  His widow, Eleanor continued to live in the home until her death in 1976.  It was her wish that the property be used for "the benefit of the public".  Many of the art works a

Here is a layout I created today based on a challenge at Paper Issues . I came across this fabulous floor and sign as I entered one of the exhibitions at California Disney.  I love visiting Disneyland when I travel to USA (This was my third visit and the first to California Disney).  I have gone a little 'off piste' as they  say but I did not want to cut my photos down. I was inspired by the stars on the sketch and went with that them to fit in with my photo - some texture paste coloured with gold and applied through a star stencil, and then bits and pieces from my stash. The dark patterned paper whilst it does not have stars was a perfect match as the flowers looked like stars! Here is the sketch at was the inspiration for my layout: Why not head over to Paper Issues in the link above and join as they have great challenges every month. Thanks for looking, Margaret :) “Once upon a time is now.” ― Emilie Autumn

Over at Soul Scrappers they have a challenge to use a MAP on your travel or holiday scrapbook layout.  Here is my take on the challenge - a clean and simple layout: Before I left on holidays to the USA in May this year a friend gave me this sheet of paper and said 'you maybe able to use it'. It has become my title page in my holiday scrapbook - I have added the year and coloured twine and sparkly enamels to show the states I visited this holiday.   In my stash I found an cabochon with a street map on it and used this to hide my twine. There is only 6 states I have not visited in all my holidays to US - Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama, and North and South Carolina.   I wonder if in years to come I have the opportunity to visit these as well. Thank you for looking, and a quote I found" "All you need is the plan, the road map, and the courage to press on to your destination." Earl Nightingale. Margaret :)

I made this layout and card for a challenge at our Kaszazz team weekend .  I have used papers from Kaszazz Whimsical Forest (this was the challenge set to use papers from this range).  I have also embossed with texture paste Spring Flowers stencil, randomly stamped Serendipity Background stamp, and a chipboard word "Timeless" that I have coloured with Ranger Archival Ink.  The flowers I have made by using Scallop Circle punch and I handcut the leaves.  All products are available from Kaszazz, leave a message and I am happy to provide all information about the products I have used. Here are close ups of both items projects.  Classic pages. Thank you for looking, Margaret :)

Here are 2 layouts I created this weekend, slowing getting my holiday photos down on papers. This layout of me in Mall of America, Minneapolis playing hide and seek with Crayola crayons! I do not usually work in primary colours and I was inspired by a layout I saw in a Canadian magazine Scrapbook and Cards Fall 2017.  Thank you for the inspiration. This photo of a friend Kathy and I when we visited Scrapbook Mega Meet in Novi, Michigan was inspired by a layout also found in the above magazine.  I used papers and embellishments that I purchased whilst there.  What may not be quickly obvious is that I machine sewed down all the squares or part there of. Thank you for looking and keep on creating. Margaret :)

This card has a very vintage vibe to it but it is modern in its colouring - I hope.   Yesterday, a friend gave me a Stampin'Up! stamp set called Style Beautiful - it was vintage 2011.  So, I made this card and shared it with her.   The ladies in my Friday community group will be making it this week. Inside - greeting from Darkroom Door everthing else from my stash. My card was inspired by a card I found on Pinterest, by Jessica Lamb in 2011, unfortunately she does not seem to have a current blog so I was unable to thank you for the inspiration.  I hope you like.   Margaret :)

A miniature daffodil growing in my yard...after one of the hottest winter seasons on record and with most of New South Wales in drought a little bit of rain on Central Coast over the past few days. Here are some cards I designed for my classes at local community centre.  A clean and simple Christmas card that was a big hit.  Kaisercraft die in corner and Holly stamp from Kaszazz.  Greeting from my stash. Coloured with Alcohol markers. Classic car.  With the exception of the cog die all product from Kaszazz. Once again, Alcohol markers for colouring in. Inside of the card. Thank you for looking.  I will share this weeks cards later.  Cheers for now, Margaret :)

Here are two cards that I have made recently for classes I lead at local community centre: The inspiration for this card came from a card in love Cardmaking magazine Issue 20, made by Sarah Anderson.  The card uses Distress Oxide inks and stamped images - A Little Kindness Un-Cut set and Nostalgic Textures Un-Cut set both from Kaszazz. Thank you for your inspiration, Sarah and I have sent you an email thanking you.  Inside of card. This card was heat embossed with white embossing powder onto Kraft cardstock and then coloured with Distress Oxide Inks applied with a waterbrush.  Flower stamp from Altenew. I love how they both turned out. Do you? Thank you for looking, Margaret

A friend of my sister's passed away last week and she asked me to make a sympathy card to send to his family. Never an easy task at the best of times, made even more challenging as it was for a male.  However, following a search of Pinterest I came upon a similar card (made by a lady called Anne-Marie) to what I have made above.  I have used a very old favourite stamp called Medallion- just cannot part with it, in a soft colour. Thank you for looking, Margaret

Two layouts I completed this weekend.  They are from my time in Southern Missouri and Arkansas this past June. This first shows my friends and I eating Possum Pie -  and no you are not eating Possum!!! It consists of a cracker type base, chocolate pudding (similar to a chocolate mousse),whipped cream and topped off with chocolate sauce.  David told me it was an institution in Arkansas and we found one in Eureka Springs where we spent the night before heading to Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville, AR. Whilst I was away, it was International Dinosaur Day!  Surely a day to celebrate.  This dinosaur sits on my friends property in Missouri - it was rescued and repaired by David and he gave the name Faye.  The morning was misty and I love that mist through the trees. More layouts being completed. Thank you for looking, Margaret. :)

Here is a Christmas card I have designed: All the products to make this easy to create card are available from Kaszazz. The Festive Birds stamp is a new Christmas stamp released for Christmas this year.   I fell in love with it when I first saw it. I have used Distress Oxides, Ranger Archival Ink Jet Black, waterbrush pen. The final touch a little bit of Alcohol Ink Marker Deep Yellow for the top bird. And, I took a great leap and submitted this Kaszazz for consideration of projects they publish so that other consultants get inspiration. Thank you for looking, Margaret

Another layout for Soul Scrappers , why not check out their great challenges yourself. The challenge was another nature inspiration. This time focus on your flower garden.  It is winter in Australia, my minimal flower garden was no inspiration, however I had these photos of market day on Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis,MI taken this year.  The photo shows my friend Carol checking out the Dahlias on display.  I loved the reflections on the top of this stall.  What you may not know is that when I was born an uncle of my mother was a Dahlia grower and propagator. He named a new Dahlia after me (Margaret Crawford) , it was a beautiful autumn colour and we had them growing for many years.  Alas, over time they died and the seed was lost forever.  A beautiful memory. I fussy cut one photo to highlight the flowers on the right. A few photos of what my garden looks like at present - it is too cold to get out there and weed at present - beautiful sun but cold! Weeds, weeds and wee

I just don't take good selfies - however, this one I am somewhat pleased with at least I am not frowning but the arms!  I have completed this layout for a challenge over at Soul Scrappers : The challenge was to pick 3 from these - the color blue ( blue background paper, title); use at least 2 different patterned papers (I got this one) ; sequins (red and gold stars); use at least 3 pictures; stars (yep, gold sequins); ribbon (ric rac passes as ribbon does it not); foil.   It was a hot day the day I went to St Louis Zoo in June, it was recommended to me by several people.  This train provided some much need shade as well as transport around the zoo.  Thank you for looking, Margaret :)