Stamps Ahead

I have designed this card for ladies I lead at local community group on Fridays. This is called a diorama card - I headed to Google and searched.  There are many sites and videos out there that provide information on how to make them.  Jennifer McGuire has information - just click on her name to discover her wonderful cards made using this fancy fold. All stamps (except for the greeting stamps) are from Kaszazz. For my card I attached a little 3" square card to the back - this also provides and easel if the recipient wants to display card as well as the sender writing their special greetings. By the way, I did also Google "colours of turtles" and found there was a rainbow turtle - so that is what I went with on my card - lots of opportunities for the ladies to use the coloured pencils. Thank you for looking, Margaret :)

A clean and simple layout today.  The journalling tells my story. Rules I used: Use a circle.  Yes those enamel dots.  Use a hedgehog. Illegal in Australia to keep BUT we do have Hedgehog Slices you can make them or buy them Use an avocado. We grow these in Australia. Use citrus fruit. Other rules used: Use a star Use a sticker. Puffy stickers by Thickers did the job Use enamel dots  Thank you for looking, Margaret

Here is my layout for Day 8...yes skipped Day 7 will get back to it! Rules for Day 8: Use machine stitching.  I stitched down to highlight wood panels and also stitched journalling lines. Use paint.  I used Dylusions White Linen and a dry brush to tone down the colours.  The paint on title I applied with my finger. Use a number in your title....6 Kids.  Probably called children in those days but did not have enough alphas to go around. Use stripped paper aka as wood panel paper Use dotted paper Use a border punch. Other rules I used:  Participated in cybercrop 8am this morning (from Canada) Use your own handwriting Fussy cut..those flowers on left were fussy cut and attached to bottom of dot paper Use a sticker Use hearts Covered a mistake ....I really messed up writing the mother's (my great-grandmother) name....so added another border punch strip..  Here is the proof. On this close up you can see Will Piercey (know as Piercey) has a bandage on one finger!  I h

I have participated in a Great Outdoors challenge over at Soul Scrappers , we were sent an envelope of assorted bibs and bobs and had to create a layout with them.  Firstly, here is my layout: Now a photo of what I was sent. I was to try and use as many items on my creation as I could, and could change the items by painting, embossing, colouring in etc.  The burlap (called hessian in Australia) banner had to be decorated.  Well, I managed to use everything in my envelope.  Yes, there was some colouring with ink to tone down the images to fit with the overall colour scheme - particularly the owl and the leaves.  I removed the backing from the banner so that I could distress the edge and I also distressed the edges of the fabric I received.   In my stash I just happened to have some left over papers from the Kaisercraft range Outdoor Trail collection that fitted in perfectly for this challenge. The photo was taken in April, 2018 when my sister and I visited New Zealand - Haruru

Here is my layout for Day 6. Day 6 rules: Use graph paper. Searched my stash no graph paper what's the bet I find some tonight! Use a map/globe.   Use cloud paper/embellishment.   Use pocket card on non pocket layout.  I used the pocket card for part of my title. Use citrus fruit! Another what the moment! Title with 5 words.  Added true to pocket card. Use a hedgehog!  Don't look you won't find one! From previous days and still current for layouts: Use old product...the wood veneer Sydney Harbour Bridge Wood veneer .... the globe as well as bridge Use your own handwriting.  Bottom right. Photo taken on the deck as we left Sydney bound for New Zealand  Thank you for looking

Here is my layout for Day 5: The rules for Day 5: Use a sketch.  I found a single layout I like at organized and creative mom . Thank you for your inspiration Noreen.   I have left thanks on your blog.   This sketch was the inspiration. Use the word 'happy' Use washi tape (spot under the top border) Use watercolour.  I have used a technique I recently used on cards - white embossed with Peony stamp, distress oxides applied and then watercoloured with waterbrush.   I was showing some friends my cards - and they loved the technique but how could we use it for scrapbooking - this is what I have come up with it.  That border was a perfect way to incorporate it!  I will show them this week.   I can see a workshop coming up! Use the colour purple.   Sounded fair enough - complete layout and I will find photos this morning!    Use a button Use ribbon From previous days rules and it is okay to use these while they are still current: Heart Bling Something old fro

Okay, so I didn't complete challenges 1 and 2 as yet. Challenge 4 was put up so I  went with it.  Here is my layout: It is no shock to know that pink is my favourite colour .... all shades. The bonus points for this round were: Use memorabilia.  I have used pieces of guipure lace that belonged to my mother, they are many years old as she passed away at a very young age, only 49. She was a tailoress/dressmaker and I have put in a die cut pair of scissors to recognise this.  Use  a stamp.  I used 3 stamps ... 2 bottom left and grunge spots thoughout the layout. Use a black and white photo.  The selfie photo was taken at Disneyland, LA last year as I rode the train around the park in very hot weather.  If you look closely I printed it with a slight hue to co-ordinate with papers I chose. Hope this is acceptable. Print or put away 5 layouts.  Done, put into album the layouts I designed for weekend fund raiser and others just sitting around. Use an animal print!  What the! No

I found ScrapHappy website and each March they have a Calvinball challenge all month. So, I signed up and I have completed this layout for Day 3.  You can accumulate points during the challenges. Check out the link above for more information and also how the name Calvinball came about. You create your layout and if you want to you can add the additional bonus point items for that day.  Day 3 these were: Use wood veneer. I used a Heidi Swapp "Enjoy the view" that I purchased from USA, reduced of course to $1.49 US, last year. Use a stencil. Tim Holtz stencil and texture paste. Create your own patterned paper. I used Distress Oxides and sprayed with water and let it run.  I will admit to an ooops moment, placed next to my water mister was stamp cleaner bottle....I accidently sprayed that on second spraying, no worries let it stay did the same! Use your own handwriting/or a handwriting font. Bottom left corner I have recorded the date my sister and I went up the Sky Tow

I must admit I love Distress Oxides, they are beautiful colours and they blend so well together.  Here are cards I made with my local community group last Friday.  This card uses spiced pumpkin and mustard seed distress oxide inks. This card uses picked raspberry and wilted violet distress oxide inks. Both cards use stamps available from Kaszazz - Peonies and Happy Day Messages.  Yes, I am a consultant and I just love that this is an Australian company and has great stamps and papers that I get to use. I was inspired by a video over at Jennifer McGuire on Distress Oxide Water Painting.  Thank you Jennifer for inspiring me.  I have left her some thanks on her blog - check the link and check out her blog for great projects. Thank you for looking, happy creating, Margaret.

Today, I led scrapbooking classes locally, to raise funds for Mango Tree Academy in Kissi, Kenya. 12 ladies came and they made two double page layouts that I designed especially for the day. This layout uses Serendipity range of papers available from Kaszazz - all embellishments are also from Kaszazz.  I have yet to add my photos.   The chipboard was first painted with gesso and then stamp ink applied and finally Glossy Accents added for that extra sheen. This layout again uses paper and chipboard embellishments available from Kaszazz.  There are two papers not Kaszazz - corrugated orange on bottom and the solid orange squares.   Die cuts of Koala, gum leaves and words are by other suppliers. Both these layouts were designed for multiple photos something that the ladies have requested in the past. A great day was had and funds raised to give back to others. Thank you for looking, Margaret :)

Recently I have written about the cruise that my sister and I took in January - and as well as the layouts we completed as part of our scrapbook cruise we also had some challenges that we could complete if we wanted.  This layout was for a bingo challenge and I took the line Chipboard, Mixed Media, Single Photo and Ribbon. I completed it on the cruise with left over papers and bits and pieces and little blue organza bag with ribbon I had with me (of course I gut it up to add additional texture behind the photo of me on the tender from boat to Akaroa, New Zealand. I took a sheet of the beautiful Kaisercraft paper from their Scrap Studio Collection and then brushed it all over with Dusty Attic Gloss Varnish - it gave it an almost leather like feel and made the paper stronger.  Paint, adding other images from papers were given, glossy accents gave the layout its finished look. Here is a close up look - what looks like stamps are actually images on acetate that I had left over. Than