Stamps Ahead

Here is a layout I completed today: On Easter Sunday I did a beach walk on Ocean Beach - just about 100 steps up my road - it is my happy place. Now, why did she take a chocolate rabbit, I hear you ask!   A couple of days before this I had given my 93 year old neighbor a chocolate rabbit that was the same as this one.  On Easter Sunday I decided to take an early morning walk and take the chocolate with me and practicing social distancing with said rabbit, took a few photos.   When I got home I printed off one of the photos with the rabbit in and put on her screen door with an Easter Greeting on the back.  She had a great laugh and really appreciated the photo. I was going to enter this into Challenge 2 over at White with 1 April Cyber Crop but as I was typing this entry I realized - EPIC FAIL - I did not meet the criteria.  I used lots of things in my stash but alas not blue!!! The criteria was a grid layout in white and blue - oops- back to the drawing bo...

No I have not started making dolls!  However, I have completed another challenge over at White with 1 - Challenge 3 another recipe challenge.. Here is my layout - I had inky fun doing it! The recipe involved many elements which I will summarise: Using white cardstock (CS), ink or paint in colour of your choice, spray onto a plastic bag, add some water and then put your hand in the bag and "splodge" onto CS. Ironically, I went with Broken China  Distress Spray and Ink. Using gesso apply to edge of your photos. Loved this idea on these photos. Cut 2 photo mats each increasing by 1/4". On the first one ink edge and then add texture stamp. Using stamps that match your photo randomly stamp on the white CS.  I searched and searched and eventually settled on a texture stamp that had words and butterflies on them.  Cut white CS into various sizes - distress edges, stamp on some, use left over spray on some and leave some white.  Place under photos. Mount ph...

I wrote yesterday that I was completing a couple of layouts for my sister of her recent holiday.  Here is the one I have completed for her of a fishing village in Norway (unfortunately at this stage I do not have the name but it was at the top of the Artic Circle). My sister will need to complete the journalling.   I used a sheet of Kaszazz paper from Indigo Blue collection (no biggie using this colour as blue is her favourite colour).   I have used 3 stencils and texture paste on the background - the grid is from Kaisercraft, adventure is from Gabrielle Pollacco called Wanderlust and the other words are from a favourite of mine by Tim Holtz. Chipboard is from Kaszass and I have coloured by first applying gesso over the words, then using diluted Spectrum Noir aqua pen Azure Blue and then I finished off with Glossy Accents over the word. The embellishments came from my stash of Kaisercraft papers and they added just the right accent I need to complete the lay...

On 14th April, I submitted an order to Kaszazz for some products.  A check showed that it arrived in Sydney on 16th April...and there it apparently sat as I had no word on where it was. On 21 April, I get a phone call from Tuggerah Processing Centre saying that had been able to trace me using the invoice enclosed in the parcel and they advised me that the parcel arrived at their centre with a torn off address label.  After identifying that it was indeed my parcel I proceed to give my details and was advised that it would be forwarded on to me - but due to current restrictions of coronavirus social distancing etc she could not give me a date I would get it. I received it today. looking a little worse for wear!! My thanks go to "Detective" Diana at Tuggerah Postal Centre who did the tracing back to me. I rang her and advised it arrived today and to thank her for her help. One happy customer.  If the box could talk I wonder what it would say...did it enjoy it's time...

I have been helping my sister out and have been making a couple of layouts for her with photos from her collection. Here is one I just finished for her: I raided my stash for all things pink and also found 2 crochet embellishments - Kaisercraft, just right for the layout. The cup was a gift card and I have attached some rhinestones to make it shine.  The photo dates back to around May 2016. She just needs to a little bit of journaling. Hope she likes the layout. Cheers and stay safe, Margaret. Crafting in the time of Coronavirus.

Here is a layout I created for White with 1 and their April Cyber Crop - Challenge 1, over on Facebook: It was a recipe challenge.  White plus your favourite colour in my case RED and at least 3 flowers; one picture; washi tape and four patterned papers. Now, having a found the photo of me in Napier, New Zealand that I wanted to use. Now, you would think that I would have lots of red papers in my stash -----not so ----- spent quite a while searching out papers to get at least 4 patterned papers and embellishments.   Black glittery washi tape to add a little sparkle. Close up of the flower cluster: Those with eagle eyes will notice that I incorrectly wrote Dunedin, as the location of this photo of me - oops, now fixed on my layout. Thank you for looking, Margaret  Crafting in the time of Coronavirus.

What do you think of this layout?  Very different for me, I don't usually use lavender colours or so much floral patterned paper in my layouts. All papers are Kaszazz from Nature Lover collection and the layout also uses Kaszazz pearls and silver washi tape.   The word smile is from my stash.   The photos were taken in April, 2017 on a cruise that my sister and I did with Unmistakable Creations. Unfortunately my printer is playing up and the photos came out with a very 'lavender' tone so I went with it! Stay safe, Margaret

Over the past couple of days I have been playing around with texture.  Here are a just some of the note cards I have made: To create these cards I applied craft glue to my card and then used a 3 ply paper napkin that I had separated into individual sheets (this is an alternative to using tissue paper) over the glued area creating texture as I did it. Excess paper was trimmed away.  I then allowed them tp dry. Then, I sprayed the cards with the some of spray inks (various brands used) I had in my stash - I only used 2 colours on each card.   To finish the cards I used a Crafters Companions die and Kaszazz stamps. The cards (of which these are but a few) I am posting to the ladies who attend my community card class just to say thinking of you during this time. My thanks go to my Kaszazz upline, Lucy, who posted a video that she made demonstrating techniques using gesso - I did not use gesso and I was inspired by a background she created using tissue paper tech...

Last night I participated in a cyber crop organised by two Kaszazz consultants, Tracey and Michelle.  Here is the layout I created: We were given early guidelines as to how many pieces of cardstock, printed paper and photos we would need on the night. Last night we were given instructions in 15 minute intervals.  Firstly we were given cutting instructions for paper and then how to put the layout together.  In all, there were 17 instructions given. Each person's layout was slightly different - I adjusted the instructions to fit the paper and photos I selected. The photos are of my great-nephew, Oscar.  He was about 6 months old in these photos taken in January 2019.  At this afternoon tea in a local restaurant to us, we all exchanged Christmas gifts - my sister gave him the plastic building toys and I gave him a spade and bucket - all in bright colours.  He had so much fun banging them on the table and as you can see putting them in is mouth.   We...

Over at Paper Issues (Friends & Fans) Facebook page they are running 30 days of sketches.  Here is my layout for the first sketch: And here is the sketch: The photos are of my niece and her son Oscar and me holding Oscar.  They were taken not long after he was born and I met him for the first time. I had the longest time trying to photograph my layout as I could not properly capture the words below, the sun was shining this beautiful morning and for that I am glad. Papers, chipboard Moments and word stickers above are all from Kaszazz, the rest I searched my stash for.  A serendipity moment when I found 'life is so much better when you're laughing' considering how I had not seen it before in my stash searching efforts! Stay safe everyone, Margaret (crafting in the time of coronavirus)

Today I completed the following layout for a purple challenge over at Scrapping Clearly to use the colour purple: Purple not a colour I use a lot of. I used all Kaszazz product on this layout, with the exception of the small purple enamel dots bottom right. Thank you for looking, Margaret :) Crafting in the time of Coronavirus.

So today, I am trying something new for me - completing a one-sheet (12" x 12") of paper to make 14 cards.   I went with a Christmas theme. Here is what I made: With a one-sheet wonder you follow a recipe.   Here is the recipe I followed given by Lucy Jones, my Kaszazz upline:  I went with a Christmas theme (never too early) and the cards use all Kaszazz product.  Papers and stamps from Christmas Morning collection and stamps from Tis' the season collection. All dies are still current. A little secret - it has taken me 1 day to get my cards together!  I thought it would be quicker, and I enjoyed the process of using my stash to create the cards.  I went looking for my dies - saying (to myself) I know you are here, where are you, finally found exactly where I put them last time!!! Here is a close up of some of the cards - I have a ready collection of cards ready for when my community card classes do start up again.   Than...

Here is a card I made today.  It is a case (copy & share everything) from a card I saw on Splitcoast Stampers by Heather Freeman . Thank you for your inspiration.  I loved the simplicity of the card and the fact that it could be used for many occasions. For the texture embossed centre I used Kaszazz stencil: Script - Strength with embossing paste. The squares I die cut using Spellbinders Classic Squares Small Nestabilities and the butterfly was die cut from Kaisercraft Decorative Die: Twin Butterflies.  I added some small pearls to the butterfly.  The small square I used mounting tape to raise the surface. I have left a greeting off the front to be applied later when I need a card. ater in the year, I will add this card to a class for my ladies (sorry, gentlemen in the class) to make. In this time of coronavirus pandemic I wish anyone who reads this entry a very happy and blessed Easter Season.  So different to many other years but a time to reflect o...

A layout for 2nd challenge at Scrappingclearly Virtual Cyber Crop on this weekend: The challenge - Use paint, tissue paper, cotton thread, stamping and patterned paper on your project. This is what I did: Using Kaszazz watercolour paper 12" x 12" and some scraps and using watercolour paints (the round ones in those cute round towers) I created my background. with colours that I saw in the photo. The scraps I painted I used Sizzix Thinlet Poinsettia die to cut out flowers, leaves and flower centres. I took a piece of patterned paper from my stash that matched the colours and attach this to Tim Holtz Idea-ology plain tissue paper, sewn together with a black thread.   I fringed the tissue paper.  I did not want coloured or patterned tissue as I wanted the colours to remain in the tones selected.  Stamps are from an old Stampin' Up! set called Crazy about you. I used 1 strand of embroidery cotton  in each of the colours (or the nearest I had) and a little of th...

This weekend, I am participating in challenges over at Scrappingclearly Virtual Cyber Crop.  Here is an art journal page I created for Challenge 1:  The challenge was to use the Maya Angelou quote, on my page: For my background I: took a page from an old dictionary, tore in half and applied to my page with Ranger Mat Medium. after allowing it to dry (well with the help of heat gun) I then applied Dylusion Paints - polished jade and peony blush with an ink blending tool randomly a baby wipe then applied to soften the colour and also to wipe over a circle stencil to obtain small circles and bring out some of the dictionary text.  Allowed to dry again. using Kaisercraft Designer Template and texture paste applied that to bottom left of my page. I printed out the quote and then coloured up with the paints, cut and then applied to page with a black mount.  The white dots were created using a correction pen. I then added larger circles to my page and then d...