Stamps Ahead

There is a challenge over at Paper Issues (Friends & Fans) called Scrabble.  The criteria was to purge your Thickers collection and show just how fun  your title can be. Create an intersecting tile or use alpha tiles on your page.  Well, I may have gone 'off-piste' with my entry.  Here it is: This morning whilst out in blogland I found a blog  called A bit of everything.  Lorna had created a mixed media notebook (click on the link above) and I was inspired to create something similar with whatever I had in my stash. I have wanted to use up the so many chipboard alphas that I have for some time.  I was originally going to do a book cover as well - however, I remembered I had many a small canvas sitting idle for so long.  I thought start small and see how it goes. I got out my supplies of texture paste, black gesso, collage paste, other glues, brushes, Dylusion sprays, and 3 jars of Metallic Gilding Powder (I am sure that I purchased these in USA last time I was there but you

In my last post I wrote that it was my sisters 70th birthday this week.  She has a lot of activities planned the first being an afternoon tea on 18th January with our brother and sister-in-law.  We went to Saddles, at Mt White.   I ordered the cake she wanted (and it was the most expensive cake I have ever bought!) and it was delicious.  Here is the layout I have created with her and the cake. We had this afternoon tea earlier than her birthday as our brother and sister-in-law were due to head toTasmania on holidays, however it was cancelled due to Covid restrictions at that time. So, we went ahead anyway and met up for a great afternoon tea. In my stash I found a previous watercolour and texture paste background I had created and it was just right for this layout.  The heart is a nod to the heart locket my sister is wearing.  It belonged to our mother and my sister recently had it cleaned and started wearing it again.   Yes, I did make a boo boo cutting the watercolour paper, one edge

2 more birthdays this week.  Here are the cards I have made using torn pieces of fabric stitched to a card base and then attached to main card.  1st card was for my sister who turned 70 this week.  I have mentioned previously that her favourite colour is blue.  The '70' has had ink and glossy accents applied. The 2nd card is for a friend who also has a birthday this week.    Thank you for looking, Margaret

 Here is a layout I developed and created for a workshop I led yesterday. This layout was created with products available from Kaszazz: Watercolour Paper 12" x 12" 300gram SB Essentials Black cardstock 12" x 12" 1 sheet of Card Pack White A5 Watercolour Pans  Paint Brush - Art Brush Set (7 in pack - I used the widest brush) Ranger Texture Paste Chipboard Stars Mixed Media Powder - Lime Embellishment - Mixed Brads (20 in pack) Rubber Stamps - Moments into Words; Discover and Tech Report If you are interested in purchasing any of the items I have used, I do have a website you can visit and order them or any of the other great products available from Kaszazz                  www.kaszazz.com/cart?consid=110787 The photos are of my great nephew on a swing and he is urging me to go higher, higher!!! Thank you for looking, Margaret

 I live in a beautiful area of New South Wales, Australia - Umina Beach.  Here is a layout I have created for Paper Issues (Friends and Fans) today.  I am going to put as #3 of 52 Friday Favourites. Danielle Dunlop was live on their facebook page with a challenge that she called 2021.  2021 you say - the challenge use 2 wood veneers (check - I used Heidi Swapp wood veneers); 0 was circle (check - got that covered - more later about that); 2 flairs (Check, okay, so my stash had no suitable flairs so I used 2 curios from Kaisercraft Paradise Found) and finally 1 use a stencil (Check one from my stash with ink and outline in pen). Now the circle story. I started out applying Distress Oxide Ink peacock feathers and water (that I had added some Perfect Pearl powder, onto an acrylic block and then smooching onto my white cardstock (CS).  I had a little more liquid than planned and I found that I was able to rotate into a circle movement on my CS.  A circle appeared.  Alas, not the right col

Later this week, my sister and I are heading to friends place for lunch.  I have decided to make 2 cards to say thank you.  Recently, trying to tidy up my stash I came across some paper that I had previously sprayed with Ranger Distress Inks.  So here they are being used.    I was inspired by a card I saw on Simple by Design , I have left a thank you on the blog.  The die was part of a give away in magazine in 2014.    Thank you for looking. Margaret

 Here is another layout I have completed for a challenge at Paper Issues (Friends and Fans) .  The challenge is called Operation - challenges this month are named after games.  The criteria is "Pull out those surgical instruments and put those motor skills to the test! Show us your fussy cutting skills, use your die cutting machine, or show us how well you can sew up your layout".  I went with fussy cutting.  The papers and stamps are from Kaisercraft Serenity Collection .  I have added some die cuts from another Kaisercraft collection Fleur. Ink is Ranger Distress Oxide speckled egg.  The chipboard is from Kaszazz. The photo is of my sister (left) and I.  I would say we are 10 and 11 years of age (yes, we are very close in age - just 13 months difference).  Our mother made all our clothes, as I remember it these dresses were a green velveteen. We were dressed for a Sunday School anniversary - look at our hats and gloves! We are leaning up against the family car and it had a

 January is proving a very productive time for me - in terms of my crafting not so much in terms of cleaning, tidying, dusting etc.   Here is a card I made yesterday, it would be suitable for weddings, engagements, St Valentine's Day (14 February is not that far away), birthdays or just to say 'I love you' : The card has a very vintage feel to it.  Stamp an inside greeting to match the occasion. Thank you for looking, Margaret

 2 days ago I posted a layout made with Project Life cards and in it I had mentioned that I was playing with upcycling some more cards.   Here are three I have made and I can see more on my horizon: I love them and I love upcycling - it is something that I am passionate about.  I am adding to the challenge at Paper Issues (Friends and Fans) .  These tags share a common theme - I used what I had close to me - well, I did have to find the old dictionary and book in my stash.  Sometime last year I purchased at an op shop the book "The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady" as I had seen some Pinterest posts of people using it.  The book was of poor quality, previously loved and showed signs of aging.  The lace was given to me by a friend who knew I loved lace and would find a use for it.  The tags could be used in cardmaking, scrapbooking, in junk journals or really anything.  Thank you for looking, Margaret I found this definition on the web of upcycle - "reuse (discarded ob

 This is a layout I created today for a January challenge at Paper Issues (Friends and Fans)   All this month the challenges are called after games that can be played.  This layout was for a challenge "Cards Against Humanity".  Here is the criteria -"It may be called a party game for horrible people, but you don't have to be horrible to play along with this challenge. We want you to create a layout using your Project Life or 3x4 cards anyway you like".  Not a game I am ever likely to play, after reading Google accounts of it!    This turned my mind to making a Cards for Humanity layout.  I wanted it to be full of positive words and colourful. So into my huge stash (and I am sure I am not alone) of Project Life cards to find the word cards and several I could cut up for further embellishment. The photo is one I took of my great nephew Oscar taken we we met up for Christmas in December, 2020. It is one of my favourites and not the least because he is wearing the t

 Here are two more photos of slow stitching project I completed for my sister.  She had two very small leather journals and she wanted decorated.    She had a small charm from her favourite city, in the world, Paris that she wanted to apply. This one I finished with a raw edge, instead of my usual blanket stitch.  I wonder if she has not turned that edge under!  Adding the dark spotted remnant of fabric really bought this one to life. Thank you for looking, Margaret Happiness is handmade.

 Here is the 2nd layout I have completed for the 52 Friday Favourites challenge over at Paper Issues (Friends and Fans) facebook page.  I am not waiting until Friday as I do not think I will take a greater photo than this one this week.  I would normally just leave it on my camera.  This miniature Calla Lily was a Christmas gift in 2019, unfortunately it quickly wilted and died and as well seemed to have some issues with the soil in its pot. I tipped it out onto my garden, covered with fresh dirt (no burial rites given) and there it stayed.  Well, January 2021 saw it bloom again, more leaves than ever and looking very healthy.  Amazing, would you agree? I have used an old Kaisercraft range called Sage & Grace from my stash to complete the layout. Thank you for looking. Margaret ps: My paternal grandmother had large white Calla Lilies as her bouquet in early 1920's.  

 This is a layout for a challenge over at Paper Issues (Friends and Fans)   My layout, was inspired by a quote a friend posted on her Facebook that was from Sweatpants and Coffee - I loved it and it seemed to be just the right words for 2021, so I retyped on white cardstock.  I decided to create a layout in gentle colours and I have used papers and embellishments from 49 & Market - Vintage Artistry - Sky.   I did get out my sewing machine and stitched around main papers and then edged with Speckled Egg Distress Oxide.    This layout will be my 2021 title page for the 52 Friday Favourites - we are challenged to create just once a week with this challenge.  You can use a TN (traveller's notebook), mini album, tag, planner, or even a full 12x12 pages. Just pick your favourite thing or things from the week and document it and share it.   I am thinking I will stick to 12x12 - but hey, you never know where your inspiration will lead you! Here is a close-up of the quote: Thank you f

 I was asked to make some cards for a very special person.  I selected 18th birthday cards one for a girl and one for a boy.  This is a long post with lots of photos so please enjoy.   This was the card for 18 year old young lady.  This card is not expected to be opened for some time therefore I designed a card that did not require any tape or glue.   This card uses all Kaszzaz product with the exception of the "18".  The papers are from Kaszazz Stellar collection and the greeting stamps are also from various collections in current Kaszazz catalogues.  A lot of gold embossing powder was used. The inside - as you can see the ribbon is threaded through and holds the 4 individual securely when closed.  These are the 4 individual greeting cards.  There is space on the back of each for personal greetings and messages. This is the masculine card.  Again all product is from Kaszazz with the exception of the 18 numbers. The card is also not expected to be opened for some time so to s