Stamps Ahead

 Yesterday, I created a paper bag journal.  Please settle back as I show you the individual pages.   Front and back pages.  After folding, I then gathered together bits and pieces from my stash to make the individual pages.  There are pockets, tags and even a small note book I made with papers I used on one of the pages. I have learned a lot about making journals from creating this little book - I went for pages that were fairly much the same size.   I started with a small white paper bag that I used to make the cover and then decorated.  I used thread and needle to sew the pages together.  Maybe next time I will use many paper bags to make the journal.   Thank you for looking, Margaret

Each month Kaszazz has a challenge for its consultants - the April challenge was to use the Feathers metal embellishments. I was overjoyed when I was asked to submit my entry for possible publication onto the Kaszazz website...imagine my excitement that it was published yesterday. Distress Oxide Inks - Wilted Violet and Peeled Paint Feather Die and Stamp Combo - Tribal Feathers  Embellishment - Feathers (6) Sticky Gems - Pearls Purple Organdy ribbon Random Acts stamp (from Spring Meadow collection) Picture Perfect stamp (from Spring Meadow collection) These are the days stamp (from Spring Meadow collection) SB Pages - White - 12 x 12 250gsm SB Essentials - Plum SB Paper - Nature Lover - Messages and Nature Lover - Strips Thank you for looking and also thank you to my family members for allowing me to use their photo on my creation, Margaret

This week the card class I lead at a local community group return, after the Easter School Holidays break.  Here are the cards for this week. This fun fold card showcases the beautiful papers from Home Sweet Home collection and Cute Panda stamps available from Kaszazz.  My thanks to Lucy Jones for her initial inspiration for this card. Interested in purchasing these products head to my website  www.kaszazz.com/cart?consid=110787 Inspiration for card designs come from many places, in this case an early 1990's papercraft magazine and I was taken by the corrugated cardstock embellishment.  I have used an old paper corrugator that I have had to make the panel on this card.  The card is 5.9" square. The Franceville paper I found at Spotlight.  The gum flower/bud stamp is available from Kaszazz - Flowering Gum Un-cut Set (3 stamps) and it complemented the paper beautifully. Thank you for looking,  have a great week ahead.

Here is a layout I have completed today for the April challenge over at ARTastic challenges The challenge was to be inspired by this painting by Evelyn Chapman titled "French Ruins with Poppies". The criteria was Remembrance and to include the colour Red. The layout did not have to be Anzac themed.  I know as soon as I saw the inspiration it reminded me of a photo I took on Anzac Day 2020. First, let me tell you about the photo.  Australia was in lockdown due to Covid and therefore Anzac Day events were cancelled. No dawn services, no marches, nothing. People around the country held front garden sunrise services.  My 94 year old neighbour, Lorna, every year would donate to service clubs the Rosemary, from her garden, for patrons to wear - alas she could not do so in 2020.  She came to me and said what did I think of her putting Rosemary on the bricks at the front of our villas.  I said go for it - a great idea.  Later in the day, she came to me and said no-one is taking it, s

Over the past couple of days I have been making paper 'snippet' rolls.  What are they I hear you ask? Firstly, let me show you what I have made with my 'snippets; Here is a definition I found on the web " A snippet roll is a  long strip of paper or fabric that is decorated with bits and pieces of paper, fabric and findings . The person making the snippet roll determines the length and width of the roll. There are no rules as to how long or wide a snippet roll must be."  I was fascinated as I searched further and further on the web.  So I had a go using paper scraps!  My thing then became what would I do with them?    There is a market/fair coming up in September.  My sister saw the larger Tyvek pencil cases (4) on special at Typo and I found the smaller pencil cases at Kmart.  Perfect to place the my snippets on.   I also showed my sister how to make them and she has made hers for the front of art/faith journals that will also be sold at the fair. I love how they

The 3rd and final Easter challenge over at White with 1 .  Here is my layout: Why 280 Degrees West as the title?  Last night, I looked out my side door and saw the most beautiful colours - quickly got my camera and headed out to take some photos. I then moved to smaller garden area I have facing west - therefore 280 degrees west refers to the compass direction from which I took the photo. I also managed to photograph the flowers blooming on my Camellia tree.  I must say it was the first time I have used the compass on my phone - much easier than trying to read an old fashioned compass!  Now the challenge was to use: 5 circles  4 stars 3 word title 2 patterned papers 1 photo To be honest this challenge took a little longer than the others as I searched my stash for just the right embellishments to use. Here is another photo from the sunset last night taken from the other garden area I have. "Sunsets are not only beautiful, but they also have so much meaning.  They signify endings,

 Here is a layout I have completed for another Easter Challenge over at White with 1 The challenge?  Choose one colour from the Easter egg wreath and create a page that must have leaves on it like in the wreath.   I choose the pastel green colour. Now, I rarely wear or create with pastel colours, so this was a challenge. As you can see, I do not have a photo on my layout. Recently, I came across a photo of me that was taken at Hotel Nikko, Darling Harbour in the early 1990's.  The outfit I wore was the colour I have selected. I purchased it at a then well known dress shop in Gordon, NSW.  It was a brocade jacket with a soft floaty skirt.  Where is the photo?  Somewhere in my stash, I recently came across it and probably put it in a safe spot to quickly find later to scrap!!!  These challenges finish shortly and I wanted to be sure I got my challenge in.  I will find it!! The flower and leaf dies and papers are from Kaszazz.  The other dies and the ink are from my stash. Thank you f

 This layout I have completed is for an Easter Challenge that is happening this weekend over at White with 1 Facebook page.   The challenge was to be inspired by the image below. The challenge - Choose one colour and use the picture to design your page, for example, the little tiny eggs could represent flower clusters, the bunnys eggs lined up could mean a grid page.    My first task was to work out what was my inspiration.   I had a photo of my great nephew and his newest friend - Sebastian.   Oscar was wearing 'blue' so that was my starting point. I took some cling wrap and Cobalt Archival Ink and randomly stamped the cling wrap onto my white cardstock. Now, these inks do no react the same as Distress Inks and I had first added some water to my craft mat along with the ink, interestingly a soft purple colour appeared - not really what I was wanting, however it does look great in real life on the layout. So ditched the water and just went with ink only. Next, how was I going t