Stamps Ahead

 Here is a layout I have completed for ARTastic May challenge.   Here is the inspiration image which we could interpret anyway we liked  I was drawn to the top on the display model, the background of hanging pots and the house reel. The photo of me was taken this year against a hanging basket I have on a tree. I knew I had a set of Kaszazz stamps of hanging baskets and I have used those (as well as a pot plant) and coloured with my alcohol ink markers.  I went with orange strips to match my top.  I hope I have met the brief this month.  Whilst ARTastic Challenges are not holding any specific International Scrapbooking Day (ISD) challenges they are encouring all to enter their May challenge.   Thank you for looking and by-the-way we are expecting rain, once again, this weekend so we should see our flowers growing even more in the days ahead.   Margaret

 Today Calvinball had an on-line crop and here is a layout I completed during the crop.  The rules I used included - handwritten journalling, date your layout, chipboard, frame, camera, flair, polka dot paper, washi tape, mushrooms and I found an AVOCADO on some cooking papers I had. Can you find the avocado on my layout? Hint - it is obscuring peoples faces. And no, we did not have avocado or mushrooms for dinner! Last night my sister (top left), our friend Heather (bottom) and I (top right) went to the Preview Restaurant at Ourimbah TAFE (Technical and Further Education).  The restaurant is a training venue for students studying inthe Hospitality Section of the college and is open for lunch and dinner on several days and nights.  We enjoyed ourselves and will plan to go again later in the year.   Remember if you want to participate in Calvinball check out    http://scraphappy.org/calvinball . Thank you for looking, Margaret

Yippee, card classes that I lead at a local community group are back!  All be it adhering to Covid restrictions in place.  2 of my ladies (sorry, no men in the class) are not back due to recent falls that have put them out of action for several more weeks.  Here, is one of the cards I have prepared for next Friday's class. The card uses Kaszazz Layer Die cuts 7830 - Spring Flower and 7829 - Leafy Sprig. The greeting is from 6297Q Floral Paradise Un-cut set (5 stamps).   That beautiful 1079 - Powder SB Essential paper, that I have used for the mat and top of blue flower, sets off the die cuts wonderfully. Thank you for looking, have a great week ahead, Margaret

I recently posted a baby girl card I made and I wrote that I would be making a baby boy card - so here it is Again using all supplies from Kaszazz (with exception of the congratulations stamp and die).   Thank you for looking, Margaret

What do you do when your brother rings and says "have you got any new baby cards?"  Friends of my brother and his wife have recently welcomed a new baby girl into their family.  No worries - I say - I will make one tonight for you.   Here is what I created It is no secret that I loved creating the Christmas starburst cards.  This card uses papers and a cut out from Kaszazz Spring Meadow collection. The little fox is cute and I would not be usually using this image however it was just right for this card. Rhinestones add a little bling. The greeting and die cut around it are from my stash.  I really liked making this card and I need to make a card for new baby boy so I am sure I will use this design again - with a teddy bear that is one of the other die cuts in the set.   Thank you for looking, Margaret

This year I handed out these little bags of positivity to the ladies in my card class at a local community group.  This year was different to past years - lockdowns meant that we could not meet however we tried to keep in contact with each other.  Also, have some for another team that I meet with - sssh don't share if you know what team! And here is what I put in each bag. I did not make the calico bags - I picked them up from K-mart years ago and they may still be available.  I did iron them so that I had a flat surface on which to stamp. Also, I cut out a small piece of cardboard the size of the bag so that I could insert as I stamped and coloured each bag. Here is what I used available from Kaszazz Archival Ink - Jet Black - Code AID3892.  Archival ink is a permanent ink that provides a crisp image that won't bleed. Tea Set - Uncut Set (2) Code 6536M - I used the cup and saucer and there is also a teapot. Mini - Messages - Tea Party Uncut Set (9) Code 6542K, ...

Lockdown in Greater Sydney continues.  Here is a card I made to send to my niece and her family to say I am thinking of them. I wanted a card that would put a smile on the face of my great-nephew when he opened the mail.  I also put in a couple of magazines for them all. The cute bear is from Kaszazz Spring Meadow Friends Un-cut set (6 stamps), the leaves are from Spring Meadow Sprigs Un-cut 6 set (3 stamps) and the background stamp is Floorboard Background   I have coloured with alcohol markers but any colouring medium would work.  I wanted a bright and happy images. My thanks also go to Janene Neale, a fellow Kaszazz consultant as I drew inspiration from cards that she created to make mine.  I have sent her an email in thanks. I am a Kaszazz consultant and if you would like to order any of the products offered by Kaszazz please visit my website  www.kaszazz.com/cart?consid=110787 Thank you for looking, Margaret

Yesterday I participated in a Biggest Morning Tea (BMT) event.  BMT is a community event that raises vital funds to make a big difference for those impacted by cancer.  The event I attended was organised by one of the community groups where I lead cardmaking classes.  Here is a card I designed especially for the day. I set up a table and participants could join me and make the card for a gold coin donation.  I supplied all the materials to make the card.  Several non stampers joined me at the table to make a card.   The card background was made with Distress Oxide Inks - Wilted Violet and Squeezed Lemonade or Dusty Concord and Fossiled Amber. The two colours were wiped across a clear acrylic block, water mister applied and then put face down onto watercolour paper.  After a quick zap with the heat gun, the stamped images were applied.  Then it was applied to background mat (they had a choice of colours in yellow, purples or black) and then to...

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

 Here is a double layout that I completed today.                            It was made using Kaszazz Home Sweet Home Collection of papers  - Scattered Posies and Pretty Posies, and also used is Olive SB Essential cardstock also available from Kaszazz.  The layout was inspired by a layout completed by Jo Collingwood, a Kaszazz consulant, that was published by Kaszazz.   I have modified the layout to suit my photos. I have given thanks to Jo for the inspiration.  Also, I completed the actual layout for my sister this past week, as she too loved the layout design. The photos are of my sister and I when we went for breakfast at a local nursery - Impact Plants and Cafe, Empire Bay recently.   Their garden was full of the most wonderful colour that really 'popped' after recent rain. Thank you for looking, Margaret 

Yesterday, I invited several people to come and play using Kaszazz Spring Meadow collection. I am a Kaszazz consultant so these projects use all Kaszazz products. The ladies either made a card or a single scrapbook layout. This is a longer than normal blog post so please grab a 'cuppa' and follow along with me.   Here, is what I designed for them. The challenge for me was to design two projects (one for the cardmakers and one for the scrapbookers) using the same technique.  This scrapbook layout features SB Paper - Spring Meadow, cut into a 10cm strip and SB Essentials Chestnut cut into 1" strip, scrap piece for flower/leaf outline and a photo mat for a 6" x 4" photo. SB Essentials Mushroom used for leaf. The background and flower has been created by 'smooching' together randomly Spun Sugar and Iced Spruce Distress Oxide Inks. Stamps used are Floorboard Background (on Mushroom die cut leaf) and These are they days.....and flourish stamp from Collage Stamp...

This week and during the Calvinball crop this afternoon, I finished off designing the cards for the community card group I lead on a Friday.  I try to find designs that suit all levels of experience and likes of the ladies (sorry, no men have registered for the classes).  Here are this weeks: This card uses a new stamp called Tulip from the Kaszazz Spring Meadow collection.  The image has first been embossed with gold embossing powder and then using Watercolour pencils and a Ranger waterbrush the image is coloured in.   This is an interesting card fold that I found on Pinterest that many people have used.  The white cardstock as been folded in half and attached to single pieces of cardstock at the back.  An almost Art Deco feel to the card.   Now once again, I have been looking at Pinterest for the second card for this week and came across this rather simple to put together card.  There is an added bonus they will get to make 2 cards wit...