Stamps Ahead

 I am a guest designer over at White with 1 challenges this month.  Here is my layout: The challenge was to use white with Lilac Lullaby colour and to use at least one of the following from the moodboard.  My first thought - oh no! Not a colour I usually use! I firstly sprayed my paper with Distress Oxide Ink sprays - Shaded Lilac and Wilted Violet.  I also sprayed cheesecloth, paper flowers and cotton thread with a mixture of the sprays and allowed them to dry. The photo is of my niece at age 4 (she is now a mother of a 3 1/2year old) playing with her dolls. This challenge made we wonder what her dreams were at that age. I recently got the Kaszazz Dreamcatcher die and stamp combination (KSK7300) and it seemed just right for this layout. Other Kaszazz products I have used are papers from the Nature Lover collection, Pearls Sticky Gems, Archival stamp inks, laces and ribbon and the Crafters Companion Dream die. A small stamp, from my stash, randomly applied completed...

Here is a non-Christmas card I made this morning: Thank you for looking, Margaret

I am pleased to announce that a set of 3 cards I designed, using Kaszazz collections Game On and Always and Forever have been just been accepted for publication on the Kaszazz website.  Here are my cards: To say that I am "chuffed" would be an understatement.  I had fun designing and making these cards. The Cheesecloth has been coloured by spraying Ranger Distress Oxide Faded Jeans Spray  onto the cheesecloth and allowed to dry before applying to the card.  Sticky bling rhinestones complete the look and provide a bit of sparkle. By now you may be wondering why I used a tyre track stamp - well, I thought that using the stamp would represent the ballerina dancing in the upward movement that they do so well. I will confess that I have never been a ballet dancer - I did do ballroom and latin/modern dancing a long time ago, even at competition level, so I recognize the skill that dancers of any age, gender and experience take to achieve.  Thank you for looking, Marga...

Here are two cards I have made - I was amazed at the result.  Why - see below. Cards have been created using products all available from Kaszazz.  Stamps are from Destinations Collection.  The stencil is called World Map.   Alchemy is described as - a seemingly magical process of transformation, creation or combination according to web dictionary. So how is appropriate to my cards?   Let me explain my process of creating the background. Using white cardstock (CS) I sprayed Distress Oxide Inks randomly on to the CS. I then applied texture paste through the stencil.  And then the alchemy, magic or serendipity happened - I could not believe my eyes.  The texture paste absorbed the oxide inks and created the most special background that you see. When dry - cut the CS into 2 mats as my background base. The tags I created using Ranger Black Soot Oxide Ink and clear embossing powder. One in an offcut of patterned paper in the collection and one an ...

I am participating in several challenges over at White with 1 Facebook page this weekend. Here is my layout for challenge 3. The challenge was To be inspired by the one of the colours in the background of your photo. I was inspired by the brown colours of the hills and area around Canberra in Australian Capital Territory. Use at least 3 photos. Yep.  The photos are of my friends from Canberra and were taken in March 2019 when I was visiting them.  We went to Arboretum and Rock Garden this day. Use an embellishment that does not really 'go' with the theme of your layout. To me this could be the old fabric doily I found in my stash.  What about the key? Or the paintbrush on the word authentic? Or even the star? Use a doily or mixed media (or both)   I used Vintage Photo Distress Oxide Spray in a smooching technique  Robyn and Colin are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary later this year.  I have known Robyn since High School.   Thank you for lo...

In January, 2019 on a cruise to New Zealand, one port of call was Dunedin.  We hired a car and headed for Larnach Castle.   On arrival, there was a piper welcoming us.  I loved the stone staircase into the Castle and the weathering of years on the lions. Yesterday, we met up with the friends that we travelled with on the cruise and Karen bought along a large punch that she had and I punched out the white frame you see.  I used Distress Oxide Sprays to match the colours in the photos.  A clean and simple layout. Margaret Crafting in the time of coronavirus.

Here is a card I created today, it is suitable for the men in your life: I have used Tim Holtz, Stampers Anonymous Stamp and Stencil from a set simply called THMM104.  Once again I raided my stash and found a Scrapmatts black frame that was ideal for this card. Also, I have used Ranger Distress Oxide Sprays after I had finished applying texture paste (white) and stamps and then on the stamped image of the gentleman of old.  Arrow, Choose Happy and papers are from Kaszazz and the dots found in my stash. Thank you for looking, Margaret Crafting in the time of coronavirus. 

I have made 30 thank you cards that are to be given to volunteers at our local hospitals to say thank you for all that they do.  Here are just a sample of some the cards I made multiples of: Believe it or not these cards are the same size! Techniques - blue card made with embossing paste and watercolour paint. Butterfly card made with Distress Oxide sprays onto a mat then butterfly stamp pressed into the sprays.    Dark pink card made with Distress Oxide Inks sprayed onto watercolour paper, the light pink/mauve card uses Distress Oxide Inks "smooched" onto glossy cardstock and then buffed off. Blue card made with Distress Oxide Inks (can you see I love them!) applied over embossed flower images.  The top right card I made using one of my all time favourite stamp sets (no longer available) Gorgeous Grunge by Stampin' Up! (r).  The bottom card is one of my new favourites after designing this card the stamps (excluding the Thank You) are from Kaszazz Cla...

I am participating in challenges over at Cocoa Vanilla Studio this weekend.  The first challenge was to be inspired by a mood board.   Here is my layout with a photo of my great nephew who is growing up so quickly - 2nd birthday shortly: And here is the mood board - we could draw on images, colours, patterns, texture or the quote - whatever grabbed you.  I loved the quote, butterflies and the pastel colours. I only own 4 12" x 12" patterned papers (pp) by Cocoa Vanilla but reassured we could use any of our stash I proceeded.  What have I used: One of my sheets of pp from their Wild at Heart collection - Artisan I lightly sprayed Distress Oxide Sprays - picked raspberry; broken china; fossilized amber. Then search my stash for co-ordinating papers (both retired Kaszazz papers) that match the photo I selected and then sprayed with fossiled amber and distressed the edge. On to my craft mat sprayed the 3 colours, and a little water,then stamped Kaisercraft Mage...

Here is my layout using Natalie Pecovnik inspiration on Kaszazz consultant web site.  Again, I have used stamps from the new Mediterranean collection by Kaszazz. The photo was taken at Bell's at Killcare in December 2018, when my sister and I took a friend to dinner there.   My dress (which is more white in real life - the printing made it have more blue) was from Italy and has lemons on it!   Perfect. This time I double embossed the chipboard and I stamped, coloured and cut a few more lemons.  One of the lemons hides an 'oopsy' can you see where it is?  Top left I stamped to heavy and there were black lines I did not want - so one of those cut lemons did the trick. Thank you for looking, Margaret 

My sister had an operation 9 days ago, she is still recovering and whilst I am no longer needed to stay over at her place (she lives only 3 minutes away) I have been helping her with whatever she needs - taking to doctor, buying groceries/medicines etc etc.  And diversional therapy today! Today we went to local community market day at the church she atttends, she was able to catch up with her friends and have a cup of tea, scone and even egg and bacon sandwich.  After, we left it was back to her place and she made these two layouts: I was showing her some photos of the just released Mediterranean Collection.  Included was a layout by Natalie Pecovnik, my sister loved it.    It should be noted I knew she would love the collection. My sister has twigged the original layout a little (it had one photo and she likes to included more photos). Thank you Natalie. Although, both pages could work as a double page she intends to use one for photos from Spain and It...

Another layout for a challenge at Scrappingclearly Share & Inspire facebook  page. Challenge 6 was 'soft and whimsy'. This photo of my great nephew, celebrating his first Easter this year, is just so adorable. I asked my niece if I could use it for this challenge. I loved the cuddliness of that rabbit so I wanted to somehow get that feeling across on my page.  So, what did I do - use white tissue applied with white gesso to white CS.  I then sprayed with Faded Jeans Oxide Ink spray and as I wanted it lighter I also sprayed a little water that I had added Perfect Pearls to, that dabbed with a rag to remove most of the colour.  Here is a closer look: I am not one to do whimsy - I could find nothing in my stash that remotely said whimsy to me and then I remember the tissues my sister gave me as an Easter gift this year.  Voila, separate the plies and adhere with mat medium.   Here are the tissues: When everything was dry I added paper layers, do...