Stamps Ahead

I wanted to share with you some cards I have designed recently for a card class I lead each Friday for a local community group. These two cards were made using handmade paper, distress inks (run across a clear block and then spritzed and applied to the paper) and a mixture of stamps I found in my stash.  I love them - the way that the distress ink reacted with the paper is 'magic'. This card uses a Darkroom Door stamp of the lady. Other embellishments were from my stash. This reminds of the old Ladies Home Journals that my mother, a dressmaker/tailor,  collected - they contained pattern paper of some of the clothes in the magazine.  I remember as a child being mesmerized by the images of film stars and their stories, the clothes.  Background paper was old pattern paper that I have collected over the years. In a recent post I share how I made a scrapbook layout using the technique of what I am calling faux watercolouring - I just new it would work on a ca...

Today I created another layout from our cruise in April.  Here my sister and I are dressed for a cocktail party that our group had on our final evening of cruising.   I was inspired by a 2013 layout by Marie-Pierre Capistran   that I found whilst web surfing. Thank you for your inspiration and I have left her some thanks on her blog. Using Distress Stains I diluted them and applied to paper with brush in long random strokes.  A Mason Jar Stamp by Heartfelt Creations was then added when the ink had dried.  At the same time as painting I also painted onto a scrap of paper to use for embellishments.   Splotches of the paint were added randomly. I do not usually work in pastel colours and overall I love the result.  I just need to add some journaling. Thank you for looking, Margaret :)

Today, I lead several children aged 6 - 12 in making cards for a local church fete later in the year.  As I prepared for today I wanted cards that were easy enough for the kids to make, held their interest, and allowed them some scope with creativity and their own ideas.   I must say the cards they created were fantastic. They created over 20 cards and also a small notepad (no photo unfortunately - to busy helping them!!) Here is photo of some of the finished cards with the designs I prepared for them. The monster card (already packaged up ready for the fete) is one that I love - great for working with kids.   The Crazy Birds Stamps and Die (Tim Holtz) card uses washi tape and the participants had the choice of using coloured pencils or markers to colour their bird of choice. 

Today, another layout - this time for a challenge over at Scrap Our Stash .  Here is my double page layout: Our challenge was a book inspired challenge.  Here is the inspiration photo and challenge criteria:                                                I was inspired by the title, the colours and the faces at the bottom. In April 2015 I was asked by a local community centre to lead a cardmaking class during the school holidays. The girls had fun making their cards and doing their own creative interpretation of the cards I demonstrated.  Left hand page.   Right hand page. This one (above) shows one of the techniques that I demonstrated on the cards "Distress Stain Splats".  I added some rhinestones for a bit o...

At the recent scrapbooking retreat I was at the theme was Music and on the Saturday night it was dress up in a musical theme. From left here we are as Bob Marley (Jane created a fake cigarette from rolled up paper), Yellow Wiggle and I am Julie Andrews and I did a play on the Sound of Music song "These are a few of my favourite things." And of course, I sang it with actions prancing around the room - the basket I am holding is full of my favourite things that I sang about: Splotches on pages and washi tape everywhere Bright coloured markers and warm coloured paper Brown paper packages tied up with twine These are a FEW of my favourite things Cream colored flowers and Distress inks and glitter on pages Wild ideas that fly with the moon on their wings These are a FEW of my favourite things Layouts with ‘sparkle’ and ‘wow’ Snowflakes that stay on my floor and my table Silver white glitter that goes everywhere These are a FEW of my favour...

I have been playing around making cards suitable for kids to make.  I came up with these two cards "monster" as a starter. A classic - seen on many websites.  Orange is  background only - it opens up and there is another cookie and a greeting.  For kids I would prep most of the circles - for bigger kids they could do this themselves - with exception maybe of the blue scalloped cardstock that is put through a die cutting machine. For this one I was blog surfing when I found I a card that just rocked - check out sarathings  - I let her know I was inspired by her card to create this one. They use Ranger Distress Stains splashed from high!!!  I did sponge them with tissue after applying the stain so that the drying time was shorted - important here in Australia at present as it is winter. Both cards are very forgiving - the images do not have to be placed just right - important I believe for the kids to make. I love them and I hope you do as well. ...