Update and a Contest Link

Hi all!

I am still alive, just been busy with life!  I have been crafting too...at my bi-annual craft get away that my friend Chantal organises each year.  It's called MUFOG (multiple unfinished objects group) and it is an absolute blast of a weekend.  Nonstop crafting, laughter, good meals, great friends and a little bit of "creative inspiration".  The next one is scheduled for April next year.  If you are interested in coming along, contact Chantal here.

So what did I make while I was there?  Why Christmas cards of course!  For those of you who haven't seen them, I've posted them on Facebook but will add the photos here shortly.

Also, there is a great site that has regular sketch challenges called Once Upon A Sketch.  They are running a fantastic competition at the moment to win a scrapping prize pack and it's totally easy to do.  Just add them to your blog or Facebook page with a link and then let them know you did it.  It's open to all worldwide too.  Here is what the kit looks like:

Click here to go to the website and check them out!  The work that is presented there is simply gorgeous.

Hope to be back again soon with some exciting news and some more crafty stuff :0)

Kim

A Photo Wallet

Hi!

I have been working hard on another project for my mum as her birthday is just around the corner. Since we don't get to see her, something that holds pictures of the boys is always a winner!

As usual, I found the instructions for this project on Splitcoaststampers. Seriously, if you are a crafter and haven't checked this site out, you really should. There are some awesome projects there. The link to the project below can be found here. The other fun thing about this project is that it can be carried around with the recipient and be a "brag book"!

So, I actually used something other than Bo Bunny to make this project (shocker, I know). This time I used K&Co Wild Saffron paper and embellishments. I also used some SU stamps (Eastern Blooms and Baroque Motifs) and inks (Daffodil Delight, Baja Breeze, and Sage Shadow).

Here it is in it's closed state:





I used DCWV card stock with the SU border punch. The flower, leaf and lady bug are Wild Saffron embellishments.

This is it opened:





The stamps are SU and the stickers are Wild Saffron. The butterflies are a three stage punch from EK Success punched from the Wild Saffron papers. For all of the stamping on this project, I used the SU markers (in the same colours as the stamp pads) to colour the stamps and then "huffed" on them to reactivate the ink and stamp.

Here are the photo pockets up close:














Here is what the photo wallet looks like fully open.





Obviously I still need to add photos and some journalling but as that is more personal, I decided to show you the project before it's completely finished. This is a very easy, effective project and I will be making more of these for my parents and Drew's mum.

Have a go yourself...I think you will be pleasantly surprised :0)

- Kim

A Stationery Box, A Bookmark and a Card

Hi all!

I have been sitting at my craft desk more regularly lately but I have been quite slack in showing you what I have been doing.  So here is a little catch up on it all.

It seems from September onwards, the days just start to run together.  There are birthdays galore and then there are holidays that, although are not Australian, I still celebrate as I did growing up.  It just doesn't feel right if I don't acknowledge them in some way.  However, this month, there were two special birthdays to be marked in our calendar - my friend Dayna and her daughter.

Dayna was gifted the stationery box.  She told me to tell you all that she was absolutely in love with her gift although I am apparently on call for more cards when she needs them :0)  I am fine with that!  So what is this stationery box I hear you asking?  I found the tutorial on my ever faithful source - Splitcoaststampers.  You can get to it from here.  Most of the large cards are modified copies from other's websites too...sorry, not too original as I had limited time!

This is what mine looked like after I finished.  There are a few pictures as I have chosen to show it both full and empty.  There are 6 cards, 8 gift cards and 8 tags in the box as a "starter kit".  All the items, including the box were made with Bo Bunny Gabrielle papers (no, it's not my favourite at all).  The stamps are a mixture of Stampin Up's Cottage Garden and Vintage Vogue.  I used Ranger Archival Inks in Jet Black, Cobalt, and Olive.  I used a combination of my Glue Glider Pro, Glossy Accents and Xpress It tape to stick it all together.  The flowers were Prima and miscellaneous and most of the embellishments were from the Bo Bunny Gabrielle range.

 For Dayna's daughter, I decided to make a bookmark instead of a regular card.  This way, she would get to see it for the whole year!  I used a technique called ghosting. This is where you stamp in a white versa mark ink and then once dry, ink over the top.  I grabbed the idea from here.

After I stamped the ghost butterfly (Stampin' Up's Great Friends set), I inked the entire tags with Distress Inks (Dusty Concord, Stormy Sky and Victorian Velvet).  Next, I sprayed it with Perfect Pearls Mist in Perfect Pearl and then stamped the butterfly from Stampin' Up's Priceless set. The ribbon was inked with the same Distress Inks and is from the Tim Holtz trims set.  The card stock is Coredination card stock in the Tim Holtz Distress Ink colours.  Finally, I added some diamond Stickles to give the butterflies a little bling of their own.

Finally, the card I made is for my Grandpa who is in hospital.  I'm going to sent some photos along with a message for him to help remind him that we love him very much.  The paper is - oh, I don't know - Bo Bunny Gabrielle?!  The trim is a random one I've had for a while.  The butterfly is cut from matching card stock and the antenna are brown memory thread.  The bling is also a random brand.

So, I hope you have enjoyed all of these.  I know I enjoyed making them and I hope to have some photo wallet ideas up for you before too long!

Have a great week :0)

Kim

Thank You Cards

Well, I've been slack again but it has been school holidays so I have been hanging out with my boys. I've shared a fair few pics of the boys on my FB page but because I love them so much, I thought I'd share my two favourites.

Spider Monkey:




Capuchin:




So, I made some thank you cards today. I started out with zero mojo so I cleaned up my space so that I could think a little more clearly. As I cleaned, I found a card that I made at my friend Chantal's card class last month. It was monochromatic with a background stamp and inking. I chose to emulate that look.

I made three colour ways as that matched the card stock I had. I used a stamp from Stamp It and all the inks and paper are Stampin' Up. I think of the inking like a vignette for cards! These made for a quick and easy set of cards to make as thank you cards for presents and such.












So enjoy the week! I know I will as I have only ONE boy at home during the day now that school has gone back :-)

- Kim

A Card Front

So, as usual it has been a busy weekend. Still, I managed to find a little time for some craft time.

I made this card front today:





The image is embossed using the Couture Creations Flutterby, Dreamscapes embossing folder on white cardstock. To accent the image, I coloured the raised part with Smooch Accent Inks. On the odd occasion that I ended up off the edge of the raised image, I corrected the colour mistake by colouring over the top of the colour with a white gel pen.

Next, I sprayed it with Heirloom Gold Perfect Pearls mist. I sprayed it quite heavily and then blotted it with a paper towel. Finally, I sprayed it again with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Snow Angel - again quite heavily finishing with a blotting with paper towels.

I love the shimmer provided by all of the products and will endeavour to show you the finished card soon!

Have a great week people :0)

Kim

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

It Has Been a Busy Month!

I have been so busy this month! Of course, none of it has been craft related but there have been many photos taken ;0) Why so busy? Well, we had Father's Day, Drew's birthday, Capuchin's birthday and yesterday was mine! At least now the celebrations have ended and we can go back to normal.

In that vein, I have decided that by this time next year, there will be half as much of me to love. Since I have purchased my new shoes (Athlete's Foot in Belconnen ROCK at fittings), I have been getting up at 5:45 each morning to go walking. It has been a nice change and with the warmer weather upon us, it has been a good way to wake up each day. So, I have taken a photo of myself to share what I am like now. As those of you who know me know, this is a rare thing. I hate having my photo taken (partially because I hate the weight gain but also cause I just don't think I look good in photos). And here it is:


Capuchin turned 2 this month. Where has the time gone?! We had a small celebration here at home with some friends and people who are our family here in Canberra. He had a great time and was spoiled by all those who were in attendance. Before I share the photos though, I have to say they were not all taken by me. Thanks to Chantal who took over the photography side of the day! And here he is in all his glory:












We bought him a sandbox to play in so the next weekend was spent putting it together and having a play. It was gorgeous weather and of course Spidermonkey was in on the action too. What was even better, Spidermonkey donated his Tonka trucks for use in the sandbox! Here are a few shots of the boys at play:










Like I said, lots of pictures (and that's not even 1/3 of them)! So a big thanks to all who celebrated with us this month and happy birthday to all those people born in September (we are a special bunch).
One final shot to keep you going until next time (I just love this one):


Love to you all!

Kim

Stay Tuned

Hi all!

Just wanted to take a moment to let you all know that I haven't forgotten you!  This time of year is quite busy for us with lots of birthdays and holidays here in AUS.

I will be back soon with some photos and more craftiness :0)