P.S Creations*

Classic elegance....a wedding invitation

2012-02-14T08:00:00.000+02:00

I have been commissioned to make 100 wedding invites. The couple wanted something simple, elegant, and affordable. An easy task for me, seeing as I love affordable projects and I love classic looks.

I made use of my trusty cuttlebug for the embossing and played around with my computer to come up with a simple monogram, not something the couple asked for, but I thought it would add a nice touch.

The card inner looked a bit plain at first, so I punched it with a new corner punch I got from a new store round the corner from our house...my first splurge in months! and it was cheap!

The bride loves it and I am set to deliver them on the 27th of this month. How exciting :)

I'll be adding these to my portfolio for future clients (gee, I am really optimistic). I would love some commentry on the work, any advice or ideas on how to make it better? or change it up?

xoxo

Plain and simple scrapbooking

2012-02-08T08:00:00.000+02:00

I love my scrapbooking as much as I love my card making. There is something different about putting paper together to match a photo or set of photo's theme instead of an occasion.

We don't have children so that area of scrapbooking is like the wilderness, no make that the Saharan desert, to me. BUT, we have family and we have pets and I love to take photo's of wildlife. That's a pretty large canvas of ideas.

I often want to go the full hog and place tons of embellishments, patterns and ribbon on a page. Sometimes, it just isn't needed and I tell myself to go back to basics, it's about the photograph and not the beautiful scrapbooking supplies.

So, that was my inspiration behind today's post, a plain and simple scrapbook page.

I used a sum total of two embellishments, plus the title. I used scrap paper to make the embellies too! and the stripe paper behind the photo's is also out of my scrap box :)

It might a bit plain for some, but I sure enjoyed the change.

xoxo

Cuttlbug, scraps and prehistoric embellishments

2012-02-06T08:00:00.000+02:00

So, the title of my blog post says it all. I used my Cuttlebug, scrap paper and prehistoric embellishments from my stash. The image should look familiar to one of my crafty friends too...

I started off by colouring my LOTV image with my trusted Sharpies. It was a therapeutic experience and a good practice colouring session :) I played with outlining the different areas in darker shades and colouring in with lighter shades. I am getting there people! I am getting there!

I got a stunning set of border embossing folders for Christmas from Christi Usher over at my Paper Craft Planet Group and I utilised it on the sides of the stamped image just to give it a bit more pop. I then dug in my ever growing pile of nice things that I avoid using and pulled out some wooden photo corners and sequins (yes, I even hoard sequins)

I think the card turned out quite CAS, and I like it!

Until my next post, Happy Monday!

xoxo

Racy Lace

2012-02-03T08:00:00.000+02:00

I have seen a lot of lace being used in the craft world lately, well, actually, for a long time now. I am scared of it's delicateness and it's vintage quality. How on earth do you do justice to lace on a project? I find it near impossible.

We have paper doily's in the kitchen that have a lacy pattern around the edge, I used one of these for the Christmas wreath I made back in December 11. I took another one and decided to put it to use on a card...

I also have these really awesome handmade flowers I received from a crafty friend that I spruced up with some pearl brads from yet another crafty friend :) As I type this I realise I know a lot of crafty people because I also used a strip of REAL lace ribbon, also received from a crafty friend (it was actually part of another gifts packaging...recycling is par for the course in crafting)

The stamp I used on this card was bought for me by my hubby, isn't he too sweet? I love the Victorian look of the image, and stamped and embossed it in gold.

I used scrap paper for the base and pattern of the card, I don't even think it's necessary for me to comment on the enormity of my scrap stash anymore...

I can't quite decide if I like it or not, maybe if I look at it again another day?

Have you played with lace on your projects yet? I'd love to see what you've come up with!

xoxo

I (heart) Hearts!

2012-01-27T08:00:00.000+02:00

I recently got a gift from far away, it travelled over many countries borders to reach me. I opened it with much vigour and played with the contents the same day I recieved it...

My very own, Danish heart :) you can see another version of this one on Crafty Claire's blog too, we run in the same circles...

For even more amazing hearts, you must visit Anne's blog, dedicated to one of these hearts a day. The variations she has are amazing!

Pretty no? I think so :)

xoxo

You and Me Always

2012-01-22T22:28:00.001+02:00

Well, it has been a decidely long time since my last post and quite frankly I am embarrassed. I went from being an every day blogger to one that stopped posting. How on earth will you all ever forgive me? How will I forgive myself? In putting off the blog I ended up putting off my crafting time and my creativity streak suffered for it.

Sigh* I cannot turn back the clock though and I shall just have to make up for my crafty misgivings. I did manage to craft quite a bit in the last week and I am soooo happy with how everything turned out. It seems a craft break was exactly what I needed, along with a good dose of craft magazine reading to boost the creativity juices.

I made scrapbook pages, cards, Danish hearts and even covered a shoebox for completed cards to be stored in. Happiness describes the feeling I have as I type this :)

I am rambling, let me show you one of my projects instead.

A 12x12inch scrapbook page! I love this photo of me and my hubby, posing in our ever so cool 3D glasses that we bought when we went to see a 3D movie at the cinemas. And I love my hubby even more for loving me enough to indulge my sillyness when it came to taking the pic :)

I used a full pattern page for the base and half of a circle page left over in my stash for the main paper pieces. The tiny red rectangle to the bottom left of the photo came out of the scrap paper pile (Yes, I still have the pile, it never decreases in size). I raised both the half circle and the photo on foam.

I traced the letters for 'You' and 'Me' using Mia Road letters, that I got last year from an unknown recipient in my Secret Pals group on Papercraftplanet, onto some brown dotted paper. I cut them out and traced around the edges with my black sharpie. The '&' and the 'always' are sticker letters from my stash.

I popped on some candy, a bit of ribbon and a 7 Gypsies sticker and Bob's your uncle (or your auntie) the page was done! Not my usual taste, what with the bright colours and all but I actually love it :) I think I am being converted to the bright and funky. Good thing too, cause now I can get rid of some of the pages I have been avoiding in my stash for ages!

So until my next post, thank you for putting up with my absence and coming back to visit :)

xoxo

AiFactory Challenge #99 - Christmas

2011-12-14T08:00:00.000+02:00

Wow, how did two weeks fly by so quickly? It's time for another AiFactory challenge! One that is so easy to create for! Christmas!

The DT have created stunning creations for your eyes to feast on, you can see them and enter at the challenge blog here. You will have until the 27th of December to upload your projects, and if you enter and win using an AiFactory image you'll get two images instead of just one!

The DT were given a stunning set of clip art to work with for this challenge, it's called Season Greetings and can be found at the store here. A sneak peek of the set looks like this:

I loved all the images on this set, but didn't want to make a card. I have been working my fingers to bone lately creating birthday cards on commission and sometimes a girl just needs to take a break :) I scratched around in my stash and found a stack of very large paper doilies.....

... Light bulb! I made a paper wreath! I used the candy cane image for my project, printing it off twice (one was reversed before printing). I fussy cut them out and centred them in the middle of the wreath. I then took my Sharpies and coloured in a few of the accent pieces of the doily. I stuck bling stones all around the edge and then added a nice big red bow to hang it on our front door.

I love how it turned out and my family loved it too. Amazing how something as simple as a paper doily can be such an inspiration :)

Hurry up and join us for the challenge, we can't wait to see your entries! And don't forget about the DT call we have running, you can see the post here. We are eagerly awaiting your submissions :)

xoxo

AiFactory DT Call!

2011-12-03T19:00:00.000+02:00

An exciting opportunity is awaiting all you talented crafters out there, to apply for a place on our Design Team! If you are passionate about crafting, have a knack for digital images and clipart, then this is the place to be! Card makers, scrapbookers and 3D specialists are all welcome to join our Team.

Our DT requirements are as follows:

- You must be able to work with Digital stamps and clipart images

- You must be able to commit to a 6 month DT term

- You must be able to commit to doing two projects a month, as well as one tutorial over your six month Term.

- You must have an active blog (no less than one post per week)

In order to apply, please send an e-mail to Petra via (pscreations.sa at gmail.com), tell us a bit more about yourself, what crafting style do you like most? What is your favourite type of project (cards, scrapbooking, 3d?) and attach three recent photo's of your best work. Please ensure that your photo's are no larger than 500kb in size. You are also welcome to send us the address of your blog, so we can further ogle all your beautiful work.

DT rewards include free digi's and clipart for projects and challenges, blog promotion via the AIF site and discount at the AIF store.

You will have until December 20th to apply, we will announce the new DT members on the 24th of December, your six month term will then start on the 1st of January 2012.

We will also be earmarking bloggers for Guest design posts, so please do not be disappointed if you do not make it on to the Design team. You may be chosen to guest spot!

Looking forward to seeing all the talent you have to offer!

xoxo

AiFactory Challenge #98 - Something Red!

2011-11-30T08:00:00.000+02:00

Well, it certainly has been a tough couple days for me crafting wise everyone. I think this AiF project is my first non-commissioned project I've worked on since advertising my services for those advent calenders...over 30 made.... two more to go and then I will decline any more orders.

I have some exciting news to share before I carry on with the blog post. I have been elected as the new DT leader for the AiFactory Design team. I am extremely honoured and hope that I can do the brand and the DT members proud.

The project this week features a digital stamp in the AiF store that is very festive in nature. You can find it here. It looks like this:

Though I am happy with my idea for this project, I still feel that it needs a bit more tinkering. I will play a bit more with it tonight I think. It needs more oomph! in terms of embellishments I think. I dunno? what do you think?

I saw 3D when I started working on the image. A bird in a cage..... coloured with sharpies and embellished with lots of glitter glue :)

The box has three open sides to view the bird, I tried to make it look like it was 3-dimensional. Next time I will fussy cut the image and try see how it works that way. I am thinking I need to place a huge poinsetta on the top of the box....

Hope you will join us for the challenge, it will be open for submissions until midnight ont he 13th December. The rules have changed a bit, you can now enter with any image, but if you win using an AiF image you get two images instead of just one! Now that's a bargain if I ever saw one :)

xoxo

Row, row, row your boat!

2011-11-25T08:00:00.000+02:00

Gently down the stream! Merrily! Merrily! Merrily! Life is but a Dream!

Hope you have your sing song voice going in your head, I couldn't resist :) I made a card with a sailboat on it as part of my commissioned cards this last week and am quite impressed with myself. I cut the boat pieces myself, no template used. Smug look on my face right now....

I used only scraps for this project, I seem to have so many. I cleared out my stash and repacked everything and found so many scrap pieces that were hiding their pretty faces from me. sigh* I don't think my journey with scrap paper will ever end.

The card is actually really simple, without too many layers. I used an Angel company stamp from the vintage rides set for the sentiment and a tiny piece of ribbon that I cut off a length I got from my special friend, Queen B.

Hope you like it, it was created for a male, egh! I really struggle with male cards.

xoxo

I've been a busy Bee!

2011-11-24T08:00:00.000+02:00

The lack of posts on my blog lately hasn't been for lack of crafting. In fact, it is because I have been crafting so much that I have been AWOL.

I decided to advertise my services for making the advent calendar that I showed you all last year in one of my posts. I received a whopping 28 orders and I am still waiting to confirm more. I also had a stack of Birthday cards commissioned and those kept me busy for a good while too. I hate making rushed cards and really do try put an effort into bulk orders. I will show you some of the Christmas advents in a later post, today I want to show you the non-Christmas advents I made.

I used a tutorial I found for tissue paper flowers and couldn't resist using them as toppers! you can find the tutorial here.

I made up the advent using matchboxes and paper as usual, using brads and ribbons for the drawer handles. I used a range of embellies for the decor on the box panels and had a lot of fun with beads :)

I have even found a magnificent tutorial on how to make photo mosaics for your blog here. The website she uses is easy to navigate and quick too.

Here are the advents and my resulting photo mosaic :)

Pink ...is my favourite colour

2011-11-09T08:00:00.000+02:00

Yes, I know, you all get tired of my pink obsession (I do, no point in sugar coating it). But I just cannot seem to get enough of it. I reach for it every time I get stuck while crafting and it's THE go-to colour for a feminine card. sigh* I love it, so much.

I used a wood mounted stamp from a local company (who have failed to put their name on the stamp) for this card. It is a bunch of five roses, pretty no? I stamped it in black and then heat embossed it with clear powder. I coloured it with sharpies and stuck buttons, with silver twine threaded through, on the three of the roses. The sentiment is an Angel company stamp, love how crisp these stamps turn out.

I am in love with my scrap pile of paper, I have so much of it that it isn't difficult to find paper to put together. Granted, I am having to scratch like a hungry chicken in the dirt to find the pieces I want. I am hoping my hands don't grow chicken talons from the constant treasure hunting.

I made use of a few tools on this card, including my paper piercer, Martha Stewart lace punch and cuttlebug. It's the first time I am using this embossing folder and it will take some getting used to. It's just not as 'pretty' as some of my others. I am going to have to think of ways to use it more productively.

The ribbon should look familiar to you, it is the bigger brother of the piece I used on Clyde in yesterdays post. Amazing how I can make one scrap piece of ribbon stretch over two cards...genius I tell you*

xoxo

Cool Clyde

2011-11-08T08:00:00.000+02:00

I got Clyde as a freebie from Bugaboo stamps some time back. He really is the epitome of a cool dragon. I just had to use him on a card. you would too, the moment you see his face.

Boy cards, for me, have to be in shades of blue, green, brown or red. I dont know why, they just look better if they are. Oranges and the like, though not particularly girly, just don't do it for me.

I am hardly making a dent in my scrap pile, but the entire card was put together using scraps. Even my ribbon came out the 'scrap' ribbon pile. The delicious candy stickers make another appearance here, don't you just love em? The sentiment is another Kaisercraft stamp from my stash. And the scallop on the blue cardstock was handcut after being traced off a ruler.

You would have guessed right if you said my Clyde was coloured with Sharpies...So, there you have it :) Happy Tuesday people!

xoxo

More fun, less chores!

2011-11-07T08:00:00.000+02:00

You know, life just happens. No warnings, no planning. You have to learn to go with the flow. I used to stress about getting a post up every day here, franticly crafting every single night in order to 'post something tomorrow'. The last few weeks, nay, months, have had me pretty stressed out about posting anything on this blog. I have had dry spells, busy spells and just plain couldn't be bothered spells. I am sure that I am not the only crafter out there who has had this type of blogging experience. In fact, I would bet that all craft bloggers experience this at least once during their blogging lifetime. I think.

Anyway, I have come to the calm conclusion that being a woman that holds a full time job and has a family that she loves to spend time with, means that I do not have to fret about updating a blog every single day. I might just be trying to make myself feel better here but this is how I feel about it at the moment. Crafting should not be a chore, it should be fun.

That said, I really have had this card sitting in my photo box for a week, waiting to show it's pretty face to you. Unfortunately a certain thing called month end at work had me working my fingers to the bone and I was too tired and disinterested to post about it.

I have really been enjoying the creative side of the whole crafting experience lately, due to my renewed vow to only craft when I feel like it. It brings out the scissor cutting, template drawing monster in me. Just ask my husband...who had to help me cut out 45 babygrow shapes last night, hand drawn onto Designer paper, for a certain project I cannot yet mention.

I was that monstor with this card. I absolutely had to draw myself a tree and put it together to match the paper I was using for the card.

I stamped my Kaisercraft sentiment in black ink and heat embossed with clear powder. I then took my distressing tool (actually just an emery board) and distressed the edges. I love this look and you can see the details in a bigger version of the photo by clicking on it.

The 'leaf' bunches on my tree were mounted onto foam squares for dimension and I added a butterfly brad just because.

The making of this card did not cause harm to any pieces of 'new' paper.

xoxo

Adventures in crafting

2011-11-02T08:00:00.000+02:00

I have really found my crafting bug again, it bit me hard. I think I have enough cards to last me a good couple of posts for the next two weeks. No joke. Only downside for you all is that they are all birthday card related because they have been made for a commissioned order.

I used another shaped ruler to trace a design I liked and then fussy cut with my craft scissors on this card. More scraps were utilised and I am really becoming convinced that this scrap pile of mine is starting to breed. Seriously, how much scrap paper can a girl have in her craft space? I am sure it is not normal, I have started to overflow out of the 6 pizza boxes I begged off a pizza place two months ago...

I used some gorgeous stickers bubble embellies that I got from way across the sea in the US of A :) Thanks Birdie! The ribbon came from my stash and the stars are Scrappy cat stamps that I stamped in blue and heat embossed with clear powder. This was quick and easy and oh so simple to put together.

I've put this one aside as a male card, despite the length of ribbon....

xoxo

Die cuts? What die cuts?

2011-11-01T08:00:00.000+02:00

I pride myself on making do with what I have (albeit a mountain load of product) when it comes to my craft time and producing something different. I am blessed to have a lot of paper (including scraps..sigh*), embellishments, stamps and embossing folders. One thing I do lack however is a good couple of die cut sets to utilise on cards. Can anyone say Spellbinders? I think I have been drooling over the collection of die's at our local scrapbook store for well over a year now and I have never bought a single one. Go figure.

Anway, because of this little dilemma, I make my own funky shapes for cards using a few of the shaped rulers I do have as well as freehand (a lot). It makes the crative process so much more fun, to know that I have made something all on my own.

Todays card is one of those specimens that used my own die cut ability's :)

I dug through my scrap paper stash and put together a mix of different colours and patterns, inked everything in a red chalk and put together a ribbon and flower embellie in no time (yeah right, try two hours...)

I love the eclectic mix of patterns, and of course, the ribbon. It's like icing on a cake :)

xoxo

(whistle)...mojo!...(whistle)...mojo!...

2011-10-26T08:00:00.000+02:00

...come out, come out wherever you are!

A two week, dry, crafty spell is not what I asked for, and is most certainly not something that I am enjoying very much. In my own defense I must admit to trying my hand at a card on Saturday night, failing and throwing a tantrum fit for a two year old.

I consoled myself with a book, a blankie and a good ole cuddle on the couch with my hubby.

All this said and done and I really am itching to make something, and it has to be soon. Before I forget what coloured paper looks like and how my craft knife actually works. Imagine me trying to figure out how the retractable blade pulls out? hmmm...

I have, in the mean time, busied myself with creating a few sketches to work from. I find the process quite fun and enjoyable. Here's the first one I created, feel free to use it :) I only ask that you credit me if you do.

xoxo

Colouring times equal fun times...

2011-10-14T08:00:00.000+02:00

...sometimes. I struggle with colouring of images for my card projects. Really. I do. And it's not for lack of equipment either. I have Sharpies, koki's, Steadler fine tips, crayons, pencil crayons, fancy pencil crayons. Listing them out like this makes me feel kind of like a hoarder, but then which of us crafter's isn't?

Anyway, I struggled with colouring this image until I had a look at the packaging that the stamp came in. It was like a light bulb came on in my head and was flashing at lightning speed. I am good at copying. Whether it's actually drawing something or colouring it in, making a box or putting together a Scrapbook LO. I am good and it's a talent. It's probably the reason why I could never be an original artist.

So I picked up my sharpies and coloured my image by looking at how the packaging had 'coloured' her and came up with this (granted, much brighter and funkier) version:

It's not as expertly done as some of the 'professionals' out there in big wide card making world, but I think I did pretty well according to my standards and experience.

I put together the card with a mixture of patterned and plain cardstock, and adorned it with a big red bow. Bow envy anyone?

Put together, it looks like this:

Hope you all have a fantastic Friday! it's the weekend!

xoxo

Make a crap card great day!

2011-10-13T08:00:00.000+02:00

Ahem, I apologise for my choice of words in explaining the blog post.....Sorry. But it really was true and I did make a crap card great, promise!

When I first started making card, I thought I was so clever. I made little note cards out of my scraps and used wage pockets for envelopes. Clever, yes. pretty? no. Well, not to my eye anyway. Not after a year of making cards and learning from some really talented people out there.

I failed to take a photo of the 'before', but can explain it pretty easily. the card was just a base with one piece of patterned paper on it. The envelope had one piece of embossed cardstock on it, with a button sewn to the bottom left corner.

I scratched like an eager chicken through my stash and found some die cut hearts, and heart bling and a worthy stamp. The die cut hearts have been lying in a black hole for the last two years, I think they are happy to see the light of day.

I added the hearts, stamped the sentiment and voila!

The envelope was treated with some patterned paper, glossy accents and the heart bling.

Don't they just look lovely together?

I hope everyone is having a good week so far, I'm finding it difficult to believe that we're almost half way through the month already!

xoxo

Mix and Match

2011-10-12T08:00:00.000+02:00

I have been having a lot of fun lately, putting different pattern pieces together on projects. I also seem to be gravitating towards bright, fun colours, and away from my preferred vintagy, romantic hues. Not sure why this is but I like it all the same.

This card uses new and scrap paper, and a lot of glitter glue :) I don't have the cash for stickles, so I have three bottles of regular ole R10.00 glitter glue from the stationery store. Works a wonder I tell you!

I put together two fabric flowers, a sentiment that I cut from a sheet, a brad and some maya road pins for embellishment. Is it just me, or this card slightly festive looking?

I did get to crafting a whole bunch of stuff last night, had so much fun and I can't wait to post all my creations :) Hope you will all have a stunning day, wherever you may be!

xoxo

2011 - A Year in Review: Week 25

2011-10-11T08:00:00.001+02:00

Kapow! wham! Bam! Peeeeew! .....

....No, I did not go mad :) These are typical sounds in our house when my hubby plays games on our PlayStation! Naturally, this was the highlight of Week 25. We play games on our PlayStation so often that I had to dedicate at least one of the weeks in my review to it. Granted, Hubster plays more than I do, but I still get my fair share (when I'm not crafting, that is).

I am proudly admitting that I used another Let's Scrap sketch on this one. They make life sooooo much easier! no more sitting, staring at paper, wondering what to do with it all :)

I did use scraps, but the base page is a clean, new, shiny piece out my pile of clean and shiny's.

First pic up is a close up of the brads I used. One big, pretty, spotted one from my friend Ace and three tiny's from my regular stash. The tiny one's seem to have got a bit squashed, I may have been too enthusiastic in my hammering of their backsides, but I must tell you that their quality is very poor and I am sorry I bought the pack.

Next up is my very own embellishment, made from pure scrappy goodness! I free handed the 'blast' onto the blue cardstock, then sort of traced a line around it on black cardstock, leaving a little matt gap. The centre circle was punched with a circle punch that belongs to my very kind MIL.

My main heading, sums up the load noise of the types of games my hubby likes to play. KAPOW! I traced the letters, using wooden letters in my stash, onto yellow cardstock. I then stuck it onto a strip of black cardstock and cut it all out to look like it had come out of a comic book strip.

I had to include journaling, it seems to be a staple for this book and describing each week as it goes by. I can only thank Mrs Nate (ooh! more on her later, and our big Secret Pal reveal!) for this idea. It reads: She said: I will take photo's of you playing your PlayStation for Week 25! He said: What a good idea...Not really.. Actually, He said...What are you doing?

Also, in the final LO photo, you will see words on some of the photo's. They are also compliments of Mrs Nate, from her Birthday package to me :)

I love the final layout, how it resembles a comic book full of action :) and the fact that I was creative in my embellishments and used up so much scrap paper!

That's it for now, I am thinking on a proper post to reveal MY Mrs Nate :) and all her wonderful goodness! Have a lovely Tuesday!

xoxo

2011 - A Year in Review: Week 24

2011-10-10T08:00:00.000+02:00

I know that my weeks are a little backwards due to my post with Jenga last week (using an AiFactory image), so let's rewind a bit :)

Week 24 brought an amazing experience...viewing a total Lunar eclipse. wow! I can't remember all the facts around the eclipse, but I do know that it was a rare occurence that only happens every few years. Loved putting this one together using another Layout from from Let's scrap :)

I used a mixture of scraps and new paper on this LO, it really is difficult to make a Scrapbook LO using only scraps when you need a humungously large 12x12 inch piece for the base! I did ensure though, that my journaling was done on scraps :) I made a litle boo boo on one of the blocks so I had to cut another small piece and stick it over...hmmm, does it look like it was meant to be there?

I also made use of my cuttlebug on this LO for the main title: Lunar Eclipse. It's actually a tag set. I cut the letters out for the word Lunar using the cuttlebug and then using my scissors, I cut off the top pieces that made them look like tags. I popped out the centre letters and stuck a piece of black cardstock behind each 'tag' so that the leters would look black and have more of an impact.

I cut letters out for the word eclipse too, but these are a normal letter set and I didn't need to cut any tags. I then adhered them all to a little circle I cut with my martha stewart circle cutter, don't you think it look like a mini moon?

I had to add the week in somewhere.... so I added another journaling piece. You can also see a bit of the ribbon I adhered to the page too!

Loved putting this together, it went soooooo quickly!

Bit disappointed with the quality of this pic, I think my lighting was off. hope you get the gist of it though.

Hope you are all well and enjoying a wonderful Monday so far :) Have a good one!

xoxo

A Friendship challenge at AiFactory!

2011-10-06T08:00:00.000+02:00

I just couldn't resist a scrapbook page for my year in review when I recieved this week's digi. It's actually three weeks ahead of the Year in Review schedule but what the heck :) I'll show the pages in between from tomorrow :)

Anne, AiF DT member of note, chose this week's theme and image. The image we've worked with, and which will go free to the first ten downloads at the blog site, is called Best Friend's Forever. A little sneak for you (click on the pic to take you to the link at the AiF store if you miss the freebie):

Aptly, Anne chose the theme to be Friendship. She even has a delightful story about how her dog and cat truly are best friends on her blog post here. Hop on over and give her some love :)

We do not have any cats at home (yet) but I do consider our little pekingnese to be my BFF puppy :) How could I not document us welcoming her into our home as a highlight in my week in review book? She came to us in Week 29 and I have never looked back, not even when we were busy potty training...now that's what I call love. Hahaha!

Anyway, on to the page! I found some really neat doggy chipboard die cuts in my embellie stash so they came in quite handy for extra highlights on the page. I also made use of gorgeous felt patterned paper (thanks Birdie!) to add some depth to the page. Oh! and the background Kraft, flower patterned paper looks just perfect don't you think (thanks again Birdie!)? K & Company stickers also helped in the form of a banner and flower string.

Of course the stunning Best Friends Forever digi fit perfectly under my journaling! I left the image uncoloured, but traced around it in brown ink and coloured the spots, eye's and noses in with the same pen. I used a Steadler fine tip to do this. I also wrote in the week along the side of the doggy's head.

I couldn't resist placing a ribbon around the photo with a bow...

The entire page, put together looks like this:

She sure was a cute puppy! Hope this inspires you to make not just a card with your digi images, but scrapbook pages and 3D items too! have a great day! and don't forget to grab the freebie before it disappears :)

xoxo

World Card making day - card #2

2011-10-05T08:00:00.000+02:00

I know this post is a day late but I didnt have full access to the internet yesterday, neither did I have the time (or the energy) to access it last night. My sister has arrived for her week long visit and it was a long day yesterday getting her to her various appointments.

Here is the second card I made on Sunday though. I used K&Company paper again, glittery ribbon and a die cut sticker off a really cheap 'made in China' set :)

I refrained from inking any edges because I thought the paper deserved a really 'clean' look. I like the simplicity of it, havn't made anything like it in a very long time. Less fuss = more, I think :)

Anyways, tomorrow is time for a new challenge at the AiFactory blog so I hope you'll pop in to see what we have in store for you :) Until then, have a stunner of a day!

xoxo

World Cardmaking day

2011-10-03T08:00:00.000+02:00

So, apparently I missed world card making day on Saturday. How terrible of me... a papercrafter.... who enjoys making cards.... Hmmmm.

I promised to make two cards to make up for my forgetfulness, and two cards I did make! Quite chuffed with myself actually. I also managed to complete two Year in review LO's with photo's :) More on these later in the week.

For the sake of keeping you all entertained with a daily post, I will only show one of the cards I made in honour of world card making day. I dipped deep into my stash for this one, finding old K&Company die cuts and delicious K&Company paper.

The die cut on the bottom of the pattern paper was pre-cut by K&Company so it made for a stunning finish on the card. I inked everything in roan coloured ink and raised the pink die cut piece with the sentiment on foam. I also cut a piece of precious lace trim and added it just above the DP cut.

Have a lovely week everyone! I'm looking forward to having a post everyday for you :)

xoxo

Love you...Sis!

2011-09-30T08:00:00.000+02:00

I promised a card today, and a card it shall be! Using the stamped image from yesterday's post, I came up with a cute little, bright looking vintage card for my dear little sister (who, by the way, is not so little anymore, seeing as she will be 19 in 2 months time)

I really do wish I could colour better, I guess it is going to take practise (a lot of it).

Proudly, I can say this card was made using ONLY scraps! Whoop Whoop! I inked it all in black and added a few brads just to finish it off.

And of course, I had to tell her that I love her :)

On another note, it is my Dunderstuds Birthday today. He has been spoilt with vouchers, cologne and a absail & river rafting exprience for Sunday. What a brat! Just wanted to publicly wish him a happy day here too :)

have a lovely weekend everybody

xoxo

Love to you...

2011-09-29T08:00:00.000+02:00

..all. Thank you for being patient while I get my crafting time in order. I have been a bad little blogger these last few weeks. Yes, I have kept up with my DT tasks at AiFactory, but I have failed to create for non-DT related posts. I must admit that I have no idea what my problem was but I seem to have broken through and am crafting again.

I have made a few LO's for my week in review album, so those will be shown as soon as I have photo's printed to fill them. Last night I managed to make a sample wedding invitation for my newly created P.S Creations* Facebook page and am quite chuffed. I need to figure out how to photograph it though so that it looks professional. I have quite a few designs that I am working on making, and want to put them all up at the same time so that the Facebook page doesn't look bare.

Other than that, I also made a little note card for my sister who will be visiting us next week. She has found a job here in the big city and will be meeting her new bosses on Tuesday. She officially starts work in January of next year.

More on the note card later though, first, I want to discuss stamping inks. Weird topic, but oh so relevant when stamping traditionally with rubber stamps etc.

When stamping the image (shout out to Ace for the lovely stamp!) I wanted to use for my sister's card, I first used a black stamp pad (I have forgotten to note the company name, will edit later) with what I would think is 'regular' ink. OK, so I stamped and happily continued to colour with my fancy pants pencil crayons that hubby bought for me last year. Ugh, the ink smudged...badly. I coloured the entire image though and set aside for purposes of this blog post.

I stamped the image again, this time using a black StazOn inkpad. The image lines were sharper, crisper and clearer...first difference.

Second difference was the fact that the StazOn did not smudge when coloured.

So, lesson learnt, I will only stamp in StazOn from now on. Below are the two images, for you to see the differences, they are quite obvious. Please ignore my clearly inferior pencil crayon colouring skills, I cannot compare to the genius that is Karen, across the pond :)

Regular ole black inkpad

Black StazOn Inkpad

Tomorrow brings the notecard for my little sis, didn't think I was going to spoil you did ya? ha! But I guess I can be stingy like that :) Have a great Thursday everybody.

xoxo

A thousand sheets giveaway

2011-09-23T15:55:00.000+02:00

Well, I couldn't miss out on this fantastic opportunity now could I?

Amy over at A thousand Sheets of Paper is giving away...wait for it.... A thousand sheets of paper! Head on over to her blog via the link I've created above and via the photo below so you can follow the directions for entering your own chance to win part of a thousand sheets of paper! whoop whoop!

Tri-coloured challenge at AiFactory

2011-09-22T08:00:00.000+02:00

I am back, finally, with another post. I am struggling somewhat these last two week s to get into 'blog' crafting mode. I have been making so many things to send away to people that I can't show here, that I sort of feel stumped as to what to make for my emergency card stash and scrapbook collection. Giving a big ole tut sigh* right now. Hopefully I will come right over the weekend. I plan on hauling my entire papercrafting stash out in the open and going mad. Nothing like crafting with everything you have in front of you for inspiration :)

So, anyway, the choice of image and challenge theme this week was mine. Choosing the image was easy peasy, choosing the theme was difficult! All that pressure to come up with a theme that everyone will like :) and want to participate in! Hectic I tell you, Hectic!

I went with the Fairy holding an empty placard image, she looks like this:

You can find here as a free download on the AiF blog, but she's only available to the first 10 users. After that you can buy her in the store, she's actually on sale too :)

Before I go on with the theme explanation and my make this week, I need to let you all know that the challenge format has changed. You no longer need to use the specific AiF image given for the challenge. You can use ANY AiFactory image to enter for the win :) how nice is that? with so many wonderful digi's, clip art and vector images available in the store you have a wide range to choose from! Not to mention all of you that have won images for free in the past, break out your stash and come join us! show us the magic you can make with an AiF image!

OK, rambling done, I promise. On to the theme! I chose tri-coloured as the theme this week. It's simple, use only three colours on your project. This could mean only 3 markers to colour your image, 3 colours as your project theme...whatever! just use 3 colours! I used the 3 colours as my card theme and used different shades of orange, green and brown. not my usual taste but I thought I would challenge myself :)

I used ONLY scraps from my paper stash for this card, thank goodness there was a piece of orange large enough for the card base and easel. Not too much fine work work really. I coloured the image using my sharpies, stamped a sentiment (the name of the company evades me) into her placard and fussy cut the whole thing out. I cut a circle with my Martha Stewart circle cutter, put it through the cuttlebug in the swiss dots embossing folder and layered it on a self-made scalloped circle. yes, you read right...self-made. i.e no die!

I stuck silver bling stones on each scallop and adhered it over a brown cardstock strip, also put through the cuttlebug in the same folder, and also punched with my martha stewart lace border punch. Over this, I put a scrap piece of green netting. I have had this netting in my stash forever. It is so difficult to stick down and I never thought it would go with anything. It was doomed to lie in the stash pile for the rest of it's life... thank goodness I found a use for it!

I doodled around the edges of the card with a steadler fine tip pen in brown ink and used a fancy brad from my Ace of a pal in Scotland to prop the easel up. Three hours later, and I had a card to show and tell about:

hope you'll all join us these next two weeks! the DT have some wonderful inspiration for your perusal, remember to leave them some love :) Have a great Thursday! One day to go to the weekend!

xoxo

Another Bag-a-lope

2011-09-19T08:00:00.000+02:00

Love this bag, it's so versatile. I've even figured out a way to fold this bag flat. So, some of my crafty friends may be getting some as gifts this Christmas...heck, even if you're not crafty, we always need gift bags don't we?

All stamping was embossed with clear embossing powder and heated with a heat gun. Scraps galore, so the stash pile is slowly diminishing :)

Because this was another UNISA envelope, there was writing on the back that needed to be covered too.

I am slowly finding the time to create things again that can be shown here. I have made a mountain of stuff that needed and needs to be posted out to various people, pity none of it can be shown here :)

Remember that the AiF is still running the 2week back to school challenge at the new site, so head on over there to submit your entry for a fantastic prize from the store!

Have a great week everyone*

xoxo

Small Tea break

2011-09-13T08:00:00.000+02:00

Ladies, as you may have noticed, I have slacked in posting anything both yesterday and today. I am on a small tea break :) And shall be back with scrappy postings tomorrow!

So, while I drink my cuppa, why don't you hop on over to this fabby tutorial that I was sent the link to by my good ole friend Birdie, and have a look at some fabby recycling! Promise you will not be disapointed!

Remember, too, that the AiFactory challenge is going to be running through until next week Thursday and that you should use this ickle thing on your project :) You can grab the freebie image and enter at the new site here. Remember that the image is only up for a limited time and once it is gone, you will have to buy the image in the store (going for a very reasonable $2.00) to participate! hurry!

Have a stunner of a day everyone :)

xoxo

Back to School/Teacher Challenge at AiFactory!

2011-09-09T08:00:00.001+02:00

I realise that I was quite a tease in yesterday's post, but what's a girl to do? Anyway, it's here today, so you can now see if you guessed right at what it was :)

We are hosting the first challenge on AiFactory's new blog, and what fun it promises to be! School has started in most places now so we would love to see that back to school/hooray for teacher card or project! BUT, there is a catch to entering this time...we would like you to use this digi image from AiFgraphics.

I have placed the watermarked image here, but it is available as a freebie on the challenge site here. The freebie will only be up for a limited time, so if you want to play then you will have to grab it quickly! After that you can find it for sale in the store here.

You will have 2 weeks to upload your project using the link below the challenge post. The winner will receive a $5 gift certificate to the store or a random pick of 3 images from our DT co-ordinator!

Here in SA, the kids start their school years at the end of January. Currently the kids are all in the 3rd term or 2nd semester so I struggled for an idea for this challenge. You all know how I love to make things that I will give away or use myself.

The light bulb went on in my head when I caught sight of a set of tea light candles in my stash... why not combine a gift with a card? It could be suitable for a teacher any time of the year! So that's what I did, I created a box/card! I didn't use a template of any kind, I seem to blessed with the ability to create 3D projects out of my head using the dimensions I need. So, if you would like instructions on how to make this version of a box plus card I would be more than happy to e-mail you.

First, a couple of close ups.

I started with colouring my image before choosing the paper so went bonkers with my Sharpies. I LOVE the one green shade that I have and couldn't resist. Of course, how could I not colour the apple ruby red?

Before I list all the other stuff I used, I must tell you that ALL of it is some sort of a scrap or long unused item in my stash. I am staying true to my word about not buying any more new stash until my scrap paper is used up, and I find this is flowing over into long forgotten embellishments as well.

The project has been laid out so that the box is on the left, and the card is on the right. I chose scrap DP that complimented the colouring on the image and set to work. I think the element that took the longest on this entire project was the ribbon ruffle. I had to cut pieces all of the same length, fold them in half and then adhere them, following with a long strip of the same ribbon to cover the ends.

I used an array of embellishments; a charm, tag, perspex flowers, fabric flowers, gems and a ladybug clothes peg.

The closed card and box look like this:

The box is actually just a shell for the tray of tea lights that I had. The tray fits snugly into the enclosure and easily slides out. The card opens upwards, instead of to the side.

Come along and join us at the challenge! Can't wait to see your creations! I hope you have a stunner of a day and an even better weekend :)

xoxo

Just a little more...

2011-09-08T08:00:00.001+02:00

...waiting. Sorry Ladies! Due to Our DT leader at AiF feeling a bit under the weather, our challenge will only be posted tomorrow :( Boohoo!

I am hoping that this sneak will carry you through until then....

It is a card...and it is not a card....hmmm? wonder what it could be? Until tomorrow then :) Have a fantastic Thursday!

xoxo

2011: A Year in Review - Weeks 21-23

2011-09-07T08:00:00.005+02:00

So....Week's 21-23 did not have any major events happen so I have been forced to mark Craft time as my highlight for all of them. One advantage to this though, is that I've killed three pages in one go :) Yay for me!

Because I crafted so much, I didn't want to focus on any one thing. I decided to do a journal page of sorts, in order to avoid placing emphasis on anything. My secret Pal, Mrs Nate is good at pages like this and I wish I could channel her crafting energy when needing inspiration for this sort of thing.

Good thing, then, that I had some of the stash she sent me for my birthday available :) She sent me this beautiful set of stickers, all craft related, which I utilised on my page.

I believe all the paper I used was Bo Bunny, and definitely not from my scrap stash....sorry. You'll notice some of those fabby felt flowers on the page too :) what handy little things they are! My journaling in the half 'sun' was all written out on strips of white cardstock, inked in black, and adhered just any old way.

I also punched a few holes in the centre of the page with my crop-a-dile and threaded green satin ribbon through the holes in a zig zag formation.

Think it's too plain? I don't know if I should add a few wallet sized photo's...hmmm. Anyway, hope your day is fantastical! and that you'll join me for another AiFactory challenge tomorrow!

xoxo

Tutorial Tuesday - Felt flowers

2011-09-06T08:00:00.001+02:00

Please don't get too excited by the title post, I really did only make very basic felt flowers. Nothing that is going to blow your mind or make you say WoW! But sometimes, it's the simplest things that make your projects WoW and I'm hoping these flowers will do that for me :)

On to the recipe list!

- Felt sheets in various colours

- Scrap pattern paper

- Die cut flowers (you could also hand draw)

- buttons/brads

- thread

Tools:

- Scissors

- needle

- Marker

I do suppose that if you had a die for a cuttlebug or Big shot or something else like them, you could cut your flowers with much more ease. I have done this the 'old fashioned' way, which allows for those of you who do not have these dies and machines, to learn how to make crafting accessories without too much fan fare.

I started out by choosing three different sized chipboard flowers and tracing them onto my chosen felt and scrap paper with a felt tipped pen. I do think a sewing pen or pencil would work better but for lack of one I had to make a plan.

I then put the chipboard flowers to one side and cut the traced flowers out of the felt and paper. I then layered the cut pieces on top of one another in the order that I wanted the flower to look.

I then took a needle, some thread, and a button from my stash and sewed the stack together. I also made another variation of this flower, by only using felt and stitching around the edges of the top layer to add a bit more oomph :)

Remember last week's tin? Well, how do you like it now? filled with flowers for future projects!

Hope you're inspired to dig into your stash and make your own flower embellies. Remember, you don't have to use felt to make them Pop! Use up some of your paper scraps! Have a stunning day everybody :) Tomorrow brings another Week in review LO!

xoxo

Floral Novel

2011-09-05T08:00:00.001+02:00

I think the title sort hints at today's project doesn't it? A floral bookmark? hmmm.

I found these magnificent magnetic strip rolls a while back and bought three of them. I never see them around and had to have enought for my stash to last. This weekend, I decided to break one out and try my hand at making a magnetic bookmark.

It's quite easy to make and I'm sure there are plenty other ways this could have been done, but here is my take on it:

It fits over a page like this:

A close up of the front:

Hope you all have a fantastic week ahead of you! And a BIG thank you to those of you that joined our hop, I'm so looking forward to see who the winners are :) Don't forget to join me for another Tuesday Tutorial tomorrow :)

xoxo

AiFactory Celebration Blog Hop!

2011-09-02T08:00:00.005+02:00

Welcome to theAifgraphics Celebration blog hop! We want to introduce you to our new site and all the great fun that you can find there. The hop runs from Friday September 2nd until Sunday September 4th. The winners will be announced on the new site on September 6th.

Our new site has challenges, tutorials, a gallery, freebies and more. We are excited to have you participate and join us! Each DT member will showcase a different AIF image, one that is a favorite to work with.

Complete the blog hop and leave a comment on the DT blogs and the new site for a chance to win one of 5 great prizes! We have digital images, Gift Cards to our store and yummy scrapping products to give away!

Here is your blog hop order:

Petra

Ika

Shelley

Tammy

Anne

Aifgraphics site

Make sure that you leave a comment on each DT blog as one of the 5 prizes will be a random winner from one of the blogs. Even the DT members don't know which one it will be! Once you have completed the hop, leave us a comment on the new site letting us know what you think of the new site and anything you might like to see in the future, images, tutorials etc. Goodluck!

So without further adeu, here is the project I came up with for this momentous occasion :) Because AiFactory is being 'revamped' in a way, I thought it would be a perfect theme to carry through my project.

I don't know if any of you remember this?

I posted it way back in the early days of my blog, back when card making was still new to me. It's very plain and simple and quite frankly a little drab. So I decided to revamp it using MY favourite AiFactory digi, this little Birdie set II:

It just so happens that this set is on sale in the store for $5.00, click the pic to take you to it's destination in the store if you'd like to purchase it :)

Anyway, so I revamped the card...it's too pretty now that I'm done :)

Originally, the card was made using the scrap paper that I had at the time. I had taken a card making class and this card layout was part of the class. I have carried on with my scrappy quest, and the added check DP is also from my scrap pile. I inked the Check DP heavily in brown after I tore it's edges with with jagged ruler. I also re-inked the edges of the card for more of an edgy look.

I coloured the nest with eggs image from the set with my Sharpies and dotted the eggs with my white gel pen for a more realistic speckled egg effect. I stuck the image down directly onto the DP, but refrained from placing any adhesive on the leaves, I like my cards to have a little dimension.

Two silver bling flowers finished it off nicely in the embellishment department, followed by a stamped quote phrase.

So hop on to the next blog...Ika...and leave her some love! Remember, if you get lost along the way, hop on back to my post to have another look at the list :) Have a Happy Friday everyone!

xoxo

Be Happiness itself

2011-09-01T08:00:00.002+02:00

I have another one of my comissioned cards to show you today. I recycled somewhat on this project and I hope it gives you an idea for a little bit of recycling of your own. And, no, I did not make a recycled tin card :)

After the masculinity of yesterday's posted card, I moved onto something a bit more 'Petra'. Bright and cheery was on the cards! (pun intended)

Anyway, proudly used more scraps from my stash... every single piece on the card I tell you! I think I am starting to get good at this :)

I think this card just embodies our (finally arrived) spring season, guess I was feeling the summer love. I used my making memories punch to get the scallop on the red DP and my jagged ruler to tear the green check. Beads that havn't been used in a long time found their way to the butterfly's trail, which I mapped out using a stitch guide, I will have to double check the name of the manufacturer for this. The flower came out of my stash, and the butterfly was a recycled piece from this project here. I just added a few more beads to cover up the cut it had in the middle...clever ickle thing aint I? I thought so too!

Faux stitching around all the paper, and my card was done.

That's it! Hope you all have a terrific day today and that my fellow South Africans will enjoy the first official day of Spring :) Remember to join me for the start of the blog hop tomorrow! Beeeeg prizes up for grabs!

xoxo

Shock and horror....Something for boys...

2011-08-31T08:00:00.001+02:00

Ahem....cough....I have an announcement to make...I made a card...with a male theme! I am only hoping that I can do Claire and Anne-Marie proud with this one, they seem to be the Queen's of Testosterone fuelled cards.

I proudly selected an Angel Company stamp from the new Vintage rides set for the card...thanks go to my BFF for these, she has good taste.

I stamped the image, along with matching banner and sentiment from the same set, onto coloured cardstock. I coloured only choice bits with my Sharpies in order to keep it muted.

I then mounted it directly onto a strip of ribbon that I had placed horizontally on the card. It actually looks like the plane is floating.

I drew the clouds free hand onto some blue cardstock, cut them out and then ran them through the cuttlebug in the clockworks embossing folder. Black ink finished them off nicely.

I really am a sucker for detail on a card, so I adhered two buttons in the bottom left corner, tying one off with some scrap netting thread...hoarder sickness I tell you...hoarder sickness..it pays! And has done so twice this week already :)

I must proudly say that the entire card's paper came out of my scrap stash! how do you like that? I'm quite chuffed :) I finished the card off with a bit of faux stitching off to the side and made doubly sure the edges were heavily inked.

Ok, so what's the verdict? did I pass the Masculine card test? Holding thumbs that I did! Have a great Wednesday everyone :) And don't forget about the anticipated AiFactory Blog hop on Friday! Lots of goodies to be won!

xoxo

Tutorial Tuesday - An altered Tin

2011-08-30T08:00:00.003+02:00

I know this has been done countless times by many crafters, but I just had to jump on the bandwagon :) An empty tin just has so much potential to become a beautiful storage item.

When we finished a tin of coffee, I decided to swipe the empty storage unit and turn it into a storage tin for my felt flowers (of which I still have to make...more on this another day though). Here is a before and after of the actual tin, with and without it's coffee label.

Perfect for storage, no? so, here is the list of supplies you will need to follow my tutorial:

1 x Tin (label removed, inside washed clean and dried)
Pattern Paper (enough to go around the whole tin, and the top of the lid)
Cardstock (contrasting colour)
Ribbon ( I used two different kinds)
embellishments (I included, flowers, feathers and bling on my project)

I originally thought I was going to add some embossing to this project, that is why the cuttlebug is featured in the above photo. I decided against it in the end. The felt and chipboard flowers were used to make felt Flowers...more on this in next week's Tuesday tutorial.

Tools:
Craft knife/Cutting cool
Craft scissors
Double sided tape
Scalloped ruler/template or punch
Pencil
Circle cutter

Ok, so now that you have all your stuff, the first thing you need to do is measure the height of the tin, between the inner edges. This will determine the height of your pattern paper needed. Cut your paper to size. Run double sided tape around the tin. I ran about five lines of tape to ensure that the paper would stick flush. Adhere the paper. Now take your cardstock piece (must be long enough to fit around the tin) and trace and cut, or punch a scalloped line along one of the horizontal edges.

Adhere the scalloped strip, scallops facing down, to the top edge of your tin. Now adhere ribbon to the centre line of your scallop strip, using double sided tape. I also adhered a thick lace ribbon to the bottom edge of my tin, making sure I hid the silver ridges of the bottom edge.

I then followed by adding a ruffled ribbon over the lace, I am too girly for words ok :) Next up is the lid. The lid of this particular tin is plastic and had ridges on it. It was somewhat difficult for me to cover but I got it right. Hopefully your lids will be flush and flat. Start by measuring the size circle you need to cover the lid. Cut the circle needed. Apply double sided tape to the lid. Adhere the circle. Embellish to your hearts content.

I added a few more embellishments to my tin after this, to tie in the elaborate flowers and feather work on the lid.

The finished storage tin now looks like this:

I quite enjoyed myself when I put this together and it really was one of the quickest projects I have attempted in a while. I find decorating 3d items much easier than cards and scrapbook pages... go figure!

So, hope you find the tutorial interesting and of some help. Send me a link to your altered item if this inspired you :) I'd love to see your take on it. Until tomorrow, have a stunner of a Tuesday!

EDIT

I just so happened to pop by the Top tip Tuesday blog and they have a shabby chic challenge going. I thought I might just enter :) I also have a shabby chic tip to offer up.

When trying to achieve the shabby look, always over ink. It ages your pages/projects and gives more dimension to the overall effect.

xoxo

A card and AiFactory news...

2011-08-29T08:00:00.002+02:00

I had quite a productive weekend, crafted to my heart's content! This means you're (hopefully) in for a good blog viewing week people!

I also have some exciting news about AiFactory, we'll be having a blog hop on Friday and participants stand the chance to win some good stuff! I'll be first on the list, so pop round then to find out what it's all about :)

I have a really quick, CAS card to show you all today. A bit of scrap paper, some ribbon and a die cut and I was good to go :) it's another birthday card for my comissioned list, here's hoping they like it!

I stamped the sentiment with black Stazon, and inked all other edges in black as well. Because the pattern of the paper and the butterfly were so busy, I didn't layer more than one matt.

I layered two of the same butterfly, which by the way, I have had for more than nine years! yes, it pays to hoard. This just proves that I was in love with paper when I was still at school and completely green to the papercrafting world :)

Hope you all have a fantastic day ahead of you, I'll be back tomorrow, for a Tuesday Tutorial!

xoxo

2011: A Year in Review - Week 20

2011-08-25T08:00:00.002+02:00

Yes, I managed to make another page for the Year in review...shocked? I am! Two within the space of one week is quite impressive. Who knows, I might even churn out another four by the time next week rolls around. It's not like I have that many to make, say, only another 14 weeks and counting...

Despite my constant procrastination about finishing the weeks that I've let run away from me, I cannot wait to see the fruits of this album at the end of the year and this is what gives me the motivation to keep trekking on.

Week 20, if you'll remember was the week hubby and I went to the fantasticly awesome Roxette concert. I bought tickets to the show as soon as I heard they were coming, I have loved them since forever. I remember doing a jig and singing into a hairbrush on my parents bed while listening to their tunes pumping out on the CD player they had in their bedroom. Good times.

The concert started with these two freaks, dressed in short shorts and jamming while they played eighties and nineties tunes on their mixers. We loved every moment, we (mostly me) sang along and got hyped for the show that was to come. I don't think I will ever forget the experience. We are so blessed.

A few photo's can be found at my blog post here, go look, it will make you jealous :)

Anyway, enough jabbering, we're here for my scrapbook page aren't we? I used NEW, CLEAN, FRESH, SHINY paper...gasp! I couldn't find scraps that suited my mood and ideas. sorry. Wait! oh, yes, I did use a little scrap...I made a dalia flower! inspired by Vicky, who was inspired by Dawn. The pig dame is a stamped image I got from one of my BFF's, Birdie. I coloured her with a combination of watercolours, pencils and Sharpies. Fussy cut her out and added a bit of bling. The heart charm is a treasure found in my charm stash.

Even though I had written Week twenty into the banner on dame piggy, I couldn't resist spelling out Roxette with letter stickers and a big wooden letter, coloured in black and glittered with glitter glue.

I must admit I had trouble with deciding on placement for this page and I went through a few changes....

Before Hubby helped me pick this one:

I think we made a good choice, you think? Hope you all have a stunning day, we're one day closer to the weekend!

xoxo

Magazine ATC feature!

2011-08-24T08:00:00.004+02:00

Whoop! whoop! Imagine my surprise when I browsed through a local crafting magazine on Sunday...and saw my name! I swear I embarrassed my poor husband to no end because I said very loudly and very excitedly... 'That's me! That's me!'... while we were standing in front of the magazine rack. Ok, so maybe I shrieked it more than I said it...

I bought the magazine. Obviously.

I am stopping short of tearing out the page and framing it, because I really didn't get in there on my own merit :) I just so happened to participate in an ATC (Artist Trading Card) swop for South Africans through the Crafters Digital Art Centre site that was published in the July/August issue of Craftwise magazine.

You'll find my original post with a photo of the actual ATC here. I think they photographed it better than I did :)

Off to start my day now friends, hope you have a wonderful Wednesday :)

xoxo

Happy smurf day!

2011-08-23T08:00:00.005+02:00

Ok, not really, but it's close enough :) I think I've done pretty well these last few posts to expand my blog a little. I love cards, but I also love scrapbooking and altered items. Because cards are so much quicker to put together, I tend to craft them more than I do the others.

I'm back to showing you all a card today, I have a few birthday cards commissioned for the end of this month so I need to get my butt moving. Today's post brings one of the first cards I made for the batch. It so reminds me of watching the smurf cartoon when I was a child, just because of the colour of the blue I used to colour the image.

I chose an image from Tiddlyinks called Fairyhouse, it is a freebie that I recieved a very long time ago. I used my Sharpies to colour it in and then fussy cut to adhere to the card. You can see lines where the colour dried before I could finish colouring, hubby reckons it looks intentional and that it gives dimension to the mushroom, bless his heart :)

The happy birthday sentiment is another freebie by an unknown artist, if you recognise it please let me know so that I can give credit where credit is due. I coloured the edges with my sharpies on this as well. I adhered to the card over a layer of ribbon (courtesy of one of my International pals), complete with a double bow!

I've started to become less attached to my stash and brave enought to actually use things. So out came the treasured maya road pins and some of my flowers...

I used the Cuttlebug swiss dots folder to emboss the yellow cardstock that forms part of the card matt. All paper except for my card base came out of my massive scrap stash pile...I echo my friend Anne-Marie in saying that every time I blink the pile seems to grow a little taller. I'm hoping it begins to dimish soon, I've even resolved to not buying anything new (except adhesives) for my entire stash until it's all used up...gulp* Here's the finished card:

That's it for today folks! Catch you again tomorrow :) Hope you have a Fantastic day!

xoxo

Wine Glass Decor Tutorial

2011-08-22T08:00:00.003+02:00

So I teased you all by making you wait for today's tutorial, truth be told it aint that long and I'm hoping you aren't disappointed. I did find that the end product is quite effective and will look amazing on a set dinner table.

The idea was not mine originally, but I was inspired by a printable I saw on the Martha Stewart site. For the life of me, I cannot find the original link, but it's there...somewhere in the craft area of the site. The idea is to print out the butterfly template they have (for free) and then use it as a name tag for table seatings at a dinner party.

I thought it was quite clever, and at the same time thought about how I would make this little jewel of an idea. I don't much like cutting things out with my scissors if I have a die cut that will do the work for me. In this case, I have a cuttlebug butterfly die that would (and did) work perfectly. More about that in the tutorial, so here goes:

Supplies:
Scrap Paper (cardstock or pattern, whichever you prefer)
Small beads (optional)
Cuttlebug Butterfly die
Cuttlebug embossing folder (your choice, I used swiss dots)

Tools:
Cuttlebug
Ruller
Craft Scissors

Start out by cutting a piece of scrap paper to fit the size of your butterfly die. Cut the butterfly by running the die and paper through your cuttlebug. Next, place the butterfly diecut into your cuttlebug folder and run this through the cuttlebug. Finish by inking all edges of the finished butterfly.

Now, using your ruler, bend both wings of the butterfly upwards. Take your scissors, and in the body of the butterfly (while the wings are folded upwards), cut a short line that angles towards the head of the butterfly. Open the butterfly, bend the resulting 'triangle' in the body slightly backwards and finish embellishing.

Your loveky new table embellishment is ready to rock and roll now, hope you give it a go. It really is one f the easiest projects I've made in a while :)

Thanks for popping by :) the rest of this week will bring (gulp) one magnificent magazine feature (stoked about this), some more Week in reviews, and possibly a few cards. I also want to welcome my brand spanking new followers! welcome! And last but not least, I hope you all have a smashing Monday, may the Blues that so often come with it be fluttered away by the sounds of many paper butterflies*

xoxo

Tag, you're it! + a Tutorial!

2011-08-19T08:00:00.007+02:00

Unbenownst to Claire (see comment on yesterday's post), I already had today's post planned out. So I will not be posting Week 20 of my year in review today. That can wait until Tuesday...after I've posted my two easy peasy Tutorials. ok? ok.

So I saw this idea a long time ago on Kazan Clark's blog called Nunu toolies. I do not remember which post, but I remembered the gist of the project. When I saw these at the Crazy Store for only ten rand, a really cheap store here in SA where you can buy all sorts of crazy stuff, I couldn't resist.

Don't you think this is a clever way to 'mark' glasses at a function? Each person will know which glass is theirs because they have a unique tag attached to them. Granted I could have left these as they were bought, but being a crafter, I had to make it my own.

First things first, get all your supplies together:
1 x pack glass charms
1 x scrap cardstock
1 x contrasting scrap cardstock for the base of the charm (pattern will work well here I think, though I did not use it)
beads in a matching or contrasting colour
Scrap Ribbon
Embellishments

Tools:
Cuttlebug
Swiss dots cuttlebug folder
Circle punch
Ruler
Craft knife/paper trimmer
Pliers
Craft scissores, plain and pattern

Start by removing one of the charms from the package. Open the clasp to release the hold. You will notice that the bend in the end of the clasp, prevents you from removing the beads and charm that the manufacturers have put on. Take your pliers and bend this piece ever so slightly until you are able to remove the beads and charm. Be careful not to break the wire. Now, slip on the first half of your selected beads and put the loop aside.

Take the first piece of scrap paper and using a small circle punch, punch out a circle. Run the circle through your cuttlebug in the swiss dots folder and ink all edges. Note, I asked my trusty craft assistant to help me with my cuttlebug procedure. Thanks Honey!

Now place the circle onto your base scrap piece. Measuring a good border around the circle, cut a square from the base paper. Do not adhere the circle to this piece just yet. Take a pair of pattern cutting scissor and cut along one of the edges to make a pretty border. Run it through the cuttlebug and ink all edges.

Go back to your embossed circle, turn it over and stick a piece of folded ribbon to the back, letting a piece overhang. Stick this down onto the base piece. Embellish as desired.

Pierce a hole with your paper piercer in one corner of the completed tag, thread the wire loop through this, following with the rest of your chosen beads. Take your pliers and bend the end of the loop back to it's original position.

Your glass marker is now complete and ready to be used! wrap the loop around the stem of a wine glass and close the clasp.

You're ready to party!

There is more to this tutorial, we will be adding another embellishment to the glass. It would look really lovely at a table setting. So, join me on Monday to find out what I made! Until then, have a Blessed Weekend! Happy Friday!

xoxo

2011: A Year in Review - Week 19

2011-08-18T08:00:00.003+02:00

Ok, so I've jacked myself up and started working on my year in review again. I am many weeks behind, but the fact that I am determined to see this project through gives me hope that I will catch up quickly.

Week 19 marked hubby and I's 3rd year anniversary. It was relatively low-key with a family lunch. I actually planned a getaway for the following week to coincide with the Roxette concert we attended. More on that in Week 20's review though.

I tried, really tried, to go with an obscure colour. Anything but pink or red. I did, really. I just couldn't do it. So, pink and yellow and blue and brown it was. Romance people, Romance. And of course, what would romance be without a couple of flowers? Those Maya Road pins are still coming in handy, thanks to the mysterious crafty friend who sent them! I'll be working on the key album you sent me soon too!

The embossing on the turquoise SCRAP paper was achieved with the Swiss dots Cuttlebug folder, the heart and key were cut with a cuttlebug die too. The brown flower was cut using my nestie die from Mrs Nate. The stunning pearl brad came from my crafty friend Mel W, thanks Mel!

The title, which to me is always one the most important elements on the page, was a combination of letter stickers and my own handwriting.

I have a few other subtle elements on the page that just capture the memory and our actual day, all of these are journal type embellishments. This one was cut from the hearts and frames Cuttlebug Die and then journaled on.

I drew a very whimsical border around the entire page, then followed by journaling a few sentences around it. I'm not very confident in my own handwriting, but it does give my projects a very personalised feel.

Amazingly, I did not use a sketch for this page, I actually came up with it on my own. Definite development in my abilities, even though it has pink all over it :)

Remember that you can access larger views of all the photo's on my blog by clicking on the pics themselves.

Hope you all have a Terrific day ahead of you filled with much laughter!

xoxo

Open Sesame! ...

2011-08-17T08:00:00.002+02:00

... And the cave was opened for Ali Baba! And so, in much the same way the crafting door has opened for me again :) I must have forgotten the password...

After struggling for a while to find some time to craft and to find the inspiration to make something I would truly be happy with, I have returned with a post for you all. My absence was probably much needed as I have gained new inspiration from all kinds of sources and I am on fire at my craft desk! Not literally, else my beloved stash would wither away, but you know what I mean.

I came up with this beauty, inspired by a couple of people, magazines and blogs. It's like a big soup pot filled with lots of wholesome goodness!

I inked this card to within an inch of it's life, and let me tell you, I had forgotten how rustic and finished and beautiful it can make a card (or scrapbook page) look. I also indulged in a flurry of paper piecing and self drawn designs (I am by no means a Picasso or a Rembrant, but I tried ok).

So without further ado, on to the project! I decided on using up some of my stash that has been lying around for a while, namely some chipboard items. I decided on a flower garden of sorts. This called for making a 'scene' on my card and took some thought.

I decided on adding clouds, hand drawn onto ledger paper and then cut and inked. I raised the layered cloud on foam squares.

I covered the flower garden in scraps (yay!), popped pearls in the centre of the blooms and then set out to cut some grass. I used a pattern check for the grass layers, it came from a paper pad I got in a mag some time ago. I cut two strips, one to go behind and to go in front of the flowers. I snipped the edges and then brushed them updwards to create dimension. Hubby thought I was a genius! though truthfully I have seen this done before in blogland somewhere and cannot claim the brilliance. sigh*

The stamped sentiment is new to my collection, there are quite a few quotes in the set that I think will come in handy on many projects. I love the typeset on it and how formal, yet soft and elegant it looks.

The Kite was added as an afterthought (also drawn by me!) and to add some much needed colour to the very vintage look the card was taking on. The string is actually green crafters floss which I marked periodically with a brown marker to give it that bakers string Pop!

I don't know about you, but I love my first project back :) I had so much fun cutting and pasting! I even think I'll hunt for a few challenges to enter it into :) Just because I can.

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone! Hope the day is blessed and filled with much happiness!

xoxo

I am a proud FF!

2011-08-12T08:00:00.002+02:00

Yes, you read right..I am a FF!

FABULOUS FOLLOWER!

My equally Fabulous Follower, Anne-Marie, bestowed this little pretty to me and I absolutely accept!

One of AM's lovely Followers came up with the idea of an award for Followers who really are Followers ....the ones who take the the time and trouble to regularly leave a comment....the ones who actually do read all the stuff that we leave on our blogs.....I am the recipient of the award because I regularly read and comment on AM's blog (albe I cheeky at times)

So, to all my valued Followers, thank you for taking the time to read my blog. Without you all I would probably have given up this side job a long time ago. It is because of all of you that I have grown so much in my crafty endeavours and strived to give you something to read (almost) every day, despite my current lapse.

So, in keeping with my crafty quest, I shall be back in full force from Monday with many scrappy paper projects! You have been warned!

xoxo

Anything goes with AiFactory!

2011-08-04T08:00:00.003+02:00

Yup! that's right! Anything! Anything you could possible dream of! No limitations! No rules! Craft your little hearts out! A bonus, is that this challenge is being run for the entire month of August! and you may enter as many times as you like! Head over to the blog to check out the DT inspiration and enter your project :)

The DT were given a few images to work with, it seems quite a few of us were enamoured with this particular little image, which is actually a freebie in the store:

Although the challenge is month long, I'm going to jump in and try to create a new project every week for inspiration :) I have a few images from AiF that I am dying to work on yet!

I am still obsessed with 3d elements, beads and the like. They feature HIGHLY (excuse the pun) on this project.

The papers I used for this card were, sadly, all fresh and shiny and clean and new. The pattern came from a freebie paperstack from one of my craft magazines I bought quite a while back....
I coloured the image with a mixture of pencil crayons and sharpies and normal koki's (to try and save the precious sharpie ink). I fussy cut the image out, and coloured an additional two balloons and one basket with adjoining cloud. I layered these onto the image with foam squares.

You'll notice that I cut the left cloud off the image, it just wasn't working with the placement I wanted on the card. I glued up the layered cloud around the edges and poured some preeeeeety beads on it. I then filled the inner with dimensinal liquid for it to gloss and stand out.

The fun sentiment comes from the same freebie paper stack, I just cut the little cutie out. My main sentiment, the happy birthday, is a KaiserKraft clear rubberstamp in my stash, it was inked in black. I cut it out in a banner form, bent it and shaped it and stuck it down! Three silver bling stones accent it nicely too.

Is it just me or could this pass for a boys birthday card despite all the bling? or am I grasping at straws? Sigh* Anne-Marie? What do you think?

So come on and join the challenge people! What are you waiting for? Have a happy Thursday!

xoxo

Vintage cycling

2011-08-01T08:00:00.001+02:00

Ooh! Imagine my excitement when I received a whole stack of stamps in the post from one of my dear friends J I will not mention names but you know who you are! I love them all!

I had fun playing with one of the sets yesterday, It’s an Angel Company Stamp called Vintage Rides, It is the cutest set ever and is going to be a very versatile set for my stash.

I bought a roll of vintage looking wrapping paper on Friday, this is such a good way to save some money on really nice patterned paper. It cost me R10.00 for a 2m roll! And I think the paper is gorgeous!

I decided on using the vintage bicycle in the set, the banner, and the happy birthday sentiment. Because the paper is so vintage, I decided to ink the stamps in Brown and refrained from embossing them. I used my Sharpies to colour them all and placed two bling stones on the centre of the bicycle wheels. I placed the image on a piece of 'cuttlebugged' cardstock :)

I have this really neat new set of miniature punches that I bought about a week ago as well, the butterflies were just too cute to resist. I punched out three of them, folded their wings upwards and popped them onto the image. Two near the front of the bicycle, and one for the banner.

The banner was stamped and coloured a second time and then raised on foam above the first layer.

Of course, no card is ever complete without a bit of girly ribbon, so I added a striped ribbon and then a crochet one on top of that. I added a crochet flower, onto which I sewed a blue button to the bottom right of the card for a bit more girliness. You’ll also note that I hand stitched around the entire matt of the card…that took long I tell ya!

I suppose the card has a bit of a vintage shabby chic look, that’s ok with me, I love pink and I love shabby!

Have a wonderful week everyone*

xoxo

Handmade by me challenge at AiFactory!

2011-07-28T08:00:00.004+02:00

It's time for another challenge at Aifactory this week! yippee! This week's challenge had me just about jumping out my shoes when I saw the theme. Handmade by me means you need to have at least one item on your project that is made by you! It can be a flower, paper, etc. As long as it's made by you.
You can use any image you like, but wouldn't it be super if you used an AiFactory image? You can find some at the store here and even pick up a few freebies here!

So without further adieu, here is the image the DT got to play with this week - Ella the Ballerina:

I must say, I love seeing Ella in her tutu and it's probably my favourite Ella stamp so far. She also reminded me of a certain crafter out there who recently made a card using an image of girl whose dress also had ruffles like miss Ella...Anne-Marie! Her card inspired me somewhat to paperpiece on my own project. SO, a hearty thanks to ya AM!

[I've just had another look at your card AM, and you wouldn't believe me if I told you I didn't do it on purpose! I also made rolled paper roses! LOL! well, they are my own signature flower, you really can't blame me]

As you can see by my little side note for Anne-Marie, my handmade by me embellishment was paper roses. They really are easy to make and I have it in my mind to do a quick tutorial to show you how I do mine sometime. These ones were especially glittered in honour of Birdie.

The gloss on the flower paper above, which was from a paper stack given to me for my birthday by a certain Ace Reporter over at my Secret Pals group, was created with glossy accents (duh!). The above photo also shows the deep purple I inked all my edges in.
The sentiment for this card also came from the same paper stack, the last two sheets of the stack contain sentiments which one can cut out...yay for scissors! Three purple bling stones did the trick to add some shine.

I coloured Ella using pencil crayons, I thought these would make for a softer look than colouring with my Sharpies which usually give quite a good pOp! I did digress though when it came to her hair because I just felt the pencil crayons weren't dark enough. I went over the crayon colouring with a brown sharpie :) I am so loyal to those little guys aren't I?

I fussy cut her out and then coloured in another image of her, colouring only the skirt trim. I fussy cut this out as well. I then raised the skirt trim on foam and adhered it to the base Ella image. She still needed a bit of glamour so I ran glue all along the skirt trim and around her hair bun and promptly covered her in beads. I shook off the excess and was left with pure gorgeousness!

She still didn't look finished to me so I added glossy accents to her entire skirt and ballet pumps, all I can say is I am happy with the end result. I think this is quite possibly my best pencil coloured image yet!

I've used my crafter's pet, the cuttlebug, to dry emboss the purple Cardstock Ella was mounted on. I used the music sheet embossing folder, so apt right?

The finished product:

All that's left now is to send this baby off to someone who deserves it, I hope you'll join us for the challenge and that you'll have an awesome Thursday!

Card kit #4 - 7 Gypsies! Card #5

2011-07-27T08:00:00.001+02:00

I am almost sad to post that this is the last card in the set, I love my paper choice and that 7Gypsies sticker sheet. Thank goodness these were only notecards and I still have tons of stash left for a few personalised cards or a scrapbook layout or two :)

Don't you just love the sentiments in this set? They could work so well for little encouragement cards.

.
And yes, I might just be overkilling it a bit with these flowers, but I really don't care...they are so very preeeeeety and easy to stick down :)

I cuttelbugged away again on this one, inked everything in black and went mad with hand cutting out scalloped patterns on my lower layers.

I layed out the entire set for a full look at them all together too, i really hope they sell well:

Hope you all have a fantastic Wednesday, remember it's time for another AiFactory challenge tomorrow!

Card Kit #4 - 7 Gypsies! Card #4

2011-07-26T08:00:00.001+02:00

Ok, another one down, one more to go!

Card number 4 is again, much along the same lines as the previous three. I've used the same cuttlebug folder, ribbon and papers...and don't forget the button!

Thank you all for your wonderful comments on this set, means so much to me :)

I love this sentiment from the sticker sheet, so true isn't it? And of course, I am in love with that ribbon!

The cute button that I've used throughout this set is actually laced with a thin white satin ribbon, didn't guess that did ya? That half flower also makes another appearance...

The full card:

Hmm, I might have to retake that picture, it looks a bit wonky to me :) Hope you all have a beautiful Tuesday!

Card Kit #4 - 7 Gypsies! Card #3

2011-07-25T08:00:00.002+02:00

Time for that all important card number 3 in card set #4!

Not much changes except the style of card really, I've used the same papers, cuttlebug folder and embellies...

I really love these half flowers, so easy to cut and stick down. I've also inked all papers in black.

Don't think I could craft without my beloved cuttlebug ever again, I find that embossing adds so much more texture and depth to my work.

The fold opens as follows:

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you all have a fantastic and blessed week ahead of you!

P.S. The making of the card:

Layer it up at AiFactory!

2011-07-21T08:00:00.007+02:00

The challenge at AiFactory this week is to layer it up! Yes! that's it! You need to have at least two layers of whatever on your project in order to qualify and you have until 11:59EST on Wednesday July 27th to enter. You can use any image you like, but wouldn't it be wonderful if you used something from AiF? You can even find freebies here! One of the freebies actually forms part of the set I got to play with this week, so hop on over and take a look.

The DT were given a fantastic set called My first Rainbow Set, it looks like this:

I never know why, but I always seem to only choose one image to work with when I get a set. It's almost like I choose to savour each image on it's own as I create. I might have to get out of this way of crafting and start putting images together! But that's a challenge all on it's own for another day....

I chose the wee flower on the bottom right hand corner of the set to work with. I cut the petals and leaves out, then used them as a stencil to cut the shapes out on cardstock. Pink for the petals and green for the leaves.

I cuttlebugged the life out of the petals (teehee!) using the scripted embossing folder. I then inked over the raised embossing in a dark pink.

I couldn't resist the new Spellbinders flowers Mrs Nate (My secret Pal) sent me for my birthday so I played a bit and glittered them up. Thanks B for the 'frost yourself' inspiration! And might I add that I look a bit like I visited a strip club last night with the glitter all over me...just sayin...

I cut a thin strip of scrappy green left in my stash for the flower stem, then adhered the leaves I cut at the base. I then glittered the spellbinders leaves and stuck those on top of the AiFactory ones.

Enough layers for ya yet? I don't think so! My sentiment came from a cut out sheet made by a local company. I thought it would go perfectly with my 'self made' flower and possibly a home-made gift for someone later on. I punched holes on either end of the sentiment, added brads, then raised the whole thing on foam.

I also used one of my steadler fine tip pens to draw a bit of a stitched border around the edges of the card, this inspiration always makes me think of Mrs Nate, whose technique I am borrowing :)

So what is it exactly that you're waiting for? go and enter your project! And have a Terrific Thursday :)

P.S. No new papers were harmed in the making of this card.

Card Kit #4 - 7 Gypsies Card # 2

2011-07-20T08:00:00.008+02:00

Day 2 of my card kit reveal, and boy am I having fun with the sticker sheet.

I went with an upright notecard this time and instead of a square or rectangular sticker sentiment, I went with a round one.

I think the addition of the blue button enhances and compliments the round sentiment.

I also did my little half flower trick again, but this time I only used one half.

Of course, the cuttlebug embossing will be a staple throughout this set.

Hope you all enjoy a wonderful Wednesday! We're that bit closer to the weekend again!

Card Kit #4 - 7 Gypsies! Card # 1

2011-07-19T08:00:00.004+02:00

I've started working on the fourth card kit for the local store I design for. I have been inspired by 7 Gypsies and their ATC sticker sheets.

This is the first time I will be showing you the card kit creations made as I make them and not after the creative process. Don't you feel special?

I've started with this sticker sheet from the 97% complete collection:

'I' is for Inspiration

I've chosen coordinating cardstock and one pattern paper, a selection of ribbon and buttons. So, here we go with the first one....

The owner of the store has these really cute little envelopes that she's asked me to design cards for, they are about 10x7cm, really good for gift basket or flower gift cards, or just little notes to tell someone hello.

I think the thing I love about 7 Gypsies sticker sheets is that they are perfect for little sentiments on scrapbook pages and cards, albeit this is the first time I've made cards with them... And I love how they open your mind to new and exciting colour combinations like this one: Baby blue, red and cream. I've just added black with the paper I've chosen.

A clever little trick that I used on this card, because it is so small, was to cut the embellishing flower in half and stagger it. I got an explosion of colour for very little work.

Embossing on the cream paper was achieved with a cuttlebug folder :) I love the vibrancy of the colour combo, I'm hoping the ladies at the store will too.

Card no.1 done! only four more to go :) And I hope you all have a Terrific Tuesday!

Photographic musings...

2011-07-15T08:00:00.006+02:00

I've been toying with the idea of taking up photography as a serious hobby/business opportunity, I just love photographs. I love taking them, I love looking at them, and quite frankly, I love being in them with the people that I love so that one day I will have documented memories to look back on.

I love taking photo's of nature, I love taking photo's of people, I love taking photo's of random things. I love photo's.

Besides, they make for good scrapbooking too :) Here are a few of my favourites taken this year, so far:

These roses were blooming in our garden in February, I was so excited to catch the bee filling his legs with the pollen.

Easter weekend

My friend's wedding, the Chapel. April

This so reminds me of the part in Pinnochio where the little boys are turned into donkeys.... Wedding venue garden, April.

Lion and Rhino Park, deserted plain. June

Lion and Rhino Park, Waterbuck...exactly where they love to be. June

Lion and Rhino park, pic taken by my marvellous hubster. This guy was fast asleep when we came along, wasn't too bothered when we stopped either. June

Lion and Rhino park, cheecky little thing he was. June

Lion and Rhino Park, June. They look hungry

Lion and Rhino Park, Baby it was cold outside! I think this lovely agrees. June

Easter weekend, Family life.

My love ... April

What a peckerhead.... Easter weekend. April

Shame, poor baby. Wedding, April

I feel so blessed to be the eye behind the camera, God created everything and everyone so perfectly. Hope you have a fantastic Friday, I can't wait for the wekend to start :)

P.S. Those who know that I regularly follow your blogs, I am struggling to comment the last two days. Blogger is a beast and I have not forgotten you*

xoxo

I see Spots and stripes at AiFactory!

2011-07-14T08:00:00.006+02:00

Yep! that's right! It's a spots and stripes challenge at AiF this week :)

Your project should have BOTH stripes and spots on it, it can be DP, an embellishment, ribbon, doodling..whatever you feel like! Your projects need to be uploaded on the challenge blog by 11:59EST on Wednesday July 20th using the link below the post. No backlinking but you can combine with any other challenges. You don't have to use an AIF image but we would love it if you did and you would get an extra entry to win. Be sure to check out all the great images in the store. They have freebies there too!

This week I got to play with an adorable princess image, immediately I cringed at the idea of making her pink. I don't always like to stick to the norm...

I decided my princess would have black hair and a blue dress with green flowers! But before I show you how I coloured her, this is what she looks like before:

I coloured her using my sharpies, but had a bit of difficulty with ink spreadage because of the paper I used. Lesson learned. I then used this really neat glue that goes dry and sticky on the flowers on her dress and the one in her hair. I rubbed some shiny metallic green paper stuff (I don't know what it's called) over the sticky areas and voila! shiny flowers!

Because I don't have a skin coloured sharpie or koki, I used a cream coloured pencil to colour in her skin. I fussy cut her out and only applied adhesive to her body when I stusk her down, her head slightly curls off the page and I like the effect it gives without having to use foam squares.

I love the flowers in my stash, and the stunning Maya Road pins from Cole's little helper that will take me forever to finish because I love them so much, nuff said.

Whoever said stamps were expensive? I have a batch of KaiserKraft sentiments that cost me R25.00 for four phrases. Needless to say, I have about 7 different sets....

None of the paper came out scrap stash, and I'm ok with it. Sometimes you just need to let your hair down and be compulsive :) Only the yellow was inked (with green), the rest was left as is for a cleaner look. The blue paper serves as my dot, and the lines of the different matts serves as my stripes :)

I heart girly cards, and I just wanted to prove that I dont always use pink...so wah!

Hope you all have a fantstic day today, it's almost weekend :)

P.S. Isn't this just the cutest face you've ever seen?

xoxo

Matching Take care of yourself card

2011-07-12T08:00:00.002+02:00

As planned, the matching card for the take care of yourself bag I showcased yesterday :)

I did everything the same on this card as for the bag, right down to the way I placed the sentiment. I did however make one little change, and that was to dry emboss the pattern paper with a cuttlebug folder, the snowflakes to be exact...

I also cut the heart from a different scrap (good for me, eh?)

Take a gander at it for yourself, it's really nothing new :)

I love how the two look together too, it sort of puts into perspective the actual size of the gift bag:

That's it for today, hope you have a Terrific Tuesday!

Take care of yourself

2011-07-11T08:00:00.003+02:00

It's official, I am in love with the Bag-a-lope tutorial! Yes, I made another two over the weekend and had a ball!

The firat one I made, has a matching card. I made it for a friend of mine who recently fell pregnant. I think she needs a bit of spoiling before the baby arrives so I needed a gift bag...

I went all pink and green with the project because I bought pink and green items to give her. These are not her favourite colours, I just thought they worked well together. I inked everything in pink, and then went over lightly in black. The butterfly on the sentiment tag was stamped in black and heat embossed with clear powder, then folded to make it look raised and stuck down with glue. The heart hanging from the safety pin was cut with my cuttlebug using the hearts die.

I put a little embellishment on the side of the bag for some interest (and to cover up the writing from UNISA!)

All the scallops on the papers for the embellishing were hand cut after tracing the shapes using a ruler template. The scallops along the top of the bag were punched with my making memories scallop punch.

The handles were made using twisted chord, I found it at a store this weekend and think it will be perfect for these bag projects. The material is very sturdy. And, alas, I bought a new paper pad this weekend which just had to be used, so the flower pattern is new....at least the rest all came from my scrap stash :)

Join me tomorrow to see the matching card, and have a fantabulous Monday!

Watercolouring - Attempt #1

2011-07-08T08:00:00.004+02:00

Ok, so my fantastic blogger friend Claire has been up to a bit of experimenting lately, and has done so extremely well that I couldn't help but be inspired by her awesomness!

Claire, you'll find her blog here, has taken to dabbling in watercolouring and inking lately and her creations are so darn good that she makes it look easy...so, I thought I'd give this new technique a go!

I armed myself with an image stamp (Kaiserkraft owl), some koki pens (steadler, really cheap, kids usually use them at school and you'll find them at stationery shops, CNA, Checkers etc.), an ink pad and some embossing powder...oh, and a glass of water, acrylic stamp mount and paintbrush :)

I first stamped the image in gold onto plain cardstock. I heat embossed with clear embossing powder and then got started with the colouring. I started out with a brown ink pad for the brown colour because I thought it was a bit richer in texture than the brown koki. I basically just dabbed the acrylic block onto the brown ink pad and then did my magic with the water and paintbrush onto that. The koki's I just coloured onto the acrylic block and then used water and the brush.Once painted, I stamped the image again, but in black and slightly off centre to the original. I can't remember where I learned this technique, but it definitely helps the image to stand out a bit more while shining in the gold at the same time. I ended up with this:

If there's one thing I have learned about water colours, it's that the colours are much softer and lighter (duh, you are telling me). Now, I did know this would happen, but seeing and knowing are two very different things. It made for a very interesting time when choosing the paper for the card.

I did use a sentiment stamp on this card, it is a local one, but has no name. It's block mounted on wood and could become a favourite for it's crisp stamping quality. I stamped in black and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.

The flower added a very whimsical touch. And of course, I just love me some ribbon and couldn't resist adding something to that effect. Jute chord at it's best, wrapped with pink crafters floss:

Ok, so before I show you the final result, I know some of you are going to ask which nestability template I used to cut the borders around the image and paper I matted onto....none. I have a plastic template ruler which has these shapes and I used it to draw around the image before hand cutting with craft scissors. Not as impressive (or as quick and easy) as a nestability die, but it works ok? so here goes:

And before I forget, I stamped on the envelope too :)

Hope you enjoyed my show and tell :) have a smashing Friday and an even better weekend :)

xoxo

It's double time at AiFactory!

2011-07-07T08:00:00.005+02:00

Whoop Whoop! Time for another challenge at AiFactory!

This week's challenge is all about doubles...double imgae, double embellieshments, double sentiments, heck just about anything to do with doubles! Me? I used two embellies on my project :) But we'll get to that in a moment. I first want to show you the image that the DT were given to work with this month. She's called Ella at peace and you can find her at the store:

I coloured her with my coloured pencils (trying to save my all important Sharpies from extinction!) and cut her out with a Martha Stewart circle cutter. I inked the edges of the image in brown roan ink.

As you can see from the above, I stuck little flat backed pearls on the centres of the flowers surrounding Ella, I like a little bit of dimension on my cards to really give them that extra PoP! I layered her twice (another double time!) onto plain cardstock and then placed her on my round card base, also cut with the Martha stewart circle cutter, but leaving a section straight for the card fold. You will see this later. I must admit, sorry AM, no scraps were used on this card! aaaahhhhh! I added to the pile with these leftovers!

Wait! I did use one ickle scrap! I made a banner sentiment from a Kaiserkraft stamp in my stash and a little purple paper cut off, inked it in brown and laid off the embossing for a change. I curled the banner over a pencil to get it to look all bendy :)

Then, to complete the double time requirement, I added a second embellie (first was the pearls!)...what could it be?

Ribbon!

I've never tried a card where elements are literally running off the outer edges of the card and this is what inspired today's card. I think it adds a lot of interest to an otherwise very plain card.

See the straight edge at the top of the card? that's the part of the card base that I left uncut by the circle cutter to make the fold. Also, I cut off a sliver of the back of the card base along the bottom in order for the card to stand up properly :)

So that's it folks! Remember to submit your entry at the challenge blog :) Have a fantastic Thursday!

The Bag-a-lope!

2011-07-06T08:00:00.005+02:00

I'm back! I'm back! And it feels so Fantastic!

Today's post might be a bit short because I'm still strapped for time, however I couldn't make you wait another day for the bag-a-lope. :)

I followed yet another tutorial on slitcoaststampers.com. I'm really loving the diversity of tutorials they have on offer and it's really helped with the crafting mojo when I'm stuck for things to make. I love diversifying my crafts and as you've already noticed, I dont like sticking to just cards, or just scrapbooking, or just 3d items.

The bag-a-lope started out as a lonely envelope I've for a very long time. I got my degree through our national university UNISA, in 2007. UNISA allows you to study 'through' the post and then write your semester exams at a centralised centre. When you send written assignments etc, you have the option of submitting them online or posting them at the centralised centre in a special postbox. They provide these envelopes for you to do so:

Of course, being the technically savvy (Yeah right!) girl that I am, I used to submit my assignments online and had no need for these beautifully free envelopes, and I now have a stash of them amongst my old books. I dug one out and used it according to the tutorial....it was like magic!

I used scrap papers to make it all pretty and an Angel company sentiment (can never say thank you enough to my wonderful friend for these) that is probably my favourite 'any occasion' stamp right now. The scallops on the brown cardstock were punched with my making memories border punch.

A side angle photo shows how clever this little bag is:

Next time I make this, I'm going to try to give the bag handles instead of tying it closed with ribbon through punched holes in the opposite ends.

So? what do you think? Neat or what? I think it's awesome and still can't believe the genius of the person who thought this ickle project up!

Have a fantastic Wednesday! and don't forget to join me for an AiFactory project tomorrow!

Crafting MIA

2011-07-04T08:00:00.001+02:00

Dear regular blogger friends,

I have been inundated with work at my full time job and have struggled to find the time to craft this last week and a half.

Promise to be back with regular posts tomorrow :) I even have a few new tricks I've tried the last two days and I can't wait to showcase them :) Among them is my attempt at a watercoloured image (thanks C for your inspiration!) and a funny thing called a Bag-a-lope.....

Have a wonderful Monday! hope it's craftier than mine :)

xoxo

Belated Father's day

2011-06-27T08:00:00.003+02:00

Hi all :)

So Thursday last week I showed you a card I made for my mom to go with her belated mother's day gift. Today's post is card for my dear old dad :)

I found inspiration from this card that I found on the net ages ago, back when I didnt know I had to give credit....so I do not know who made it.

I love how it reflects the cuffs of shirt! I thought it was too clever so I gave it a go and switched up the colours a bit :)

The cuffs were so simple to put together. I cut a piece of white cardstock long enough to fold over so the the cuff stood out from the page. It makes it a little more realistic.

The base of the card is a green cardstock, I didnt ink it because I wanted fresh clean lines. I then used a light blue dot (the same as for the card for my mom) at the top of the card and a gingham for the shirt sleeves. My finished product looks like this:

Hope you all have an awesome week ahead of you! Have a fabby Monday!

It's a Beary fun Challenge at AiFactory!

2011-06-23T20:00:00.004+02:00

This weeks challenge at Aifactory is to use a bear (or many bears, you decide!) on your project!

Now, I must admit, I was so totally stumped with this one that it had me thinking for days on what to put together! Purely because I was trying to think up a cute card for a new baby, or christening or something along those lines....

I struggled because I dont have kids, or anybody who has kids who will be needing a card like that in while. And quite frankly, I hate making cards that lie in my box for ages because I end up looking at them months later wishing I could change some or other element. Dont know if you know the feeling?

Anyway, my youngest sister is coming to visit us this weekend and it's going to be the perfect opportunity to give her cards and gifts for my parents as belated mother's and father's day sentiments. We live far away from them so we didn't see them on the appropriate dates.

It was an amazing turnaround when I decided I was going to make my mom a card with the bear that the DT were given to work with this week (P.S. it'sup for grabs for FREE in the store!) (P.S.S. the store is having a one day only 50% off sale today!). He's called Chocolate teddy...

I found an awesome tutorial for a joy fold card over at splitcoaststampers.com and I would highly recommend hopping on over there to have a look at the great projects to inspire you. I used a light blue cardstock for the base of the card, a brown cardstock for the inner card fold and contrasting pattern papers for the inner card base and outer card fold. I cut the bear off slightly on his bottom half and placed him in the centre of the brown inner card. I think this gives him the look of being inside or behind a frame. Next to him I placed an awesome sentiment from Kaisercraft that says, " A mother is the dearest friend of all". I inked it in brown and left the embossing for once. It looks really rustic.

Everything was of course inked in brown on this card and I find it gives an earthy tone overall. The flowers on the left hand bottom corner serve as the 'hook' that keeps the inner card closed. I used fabric flowers with copper snowflake brads through the centres.

The fold opens like this:

And inside is a mothers day sentiment, also from Kaiserkraft, and also inked in brown. The three flowers to the left are all paper flowers with gem centres.

The closed and complete card looks like this, and I am so chuffed with myself for getting this joy fold right the first time :)

I hope you'll all join us for the challenge this week :) Have a fantastic Thursday!

Gone fishing

2011-06-21T08:00:00.005+02:00

Hello friends!

So Father's day has come and gone and what a wonderful opportunity it was to show our dad's how much we appreciate them. Unfortunately I live very far away from my own dad so all I could really do was make a phonecall. I have however got a lovely surprise package planned for him for when my hubby and I go to visit my folks a little later on in the year.

That said, we did get to spend time with my Father in law on Sunday and I made him a card to go with the Christian T-shirt we bought him.

He loves fishing, even though he doesn't get to do it very often :) and Hubby and I decided together that this would be the best theme for his personalised card.

I don't know about you, but when I'm making a card or a gift for someone special I tend to put a little more effort in than I usually would and I don't even notice it until I'm done. In my case, it's when I handsew on my cards because it takes so much patience and effort to get each stitch just right.

I did hand stich with thread on this card and even tried a new technique.... I think all you hand stitchers and quilters should be proud of me :) I also found these really neat, puffy letter stickers in my stash and used these to spell the word 'Pa', which means Dad in Afrikaans.

Hubby and I found these really neat buttons at a local craft store in our area and bought them for the card, nothing better than getting new stash eh? I cut the loops off the backs of the buttons and adhered them to the card with clear adhesive.

You can see in the above picture that I stitched a long piece of thread from the fishing rod to the mouth of a fish in the 'river'. This same fishy was a button with two stitching holes and I stitched this onto the card with the same thread I used at the top of the card.

The parents sentiment is a rub on from one of the sheets in my stash. I created the waves in the river with a ruler template that I have and used two different pattern papers to create a more textured water element.

I love how it turned out, and so did my Father in Law :)

Hope you will all enjoy a terrific Tuesday! catch you again tomorrow!

Blog makeover

2011-06-20T12:00:00.000+02:00

Hi all!

Ok, so I've jumped into the deep end here and out of my confort zone a little. I changed my blog background, title and a few of the text elements on the page. As well as removed a bit of clutter from the right hand side bar...

Let me know what you ladies think, the new format will allow me to post bigger photo's than I used to because my actual posting area is larger. But....don't expect this lazy blogger to go back in the history and make every post I've ever published conform to my new settings!

I also think the blog looks neater, but seeing as you all read it and I really enjoy your comments, I would love to hear your input too :)

Catch you all later!

xoxo

Cardalicious

2011-06-20T08:00:00.004+02:00

Quick post from me today ladies...work is a calling and my card really doesn't need much explaining :)

I used the birds and swirls cuttlebug embossing folder for the blue Cardstock and my making memories scallop punch for the checked Pattern. An Angel Company sentiment stamp and some ribbon, brads and eyelets from my stash :)

Hope your day will be less rushed than mine! Have a Beautiful Monday!

2011: A year in review - Week 12 ( Rewind) and a Summer Fun! Challenge at AiFactory!

2011-06-16T08:00:00.001+02:00

Today's challenge at AiFactory is all about summer fun! And seeing as we're in the middle of winter here I thought it was a bit funny :)

Anyway, the DT were given this really awesome set of surf's up cliparts that can be found in the store here and a little preview seen below :)

I knew just what I wanted to do with this set when I saw it, I wanted to spruce up one of my week in review pages :) Remember week12 was all about me and hubby starting to swim? well, I did finally put a photo on the page and I felt it still needed that something extra.

I chose the clipart dude with the snorkeling goggles and breathing apparatus, fussy cut him out, popped him up on some foam squares and stuck him down....

This is him standing happy on the page:

And the finished page:

Hope you all have a Terrific Thursday! and that you'll come join us at the challenge!

Christmas in June??

2011-06-15T08:00:00.005+02:00

No, it's not Christmas in June, but seeing as we're heading nicely into our winter here in South Africa, and one of my blogger friends just LOVES snow, I thought I'd make a bookmark around this theme for her :)

I found the tutorial quite a long time ago at splitcoaststampers.com, you can pick it up there by becoming a member and browising through their amazing tuts. This one specifically, is called the Corner bookmark tutorial. It's really so very easy to put together and small enough that you should be able to find scraps in your scrap paper box to use.

Speaking of scraps, this is exactly what I used to put my bookmark for AM together :) I followed the basic instructions for the bookmark assembly and then decorated it in a snowy scene by cutting shapes with my cuttlebug. I used the winter die set, which looks like this.

A couple of close ups of my die cut elements, I stuck everything down with a clear glue:

You can see from the above picture that I also utlised my snowflakes cuttlebug folder on the blue cardstock.
The house in the die set was so fun to put together, I loved picking and choosing scraps form my stash to make the house look just right! And aren't those smoke swirls too cute?

I raised the snowman on foam so that he would have a bit more dimension to him and drew on his face with a steadler fine tip. I also coloured in his arms to look like proper brown twigs.

The lacy scallop on the bottom edge of the bookmark was punched with my martha stewart punch and inked with brown ink.

The bookmark in an actual book looks like this:

I stamped the back of the bookmark with a sentiment from the Angel Company and heat embossed it with clear embossing powder:

So, there you have it! Now why dont you hop on over to the splitcoast site and find the tutorial so you can make it yourself :) Have a fantastic Wednesday!

2011: A year in Review - Week 18

2011-06-14T08:00:00.001+02:00

Catching up, slowly but surely everyone :) Week 18 in the review has arrived!

I loved putting this one together purely because I love the paper so much. If you look carefully, you'll notice all of it is the same as the papers I used for the wedding stationery I made a while back. Thus, I am continuing successfully on my scrappy quest! yay!

I used another sketch from Let's scrap (yes, I am addicted to this whole scrapping from a sketch thing...) and I think it came out alright. The mix of the different patterns worked just right.

Along with the paper from the stationery, I also used other elements from the set I put together, includiing this gold sticker which we placed on the front of the invitations, and the flowers (with the bride and groom stamp)which were carried throughout the stationery set.

If you havn't noticed already, I will tell you that I am particularly in love with using scallops. I did it again with this LO using my scalloped ruler. I traced the pattern onto the paper before cutting it out. I also cut out some photo corners and raised them on foam squares before adhering to the page. The tag journals the fact that we attended Charlene and Daniel's wedding.

I am quite impressed with myself at the next embellie, I actually cut it off the paper's description! It's the Mr and Mrs set by ____ (I'll have to get back to you on this, LOL!). Anyway, I cut it out and inked it in black (just like everything else on the page. I love bows, how could I not feature one here too?

The title was made using that chipboard template I told you about the other day. I traced the letters onto my cardstock and then cut out. I adhered them flush to the page. The number 18 was actually printed off after creating it in Microsoft Word. You'll also notice from this pic that my photo's all have white borders, I created this by sanding the edges.

And finally, all the pieces put together:

Hope you all have a Terrific Tuesday! Catch you back here tomorrow with an awesome bookmark! :)

2011: A Year in Review - Week 15-17

2011-06-13T08:00:00.003+02:00

Hello Friends!

I have another week in review page to show you all today, I did however condense three weeks into one double layout. I actually feel quite happy about the fact that I had to catch so many weeks up because it has allowed me to combine so many weeks into one....

The major highlight throughout the three weeks was the week we spent in a game reserve over the easter holiday. The really nice part was that the establishment is run by a Christian organisation and it felt good to be supporting them.

I used a whole bunch of scraps on this page, and still that pile of mine isn't getting any smaller. I swear the paper comes out of nooks and crannies to 'refill' the paper monster :)

I also used another magnificent LO sketch from Let's scrap so it made it so much faster to put this together.

My journaling consisted of key words that I feel described our time in the reserve and allowed me to place a couple of embellishment items. I inked the journaling strips as well as everything else on this page with black ink.

Another embellishment that I just love, and was a feature of this LO was bunting flags, don't you just love em? They are so versatile and can be used both on scrapbook layouts and cards!

One of the fun parts of putting together a Scrapbook LO for me is the development and choosing of materials for the Title. I'm still pretty tame when it comes to this and I'm sure my skills will develop, but I chose simple clear stickers to piece together this one:

The right hand side of the LO as finished:

The left hand side:

The finished product (Remember, if you want to see a larger picture all you have to do is click on the photo):

Hope you all had a stunner of a weekend and that the start of your week brings you only good things! Have a Montastic Monday!

2011: A year in Review - Week 14

2011-06-10T08:00:00.047+02:00

Well, as promised (and I like to think I keep my promises) today I'll be carrying on with my show and tell of 2011 :) Week 14 to be exact.

Week 14 marked the completion of the creation of my second Card kit for our local scrapbooking store. I remember being so excited about the fact that the ladies even considered buying the first one! and then wondering how on earth I was going to keep them interested? and top the first kit?

So, obviously, week 14's focus had to be on the kit. And I even had paper from the kit leftover in my (cringe) scrap paper stash! Believe me when I say that this stash doen't seem to be getting any smaller and I find myself wondering how on earth I plan on using all of it successfully before I allow myself another paper purchase.

I used another sketch from Let's Scrap, blooming marvellous inspiration I tell you. I have enough sketches to keep me scrapping for months and they just keep generating more!
Of course, the fact that the photo I decided to use and the paper left in my stash from the kits helped too. For one reason, and one reason only.....they were pink! yes, sigh, I am sooooooo predictable.

The title was made by tracing out the relevant letters from an old chipboard letter thing I had onto cardstock and then adhering it on to the page with foam squares. I'd used the actual chipboard letters already but kept the board they were in to use for a template. It does pay to hoard your scraps, no matter what form they are :)

The tab you see attached to the photo that says magic is actually a left over sticker from a 7-Gypsies sticker sheet. And the scalloping on the light pink cardstock was punched with my Making memories scalloped punch. The dry embossing on the circle to the left was done with my spots and dots cuttlebug folder.

I also managed to finally try a technique on this LO that I've been aching to do for ages. Stitching with crafters floss. I chose a pink floss (very waxy this stuff is, for those of you who aren't familiar with it) and used my paper piercer to make holes big enough for the floss to fit through. I then threaded it in a criss cross manner and placed a button at the end of the line to fonish it off. The black sentiment sticker under the photo came off the same sticker sheet as the magic tab.

And then my favourite embellishment on scrapbook pages.... ribbon, glorious ribbon!

The final Layout:

Really, I dont mean to brag, but I've noticed a marked difference in my scrapbooking, have you? Have a Wonderful Friday all! I hope your weekends are just magic!

Use something New! challenge at AiFactory

2011-06-09T08:00:00.001+02:00

Yep, that time again folks, Thursday! One day before Friday (and the inevitable weekend!) and THE day for a challenge at AiFactory Challenge Blog!

This week you need to use something new in your project, is it new stash? a new technique? show us what you got! you can check out what the DT have created and enter your creation here!

I got to play with this cute set called Mermaid under the sea, and it can be found for purchase at the store here. Here's a sneak at what it looks like:

If you'd like to try before you buy, you could always use a freebie on your project...bonus! And I've spied the freebies too, you could use the 'My shining star' in an under the sea project like mine....just saying...Though we really don't mind if you don't use an AiF image on your entry :)

Anyway, on to my creation for the challenge! My take on the use something new theme was to use new paper, cringe! Yes, I ignored the evil paper scraps and used new, big, clean (well all of it is clean so this isn't really a factor), fresh paper! sigh....

I coloured a few fishies, star fishies, and seaweed with my brilliant Sharpies! You'll notice I flipped the fish horizontally as well so I could have some facing the opposite direction, makes it look so much more 'realistic'.

I then rounded off the fishies with googly eyes from my stash and gave them air bubbles using groups of clear beads. I placed the star fishes as coloured, and the seaweed too...

When I placed the fishies on my card, I raised one of the fishes on foam for a bit of PoP!

I did the same with my sentiment, which was made in Microsoft word (clever me!) and then coloured with Sharpies... PS. I coloured the sentiment while cooking supper so every time I had to check the ink would dry! thus the lovely visible lines... I could have recoloured but I really didn't want to pretend I was perfect :) This is how we learn.

As you can see, I used my swirls cutlebug folder on the blue cardstock, I thought i gave my 'water' a bit more texture. I then hid the fold join with a piece of patterned ribbon. 'Rocks' were placed on the sea bed by cutting a half circle with my Martha Stewart circle cutter, and then cutting it just so, so that I could place a piece on either side of the card. I like the effect.

Hope you're inspired and that you'll join us at the challenge blog this week! Have a fabby Thursday!

2011: A Year in Review - Week 10 (Rewind)

2011-06-08T08:00:00.010+02:00

Yes, Rewind, Week 10 has been shown already in my blog posts here. and it looked like this.....

When paging through what I had done for my review so far, I decided that this page was very rushed, and though I love the stamp and where I was going with my excitement for the release of my very own card kit line, I didn't do my album any justice....

I decided to redo the page:

I used a sketch from an amazing site called Let's Scrap. I recently discovered this gem while looking for ways to enhance my scrapbooking skills after letting them lie in waste for so many weeks (actually months, but who's counting?) I highly recommend joining if you're looking for inspiration and guidance, working from a LO makes so much of a difference when you're scrapbooking. Cards are easy to do out of my head, but scrapbooking is not.

(Wait, before I go on, I have to tell you that this ENTIRE page (except for the base) was made using scrap pieces in my stash. I have continued on my scrappy quest and am finding it is helping diminish the evil pile of paper that stares at me every day.)

Anyway, on to the details of my page. The title was made using clear stickers on a cream piece of scrap cardstock. I used my new Crop-a-dile Big Bite II to punch holes for and insert my brass eyelets. I love how this tool reaches so far into a page! and now I don't have to make everyone in the house cringe like I used to when using an eyelet tool and a hammer....

I dug through some of my neglected stash and found these cute, raised corners which I stuck onto a piece of scrap argyle paper and then next to my hand made embellies (just some scrap paper and a button really) above and below the focal photograph.

Next comes the repurposed, hidden journal. I couldn't throw it away, it held my very secret thoughts :)

The entire page with all elements together looks like this, and excuse the shine on the Title, I don't exactly shoot these in a studio :)

It took me just half an hour to get all the elements together for this page. All thanks to working from that nifty sketch... I like this page so much more, it screams the fact that I took my time and put in some effort. Not that I didn't enjoy the colouring on the first attempt, but I am sure I can do a MUCH better job with that stamp and do it way more justice.

Hope you all have afantastic Wednesday! and that you'll join me for another AiF challenge tomorrow :)

Cuttlebug folders and Rub ons

2011-06-07T08:00:00.002+02:00

It's really amazing how some embossing and a sentiment can make a project that extra little bit special. And that's exactly what I did to this card.
It's another commissioned card made last week for an order and without the embossing, quite frankly, I think it would have flopped. But I'll let you decide that.

The three squares below the sentiment block (which was punched with the Martha Stewart lace punch) are actually craft tiles. They are like little plastic blocks that resemble tiles.

All the paper came from my scrap stash, aren't you proud?

I'm on the mend from my Bronchitis so you shouldn't be stuck with my very short post for long :) Tomorrow brings you the start of my week in review updates....NO, I had not given up on them, just got behind.... weak excuse but at least I've got going again!

Have a Terrific Tuesday all!

Bronchitis....what fun.

2011-06-03T10:00:00.002+02:00

Well, I thought it was coming and here it is...booked off sick from work by the doctor with the beginnings of Bronchitis! I'm feeling miserable and glad that I can rest while snuggled up at home. :)

Obviously, I havn't crafted anything 'technically new' for today's post, but I do have a card I want to show you all. I made a couple of commissioned cards for this month and this is one of them. I made it at the beginning of the week when I started feeling a bit under the weather so my crafty mojo was already deciding to flee.....
I think it's VERY CAS but at the same time very striking. I used a bright yellow for the card base, a patterned red, and plain black for the matt, and one humongous flower placed underneath a thick ribbon strip:

Hope you all have a Fantastic friday and that your weekend is full of rest and good fun :)

Distress it! challenge at AiFactory!

2011-06-02T08:55:00.001+02:00

Yes! it's that time again! A challenge at AiFactory! And this week we're distressing our projects :)

I think you might start to realise my love for altered projects soon, if you havn't already... Because I've done it again today with the challenge!

The DT were given a clipart selection to work with this week called Cute birds and bugs, you can find it at the store for purchase here. And you can see what it looks like in this picture below:

I love this whole set and even plan on using it on a Scrapbook LO in the near future (Watch this space). As I'm feeling a bit under the weather this week, I only had enough crafty mojo in me to use one image for one project and didn't utilise everything available to me.

On to the challenge! Because I am more of a 'clean lines' kind of crafter, I don't really like to rough up the edges of my projects too much. BUT, and it's a big BUT, I love to distress the edges of my papers with ink! and always a dark brown or black. So that's what I did. I inked everything on this project....the paper and the image :)

I decided on using the multicoloured bug for my project and chose some fun scrappy paper that I had in my scrap stash to go with it. I then got out a spare sticky note pad I have and covered it with the pattern paper.

I cut out three copies of the image and paper pieced it onto the cover of my sticky note pad. Then just to add a bit of my weirdo touch, I stuck some googly eyes onto him!

I found that as hard as I tried to keep the top flap of the cover closed on my note pad, the more it wanted to stay up....

So I tricked the little bugger and tied a ribbon around it :) I love the final finish:

So, by now you should know the drill :) Hop on over to the challenge blog to see what the DT have cooked up for you today and enter your own distressed project. You might even find yourself a freebie there....just sayin....
And if you head on over to the store here, you'll find even more freebies to work with! You don't necessarily have to use an AiF image to enter but wouldn't it be nice if you did?

Have a Terrific Thursday everyone! Catch you all again tomorrow :)

Hello Birdie! Card Kit collection - Card #5

2011-06-01T08:00:00.003+02:00

Finally! I can show you Card # 5! It's possibly my most crafty yet (for me anyway), even though it looks so simple.

I hand drew the tree image onto the backs of the relevant papers and then paper pieced it to put it together. Funny how I amazed myself with this, even though it's not really anything that special :) hahaha!

As you can see, I used the music notes cuttlebug folder yet again, I just can't get enough of it or the chocolate ribbon for that matter...

Love the die cuts too, the scalloped strip came in so handy for a length of 'grass'.

And the finished inside:

It's back to another AiF challenge tomorrow, hope you can all join me? Have a Wonderful Wednesday!

Hello Birdie! Card Kit Collection - Card #4

2011-05-31T08:00:00.002+02:00

Hello Ladies!

Brrr! it's a cold winter's morning here in South Africa and the wind is howling outside, not to mention the icyness of it! Makes it hard to believe the summery feel of this collection doesn't it? I really should be making some winter themed cards...

I think today's card was probably the easiest of the lot for me to put together and is the 'simplest' looking too.

I love these fabric flowers, they are so cheap to buy and versatile to use. I also love the choclate brown ribbon I've used throughout this project, it really PoPs against the pastel colours:

I used the music cuttlebug folder again, think I've fallen in love with it :) and the die cuts in the Birdie set!

The final product:

And the finished inside:

Hope you're all inspired, whether it be the colour choice or the layout :) Have a Terrific Tuesday!

Hello Birdie! Card kit Collection - Card #3

2011-05-30T08:00:00.004+02:00

Ok Ladies, after a relaxing weekend, it's back to work for some of us :) My weekend was pretty productive craft wise and I must tell you that I am almost caught up on all my week in reviews :) I will start showing them to you once I've finished showing you the card kit! I am very excited about them because I really was on a roll and I'v loved how each and every one turned out.

Anyway, I'm rambling, so let's get on with the card....

For those of you who like to know, I used the musical notes cuttlebug folder for the dry embossing on the cream cardstock for this card. It added a really whimsical touch without going overboard on the detail it created. I also paper pieced a birdie from one of the pattern sheets from this set, my hubby said it looks like it's nesting, too cute :)

The tab on this block is part of the die cut set, really easy to fold and work with.

The final product....

And, as has been the case throughout the set, I finished off the inside too:

Two more card to go everyone! and I hope I've got you excited for my scrapbook layouts...I'll show you how you can scrap with your 'scraps'!

Have a Smashing Monday! I'm sure the week ahead is going to be promising :)

Hello Birdie! Card kit Collection - Card #2

2011-05-27T08:00:00.002+02:00

After all the excitement of challenge posts, it's back to card #2 in my Hello Birdie Set. Todays reveal is not as complicated as the aperture in card #1 but is effective all the same.

Paper piecing and layering is the order for today!

First, let me get to the paperpiecing, fairly simple to do and quick too.

Next is the layering of paper, ribbon and die cut embellie.

Everything together....

I even finished the inside of the card!

Hope you all have a fantastic friday and that the weekend ahead is full of fun!