Pirate Luka

Just a quick post to share with you some cards I made for my friends' children's wear shop featuring Pirate Luka a La-La Land Crafts stamp and coloured in with my new toys...my Copic markers! I wanted to make some cards like this for her as some of the items she is selling feature pirates and treasure and I thought this would benefit both of us.

As I am still learning with my colouring techniques I was pleased with the results.

JAI#118 - Just Add....ME!

Yes, that's right over at Just Add Ink this week the challenge is to CASE one of my cards. Delys decided that as it was the month of May that it would a good idea to CASE me...MAE!

I wasn't sure that the very talented DT members could find much on my blog to inspire them but I was pleasantly surprised with what they found to inspire them and the results are lovely, check them out on the JAI blog. I hope you are able to find something here on my blog to inspire you so you can play along too.

I wasn't sure what I would CASE of my own, but you can see my earlier card HERE, and here is my updated version using some of my recent Stampin' Up! purchases, the Framelit Dies and lovely Pleated Satin Ribbon.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your weekend.

Friday Night Workshop

Just finished getting ready for my Stamp Workshop this Friday night, tomorrow after work, which will be a fun way to spend a Friday night...crafting with some new ladies, and maybe a familiar one or two! The hostess wants the workshop focussed on the Big Shot, easy for me as that is one of my most used tools in my craft room!

As always my workshop includes a thank you gift from me, inside of which are some lovely samples of our new Satin Pleated Ribbon...

Box #2 Bigz XL Die

Should I tell them when I show this, that I put the ribbon on around the wrong way, the box opens on the other side...oops!

Of course, I also always have a Lucky Door Prize for some lucky attendee, inside of which are some samples of our mini library clips and embelishments...

Mini Milk Carton Bigz L Die

Then there is the fun of doing a Make & Take, which I have prepared step by step instructions for those who like the detail and not the visual process, and to take home with them where they can do it all again...

Scallop Envelope Die Gift Card Holder & 3 Gift Cards

Plus, I always try to take a few samples of other items I have made recently to entice future workshop bookings and product sales...

These two cards above were made for my last Stamp Class at my home, where I showed Mel and Lindy (hi ladies!), how to stamp on vellum (thanks for letting me CASE you Kathy Tannner)...it was a small and intimate class this month after my inaugral one in my new craft space with 8 attendee that time! I think this was better until I can reorganise my space as it now also has a Sofa Bed in it for our guests to stay.

Here is my latest card, that I really enjoyed putting together, having seen a video clip here by Sandi MacIver on how to make a beautiful butterfly from the new Mixed Bunch Stamp Set...am definitely going to play with this stamp set some more over the next week or so!

Here is a close-up of the beautiful butterfly, Embossed Resist Technique meets Mixed Bunch stamp set and coordinating punch...

I sure hope the ladies enjoy the workshop and have fun creating and stamping together, more creating this time around than stamping!

Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely weekend.

JAI #116 - Just Add...Mother

Here it is another Friday, which means time for another Just Add Ink Challenge!

This week's challenge is all about the special women in our lives. Mother's Day is just around the corner here in Australia so we want you to "Just Add...Mother" - or any other special woman in your life - and let them know how special they are.

For my card I decided to try the Faux Mother-of-Pearl Technique, appropriate I thought for the occasion.

When I had put my card together I felt it needed that something extra so I made a grosgrain rosette to put the finishing touch to it. I might have gone a bit overboard though with adding the extra pearls to the flower centre...what do you think?

This close-up might also show better the Faux Mother-of-Pearl using my Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint, sponged onto Glossy White Cardstock using scrunched up GladWrap, and then sponging some Baja Breeze Ink over the top. I then used Stazon Black Ink to stamp my image over the top and coloured my flowers and leaves with a Blender Pen and some Rose Red and Old Olive Ink. I was pleased with the overall effect.

Stamps: Apothecary Art, For My Family
Inks: Baja Breeze, Rose Red, Old Olive, Black Stazon
Cardstock: Early Espresso, Rose Red, Glossy White
Accessories: Framelits Dies Labels Collection, Lattice Embossing Folder, GladWrap, Champagne Mist Shimmer paint, Sponge, Baja Breeze Pleated Ribbon, Grosgrain Ribbon, Pearls, Blender Pens, Snail Adhesive, Stampin' Dimensionals

Don't forget to pop on over to the Just Add Ink blog to see what other inspiration the Design Team have for Mother's Day and then make your card/project for that special woman in your life and link it up so we can all share in celebrating these special women.

Paper Party!

Dates: 1-31 May 2012

Details: During May, customers will get a FREE package of Designer Series Paper for every three you buy!* Choose from a wide variety of designs and colours available in the 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalogue and 2012 Autumn-Winter Mini Catalogue.

*  Does not include Specialty Designer Series Paper

Designer Series Paper (DSP) is 12x12 patterned paper that is double-sided, in coordinating colours and designs. I love DSP as it coordinates so well with my cardstock, inks and stamps.

Contact me today if you want to take advantage of this special.

My Birthday Girl

Nineteen years ago today my beautiful baby girl was born. It was a beautiful moment as I knew she would be my last child and having had a beautiful baby boy I only wished for a baby girl...although I would have been happy for just a healthy baby!

Here she is and this is the first page of her album, that I am still working on, all these years later!

We named her Emily Mae after my mother and myself, as my mother had spend three months living with us, keeping me out of hospital until just the last couple of weeks. The name suits her as she has a strong, independent personality.

This is her now, all grown up, and such a beautiful young lady. With her brother just before his wedding and all dressed up as one of the lovely bridesmaids. Such beautiful children, and I know I am biased.

Enjoy your celebrations with your friends this weekend my beautiful girl, we love you very much!

Here is the card I made for her, although the image is a bit old style for her, but she does like to shop!

Birthday Card for Grace

My daughter's goddaughter, Grace, had a birthday this week, she turned 5, and so Emily asked me to make a card for her and so I thought I would share it here as well. It will be interesting to see if Grace's mother sees this card on my blog before Emily gets the opportunity in her busy schedule to visit them and give it to her along with her present...as my friend, Grace's mother, follows my blog, I think! Although she may be too busy to pop in here regularly and so it might be a surprise when it is given, she works, has many children and some grandchildren, plus lots of alpacas and knitting Little Knats to keep her occupied and off my blog!

As Grace turned 5 I thought it was lovely how the numbered DSP I used blended in behind my feature image and yet you can still see a couple of 5s on the piece. As you can also see I am still loving the new pleated satin ribbon and this time I used Blushing Bride ribbon on my latest card.

Please don't ask me how me how many times I tried making that scallop border frame to fit and to punch out so nicely...I had several attempts and lots of mess to clean up afterwards! However, if I remember correctly the piece of cardstock I ended up using was 5 1/4" x 3 13/16" and it made an 8 by 11 scallop edge. I followed the tutorial on Gretchen Barron's blog here to get the technique and just played around with the sizing until I got what I wanted!

I must get myself some more Blushing Bride cardstock as I wanted it to match the ribbon as my card base and found that it was my last sheet, luckily I only need half a sheet to make a card!