Extra Christmas bits!

I've loved going through the Stamp-A-Stack process for my Christmas cards as for the first time, I have a varied selection of cards to give out as opposed to one design for all.  It's really brings back the extra joy in giving... which after all, is what the season is about!

Here are some other cards that didn't quite get into the workshops...

I really love this last one - CASEd from Suzanne Barnard via Stampin' Connection (SU demo site) I changed the colour palette to a Christmas tones (including gold) and used Circle Circus rather than Delicate Dollies... I reckon Circle Circus could have a bit of a revival given some of the awesome Delicate Dollies designs appearing!  I also added tags to the ribbon.  This card looks great in every palette - big thanks to Suzanne!

Penultimate Christmas Stamp-a-Stack!

Here are the two designs from our penultimate Stamp-A-Stack - I can't believe there is only one more to go :o(  Although I know there will be impressed people globally with the skills of my lovely workshop friends!

Firstly a super-simple design, pimped with the gorgeous SU chunky Glitter Glass (Champagne).  I found something similar online but cannot remember where - so soz.

This next card was CASEd from Sweet Irene on Splitcoast stampers - I just love him!  I stepped up a little and embossed the white hair elements...

Halloween treats

... and a little trick too!

Our new neighbours are American so it seemed only right to help them celebrate Halloween this year - I don't think our local RSL quite hit the celebrations seen in the US but we had a great time none-the-less!

I whipped up a super-quick Halloween treat basket for their 8yr old daughter - this is where SU dies come into their own for fast, fun and effective handmade pressies...

We filled two mini milk cartons with lollies, one with a little bracelet... and one with mulch from the garden! *snigger... TRICK!*

The pumpkins are made out of eight / nine scallop circles and some Old Olive paper curled with a paper piercer.

Top-a Times!

Whilst browsing the craft sites recently, I found a host of hobby horse pictures that all seemed t lead back to one woman... Jackie Topa - my new muse de jour!!  So here are my variations of the hobby horse, used with the new and fabulous SU Stocking punch...

And another CASE of Jackie's work (found via Michelle Le Breton), just check out this adorable singing reindeer!  My youngest said 'This is cool, mum!' to which I replied 'yeah, he's funny isn't it!'.  My daughter came back with 'No, not funny, just really cool'!  

Bye Miss H...

Here's a little card made after a little web-scouting, for Miss 6's student teacher.

Frankly, I was coming down with flu and figured the 'smudged' white craft ink could be mistaken for genuine chalk messiness!?!  Oh my, how my perfectionist mind had been addled by germs!!

Between Miss 6 and I, we stuck it all together and delivered it via Miss 7, before both collapsing into bed for a few days!!

:o)

A little extra for today....

Here's an extra card using the Extreme Elements set from SU - a card that didn't quite pass the Captain A 'Man-card-test'!  I don't know... I thought it'd be ok for a boy?

post-BCD workshop...

As a delicious friend put it... My car and I had a disagreement about when was the appropriate time to leave the house... my car chose to leave earlier... without me... but with kids.

We laugh and guffaw about BCD already (BCD = Bad Crash Day), but really... it was horrible.

In my attempts to prove everything was perfectly alright and nothing hurt and I truly am a big-brave-bear... I ran my Birthday Cards workshop!  What a twat!

... looking at the photos below, my mojo was definitely left in my car which was (and indeed is STILL at time of print!) being lovingly fixed in l'hopital d'automobile **sniff**

Stamp Camp - One last favourite!

Kez 'Owl Queen' Bunting shared this GOR-JUS card with us all which really does hold its place as a favourite from the weekend....

nite nite Stamp Camp - I shall dream of you always xxxx

Stamp Camp ... Free Time!

OK - so it may not look like we got that much free time during our weekend fun, but we did... and it was mostly spent eating!! ha ha!  However, I did get to make a couple of cards outwith the amazing workshops ...

Honestly, these pictures where taken one minute apart!  But the day went from balmy 29 to 19 degrees in the space of about 30 seconds!!  It then proceeded to rain for about 3 days and since then, my gorgeous family have been knocked about by swine flu! ho hum!

Both cards are using the new SU set, Under The Big Top, with card 2 using the matching (and adorable) DSP series.  Loving this new stuff!!
kx

Stamp Camp Colour Challenge

Rob & Kez set a seemingly simple colour challenge - Daffodil Delight, Early Expresso and Whisper White.

Well, it proved a huge challenge to my gorgeous yet yellow-challenged buddy, Sue! tee hee!

I chose the 'teacher's pet' route and plumped for the Owl, in honour of our lovely muse, Kez Bunting xxxx

Stamp Camp Stamp Set Challenge

No, there's more, really, there's more!!!

Kez and Rob set us a couple of challenges through the weekend too and one was to make a card / page / whatever with the stamp set provided, who's name I know not and may have even psychologically forgotten!!

Here are my three efforts, slowly liking each one a little more than the one before!?!

This last one is an 8x8 page (with space ready for annual Santa pic!), in which I used SU's glitter glass for the first time - I.  LOVE.  IT.  Oooh, it's so chunky and sparkly, I just know I'm going to use pots and pots this Christmas!

Stamp Camp Techniques

We were treated to two awesome technique workshops, faux mother of pearl and faux tiles...

Stamp Camp 3D projects

The 3D projects at camp were awesome and 'my ladies' have already asked to do BOTH!

They won't receive such fantastic tutelage but we'll have a good laugh trying!!

WAHOO for Stamp Camp!

And now, Wow, wow and wow again!

I was lucky enough to be invited to my first ever Stamp Camp, hosted by the ever-inspiring Kerry Bunting and Robyn Irving.

These amazing women had put together workshops (3d projects, fancy folds & technique workshops), shoebox projects, challenges as well as arranging for the Stamp Fairy to visit us each night with some beautiful treats!

It was an amazing weekend with hilarious stories!

So, what to share first?  I'll start with the shoebox projects - creations whereby everything needed to complete them, is found in the one box!

Here are my versions of Robyn's projects...

And my efforts on Kerry's creations...

These last two cards are right up my street - so modern and crisp; just love them!

kx

Christmas Stamp-A-Stack part III

I have SO much to share on my blog I just don't know where to start!!

So I'll go with the third of five Christmas Stamp-a-Stacks!

I'm sad this lovely old Santa has been retired.  Here, I have highlighted his rosey cheeks and Rudolph's nose with a dauber of cherry cobbler x
Card 1 
cardstock; cherry cobbler, old olive, very vanilla
ink; stayzon black, cherry cobbler, old olive, crumb cake
stamp; Tidings Of Joy
other; cherry cobbler seam binding ribbon, brad, blender pen
Card 2
cardstock; cheery cobbler, crumb cake
ink; Holtz distress ink vintage photo, cherry cobbler
stamp; good cheer (retired)
other; embossing folder, seam binding ribbon (cherry cobbler, crumb cake)

Metal-head

The Less Is More Ladies set a great challenge this week - Metallic.

I really wanted to get some sheet metal and create something but this week, quite literally, ran away from me so maybe next time.

Hence, I resorted to some gorgeous copper embossing powder (from where, I have no recollection!).

Hard to photograph, but think it's worked!

I've also made 30 of these with Stayzon rather than embossing for 'swaps' my first SU meeting tomorrow - can't wait to share what I get in return!?!

cardstock; very vanilla, basic black, early expresso, crumb cake
stamp set; Forever Young
other; antique brads, embossing powder, heat gun

Christmas Stamp-A-Stack part II

Hi all!

Woohoo!  20 christmas cards down, 30 more to go!  We had a great morning making the next designs in my Christmas Stamp-A-Stack - it's such a great time to chat and have some 'me' time doing something a little different!

Card 2 attributed to stampingaddict

I have a couple of workshops coming up over the next few weeks: -

Friday 9 September 10am-12pm

My House

"Embossing trio" - 3 cards, 3 embossing techniques; one for the boys, one for the ladies and one for children!

Cost $15

Each card will use different techniques and suitable for beginners to advanced!

RSVP Wednesday 7 Sept 6pm

Tuesday 20 September 10am-12:30pm

My House

"Christmas Stamp-A-Stack part II" - 10 cards, 5 each of 2 designs

Cost $15

Simple, easy to put together cards to ease the Christmas load!

RSVP Sunday 18 Sept 6pm

Just bring craft scissors & double-sided tape (available to purchase from me for $3) - all other materials provided!

Let me know if you'd like to come along or if you'd like a workshop at a different time!

Kind regards

Karen

Something a little different...

Here (on time!!) is my entry for this week's Less Is More challenge - Things that move.

Looking through the entries, there were many many butterflies so I needed something else...Well, in the breeze, the flowers move!!  A little bit fussy for me really but irl it's quite lovely and very 'giveable'!

* Update *

Ooooh, the lovely Lady Chris from LIM suggested I share how I made this... now there's a challenge!

My best effort....

- take 10.5cm by 30cm cardstock (basically 1/2 A4, portrait)

- along LONG edge, score at 10cm from each end, and at 14.9cm (middle)

- I embossed one end panel and edge of the other end for interest!

- Folding as a concertina, adhere the second panel next to fully embossed end to said embossed panel (I'm rubbish at wording this!)

This gives you the main easel card

- I then cut three acetate strips, 1cm width by varying lengths, scoring the acetate once at approx 1cm

- adhere flowers (of anything!) to non-scored end of acetate strip

- make a dsp / coord cs strip 1.5cm x 10.5cm and stick scored end of acetate behind dsp before adhering this strip to card

- add extra decorations as is your want!

Voila!?!

cardstock; Whisper White, Poppy Parade dsp
ink; Poppy Parade
other; acetate

Birthdays For All!

Here are the cards from my little workshop today - one for her, one for him & one for the littlies!

AT LAST!

YAY!  For the first time since coming back from UK (4 weeks ago!) I've actually managed to enter Less Is More's challenge ON TIME!!  ha ha haaa!

Slightly sneaky actually as last week LIM's challenge was 'Colours Of Your Flag'... well, I reckon I got ESP because despite missing deadline on that challenge, I made one that fits THIS week's theme - USE INK!

So here is last week's 'ESP effort' - using the direct-to-paper technique I masked the crown and swiped the Not Quite Navy ink pad... too too simple!

Using the same technique, here is my actual entry for the Lady & Diva LIM...

And to prove I still follow the LIMettes staunchly... yet miss the deadline regularly!  Here is my first Flag effort... made with my brother in mind as we are both going through a Union Jack obsession whilst both living as expats in various places!

card 1
cardstock; Whisper White
ink; Real Red, Not Quite Navy
stamp; Extreme Elements
card 2
cardstock; Whisper White
ink; Pear Pizazz, Rich Razzleberry, Garden Green
stamp; Faith In Nature (NEW & gooooorgeous!)
card 3
cardstock; Real Red, Whisper White
ink; Brocade Blue (retired)
other; real red ribbons (various)