Sunday, January 30, 2011

Birthday Owl

It's an inspiration challenge over at Just Add Ink this week. The brief is to use the following picture as inspiration
and it can also be interpreted as Just Add A Bright Splash of Colour, so that's what I've done. My background is in neutral colours very vanilla and soft suede, and my splashes of colour are in rose red and pumpkin pie. I particularly wanted to use some of the luscious wide striped ribbon - luuuuuuurve big bows!

Here's my birthday owl:


If you'd like a closer look, just click on the photo. The non SU items are the balloon punch (Sullivans), orange rhinestones (Kaiser) and embroidery thread (stash).

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers
Kez

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Chocolatey Friends

Knowing that I am a bit (cough! OK, maybe more than a "bit") of a chocoholic, a lovely friend in the US sent me a stamp set called Eat Chocolate. Well, it is almost as yummy as the food group (LOL!) it's named after, so how could I possibly resist inking it up?



I really like the sketch over at Inkspirations this week, so I've used that for my card and just moved the ribbon. Doing those squares is a real challenge for me!


I used a digital paper for my background - well, just look at it! who could not?! - which went perfectly with early espresso and regal rose. I think I'll be making a few of these for all my choccie-loving friends! And this one might have to wing its way over to the States - I am soooooo lucky to have friends who know me so well!

Thanks for calling in. I hope you get some chocolatey goodness in your day.

Cheers
Kez

Edited to add:
I couldn't resist making up a little matching gift box - to put chocolates in, of course! -using my Box #2 die - here tis:


Thursday, January 27, 2011

Before You Find Your Prince ...

... you all know how that sentence ends ... say it with me ladies ... "you have to kiss a lot of frogs"!!!

Well, while surfing around some blogs tonight I came across the most adorable froggy Valentine card made by Monica Gale and I just HAD to case it. I don't have the paper or stamps that Monica used, so I've changed those, but it is essentially the same. She also has a video tutorial on how to make the card, so if you like it, pop on over and have a look.

I know one of my regulars in particular who will love this, as she is into frogs in a big way! Here's His Froggy Highness ...



Ain't that the cutest? A great card to give to a bloke who isn't in to lovey-dovey (and that's most of them, isn't it?? LOL!!!).

Materials used:
  • stamps - Family Phrases, Tiny Tags
  • card - basic grey, old olive, pear pizzazz, riding hood red, Love Letters DSP, whisper white
  • ink - riding hood red, old olive
  • punches - large oval, wide oval, boho blossoms, 1/2 " circle, heart to heart
  • other - dimensionals, googly eyes (non SU), always artichoke marker, Timeless Type Junior Alphabet dies, circle scissors, crystal effects, whisper white taffeta ribbon, sponge daubers
Thanks for hopping over today!

Cheers
Kez

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Iconic Aussie Bloke

Move over Ozzie Osbourne ... Ozzie the Owl is coming through!

Yes folks, today is Australia Day, the day when Aussies old and new celebrate being part of this "big brown land". Our family has two "real" Aussies (DH and DD12) and two "new" Aussies (DD18 and myself - both Kiwis), so we always celebrate both Australia Day and New Zealand (Waitangi) Day.

I usually make a card to mark the occasion and you had to know that I just HAD to create another owl, didn't you?

I have come up with an iconic Aussie bloke, complete with Akubra hat with corks (to keep the flies off your face, in case you're from overseas and didn't know) and an ice cold beer in hand. He's standing on a gum leaf and his green and gold banner proudly proclaims his name! Come and meet him .... (click on the photo for a better look) ...



The corks on his hat are made with slivers from a real cork, sewn on with needle and embroidery thread - a very painstaking job, I have to say. The foam on his beer is made from puff paint. Yes, I know, he looks as if he's had a couple of beers already! Well, I tried to make him look as authentic as I could ... ROFLOL!!!

Right oh, Ozzie, let's get back and throw another prawn on the barbie! Hope you are enjoying your Australia Day and thanks for dropping in.

Cheers mate
Kez

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Baby's a Winner!

Terribly exciting news and a great start for my new year's resolution - my monochromatic baby card won the SU only challenge! Many thanks ladies, I will wear my badge with pride.

Call in tomorrow for some Australia Day fun!

Cheers
Kez

Monday, January 24, 2011

The Sky is the Limit

Today's card is another one of those I've been meaning to make for a while, so I am glad to get it off my To Do list at last! Inspired by a number of cards I've seen around, it's another balloon.



DH was kind enough to point out that balloons are generally wider at the top and narrow at the bottom - aren't men so practical? LOL! But he said he likes it anyway - "nicely graphic" apparently! What can you say?!


Materials used:
  • stamps - A Little Treat, Word Play
  • card - crumb cake, soft suede, whisper white, Elegant Soiree DSP
  • inks - soft suede, marina mist
  • other - sponges, dimensionals, wide oval punch
Thanks for stopping by today.

Cheers
Kez

PS the clouds were traced from chipboard shapes - I have NO talent whatsoever for drawing freehand shapes!!!

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Vintage Flowers

DD12 and I were in an Austen frame of mind yesterday, so we watched 'Emma' - the Gwyneth Paltrow version - and then 'Lost in Austen'. LIA had us cracking up in places (especially where she gets Mr Darcy to get wet in the pond!!! LOL!) but happily the ending is soooooooo romantic.

As a result, this morning when I woke up I was in a vintage kind of mood, so I got up and made today's card. However, you mustn't look too closely at the watercolouring, as I broke my reading glasses last night and so couldn't really see details very well!


Materials used:

  • stamps - A Sense of Time, Elements of Style
  • card - cherry cobbler, very vanilla, crumb cake, watercolour paper
  • other - dimensionals, old olive satin ribbon, pearls, decorative label punch, sponges, vintage wallpaper embossing folder
Thanks for dropping in today.

Cheers
Kez

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Shimmer and Shine

I've mentioned earlier that this month's classes are all about shimmer paint and the cards I have for you today use just that! These are for my beginners class on Sunday.

The first card has Champagne shimmer mist sprayed on the moon and is CASEd from a lovely card by Sarah Wills that caught my eye as soon as I saw it - might have been something to do with owls, LOL! - but I have made a few changes.



The two stamps are both from a set called Punch Bunch, available for FREE in the SAB catalogue. A very simple card to make, but so cute.

The second card uses Platinum shimmer paint for all the stamping - ie medallion, en francais and the sentiment - applied with a sponge dauber. The silver on the embossed portions of the butterfly were applied with a blender pen.


Thanks for dropping in.

Cheers
Kez

Stylish Blogger Award

Today I received the Stylish Blogger Award from Gilda Fellows, one of the designers at UStamp and a fellow SU demo from Japan. Thank you so much Gilda for the compliment of saying that I inspire you! Luckily no one can see me blushing!


Now I have to wrack my brain to think of 8 things about me you don't already know ...
  1. I have suffered from vertigo since I was 10. Vertigo is not, as so commonly portrayed in the movies, a fear of heights, but an inner ear imbalance issue that makes you dizzy.
  2. I adore Irish and Scottish accents.
  3. I am a middle child and only girl.
  4. I was a Girl Guides leader when my girls were young.
  5. I have never mastered skating or skiing - nothing involving balance and motion! (Maybe that relates to No. 1!)
  6. I have hazel eyes.
  7. When backpacking around Europe (in my 20s) I collected a charm from each country I visited and love to look at my charm bracelet for all those good memories.
  8. My most surreal experience was when I went to Belfast (Northern Ireland) and saw tanks and machine guns in the streets and signs warning against umbrellas ...
I'll come back another time to pass the award on as it's a bit hectic today!

Cheers
Kez

Monday, January 17, 2011

Thanks for Asking

I've been asked a few times lately if I mind if people CASE (copy and share everything) my creations. My reply is "Heck no!" I don't mind in the slightest - I'm a firm believer that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and that's what this blog is all about - sharing my work in the hopes of inspiring others. Whether you put your own spin on a piece, or copy it exactly, it doesn't worry me.

There are, however, two "ethical rules" of CASEing:

  1. acknowledge me as the original artist - whether you copy my work exactly, or use some aspects of it as inspiration (this is just plain good manners)
  2. never enter my work under your own name for challenges or publication (cos that would be stealing)
Let me give you an example with this card:


The idea for the nurse owl I got from someone else, and I named them in my original blog entry as being my inspiration. The doctor with the stethoscope I thought up all by myself. A few people have CASEd my idea, some of them acknowledged me (many thanks, much appreciated) with a link to my blog (even more appreciated) but unfortunately some of them didn't (NOT so much appreciated). 

So folks, CASE away and thank you for the compliment - just remember the two golden rules and we'll all be happy.

Cheers
Kez

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Double Dose

I am pleased so far that I have been managing to keep my new year's resolution to take part in more challenges - mind you, classes haven't started back yet, so it's early days and plenty of time for me to "fall off the wagon"!! LOL!

Anyway, today is a double dose because this card is for not one, but TWO challenges! I know, I surprised myself too! This is my entry for:
You've guessed it already, I'm sure - yup, I made a monochromatic baby card. I avoided the standard pink, blue, yellow and green and went for soft, sweet and subtle cream, aka very vanilla, with hints of crumb cake. Here tis:



Materials used:
  • stamps - baby bundle, short and sweet
  • card and paper - very vanilla, crumb cake, neutrals DSP
  • punches - 32 mm circle, 35 mm circle, scallop circle
  • other - very vanilla satin ribbon, dimensionals, crumb cake ink pad, linen thread
It's very simple but I think it's kinda sweet too. Hope you like it.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope your NY resolutions are going well too!

Cheers
Kez

Thursday, January 13, 2011

I Love You Cherry Cobbler

DH and I really don't "do" Valentines Day at all and it's a rare occasion when we get anything, but I really loved a Verve card I saw by Teresa Kline and wanted to reproduce it using SU stamps. Maybe I'll give someone a surprise this Feb 14!

Here's my take: (click on photo to see more detail)



I clear embossed Bella Toile on the background cherry cobbler piece. On my circle the sentiment comes from Three Little Words and the swirls from Elements of Style. I also stamped the swirls on the hearts before punching them out and spraying them with Champagne shimmer mist. Of course, a "Teneale" bow finishes it off beautifully!

I am entering this in the Southern Girls Challenge for this week, which is All Loved Up.

Thanks for calling in today. I hope all our demos and families in QLD are safe and dry.

Cheers
Kez

Sunday, January 9, 2011

A Bird in the Hand

Howdy! Today I have another UStamp project to show you, this time a gorgeous double pocket bag and card set designed by Ilina Crouse. You can see Ilina's lovely project here but unfortunately, once again the papers and stamps are not available here in Aus.

For my rendition I have used Lap of Luxury DSP teamed with Every Moment stamp set. Here's the set:
The bag:
The card:

Hope you are enjoying seeing the UStamp projects as much as I am enjoying making them! Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers
Kez

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Whooooo Loves Kraft?

You can tell when I'm in silly pun mode, can't you, by the crazy blog post titles I come up with!!! LOL!

Anywhoooo (sorry!) today I have for you another of the projects I made from UStamp with Dawn and Friends Year End Blowout. Oh, and I forgot to tell you when I posted my first project, the Boxed Set (here), that I was lucky enough to be given a free pass to USWDAFYEB by one of the guest designers, Debbie Dawson. Many, many thanks Debbie, I am thoroughly enjoying the wonderful projects all the designers are posting, as well as being inspired by everybody else's versions of them. If you would like 40+ great projects then it is not too late to sign up - just click on the blinkie over to the right and it will take you to the info and sign up page.

So, as I was saying, today's project is a very cute and simple purse with matching card and envelope. The designer was Danielle Daws and you can see her gorgeous original here. I wanted to make mine just a wee bit different and I have used cherry cobbler, crumb cake, very vanilla and early espresso.

Here's the set:

The purse:

The card and envelope:


You had to know I just couldn't stay away from those little owls for long! LOL! The owl stamp is from a set called Punch Bunch that is in the Sale-a-bration catalogue coming up later this month. Ain't it a cutie?

Well, thanks for dropping in and listening to my ramblings. Maybe I'll see you over at UStamp soon?

Cheers
Kez

Friday, January 7, 2011

Inspired by a Sketch

Our team has the following sketch challenge this month:
As the challenge was my idea, I thought I'd better set to and made a card! LOL! I was dying to finally try out using the scallop trim border punch for a circle or oval using Andrea Buckland's fab tutorial (here) and am very happy with how it turned out. Here's my card:


As I'm featuring Shimmer Paint and Shimmer Mist in this month's classes, I used both on this card. Both pieces of DSP have been sprayed with shimmer mist, while the petals of the flowers had shimmer paint applied over the marker ink. Here's a couple of close ups so you can see the sparkles:


Materials used: (all SU)
  • stamps - Inspired by Nature, Curly Cute
  • card and paper - crumb cake, basic black, very vanilla, Newsprint DSP, Jolly Holiday DSP
  • punches - scallop trim border, square
  • other - Victoria crochet trim, antique brad, dimensionals, shimmer paint, sponge daubers, circle scissors
Thanks for calling in today.

Cheers
Kez

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Boxed Set

Over at the UStamp with Dawn and Friends Year End Blowout 2010, one of the projects is a vintage boxed set of cards using the totally gorgeous Springtime Vintage papers and stamps in the US Occasions Mini.

Of course, we don't have those papers or stamps (but please, please, please SU, give them to us in April!) so I had to adapt. I wanted to use the Love Letters papers (I adore black and cream) and I wanted a little French chic! So I chose pink pirouette card to go with it and have used Aviary, Well Scripted and Curly Cute stamp sets for my cards.

Here's the complete set (click on any photo for a larger view):


The box:


The cards individually:





Now, unfortunately, with the differences in US sizing and ours, I discovered too late that our envelopes don't fit in the box! Darn it! Note to self: enlarge box sizes in the future. Ah well, such is life! Hope you like the set anyway.

If you are interested in signing up for UStamp and getting 40 fantastic projects, just click on the blinkie over on the right and it will take you to the right place.

Thanks for calling in today.

Cheers
Kez

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Kraft Renaissance

Back before Kraft became Crumb Cake, I hardly ever touched it. Not sure why, just oversight I guess, but I find myself reaching for it more and more these days. I love how it goes with just about any other colour and I am especially loving the vintage look it gives when teamed with black and vanilla.

Here are a few cards I've made recently in that style.

The first one I had in my head ever since I saw A Little Treat in the December Frenzy and I'm quite pleased with how it all came together.


Next I have broken out my Elements of Style set. This is one I loved from the moment I saw it and was thrilled to see it in our new catalogue. The hint of colour is Baja breeze.


Lastly I've combined Elements of Style with Sense of Time. I have seen some really gorgeous cards using this combo in various forms, so I have no doubt I'll be trying out some more of these myself.


Tomorrow: my first UStamp project. Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers
Kez

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Just Add Summer

Over at Just Add Ink the theme this week is summer and as we're sweltering in the high thirties, what could be more perfect?

One of our favourite holidays was to Vanuatu and we especially loved snorkelling among the coral reefs. Hideaway Island was a day trip we loved, so I made a card to remind me of that. I dragged out my retired Fishy Friends (love these little guys!), added in some High Hopes stamps and made a gel card. (Click on the photo for a larger view)


Here's a close up of the bubbles effect you get from the gel:


If you have never made a gel card, I heartily urge you to give it a go - they are soooooooo much fun and the feeling when you squish the gel around is amazing - my girls just love it!

Thanks for dropping in.

Cheers
Kez