Eclectically, Creatively.....Me

Catch Up Time

Well Saturday was wonderful (for those of you who didn't make it!), and I'm fairly certain that everyone had some fun while they were here.

Before I go any further, I really do want to thank each and everyone of those who made the trek to my place - it meant a great deal to me to see you all there, and I am so very grateful for all the support and kindness you showed.

The workroom / classroom / playroom is now officially "open for business", and with that in mind I'm going to be "Getting Down to Business" from now on.  The first class is August 8th, but I will put that into another post at the end of this week - don't forget to keep checking back for updates.

For me, the best thing about the day was that I got to spend some time with everyone who came - we chatted and gossiped, made a few treats, shared quite a few laughs, and even managed to squeeze in a few cups of coffee (and tea) with a few biscuits.  I don't know when I have enjoyed myself quite so much - and I am confident that everyone who came did too.

There wasn't a lot of time for photo taking (alright, I forgot okay?) but my WONDERFUL downline (LOVE YOU ANGELA!!!) did get a few snaps before her memory card decided it was full.  Once I get them, I'll post them for you.

After everyone had gone, I was thinking about playing in solitude - but to be honest, I was just dead tired....and called it a night.  Didn't even tidy up! Instead, Sunday morning was spent tidying up and putting things away...and then I made a card for a swap that is happening TONIGHT.  You get to see it before the other "swapees" do!  Kewl huh!

I have to say that as much as people have voiced their uncertainty about this set, I am totally in love with Circle Circus.  It has so much potential - boy cards, girl cards, Christmas Cards, Fun Cards.... anyway, I played with this yesterday, and in a very short time came up with the card you see below.

This is made with the current In Colours - Pacific Point and Riding Hood Red - very yummy.  I've also used a flower from the Pretties Kit, and dyed it using the Pacific Point Refill.

The triptych on the left have actually been cut out, and covered with dazzling diamonds; with the large white flower 'button' is actually embossed with the Stampin' Up White Embossing powder (this piece is actually adhered to the inner right hand side of the card using dimensionals - and I have used the scalloped circle punch to cut out the opening).

The sentiment is from the most beautiful stamp set - 24/7 - and has been cut out using the large oval punch.

The picture below shows a close up of the triptych pieces.

  

Here's the best part - these little pieces were very much inspired by my favourite series.

I dare you to leave a comment as to which one it is!!  Who knows what the reward might be!!

See You All Saturday!

Well I am really looking forward to this coming Saturday.  Thanks to my "Garden Angel", the yards are amazing, the carport is again spacious, and I am all but ready to welcome you all to my new work area.

I'm praying madly for sunny, warm weather for the day - it's been so gloomy and wet in Sydney of late.  I guess that's what we should expect in Winter, but just the odd day here and there of sun would be nice (like today...it's sunny and pretty outside)

It's going to be a really great day, I can just feel it in my bones - or is that just the flu talking?  LOL

Announcing the Grand Opening of.....

My Crafting, Work and Class Room!

Yes, that's right.  I have finally gotten a space dedicated wholly and soley to my stamping and scrapbooking.  The best part of this news is that the space is actually an entire room, which has been converted from part of our garage.

This means that I can now hold classes at home, and have stamp club and crop days without having to try and source a venue.

So, to celebrate my new found area I have decided to host a GRAND OPENING on July 4th.  There will be make and takes all day, lucky door prizes, tea and coffee and nibbles....and it's free!

After this, I will be holding classes on the first Saturday of each month - but bookings by email are essential.

If you would like to drop in, send me an email (click on the email me link), and I will give you the address and time.

Can't wait to see you all there.

Danielle

Masculine Cards

This past week have seen a colleague at work, and my daughter's teacher celebrate their birthdays

Now I have really not been "into" making masculine cards, because most of my work has revolved around the daughter and her friends....but I tried something over the last few days, and here is what I came up with .  The first is for the colleague at work the second is for the teacher.

   I hope you enjoy them.

Owls in Black....

Every now and again, I come across something in a store that somehow "speaks" to me.  Not long ago, I went to one of my favourite "toy" shops (yes, I am referring to a scrapbook shop!), and couldn't resist getting a Kaiser Recipie Board kit.  The moment I saw it, I knew I wanted to do something BOLD.....no surprise there really.

I already had the perfect paper, and knew straight away that I wanted this piece to make a statement...and I think it has.

The Recipie Board is painted in blackboard paint, then I covered the bottom section with the paper, and have glued beads to the outline of the Owls and along the paper's edge.  The top swirls have each had a pearl affixed with hot glue.

Now I warn you, you are going to see the owls in a whole lot of photos from now on, because as with most things I do, they never end up being what they were "designed to be".

So let me intoduce you to my new....

Card Easel!  Yup....this makes the perfect stand to take photos of my other creations. 

Like I said...the owls will be everywhere!!

I hope you like it!

PS....have you noticed anything about this?

Two & a Half....

That's how many months it has been since I posted on the blog last - and it's really embarrasing!

I have been busy being "unemployed", then finally "re-employed"; disheartened with everything, then revitalised by anything.....

I promise that I will have something new up shortly.  I have a rather large project in the works, and I need to put a lot of time, effort, and emotion into it.  It will be well worth the silence of the last weeks.

Check back very soon - you won't be dissappointed.

Banksia Beauty

Alright, you've had enough Blue...so here's a change......

I used the Burnt Batik method to create the background for the card - using two new 'In Colours', Tangerine Tango and Pirouette Pink.

Black Stayzon was used on glossy white cardstock, and then I used the Crayon Resist method to give the piece "that little bit of something".

I am quite enjoying this set.  I've always love Australian Native Plants, and these images are so wonderfully accurate....you just have to see them to beleive them.

Let It Snow.....

I have to say that it does help when you have a great range to play with, when you need some kind of creative buzz!  I've been "playing" a lot with my new 'toys', and I am really loving the colours and sets (I, of course, need more sets....but I will wait for a little while I think).

So, my second card....

Pacific Point and Baha Blue again (did I tell you before I'm really digging this combination? LOL), with the stamps from the level 3 hostess set 'Window Dressing'.

I've embossed the Window wiht gold embossing powder, doodled in the snow with a white gel pen, and then used the double sided glue pen and dazzling diamonds to create the 'night snow' effect.

The Snowmen were stamped with White Craft ink, and then coloured in with a white gel pen to give them their "texture".  I've added snow under them with the gel pen again - I just couldn't help myself.

This card was so much fun to make, and so incredibly easy too!  I found that once I started, it just seemed to take on a life of it's own, and before I knew it - it was "snowing in card land".

I'm wondering.....what do you think of my "Snowland"?

Day 1!! It's a new 'year'....

Well April 1st is generally a day for fun and laughter - for me, the fun and laughter is listening to the other demonstrators I know, raving and arguing about the new Idea Book & Catalogue.  This 'year' is no different - and me, I have been happily playing in my craft room.  Over the next few days, I'll be posting some new pics.

There are so many fun new things in this IBC.  I have already started to make my wish list out, and I know that once you look, you'll also be doing the same.  You'll have to remember to email me with your order, or organise an afternoon at your place for a demonstration (but you may just have too much fun doing that...and we can't stand fun, now can we?!?!)

So, card no.1.  "Always and Forever"

I have used two of the new 'In Colours' on this card - Pacific Point, and Baha Blue.

I have to point out that Blues of any kind for me are unusual - I don't normally like them - but I have just fallen in love with these.

I have brayered the background in Baha Blue (very roughly - I wanted an unusual finish).

The stamp is from one of the Level 2 Hostess Stamps sets - Echoes of Kindness.  Is it just me, or is that a gorgeous stamp?  I stamped the image in Stayzon Black, then coloured in the flowers with a white gel pen.  Then I covered them with glue (from the 2 way glue pen) and dusted the flowers lightly with Dazzling Diamonds.

I cased this from a card on Splitcoast Stampers (I apologise, I can't find the link, but when I do I will be giving full credit to the original creator)

So, here is card 1.  Am I tempting you? I know I am....but it gets worse, tomorrow, there'll be another card....OH DEAR !!!!

"Kute Karaoke Kids"

Well March 15th is my daughter's birthday, and each year we try and aim for something different for her party - this year it was Karaoke Kids (held at a local pub of all places! The hotel does Karaoke Kids every Sunday, and it's brilliant fun!)

I uploaded her invitations a couple of weeks ago, and now it's time to upload the photos of her birthday card.....here goes!!!

  This is the front - triple layered eggplant (sorry about the lousy colouring from camera - anybody know of a good photographic course? LOL) and Soft Sky.

The heart (from the 'Always' stamp set) has been embossed with Gold Embossing Powder, to make it stand out.

The corners on the two bottom layers have been rounded with the corner rounder punch, and the inner square has been pierced with a piercing tool

The inside of the card (which is much more accurate in colour) has a special touch, which I am really enjoying doing at the moment.  The last picture will show you a little more, but there's a hint in this shot!

The corner stamp is a Kaiser acryllic stamp, using Purely Pomegranate ink, and Dazzling Diamonds for an accent.

The sentiment has also been embossed, so that it is more tactile as well....after all, this IS a tactile card!

And last but not least, the side view...yes, this card is a pop-up card!  It is incredibly easy to make, and I'm playing a lot with different sorts of pop-ups as well.  But more of them in another post.

So...what do you think?  You Like????