Thank you for taking time to visit, and I hope I am even a tiny bit helpful as I have been helped and blessed by so many others. I have been doing Calligraphy since teens, and card making for many years as well. In 1990 I delighted in the joys of stamping with ink and embossing after a trip to Cairns, Qld. In 2009 I discovered the brayer, 2010 the Cuttlebug, also have now taking to reading up on crafting blogs and lo! Here I am, on one of my own.

I live on the coast of eastern Australia. I am a Christian. I trusted in the LORD down here at the beach, amazingly it is not far from where I now live. It was over 50 years ago, after a Beach Mission Service at the age of 12 years

Wednesday 11 January 2012

Great ideas, WOYWW + Christmas Card Challenges - Recycled + Anything Goes!

Hullo there everyone - well nothing much to show you this week as it was cleaned up - I have done things, but cant show them. However there are heaps more interesting desks on our exciting learning time at the neatest blog hop around - join us over at Julia's Stamping Ground!
Hoping to make up for my desk, I am to share some great ideas I have just seen .. just back from my friends blog - Jocelyn of Instead of Ironing blog and do take a look at her card over at her amazing blog and the great idea for stars with glitz that does not fall off!! the mind boggles at the ideas this can lead too... tone on tone, etc.

Next is paper storage!

Any crafter out there with a problem in paper storage?
Here is another amazing idea from a fellow blogger who I met some time back. Like me, she is a Christian calligrapher and makes cards so you could say we kinda clicked - here is the link to her blog Crafty Quills or here more specifically.

Now to quote her "Not being able to justify spending £7.95 per acrylic tray I wanted it to be cheap....So, for the princely sum of 71 pence each (per tray) I have my storage." If you want to know what she used - take a peek it is really truly brilliant!
Okay now to share a card or two from last week's WOYWW post as promised (see here).  I have only just managed to photograph some of them, and these are six of them, supposedly the same.

Do you ever make a card exactly the same? I rarely do - as you can see. This is going in the Recycling challenge over at Hazel's Christmascard blog - as the baubles here are all made with recycled wrapping paper (which were baubles on the wrapping paper) - but I adapted it a little! I used the Martha Stewart Pine Branch punch which you can also see on last weeks desk. it had just arrived. I had seen used to great effect on Kittie's blog (Kittie Kraft - see here) - are you familiar with her amazing flowers? and so Kittie kindly helped me to find a place on eBay where I could buy it - talk about one kind lady! Thank you, Kittie!

Anyway I was merrily punching the lovely detailed green leaves out with the punch when  I though how great it would look as a border down the side of the card -so that is how I came to use it that way!
I did make other cards using the punch the way you are supposed to - but will show you those another time. This card has a gift card from my nephew on it - and recycled on this card.
The last card has a recycled greeting and a cut-out from another card on it (one which did not come off)- doubly recycled! It is a little off centre as it was stamped on a piece of paper slightly too small for the Marianne die! So might as well enter these in Hazel’s challenge and this last one in the ABC Christmas Challenge - Anything goes! (Frame is Designables Cut & Emboss Folder 908)
Sorry my desk is super boring but hopefully this will make up for it – and last a pickie of my sister first lily as shown on her desk - she picked it from her garden while I was visiting her last week - amazing beauty in God’s creation? And this is her Maiden hair fern behind it - it is huge. Not that you can really tell from the photo.

Blessings on you all and thanks for all your wonderful comments and a big welcome to all the new Wonderful Encouragers of this blog. A special welcome to some Newbie bloggers - Anne, Marleen, Victoria and Mariette.
Thank you long-time and new ones - you are such an encouragement.
Thanks for taking a peek and chat, and may God bless you where ever you may be,
Shaz in Oz.x

48 comments:

Kittie said...

I love the variations on your Christmas cards. I have a very difficult trying to make things exactly the same. I always have to change something up. YOur cards are lovely and I really appreciate your kind words and linking to my blog. Have a great week. Thaks again! Kittie

Sylvia/LittleTreasures said...

What a fun post..and pretty photo of the flower!
Paper storage babbles my mind. I much more enjoyed your cards. Enjoy WOYWW and have a great week

Belinda Basson said...

I also punch our my things in measured rows so that I can use the left overs as strips! Works a treat! I have been after that punch since I saw it on the Crafty Elfs blog. We can't get it here. I will have to go look on ebay...I have tim's festive greenery now which cuts a similar branch, but a punch would be easier if that is all you are after...

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

When I'm in a swap, I make every item the same. I made all my Christmas cards and tip-ins exactly the same last year, too. I can't seem to come up with clever cards, so stick with the first one I make. Yours are awesome, though.

okienurse said...

Love all your Christmas cards what a great idea. I am like your friend on spending cash on storage and she def came up with a great idea! Thanks for sharing and have a great week! Vickie #50

Lunch Lady Jan said...

I love it when someone does a cost-next-to-nothing version of an expensive item! The paper storage is fab. I approve of you recycling sentiments etc for your cards - I make christmas gift tags from old cards, gives me great pleasure cutting out!!
Hugs, LLJ #26 xx

Neil said...

Hi there; great creative space this week with lots to see! Recycling is always a good thing and nice to see you've made a start on your Christmas cards too! Thanks for sharing! Lovely lily too. I never have success here in England with the Maidenhair ferns though I do love them I've given up as I always kill them!
Neil # 31

Glenda said...

Such a great idea to recycle cards. I also love your paper storage too! For me, I recycle other things and use in my storage. Lots of boxes and cd racks, etc.

CRAFTY WOMBLE said...

Great ideas posted through your blog today. I think nature is just amazing however it happens. one can only be humbled and in awe and vow to look after it the best that we can :)

Helen said...

what gorgeous cards! the paper storage looks great too, and is a great price! happy WOYWW.

May said...

Fantastic idea with the paper storage, thanks for that, love your recycled cards, Great tips, Hugs May x x x x

Victoria said...

Aw thanks for the mention! Lots of lovely ideas in this post - I loved the rockstar card and popped over to Jocelyn's blog to say so. Cards never turn out exactly the same but that's the beauty of handmade gifts. I love the gold and green combinations in the last two cards. I struggle with green as it's not my favourite colour, but this has given me some inspiration on how I can use up some of my green card. Thanks for sharing.

lisa said...

Lovely to see you Shaz and with such a beautiful flower too. It seems ages since we'll have those in our garden here so it's nice to see yours.
Lots of interesting things to go and follow up today.
Happy WOYWW
Hugs Lisax #99

Cathy said...

Love your cards Shaz, especially the guitar one. Great paper storage too .. .although if I had that type of storage then hubby would know how much paper I actually own!!!
Hugs
Cathy xx

505whimsygirl said...

Pizza boxes?!? I just bought two stacking plastic containers for my 12 x 12 paper. Right now I have them all stacked on top of eachother and not organized at all. That will be my weekend project.

Great recycling by the way. I'm going to have to look at cards that I get in a different way. Snippets here and there would make a lovely card.

Thanks for the hint about the die. I will also try that and report back.

Hugs,
Kay

ScrappnBee said...

Love the colors in that lily! It is SO vibrant and colorful! Your sister has a great green thumb! I love all the recycle cards! I am ashamed to say, that our paper pretty much just goes strait to the recycle bin as the Christmas Morning Chaos is too much! LOL! Thanks for sharing! -Amanda

Annie said...

Fab recycling going on here :-) That lily is really gorgeous.
Hugs,
A x

Elizabeth said...

What lovely Christmas cards :)

Anonymous said...

Not a boring desk at all and really nice to see you busy in your happy place again. The recycling ideas are all great and a very worthy thing to do. Love the lily and the fern, lillies are my favourite flowers.

Hugs
Brenda 101

Hettie said...

You will have no Christmas cards to make by about Easter time if you keep going at this rate!!
Beautiful Lily there - we are having neither Winter or Spring here are the moment! Very boring weather!

Hazel said...

Great recycling on your delightful Christmas cards - thanks for joining in my CHNC challenge 54 - hope to see you again soon. As for the pizza boxes, what a brilliant idea - wish I'd thought of it before I bought acrylic trays! - thanks for the peep at your workspace today (Hazel, WOYWW 67) x

Clare with paint in her hair said...

Cool cards and I love your flowers!

Twiglet said...

Great Christmas cards and your lily pic is gorgeous - I can almost smell its heady perfume!!
I see our Sisters Craty Creation link over to the right - thanks for linking - good luck with the comp! x Jo

MaggieC (Silvercrafter) said...

Those cards are amazing, so fresh and classic, especially the green one with the silver branches. The Krylon pens are amazing, and do seem to last well. The only minor problem is that the tips get a bit distorted, but I believe you can replace those. The pens are expensive here too, so I need to take great care of them. Keep them flat, not standing upright. Hope that helps, Shaz. xx Maggie #105

sandra de said...

Yes, I also recycle cards and like you I have to make several in different variations. I do like the paper storage idea and will have to check out your friends site.

Mrs A. said...

Love your set of bauble cards. Can't stand making two of anything. Have to change the design ever so slightly. The two advent calendars I made for my grandsons are subtly different. Hugs Mrs A. #120

Elizabeth said...

Hi Shaz, brilliant recycling of the paper and your cards are all lovely. Like your use of the punch to make the edging too. The Stargazer lily is just stunning ... it looks particularly beautiful with the fern as a backdrop. Hope your week is a good one. If you check out my post of yesterday you will see the first project made with my kit, a scrapbook layout. Elizabeth x #96

RosA said...

Hi Shaz, Love the pizza box idea. I already have about a dozen boxes, but, of course, never thought to do this with them. They are just piled one on top of the other! I'm also going to do a bit of Christmas card recycling, maybe sooner rather than later. And I too get bored with doing lots of the same cards. Sometimes it helps to just change the colour.

VonnyK said...

Great cards and I love that gorgeous flower.
Von #19

l00pyscraftcreations said...

I'm seeing how many I can get round this way.then when I have finished I'll come back again, that is if I can STOP reading all the posts first Happy WOYWW

LOu P

Sarah said...

A truly fabulous storage idea indeed, thanks for the tip! Fabulous creative cards - love that blue shade... and such a beautiful lily! Thanks for the peek in to your crafty space...Sarah at 6

Unknown said...

Thanks for the great links Shaz! A couple of great tips there

Happy belated woyww!

Sheena
xxx

Katie said...

What pretty cards and flowers! Thank you for sharing!

Katie (159)

Julia Dunnit said...

I have to start at the end...that Lily is exquisite, and surrounded by that huge fern, it's just a perfect picture! Your up cycled, recycled, re-recycled cards are just brill, how very satisfying. The pine branches work out wonderfully too, great idea.

Anne said...

Hi there the cards are lovely as is the lily. Anne x

Joyce across the Pond said...

Good Morning to my publicity agent extraordinaire...where will I start? Great cards, great recycling...got a bit of a shock to see my stack of storage so upfront!! And new commentors on my blog..what fun! I don't deserve to have all these lovely people commenting when I do so little blogging.
That stargazer is amazing...ours will not be out until July or so...and the maidenhair fern, oh my goodness, the luxury of having that as greenery...almost unheard of here except in very sheltery places or under a poly tunnel.
Think I have that 'joy and wonder of christmas' stamp.... great post, girl. Been doing painting of a slightly less artistic kind tonight and now over here while some rise with the sun we are off to sleep with the moon and the stars....the temperature tonight is 1 degree...so cold tonight for a change.
Hope you have a good day...now I'm just going over for a few mins to Julia's blog - never been there before.......

G Peplow said...

Hi Shaz, Wonderful ideas here and interesting thoughts, love the idea of recycling cards too. I don't make batches very often but like you at Christmas it is so busy it helps, yours are very pretty:0) Thank you so much for visiting me and all your lovely comments, very kind:0) Thanks also for following, have a great day, Gay xxx

Myrna said...

Hi Shaz
Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving such wonderful comments. I really appreciate it. I have toodled around your blog and enjoyed my visit so much. For some strange reason I didn't start to follow it then but now I am a follower.
Be seeing you in the future more.
Hugs
Myrna

bohemiannie! art said...

Your cards are beautious!

Sheree said...

Morning Shaz!! Every one of those cards are gorgeous! You have done a wonderful job recycling and incorporating such into your designs. As always I am in awe of your work! Well done!
Hope you are doing well down under.. Its pretty cold up here and they are calling for snow today..yes!!
Hugs,
Sheree

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Hi Cathy the guitar one is by my great friend Jocelyn of Instead of Ironing blog, and she had great ideas there didn't she? thanks for sharing! Shaz,

Kezzy said...

Wow so much on show, and lots of blogs to have a look at, I love finding new crafty blogs and spend alot of time seeing who each person follows in their blog list. Love all the cards they are great and loving the punched leaf border. Kezzy x

:)) ...Вика said...

Привет Shaz, прекрасные карты !!! Шикарный цветок лилия!
Спасибо тебе огромное.

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

:)) ... VikaJan 16, 2012 01:03 PM

Hi Shaz, beautiful cards! Lily flower chic!
Thank you very much.

(Translation from Russian above!)

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

велике спасибі за коментар і за те, на мій блог! Божого благословення кожному, Shaz.xx

505whimsygirl said...

Hey Shaz. Yes, I remember the pizza boxes. I did hop over to your friend's site to see if I was correct! I had already bought the stacking plastic containers (both were on sale) so it wasn't too costly. The sorting has been put on hold during the week. I plan to play in paper over the weekend!

Hugs,
Kay

Carissa said...

Gorgeous cards. Thanks for joining us at ABC Christmas. Hope we see you all year. Carissa:)

Helen said...

Fabulous cards!
Thanks for joining us at the ABC Christmas Challenge!
Helen x

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