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 25 January 2017

GDT for Rudolph Day + WOYWW +NBUS#9 Challenge

{Warning - picture overload below }
 
Well, time for first of 2017 Scrappy Mo's Rudolph Christmas challenge, so this is a GDT post!!
And time to for WOYWW, or What is on your Workdesk Wednesday   
PLUS time for NBUS #9 challenge - both technique and item
Where has January gone?? tomorrow is Australia day here- yay!

Firstly my card for Scrappy Mos Christmas challenge and for my NBUS #9 Use a new technique and new crafty item.
My snowflake cheap China die or CCD (to quote RosA of Paperchase) was smooched well with versamark, then embossed carefully on snippet of card in Cuttlebug with rubber mat. (for clear instructions on this technique see here, cards + video by clever Jennifer McGuire). It's called embossed impressions, was so impressed at the method love it, so been meaning to try it.
Heat embossed the versamarked die impression with gold embossing powder. The gold frame edging it was left over from another card with SB Pierced rectangles, gold embossed too,  stamped the ODB " Joy to the world"stamp on bottom with mini Misti.
TECHNIQUE + Snowflake are my NBUS!! Never Used Before Schtuff to quote Darnell!
Say special prayer for Darnell for 27th as she is having surgery on 27th, but like a real trooper she is going ahead with her NBUSes!
Next - To my desk! this morning .. a tip!
Items hidden from view cos its DT work, but you can see some detritus on the desk to guess some die cutting is afoot...  dies to left and other items. Have more interesting desk from two weeks ago, below.
 This set of cards were made as gifts for various people and have either been given or posted to them already. Over on Christian Card Makers group on Facebook, there was a long challenge for January to make three cards from a selection of images.
I actually made three cards from one of the digis, and one card from one of the black and white images. The latter I decided to colour hence the first photo below.
Printed out black and white image then coloured it with inks and coloured pencils. 
I  die cut it with Spellbinder pierced rectangles (reduced, rather than extended). Added black background to trimmed image. Then Die cut the 2nd largest die from SB Marvellous Square Dies, trimmed it down to make corners as shown here and below.
 
 

Added backgrounds made before with brayered embossing folders, CB Swirls and Bubbles folder. Thought they match the sea theme. These not used on another card, always handy to have.

Completed card used die cut from Spellbinder Exquisite labels eleven. Embossed verse is by Printblocks c.1995. a favourite verse for indeed WITH God all things are possible.
Snowy cards with oriental image of birds in a snow storm, love this image hence the three cards. I just have ordinary inkjet printer, but print on height resolution on special coated inkjet paper for clear, good quality images. EF Used is Taylored Expressions Snowfall, and silver snow flakes are lawn Fawn stitched snowflakes, both from Bizzy Bec's Online Store .

Used digi from WAW on first card, with CB snowflake folder debossed and smooched with inks Brilliance blue and silver.
The second card used both above folders and dies.
Third used the Snowfall on back, Lawn fawn stitched snowflakes + stamp, happy birthday from China stamp set on eBay.
Now the photos from Oz as you can see we are enjoying some amazing summery weather. First is the sea looking north from the north wall. the next two are what is colloquially called jetty jumping.. by the younger generation here for many years. the last one is the water park set up each day on the jetty beach the clambering and fun plus!


BTW - if you have made it to here, congratulations! and if you are interested I've shared brushos used with the brayer on the post below. 😉

Thanks everyone who has taken time to comment, you are really appreciated. Will return visits as soon as I can. 
May God bless your day, every one - wherever you may be!
Shaz in Oz.x

 "Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith. ..Consider Him... lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds "... Hebrews 11:2,3


Linking both these card up to:
1. Di's Snippety challenge - Used  a number of snippets on all cards. http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com.au/ 
2.Word Art Wednesday - anything goes    http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au.
3.#9 NBUS with Darnell
4. http://brownsugarchallenge.blogspot.com.au/2017/01/challenge-234-anything-goes.html NBUS Snowflake card 
5.Simon Says Monday Challenge - Spread your wings. Three cards with winged storks. choosing first of the three.

Saturday 21 January 2017

Brushos meet Brayer + NBUS Challenge Tattered Lace

{Warning - Picture heavy post)

Hi one and all,
Time for another NBUS challenge over here at Darnell's and also a Short Challenge on Christian Card Makers on Facebook, (make a card using red and blue, and mail to someone in group, as led of LORD).  So out came Brushos + curiously the Brayer! and hunted for my Iridescent medium.
These items are not NBUS (Darnell's term for "Not Used Before Schtuff"), but the technique is....
Brushos were Crimson, Rose Red (two reds) + Cobalt blue, to meet the CCM challenge. Been for a walk you see, was musing, praying about this challenge. Wanted to do a new technique. Yes, this is a very new technique, to me!
 Someone else has probably done it, but I've never seen it. Was thinking, I wonder if you can Brayer the brusho colours? I couldn't see why not! I've brayered all sorts of things, some which they tell you not to use, like pigment coloured ink
 Method: 1.select colours and watercolour sheets (were from another card I had cut some pieces left over) sprinkled liberally.. very liberally for brushos, with the three colours.
2. Then light single spritz with water. Using pipette I dropped some drops of the Windsor
& Newton Iridescent medium for a gorgeous sheen, but not really photographing well..
NOTE for future: Use eye dropper instead of pipette + put on lots more Iridescent medium.
Then brayered over the sheet spreading and blending the colour. There was an abundance. Cleaned ink off brayer onto second of 3 sheets, on third sheet smooched it onto first one, and brayered the excess ink on both spare sheets. (Showing my hand because Jules asked me how messy they get? well with brayer, hardly at all! )
Allowed to dry overnight.
My other NBUS apart from technique is Tattered Lace Delicate Gate Die by Stephanie Weightman, free in Magazine Issue 31, bought very reasonably on eBay. Also had sheets of free DP in it.
This is a beautiful Die ! used the end of paper for the MB Pippi butterfly, so both cut from original sheet of water colour card. EF is from cheap shop, no name but Provocraft brand.
Stamped on snippet of linen card the OBD tiny tag greeting stamp set (discontinued )in Majestic Blue versafine ink and embossed with clear EP. Used Sending hugs and prayers. Must confess that's the one I've used the most.
Here you can see the crimson and cobalt blue on close up. Will have great fun using the rest of these sheets. I think this is a good way and very different way to use brushos.
Posting few photos of Oz, from art exhibition of aboriginal art locally, very good quality, plus an update on our pineapple.
Elwyn Toby - Sacred Ceremonies of Barralbarayl 2016



This one is just after Christmas, as you can see it is a brommeliad. Photo below is today's.
 

 I've been a really bad blogger and behind in commenting, for which i am very sorry, trying to do catch up.
Summer is really here and we're on our summer hols til end of January. Visitors all of this week and then more coming end of next week so things are full on! Do love it, though. 💖
Special prayers for all victims and families affected by the Bourke St Mall, Melbourne rampage, four dead twenty injured at the hands of one crazy man drove through pedestrians. Sad and foolish actions of one man, so sad indeed.

Thanks so much everyone for popping over and saying hi!
And may God bless your day wherever you may be!
 Shaz in Oz.x

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Jeremiah 29:11


Joining up with: 
1. Darnell's'  NBUS Challenge
2.. Word Art Wednesday - anything goes    http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au  
3.#234 Any thing Goes at :  http://brownsugarchallenge.blogspot.com.au/ 
4. Artistic Inspirations #170 Anything goes

Sunday 15 January 2017

Darkroom Door Surfboards Stamp - Bizzy Becs DT

Hi there everyone, where does time go? Now the 15th, so halfway through month - that means a Design Team post. 😊
Today I'm sharing another card with a Darkroom Door Surfboard Photo Stamp .. do love these great red etched cling foam mounted stamp. May use them in stamping tools like a Misti although really after you've stamped off once, and have re-inked well, they stamp well.
Here is peek of my card... loved the result, like a lot of cards I had some ideas and these governed the way it took shape.
As planned on water colouring part of it, stamped about four images in mixture of waterproof Archival inks, Jet Black, Sepia + deep blue - Cobalt. Stamped one in just Cobalt, which used for main image then the others were in mixture of black, sepia and blue swiped over the stamp.
Next chose Cobalt inked image to do the sky + sand. Used a mixture of Distress Ink pads, on the sky and sea, Salty Ocean, Denim Blue, Stormy sky. For sand - used Antique Linen, Mustard seed, + little vintage photo, especially around all the corners of the image, to give it depth of field to the image.

Intended to 3D the Surfboards. As many of you know I live by the beach here, and see fair few surfboards, so when saw all cards made with this image were mostly beige surfboards I was puzzled. Mostly they've some sort of colour on it, but there are quite a few neutral ones too. Anyway these were calling for colour 😊 So that's why they have some!
Added the cut out Surfboards, shaped then glued with silicone, and front two were added on top of first lot. Once it was dry, I added glossy accents to the Surfboards, they looked like the real thing then.
I really loved this image, it was so much fun to play with it. To finish the image I dusted it lightly around the edges with DI Vintage Photo, to age the edge of card which was stark white. Then took a snippet of DP with sea words on it in lovely turquoise colour.
The corners are cut out pieces from a discontinued set from Cuttlebug called Vintage corners. I've cut the die cut done to make photo corners, as shown in image.
Stamped the Happy Birthday with Lawn Fawn stamp Set -  "So much to say" on cream card in Onyx Black Versafine Pigment ink pad, and clear embossed. Hand cut a greeting banner and backed in black card.
Wanted to make a gatefold card. Was going to do it in usual portrait style, but  the image was landscape - so made it landscape. Embossed a sheet cream, similar to greeting banner, with a favourite folder for male cards, Sizzix Dot Matrix embossing folder. Needed to extend my embossing folder - to see how to do it, look here. This was smooched with Distress ink Antique Linen, use this colour a lot. Then took a snippet of turquoise and embossed it with large embossing folder, by Embossaliscious Swirls folder. Added it to bottom and then top added image. Three black small brads on the side finished the card off.
To close here are photos from Oz yesterday, seen on our icecream drive.
 It was hot here, 39C yesterday, over 100 F, but thankfully it's cooler today and last night's storm (you can see the beginning of it in the second photo, top right) really helped.
 
Seaside summery sunset by my brother in law.

If you have time, would really appreciate a comment on my DT post here - thank YOU! 

Well, that's it for today... dont forget to pop over and join in Bec's Anything Goes January challenge .. you might win the prize :D
May the LORD bless you and those you love, wherever you might be. Thanks so much for popping over for a peek and a chat. 
Shaz in Oz.x

"Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:" Psalm 103:1, 2


Joining up with:1. Word Art Wednesday - anything goes    http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au 
2.#233 Any thing Goes at :  http://brownsugarchallenge.blogspot.com.au/ 
3. .Artistic Inspirations #170 Anything goes.
4. Through The Craft Room Door # Anything goes.
5. Scrapping 4 Fun #81 Bright colours.
6. Crafting By Designs # Anything goes.
(I am so over all the winter challenges, it is sooooo summery here!)

Wednesday 11 January 2017

WOYWW + Butterfly Challenge Z for Zero and/or Zucchini

Hi everyone, well the days are rattling by in January, am combining this post - for WOYWW and Butterfly challenge over here Z is for Zero and/ or Z is for Zucchini
As we're far ahead of UK could still make this an early Wednesday post + catch it for Mrs A's challenge. I'd been seeing so many nice zucchini cards ( Mrs A. defined it as greens through to yellows, so favourite shades there) I just wanted to enter.
So without  any more chat here's my desky share for WOYWW or What is on your Workdesk Wednesday (pop over to Julia's and please join in - in about 17+ hours when it is posted in UK c. 6am GMT !).
Yes, it's a bit of a mess, I'm blaming Jules for this. You see, Jules had brushos for Christmas and over on this post HERE she made a card with her new toys. She explains on next post how it was made it + with what colours.
So out come my brushos, have couple of challenges in minds. I really should be doing DT cards, but here I am playing!! I went for greens and yellows, of course. First stamped two sheets of cut watercolour paper with Versamark + discontinued S.U. background called "On the Spot" (now Spots and circles are like zeros, or so I think?). Used white embossing powder on Versamark, then sprinkled the brushos dry on card. *Lime green, *olive green, moss green, *yellow ochre + yellow were used. *these are mixed coloured brushos, totally love the ones that are mixed colours that just go pop!
So these were my sheets, made a spare sheet for a Die cut with left over from watercolour pieces.
I was also thinking of entering some other challenges hence the debossed clear embossed snowflake folder in blue, still wet. We'll see if that happens... watch this space  (oh, and just a wee whisper, I've been accepted for GDT too, from Here!!! Wow, still shocked!!! Very *thankful.)
* thankful - my word for 2017 ... over at a dear friend Debbie's blog - see here - she was talking on her word for the year and asked us what our word was if we had to chose one?? Two weeks back I did a card, which had a thankful verse on it, and it was on my heart. A favourite verse of mine is:
"In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1Thess 5:18. Thankfulness is to be in rough times of illness or sorrow, as well as the smooth paths.. it can be very testing to be thankful in all things but
"we can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth us". Phil 4:13
Note: the all things and everything.. )
 For my finished card I used a butterfly Die from China, only arrived yesterday, also my real favourite the Memory Box Pinpoint Circles. I die cut the two pieces from butterfly adhered it on the Circles (or zeros?). Large piece cut with SB Pierced Rectangles. Left enough space for small "thanks" stamp on circle die ( also from set from China) which I green embossed. I'm making a number 
of cards as a gift for friend, so making an assortment.
This is my snippets card. Y'see, it started off the one above. When the butterfly die came yesterday decided to try it and the square set, so cut the two white pieces from snippets. Had on my desk a piece of gloss brusho left over from Christmas card, and used it on back so then hunted through the pile on left of my desk of pieces waiting to be carded and found the "On the Spot" piece made while back. It matched.. so this card was born. The happy birthday was from same stamp set as "thanks".
So to the photos of Oz, yes been on the beach again with family so here are so pickies of our lovely summery skies and the water was simply perfect.. although there were a few bluebottles around so we didn't stay in the water too long, and were very watchful.
View north and south. We were under a casurina, so did not need our brolly (umbrella). :D
Some surfboard riders came down while we were sitting on the beach, and so put on a show the orange surfboarder (first shot) was amazing but only have one shot of him the other fellow on white one was pretty good too.
 
 
Also an update on our pineapple, (see here) it's grown a little but what I love is the purple flowers it has from all the recent rain and sunshine its loved it and so the bromeliad like flowers are showing.
Well that's it for today... dont forget to pop over and join in Bec's Anything Goes January challenge .. you might win the prize :D
Thanks so much everyone for popping over and saying hi!
And may God bless your day wherever you may be!
Shaz in Oz.x

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. Josh 1:9

 Joining up with: 
1. Word Art Wednesday - anything goes    http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au  

2. Di's snippets Challenge    http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com.au/  
3.#231 Any thing Goes at :  http://brownsugarchallenge.blogspot.com.au/ 
4. Challenge at Dies R Us. Anything goes using die cuts (butterfly). http://diesruschallenge.blogspot.com.au/  

5. Simon Says Monday Challenge - Be Square - snippets card has butterfly on square stitched die cuthttp://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/?p=7935
6.  Use something new (butterfly die) Simon says Wednesday Challenge
http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/simon-says-new-something/  
 

Thursday 5 January 2017

Bizzy Bec's Anything Goes Challenge - Darkroom Door Butterfly Collage Post

{WOYWW post, just scroll below this or click here}

Hi one and all,
Well, time is racing away and we are already five days into the new year.
Today I am sharing with you the DT post for Bizzy Bec's January Anything Goes Challenge.

Firstly used embossing buddy to remove static .. see how to make one here. I then inked up the Darkroom Door  Collage Stamp - Butterfly Post with the luscious Versafine Pigment Ink - Majestic Blue, heat embossed with clear embossing powder.
Used Finetec (Pearl Colours - so very luscious to use) watercolour paints below to coat with rich gold, when paint was dry, buffed the rich blue embossing to remove the surface gold off the embossed part of image.
Snippets of navy, used the Tim Hotlz Sizzix Alterations folder Texture fade folder, called Dot Matrix Embossing folder.
I dry embossed it then rubbed over with Gold Opalite Pigment ink pad.
 Memory Box Pippi Butterfly, with some gold pearls. Mounted on snippet of navy.
 I really enjoyed making this card, Darkroom door stamps are great to use
... and dont forget to pop over and join in Bec's Anything Goes January challenge - you just might win the prize* :D 
 *if you entered last month dont get to check the winners too, on previous post. :D

To close here is an Aussie pickie - my nephew gave me an orchid for Christmas .. it had over a dozen florets on it, but sadly only three florets when I received it! He brought it down by train, the train hit two cows en route! not all smooth sailing.
Thanks so much everyone for popping over and saying hi!
And may God bless your day wherever you may be!
 Shaz in Oz.x
 Every word of God is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him.
Proverbs 30:5 

Joining up with: 
1. Word Art Wednesday - anything goes    http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.au  
2. Di's snippets Challenge    http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.com.au/ 
3.#231 Any thing Goes at :  http://brownsugarchallenge.blogspot.com.au/ 
4. Challenge at Dies R Us. Anything goes using die cuts (butterlfy). http://diesruschallenge.blogspot.com.au/   

5. Use something fresh/ new (Finetec Pearl paints and gold paper) Simon says Monday Challenge
http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/?p=7933
  

6.  Use something new (Finetec Pearl paints and gold paper) Simon says Wednesday Challenge
http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/simon-says-new-something/ 
7. Use something new (Finetec Pearl paints and gold paper) - http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com.au/2016/12/week-396-something-new_31.html 
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