Christmas is a-coming, Crafty individuals + Using Up Scraps!

A big apology to all WOYWWer's - I made mistake in linking over - this is this week's WOYWW post CLICK here -  or see above this one!

Well, hullo everyone!
As said every post for the last few weeks the moments, days, weeks are flying by! It reminds me of a Bible verse in Psalms when I stop and wonder at the speed of it all:
"Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom. Ps 90:12"

As I tip tap to write this there are less than 30 days to the day when we remember the birth of our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ. So thought I would share a few of this year's unpublished Christmas cards I have made and link them up to various challenges!
Firstly to Sarn's Christmas card challenge - here at Stamping for Pleasure!

This card has Our Daily Bread Christmas greeting, and the wonderful Crafty Individuals Bird Postcard Unmounted stamp which  is masked to cover the postcard stamp on it, used also with these others here  -  here and here! 

All are scraps from various times over the year, so entering these in Di's  Snippets challenge as well. These all, to be honest, were sitting around waiting to be completed for an inordinate amount of time.

Coloured image of robin in chalks, and has a strip of red ribbon at the bottom and strip of red bling, the paper is a digi freebie by Glenda Waterworth, of Artylicious called Moroccan Velvet A4RED (must-look link here).

The baubles below were made with scrap from wrapping paper (shown above and more shown on this post - CLICK here ).

These cards are made with the Marianne Design Creatables Fir branch LR0181, the bauble is made with Nestabilities

The embossing folder is Allegro by Cuttlebug, large size.

These two cards have the folder from the Christmas Winter Wonderland set by Cuttlebug in pearlised card, greeting red embossed / bauble plus brads and bling!( for Frosty & Bright Panpastels)

ALLSORTS Challenge - Bring on the Bling!

This card has the candy Cane Cuttlebug folder, and Nellie Snellen Multi frame die - eastern Oval, brad, bling and glitter on edges of layers of ornament.

Challenges I would also like to enter these in:
Allsorts Challenge - Bring on the Bling!!  (and there is plenty, on most cards)
Pan pastels Challenge - Challenge 46 - Frosty and Bright - two cards have the snowflakes folder, Winter Wonderland, and snowflake brads, frostiest is the white one so entering it in this challenge.
ABC Christmas Challenge W is Wrapping - make card with some wrapping paper - all the baubles are!
Crafty Individuals Challenge - Festive Sparkle - Entering CI Robin card with the red bling strip + ribbon in this challenge.

Thanks for taking a peek and chat, and may God bless you wherever you may be,

Shaz in Oz.x

Crafty Individuals, Jude's Candy (oo-aar!)+ Woyww!

Do you ever berate the clock and ask it to please please wait for you to catch up?? that is my frame of mind this morning.... and suspect it will be for quite a while yet - hopefully by June I can come up for air without this feeling!! yes, have not blogged much lately and I am afraid my appearances will be rather erratic for the reason already stated - plus may not catch up up with as many of you very dear folk as I would like - so please forgive me for my lack of comments on your lovely blogs at times!

First pickie is of a card of scraps -  I have finally made this one up and the one below with my desk. I am going to enter both these in Di's Snippets challenge to use up odd bits sitting around. You know I make more of snippets every time I make a card - so they never ever diminish but propagate more freely than any plant I ever attempted to grow!

The first card uses the Crafty secrets bird postcard stamp with brayer way back here in this post with Big and Juicy Stamp Pad (Hydrangea) and Iridescent medium,(I dropped this on with an eye dropper in the middle of the brayering the ink pad colours) to give it that sheen..so used purple end for this one.

Next stamp is a brayer resist piece I did even longer ago and was not even blogging then. It is with Stamping Up Upsy Daisy stamp and used it for a sympathy card.

The next photo is the amazing candy I won over at Craft International, and the very kind Jude - it was before all the dramas over at her place and it has just arrived and was totally blown away by the great bounty! thank you so very much dear blogging friend and I pray things are starting to resolve themselves at your neck of the woods.

Last but not least are some beach photos as folks do like to see these - there may not be many for while depending on me not the beach - the first was taken late yesterday afternoon on my walk at the creek mouth.

It fascinates me the way the sea is constantly changing. The direction of the mouth and the creek flow changes so much with all our big seas and storms of late. It has reverted back to more early times before the council dumped all the sand from the dredging at the jetty over here - it rather blocked the mouth up for while!

The next is of the sailboats in the jetty on Sunday they have great local races and love seeing them way out to sea as well when walking..

I was going to close with a big announcement but will keep you all in suspenders a bit longer :D and announce it in the next few days as must fly now!
Happy WOYWW everyone - do pop over to our wonderful Julia's blog too as there is great learning to be had a few laughs along the way!

May God bless your day wherever you may be, and thanks for stopping by for a peek and chat!

Shaz in Oz.x
PS Would Elizabeth of Bluebeard and Elizabeth and RosC of Wildcards on my Workbench please email me (via the Profile link it has my email address on it) for the Stampscapes card of a few weeks back. Sorry for delay keep forgetting!

Thank you to Ros also for so kindly giving this blog the Liebster blog award a week ago now - if anyone has not received it as yet please free to take this one from me with great pleasure! you are all dear, dear bloggers!

Red and White with Crafty Individual Stamps

I know that many of you might be all Christmas “card-ed” out by now – but I am not. You see, by December I have made all my cards, as I stagger them throughout the year. I have not made one for over a month now. Also as have not crafted much this month, I had to play with my stash – this for me is brief lull between Christmas day and when most things have been organised that can be before then. So here is the card I was talking of last week at WOYWW!

A lovely stamp, the Crafty Individual Bird Postcard Unmounted stamp, was masked so only centre was stamped.

Then coloured with Stampin’ Up Chalks, and mounted on Spellbinder Petite ovals. The other stamp greeting is also partially stamped and is from Crafty Secrets Clear Stamp Set - Rose on bargain bin sale at present at Fat Cats- great buy! It was mounted on Rectangle Spellbinder and Fancy labels 2. I  am entering this card in the Less is More Challenge - it has lots of white and not much bling and the criteria this time is Music, so hopefully it is CAS enough! 

Used pearly card embossed with 5 x 7"Cuttlebug Allegro embossing folder for the base.

I really like use of stamps not actually Christmas ones, but adaptable to be so.

I also made a second card with the Nellie Snellen ovals and the masked bird stamp, also Swiss Dots Cuttlebug embossing folder and a Christmas greeting saved from stash off Christmas table last year. Be on look out for shiny paper on bonbons and other such treasures to save – you cant beat such free treasure troves!

May God bless your day wherever you may be and thanks so much for popping over for a look and a chat.

Shaz in Oz.x

WOYWW What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 117

Well here we are another week and another Wednesday and for the curious among you, I have the cards today with the last two weeks experiments - the Magical Micas on tissue, and the Dreamweaver Embossing paste, plus a ring-in as it was for an order and so whipped up a favourite of mine, a brayer card. 

However I am running ahead of myself! 

On my desk you can see that I am not really doing anything terribly interesting. I buy large sheets of cardboard (ie poster size at local Newsagent, etc.) and then use my "T" ruler to divide it into 4 sheets then cut it up with my roller cutter (on the left). It means I get nice colours  for backgrounds mounting mainly, at a reasonable price

On the right of the desk are two book marks made by my calligraphy students, one bookmark peeking above the other. They are to be trimmed, mounted and laminated.

The first card is one of my Embossing paste cards. The rest in Christmas Stencil on my desk last week are on the post below or click HERE. This rose  is made using an el-cheapo stencil I bought for $2 years ago in 1990's at a $2 shop, it was in early days of card making. That shop closed long ago. Also used pre-embossed cardstock, and cut Nesties labels 9 to make a frame around it, plus green cardstock.

 For those of you who missed the tissue with Magical Mica post, see here. I  thought it would card up well and pleased with the result if not with the photo. Unhappily you simply cannot see the sheen of actual micas on the tissue in a photo - however the shimmer of micas is lovely IRL. I have used Crafty Individuals Discovery Ship with this and Curvy Rectangle Nesties. The brass coloured photo corners led me to colour the image the way I have. Also have used some of the micas on the webbing on the card and in the picture - and did 3D with another ship on top and used Dimensional Magic on it as well (not that this is really visible!).  

The brayer card is using Stampin' Up Certainly Celery and Bashful Blue - you load both up on brayer and ink up the Kromcote glossy cardstock (for brayer tips see early Brayer links on sidebar, under Brayer). Used Stamping Up discontinued stamp set (from eBay) Asian Artistry, and also Stamping Up embossing folder, Lattice, plus a K Kingdom Dragonfliy. I inked the lattice pale blue cardstock with slightly darker blue shade and distressed the dragonfly folder on white core cardstock to make the embossing pop. 
Then added two brads. These were the wrong colour so used a black Texta to change them. Used labels 4 Nestie to frame it. However I forgot to mount it properly so it was not finished quite how I meant it to be - too late once taped down though, so will make it again properly another day.

For those of you not in the know – this is the day of the week when folks from all over the world take a peek at one another’s desk to see just what we are up to – a great time of learning and fun, so do hop over to our wonderful hostess’ blog, at Julia's Stamping Ground!

Happy WOYWW everyone and may God bless your day wherever you may be!

Shaz in Oz. x

WOYWW - What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 103

Well here we go flying through another week and rapidly heading toward to the two year anniversary of next week, so I had better get my skates on and finish that pIf, hadn’t I? .. here is some more work in transit on my desk. Today on left side, I am starting a small order for Morti of WOYWW fame, and a surprise her mother; so you can see its beginnings on the left hand side there, all pencilled in waiting for my ink Have finished the one I was working on last week and I  have posted it below. I’m working also on another large one which is an order for a wedding.

I will show it to you next week all being well it is inked in just waiting for colours to be laid down.

It did not take long to get to that stage as I had done it before and did not have to work from scratch, just copy it onto my sheet from the copy I already had here, which makes me very, very happy!!

Now you can see my faithful bug on my desk which is still chugging along and also there are two cards in the process of being made for Fat Cats Card Corner. Both are Crafty Individuals Stamps - one is the lovely Robin or bird one.. I think it is a generic bird, but for this one I decided to make it Robins and stamped it on acetate. I used the Nellie Snellen Doily lace die also on this and the Epiphany Button Studio with the button there. Method explaining acetate stamping and gelly roll pens here, and also did the gorgeous sailing ship the same way. You can see some nautical print outs which are freebies from Far Hill (see side bar link to them) which I think I will use on assembling the Sailing ship card.

Thanks for looking and if you want to know why I am showing you my workdesk - do pop over to Julia's Stamping Ground and share in the fun of our blog hop around the world’s desks! You will learn lot! I have in my brief time sharing each week!

God bless your day,

Shaz in Oz. x













PS just want to apologise to anyone who wondered what happened to their comment, Blogger ate some last week and they are still missing so wasn't cos I deleted them. Poor old blogger has had a rough time lately!
PPS. this morning I finished off the cards so posting them here in their complete state. As we are ages ahead of UK and have a very busy afternoon, I will be late linking over today too. Elements in ship card as follow, DP Kasiercraft, Cuttlebug folder Spots and Dots, Large labels from Nesties extended. Also used an element from Far Hill Digi Freebies mounted on card, cut out and added Glossy Accents.
PPPS. the bubble thing on my desk that Sarpreet asks about is my clip on magnifier I need to use for my calligraphy - as eye sight aint what it used to be!

WOYWW - What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 99

Well, another big BLINK!! and here we are ready for another mid week blog hop on WOYWW, starting over at our hostess’ Julia’s blog for link up at to all the wonderfully inspiring desks around the world... Come and join in the fun at Julia's Stamping Ground!

As you can see my desk is littered with the Illuminated Bible text I am working on! For those of you struggling to read what it says, it is a very beautiful and meaningful verse from: 

Ephesians 4 vs 32

Be ye kind one to another,

tenderhearted, forgiving one another,

even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Some progress has been made, thankfully design or layout is sorted.. but a long way to go! I can’t wait till have finished inking it in and then the fun part of laying colours down. This can also be very tedious but really life is full of that and you just press on. To make it more interesting this has a deadline of our Mother's day which is May 8^th, and I have come down with a cough and cold!! Never a dull moment here! All more reason to pray; so all prayers for skill, strength and wisdom gratefully appreciated folks..

Here a few cards I have made this week as break from brain strain of text work, plus felt had to do another one for Fat Cats. I actually read Neil's post and thought of using this stamp ( for Neil's post link see here ). However I dont have his lovely Impressionist/Expressionist style, and so it took on its own shape. The Damask Duck is stamped on white card in black pigment ink, clear embossed then coloured with mixture of Caran D'Ache watercolour pencils and Pearlex watercolours for that shimmery sheen (you can see my Pearlex above right of desk with my piece of calligraphy - very small paintbox but colours that have real punch, I love them!). 

Stamp the same stamp on acetate with black Stazon, allow to dry overnight or heat dry if that sort of acetate.

I actually just used some scrounged acetate I found on boxes of cards and even the few scuff marks did not matter so use what you have don’t rush out and grab some expensive acetate!

Colour back of acetate with Gelly pens for extra depth ( or even Stickles as Neil did below on his post - see below link).

Then attach to original stamp ( I used Glossy Accents after reading this idea on Neil's glorious ideas filled blog see here -but you can also can use brads). Attached to black card which was highlighted linen look stamp from Hero Arts stamped with Versamark pad and embossing powder Iridescent. Cut with Spellbinder Square Scallop die.

Used Script Cuttlebug folder distressed with sanding block for extra dimension and designer papers for layout. I have done it various way just try it out..

  Another layout was tried also..so play around and have some fun...

Meanwhile I must get back to work on my text and do a bit of blog hopping later when the rest of the world catches up with us over here! 6am UK is 3pm here! Have a Manchester, UK clock (where my family are - to know when to ring them!) on my desktop for all those who wonder how we figure it out..:D

May God bless you day everyone and a very happy WOYWW!
Shaz in oz.x

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 97

Well, here we are fellow WOYWW-ers! back at another review of work-desks on a Wednesday and for those of you who are wondering what I am muttering about - join in the fun by checking out our royal hostess'  Queen Julia's glorious blog at Julia's Stamping Ground!

Here you will see my desk is littered again. There are some completed cards to the top right. To see these and also the terrific Fat Cats Competition [with three $100 AUD vouchers to be won! -wohoo!] see here .

Also I'm playing with some glimmer mist Jazz Blue and cosmic shimmer Silver having read Brenda's Blog - Floral Fantasies and her workshop on mixing them. I ordered these two new colours to have play and I am hooked!! Thanks B.! if you want to see it look here for her helpful tutorial . I like the Cosmic shimmer better for for its high shimmer but think the Glimmer mists lighter glimmer has place too according to what you need so mixing the two is good.

The embossing folder embossed above in white is one from Fat Cats (which I have extended using my extended method to double the length - see here or sidebar labels if you dont know how to do this). A new one called Leaves & Butterflies K Kingdom Embossing folder 129, which has small embossed butterflies on it. Since I was also sent the Creatables Butterflies from Marianne I am hope to make some butterflies with the spare card I have coloured as well. I have used silver Cosmic Shimmer and Jazz Blue in Glimmer Mist.

Happy WOYWW everyone and may God bless you wherever you are..
Shaz in Oz.x

Great Prize and Competition at Fat Cats Card Corner + Some Cards...

FatHi there folks, I am  flat like a lizard drinking (as my dad would say) out so this will be a brief post, but wanted to let you know about this great competition at Fat Cats Card Corner- details below.

Please NOTE -there THREE Vouchers to be won worth $100Aussie dollars each!!... and AUD are quite valuable at present !!

So don't miss out very easy competition if you have any Nellie Snellen Multi-frame sets.....

See competition link here , and gallery link is here.   

NEW COMPETITION!!!
Simply make a card or scrapbook page using any of the Nellie Snellen Multi-frame die sets (click here to see what they are) and upload it to our Gallery. 

You could win one of 3 $100 Fat Cats Gift Vouchers. Entries close 15th May 2011.

Just a few cards which were started last week on the WOYWW  page, so thought would let you see the “fait accompli”.  

 

This is a Crafty Individuals Stamp, and showed you last week how background to this was made.

I do so love the detail on these stamps! It is Damask Ducks on a Speedball brayer background (any Dye ink colours you like) brayered on glossy white card in A5 packs, layered on Spellbinder Nestabilities Classic Squares. On each side is cardstock embossed with Blue embossing folder - Dragonfly K Kingdom Embossing Folder 073.

Martha Stewart Deep Edger Blossom Eyelet border is spritzed with Magic Micas purple (mixed in Mini mister) with pearls in the flower centres of this very pretty punch to add a bit of glitz to it. 

Crafty Individual Bird Postcard Unmounted stamp inked on white card and sprayed with paler mixed magic mica. This is then mounted on the pale mauve Quilted A5 frosted papers, these are so very pretty, and mounted further to finish the card,.

The Cuttlebug Plus Brocade Folder is truly a classy act.
Here it is embosses and cuts a window all at once.
Sandwich is A plate + C plate + two shims (one thick and one thin) for my bug They say one A plus two B plates on Provocraft site but it will not work with mine. I chalked it throguh the flap at the top so easy to chalk (with white pad) it with this specially made flap.
 

Then I used Unity Stamps called "Beauty" and I coloured it with the beautifully shimmery Pearlex watercolours (all items for these three cards are available from Fat Cats Card Corner).
 

Thanks for looking, and may God bless your day

Shaz in Oz. x

P.S. I am at present on D.T. for Fats Cats, hence my promotion of their items.

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 96

Happy WOYWW everyone!

Well, one hectic week so will be brief as I am still in middle of much ado about nothing! so here is my workdesk this morning some new stamps by Crafty Individuals newly arrived from Fat cats (see link here).

I was sent one as sample (the Damask Duck) and bought two as well - they have amazing detail and sooo gorgeous.

They are great to play with!

Here my samples are using my brayer and Big and Juicy Stamp Pad (Hydrangea) and Iridescent medium,(I dropped this on with an eye dropper in the middle of the brayering the ink pad colours) to give it that sheen..
{Note to Maggie and others: I put the drops of medium on the paper not the brayer, and it is available at any art shop which sell watercolours, (Winsor & Newton) or eBay where I bought mine very very cheaply!}

The photo does not show sheen properly but you kind of get the idea! You can also see wedding card elements on the table too, which I am supposed to be making.

For those of you wondering why we are looking at incomplete cards on desks take a peek at Julia’ s glorious blog and you will discover a whole new world  – at Julia's Stamping Ground!

May God bless you all,

Shaz in Oz. x