Belated WOYWW + Candy announcement

Well, this will be ultra brief so Julia will be delighted as not on here or ought not to be ... as till so late in week is really what was on my workdesk on Thursday, as took it yesterday!

For rest of wonderful world wide desks on "What is on Your workdesk Wednesday!" see over here at our Julia's blog..

It is school holidays here, and I have just come back from visiting family and friends up north and this is my little haul from a visit to a Lincraft store which we dont have here...they had these on sale or the butterfly punch was!! the bling and the stamp cleaner were needed. The flock was something have wanted to try for ages and was ultra cheap so made into my bag too.

Please all are welcome to peek and join in, if desired, in the candy on offer - please read post here - and comment on THAT post if joining in, please.

We start school back next week and hope to show you the bookmarks by my calligraphy students - they are finished. They are now working on their texts - as am busy will try and return comments as able but appreciate all you fine WOYWW folk so very much! sorry for my absence of late.. I had to cut out somethings or else.. you know wot I mean!

May the LORD bless you where ever you may be, Shaz in Oz.x

Thinking of You ~ New Britannia die ~ love it!

Hullo there everyone!
First of all a big welcome to my newest wonderful Encourager - Joanne from France (see here)- she is newbie so do take the time to pop over to her blog and encourage her too!
Here is quick and easy card to show for today. You have to love these new dies I have found - called Britannia dies. Such easy removal with its "Teflon-like" coating on the die. Bought this one on sale from Joanna Sheen, would love big one too but cannot justify it. Here it is with a Labels 8 Fleur de Lis by Spellbinder. The stamp verse is from my collection about twenty years old by Print blocks clear wooden stamp. Used EK Success Arrow Border punch with lovely daisy lace from stash.
My friend really needed the encouragement of this verse knowing that:
 "WITH God ALL things are indeed possible!" 
- what blessing this is to have in our daily walk with Him.

Britannia Dies - SMALL Lattice Edge - 059  (link here) 

Also Spring has sprung here and here is our first bunch although we have had four or so more since this one! 

Many thanks every one for popping over for a peek and chat and may God bless your day wherever you may be.

Shaz in Oz.x

Would like to link over with:

1. Di's Snippets challenges - used snippets on this card

2. Word Art Wednesday - Anything goes 
{apologies too as commenting very limited this week or so.. but thank you so much for each of yours!!}

Engagement card - House Mouse Wreath stamp + Cuttlebug Plus Folder

Hullo there everyone.

Here is my latest favorite method of a card make, as seen on Debby's wonderful blog.

I had been in correspondence with Debby of "A Scrapjourney", as she does these amazing 3D cards, beautiful they are - peek here  at her blog - and SEE how she does her 3D cards - here...

My cardstock I had was not the right weight, and so we worked out what I needed here in Oz was 160gsm card weight. I rang around local stores and finally tracked this one down (which is a dream to use) at a local office supplies. Okay was not cheap, but really was able to feel surface of card before bought it, plus helps local store! When used it for this card just fell in love with it is worth every penny, or cent - so silky and smooth and went well with Caran d'Ache pencils.. Curiously it is made in Austria. If you want to know how to work out paper weights in various countries this is good Wiki post here

The layers coloured as Debby does on her blog, I did three layers *bottom layer on lower left *the second layer cut around wreath edge on bottom right; then added *third layer of just the mice on top right. Adhered with Silicone Glue, as shown on her blog.

I also saw this method on Debby's blog, if you notice, a  lot of her card are inserts or used to mount on another layer with the same die. Used used this method with SB Beaded Ovals, 2nd smallest die on this card here - looks really great with any die but the key is to really just emboss as it is on the monkey card. 
The folder on the is card is a Cuttlebug Plus "He loves me" not sure if still available as had it for ages now. Used pearl paper for it, added rose lace edge and Martha Stewart Punch Shell (?) added with pearls.

 I have had this stamp and embossing folder for ages now and never known quite how to use them. I tried out but nothing more. And here they leapt together just beautifully and love them both wow! The stamp needed to be done in Versafine, as it is very detailed.

One thing that pinks that always puzzles me is how different they can photograph. I used the SU chalks (differing shades) on background, three different shades to especially to tone exactly with card I was using, yet on this photo they look like two different tones. As you can see added some ultra fine glitter to the image too.

Many thanks every one for popping over for a peek and chat, will return visit as able, and may God bless your day wherever you may be.

Shaz in Oz..x

Would like to link over with:

Word Art Wednesday - Anything goes 

Pixies Playground - Snippety challenge  (pink snippets) woo hoo swings tis, for me!!

Thomas is FOUR! Monkeys say Happy Birthday!!

{Warning - picture heavy post}

Well, sorry for long silence. I have been creating, as needs must, just not up to blogging as well, thanks for your patience. Have card today for a very special member of our family who has just turned four years old!!

 It is an easel card - used this tutorial for easel card - see here

 

Here on this photo am trying to work out what paper/ embossing folder to use as background for the card. Main elements have been done, number four is Tim Holtz Grunge board which was first coloured with distress ink pads two different colours, (trying to get bamboo look) then covered in Dimensional Magic.

 Used some monkey DP made up into 3D figures. The top and bottom are border parts on DP.Paper chosen and now final bits of layout for leaf features being tried. Used swirls/ leaves from assorted dies, some Marianne, some Nellie Snellen.
 Then had greeting which is mounted on Fleur de Lis labels 8 by Spellbinder, and wanted a neat outline around it for top piece.

It is best to emboss  this first, then mounted on top to get clearer cut out line - see stages.
Photo top left is embossing on Cuttlebug. Photo top right is accenting it with embossing tool, as shown on lower left photo. Then carefully cut around it and any slightly rough edges smooth off with sanding block. Mount on mounting tape.

 The completed card. Added some string and buttons matching the DP (done with the button maker which don't use enough) to hold up the easel. By the bye, Thomas' favourite toy is Monkey, and so he is number four monkey {or maybe Thomas is? :D}
Many thanks for popping over for peek and chat - I really appreciate all your kind words, more than words can say. 

[Also special welcome to newest follower Peg Robinson, but I cant find your blog Peg, to encourage you also - so if you have one please let me know.]

May God bless your day wherever you may be, Shaz in Oz.x

I would like to enter this into:

1. Di's Snippets Challenge - Snippets of card used, plus DP was actually snippety too. Woohoo, I may get to play in playground!

2. Word Art Wednesday - Anything goes

WOYWW, Coke Tin with Alcohol inks + Cuttlebug; Jemac stamps

{Warning - lo-n-ng post}

Hullo there everyone..

Welcome to WOYWW (What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday - do pop over to Julia's *here* to the crafty learning zone).  I have been meaning to share this for ages now, but been absent due to being poorly (see previous posts).
 I had wanted a stamp for back of my cards to save me writing details all the time on the back. Saw one on Jocelyn's blog ages ago now, and contacted the Aussie company. Have a luffly new stamp made here in Oz at Jemac stamps - a wonderful company, who are very helpful. They offer to make a stamp to your order ( eg.here and here). I actually sent them one of my watermarks and they were willing to to do it, even sent me a sample image. It would have cost a little more. However chose a simpler design, used watermark lettering, but one of their images ('cos gumnuts & gumleaves are so Aussie). May post overseas too, just ask, their post here was very cheap.

Cuttlebug Clockworks folder + Alcohol inks.

Beautifully etched rubber, so easy to get right every time. Maybe wood mounted too, chose "easier to clean" plastic mount and handle. No discount for promo, just like to let others know.

The focal point of this week's card was actually started ages ago now on the April WOYWW post (see back here) with a coke can die cut embossed and coloured with alcohol inks - some of you might remember. Had the potential card element sitting on my desk for ages wondering just how to feature is as did not want to cover it up. Then one day the perfect scenario dawned on me. Clockwork folder means clocks, clocks mean passing of time and who do I like to rib the most about getting older? a certain family male member, of course! so perfect opportunity was Monday, this week - his 60th no less! 

Used Perfect Pearl and Versamark colour the clockwork pieces, and the 60 and then used Dimensional magic to gloss them up. The background folder is Tim Holtz Dot Matrix think it is and distressed a little too. Printed a coloured sheet of card first as did not have right shade, so I guessed a Photoshopped piece then deepened a little after embossing. The sentiment, an acronym, is computer generated and printed on background of clock faces. Used Spellbinder labels 8 and 4 think it is (?)

The poem written below was inside (always do this for special birthdays, write a poem). First part was written after walking on beach, had some grains of wet sand on my finger, studying them wet tiny but wonderful in sunshine, talking to LORD, and then it just rolled out:

 Grains of sand, wet,

 Gleaming, glistening, glittering,

 Glinting in the sunlight on seashore.

Beauty caught in single grain,

Individual glory sculpted by an Unseen Hand.

 Such are the sands of time – present, passing!

Never to be caught again ....

SLG 12.8.13

(Edited out personal bit)

How precious are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them,
Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.

Psalm 139:17-18

 

A beautiful beach ten minutes north of here, on walk with my dad last week, he is going to paint it...

This is zoomed in ultra close to the headland in the far, far middle distance in shot above this one. So you can see what aview they have up there living on that headland. I have friends who live there.

Our front garden at  Honeybird Yellow Grevillea - best one you can buy, flowers all year around compact and birds adore it.
Happy WOYWW everyone - very sorry limited blogging as health allows - but thank you so very very much if you take the time to say hullo.
Your words really bless my heart, may God bless your day wherever you may be,
Shaz in Oz.x
PS would like to link this up to:

1. Allsorts Challenge - Use your new stash (clock pieces and coke tin, never done it before though not strictly from stash :D)

2. Di's Snippets Challenge - Snippets of card used + die cut. Woohoo, I may get to play in playground!

3. Word Art Wednesday - Anything goes

About Art Accents ATC Iris ~ Brayered Cuttlebug folder

Hullo there everyone! Back again with post from drafts, done ages ago now. On a WOYWW post in June I was working on this card, using the bearded Iris ATC stamp (Stamp - see here) from AAA (About Art Accents). On this desk shot (here) was trying out several methods.

It was for a very dear friend, Iris, who is in her eighties and lives in the Old Blighty in Lincoln. I visited her last year and so enjoyed my time there. I made this present (click here) - also an Iris with calligraphed verse to take over to her.

This card was stamped in white on black card then coloured with my Art (Caran D'Ache) pencils. Used 5 x 7 Cuttlebug Kassie's Brocade embossing folder brayered in SU Lavender lace ink pad for the background. Mounted image on Double layered Crafts-Too (Labels 2) Nesting die. Edged with some braid used for first time and toned in so well, with punched white card edge of Arrow EK Success punch.

Still as not 100% so not blogging much at all; I had to cut back the calligraphy teaching to once a fortnight (see last post). Not managing to teach the weekly lesson, so maybe able to pop on here more often. Now hope to finish a card for a four year old :D  - and, God willing, possibly back for WOYWW tomorrow.

Many thanks for popping over for peek and chat. I  may or may not be able to reply to comments but each and every one of them really cheer my heart, so I thank you very much!

May God bless your day wherever you may be, Shaz in Oz.x

I would like to link over to following challenges:

1. Allsorts Challenge - Use your new stash  (braid)

2. Di's Snippets Challenge - Snippets of card used with images + die cut. Woohoo, I may get to play in playground!

3. Word Art Wednesday - Anything goes

4. Papertake Weekly - Occasion - Birthday.

Blue + White Card ~ Give thanks unto the LORD, for He is good...

Hullo there everyone..

 Well just dropping in with quick post to let you know I am not going to be blogging for wee while. I am not sure how long, possibly a few weeks, Lord knows. 

Some folk have been asking so thought should let you know. I still hope to pop by when able, but just very low key.

Some of you may recall I am teaching a class on Thursday the calligraphy course I do. They are years 7/8 at our local church school. While only five teens are doing the course, have found I am very unwell this time around. The spirit is willing, but the body not so.

Rather than give this particular class up, (as told to do by family/ friends), after prayer I am cutting back on everything else. I also have decided (with the LORD) in the long wakeful hours to make it the last time I will teach it to a group - one on one maybe okay.

Saying farewell to this aspect of teaching is a real sorrow of heart.. “the LORD giveth,and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. In all this Job charged not the LORD foolishly” Job 1:21, 22

So spake Job, (in the oldest book in the Bible), he was one who gave up much, but how much more did the  lovely LORD Jesus, Who gave His very life blood for us, and our salvation from sin.

God knows - He understands as no-one else does. His way is perfect. As he says in His word above - "Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good".  

He does know best.. and gives grace for the way.

Thank you all for your kind thoughts on the post before this one, dear friends, and most of all for your prayers.

Thanks so very much for popping over for a peek and chat – you do cheer my heart so, may the dear LORD bless you all, Shaz. x

 Card is made with a Bible verse stamp unnamed and many years old + Marianne dies corner frames, Spellbinder Fancy labels 3 I think it was.

I would like to enter it in Di’Snippet challenge (Used snippets) and Word Art Wednesday.
{EDIT: I re-did card as "Thinking of you" card and this how it became - verse is from Word Art Wednesday}