Party Animals

A few months ago, I came across a range of paper featuring various party animals. One of the sheets had large size images perfect for card-making. I had to have those sheets. The paper range makes for quick, easy and colourful cards.

I made the card above for a friend who shares my interest in A Lion Called Christian. You might already know this true story but if not, it's worth a look, just click on the following picture:

In this same paper range, there is a tiger which suits a friend of mine who has a special connection with tigers:

Now before I sign off, I want to share a card with you using the same Party Animal range, from someone whose work I greatly admire, Kerry Bunting:

(Card and photo courtesy of Kerry Bunting)

Hasn't Kerry done a great job with the co-ordinating stamp? You can see more of this card (the inside) and its reason for being at Kerry's blog, just click on the picture above.

Thanks for visiting.

Love from Crafty Kim

Scrabble Card

This is the card I made for my friend [no prizes for guessing her name ;) ] who is very keen on Scrabble. The Scrabble-themed paper pretty much does it all. And I was running late by errr, a few months, so I kept it simple but took the time to decorate the inside too:

Well this post has to be very short but sweet (I hope) as the hour is late and the work day tomorrow is rushing up at me at high speed.

Thanks for looking.

Love from Crafty Kim

Happy New Catalogue

HERE it is: the NEW Stampin' Up! Catalogue for 2011-2012.

Too much goodness to describe so please go and check it out for yourself. And if you'd like a printed copy, I'm selling them for $10 (local pick-up or drop-off) or $13 including postage within Australia. Please or email me or telephone 0402 347 010 to organise it.

I'm looking forward to hearing what items are on your wish list...

Thanks for looking.

Love from Crafty Kim

More Big Shot Techniques

Well, I thought I'd better pop-in to share some cards and let you know that I'm still breathing. Not crafting much due to never-ending work and there are times when I feel I should just pack away my craft stuff and give it all up. However, I recently embraced sleep deprivation and put together some cards using my Big Shot. There seems to be no limit on techniques to try with this machine.

In the card above, I've used dry embossing through the Big Shot combined with heat embossing. I also stripe-embossed the satin ribbon in the Big Shot (with thanks to Angela Sargeant for this idea). I tried the "faux suede" technique (basically de-laminating cardstock into thinner layers with a rough surface by tearing, along with some scrunching and sponge-inking) and cut out the flower petals and leaves. A die-cut "Hi" finished it off but a stamped greeting would have done the job too.

Did you know you can emboss aluminium foil? Thanks to Clare McIllhattan for this idea. Clare's foil was smoother than mine...must get a tip on "how-to smooth" from Clare. And you can cut and emboss fabric with the Big Shot. Picture me in a local needlecraft store feeling like a fish-outta-water. Imagine the look I got when I told the saleslady (aka superb needle crafter) that I was going to cut up her lovely pink fabric into scraps and die-cut it into a butterfly for a card:



I sure do admire the works of needle-crafters. I just can't do it myself. Each to their own I say.

Next is a card front that has been what I term selectively embossed. I managed to leave the centre panel of the card un-embossed ready for stamping. Quite tricky but once I got the hang of it, I was away. I finished up stamping a solid daisy in white ink and using my pencils to add colour (termed "Black Magic" colouring within some circles).



Do you like the frame around the main image? I used two nesting dies through the machine at same time and dry embossed them afterwards to get the grooves in the frame. I snuck a little green "faux bow" in there too.

Anyway, hope you found this interesting. I'm currently helping my cherub with a school project and the best thing about it is using my alphabet die-cuts to make the poster title (I know, I'm easily amused).

Thanks for looking. Please get in contact if you have any questions.

Love from Crafty Kim

Stampin' Up! Retiring Items - Update

Just letting the SU! faithful what 2011 catalogue items are sold out:

Metallic Eyelets
Jumbo Eyelets (in both colours)
Sanded Background stamp
Full Calendar Stamps
Bashful Blue 12x12
Night of Navy 12 x 12
Chocolate Chip 12 x 12
Early Espresso 12x12
Spiral Punch
Small Oval punch
Photo Corner Punch
Star Punch

To view the Full Retirement List, please click HERE.

Please contact me on 0402 347 010 or email me with any questions or orders. I have copies of new catalogue for sale as well :)

Thanks for considering.

Love from Crafty Kim

Soccer Mad

Got a soccer-crazed person in your world? I've got several! Recently my son went to a joint birthday party for two of his friends (great idea - why didn't I think of that?). It was hosted at an indoor soccer venue. It was the usual pre-party rush so I kept it simple. I enjoyed using my new background stamp (I'm a sucker for background stamps). It is called "envelope" or some such. I was thinking more like "criss-cross" but it is named after the blue printed lining of business envelopes. Ring a bell for you? Anyway, whatever it is called, I like it.

So, two colours for two boys, along with co-ordinating envelopes:



Thanks for looking,

Love from Crafty Kim

Stampin' Up! Out with the old (now), in with the new (soon)!

Hello,

Exciting time for us Stampin' Up! addicts.

Just popping in quickly to show you the list of Retiring Products HERE. Products only available until sold out. That is: First in, first served.

Please also note that the Colour Renovation Kits will not be available after they are sold out or after 1 September 2011 (whichever comes sooner). So if you haven't updated your marker or crayon or pastel sets, now is the time to do it. Please check out the offerings HERE.

Please contact me on 0402 347 010 or email me with any questions or orders and while you're at it, you can order your copy of the new catalogue from me for delivery now (first orders from new catalogue are available from 1 September 2011).

Thanks for looking.

Love from Crafty Kim