Terrific Techniques "Wax on, Wax off" project 1 Stamped Candle

This was our first project for last week's terrific techniques class "wax on, wax off" (pun intended lol). The class was heaps of fun but also kinda sad since it will be my last class for a few months now we're closer to the baby getting here (7 1/2 weeks and counting, still so much to do! Charlotte was pretty much on time but Justin and I were both about 6 or 7 weeks early so when you think about it, it really is a any time now kinda thing aaargh!), anyway back to the class.
The candle was made the normal way (see the SCS tutorial) and we kept them pretty simple using just a flower and the beautiful saying from 5th Avenue Floral. I also explained to the girls how they could do the same thing but using a photo for something extra special.
I'll be back in a couple of days with another of the projects we made.
Stamps: 5th Avenue Floral
Ink: Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze
Cardstock: Tissue paper, Waxed Paper
Accessories: Candle (from Go-Lo), Heat Tool

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Sisterhood of Scrap Sketch Saturday - Happy Birthday

ETA: I found this in my scheduled list set up for August for some reason so I've set it up to publish this week, but there is now a newer sketch available too.

Here is my card for Sisterhood of Scrap's Sketch Saturday this week. The sketch was very similar to the layout sketch from last week, but instead of taking the grid pattern literally this time I chose to just use a textured piece made using my brand new bigshot & cuttlebug folder. (I have some more dies coming so expect to see alot of diecutting lol).
I figured seeing as I had already gone non-SU! (I do try to keep my blog SU! only, but every now and then i find myself straying lol) with the thickers and the cuttlebug folder then I may as well go all the way and use this Cakeabella image that was RAK'd to me by the lovely Marcia.
I coloured Bella using my blender pen & ink pads for the in colours, then my SW Markers for the rest of her. I wanted Bella to be a blonde, but I thought she needed to be a more natural blonde with highlights instead of just the one colour, so I started out with Barely banana, then using the fine end of my markers, I added some So Saffron and Summer Sun. I also added just a hint of Rose Red as any good home chef never cooks without her 'lippy' on right? hehe
SU! Stamps: Happy Everything
Stamping Bella Stamp: Cakeabella
Ink: Basic Black, Pink Pirouette, Riding Hood Red, Blush Blossom, Barely Banana, Summer Sun, So Saffron, Rose Red
Cardstock: Riding Hood Red, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White
Accessories: Thickers, Scallop Square Punch, Silver Brad, Blender Pen
Cuttlebug Folder: Divine Swirl

Designs © Zarna Gould

Mojo Monday #96 & Makeesha's Inspiration Challenge #10 - Happy Bird-day

I needed to make a card for Justin and thought that both the Mojo Monday challenge & Makeesha's Inspiration challenge were perfect for his card so I combined the 2 and I'm happy with the result.From the Inspiration picture I've used the hostess gift Patterns Pack II DSP for the patterned paper, to show the symetrical pattern in the stripes of the doona cover. I have picked out my colours as Brocade Blue, Basic Grey, Kraft & Sahara Sand (I could have taken Tempting Turquoise but I felt the Brocade Blue also worked). The stripes in the cover were perfect for the Mojo Monday sketch:Stamps: Pun Fun
Ink: Basic Grey
Watercolouring: Watercolour Wonder Crayons with Aquapainter; Brocade Blue, Tempting Turquoise, Summer SunSahara Sand
Cardstock: Kraft, Brocade Blue, Sahara Sand, Patterns Pack II DSP (Basic Grey & Brocade Blue)
Accessories: 1/2" Circle punch, Brocade Blue 5/8" Grosgrain, cutter kit (distressing on centre stripe)

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Makeesha's Colour Challenge #10 - Happy Birthday

My entry for Makeesha's colour challenge. It's not my favourite card that I've made lately but I had a day where I just needed to make something and Keesh's challenge was there waiting for me so in a way it's perfect...
I think what this card needed was some patterned paper and I had nothing in my stash that worked in with the challenge. I also lost a few background stamps in the last catalogue so I think I need to buy a few more for days like this when I don't have DSP to match but the card needs a bit of extra oomph...
The rose was done with some plain old watercolouring but I used just the one colour and built it up slowly to get that 5th Avenue Floral technique look without the drying time. Also because I was lazy (and I already had the confetti cream out from the circle) I coloured on confetti cream. It doesn't work as well as watercolour paper but it does the trick in a pinch (holds ALOT more water without buckling than normal whisper white or very vanilla).
Stamps: 5th Avenue Floral, Happy Everything
Ink: Black Stazon, Mellow Moss
Watercolouring: Inkpad with Aquapainter; Rose Red
Cardstock: Confetti Cream, Rose Red, Mellow Moss, Always Artichoke
Accessories: 1/2" Circle punch, Jumbo Brads

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

You only live once but if you do it right, once is enough

A card made using one of my favourite new additions to the SU! product range as part of the upcoming Spring mini catalogue (starts 1 August let me know if you want a copy): WHITE STAZON!!!! How exciting is that?? Even more exciting is the Stazon Cleaner they are also finally releasing to the Australian market!! Stazon cleaner is a product that I consider a staple in my stamping stash and it is exciting to finally be able to supply it to my customers.
You can't tell too well on this card but the "window" is actually a piece of acetate with the flower stamped using White stazon, and attached to the back of the DSP, the DSP is then raised up from the basic grey panel using dimensionals.
The quote "You only live once but if you do it right, once is enough" is such a great quote that I think everyone should live by, and I couldn't resist using it on this card.
Stamps: 5th Avenue Floral
Ink: White Stazon, Basic Grey
Cardstock: Urban Garden DSP, Basic Grey, Baja Breeze
Accessories: Button Bouquet, Hemp Twine, Kiwi Kiss/Very Vanilla Satin Ribbon

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Sisterhood of Scrap Sketch Saturday - Happy Birthday

I finally scrapped Charlotte's birthday (as justin says I'm just in time for her next one - but I still have 3 months so i'm only a little behind lol) I decided on a double page layout, so I used Deanne's Sketch Saturday sketch for the first page, then took the grid detail and carried it over to a very simple 2nd page, part of my inspiration for the patterned strip along the bottom comes from this layout (page 2) by Joanne Pullen.
Here's a closer look at the first page:
I should have used a ruler to position those thickers... I didn't realise how crooked "Birthday" was until I was editing the photos in photoshop, oh well, isn't it the little things like crooked titles that put the charm into handmade crafts? For my crooked title I used some cute felt thickers (from Marcia's shop) and lightly inked them with Riding Hood Red. I love how they look all splotchy.
It doesn't show up well but the journalling is actually printed onto DSP, I edited a text box in word to be the size of the piece of DSP I wanted to print on, printed it out onto plain paper then used the tiniest few dabs of SNAIL onto the paper and stuck down the DSP and fed the plain paper through the printer again, I find it's the easiest way to print smaller one off jobs like this one. I also printed in a colour similar to Close to Cocoa, to keep with the theme of the Candy Lane DSP.
The sketch called for a little date tag hanging from the title (which is perfect for a birthday layout anyway, don't you think?). I made the tag by punching a piece of Pink Pirouette with the Scallop Square Punch and then trimming it like this:
Here is a close up of the 2nd page:
I love all these photos, especially the birthday cake one, I did have to take her highchair outside and hose it down later that night though, pink icing everywhere!
Ink: Riding Hood Red
Cardstock: Candy Lane DSP, Very Vanilla, Close to Cocoa, Pink Pirouette, Riding Hood Red
Accessories: Dimensionals, Silver Brads
Punches: Eyelet Border, Scallop Square, 1 1/4" Square
Contraband: Thickers

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Pencil Tin

I've been needing something on my desk for pens & scissors etc (I have a caddy thing that I store all my frequently used stuff in but the smaller stuff gets lost in it a bit) So I decided to use some of the Walk in the Park DSP (from the mini catalogue starting 1 August, let me know if you want a copy) as well as the Summer Love rubons and Corduroy Buttons (both also from the mini) to cover an old tomato tin, a little bit of ribbon and now I have the perfect pencil tin.
I used some modpodge to make it a bit more durable.
Cardstock: Walk in the Park DSP (available Aug 1)
Accessories: Baja Breeze 1" stitched Grosgrain, Corduroy Button (available Aug 1), Summer Love Rubons (available Aug 1)

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Mojo Monday #94

I can't believe how long it has been since I posted! So that we can start on the next step of our renovations (10 weeks until the baby's here and we need the office wardrobe reno's finished so we can move all the boxes and crap out of Charlotte's room), I have had to pack all my stamping gear up into plastic tubs etc and move them out, and hence no time to stamp. I have 99% of the office packed up now so I have been able to set up a little makeshift studio in the kitchen (I was going to try and work completely out of tubs but when I lose half an hour of my stamping time pulling the essentials out it was not working!). Anyway, I got my new goodies from the Spring Mini (available 1 August let me know if you want a copy), and this was the first card I made, not 100% happy with it because I was feeling rusty after not stamping for a week, but I think it turned out ok. I mean how could it not with that paper!

Stamps: Baroque Motifs, Sincere Salutations
Ink: Baja Breeze, Basic Grey
Cardstock: Walk in the Park DSP (Available Aug 1st), Kraft, Baja Breeze, Cameo Coral
Accessories: Corduroy Buttons (Available Aug 1st), Summer Love Rubons (Available Aug 1st), Punches; 1 1/4" & 1 3/8" circles
Sketch: Mojo Monday #94

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Another Blog Candy Find

Crafty Goings On are offering some Copics up for blog candy, while I can't bring myself to buy them at full retail I wouldn't say no to some free ones!
If you ever want to enter some blog candy swing by Allison's blog, she regularly lists blog candy that she finds in her blurfing adventures.


Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Welcome Baby Allan

A friend I used to work with recently had a baby boy, due to complications he was born at 25 weeks, fortunately he seems to be a fighter and is doing very well considering his gestation. I wanted a card to send to them in hospital to brighten up his room/humicrib since they will be down in Sydney for the next 3 months or so before he can come home.
14/7/09 ETA: Heaven has 1 more angel, Allan was laid to rest today. He fought as hard as he could but he didn't make it.
It didn't show up well in the photo but the middle elephant is actually stamped 3 times, I stamped him straight onto the Whisper White piece of cardstock, then again on some scrap with the stitching, cut out and raised up over the 1st elephant using dimensionals, then I stamped him again, cut out his ear stitched it and layered it using another dimensional.
Stamps: Wild About You, Short & Sweet
Ink: Baja Breeze, Basic Grey, Basic Grey SW Marker
Cardstock: Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White, Urban Garden DSP
Accessories:

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Sisterhood of Scrap Sketch Saturday - Thx

Here is my card for Deanne's Sisterhood of Scrap Sketch Saturday challenge. When Deanne wrapped up the monthly reveals on her Just My Sketches blog she invited the DT to play along with her sketches on sisterhood of scrap, not as a DT, but just for the fun of it and some regular challenges to keep us on our toes. Anyone can get any of her sketches before they go 'live' (She alternates between Card & Layout) so Deanne can post them on the Sketch Saturday post as inspiration. You can check out the details here.
This sketch just screamed "thickers" to me so I decided to make it a scrappy style card, and the scrappy style card made me think of using the texting version "thx" of thank you. I also flipped the sketch.
Ink: Pacific Point (sponging on the Pacific Point strip)
Cardstock: Kraft, Pacific Point, Kiwi Kiss, Good Morning Sunshine DSP
Accessories: Stapler
Contraband: Thickers

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Bigshot Dies Give Away

So I finally ordered myself a Bigshot and I've been looking around online for dies etc (it's supposed to be here Monday or Tuesday and until my new cuttlebug folder from Marcia's shop comes it's going to be the worlds biggest paperweight lol) and anyway I found this give away from Stampin' Addicts, and you just have to post to your blog a little blurb about the giveaway so here is my entry:
Stampin' Addicts has tons of ideas using the Stampin’ Up! Big Shot and is giving away a Big Shot Die Pack with 5 brand new SU! exclusive dies:

• Stampin’ Up! Thanks (Embosslits)
• Stampin’ Up! Final Press (Embossing Folders)
• Stampin’ Up! Perfect Details (Textured Plates)
• Stampin’ Up! Two Tags (Bigz Dies)
• Stampin’ Up! Fancy Favor (Bigz XL Dies)

The competition is open to anyone, so if you have a Bigshot make sure you pop over there and find out how to enter, even if you don't have a Bigshot make sure you check out the site anyway, they have heaps of cool projects using SU! products.

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Just My Sketches - *Star*

I'm very sad to say that this will be my last layout for the Just My Sketches DT, while the blog will be staying open (too much work to ever delete it), she won't be doing monthly reveals anymore :( So I want to say a HUGE thank you to Deanne for giving me my first DT position and taking a chance on me! Deanne does do a Sketch Saturday over at Sisterhood of Scrap which I am hoping to continue using on a regular basis.
Anyway, onto the layout, The other morning Charlotte's sunnies were in reach while she was eating breakfast and she decided they were the perfect accessories for her Pooh Bear pyjama's lol. The journalling reads:

"A TRUE *Star* can't even eat breakfast without the papparazzi taking photos"

I decided to have a go at making my own lace style border strip using the small & large star punches, I always love those strips but I like things to match (I'm kind of a loser that way) and I want the exact SU! colours to go with my DSP and other cardstock used in the layout (I think that's what actually drew me to SU! in the first place...), so that's why I decided to try making my own. I have a few ideas about what I would do next time to perfect the technique but basically I used the small star punch to punch small stars in a strip of cardstock, then I punched a large star out of some scrap Cardstock and lined the star up over the smaller stars and traced the star out, I then used my paper snips and craft knife to cut around the stars leaving the joins intact. Flip it over and glue it on. Clear as mud? Next time I do it I'll use a larger starting strip so that I don't have weird squared off star points and maybe trace some small stars so the small ones aren't just the hollows...
To get the stars on the layout in a random fashion I dropped them 1 at a time onto the layout (and re-doing any that landed in really bad spots) then I just glued them down pretty much where they landed.
I should also mention that I flipped the sketch, and here it is if you want to play along
(You can check out the other DT's gorgeous layouts here):
Ink: Bashful Blue & Pumpkin Pie SW markers
Cardstock: Bashful Blue, Pumpkin Pie, Washington Apple DSP
Accessories: Large & Small Star Punches, Paper Snips, Craft Knife, Thickers

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould