Monday, October 31, 2011

Craft-A-Lot in ACSP

Have you seen the latest issue of Australian Cardmaking, Stamping and Papercraft?



Yep, there are three of my cards in the ad for Craft-A-Lot.  :-)

The other three are by the lovely Rhonda - visit her blog HERE.

Have I mentioned how awesome Colleen, the owner of Craft-A-Lot, is?  She's BRILLIANT.  Thanks Colleen!



Danielle

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Birthday Anya II - In Stock At Craft-A-Lot!

Craft-A-Lot have a new shipment of stamps in stock!  Some of the new arrivals include stamps from The Greeting Farm, so I thought I'd share a card I just made using one of the stamps that are now in stock.  This one is Birthday Anya II - gotta love that cupcake!


The seam binding is White Seam Binding from Sew Sweet which I coloured with Broken China Distress Stain from Craft-A-Lot.  LOVE how the seam binding turned out.

And here are the challenges I'm entering:





Make sure you check out the new shipment at Craft-A-Lot.  These babies are on their way to me at the moment... I can't wait!



Supplies







Danielle

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Make It Monday 38...

This week's Make It Monday at Papertrey Ink was using Brayer and Impression Plate Techniques.  And I've had a blast with it!  I couldn't decide what colour to use, so I did a few...


And here are the challenges I'm entering:



Thanks for visiting!  :-)


Supplies








Danielle

Monday, October 24, 2011

Easy Christmas Cards

Thanks for all the lovely comments on my Craft Space post!  I had a few questions about some of the products I used for storage, so I'll update the post with some links.  All in the spirit of enabling... ;-)

I'm running a Christmas Card workshop with a friend this year and I thought I'd share some of the sample cards I've made for it. The idea of the workshop is to have simple cards that are easy to replicate, so participants will be able to make a large stash of cards in a relatively short space of time.  I've used layouts that I've either used before, or have come across in my blog travels. Why re-invent the wheel, right?

This first one is based on the Card Patterns Sketch 137which I used for this card last week.



Supplies

The next two are simple variations of this card I posted a couple of weeks ago.  Primarily the layout, because we wanted the keep the cards very simple for the workshop, as much as I adore the felt roses I used!


I wanted to try a card colour that I ordinarily wouldn't choose for a Christmas card... hot pink!  And I love it!


Supplies

These next ones are based on this gorgeous card by Kristina Werner, although I have used a similar layout before here.  If you're looking for beautiful Christmas card ideas, check out Kristina's Holiday Card Series 2011, she has so many fabulous designs!   



Supplies


The buttons I used for the above cards are from Sew Sweet.  And I used a brilliant tip from Erin Lincoln from this Papertrey Ink Make It Monday video on threading the twine (good old kitchen string) through the button this way.  I love this video! Especially when Erin talks about how bows can "turn on you"... lol

And the final set I'm sharing today is based on this gorgeous card by Laura Bassen.  I could spend hours on her blog, just soaking up the artistry!



Supplies


I'll be back later with a few more card shares for this workshop... I just need to make them... ;-)


Danielle

Friday, October 21, 2011

My Craft Space

Welcome!  I thought it was about time I invited you all in to my craft space for a look around...  :-)  

Just a warning, this is a photo heavy post.

When we starting planning our house a couple of years ago, the idea was that I was going to have a built-in desk/cupboard in the study for my gear.  As we got further into the planning, I was getting more and more into stamping, and my *ahem* collection of gear was growing...

I'm very fortunate to have a husband who has been able to see that crafting for me has literally been a life-saver.  There have been countless times when my health hasn't been great, and being able to "lose myself" in this hobby, was is a much needed time out from myself, not to mention one of the very few things I get enjoyment from.  

So... I've kind of taken over the study!!   We all spend time in here though.  Quite recently, my husband came across our four year old daughter sitting at my desk with her finger tapping her cheek thoughtfully... then she asked "Dad, can you please pass me a block?".  ;-)  She knows all the ins and outs!

Anyway, on to the tour!


Craft Space Layout 

This is my built-in workspace (the original version just consisted of this bit...).  My husband has made a couple of modifications over the past year as I've been figuring out the best arrangement for everything.  He installed the roll-away shelf under the desk, the shelf that the TV is sitting on, and the ink storage system.  :-)


The chest of drawers was originally from our bedroom, but we didn't need the extra drawer space once we moved in here.  More about the drawers further down.  I've also moved a desk and chair in for Olivia, because she loves crafting as much as I do.  She still kicks me off my desk though...  ;-)


The bookshelves house my stamps and Big Shot dies, and the table in the corner is permanently set up for photographing cards, as well as cutting card stock and using the Big Shot.  I posted a little while ago about the light tent/set-up I used to use for my photos, but since upgrading my camera, I'm able to take much better photos in lower light settings.  So this works just as well.


And we're back around to the beginning.  You can see a punch stand that my husband made tucked away there...


So... want some more details?  Read on!


Fabric Covered Decor

We went to Ikea on a recent trip to the mainland, and one of the best things we bought was some great fabric.  Great quality, and an even better price.  I had something else in mind for the fabric I've used here, but the colour wasn't quite right... but it was perfect for making a few accents for my craft space!  I found this fabulous tutorial on covering the frame of a notice board, the only difference is that I covered a noticeboard that already had the cork inserted.  It made it a little tricky to get the fabric under the inside edge, but I managed!


The simplest room accent to do is a covered canvas.  I just bought some inexpensive art canvases from a discount store, cut the fabric to size, then used a staple gun to attach the fabric firmly at the back.  Easy!

Not as easy, was covering this desk chair.  I originally planned to make a slip cover, but the curves made it difficult.  So I pulled it apart instead.  I'm thrilled with how well it turned out.


Inspiration Showcase Canvas

You've probably seen this one before - the canvas I made from Jennifer McGuire's Inspiration Showcase on-line class.  I love how this turned out! 



Prismacolor Pencils

My babies...



Prismacolor Sampler

This is a sampler I started working on recently.  I originally started doing one in a book, but found it was awkward for me.  So having sample on a ring made a lot more sense.  I've used the same image, Gorjuss Dropped, on all sheets (many more to come!) so I can see at a glance the way the highlights work with different colour combinations.  They're laminated too... that's the ex-teacher in me!



Ink Storage

This in the ink storage my husband built for me.  We planned it together, and decided that having the individual slots for each colour was more effort than it was worth, so hubby bought some thicker materials so the shelves could hold more weight.  And this way, I can fit five Stampin' Up! ink pads across, or six Distress Inks.  I can even fit seven across when it comes to Versamark and Memento inks!




Card Stock Storage

One of the things I really wanted when planning my workspace, was a couple of filing drawers to fit 12"x12" paper.  All we did was have a standard filing drawer put in, but with a taller front panel, so the drawer above sits up further.  The papers are all in Creative Memories Power Palette Folders, in regular hanging file folders.  


Regular card stock is in a filing cabinet under the desk.


One thing that I do with card stock often gets a giggle from some people, but there are good reasons for it...


Yes, I have a drawer full of pre-cut and pre-scored card stock.  Ready made card bases.  I know, it seems a little over the top, but I have two good reasons for doing it.  There are lots of times when I'm not feeling at all inspired, but I need to have some time out.  Instead of getting frustrated by not being able to pull a card or page together, I do little organising jobs like making card bases.  I get to be in my space (which helps me health-wise) and be productive, and when I am feeling inspired again, I don't need to stop to make up card bases.  :-)  Win-win!

The filing containers I've used in this drawer are the insert boxes from the Creative Memories PowerSort Boxes.  Each box can be taken out of the drawer without disturbing any of the other cards.  :-)


Ribbon Storage

Ahhh, ribbon... how I love thee...


Sorted by colour, and the rows are divided up by little panels I made with some of the packing cardboard sheets from packs of patterned paper.  


Punch Storage

Another of hubby's projects...  



Stamp Storage

This is a bookshelf my husband had custom built for him long before he met me.  It gives me a giggle to think that he had no idea that it would eventually be filled with stamps!!


The little stickers on my SU! stamps are something I did when I was a demonstrator.  It's so I could see at a glance which sets were retired (silver), which were hostess sets (gold), and which were current.  And the baskets house stamps like Gorjuss, The Greeting Farm, CC Designs, There She Goes and Papertrey Ink.


Tech Stuff

My lighting set-up!  I'll do a post on the whole thing soon, but basically I just use cool white or daylight globes in a few lights to give enough light to take photos at any time of the day.


And perhaps you noticed this in the very first photo?


I've been wanting to try doing some video tutorials *gulp* for a while, but I wasn't happy with any of the ways I could figure out for mounting the camera.  Until I saw this little baby...  It works brilliantly!  It allows me to have my camera pointing straight down at my workspace, without a tripod in the way.  Now I just have to figure out what I'm going to do tutorials on... any requests??  ;-)

Last, but not least, the quote I have above my workspace.  :-)


I hope you enjoyed my tour of my craft space!  Thanks for visiting!  :-)


Links



Danielle 

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Another Make It Monday...

But this time with the Mojo Monday 211 sketch...




Emboss resist on glossy paper again, but this time with Bermuda Bay ink (retired from Stampin' Up!).  And from Sew Sweet, some gorgeous Jade Satin Ribbon and White Wool Felt for the roses.

These are the challenges I'm entering:


A Passion for Papertrey - Sensational Silhouettes 
(like Caryn Davies' gorgeous DT example, mine is a loose interpretation, being an aperture card...)

Mojo Monday 211



Supplies





Danielle

PTI Make It Monday

Hello!  Yes, I'm still here.  :-)  I've been extremely uninspired over the past week or so.  I haven't been able to pull anything together.  I know we all get this from time to time - it's SO frustrating!

When I saw this week's Papertrey Ink Make It Monday Challenge to use layered mats and frames, it gave me the push I needed to get creating again.  I used the glossy resist technique I learnt during Inspiration Showcase (I still can't believe I'd never used glossy cardstock before!  I love it now!).  This time I tried using some Stampin' Up! inks to add the colour, and they're fabulous for it!  Very vibrant.  :-)


I can't get enough of this luscious satin ribbon from Sew Sweet.   It's a perfect match for Tempting Turquoise too.  :-)  It's so easy to work with... *content sigh*


I love how vibrant the Tempting Turquoise ink turned out!



So, these are the challenges I'm entering:


(like Caryn Davies' gorgeous DT example, mine is a loose interpretation, being an aperture card...)




Thanks for visiting!  I'll be back soon with more!  :-)


Supplies







Danielle

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Photoberfest... Kids

You may have already seen this photo on my blog, it's one I took a week ago.  But today I'm re-blogging it because I'm entering it into a competition called Photoberfest.  It's a competition on Katie Evans' blog, Katie Evans Photography.

If you haven't come across her blog, you really should visit.  She has fabulous photography tutorials and brilliant tips, and my absolute favourite thing about her blog (so far!) is that she doesn't make you feel silly for not knowing things.  I know that might sound silly, but I'm a huge advocate for people who empower others while teaching.

So.  The competition!  There's a theme each week (this week it's kids), and entries are posted on a Pinterest pinboard.  The Kids Board is HERE.  Information about voting can be found HERE, but essentially the winner each week is the owner of the photo with the most "likes".  As much as I would love to beg everyone who visits here to go and vote on my photo, I really think that if you do visit, you should vote for the photo you like the most... and why not enter yourself!?

Here's my first entry (you can enter 3 times each week):


I wanted to tell you a little bit about this photo, and why it's one of my favourites of my daughter.  Olivia has been brilliant with agreeing to be photographed for my various photography assignments for Oh Shoot, but I love this one the most because I was supposed to be taking a photo of two of her toys (Mr Bump and Mr Happy).  I was blabbering on about how she was doing a great job holding them still for me so I could adjust my camera settings... while I was focusing on her and waiting for her to look up.  It was worth it to get those baby blues!



Thanks for visiting, and make sure you check out Katie Evans Photography!


Supplies






Danielle

Monday, October 10, 2011

Ho Hum...

I have no words tonight, so I'll get straight to the card share...



This beautiful stamp, Gorjuss Toadstools, is available from Craft-A-Lot.




Thanks for visiting.  :-)

Supplies





Danielle

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Colour Throwdown #161

Hello again!  Just a quick card share for the Colour Throwdown #161 challenge.  I've had a ball using the delicious felt from Sew Sweet this afternoon.  The colours were a beautiful match for the challenge colours.  The Bright Red Felt is a perfect match for Poppy Parade, and the Coral Felt is a perfect match for Calypso Coral.  I love it when colours match!   

Anyway, here's my CAS card for the challenge.


And a close up of the felt roses.


You can actually buy pre-made felt roses from Sew Sweet, made by owner Emma.  Make sure you check out the gorgeous colours available!


Thanks for visiting!


Supplies






Danielle

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Gorjuss Little Heart

Welcome to my second blog post for the Blog Tour of card makers celebrating World Card Making Day!  I had a go at watercolouring with Distress Inks and Distress Stains again recently.  They're so beautiful to work with. And the Black Soot Distress Stain in particular is my new best friend.  Hair and shadowing just got easier!  


This stamp is Little Heart by Gorjuss and is available from Craft-A-Lot.  I love that this one has short hair - so cute!


I'm linking this up to the Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Anything Goes - they're hoping to get to 1,000 entries for this challenge!





To visit more card-makers celebrating World Card Making Day, click HERE.  

Thanks for stopping by!



Supplies








Danielle