G'day - It's Australia Day

In celebration of Australia Day I thought I would whip up a quick card to showcase a couple of the exclusive Aussie Themed stamps in the Close To My Heart range.

The Cute Koalas and Australian Thanks are two of my favourites and the perfect stamp sets to give your cards a "true blue" Aussie feel. I combined them with a computer generated sentiment ( font = Hooteroll) to create this Australia Day card.

To further add to the celebration - today only - anyone who places an order of $50 or more in my Online Shop will go in the draw to win the Cute Koalas stamp set for free!

This is another card I created some time ago with this set... to find out all the details simply click here!

However, for the "G'day" card... I paper pieced the sweet little Koala using Whisper Cardstock and a red patterned  B&T Duo paper - both found in the Heartstrings Paper Pack. When paper piecing small intricate images I find my Close To My Heart Tweezers to be my best friend... they have such a fine point that is makes it easy to pick up even the tiniest piece of paper or accent.

The Aussie Flag toothpicks where purchased to decorate some lamingtons for afternoon tea today but I thought they make perfect embellishments for Aussie themed cards too! I used some 3D Foam Tape to adhere both the Koala image and Flag to the card.

So yes, today we are celebrating Australia Day in our own backyard with lamingtons, some "snags on the barbie" and a lazy day by the pool soaking up the sunshine... how ever you decide to celebrate...  I hope you have a great day!

Sweet and Simple

Some of my favourite card creations are often the most simple in design - limited colour choice, a single stamped image and minimal embellishment - quick, easy and just as sweet! I thought I would share a couple with you that have been a real hit at my card making classes.

Although Juniper Cardstock was my base colour  for this card, I decided to use Twilight Ink to stamp my image, being just a little more intense in tone it helped the sentiment to "pop". Twilight Ink is one of my favourite colours. However, it is currently on the Close To My Heart list of retiring ink colours. If it is one of your favourite colours too?? - you only have a couple of months left to stock up on the Cardstock and Re-inker. You can place an order, any time of day or night at my Online Shop. There are 5 different colours retiring from the Whimsy Colour Palette  - Blush, Buttercup, Twilight, Crème Brulee and Sky....and you may like to consider stocking up on Re-inkers if you have stamp pads in all or any of these colours. If you would like me to forward you a complete list of retiring products simply send me a message and I will pass it on...and come the 1st August Close To My Heart will have an amazing 250 "new" products to introduce to you - I'm very excited by that news!!

This card is also very simple in design but adding a few little feature components such as the Scallop Border, the Triangle Studs and creating striped banners with the Aussie Praises Stamp Set helps to give it that "finishing touch"....and the Clear Sparkles used in the centre of the coloured flower is the "icing on the cake"!

Card making is a whole lot of FUN! If you would like to commence a journey into this form of paper crafting? I am more than happy to provide you with pre-cut card kits (where you can produce cards such as these) or gather a group of friends together and I'll bring a card making class to you....contact me at lotfam@iinet.net.au for more information....I'd love to "show you how"!

Celebrating with a "Kaboom"

Today is wet, dark and miserable -  very much what you would expect for the first day of Winter!...however, I am going to celebrate June with a bright, cheery KABOOM! and introduce you to this month's Stamp of the Month from Close To My Heart. This stamp set is jammed packed with 16 images that will add a sparkle to any project - exceptional value at only $5 when you place a $75 order with me or in my online shop.

I decided to combine these images with some of my favourite Aussie Themed stamp sets  and create cards for a variety of different celebrations. The images depicting bursts of fireworks are ideal for random stamping techniques and I love creating my own unique paper patterns this way.

I carried the random stamping technique through to the paper pieced balloons too and I like how well it all co-ordinates....and seeing I was on such a roll random stamping my cardstock, I went ahead and used it as a feature for my "job well done" card.

It was so much fun to create this card and combine some modern day slang with some good old fashioned Aussie colloquialism - such high praise for the recipient!! The jagged circle shapes were cut from the Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge layered together and added to the card with 3D Foam Tape to add some height & dimension. The sentiment arrangement was trimmed with a scallop edge using the Scallop Border Punch ...which truly is one of my all time favourite tools!

I am starting to get very excited about my trip to the USA this month, where I will be attending the Close To My Heart annual convention. I can't wait to meet all my new found crafting buddies/colleagues and celebrate everything Close To My Heart with them. I will also get to celebrate the 4th July while I am there, so it seemed appropriate to create a card for this special holiday.

I kept to the Red, White and Blue theme and added a little depth and texture to the card using the Dot Embossing Folder on the white cardstock...and as you can see, there is even more random stamping on my little pennant flags. The flags were cut and created using those awesome little micro-tip scissors.

I'd love to show you these cards and some of my other creations using this month's Stamp of the Month - please feel free to contact me and we can organise a stamping "play-date"!

I have had a number of emails requesting tutorials and " the how to" for my paper flower creations and the pocket fold gift card card  - you will be happy to know, I am working of this and hope to have the first of these tutorials posted here within the next week...thank you for your patience :)

As Requested!

Last week I asked the followers of my Facebook page what they would like me to post here on my blog. There was an overwhelming response requesting a page layout....and although I don't scrapbook as much as I use to, I was happy to oblige. It is not that I don't want to scrapbook - it is more a matter of not having photos to work with! My daughters find it such chore to stand in front of my camera LOL! There is always lots of eye rolling and complaining when I suggest an impromptu photo shoot in the backyard and those of you with older children know exactly what I am talking about!! However, they both happened to be home last weekend and I did manage.... after much persuasion to snap a few pics....so while they weren't keen we did have lots of fun!

My eldest daughter who is the most serious of my girls managed lots of smiles and I really enjoyed creating a page layout capturing her being a little more light hearted...and it was so quick to put together. I used a pattern ( no.11 ) from one of the Close To My Heart How To Programs -  Make It From Your Heart Vol.2 - (with just a few little tweaks) and one of the new paper packs called "Jubilee" - the gorgeous blue tones in this pack co-ordinated beautifully with Stacey's shirt!

I also "whipped" up a few cards this week too! I love the new Aussie themed stamps recently released by Close To My Heart  - the "Hoppy Birthday" set is one of my favourites and I really enjoyed colouring the images in with my Watercolour Pencils. These pencils can be used for regular colouring or use with a little water and a blending pen or water brush for a more subtle touch of colour.

......and of course one of my creations this week had to be coloured in with tones of Pink and Green!!!

....and how about these cute Owls that were also released this month??....aren't they sweet?? I couldn't resist "stealing" a few plastic craft eyes from my daughter's class room supplies and adhering them to the Owl images - it is not only the kids who get enjoyment from these wiggly embellishments! :)

The owls were coloured in with Close To My Heart's Exclusive Ink Markers. I understand that these markers will be phased out over the next few months. If you ever wanted to add alcohol markers to your craft collection then now is the time to do it - they are $8.00 for a blending pair and you can find them in my Online Shop.

Hope you enjoyed my layout and cards and if you are attending the Scrapbook and Papercraft Expo next weekend in Melbourne pop along to the Close To My Heart stand and say "hello" - I'll be there on Friday and Saturday and I would love to show you all the wonderful goodies in our range.

Celebrating Australia

...as we celebrate Australia Day this weekend I wanted to share with you some Australasian Stamps being released by Close To My Heart on the 1st February - yes!! you beaut dinky di Aussie stamp sets! There are 5 sets in this collection they include both our flora and fauna, indigenous icons, fun animal caricatures and some good old Aussie slang in the form of praises. They are all perfect additions for your scrapbook layouts or greeting cards.

We quite often have Kookaburras visiting our backyard and I have to say they are most definitely my favourite Aussie bird.....there are more colourful and pretty birds in Australia but you can't go past a laughing Kookaburra! As you know my card creations are usually pretty and pink but I really wanted to use more authentic bush colours for these cards....not sure they are my style but I am happy with the rustic appearance.

This piece of artwork was my January class kit and it was a huge hit with my card making groups - and I don't think there are too many ladies in my workshop groups that don't own the Always Grateful stamp set now! Creating the scene for this card was very easy - an area masked with a circle then lots of sponging of ink - simple but effective!

.....and because it was so quick & easy I thought I would duplicate it using the Aussie Salutations  - C1585 stamp set and create a scene with the Kangaroo image....same card just a slightly different look.

...and while you thought I may have abandoned my signature love of "pink & pretty" - nothing could be further from the truth LOL!! The wild flowers in this gorgeous stamp collection (Australian Thanks - C1586) were simply begging to be coloured in with shades of pink and that they were!! :)

I have a feeling that Olive Cardstock and Chocolate Woodgrain Washi Tape are going to be featured very prominently in my Aussie Card Designs - ideal colours for our Australian landscape.

I hope you have enjoyed this little preview of the new Aussie stamps - I will share some more of the collection over the coming weeks and I am happy to take pre-orders if you want to celebrate a little bit of Australiana in your own paper craft creations.

Enjoy your Australia Day Celebrations!