Floating Water Colour 'Q and A'

Some explanation about these flowers from the last post, which were coloured using a 'floating water colour' technique...

What paper did I use?

All the lovely samples I had seen in my blog travels had used SU 'Shimmery White' paper, which, alas, is not yet available in NZ/Aust. So, I decided to go with water colour paper instead. I am really happy with how it turned out, especially as this was my first (and only, so far) attempt at this technique. I might try glossy white card next. Anyone tried that already?

Did I use Water or Aqua painters?

Both! After you have heat embossed your image spray it with water until the water is pooling inside each of the embossed sections. This is a very 'wet' technique, which is why I decided to go with the water colour paper rather than ordinary card. I then used my aquapainter to 'pick up' ink (drops from a reinker) and deposit it in the appropriate part of the embossed image. The ink should spread thoughout each section by itself. If you want a bit more colour variation you can add more than one colour to each section, and laying the card on an angle to dry will result in a gradient of colour too. Be aware, your project will take a little while to dry.

Tango on Fifth Avenue

Tangerine Tango that is! This is a colour that I really like but hadn't had much of a chance to play with so far. That said, the card used is tango - the ink colours used for this cool floating watercolour technique were actually really rust and pumpkin pie - I didn't have a tango ink refill.

I think Fifth Avenue Floral may be my favourite stamp set from this catalogue - it was top of the wish list anyway, and is just perfect for this technique. I actually made the flowers a few weeks back - as soon as I got my hands on the stamps, but have only now gotten around to doing something with them. There was a little bit of dazzling diamond glitter in with the embossing powder but I think the hint of sparkle just adds to the magic of this look.

I teamed the Tangerine Tango up with Old Olive, using the now retired 'French Script' background stamp (current equivalent is 'En Francais') to stamp on vanilla card, with some sponging around the edges. Oval punches were used for leaves and the sentiment (from the 'Occasional Greetings' set). Old Olive ribbon and brads finished the card off nicely.

Yep. I am pretty sure that This is my most favourite stamp set - for today anyway!

Teachers Gift PS

I have just spent the afternoon working on a scrapbooking project for the boys. Not quite ready for sharing, but shouldn't be far off. In the meantime, I decided to take a break and check to see if we had any post today (the old fashioned snail mail variety).

Perfect timing after yesterdays blog post. There was a card for Hayden - from his lovely classroom teacher, thanking him for his gift. She said she loves it, and will be saving the cards for extra special people like her 'Mom'. Hayden had the biggest smile on his face when he read that - and the word 'YEAH !' passed his lips.

Two happy people from one project (before the cards are even sent out). Now that makes me smile!

Gifts for Hayden's Teachers

Yesterday's post reminded me that I had not yet shared the gifts we had made for Hayden's teachers a few weeks back. So here they are. There was of course a last minute rush, and I forgot to take photos until after some of the gifts had been packaged, so forgive the photos. I am sure you will get the idea though.

For Hayden's classroom teacher we decided to stick with another of those lovely card folders that we had made for Campbell's teachers (see this post). I thought about making it to match the gifts we had made her earlier in the year, but since I finally had my hands on those beautiful Haiku patterned papers, and the pocket silhouettes stamp set - I couldn't resist going with those instead.

Here is the front of the card folder (inside there is a selection of cards and envelopes - all ready for the lucky recipient to send out).

For the other teachers (PE, Art, Music) and not forgetting the bus driver, we made cute little post it note holders for the ladies (this one in Raspberry Tart papers). Alas, packaged in cellophane bags already, the photo doesn't really show a lot!

For the men we went with bags of decorated chocolates. Hayden thought they might prefer that to the 'kind of girly looking' post it holders! I did suggest we could do them with a pattern that was less floral, but he had already decided on chocolates (I suspect not realising that he wouldn't be eating any of them!)

The gifts were all well received, and I hope they prove useful. Except the chocolates, they are just plain yummy!

A Guest Artist!

A little while ago my sister Anna-lise sent me a photo of a project she had just finished. It was a gift for a daycare teacher who was leaving - a clever gift bag ('bag in a box' - or is it 'box in a bag' ? - I can never remember) - I think filled with yummy home made fudge, and a matching card.

I thought she had done a great job, and suggested that perhaps she could be my first 'guest artist'. She thought I was joking! Now she knows I would never joke about something like that! I think she has done a great job, and I especially like the way she has used her stamps to make her own 'patterned paper'. That is a favourite technique of mine too - and makes for a truly one of a kind project.

The flowers were stamped using the 'Simply Said' stamp set. The 'Thank You' comes from the now retired 'Cheery Chat' set.

And Thank You Anna-lise, for being my first guest artist.

Guest artists are always welcome, and that isn't a joke!

More Birthday Cards for Boys - part 2

For the second of the twin boy birthday cards, I stuck with the 'Big Bold Birthday' stampset, but decided to go with some presents this time.

Once again I chose a background paper with a nice simple pattern and bold colours (Jersey Shore - another retired one -sorry about that - Did I mention I had been having a clean up and rediscovering long lost favourites?) The sometimes tricky bit of choosing colours was then simplified by using the colours in the patterned paper.

Here are both of the birthday cards side by side. I wanted the cards to have a similar kind of feel, but still be different. The birthday boys may be twins - but they are individuals after all. Both cards were given the stamp of approval from my boys, so hopefully they will be well received by the birthday boys too.

More birthday cards for boys - part 1

We seem to be in the middle of birthday season for boys at the moment. Hayden is about to head off to another birthday party - this time to a ninth birthday for twin boys. Eek - not one boy birthday card, but two!

As I was deciding just where to start, I got to thinking, that although there are quite clearly lots of differences between the things that boys like and the things that girls like, from observing my boys and girl, I know that they also have some similarities. Like the fact that they all like cake. And presents. My girl just likes them a bit more pink and sparkly than the boys (although I am pretty sure, that if cupcakes with pink icing were the only thing on offer, they probably wouldn't say no - just complain a bit between bites!)

Time to get out the 'Big Bold Birthday' stampset.

This set is about to retire from the USA/Canada catalogue, but will be available in NZ/Aust until September 2010. I am pleased about that, as this is a very versatile stampset. Especially handy when it comes to birthday cards for boys. For the first card I decided to stick with cake.

I started with a piece of patterned paper from the now retired 'East Coast Prep' and took the colours from there. It all came together pretty quickly after that - with the help of my Stamp-a-ma-jig to get all the cake and candle bits lined up just right. One card down, one to go. But you will have to come back tomorrow to see that one!

Time for a Scrapbook Layout

As I have mentioned here before, Bridie sure does love her baby dolls, even more than her birdy pyjamas. Since the birdy pjs have a layout of their own, I figured it was time the dolls got in on the act too.

This layout is actually a little while overdue. I first started thinking about it way back when I was dyeing these flowers. Unfortunately, the original idea that looked awesome in my head, did not translate so well to paper. Sigh. Don't you hate it when that happens? So I set it aside for a while, and had a rethink. Version two didn't really do it either. More time passes. Until this week, as I had a bit of a tidy up of my craft 'room', rediscovered this project, and decided enough was enough, stick it down already!

So that's what I did. Punch out a few more flowers, rearrange some stuff, and STICK IT DOWN! I love it when you can make all your own embellishments to perfectly match your project. These ones were inspired by the dress Bridie was wearing in the photo. Flowers, hearts, and lines for the long stems. The crimped pieces were intended to mimic the texture of the fabric.

Ingredients for this one (All SU!):

• pink pirourette, pacific point, certainly celery, bashful blue, and white card stock
• pacific point ink, brilliant blue stampin'write marker, and pink pirouette ink (for dyeing the flowers, and sponging the edges of the pink card)
• 'ABC Alphabet lower' stampset
• Fabric flowers from the Pretties Kit
• Rhinestone Brads (ice, round)
• Punches: 5 Petal Flower, Boho Blossoms, Small Oval, Heart to Heart
• Crimper

Now to go and find what else is lurking in the half done pile!

Gathering supplies for another K Werner challenge

Well, gathering ribbon anyway...

The colours for Kristina's challenge this week include a couple of my favourites - basic gray and really rust, along with more mustard and very vanilla.

Although I really like those colours, I had to think about this one for a bit. Initially I was going with the Baroque Motifs stamp set, and a touch of embossing powder (I love how that swirly background looks when it is embossed!) Somehow instead, I ended up with something completely different, with not a baroque motif in sight - this project was definitely one that 'evolved'...

No stamping at all this time - just punches (5 petal flower, boho blossoms, and the 1 3/8" square), earth elements buttons, and the beautiful basic gray taffeta ribbon - knotted through the buttons, and gathered on the adjacent squares.

It has been a while since I gathered ribbon on a project - this taffeta is just perfect. I love the look and it is really not difficult - I will add a gathered ribbon tutorial to my list of things to blog about soon!

A change of scenery

Why do you scrapbook? Who do you scrapbook for? (Do you scrapbook at all?!)

For me, it is mostly about my kids. Capturing their lives - the good, the not so good, and the down right embarrassing (oh yes - I have a LOT of photos that I am saving for 21st birthdays!)

Today I finished a scrapbook layout (shock, horror!! More on that later!) and when I went to put in into Bridie's album, we of course had to stop and look at the rest of the book. Then Campbell wanted to look at his book. Then they both wanted to look at Hayden's.

They spent ages - comparing baby pictures, questioning if it really was them, asking me to read 'the story', and wanting to know 'Who's That? Who's That? Well whose THAT?!' (I'm sure we haven't changed that much!)


This is a reasonably regular occurrence. They really are proud of 'their books', and I should add, their sense of ownership is STRONG! Last year Campbell smuggled his album out of the house so he could proudly show his friend next door. Unfortunately, in a squabble with the friend over which page to look at first, the spine of the album was torn. Not completely in half, but a good effort. He was devastated. I wasn't overly impressed myself. Then I realised, that is part of the story of 'his book' - maybe I should do a scrapbook page about that!

Today as I watched them studying their books, and listening to the (minor) squabbles over which page to look at first, it occurred to me that this is why I do what I do. What better inspiration could there be? That has also got to be another reason why scrapbooking is more important than doing laundry - right?!

And I got a new photo to greet you all with too!