Thursday 28 August 2014

It's Looking Like A White Christmas


I wish! We don't get to see any White Christmases here but it's on my bucket list to see one, hopefully in the USA.   The Holiday catalogue goes live today & I have to say you are going to absolutely love it!   One of my 1st preorder items was the Photopolymer set called White Christmas.   I originally thought this set would work well for Project Life cards.  But then not having any snow experience or photos I had to laugh & find another use for it.   I was totally sucked in by the polar bear.  I love me a good polar bear stamp :) 

Since having a play with it I have made a whole display board full of cards using the Hip Hip Hooray Kit #134998 ( p. 197 of Annual Catalogue).  I will feature them on the blog soon & hope to include a tutorial.  As soon as I saw this all inclusive card kit I thought - WOW perfect for Christmas cards!  While it has ink & stamps in it for birthdays, the Kraft card bases are perfect for a whole lot of Christmas cards & as you get the envelopes you have everything you need…well except for Christmas stamps.  That is where White Christmas comes in! 

White Christmas Hip Hip Hooray Card 1
Here is one of my cards for the display board.  Please excuse the dodgy photo but I had already put it all together & forgot to take a photo pre board build.  I have also used the new Confetti Star Punch, exclusive to the Holiday Catalogue.
You can see my display board this weekend at Paperific . What is Paperific I hear you ask?  it is the best paper craft show in Melbourne that is what! Kids under 12 are free and trains & trams are running direct to the show grounds.   Come along & say Hi & make a little project at our Make & Take table.   I will be there all weekend so please do come along & see me.    




 Thanks For Looking,
TRICIA

Sunday 24 August 2014

Bright & Beautiful Star Bundle


It is never too early to start Christmas card making, am I right?  Stampin' Up! are offering a great deal at the moment with their Bigshot promotion.  For those of you who are unaware, if you buy a Bigshot in August you can choose from 5 Stamp & Framelit bundles for free! (see my promotions tab up top)   Woohoo - I love a freebie!   If you already own a Bigshot you can order these bundles at 15% off.  That is exactly what I did to get my hands on the gorgeous new Bright & Beautiful Stamp set & matching Star Framelits.

I actually cased this card from the new Holiday Catalogue (p. 25) which will be going live in a weeks time.  Not long to wait to order from it, but you can buy this bundle right now as a special promotion.



To make this card I got out my gold embossing powder & heat gun & embossed onto Vanilla card stock.   Gotta love the Dictionary background stamp for versatility.  I used Gorgeous Grunge for my gold splotches.  Oh & let me tell you…that Cherry Cobbler linen ribbon in the top left has to be the best ribbon SU have ever come up with.  It feels so luxurious & ties beautiful bows.  The Rhinestones were coloured using the Cherry Cobbler Blendabilities to give them a nice deep red shine.

Thanks For Looking,
TRICIA 

Wednesday 20 August 2014

The Hardest Card To Make


I know many people say that masculine cards are hard to make, but for me sympathy cards are harder.  I find them hard as they are so personal & it is such a difficult time for all involved.  You might worry that giving a card when someone dies doesn't really matter, but being a person who has lost someone dear to me I have to say that card means more than the paper it is on.    It means you took the time to really think of the loved one, to share in the sorrow & make something to remember them.

This one in particular was incredibly hard to make.   The world lost a beautiful, kind & generous lady this last week.  This special lady attended many of my classes & events & I was lucky enough to call her a friend.  I remember she loved blue, butterflies & flowers.  She didn't like pink or messy techniques like tearing.  I wanted to make something that she would have liked.  She really made some of the most beautiful cards & shared her love of card making with her sister & daughter.   I am so proud that I was the one that introduced these ladies to card making.  It not only gave them a creative outlet but it gave them precious times together & memories that will last a lifetime.  


I attempted this card about 4 times using lots of different techniques, but in the end I chose to watercolour the flower from the Hostess set, Bloom With Hope.  I coloured the white ribbon using the Night of Navy Blendabilities as I really wanted to use a navy ribbon & didn't have any.  I used the sentiment from the retired Hostess set Simply Sketched.   RIP Hanna. 


Thanks For Looking,
TRICIA 

Sunday 17 August 2014

A Flowering Flourish Screen Card


Screen cards are all the rage right now.  I have seen so many lovely designs & thought I would have a go at making one myself.  I love the new I Love Lace background stamp & challenged myself to use a stamp set I have never used.  I chose Flowering Flourishes.  It has sat on my shelf for over a year & it was time it got inked up & used. I am not sure why I haven't used it before as it really is lovely.




I have also used the cute new little flower punch & matching stamp set called Something To Say along with the butterfly from Papillon Potpourri.  The sentiment is from Perfect Pennants.  

Thanks For Looking,
TRICIA