Hard Decision

Hello to all my followers and to those of you who just stop by occasionally.  This post is to announce that I've made a hard decision, one that has been looming for some time.  

It is with very mixed feelings that I am about to cease my Stampin' Up! demonstratorship.

With the move to North Queensland and the additional family committments that I now have, I haven't had the time to establish a circle of crafting friends and customers so have been relying on some very loyal friends in ACT and my own purchases to keep me current as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator.  

 I believe that I become 'pending' for the next month, but I'm just not going to make the quota required to remain current.  Part of me will miss the excitement of new product launches, the newsletters and the website for Demonstrators etc. however, I have to be practical as my crafting budget reduced dramatically with the move north and I have not had the luxury of spare time and cash for really growing the business and I do get to keep all the friends I've made! AND the stash I've accumulated.  Stay tuned on that one, as sometime in the next few weeks/month, I'll take stock and possibly have some stamps for sale!

Looking forward though, the exciting part of this decision is that I am no longer bound by the confines of the Demonstrator agreement of only using SU products, now don't get me wrong here, I LOVE Stampin' Up! products, but there are other companies producing some exciting and wonderful products that I'm now itching to get my fingers on and play with.

I hope to get more inspiration to Scrapbook using up some of the stash I've accumulated over the past few years.  As Stampin' Up! products remain the larger part of my stash, you'll still see creations featuring SU products.  

I still have connections, lol my friend Monique who was my downline will keep me up to date and supply me with the must haves that I'm sure to spot in future catalogues.  Sorry Monique for making you an orphan Demonstrator, I know you have lots of lovely SU Demo friends down there to draw inspiration and support from and you can always rely on me to be there for you as well.

Lets hope that I continue to inspire you with my future posts and creations.

Thank you for your support and friendship

Cheers,

Kasey ~ in Oz

Happy New Year from FMU!!!

Opps scheduled this post at 5.30 AM rather than PM.  *sigh*  oh well you get a head start if you've stopped by to say hello!  Hope you take the time to join us!
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Happy New Year! Oh where do the years go? I really believe that as a child the years drag by so slowly...it seems that it takes ages to get to Easter or your birthday or Christmas. As adults though, when the cost of those events comes out of your pocket...LOL they come around all too quickly. However, it is time to C E L E B R A T E a brand new year.

Here at the Friday Mashup, each one of the Design Team wishes you all a very happy, peaceful and prosperous new year. Personally I wish you days filled with sunshine, love and laughter.

Nothing better than sparkles (bling) to set you in the mood to Celebrate so get out all the sparkly stuff in your stash and create a celebration project! I'm so excited to see what you all create.

So here is the "Mashup" Challenge :

1. Make a project that "Sparkles".
2. Or Make a project "Celebrating the New Year".
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a project "Celebrating the New Year that Sparkles" .

 

 I went with subtle sparkle.  Shimmery White card, Champagne Mist shimmer paint on the raised areas and sprayed on the black background and matting on the sentiment.  Oh and of course a few rhinestones!

The fabulously talented Friday Mashup Design Team have also created some amazing projects for your inspiration.

Happy New Year.

Kasey ~ in Oz

Ohhh one of my favourite colour combos

Hi again, imagine that, three posts in one day!  Not necessarily unusual for me.  I had to rush off this moning when I realised I'd posted my Friday Mashup DT card early and didn't have time to recall the post and reschedule,  I had to go pick up my grandson as we were heading off to the movies.  We saw Happy Feet Two.  It was OK, not quite up to the first one though.

I've had some time to do some more crafting this afternoon and here's what I came up with.

This is the first time I've followed a Deconstructed sketch and I had fun with it.  I've also used Stampin' Royalty colour combo as it is one of my all time faves.

Hope you like my card.  Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers,

Kasey ~ in Oz

I'm Late! for PLG 12

Hi all, if like me you're still rushing around doing all sorts of seasonal and family stuff I'm hoping you'll forgive my tardiness in posting me DT effort for the Paper Lovin' Gals Challenge #12.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  Yes just a little early but this gives you all time to go and create your own celebration card!  Here's the inspiration photo. 

I went with the theme of celebrate and pieced together some swirls cut with the big shot to sort of imitate fireworks.  Which I don't think quite worked out but I really like the whole effect.

The on time Design Team have created a lovely mix of projects for your inspiration you can see them all on the Paper Lovin' Gals Blog.

Cheers,

Kasey ~ in Oz

Time for crafting...Yay!

Update:  The lovley ladies at Unscripted Sketches have selected this card amongst their top 3.

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I trust you have all recovered from the round of festivities that comes hand in hand with the Christmas Season and are all gearing up to celebrate the end of 2011 and welcome in 2012.  I thought this sentiment from SU Word Play set to be so apt for a new year.

I've had some time to clean up the chaos on my desk, oh ok, partially clean up my desk and then create more mess by making some cards!  LOL, I'm sure you can all relate to that. 

This card has been made for Unscripted Sketches # 138, I love their sketches and usually I pretty much stick to the original sketch. 

I've taken my colours from The Paper Players colour challenge # 76 to use Cherry Cobbler, Gold and Vanilla.  I think that More Mustard counts as a gold even though I did use gold embossing for the butterflies.

I've also 'fussy cut' the elegant butterflies so I can enter this card into the challenge #89 over at the City Crafters Challenge blog.

I love reading your comments so thank you for leaving them when you stop by.

Cheers,

Kasey ~ in Oz

Merry Christmas

For those of you who have time to browse today, and for those of you still rushing around getting all those last minute chores done...

I wish you all a safe and happy Christmas with your families and loved ones.

Enjoy the little things, for when it is all said and done, they will be the things that will have meant the most.

Cheers

Kasey ~ in Oz

Last Friday Mashup before Christmas!

Hi all, Lisa brings us this fabulous sketch the Friday Mashup this week along with a mashup of Watercolouring.  Now I love watercolouring, I'm just not so sure it loves me!  I really need to do some serious practice to so I've kept this card simple.

I love this stipple rose, long retired SU stamp.  I stamped and embossed the image in black then bleached out the image.  I came up a soft rich cream colour on the Bravo Burgundy.  I then added Always Artichoke to the leaves and Pretty in Pink lightly to the roses.

Have a very Merry Christmas.

Check the Friday Mashup blog for inspiration from the other DT girls and I hope you get a moment spare to play along with us.

Cheers,

Kasey ~ in Oz

Merry Christmas from Paper Lovin' Gals

Hi all, Christmas is so close now, I hope you have all managed to get your presents and food shopping done, all your cards made and sent.  For most of us, the real work begins on Christmas Day with all the catering and cleaning up that we end up doing!

 I'll be back with another post or two prior to the big day so will spend some thinking time to put my Christmas Wishes in order.

For Paper Lovin' Gals this week we have an amazing photo, I love the almost monochromatic look this inspires.  So I used some white, white glimmer paper and silver ribbon and embossing powder with a large silver brad.  I added double score lines to provide a frame.  

Very simple but I think quite elegant.  Sorry I think I've already confessed to being a poor mans photographer!  But you get the idea....lol  

I hope you are inspired to find some time out of the hectic pace of Christmas celebrations for some quiet creative 'you' time in your craft area.

If you do manage to get the time and urge to create, head on over to the Paper Lovin' Gals and be inspired!

I'm also entering this card into the City Crafters Challenge - Winter White.  I think it's frosty enough!


Cheers,
Kasey ~ in Oz

Christmas Angel

Hello all, 
I'd really like to say a huge Thank You to those Wonderful ladies that manage and host all the fabulous challenge blogs out there in blogland and a huge Thank You to all of the amazing design teams for their inspiration.

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It's been quite some time since I got my copics out and did some colouring.  I have had this angel stamp for some time but this is the first time I've used copics on her.  Love the way she turned out!

The camera hasn't picked up clearly, there is a fine line of stardust gel pen edging the white layers of the angel and the backing layer as well as the stars and embellishments on her wings and dress, but it just looks so good and ties the whole white/cream combination together nicely, I really thought it wasn't going to work as white and cream are not colours I usually combine.

My Christmas Angel is going into the following challenges.

Mad for Markers - Christmas Card

Hand Stamped Sentiments - An old Fashioned Christmas Theme #97

4 Crafty Chicks - Christmas Card Challenge #68

Cheers,

Kasey ~ in Oz

Distressed Vintage Chipboard

Hello to you all, I hope you've all got your Christmas shopping completed, for once I'm all done early and won't be racing around on Christmas eve getting those last minute things.

Friday Mashup this week has gone all distressed, well our projects are....LOL although if the shopping wasn't finished I know I would be!

Heidi has come up with a fabulous challenge to use Chipboard and / or distressing.  Those of you who follow my blog will know that I love vintage, so as distressing and vintage / shabby chic go so well together that's what I went with.

So here is the "Mashup" Challenge :

1. Make a project featuring "Chipboard (Precut or Diecut )".
2. Or Make a project using "Distressing (w/ ink, scissors or the Cutter Tool Kit)".
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a "Distressed Project featuring Chipboard".

I used loads of ink and distressing the edges with my fingernails, as the card was dry embossed, it was quite soft and tore easily to create this lovely distressed edges.  Ink was sponged over the embossed area in both Sahara Sand and Pink Pirouette.  The Chipboard Believe was dabbed with Champagne Mist Shimmer paint and a few drops of Pretty In Pink ink, it really shimmers

 My beautiful butterflies were done in Whisper White ink, then sponged with shimmer paint and pink pirouette, I went lightly with the ink on these and they shimmer beautifully, then backed them with Pretty in Pink card and popped on a few rhinestones to add more bling!


I had picked up some lace and then threaded some pink satin ribbon through it, I was going to add a lovely big bow, but then the lattice part of the lace would have been totally covered up, so I left it off and I'm glad I did.


I'm thrilled wiht this, I might end up overthinking this one and go back and add some flowers...LOL but happy with the way it looks for now.


Head on over to the Friday Mashup challenge blog to see the creations that the Design Team have for your inspiration.  They are so gorgeous!  The girls as well as their projects!


Enjoy creating and I hope to see your entries soon.


Cheers,
Kasey ~ in Oz

Paper Lovin' Gals # 10

How time flies when you're having fun...Paper Lovin' Gals is up to its 10th challenge!!!

The inspiration photo for us this week has very much a Christmas theme for us all, but this should come as no surprise as it's now less than two weeks till the big day!

From this photo I have taken Christmas and Red and White to come up with my inspiration card for you.

Whisper White and Cherry Cobbler, a few rhinestones and some dry embossing, a stamped and punched lable and it's done!

Hop on over to the Paper Lovin' Gals challenge site and see what other inspiration you can gather.

Cheers,

Kasey ~ in Oz

Unscripted love

Hi all, here is my other make for today,  I love Unscripted Sketches and try to play along now and then.  This one was such a lovely CAS design.

I had all sorts of ideas running around and when I tried to harness them, the kept being elusive and slipping away from me.  Then I decided not to go down the Christmas card path and thought PINK instead, and it all just flowed together....I guess I'm over making Christmas cards now!

Cardstock:  Rose Red, Pretty in Pink, Pink Pirouette, Silver Glimmer Paper.

Ink:  Rose Red

Stamps:  Punch Potpourri, Baroque Motifs, Occasional Greetings

Big Shot: Dots embossing folder, Heart Embosslit

Card Pattern Sketches and Our Creative Corner

Hi all,  I have locked myself away in the airconditioning today and been a little bit creative.  Yes, I can hear a few of my followers going WHAT?  Airconditioning?  LOL at least those of you in the Europe or US and Canada where winter is in full swing.  Here down under, it's very much in the middle of summer and we are sweltering, the humidity has been horrid but the storms have kept away, we've only scored a little bit of rain from the heat and clouds.  Oh well, it's only for a few more months then it will start to cool off to a more bearable temp.  Anyway enough grumbling about the weather, it's not going to change because I grumble!

Here is my take on the Card Patterns Sketch this week 

 

I've combined it with the challenge over at Our Creative Corner and added a ribbon ruffle instead of the scallop in the sketch, I also went with a square card and oval shape.

I've combined my favourite Christmas colours together but missed the deadline for SU Only, I was really sad to see Handsome Hunter go out of the SU colour range.  One of my all time favourite greens and I still have a little bit left.

Cardstock:  Bravo Burgundy, Hansdome Hunter, Very Vanilla
Ink:  Versamark, Bravo Burgundy
Stamps:  Occasional Greetings, Illuminated (wheel)
Accessories:  Rhinestones, Very Vanilla satin ribbon, Scallop edge punch.  Bigshot Ovals die.

Friday Mashup #36

Hello all and welcome to a new Friday and another fabulous Friday Mashup challenge!

So here is the "Mashup" Challenge :

1. Make a project featuring "Snowmen".
2. Or Make a project using the colors "Blushing Bride, Baja Breeze & Basic Grey".
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a "Snowman project with the colors Blushing Bride, Baja Breeze & Basic Grey".

*With all of our Challenges that have a Stampin' Up! Color Combo, you may substitute any colors with similar ones you have on hand.

I don't actually own any snowmen stamps and due to the extreme heat up this way at this time of year, snowmen are the last things on my mind!  I've not mashed it up again this week.  How slack!  LOL.  I did make a card using the colours though and went with the Strength and Hope stamp set and even put a Breast Cancer ribbon on the card as this set was used to raise funds for Breast Cancer research, with SU donating dollars from each and every set sold at the time.

Head on over to the Friday Mashup Challenge Blog and check out the snowmen that the DT have come up with.  Send me some snow girls, it's too darn hot here!   LOL


Cheers,
Kasey ~ in Oz

Another inspiration photo...

Thank you to my most recent followers, I am very touched that you find my work inspirational enough to follow my blog, so thank you for that compliment.

On to this weeks photo inspiration at the Paper Lovin' Gals challenge blog.  We are relatively new so head on over and be inspired by this fabulous picture and the intepretations that the Design Team have for you.

I went with the colours in the picture Cherry Cobbler, Confetti White and Basic Gray.  I've also used the current sketch over at Unscripted Sketches, I don't often get time to play along.  I've dragged the inkpad across the cardstock to create some hazy lines on the backing piece, then sponged the top piece.  The red flowers have crystal effects on them and the small hearts also came up shiny.

Cheers,

Kasey ~ in Oz

Shake, Shake, Shake

Hey there, welcome to a new Friday Mashup challenge!  Rita, the newest Friday Mashup Design Team member has challenged us to do a winter theme with a shaker card.

So here is the "Mashup" Challenge :

1. Make a project featuring "A Shaker Card".
2. Or Make a project with a "Winter Theme".  
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a " Winter Themed Shaker Card. "

I'm afraid I've slacked off this week and used the sweet treat cups from Stampin' Up! to make my shaker card and I've not done a winter theme either!  To be honest, it's a sweltering and muggy 32 degrees celcius here in North Queensland and winter is a dim distant memory.

The petals are from the blossom builder punch and are Wisteria Wonder sponged with Elegant Eggplant ink, little hearts punched from the Owl punch in both colours and put in the sweet treats cup.  I had some sparkly cardstock that I used to back the cup.

As this is Rita's first challenge, I hope you will all get behind her and enter the challenge.  Can't wait to see all the amazing creations.  As usual, if you haven't come from the Friday Mashup challenge blog, head on over and see what the DT girls have cooked up for your inspiration.


Cheers,


Kasey ~ in Oz

Paper Lovin' Gals challenge...come on, join in!

Hi all, it is always a slow process getting new things to catch on, we hope you will feel challenged to join us for this weeks photo inspiration challenge at Paper Lovin' Gals blog.

Michele has chosen a tricky one, at least I thought so, I had so many false starts with this picture that I almost gave up!  Then I settled on the row of parcels on the wall and it all came together for me.

If you haven't come from the Paper Lovin' Gals challenge blog, head on over there and check out the amazing projects the talented design team have come up with to inspire you to create.

Have fun with it and I can't wait to see your entries.

Cheers,

Kasey ~ in Oz