I'm so late!

Delicious Doodles challenge this week is Goth v's Pretty!  I'm so late with my post for the challenge, please accept my apologies.  I won't bore you with all the gory details of my hectic day.

I used Goth Guy from Teri's fabulous range of digi images, I decided that rather than go black with him I'd make him kinda funky and individual.  I love greens and purples together and I actually started this guy with his jacket, I usually do skin then hair when I colour but this time it was the jacket that I started with. 

I've used a sketch from Sketch n Stash as I loved it the minute I saw it. I've added the tear drops covered with crystal effects and glitter and coloured a white ribbon with YG03 which was a pretty good match for the greens I'd used on the card.

Here's a closer shot of the tear drops, they are actually cut outs from the doily die!

Come and join us for Goth v's Pretty challenge at Delicious Doodles.

Cheers,
Kasey ~ in Oz

Sunflowers

Hello everyone, I hope you're colouring up a storm!  The Mad for Markers challenge this month is calling for us to use our Ys and YRs so what better to colour up than Flourishes Sunflower stamps.  Sammi stocks Flourishes stamp sets in her Mad for Markers store.  They really are lovely stamps and really good value when you see how many are in the set.

Sorry I haven't made this up into a card yet.  Just the image, hope you're inspired to enter our challenge this month.

Cheers,
Kasey ~ in Oz

Why didn't I think of that?

Did you ever come across some idea that was so mind blowing, yet so simple?  One of those fantabulous ideas that is sheer genius?

Well, this may not be new to all of you, but it sure was new to me and when I heard about it, I just had one of those 'Duh!' moments and said Why didn't I think of that?

I do sometimes get stamps which are unmounted, just the plain rubber and so I use EZ Mount, that super sticky glued foam pad that sticks so well to your mounting blocks.

Well.....here is my tutorial for mounting these types of rubber stamps.

What you need

 EZ Mount foam
Clear block
double sided tape
StazOn ink
StazOn ink cleaner
unmounted rubber stamps
Pen

 Trim the excess rubber away from the raised image and tack it to your clear block with a strip of double sided tape.

Next peel the thick white backing off the NON GLUED side of your EZ Mount foam.  Lay your foam sheet down on your bench with the non sticky gray side facing up.

 Ink up your stamp with StazOn ink and press it firmly onto the foam.  It's quite soft and sticky so you need to hold the foam when you lift the stamp and block away.  Careful not to smudge your image when doing this.

 Next I trim the stamped image from the sheet, remove the stamp from the block and lay it back over the top of the image, I check the edges to see how well I've lined it all up.

Then using a pen, draw around the edge of the rubber.  Cut along this line, this will help you stick the rubber down in the right spot.

  Peel the printed paper from the EZ Mount and carefully stick your rubber to the sticky side of the foam.  This glue is super strong, so you need to be careful when doing this.

I then trim the excess rubber and foam from around the image so the edges don't pick up ink.  

Be careful when doing this, don't try cutting around curves, make lots of small straight cuts to do your curves.  

Hold your scissors straight so your blades cut vertically and not on an angle.  This will keep the foam edges straight and mean even pressure when you stamp.



Here is the finished stamp, now I can see more easily what the image is and where it is on my block.

I wonder how many of you are now doing the same thing I did, saying.....Gosh, Why didn't I think of that?

Unfortunately I have no idea who came up with this idea.  I'm just glad that crafters share these moments of brilliance!

Until next time.

Cheers,
Kasey ~ in Oz

Southern Girls colour challenge

Hello everyone, welcome to the Southern Girls Colour me Pretty challenge.  We want to see your fabulous creations using Pink and Brown, any shades of Pink and Brown will do!

Check out the awesome inspiration that the Design Team have knocked up for you.  Here's my effort.  I went back to some old favourite techniques and embossed my flowers in white on water colour paper.  Then I used a reinker and an aquabrush to create my layers of colour.  I love how it turned out.

I also made a square frame from my Marianne die, it's a rectangle if cut once, I cut it out 4 times and snipped it with my scissors and then pieced it back together!  Love how thinking outside the box can extend the versatility of your stash.  Oh this is my first use of Washi tape on a card.  I've got it on a journal page, I Love this stuff!

Thanks for dropping by, please leave a note to let me know you were here.

Cheers,
Kasey ~ in Oz

Join Jane for a spot of tea.

Hi all, my lovely blog friend Jane @ Jane's Journal is inviting friends to join her for a virtual cup of tea.  She is celebrating her 200th post and 100th follower!

To mark this occasion, Jane is having a lucky draw of one of her stunning bag charms.  Aside from being a very talented papercrafter, Jane also makes gorgeous jewellery and is quite a way through her training as a silversmith.

Join me in congratulating Jane.

Cheers,
Kasey ~ in Oz

Material Girls!

Hello friends, thank you for stopping in to say hello, please leave me a comment so I know you dropped by.

Today I'm bringing you a DT card for the new Delicious Doodles challenge this week which is to use Material on your project!  I have coloured up Quiet Contemplation, a stunning image by Teri.

I've used some muslin coloured with copics, as this is such a soft fabric, I added some netting behind it so that it gave the muslin some body to stay in a fan shape.

The card base is Blush Blossom and I've used a tiny border of Basic Black both SU card.  Beautiful WOC flowers. The papers are from a DCWV stack called Far East, I've had these papers for such a long time and I love them but like most of the papers I love, it takes a lot for me to actually cut into them.  I've banned myself from buying any more papers until I actually reduce the stash!  

I've even gone as far as cutting a lot of my 12 x 12 papers into 6 x 6 squares as I really do way more card making than scrapping.  I still have my special scrapbooking papers whole, and I will get around to using them......one day!

Hope you are inspired to create a project using fabric.  Come on over and join us!

Cheers,
Kasey ~ in Oz

a work in progress

Hello friends, thank you and welcome to my new followers.  This is a quick scheduled page which should appear automagically on my blog. (fingers crossed)

I am doing a two page spread in my smash book listing all my favourite (crafty) things.  I coloured up these gorgeous new Saturated Canary images and I've started my two page spread, this is just a sneak peek!

I've used lots of Yellow here as that's the challenge at Mad for Markers this month to use the Y's and YR's in your collection.  So they are featured here.

Somehow I don't think two pages is gonna cut it.  I have too many favourite stamps and other things I love to use in my craft, maybe I'll have to put a SOME in the title.

 I'm sorry but I can't list all the colours I've used. cause as seen below, this is the creative chaos state of my desk after the colouring session!  which probably isn't too bad, but when I put the pens away, I'd used 45 different copic markers, 5 spica pens and a multiliner!

I hope you find the time to create something fabulous using your Ys and YRs this month and link up to our Mad for Markers challenge.

Cheers,
Kasey ~ in Oz

Candy winner!

Hey there, I've drawn the 200 followers candy and the winner is.....

Aussie aNNie!

I'm thrilled for you sweetie, Annie has been a loyal follower for some time now.  She makes some amazing projects and I'm sure the goodies will be put to good use.

AND I want to send a little something to....

Caroline!

 for many reasons, but because you were the first to link up and you make a point of visiting me regularly, for that you should be rewarded!

I have a little something extra, but I'm not going to tell you what it is, you'll just have to wait until it arrives.  OK that should build the suspense!

Annie and Caroline, please email me at kasey.in.oz@gmail.com with your postal addresses and I'll get them posted off to you both.

Thank you for linking up to my candy girls, sorry you all can't win.  Keep on Crafting!

Cheers,
Kasey ~ in Oz

200 followers! It's Candy time

Hello all, it's candy time as promised when my blog reached the milestone of 200 followers this week.  Thank you all so much for that massive compliment.

I've got a little selection of embellishments and pre loved stamps here

Flower and Brad pack (purple)

Blue Rhinestone flourish

Embossed foil birds and flowers

Bella felt flowers

Kaiser brads

KC & Co Clearly Yours alpha

Metal embellishments

Bella Resin Flowers

Stampendous Tree stamp.  (used once)

Sweet Pea Ballerina (used once)

Sweet Pea Fairy (used once)

If you'd like to join my candy, here are a few simple things you need to do...

Enter your Name and Blog Link in the linky below!

Post a copy of my candy to your blog (sidebar is fine)

You don't have to be a follower to enter, however if you like my work, then I'd love it if you followed my blog.

I reserve the right to delete candy only entries.  One entry per person please.

Drawn on Sunday 11 Nov 2012 around 12 noon Aussie time!  This post will stay at  the top of my page until I draw the candy winner.

Just adding and update:  I will post world wide so anyone can enter!

Cheers,
Kasey ~ in Oz
 

A sunny blog award

Hi there lovelies, I'm sharing a post to tell you about a blog award that was just bestowed on me by my lovely blog friend Tammy from Tammy's Scrappin' Corner

How sweet!  so now for the rules of this award

1. Include award logo in blog post.

2. Thank the blogger who gave it to you and include a link back to them.

3. Answer 10 questions about yourself, that you have made up yourself. 

4. Nominate 10-12 bloggers and contact them at their blog site to tell them about the award.

OK, part one and two done.

Ten questions that I make up myself....now that's a hard one, this is going to take some time.  

Interview with Kasey ~ in Oz by Kase.

1.  What is your favourite sweet food?

Oh Kase that's easy, dark chocolate, everyone knows Chocolate is in a food group all on it's own!  You know that chocolate releases feel good endorphins it's Sooooooo good for you.

2.  When do you like to craft day or night?

I prefer day time crafting, even with my special magnifying light on my craft desk, daylight makes it easier for my poor old eyes.  LOL  But I've been known to burn the midnight oil as well.

3.  Kasey, we all want to know what is your favourite technique?

Now that's a hard one to answer Kase, there are way too many, don't make me choose!  I love making my own background papers, using emboss resist, shaving cream or stamping and sponging with inks.  But then there is embossing as well.  Oh and colouring with copics, I Lurrrve my Copic markers.   You know what I mean?

4.  What do you like best Kasey, Scrapping, Cards or OTP?

Making Cards is my first love, then scrapping and I'm afraid OTP and 3d items take a back seat.

5.  What's the newest thing you've learnt in your crafting?

The latest tutorial I've followed was for colouring with copic markers, one for colouring hair and another one for colouring folds. There are some amazingly talented artists out there Kase, you should check out the list of fabulously talented girls at the end of this post.

6.  Would you rather be Crafting or Cooking?

Crafting of course, Kase you know I only cook because raw food isn't that appetizing.  I can cook, just not fancy masterchef stuff, I like watching the cooking shows, but can't be bothered with all that fussing around in the kitchen taking up my crafting time!   

7.  If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Now that one is easy.  As you know Kase, I've never been overseas, lived in Australia all our life.  But if I could I'd visit Europe, and yes technically Europe is not a country, but if I went there, I couldn't stop visiting just England, or Scotland or Ireland, with all those other countries so close now could I.  Besides, if I dropped in on Jules and didn't go and visit Birgit, or Pia or Patricia they'd be upset with me!  LOL Oh I wish.....I keep my fingers crossed each lotto draw too.  I'd also love to visit New Zealand,  Hi Tracy and Lou

8.  What do you listen to when you craft?

Oh I have such an eclectic taste in music,  growing up in the 60s and 70s means that music is special for me, I love my rock music too, a little bit of heavy metal, but I really love folk music as well and then I've been know to listen to a bit of classical and some big band tracks as well.  Not too fond of Jazz and don't mind a tiny little bit of Keith (Urban) style country music now and then.  Can't handle hip hop, and crap um I mean Rap but then that's probably my age showing!

9. If you are having a little nip of something, what do you choose?

Ohhh I don't indulge often, when I do, it depends on the occasion as to what I drink. I am partial to a soft Merlot now and then, I like a drop of Tia Maria, on crushed ice, don't add anything else.  A nip of baileys on ice is a nice drop too.  I've been known to enjoy a rum and coke now and then as well.  Don't like beer, that probably comes from the few years working as a barmaid in my much younger years.

10.  When you have time, what do you read?

I love crime novels, I've just finished all of Tara Moss' novels, Oh and I've read the infamous 50 Shades series, it all became a bit ho hum towards the middle of book 2.  I also love fantasy novels, I've read all of David Eddings series two or three times. 

So now you know more than you wanted to about me. Here is my list of crafters and bloggers who I think deserve a blog award.

Caroline, I love her sweet cards, she always drops by with a cheery hello and a lovely comment on my latest cards.

Esther has a gorgeous style in her crafting, I love her out of the box way of using different techniques.

Chris has moved into stitching and does the most exquisite embroidery.  You really need to check it out if you haven't seen her stunning work.

The lovely Jane posts some amazing pictures of her holidays as well as her fabulous jewellery and cards.  Love reading her posts.

Louise is the scrappin' queen of NZ.  LOL well almost, she's also the co owner of Southern Girls and is such a fabulous lady.

Tracy is the other co owner of Southern Girls and is on some fabulous DTs, I'm in awe of Tracy's colouring talent. 

Hazel makes some beautiful cards and is a fellow lover of the colour purple.  Love reading Hazels posts she makes lot and lots of fabulous cards.

Patricia my lovely blog friend in Scotland, she is such a wonderful crafter, her work is stunning and she's now graduated in her grasp of all things technical to post some tutorials on her blog!  Way to go Patricia!

Sweet Sandra, she always stops in to leave a cheery hello and her work is just gorgeous.  You need to go check it out!

Last but certainly not least is my lovely blog friend Wedgie.  She's a cup cake! I drool often when reading her posts, she cooks some amazing sweets and makes some pretty awesome cards.

I also have to add Annie to this list of loyal and talented blog friends, I know that she will be thrilled with it.  

Whew so there you go, I hope these lovely ladies now pass this blog award on to others and I look forward to reading their 10 questions!  LOL that was a lot of fun making up those questions.  I discarded quite a few in the process!

Cheers,

Kasey ~ in Oz

Ys and YRs that's the challenge this month!

Hello there Copic markers fans, I'm here with another Mad for Markers challenge, this month we want you to use those warm colours and break out the Ys and YRs in your collection.

Your project must feature mostly Ys and YRs although you can use other colours in the image.

Here I've made my first Christmas card for the year, using Christmas Lantern Marci, she's so cute and she said vintage was the go!

 I just loved making this card, I haven't done vintage for a while.  The papers are Kaiser Timeless Classics, I've used Very Vanilla SU card, Vintage Photo distress ink to age the edges.  The lace is coloured with E42, it started out white!  I made the pins with some glass beads and I've used Wild Orchid Crafts flowers and Lily of the Valley sentiment and spellbinders Moroccan Motifs die which has been sponged with Vintage Photo.

Now for all the copics used here

The coat, hat and shoes are Y28 and E40, yes that's right, and they blended beautifully! then some YR31 on the trim with Sand spica added on the edges.
Dress YR31 and YR12
Hair:  Y11, 15, 23, 28
Skin:  E000, E01, E11, R20
Lantern YR27, Y15 and 0  Lemon spica and crystal effects glossy coating.

Hope you're inspired to join us for our challenge this month, don't forget you can get all your copic supplies from Sammi at Mad for Markers store.





I also just love vintage and when I saw the challenge at Eclectic Ellapu was vintage this week, I had to link up.


As I'm also a huge fan of Wild Orchid Crafts and their amazing flowers, I've also added this beauty to their Bling it up! Challenge.  

And no week would be complete without an Anything Goes  Make it Monday entry, (yes I've been a bit slack in that department of late)

Cheers,
Kasey ~ in Oz

Dry Embossing time

Embossing would have to be one of my favourite techniques, it adds so much texture to your project and not to mention the sparkle and shine of embossing powders!

It's time to go to your dry embossing folders and techniques for this weeks Delicious Doodles challenge.   Here is my inspiration card, I've used 'Guarding the Nest' as dragons are one of my favourite mythical creatures.

Don't be fooled by her placid look, she's quite deadly especially if she's protecting her young, so don't get too close!

Here is the D&D description of a Blue Dragon!

The blue dragon is a vain and territorial juggernaut of claws, scales, and beating wings, with a powerful breath weapon of crackling lightning! 

 LOL oh that brings back some memories of fun adventures and loads of laughs with friends.  

I've used lots of spica pen on her scales and wings, let's face it, when you imagine a dragon, you imagine all that shimmer on their scales they appear to shift colours as the light hits them.  Oh sorry, I got a bit distracted there.

I've used Dazzling Details on the dragon eggs.  The sparkle and shine is gorgeous.  The embossing folders used here are a cuttlebug reptile skin on metallic paper as a border then a Spellbinders tree/leaves folder on the black.  I swiped a versamark inkpad across the raised parts and then dusted that with some mica powders.  So you see a sheen of blue.

Copics used here are
B0000, 02, 04, 21, 26, 29, Y26 & 28 and E40
Spica Baby Blue, Sky Blue, Gold, Silver and Clear.

I'd love to see your embossed creation over at Delicious Doodles this week!

Hope you like her and the little bit of fun in her description.

Cheers,

Kasey ~ in Oz

Copicendium winner

Hi last month at Mad for Markers, we had a Mulitliner challenge.  In one of my posts, I announced that I'd be giving away my spare copy of Copicendium to one lucky participant.

I've done the draw and the lucky lady is   

Blankina!

Send me an email with your address to kasey.in.oz@gmail.com and I'll get your prize into the mail for you.

Congratulations.

Kasey ~ in Oz