Happy New Year for 2010

Just want to wish everyone who may read my blog a Happy New Year for 2010. I hope all your craft dreams and expectations come your way.

Cheers FiLoMa

Craft - Update #02

Today was a fun filled day of crafting with my girlfriend. She came to work on her calendar page for a swap she is in and I am slowly but surely progressing my mum's scrapbook album. I have committed to having it done by September 2009, at the absolute latest. I'd say I'm about half way through.

I have done a little bit of card making this weekend while I also reorganised my craft room. The following card was CASED from Lana Murray of Keep It Simply Stamping (K.I.S.S). I liked her card so much I brought the paper pack and made my own card.

There were six sheets of this 6"x6" patterned paper. Since this card turned out so great, I plan to use all six sheets to make more of this type of card, just changing the sentiment on each of them. I like that the card is very simple but also very effective. The colours come to gether really well.

Cheers FiLoMa

Craft - Update #01

Yesterday, Sunday 05 April 2009, my girlfriend came round for a craft session. We are both participating in Elle's 2010 Black & White calendar swap. My girlfriend worked on her design, whereas I am currently scrap booking my mum's new house. I'm not a scrapper by heart, so I'm finding this a real chore and I know I have very high expectations of myself to do a great job for my mum. When I have finished the project I will upload the pages to my album. In the mean time, I have not really been doing any card making. Still buying craft supplies, but not getting much use out of them. I will be aiming to work on mum's scrap book album today, as well as make a card or two. I will upload the cards when I have finished them.

Cheers FiLoMa

Cards_R_Us March 2008 swaps

I have been extremely late in getting my yahoo group "cards_r_us" March 2008 swaps done. I finished one swap on time, but I still had my 3 ATC's and a Corset card to make. I actually finished these before I went on my holiday to Queensland, but never got around to posting them off to my partner. I posted them on my return home.

The 3 themes for the March ATCs were:
Food - Time
& Birthday

Corset Card

Cheers FiLoMa

Another Blog to check out

Thought I'd do a final post before I fly out to the Gold Coast for a few days to celebrate my birthday. This link is to another Stampin' Up demonstrator, Karen Barnes who has also done the OSW technique. These cards are great and the "Garden Whimsy" set has just risen in priority on my must have list. I hope you enjoy these cards as much as I have.

Karen Barnes' website for her OSW cards is http://www.goldcoaststamping.com/OSW.htm

Cheers FiLoMa

Check out this blog

Stampin' Up demonstrator Caroline Cassidy has posted to her blog the cards her and her friends did using the One Sheet Wonder (OSW) template. These cards are fantastic and very inspiring, so I am posting a link to Caroline's blog so that you can go and check these cards out.

Caroline's blog is www.cardscreatedbycaroline.blogspot.com

Cheers FiLoMa

Stamping Bella stamps arrive

Hi everyone, just letting you know that I picked up my Stamping Bella stamps that I had ordered through Paper Addiction. This time round I got 9 Stamping Bella's. I absolutely love them, so will aim to use these also this weekend. At lunch today, my girlfriend, a non cardmaker, gave me some great ideas on how to use them, so I think I'll give it a go.

Cheers FiLoMa

Pink Cat Studio Stamps arrive

Hi everyone, I just had to share that when I got home tonight there waiting for me was my Pink Cat Studio Stamps - Cat Plate #1. I was so excited I wish it was the weekend already so I can make some cards. It was way to late when I got home, so I'm just quickly posting my excitement and sharing with you the stamp set that I purchased, see below.

Cat Plate #1

Click HERE, (or in the panel on the right under on-line craft shops) for the link to the Pink Cat Studio web site if you want to check out what other stamps they have. Also, check out Isabel's Little Corner blog, she has done some fantastic work using the Pink Cat Studio stamps. It is because of her creativity that pointed me in the direction of Pink Cat Studio and ultimately to purchase.

Cheers FiLoMa

New Rubber Stamps received & ordered

I forgot to post on Wednesday, 02 Jan that I received my Paper Addiction order for four Great Impression stamps and four Stamping Bella stamps. I am really happy with my order. The Great Impression stamps are just gorgeous. However, before I can use them I have to protect the wood, as these stamps are wood mounted. The Stamping Bella stamps are also absolutely beautiful and Paper Addiction rang me today, 04 Jan to inform me that nine of the Stamping Bella stamps I had order were in, so I rang and paid for them over the phone. For those of you who are not aware, Paper Addiction is in Queensland and it is the only place that I know of in Australia that sell the Great Impression stamps. Debbie said my order will be posted next week, so I should have my stamps by the end of next week, in time for the weekend.

Also, last night I placed an order with Limetart for some "Just Johanna" stamps, so can't wait to collect them when I attend ACTSA at the end of the month. In addition, I placed an order with Pink Cat Studio, so can't wait to get them, which will be in a couple of weeks, so I will have to be patient there.

Cheers FiLoMa

Just Cards Magazine

I just had to post that I received my back order of the magazine "Just Cards". I already had volumes IV, V, VI and VII and decided to back order volumes I, II and III as well as subscribe to the four volumes in 2008. This means I also received volume VIII with my back order. I just love this magazine and the great work that it has. I have already seen a few cards in each of the magazine that I want to CASE. Just wanted to share my excitement in getting this magazine. It has been a happy mail day, with these magazines and my Hanna Stamps (see earlier post).

Cheers FiLoMa

Hanna Stamps arrived

On my way out for dinner tonight I noticed some mail in my letter box. I can be very slack when I'm off work in checking my mail box, especially when I'm not expecting anything. As it turns out, my Hanna Stamps arrived today. So they have been sitting in my mail box for the better part of the day while I was being lazy sitting on the couch watching TV.

Since I couldn't open my parcel before dinner, I had to wait until I got home, hours later. However, it was the first thing I opened as soon as I walked in the door. The stamps are just gorgeous, I'm already creating ideas in my head of how I want to use them. I am definitely going to use one set as part of my ACTSA Jan 08 card sketch challenge, I can see it coming together in my head already.

If you haven't yet seen Hanna Stamps, there is a link to the web site as well as a link to the blog - one under craft sites on-line the other under blogs I visit etc.

Oh, I forgot to say that I got 4 Hanna Stamps. At this point I haven't gone for the "words", but no doubt it won't be long and I want that one too. Happy crafting.

Cheers FiLoMa

TSS Secret Santa

I joined in "The Scrappers Stash" 2007 Secret Santa swap. The rules for this swap were:

• Handmade item,
• Gifts to the value of AUD$15, and
  
• Xmas Card

We were all then asked to fill out a questionnaire about ourselves and our craft interests. This was then mailed to the moderator who paired us up. So, taking into consideration the wants of my Secret Santa partner, I have obtained the following gift items:

Gifts to the value of AUD$15
An overall view & specific view of individual items

In addition, I was stumped as to what handmade gift I would do. I originally was going to do bonbons with chocolates inside, because everyone loves to receive chocolates, but then I thought that the gift wouldn't be good enough, as it would be such a perishable item. I put out a call for help to the group, but before I got a reply, I came up with the handmade notebook.

Handmade Item - Notebook Front Cover


Handmade Item - Notebook Back Cover


Handmade Item - Notebook Front Inside


Handmade Item - Notebook Back Inside

I then had to make a Xmas card to go with these gifts, so I decided to make a card using the serviette with Santa on it. I have already commented in an earlier post about making Santa cards for yahoo group WWRS. Well, I liked the card so much that I made a third to go to my secret santa.

My secret santa Xmas card

As you can, the Santa on this card faces differently from the Santa on the WWRS cards.

I am very please with how everything has turned out. It is my first real attempted in making a notebook using my bind-it-all machine. With practice I will improve, but I am pretty happy with my attempt and I believe my secret santa partner will be happy with her gifts, purchased and handmade. Below is a photo of all the items to go to my Secret Santa.

Overall picture of 2007 Secret Santa items

I will be posting to my Secret Santa in the next day or two. The due date is set at 20 December 2007, well in time for her to receive her gifts for Xmas day.

Cheers FiLoMa

ACTSA January 2008 Card Sketch Template Challenge

2007 is almost to an end. The ACT Stamp Artist (ACTSA) Incorporation held our final meeting for the year 2007. It has been a great year in the club, and as a member of the committee, I've enjoyed having input into what goes on at the meetings and what we try to accomplish for our members. I've also enjoyed being the person who puts together the monthly raffle prizes. The feedback I have received has been outstanding and I really appreciate knowing that the WINNERS of the raffles have enjoyed what they got. I will be continuing putting the raffle prizes together for 2008, so I look forward to seeing the satisfaction on all the winners faces.

In preparation for 2008, we have already been given the yearly ATC swap theme and our card challenge theme for January 2008. I have decided not to participate in the yearly ATC swap for 2008 but instead have decided to participate in the Sketch Template Challenge. The January 2008 Sketch Template is:

I'm looking forward to creating a great card with this sketch template. I find that that template is simple, but allows an enormous scope to be really creative. I have absolutely no idea of what I'm going to do yet, but I'm keen to get in and start creating. All I can say is watch this space, as I will regularly post the cards I make based on the monthly ACTSA challenge. Who knows, I may even use other sketch templates I have available to help me be more creative and inspire me to just get into my craft room and create.

Cheers FiLoMa

I'm now a Stampin' Up Demonstrator

I'm officially a Stampin' Up demonstrator. I received my kit on Wed 14 Nov and I was so excited when I unpacked it and saw all those lovely craft goodies just sitting there begging to be played with.

The first thing I did was unpack everything, check off my invoice - ya nothing missing - and start looking and admiring the 5 stamp sets that I got in my kit. The next thing I did was mount my stamps and then coat them with a protective wood varnish, as I like to ensure that the wood is protected before I use them. I am a bit of a messy cleaner, as opposed to a messy stamper, so I like to ensure the wood is protected as best I can. Since I do two coats, I then got up early on Thu 15 Nov to complete the second coat before going to work, so I could use them that night once home from work.

Since I was going to the SU Regionals in Sydney on 17 Nov 07 and I wanted to participate in the card front swaps that they do, I used one of the designs I made at Robyn Jones' class on Tue night - see earlier post - and just worked on the colour scheme I wanted. Unfortunately I didn't take a photo before I went and gave them away. However, the project recipe for my card was:

Stamps:
Mostly Flowers (108874); Looks Like Spring (108864) and Wonderful Words (108963)

Cardstock:
Cranberry Crisp (108628); Buckaroo Blue (108624) and Whisper White (106549)

Ink:
Cranberry Crisp (107222)

Tools:
Stamp-a-mi-jig (101049)

See photo from Robyn Jones' card class for visual concept. The card was laid out as follows:

The base of the card I used Cranberry Crisp cardstock. I then mounted three 1.5" squares in Buckaroo Blue cardstock along the top of the base card. I then stamped one of the "Mostly Flowers" stamps with Cranberry Crisp ink onto Whisper White cardstock and punched them out with a 1.25" punch and mounted them onto the Buckaroo Blue squares. I then cut about a 1-7/8" strip of Buckaroo Blue card stock, mounted that towards the bottom of the base card. I stamped one of the flowers from "Looks Like Spring" stamp set into the top left and bottom right corners, using my stamp-a-mi-jig to aid in the placement, onto Whisper White cardstock. I then stamped Thankyou from the "Wonderful Words" stamp set into the middle of the Whisper White cardstock. I swooshed around all of the card stock in Cranberry Crisp ink prior to mounting it all..

These colours came together really well, I was really please with what I had made. However, not knowing what to expect at SU Regionals, I only made 13 card fronts, as I didn't have sufficient cardstock in the colours I had decided to use. I still got 13 card fronts back from other SU demonstrators, all of designs of stamp sets that I don't have or haven't used very much, so I'm really please with that. Most, if not all of the card fronts I received, have enticed me to want to go out and get the stamp sets I haven't got now that I can see what can be done with the stamp set. Now that I've been to one SU Regional, I am much more prepared about what goes on, so next time I will aim to make about 100-120, since there were about 110 people who attended. And, if I have card fronts left over, I can just use them in the cards I make and give away.

I'm going to aim to go to SU Convention in April 2008, which is to be held in Brisbane. I'm looking forward to that, if it is anything like Regionals, which I've been told it is but bigger and better. However, I'm not gonna make 400 or so card fronts, but will aim to do about 100, if I get myself organised enough.

I also got to meet Tracey Eaton, another SU demo who I have been corresponding with on The Scrappers Stash as part of the PCD. It was great to finally meet up and put the face to the name. If you are visiting here Tracey - HI.

Anyway, I'm excited to be part of the SU family and to see what lovely cards other demo's are making.

Cheers FiLoMa

My Week 05 Nov - 10 Nov 2007

Well it has certainly been another challenging week for me, both in lifestyle changes and getting back into a routine at work.

Due to the Melbourne Cup holiday here in Canberra, there was no weekly weigh-in for me at Weight Watchers and I forgot or remembered too late to make either the Monday or Wednesday sessions at other meeting places. I did weigh myself at home and my weight has been about the same. I have worked out that I really need to establish a routine, both during the week and more importantly on the weekend.

Also on Melbourne Cup day, or as it was called here "Family Fun Day" ROFLOL, my washing machine decided to kick the bucket - just as I was doing my 1st load of washing. On Wednesday I was busying buying a new machine, which will be delivered this afternoon. I have decided to change over to a front loader, so I'm looking forward to getting it and more importantly, being able to do my washing.

This morning I went the closing down sale at "Scrap the Lot". This shop has been in Kippax for the last 4 years, but Tammy & Yvonne have decided to move on. They had some good items and were offering 30% off, so my total purchase was reasonable. I got a stamp set, ribbon (lots of), punches, glue sticks and bling brads.

The TSS website is back up and has been since late last Monday. Jen is doing all the wrap up for PCD 2007 and in the preparations for PCD 2008. I've already started to resupply my pink stash, not that I really need any more, in the aim and hopes of at least doubling my pledge. I made 31 cards this year and will be aiming to do at least 62, possibly even aim for 100.

I have also taken some photos of my craft room and hope to have these uploaded here for everyone to see soon. I'm slowly changing my storage items, so the photos I have taken are really the before, with one of my new storage items shown.

I've also signed up to be a Stampin' Up demonstrator. I am excited about it, as I love the SU products. Hopefully I will get my starter kit this week. I am also going to the SU Regionals in Sydney as a "guest". I am looking forward to that to see what it offers.

Well, it's a couple of hours before the new washing machine is to be delivered and I have a number of swaps I need to get completed, so best I get a move on and get them done. Especially since I've never participated in an "inchies" swap before - this will be a challenge for me and the theme is "Xmas".

Cheers FiLoMa