My First Swap....

In October last year I joined Splitcoast Stampers Group after having been lurking there as a guest for some couple of years....

Well I thought I should become involved a little instead of just gleaning all the ideas and techniques without giving anything back. I am so glad I did.

I have taken a couple of spots in a swap (my very first) and thanks to Libby for letting me. Here are my efforts.


The above card is for the Reptile Section. He is a cute little gecko on white card base, layered with Pickle and Bamboo Bazzill Canvas cardstock, co-ordinating designer paper, with a focal of the gecko stamped on white card layered onto Splash Bazzil. Coloured with watercolour pencils and finished with co-ordinating twill and brads in the fancy corner cuts.


The second section is.... wait for it.... Kangaroo. Now what Aussie could resist this when sending to the USA? Very simple card on white base, full panel and half panel of Parakeet and Pinecone Bazzill, embossed with my fav tree and a focal of the little kangaroo. All panels are edged with distress ink to add dimension. Ribbon, ric rac and brads to embellish.

LoveLaurenxx

New Direction or Distraction

This is something I have been thinking about and wanting to have a go at for a long long while. Well last week at the craft group a very talented Corrine came along and gave us a lesson in the basics of design and layout, tools and how to use them, cutting and nibbling and it was just fantastic!! Corrine used to work with a mosaic artist and is quite an artist herself. She does fantastic work and has such an easy way about sharing her vast knowledge.

This is my first attempt, I had to take it home and go and buy some more supplies and a tile cutter/nibbler so that I could finish, but I could not wait to post this.

Hopefully I will not get so distracted that I will not be able to finish some cards, although I have some to post . I will post this as a completed item next week, promise.

LoveLaurenxx

Metal, Metal, Foil and Metal

This year I have promised myself that I will post regularly, hopefully at least weekly... let's see how I go....

For the last little while I have been playing with foil, stamping it, embossing it, trying all sorts of things and have had many disasters, but have come up with some embellishments done in the Big Shot that I like.



These have been made using aluminium cans, yes that's right, those old coke cans work wonders. Just cut the can open (very carefully), flatten it out a little to stop it curling up and then colour it with StazOn ink!!! So easy. I used a texture stamp by Lucy's Stamps called Blotch. It is a nice chalk/brushed linen type that gives a great mottled effect.


For this card I haved used a Spellbinders cut and emboss die (daisy??) and it gives a great embossed and detailed flower, a flourish for the 'stem' and some white stamping on black, ribbon trim and done!!


This card has a flower made from scraps of foil, punched and assembled to create a different flower. The butterfly made with Spellbinders cut and emboss die (butterfly no??), and I have layered a different colour under the wing holes to give a slightly different effect. A different flourish, some ribbon and bling all attached to a textured lattice background.



Ahh this one is my favourite. Again the butterfly, a stamped flower (penny black) on black mounted on spellbinders scallop rectangle to create a focal, ribbon and tag and all placed on white embossed background. Oh yes the stamping is white ink on black cardstock, then coloured with watercolour pencils and highlighted with white pencil and white gel pen.

Think that's enough for this week.

LoveLaurenxx

Back from the Depths

What a rocky road the last year has been, loss of mojo, drifting aimlessly, not really interested in anything much at all. Depression is like that, but I am now back on track and thanks to some wonderful friends I have interest and mojo back. Deep thanks to those who have helped me through the dark days.
LoveLaurenxx

Christmas Cards

I really love all the things that go with Christmas, especially the preparation, the card making, decorating, all the fun stuff that can last for months beforehand and make Christmas very special for family and friends.


I love using my ink pads for more than just stamping. Here I have inked my embossing folder and then embossed the image of snowflakes so it is coloured for the main panel. I have also inked the scalloped strip and the image frame, then stamped the front wording, inside greeting and the image for the front and the envelope in the same colour for a co-ordinating look


Remember that all things in craft have many uses :)

Laurenxx

Just Love This Card!

I really loved making this card! The colour combination, the detail of the shadow stamping and the embossing on the main panel. It all just seemed to come together and looked just great.

Laurenxx

Christmas 12 Card Quick

With this cutting pattern you can get all the coloured pieces you need to complete the pictured cards from just 3 sheets of bazzill cardstock, so team together with base A5 cardstock and some ribbon and you have a great set of cards. So get out those scraps of patterned paper and get cutting. Have fun!

Laurenxx