Art with Gillycat

Happy Birthday Mummy Bear

Hello Lovely People,

Today I'm popping up a card that I made for my beautiful Mummy Bear for her Birthday in late October. She loves cats and loves my home made cards so what better an idea than to combine these things into a card made with love. I have made this card using the lovely hostess reward set called 'Window Dressing'. 

Here's the Card Recipe:

I have created this look by first stamping the image with Basic Black ink on Whisper White Card Stock and then colouring it with a range of Stampin' Write Markers - too easy! I then cut out the window panes with a scalpel and put a piece of DSP behind it to create the look of wallpaper in the background. The cat is cut out separately and raised up with Stampin' Dimensionals.

Card Stock: Textured Riding Hood Red, Pink Pirouette and Whisper White

Stamp Set: Window Dressing

Ink: Basic Black

Simply Scrappin' Pack: Sweet Nothings

Designer Series Paper: Bella Rose

Stampin' Write Markers: Pretty in Pink, Blush Blossom, Close to Cocoa & More Mustard

Needless to say there was a lot of ooooing a ahhhing from Mum when I gave her the card which was just perfect because I wanted her to feel special.

Back soon - Di xox

Paperific is nearly here!

THE NOVEMBER PAPERIFIC EXPO!

Woo Hoo! It's almost here!

Come and visit me at the Stampin' Up! Stand on Friday 13th November. I'll be there with 3 other fabulous demonstrators from the team. We will have 'Make & Take' projects to join in on, technique demonstrations to watch and heaps of cards and scrapbooking pages on display to inspire you! 

13, 14 and 15 November 2009

at the Melbourne Showgrounds in Ascot Vale
just Northwest of Melbourne's City Centre

The expo runs for three days:
9.30am to 5pm - Friday and Saturday
9.30am to 4pm - Sunday

adults: $10
seniors & full-time students: $8
kids under ten: free

PARKING: The Showgrounds provides all day parking for Paperific guests at the low cost of $5. It is a quick drive via CityLink - just exit at Racecourse Road which turns into Epsom Road.

ARRIVAL: Enter the Showgrounds via the main gate in Epsom Road: Gate 1.

I hope to see you all there!

Di xox

'My Man' Sneak Peak!

Goodmorming Beautiful People,

It's sneak peak time again! Pop on over to STAMP A MEMORY for my latest scrapboop page layout; it's just gone up! I hope this one will be particularly useful to those of you who find it hard to come up with masculine page ideas. This one is a layout of my wonderful hubby, Paul.

Enjoy.

Di xox

For my Sister-at-Heart

Hi Everyone,

Just thought I'd pop up another variation on my 'Christmas Sunset' card from a couple of days ago. I made the version I'm showing you today especially for my beautiful sister-in-law for her birthday yesterday. This card has several more layers of mountains fading into the distance - an effect I have achieved by adding lighter ink colours further into the background of the image; starting with 'Staz-on Black', then 'Ruby Red' and finishing with 'Regal Rose'.

I hope you enjoy this design too.

Happy Stamping - Di xox

Heritage Layout

Hi All,

A short post to let you all know that I have a heritage scrapbook layout up on our STAMP A MEMORY team web blog at the moment. Here's a sneak peak. Check out the whole page by clicking here.

Enjoy.

Di xox

Christmas Sunset

Hello Everyone,

I hope you all had a wonderful week-end and what glorious weather it was for it too!

Today I am going to show you a card that is a variation on a design that I was able to try at a technique class which my up-line, Claire Daly, held for some team members a month or so a go. This card involves two very interesting and enjoyable ways to use stamps and inks called: 'Masking' and 'Sponging'. If you'd like to learn first hand how to create this look then please book yourself into my monthly technique workshop at my home, this coming Sunday October 18, 2009. I am a great believer in learning by having a go.

Here's what I've used to create this card:

Stamp Sets:'Winter Post', 'Le Jardin Botanique' & 'Punches Three' (Hostess reward set)

Ink Colours:'More Mustard', 'Ruby Red', 'Regal Rose', 'Versa Mark' and 'Staz-on Black'

Card Stock: 'Riding Hood Red', 'Whisper White' and 'Basic Black'

Embellishments: 'Riding Hood Red Striped Ribbon', yellow Rhinestones from the 'Circle Fire' set

Paper Paunches:'Tab' and '1 & 3/8th inch'

Other Tools: Gold Embossing Powder, 'Stamping Sponges'

I hope to see some of you at my workshop on Sunday. If you can't make it and would like some advice on making this card then please just contact me.

Happy Stamping - Di xox

Snow Swirled

Good-morning Beautiful Crafters,

 Well I'm getting quite into the Christmas card making zone now so I thought I'd share this card with you. It's very simple but quite striking. I've used the Stampin' Up! 'Snow Swirled' stamp set for this one (pg 30 IBC $45.95). I absolutely adore the tree in this set and am particularly enjoying embossing it using Versa Mark ink, Embossing Powder & a heat gun to set it. Too easy and so WOW! You can follow the card recipe below the photo if you'd like to make this card yourselves. Enjoy!

Card Recipe

1) The main card is done in 'Real Red' card stock.

2) This has been followed by a piece of Patterned paper from the 'I Wish' Simply Scrappin' Scrapbooking Kit (pg 137 IBC $36.95) that has been mounted on 'Basic Black' card stock.

3) I have then inked up both the tree and the Season's Greetings message from the 'Snow Swirled' stamp set with Versa Mark ink and stamped them onto some 'Basic Black' card stock. I poured silver embossing powder over that, tipped off the excess and then heat set it with my heat gun. This brings up the metallic shine on the images. I then cut out the tree and the greeting ready to stick onto the card.

4) I have added some 'Real Red' wide grosgrain ribbon to the card, stuck the tree slightly over that using 'Stampin' Dimensionals' (adhesive raised foam pieces) to raise the tree off the card. I then stuck the wording underneath using the 'Two-way Glue Pen'.

5) I have finished off the tree with a 'Real Red' Rhinestone brad from the 'Circle Fire' rhinestone set.

I always love to see your creations so please email them to me so I can feature them on my sight......don't be shy........and I don't want to hear any of you saying your cards aren't good enough! Ya hear!?!?

Back soon and happy stamping to you all.

Di xox

 

Sneak Peak

Hello Lovely Crafters!

SNEAK PEAK!

 
Are you needing further inspiration for your Stampin' Up! scrapbooking projects? Perhaps it's time to take another look at the STAMP A MEMORY web blog. In the next day I will have a new scrapbook layout up on the site (sneak peak photo above) with product recipes and highlights of techniques to show you.

Don't forget that I am one of six designers on this fabulous team so there will be plenty of inspiration and flair to check out from the other 5 ladies as well. We have a nice mix of styles to show so there's something for everyone's tastes.

Happy scrapping!

Di xox

Tis soon the Season to be Jolly

Hello All,

I'm sure you're all asking the same question as me........where is this disappearing too? Yes, before we know it the Season to be Jolly; good old Christmas, will be upon us and we'll have to start thinking about pressies and cards again. So what better way to get in the mood than to show you a Christmas card I've made. Hopefully it will get your creative minds working and you'll be inspired to start thinking about making your own cards. I love receiving home made cards for any occasion but I think it's especially nice at Christmas for someone to take the time to do it given that everyone is even busier than usual at this time of year.

If you're looking for even more fun and inspiration then consider coming to my October workshop (see my 2009 monthly workshop  schedule by clicking on the heading at the top of the page). October's workshop will be all about Christmas cards and I'll be showing some lovely new techniques for making them.

Here's the card recipe:

Stamp Sets:

1) 'En Francais' (for the background on main card).

2) 'Winter Post' (for the skating couple & the post mark behind the skaters).

3)  'Occasional Greetings' (for the Merry Christmas wording).

Card Stock:

1) 'Riding Hood Red' (for the main card).

2) Water Colour paper (to stamp the skaters on).

Designer Series Paper:Two different patterns from the 'Ski Slope' paper pack (Spring Mini Catalogue pg 20).

Ink Colours:

1) 'Staz On black' for the skaters outline.

2) For the other colouring on the skaters I have painted with a fine paint brush using colour directly from the lids of some of my ink pads: Riding Hood Red, Baja Breeze, Old Olive, Close to Cocoa & Chocolate Chip. You just press your lid onto the pad before opening it and once opened you'll have some colour on the inside of the lid to dip your brush in. It won't be much but that's all you'll need anyway. I have added a little water to my brush as well to spread the colour onto the watercolour paper. 

3) I have also finished off with some sponge daubing around the edges with: Sahara Sand, Baja Breeze & Riding Hood Red.

4) Versa Mark ink with black embossing powder for the Merry Christmas wording.

Embellishments:

1) Riding Hood Red Striped Ribbon

2) Stampin' Dimensionals (to raise the layers of paper)

Happy stamping and I'll be back soon with more!

Di xox

Time for Something Pretty

Hello Lovely People,

It's time for a card again and I thought I'd do something feminine and pretty for a change. I've made use of a technique that I haven't shown you before. It's watercolouring the fool proof way except that you don't use watercolours - you use your Stampin' Up! Ink refills with a fine paint brush! Here's the card and I'll explain how it's all done in the card recipe below:

Card Recipe

Stamp Sets:5th Ave Floral (for the flowers), Oval All (for the Best Wishes), Rustic Rooster (Background on main card. This is a hostess reward set).

Card Stock:Water Colour Paper, Kiwi Kiss, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White.

DSP: Walk in the Park (for the leafy green background paper).

Ink Colours:Versa Mark with White Embossing powder (for the Flower Outlines and the Best Wishes Message), Pretty in Pink Refill with a paint brush (to colour the flower petals), Kiwi Kiss with a sponge dauber (to sponge around the oval & to stamp the background on the main card).

Embellishments:Pretty in Pink Taffeta Ribbon, Stampin Dimensionals (to raise one of the flowers off the card), stick on half pearls (Kaiser Craft brand).

Paper Punches: Eyelet Border, Scallop Oval, Large Oval.

Spotlight on Technique: Watercolouring with Ink Refills

Here's what you'll need to do the embossing and watercolouring:

Steps to follow:

1) Brush down a piece of Stampin' Up! water colour paper with your Embossing Buddy to remove the static from the page.

2) Ink up a fine outline stamp in Versa Mark ink and stamp the image on the paper.

3) Pour White Embossing Powder all over the image, shake off the excess onto a scrap of paper and pour it back into the container and then heat set the image with a heat gun until it looks raised and glossy.

4) Take an ink refill bottle in the colour of your choice and gently squeeze some ink directly onto the flower. Using either a fine paint brush dipped in a little water or an aqua pen, spread the colour around the flower creating light and shade as you go.

5) Let the image dry, cut it out and stick onto card.

Note: The beauty with this technique is that it doesn't matter if you go over the edges because you cut the flower out when you've finished. Also, the embossing creates a wonderful edge to contain colour as it is raised and waterproof.

If you would like to see this technique demonstrated then book into one of my workshops and I'd be happy to show you. All the Stampin' Up! products you need for this technique can be ordered through me as well.

Happy Stamping one & all!

Di xox