I'm in Love...

I'm in love with Tim Holtz Tissue Tape - sigh! There may be an order of more than one wending its way to me as we speak (I neither confirm nor deny that statement).
When I was at one of those $2 shop style paces I came across some Kraft Paper Tape (just under 2" wide). As soon as I saw it, the wheels in my head started turning...imagine what I could do with that! Unfortunately, when I opened the packet (of course it came home with me!) the Kraft 'Paper' had a glossy finish which shut down many of the ideas churning around in my head. I thought it was plain paper topped and could be stamped and embossed. I did try embossing it but it was a disaster! Hmmm, I could try dry embossing it I guess but I might as well use Kraft cardstock for that. I did experiment with a grid stamp and stazon and that worked fine (spritzing it with Glimmer Mist did not work FYI!).
The strip on the left is a Tim Holtz Tissue Tape, did I mention I love Tim Holtz and his product? The middle strip is the kraft paper tape and the one on the right is the kraft paper tape I stamped on. It wasn't as versatile as I originally thought but I'm sure I will pull it out for the odd project here and there (not acid free though).
Just as well I have a few original Tim Holtz Tissue Tapes on their way :)

Sometimes You Have To Do What You Have To Do

You remember I said I didn't like to make cards right? Well, sometimes you have to do what you have to do.

Here's two cards I made with the stash from Create Auckland. They are 6x6" (new size for me) and I used a piece of Bo Bunny paper that already had fancy 6x6 designs on them. All I had to do was decide which ones took my fancy, throw on some Bo Bunny bling and brackets, a little stamping/embossing, some edge inking (Of course) and they were done. Not sure where I would find envelopes for them! The colours of the ETC range are great for masculine cards but I'm sure a female friend will be equally as please to receive one of them (once they are returned to me from Create of course).

Disclaimer: I need to add that, if you intend to make both the layout and the cards on this blog from the same stash of papers (as I'm sure someone is really going to bother to do!), you will need two pieces of the Bo Bunny paper. To make the cards I used the reverse side and used the 6x6 that had the tag on it I used in the layout. This can easily be avoided by not using the upper right 6x6 square (but I really liked it)!

Sick of the Blue Background?

Sick of the blue background? Me too! So, for the picture of my latest creation I changed the photo shoot location. I created this layout based around the die-cut Bo Bunny paper and a swirl from Bo Bunny in my kit from Fiona. The swirl direction didn't suit the layout design so I flipped it over and spritzed it with Smooch. Again it is a very different style for me but I totally love it! I may have given myself RSI spritzing all the doilies and used up all of my favourite Smooch colour (the brown) but I think it was worth it.

Two tips I learned in the creative process:

The dark rectangle shape under the swirl is actually one of those [really old] metal word plaques - I just coloured it with Stazon ink to match my layout

I wanted to emboss the pre-printed ring on the die-cut paper but my embossing pens always run dry before I even have a chance to use them. I used a refill bottle of Versa Mark ink to dab ink around the circle and then smeared it carefully with a paint brush (I'm not sure the colour it came with matched but it was too late to turn back once it was done!).

My Mum got given a present in the presentation box and passed it on to me - score! I glued mini pegs inside it with glass glaze so I can display my latest creations in it.

The Next Installment for Create Auckland

The latest parcel has arrived from Fiona @ Create Auckland. I have already started mapping out my project[s]. It's arrival meant I had to clean off my scrap table from the last project I worked on! Clean slate and ready to go.

On a side note: I am booked in for a class Wednesday night at a local scrapbook shop. I am looking forward to attending and having the project already designed for me. It is a mini book by Kathy Kirsten and I will load a picture when it is done.

Here's a Couple I Prepared Earlier

These photos were taken while the kids were playing on my ipod - they did oblige me with a lovely shot with all eyes on the camera. I started out with a layout idea I wanted to scraplift from a recent CK mag but none of my mini pics were of the right orientation to work with the sketch. So I decided to work with what I had. The paper is so glittery and gorgeous that I didn't want to over embellish it too much. I used a piece of HOTP embossible paper inked with several inks to get the right shade/look for the background paper. It actually took me ages to get everything just right so it looked simple and thrown together! Makes it an easy one to recreate which is what I did below:

The main diecut background paper came home with me from the US of A and, again, didn't need a lot of other layers added to it. I pulled out my shoe box of black and white embellishments and played around until I was happy. I got to use some items I had stored away for a 'special' layout (including the paper). Moral of the story: don't wait for a photo/event/layout to be special enough to use stuff. The epoxy stickers on the edge of the photo block look like part of the layout design but they are also tags with additional photos and stories (as shown below the layout). I used up some of the leftover strips of the embossible paper on this layout too (inked with black ink).

I Broke the Rules (again)

It is not unexpected that I have broken the rules (again) as I've never been good with them but this time I broke one of my own rules! The rule I broke was this one: if I made the present, you don't get a handmade card. I figure if I went to all the effort of making you a gift then I can be excused from making a card. Don't you remember me confessing that I hate making cards? Well, I made my mother a birthday gift and I made her a card as well. Even though I still do detest making cards I really like how this turned out. I finally got to use the MS Buttefly punch I purchased a while back - see, I knew it would come in handy, that's why I had to buy it :)

My Mum has the same recipe book I remember from my childhood as well as a newer exercise book she adds new recipes to and several old, battered, long out of print recipe books. There are pages falling out of all the books (looseleaf A4 photocopies, handwritten recipes, and pages ripped from magazines) and the ones that are still in the books are barely hanging in there by yellowing sellotape. Some still have their own covers but most don't. I decided to make her a recipe book using a ringbinder folder where she could store copies of all her tried-and-true recipes in an organised way as well as plenty of space for new recipes. My Mum is not an overly Fru-fru kind of lady so I kept the design very simple and matched it to her current kitchen colours.

I copied some of her most used recipes - ok, I admit it, the ones I like the most - and have placed them in the folder. I have created some labels and dividers for her and have included extras for her to use to her preferences (with adhesive already attached). I wouldn't mind one of these babies for myself now.

I have an excuse

The blog isn't being updated because I am creating. Because the item I am creating is for a gift, I can't share it on here yet - besides it's not finished yet. I'll update you when it's done and dusted, after it has been given to the recipient of course!