Something Saturday - Watercolouring a background

 Hi there Creators,

Well, if you're anything like me watercolouring is a challenge, that usually ends up as a bit of a muddy mess, however after a bit of experimentation I've come up with these:  I'm not sure the colours look quite as vibrant on here as they are in person, but suffice it to say, Wow I impressed myself 🤣

Somehow my husband saw a puppy dog with a Santa hat on in this one, above, when I gave it to him to look at.... umm ok (should I be worried lol)  then I explained that no, they're not those weird things psychiatrists give you to see just how nutty you are.....

Anyway to do this (in a nutshell)  I taped the watercolour paper down to a heat proof tray using washi tape, sprayed heaps of water onto it, then dipped my water painter into various ink  colours and allowed it to drip onto the water laden paper (I used the brights re-inkers), then I used my heat tool to dry it off.

Here's the video if you want to check it out: 

Oh and come back next week to see what I actually do with these (hopefully my plan works....)

I hope this inspires you to have a go too.

God Bless love

Heather xox

Something Saturday - Stamp care and a random stamping technique

 Hi there Creators,

Today I talked a little about keeping your stamps in tip top condition.  Whilst I love my Stampin' Shammy for quickly cleaning my stamps, I have noticed that after a while the stamps start to look a little jaded, and when you think that you've invested $30+ into a stamp set you probably want to keep it in good condition!  Enter the Stampin' Scrub, which has mats on it, one you spray with the special Stampin' Mist cleaner spray, rub your stamps vigorously over it, then the other side you dry off your stamps with.  The special spray helps your stamps to be nicely conditioned, and the mats reach in deep into all the crevices of your stamp.  The photopolymer stamps don't feel quite so sticky after cleaning this way and the red rubber looks more conditioned!  I think you can see a difference 😊

Then I moved onto a random stamping technique that often we do accidentally, but this time I've made it deliberate.  The general gist is to ink up your stamp, then stamp off a portion of the stamp on raised scrap paper, so it gives you a straight line through it, I've stamped off on 2 sides of these to create sayings that end up with a really cool effect on them.

As you can see the sayings (from Biggest Wish Stamp set) end up with stripes going through them.  This first one I've coloured some of the white crinkled seam binding ribbon using a blending brush to brush the Pacific Point colour onto it and as the edges of the card felt a little blank I've stamped "Birthday" going down the sides, I kind of like the effect! then a bit of bling, the Brushed Metallic Dots.  Oh and I used the Essential Tag punch just to add a bit of interest, with the pieces punched out then added back in, but up on dimensionals

Then this one I left the sheet intact, and did the side bit a little more deliberately (I did notice the sides on the blue card aren't quite straight 🤣 I've added in a bit of the gorgeous Metallic woven ribbon in the Orchid Oasis to match the ink.  Oh and some of the pretty Iridescent Pearl basic jewels

So this is how I did the side piece this time, a bit of scrap paper to mask off where I don't want it, then I could stamp to my hearts content, and know it's straight!

And Voila.....a kind of cool looking edge!

If you missed the video, here it is.....

 Let me know if you have a go, and how it turns out!

I hope this inspires you to have a go too.

God Bless love

Heather xox

Cards for March classes

 Hi there Creators,

here are the cards we'll be making in March at my classes which are Wednesday 1st at 10.30am and Thursday 2nd at 7pm in Laanecoorie (my classroom) and Saturday 4th at 10.30am in Maryborough.

First up:  I thought this was kind of an interesting almost linen look to the hexagons on this card, then I've used the Biggest Wish stamps to create the bold sayings.  To see what I used, click here:  what Heather used

Next up are the Sea turtles, I saw someone else using these and once I realised the size I decided they were worth having, I love the bright colours I've used on them, click this link to see what I used for this card: What Heather used

Next up I do love this Watercolor World stamp so I after mentioning last month that I might use it this month (and getting a positive response....)  I've teamed it up with the Hope & Prayer stamp set, that hasn't seen much use yet, but I do love the images in it!  Check out what I used for this card here: What Heather Used

Then last but not least I couldn't go past the Love Cats!  having (kind of 4 of them ourselves I really felt like I should have this set 🤣)  I say "kind of" because 1 of them is a bit of a free loader and whilst Tom (hubby) can get close to him, he runs away from everyone else (however as he lives outside and keeps the mouse/rat population at bay, I'm ok with him freeloading on the food lol.)    You can't tell from this photo but the card has a clear middle section. Again to check out what I used click here: What Heather Used.

here's a photo to show off the middle section too (makes it a bit more interesting)

Class cost is $20 for the 4 cards, do let me know if you plan to come along, it would be great to see you 😊

If you can't make it I hope these inspire you to create.

God Bless love

Heather xox

Something Saturday - Watercolor World

Hi there Creators, 

Today we're checking out this gorgeous single Stamp called Watercolor World (being English it always makes me cringe spelling colour that way 🤣) but for the sake of stamping I'll build a bridge (and get over it)

As soon as I saw this stamp in the catalogue I knew I had to have it, as previously mentioned, I'm English, but I moved to Australia 21 years ago (and checked out a few other countries on the way), so this sort of thing really appeals to me.

Here is the first card I made before the video:

I inked up the work with green (I'm pretty sure it was Pear Pizzazz) and stamped that down, then it was a bit too white round the edges so I thought it needed some Sea, which I used Tahitian Tide to create with my Blending Brush, I've then added the saying cut using the Stitched Rectangle dies, and a vellum stitched rectangle underneath as I didn't want to obscure any more of the world than I needed to, lastly 3 white dots from the Classic Matte Dots.  Very simple but I do feel this stamp is so easy to use and makes such a great 1 layer card.  Oh forgot to add that the saying is from the Friends are Like Seashells stamp set.

Check out the list of what I used here:What Heather Used

Then in the video I make up this one - you'll definitely want the Stamparatus to do this, it is possible without it but the Stamparatus just makes it soooo much easier!

how to do it:  attach your stamp onto the Stamparatus plate, so it'll stamp perfectly on your card once it's in the corner.  Then pop your card in and use a blending brush to add the ink to the stamp (I used Melon Mambo, then Gorgeous Grape and Bermuda bay), you add one colour at a time and stamp it, if you want the colour darker, just add more layers of the same colour, it does mean doing it this way the colours blend together beautifully.  I've then used the One of a Kind stamp set for the saying

Check out exactly what I used here: What Heather Used

If you missed the video, here it is:

this technique can be done with any large stamp, so have a go!  Also in case you're not aware there are 3 days left of Sale-a-Bration so for every $90 ordered you get to pick a FREE Sale-a-Bration product - woo hoo!

I hope I've inspired you to create,

God Bless love

Heather xox

Something Saturday - What to do with your left over Chocolate tins

 Hi there Creators

Well I don't know about you, but around this time of year I end up with some chocolate box tins or biscuit tins that are decidedly empty.  Chocolates/biscuits have all "flown the coop", and it seems a shame to just dump the tins.  I'm sure there are heaps of things you can do with them if you check out Pinterest, but equally you can decorate them and use them as "gift wrap" solutions (who doesn't like a pretty tin?)🤣

So here is my big Roses Box of Chocolates altered tin:  I've used the gorgeous Favored Flowers Designer Papers that are free when you purchase $90+ of goodies until the end of Feb, but you could use any lovely papers that you have lying around (most of us if you've been paper crafting a while seem to have heaps!)

In the video I show you how to get measurements so the paper will fit onto your tin (even if the sides of the tin aren't quite 90 degrees to the base - as I discovered when doing this 🤣)  Oh and don't forget to check the inside of the box to see if anything needs covering (I did discover a list of chocolates printed onto the inside of the lid - after I thought I'd finished)

I like to add ribbon to hide the rough edges (bit of embellishments hide a multitude of sins)

Anyway if you missed the video, here it is.....

 

I hope this inspires you to have a go too!

God Bless love

Heather xox

Something Saturday - Light the Candles Kit

 Hi there Creators,

Today I thought I'd show off another new Kit I received although the kit isn't new, I have only just got round to buying it😁  Gee Stampin' Up! make some beautiful kits!  This one Light the Candles is one that contains ink and a stamp set too, so you can really go to town and make extra cards with a little bit of extra cardstock.

Here are the cards the kit actually makes: the candles are lovely and glittery (I don't think it shows up well in the photos)

This kit only makes up 2 different cards, but you get 4 of each so 8 cards in total, and as the purchase price for the kit is $33 it would make the cards $4.13 each, but wait.....

You can split up the candles from the top card..... and because both base cards have the pattern on the front and back you can split them up too, add your own base cards and voila!

the only things I added that weren't from the kit were the base cards (thick basic white cardstock used), and the bling, I've used some of the gorgeous In Colour Opal Rounds, which are kind of similar to the bling in the kit, only prettier colours.  As I explain right at the end of the video, I've cut down the front of the green patterned and orange patterned card and turned it over to get the little white strips for the saying and strip across the card.

Let me know if you have this kit and if you made extra cards with it (if you don't have it - what are you waiting for?

If you missed the video here it is:

I hope this inspires you to create something different from your kits

God Bless love

Heather xox

Something Saturday - New Saying Thanks Kit

 Hi there Creators

Today we're checking out this new kit that's been released, Oh my gosh it's gorgeous, and I created an extra card using some of the left overs.  And I worked out that the kit is $23 for 9 cards, so each card is only $2.56!!!  and that's not including the left overs and the box itself, what a bargain.

Check out (and maybe purchase) the kit here:  Saying Thanks Kit

Here are the cards I made: The top 3 are directly as the kit tells us to do them, then I get creative with the left overs 😍

there are a heap of little white hearts that get punched out of the 2nd card, so these, I've stacked and glued together to get little 3D hearts, then covered them with versamark and gold heat embossing powder and (carefully) heated them, to melt the embossing powder, I was thinking they'd look really cute on a present, especially with the white twine loops, but chances are by the time I'm wrapping up a presy I'll forget I've got them, so figured they'd better go on a card!

I loved the colours in the other cards, so thought I'd stick to similar ones, and I've used all the 2022-2024 In colour reinkers to create this watercoloured background. Re-inker links are:  Parakeet Party, Sweet Sorbet, Starry Night, Orchid Oasis, and Tahitian Tide.  To create this effect, I've damped down watercolour paper then inked up my watercolour brush, and dotted the ink around, it then spreads and once it dry's you can use it (so pretty).

And now for the finished card......

If you missed the video, here it is...

I hope this inspires you to grab a kit and have a go!

God Bless love

Heather xox