It’s another MDS Monday Challenge
The current scrap layout challenge at MDS Monday had me really thinking outside the box. There is a sketch but they want you to use a map of your state. Well, apparently, there is a download for that for the states in the USA but I couldn’t find one for Australia. So I googled a map of Queensland, did a little manipulating and finally had my map.
The only trouble was I had a little “white” space around my stamp, so to hide that I added my map to the page and used the colour picker to add the same “white” to my page as the background colour. I added my photo boxes but the background seemed a little plain, so I opened the stamps – splatter option in my Design Centre to add some to my background. The colours seemed a little dark so I changed the opacity to lighten them up a little. I picked most of the colours from the colours in my photos, particularly the colours in the sky. The chevron pattern was created using my photo corner punch. I rotated it, added several, aligned them and spaced them evenly before grouping them together. That made it easy to add the colour and drop shadows. Once they were grouped I could change the size or copy and paste them.
These photos were taken at sunset on Tower Hill in Charter’s Towers. It’s a wonderful town full of the most amazing buildings and a fabulous history.
I hope my page has inspired you to play a little more with My Digital Studio.
Bye for now,
Kris
Spring Flower Ball Gift Set
I am really happy to let you all know that I am part of the design team for the March Edition of Craft Project Central. I love being part of this team. The support is fantastic and the projects are always amazing. So to kick off the month here is the first project by Julie Beltramo and isn’t it just gorgeous. Julie is a talented papercrafter and you will really enjoy a visit to her blog to see more of her work and of course leave a comment and let her know how much you love it.
This Spring Flower Ball will give a pop of cheer to anyone’s décor. Displayed on an ornament hanger, it can be ‘hung’ just about anywhere. Or place it atop a candlestick holder for a dramatic display. No matter how the recipient decides to display it, they will be delighted to receive it in the Custom Made Window Box, along with the coordinating card.
To learn all the secrets to creating this beautiful project, just sign up to March edition of Craft Project Central. You will receive step by step tutorials for ten projects for the low price of $10.00.
Bye for now,
Kris
Hexagons and Flowers
I have seen many gorgeous examples of cards using the Hexagon Hive Thinlits Die. Most of the truly beautiful ones also use the Watercolour Wonder Designer Series Paper as well. However, try as I might, I just couldn’t make it work. So, I completely scrapped that idea and created my own version.
I stamped the Hardwood Background stamp onto Crumb Cake card using Crumb Cake ink and sponged the edges using the same ink. I cut Crumb Cake card using the Hexagon Hive Thinlits Die and then sponged Crumb Cake ink over the whole die in a circular motion. This kind of highlighted all the edges of those gorgeous shapes. I also sponged the ink around the edges. The two pieces of Crumb Cake are attached together and then attached to scored and folded Cherry Cobbler card. I stamped the flowers from the Petite Petals stamp set onto Whisper White card using Cherry Cobbler ink and punched them out using the Petite Petals Punch (this is one of the best bundles I bought from the Occasions Catalogue). 
I gave the flowers a little dimension and attached them to the card front using Glue Dots. I stamped Birthday Wishes from the Bring on the Cake stamp set onto Whisper White card using Cherry Cobbler ink and cut the greeting using one of the Banner Framelit Dies. I sponged the edges using Crumb Cake ink and attached the greeting to the card front. Lastly I added large Basic Pearls to the centre of the flowers. Inside the card I stamped a 3cm wide strip of Crumb Cake card using the Hardwood Background stamp and Crumb Cake ink. I sponged the edges before attaching a narrow strip of Cherry Cobbler card punched using the Scallop Trim Border Punch. I attached this piece to the bottom of Whisper White card which has the edges sponged with Crumb Cake ink and then to the inside of the card. 
I stamped and punched a flower as before and attached it over the border of the decorative edge.
Finally a card I was happy with. What do you think? Is this a card that you would like to reproduce? If so, you can purchase all the supplies necessary at my online store.
Bye for now,
Kris
Edit: Just found out this fits the challenge at Moxie World – Happy for Hexagons challenge.
Simply Fabulous
Last year at convention I received the Simply Fabulous Simply Sent kit for free. I love the design of the beautiful laser cut card but wanted to use it in a different way than suggested in the kit. Today my thoughts and ideas finally came together and this is what I created.
I stamped the greeting “Fabulous is what you are” from the Million and One stamp set (another convention freebie) diagonally across the centre of the card using Strawberry Slush ink. Then I cut a custom sized card to attach the stamped piece to (14.8cm x 22.8cm, scored on the long side at 11.4cm). I cut Pistachio Pudding card using the Little Leaves Sizzlet and attached the leaves to the upper left and lower right hand corners of the card. I did trim the stem and actually cut it up a little so that I could place the leaves closer together. 
I stamped the flower from the Petite Petals stamp set onto Whisper White card using Strawberry Slush ink six times and punched them out with the matching Petite Petals Punch. I gave the flowers a slightly cupped shape and attached them to the card front using Glue Dots. I added large Basic Pearls to the centre of each flower.
To decorate the inside of the card I cut another set of leaves from Pistachio Pudding card using the Little Leaves Sizzlit and attached them to the lower left hand corner of Whisper White card. 
I embossed a strip of Whisper White card using the Fancy Fan embossing folder and attached a narrow strip of Strawberry Slush card which has been punched on one long edge using the Scallop Trim Border Punch. I attached this to the Whisper White card over the leaves and attached another flower created the same as the ones on the front of the card.
I am quite excited by how gorgeous this card looks. The laser cut cards in this Simply Sent kit are really lovely and make a gorgeous addition to the card front. In fact I was so happy that I created another three cards using different colours, Baked Brown Sugar, Coastal Cabana and Crisp Cantaloup. I still have four of these laser cut cards and all the embellishments and envelopes left in the kit waiting for me to “play” another day.
I’d love to hear what you think of this set of cards.
Bye for now,
Kris
Something New….
…..for me anyway. I just got my Peachy Keen bundle and decided to use the framelits with the current sketch at Craft Project Central. I embossed Very Vanilla card using the Arrows Embossing Folder and attached it to scored and folded Baked Brown Sugar card. I attached a piece of Retro Fresh Designer Series Paper to Coastal Cabana card and attached it to the left hand side of the card front. I cut Tangerine Tango using the frame from the On Film Framelits. Isn’t it cute? I love the little punched out squares along the top and the bottom of the window. I stamped the seaweed image from the By The Tide stamp set onto Very Vanilla card using Baked Brown Sugar ink which I stamped off onto scrap paper first. The Very Vanilla card is attached behind the Tangerine Tango window and then added to the card front using dimensionals. 
I stamped the fish also from the By The Tide stamp set onto Very Vanilla card using Coastal Cabana ink and cut it out. I placed the fish face down onto my Stampin’ Pierce Mat and rubbed the back end of my Paper Piercing Tool over the fish in small circles to add some dimension. I attached the fish to the card front using a couple of dimensionals.
Inside the card I added a strip of Tangerine Tango card to the back of a narrow strip of Retro Fresh Designer Series Paper. This piece is attached to the bottom edge of Very Vanilla card. I stamped happy birthday from the Sassy Salutations stamp set onto the Very Vanilla card using Coastal Cabana ink.
I love the colours in the Retro Fresh Designer Series paper. They look so gorgeous together, don’t you think?
All of the supplies are available to purchase at my online store and don’t forget you can still earn free product with a qualifying order.
Bye for now,
Kris
Pretty Flowers
Have you seen the Fringe Scissors in the Occasions Catalogue (133325)? I finally had a chance to play with mine yesterday. I grabbed some Sale-A-Bration Designer Series paper I had stashed from last year and created these pencil topper flowers. My grandchildren are going to love them! I cut 10cm wide strips, scored them at 5cm and folded them. Then I cut either the fold side or the open side with the scissors. The trick is to put the paper as far back into the scissors as you can. The point doesn’t have much pressure and doesn’t cut as well. Of course you have to leave a little bit uncut or the flowers would fall apart. Once I had created the fringe, I cut the lengths in half, so each flower only used a 6″ length. I used Sticky Strip along the edge that I attached to the pencil and just rolled them to the end. I fluffed them up a bit and opened them out. I think they are really cute.
Some of these pencils had been cut down for another project but some still have the eraser on the end and with these cute little flowers the children can still use the rubbers.
I’ve seen a few other ideas for these scissors on Pinterest, so just need to find the time to create a little.
If you would like to be able to create thee flowers, just pop over to my online store it’s open 24/7.
Bye for now,
Kris
Made to Order
A friend of mine asked me to make a Wedding card for her niece and I was happy to oblige. I actually cased a card I had previously made for a special order but changed up the colours and the flowers. You can see the original card here (which by the way was a Pinterest CASE originally).
I embossed Whisper White card using the Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder and attached it to Brushed Gold Metallic card and then to scored and folded Whisper White card. I cut my large heart using the Heart Framelit Dies and the smaller heart using the Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslit (retired) from Brushed Gold Metallic card. 
The Little Leaves Sizzlet is also cut from the same card. I created my flowers by punching the Brushed Gold Metallic card using the 7/8″ Scallop Circle, 1-1/4″ Scallop Circle and 1-3/4″ Scallop Circle. The circles were cut into a spiral and then rolled them up to create the flowers. I did spray them with rubbing alcohol and scrunch them up before I rolled them (thank’s Patty Bennett for the tip). Inside the card I added a layer of embossed Whisper White card and a strip of the Brushed Gold Metallic card. 
I wanted my greeting to have similar colouring to the metallic card and knew that using Gold Embossing Powder would be too bright. Instead I stamped “Forever and Always” from the Loving Thoughts stamp set using Baked Brown Sugar ink which I think matches the card stock perfectly.
My friend is going to hand deliver this card and so I created a little box using the Envelope Punch Board to house the card. I used Whisper White card 23cm x 23cm which I punched and scored at 9.2cm and 11.3cm, rotated the card 180 degrees and punched and scored at the same marks. 
On the other two sides I just lined up the score lines. You need to cut away the corners and then assemble the envelope box. I decorated the front of the box using the same heart elements as the card. To close the box I cut the Brushed Metallic Card using the Apothecary Framelit Die and attached it to the back of the box using Gold Glimmer Brads.
One of the things that my friend wanted was to have the names of the bride and groom on the card. I used MDS to create a banner the same size as the Bitty Banner Framelit and printed onto Whisper White card. I was able to print in Baked Brown Sugar so that it perfectly matches the other elements on the card and the box. Gotta love MDS!
My friend was very happy with the card and so was I. I’d love to hear what you think.
Bye for now,
Kris
MDS Monday 53
MDS Monday has another great scrapbook sketch challenge to create using My Digital Studio this week.
Here is the sketch….
….. and here is my page.
We had a great day out at the end of the school holiday at Aussie World with my daughters and grandchildren and this was perfect for showing off some of the photos. The kids had a ball but I think the Mum’s might have had even more fun.
To create the strips of dsp I added square punches to my page, resized them and filled them with colour and the gorgeous papers from the My Digital Class Beautiful Today Kit digital download (135913). The frame around the largest photo comes from the My Digital Class Finest Simplicity Kit digital download (135912). The other solid colours on the page were selected using the colour picker tool. My background paper is Smoky Slate which I have reduced to 50% opacity.
I was a fun page to complete and it showcases some photos which otherwise would have been stored away for a long time waiting for me to scrap them. If you want more ideas for using this sketch just pop over to MDS Monday and see what the design team has created.
Bye for now,
Kris
A Valentine Box
I found this really cute little box on Pinterest which was designed by Emily Campbell. She was kind enough to include the dimensions in her blog post so I couldn’t resist making one. The ladies at my Beachmere class had been asking for something Valentine so this was the perfect project.
I added a strip of the gorgeous Watercolour Wonder Designer Washi Tape and also a length of the Gold Sequin Trim. The flower is made using the Spiral Flower Originals Die and Brushed Gold metallic card. 
I created the flower following the instructions in Patty Bennett’s video. Don’t you just love how gorgeous and rose like it looks. The top of the box is punched with the Scallop Tag topper Punch and tied closed with some Gold Baker’s Twine.
The ladies loved this little box and now all they have to do is give it to their hubbies to add a beautiful Valentine’s gift. Everyone hoped that their box would be filled with a gorgeous piece of jewellery!
Thanks to Emily and Patty for the great instructions.
If you would like to create this cute little box you can purchase all the supplies necessary from my online store.
Bye for now,
Kris
MDS Monday – Sketch
I am kind of getting addicted to these sketch challenges at MDS Monday. I saw the sketch just after my grandchildren started school and thought it would be perfect to share their first day photos.
Here is the sketch….
…and here is my creation.
I started with a Whisper White Background. I added my photo boxes and mats, then the embellishments along the bottom. I used the embellishments from the This Makes Me Happy Pocket Cards Digital Download (134699) to create the bands across the bottom of the page and to add the embellishment at the top right hand corner. The “you are crazy awesome” is a stamp from the same download. I used the add splatter option in the stamps section of the Design Centre to add the splashes of colour to the background. I used the colour picker to select colours from the school uniforms to colour my embellishments and stamp. A few punches and some stitching completes the layout.
I have updated the My Digital Studio page with the latest downloads. Don’t forget that you can trial this programme for free for 30 days. Just visit my online store, click on My Digital Studio in the menu on the left hand side and you will see the free trial option.
Bye for now,
Kris
Stamping with Kris 