Retro Fresh Album and Card
Here’s a great project from Monika Davis for the March edition of Craft Project Central.
Are you ready for a vacation? This little mini album is perfect for those precious memories and photos. You can take it with you, and work on it while on vacation, or use it as a brag album after your trip. This is also the perfect present with the matching greeting card to someone who loves to travel and take pictures. Makes a fun Stamp Camp project too.
To get the instructions to re-create this gorgeous gift set, subscribe to Craft Project Central. For just $10.00 you can the instructions for 10 gorgeous projects including this one.
Bye for now,
Kris
Techno Stamper Challenge 304
I used the sketch challenge at Techno Stamper to create this card.
I embossed the right half of Very Vanilla card using the Woodgrain Embossing Folder and attached it to scored and folded Cajun Craze card. 
I stamped the Hardwood Background onto Very Vanilla card using Crumb Cake ink, attached it to Marina Mist card and then the left hand side of the card front. I stamped the tyre tread from the Rev Up The Fun stamp set onto Very Vanilla card using Cajun Craze ink. I stamped the motor bike from the same stamp set using Marina Mist ink and also the “smoke” using Crumb Cake ink and then punched the piece using the 2-1/2″ Circle Punch. I attached it to Cajun Craze card cut using one of the Circle Framelit Dies and then the card front using dimensionals. 
I stamped “make a wish” from the Sweet Essentials stamp set onto Very Vanilla card using Cajun Craze. I cut a “V” in one end and attached to Marina Mist card. I added a Vintage Brad to the flag before attaching it to the card front using dimensionals.
I kept the inside pretty simple, just stamping the tyre tread, bike and “smoke” using the same inks.
I don’t get to participate in as many challenges as I would like, but was glad that I was able to make use of this great sketch. I’d love to hear what you think of my creation.
Bye for now,
Kris
Let the Fringe Begin
Wow, this is truly gorgeous. I love these funky fringe scissors and this project is high on my list of “to do”.
Regina Andari has created these gorgeous projects for the March edition of Craft Project Central. Perhaps you’ve looked at Stampin’ Up!’s Fringe Scissors and wondered what—besides paper grass—you can create with them. This tutorial will show you how to create a closed-loop bow, an open fringe bow, a fun fringe card, and twisted fringe trim for cards, scrapbook pages, gifts, and other projects.
I’m sure by now you have already subscribed to Craft Project Central but if you haven’t, don’t delay. You can get the instructions for 10 projects, including this one for just $10.00. Once you’ve subscribed then pop on over to Regina’s blog and take a look at more of her gorgeous work and don’t forget to leave a comment. We all love comments.
Bye for now,
Kris
Happy Birthday Elyssa
My granddaughter Elyssa is celebrating her 6th birthday today. I can’t believe how quickly she is growing up! Today I will share the card I made for her. I think I may have mentioned before that there is a little bit of pressure when I make these cards, because all the grandchildren check it out to see what Nan has made and whether it measures up or not.
I was inspired to create this LaLaLoopsy punch art figure for the front of my card by this one that I saw on Pinterest. The creator Wendy Cranford even has a video to show how to create her version. I must admit I didn’t watch the video but the photo was enough to get me started. It is perfect for Elyssa as she loves LaLaLoopsy.
I used Pink Pirouette card for the face, arms and legs (1-3/4″ Circle, Large heart and Word Window Punches). The hair and feet are Tangerine Tango. I used the Fringe Scissors to add some dimension to the fringe and to create the “ponytails”. The dress is cut from Gingham Garden DSP using one of the Dress Up Framelits. The hair bows are just two Small Hearts punched from the same paper with the addition of a Large Basic Pearl. The eyes are punched from Basic Black using the Owl Builder Punch. I hand drew the eyelashes and to create the mouth I used a 3/4″ Circle to trace around. To add the cheeks I used my blender pen and a little Pink Pirouette ink.
The card is cut from Whisper White using the Label Pop’n Cuts Base. I added a piece of Whisper White to cover the front and back which I embossed using the Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder. I added a trim of Island Indigo card punched using the Scallop Trim Border Punch.
Inside the card I added more embossed Whisper White card with the same Island Indigo trim. Although I did stamp Make a Wish from the Perfect Pennants stamp set in Island Indigo onto the panel for the bottom of the card before I embossed. 
To make my “happy” banner, I used MDS. I used the Banner Blast Digital Download to create the small banners and changed the colours to Melon Mambo, Island Indigo and Daffodil Delight. I used the Timeless Type Alphabet Digital Download to add the letters. I printed them onto Whisper White card and then used the Banner Blast Punch to cut them out. They are attached to a length of Whisper White Bakers Twine and then to toothpicks which I secured to the back of the pop up using sticky tape. I added the bows with a really small amount of Tombow Multipurpose Glue. The frame from the Four Frames stamp set is stamped in Melon Mambo. 
I stamped “birthday” from the Fabulous Phrases stampset using Island Indigo ink. I used the Deco Framelit Dies to cut out the greeting and also the Island Indigo and Whisper White card.
I stamped the candles from the Cycle Celebration stamp set using Melon Mambo and Daffodil Delight ink. I cut the candles out and added them beside the greeting. I must admit I really love the finished card.
Of course, I had to decorate the gift bag to match. I embossed Whisper White card and added a strip of Island Indigo card which I punched using the Scallop Trim Border Punch to the top and bottom. This card is attached to a purchased White gift bag. I created another LaLaLoopsy Doll and added Happy Birthday. The letters were cut from Island Indigo card using the Timeless Type Junior Alphabet (retired).
I’m happy to say that the card and the matching bag were a big hit with Elyssa and the other grandchildren. Of course, Elyssa like what was in the bag too.
I’d love to hear what you think?
Bye for now,
Kris
Zoo Babies Brag Book and Card
This fabulous brag book designed by Laurie Zoellmer is the second project for the March edition of Craft Project Central.
This easy to assemble Brag Book makes a perfect gift for the proud-new parents or grandparents! This brag book will easily hold 10 photographs. The “photo” theme is carried through with our “faux Polaroid frame” card! Faux Polaroid frame cards are very trendy now, and sure to be a hit!
If you would like to create this beautiful project, just subscribe to the March edition of Craft Project Central for the bargain price of $10.00 for 10 projects. You should also take a tour of Laurie’s blog and check out more of her amazing work and while you are there leave a comment to let her know how much you love it.
Bye for now, Kris.
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,
